Join us for book discussions during the month of February at Newton Public Library! These friendly gatherings are open to the public, no registration needed.

Books are available to borrow about a month before each discussion. You’re welcome to check out any or all of the book club picks and read along with us, whether or not you can attend.

To sign up for an email list with the latest book club announcements and reminders, click here and check “Book Discussions” when you fill out the form.

Prime Suspects Book Club – 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5

A Deadly Bone to Pick, by Peggy Rothschild. A special (human) guest from Blue Skies Pet Care will attend this discussion! “After moving into her new home to start over, former private investigator Molly Madison finds herself a murder suspect when her new neighbor’s Saint Berdoodle dog digs up a severed hand while out on a walk. Once Molly alerts the police, she’s an immediate suspect. After all, Noodle’s testimony to clear her name won’t hold much water in court. To prove her innocence, Molly must rely on instincts keener than a canine’s to sniff out the real killer.”

Strange New Worlds Book Club – 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11

Homeland, by R.A. Salvatore. As the third son of Mother Malice and weaponmaster Zaknafein, Drizzt Do’Urden is meant to be sacrificed to Lolth, the evil Spider Queen, per drow tradition. But with the unexpected death of his older brother, young Drizzt is spared—and, as a result, further ostracized by his family. Can Drizzt stay true to himself in a such an unforgiving, unprincipled world?

Nonfiction Book Club – 12 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14

The Last Stargazers, by Emily Levesque. Humans from the earliest civilizations were spellbound by the night sky. From Copernicus to Carl Sagan, astronomers throughout history have spent their lives trying to answer the biggest questions in the universe. Levesque shares the stories of modern-day stargazers, the people willing to adventure across high mountaintops and to some of the most remote corners of the planet, all in the name of science.

Boundless Bookworms – 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20

Devil on the Cross, by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o. Wariinga, a young woman, moves from a rural Kenyan town to the capital, Nairobi, only to be exploited by her boss and later by a corrupt businessman. As she struggles to survive, she realizes that her problems are symptoms of a larger societal malaise, and that much of the misfortune stems from Western and capitalist influences on her country. The first novel ever published in the Gikuyu language, Devil on the Cross was written in secret, from a jail cell, during a year the author spent as a political prisoner. It has had a profound influence on Africa and on post-colonial African literature.

Sugar & Spice Book Club – 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 26

Their love was supposed to last forever. But when life delivered blow after devastating blow, Yasmen and Josiah Wood found that love alone couldn’t solve or save everything. It couldn’t save their marriage. Yasmen wasn’t prepared for how her life fell apart, but she is finally starting to find joy again. She and Josiah have found a new rhythm, co-parenting their two kids and running a thriving business together. But now, they’re beginning to wonder if they’re truly ready to let go of everything they once had.