Meeting in August

This month we're reading 'The Last Taboo' by Bali Rai.

'Tyrone leaned across the table and gave me a long kiss. When I eventually opened my eyes I saw an Asian couple, middle-aged, on the next table along. You know that phrase – if looks could kill? Well, I was dead.’

Simran falls for Tyrone from the moment she spots him in the crowd. He’s gorgeous and won’t take no for an answer. There’s just one problem – Tyrone is black.
When two of Simran’s cousins from the Asian gang the Desi Posse find out that she is seeing Tyrone, things start to get out of control . . . '

Copies are available to pick up in the library (there's a TRG display stand next to the Teen fiction section), and we'll be meeting 4.30-5.30pm on Wednesday 5th August. Please let a member of staff know if you're coming, so we can plan for refreshments!

'Gossip Girl' by Cecily von Ziegesar

There was some lively debate around 'Gossip Girl', with considerable agreement at the start - until a late arrival came and made a spirited defence!

Everyone initially agreed that the glossy front cover looked promising – but that the first chapter really didn’t live up to it. There were too many characters introduced, and people felt they were too similar, making it hard to follow what was happening.

The ‘web page’ sections inbetween some chapters also led to confusion. What were they about? There was discussion about how they provided a kind of commentary on the story, and hints about what was about to come up. The general feeling though was that it was a failed attempt to be trendy and tech-savvy – not really needed in the book.

People felt that although the plot appeared to be glamorous and exciting, we didn’t feel engaged or interested. It seemed to be selling a kind of fantasy life, but not one that any of the group members wanted to be part of! There was also discomfort about the unrealistic portrayal of risk-free sex and drug taking.

However – the delayed arrival of another group member prompted more discussion. We’d been too quick to write it off, she argued, and failed to appreciate the true pleasures of scandal and gossip. The second in the series was even better, she claimed, and the spin off titles better still.

The group wasn’t entirely swung over by these arguments and our overall score was a less than luxurious 4 out of 10.