Ruby (ルビー)

Back by popular demand… we’re bringing it back! 🎤🔥 After the huge success of our Anime OST & Karaoke Night (Christmas Edition – Vol. 1), we knew we had to do it again — and this time, it’s with more people to sing with 👀✨ Get ready to sing your heart out to songs from Naruto, Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer, Tokyo Ghoul, One Piece, My Hero Academia, Dragon Ball Z & more 🔥 Not confident with Japanese lyrics? No stress at all 😄 We’ll be playing Spacetoon Arabic classics too — so get ready for some nostalgic sing-alongs 🎤✨ 📍 Location: Hama Film x Kono Karaoke - Burjuman Mall 📅 Date: Saturday, April 4th ⏰ Time: 5:00 PM 💰 Package Details: AED 50 per person (non refundable), includes: 🥤 1 drink 📸 2 photo booth sessions 🎤 2 hours of karaoke PrePayment details will be shared directly on WhatsApp, so please join our Wtsapp community to confirm attendance: https://chat.whatsapp.com/BaVC4Y1G4lmH9tIuvTBJKc?mode=gi_t Spots are limited, so make sure to RSVP early 👀 ⚠️ No guests until approved. Can’t wait to see you there 🎌💛8

يسرّنا دعوتكم للمشاركة الفاعلة في الجلسات النقاشية لفعالية »اليوم التفاعلي للأندية القرائية لمناقشة روايات القائمة القصيرة - «IPAF 2026التي ستُعقد خلال الأيام 2 – 3 – 4 أبريل 2026 ، بمكتية الصفا للفنون و التصميم - دبي، حيث ينظم الملتقى 6 جلسات نقاشية بواقع جلستين يوميًا، مدة الجلسة ساعتين ، لمناقشة روايات القائمة القصيرة، وذلك وفق برنامج الفعالية التالي : اليوم الأول – الخميس 2 أبريل 2026 • الجلسة 1 | 11:00 – 01:00 الرواية: أصل الأنواع – أحمد عبد اللطيف • الجلسة 2 | 01:00 – 03:00 الرواية: منام القيلولة – أمين الزاوي اليوم الثاني – الجمعة 3 أبريل 2026 • الجلسة 3 | 02:00 – 04:00 فوق رأسي سحابة – دعاء إبراهيم • الجلسة 4 | 02:00 – 04:00 أغالب مجرى النهر – سعيد الخطيبي اليوم الثالث – السبت 4 أبريل 2026 • الجلسة 5 | 11:00 – 01:00 الرائي – ضياء الجبيلي • الجلسة 6 | 01:00 – 03:00 غيبة مي – نجوى بركات للمشاركة يرجى إرسال: • الاسم الكامل • البريد الإلكتروني • رقم الموبايل • نوع المشاركة (مديرة جلسة / مناقِشة) • الرواية أو الجلسة المفضلة الدعوة عامة اللجنة التنظيمية – ملتقى الراويات

يسرّنا دعوتكم للمشاركة الفاعلة في الجلسات النقاشية لفعالية »اليوم التفاعلي للأندية القرائية لمناقشة روايات القائمة القصيرة - «IPAF 2026التي ستُعقد خلال الأيام 2 – 3 – 4 أبريل 2026 ، بمكتية الصفا للفنون و التصميم - دبي، حيث ينظم الملتقى 6 جلسات نقاشية بواقع جلستين يوميًا، مدة الجلسة ساعتين ، لمناقشة روايات القائمة القصيرة، وذلك وفق برنامج الفعالية التالي : اليوم الأول – الخميس 2 أبريل 2026 • الجلسة 1 | 11:00 – 01:00 الرواية: أصل الأنواع – أحمد عبد اللطيف • الجلسة 2 | 01:00 – 03:00 الرواية: منام القيلولة – أمين الزاوي اليوم الثاني – الجمعة 3 أبريل 2026 • الجلسة 3 | 02:00 – 04:00 فوق رأسي سحابة – دعاء إبراهيم • الجلسة 4 | 02:00 – 04:00 أغالب مجرى النهر – سعيد الخطيبي اليوم الثالث – السبت 4 أبريل 2026 • الجلسة 5 | 11:00 – 01:00 الرائي – ضياء الجبيلي • الجلسة 6 | 01:00 – 03:00 غيبة مي – نجوى بركات للمشاركة يرجى إرسال: • الاسم الكامل • البريد الإلكتروني • رقم الموبايل • نوع المشاركة (مديرة جلسة / مناقِشة) • الرواية أو الجلسة المفضلة الدعوة عامة اللجنة التنظيمية – ملتقى الراويات

希望通过Meetup把阿联酋少见的华人科技从业者聚集起来。 加我的微信“martian2lee”，进微信群。 活动的时间和地点是虚构的。真实活动我们在微信群里讨论。

Join us for an exciting Doubles Badminton Fun Night at **Xtra Sports Sharjah.** Whether you are a seasoned player or new to the game, this event is perfect for everyone looking to have a great time on the court. Meet fellow badminton enthusiasts, improve your skills, and enjoy some friendly competition in a social and welcoming environment. **Plying every saturday at 7-9 pm Xtra sports academy Sharjah.** **Cost will be AED 40/- Per person including court rent , premium feather shuttle and average 8 games will get every plyers.** **New plyers must confirm your slots through WhatsApp ( Rensin +971 501497147)** **Note: No cancellation on game day and full payment is applicable if any cancellation on game day** **Join WhatsApp Group ; [https://chat.whatsapp.com/GUlBTloYtkrGVLb2ljK1ZV](https://chat.whatsapp.com/GUlBTloYtkrGVLb2ljK1ZV)** This event is ideal for those who enjoy social sports, staying active, and connecting with like-minded individuals. Whether you are a singles or doubles player, come and experience a fun-filled evening of healthy living through exercise and sports. Don't miss out on this opportunity to mingle with new friends, network, and have a blast playing indoor badminton. Let's make this a memorable night of sports, recreation, and social bonding!

Welcome to Camelot Language School! Our speaking club is a fun, friendly place where everyone feels comfortable speaking and learning together 😊 You’ll practice real conversations, make new friends, and improve your English naturally with a native speaker guiding you along the way. No pressure, just support, laughter, and great conversations. **Join us** and come enjoy learning with us!

**Note: This is an invite-only session.** **👋 Are you an advanced player?** Kindly add your name to the waitlist, and [click here to WhatsApp Sarfaraz (+971551899547)](https://wa.me/971551899547?text=Hey%20Sarfaraz!%20This%20is%20my%20first%20time%20joining%20Badminton%20For%20All%2C%20Dubai.) to confirm your slot. 📍 **Venue:** Baseline Sports Academy, Al Quoz *[(Google Maps)](https://maps.app.goo.gl/KvyZpc9AFR4pDZNCA)*. We play **advanced** badminton here every Saturday, 7-9 PM. **📝 Key Info** This session is open for intermediate and advanced players of all nationalities, genders and races. *Cost per session: 40 AED* *Duration: Each session lasts 2 hours* *Equipment: We use feather shuttlecocks; please bring your own racket* *Slots: Booked on a first-come, first-served basis* *Play: Players will be rotated around multiple courts and will get games similar to their level of play* **Late Backout & No-Show Policy** **We strictly enforce our late backout and no-show rules to ensure smooth operations.** Organising replacements on short notice is difficult and disruptive, especially as our organisers have day jobs. Please be mindful of our policy: * **RSVP Policy:** Please RSVP for sessions exclusively through the Meetup app. WhatsApp is mainly for regular updates on attendance, timings and last-minute changes. Any requests made via WhatsApp might not be considered for session sign-ups. * **Late Backouts:** Backing out within 9 hours of the session is considered a late backout. You will be required to pay the session fee in full, even if a replacement is found. * **No-Shows:** If you fail to show up without notice, you must still pay for the session. * **Respect for the Organisers:** Our organisers finalise the list the night before or early morning. Last-minute changes mean they need to leave their work to arrange replacements. This affects not just the organisers but the overall experience of the players. * **Waitlist Responsibility:** If you're on the waitlist and no longer wish to attend, it’s your responsibility to remove your name. We assume that anyone on the waitlist still wants to join the session if a spot opens up. * **First-Come, First-Serve Basis:** We ensure fairness by adhering to a first-come, first-serve system. Please do not ask for special treatment or last-minute slots outside of this. **Note: Players may cancel without penalty up to 9 hours before the session. After this time, the session fee applies regardless of waitlist status. Please book and cancel responsibly to avoid disruptions for everyone involved.**

THIS IS A NON-PROFIT EVENT It's a free training every Sunday. For sharing TaiChi and culture and a national love to people we meet. Transfer good evengy. Currently we have apply Guinness World record on 28th September, 2025. For most Nationalities doing TaiChi Together. We try to get different nationalities friends to participate Together. Also to send a message to the world that all of us can united as One. Welcome global Citizens to participate Together💪 It's our pleasure to share Chinese Martial Arts with you. ☀️Practice Qigong and Taichi with Chinese Masters on a lovely Sunday morning. Qigong, pronounced “chi gong,” was developed in China thousands of years ago as part of traditional Chinese medicine. It involves using exercises to optimize energy within the body, mind, and spirit, with the goal of improving and maintaining health and well-being. ☯️Tai Chi is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for both its defense training, its health benefits and meditation. It is a fist system based on the dynamic relationship between polarities (Yin and Yang) *Event plan :* 1. Greetings 2.Qigong Breathing exercise 3.Qigong warm up and BaDuanJin practice 4. Yang style of Taichi 24 forms group practice 5. *Beginner Group* : Taichi level 1 *Advance group* : Specific training and practice with weapons 6. Group photo Please bring *water bottle* with you. There is a public water refill station. Feel free to bring snacks for sharing. You can bring a *Yoga mat* for meditation. (If the weather is good enough we are going to practice yoga after Taichi event) Most importantly, Bring a *big smile* 😊 Meeting Point: South Ridge Park https://maps.app.goo.gl/2JXMQxRTtRgdv4ok7 Our group will be seen practicing there, the park is not so big and it will be easy to find us in our Uniforms. In case you cannot find us, send a message in the comments section. *** DISCLAIMER: 1. Photography & Social Media - Group photos may be taken and shared on online social platforms and used for future Meetup event postings. If you have any objections, please refrain from participating/posing in the group photos and inform the organizer IN ADVANCE. 2. Safety & Medical Conditions: This is each person's own responsibility, so please check all safety and medical precautions before you participate in this event. The organizers are NOT liable in case of any mishaps/injuries. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask the Organizers/Masters BEFORE participation in this event. Stay healthy stay safe. Spread love spread passion❤️ Keep exercise keep positive.🤸🏻‍♀‍

**It is a paid event. Charges 45aed for 2 hrs of the game per player.** # 🎯 Welcome to Badminton Lovers Dubai! **The World's Highest-rated badminton community** from the heart of Dubai \(A perfect ⭐ 5 star rated ★ \| 5000\+ reviews\) – where fun\, fitness\, and friendship come together on court\! Whether you’re a **beginner eager to learn** or an **advanced player seeking competitive rallies**, you’ll enjoy: ✔ 2 hours of structured, mix-and-match doubles games ✔ Professional world-class courts at **Danube Sports World** ✔ A friendly, welcoming community of players of all levels ## ⭐ Why Join Us? ✔ Dubai’s **#1 rated sports & social group** ✔ Play with 5-6 players per court → **minimum waiting time** ✔ Separate courts for **advanced competitive matches** ✔ Beginner-friendly – guidance & support provided ✔ **Feather shuttles included** + limited rackets (first-come, first-serve) ✔ Exclusive **discounts at leading sports stores in Dubai** ✔ Social, fun, and a great way to meet new friends ## 📍 Event Details *⏳ **Duration:** 2 hours of exciting badminton games - 🏸 **Venue:** Danube Sports World -* 💵 **Fee:** 45 AED (includes feather shuttles) - 💳 **Payment:** Online (CareemPay/Bank Transfer – 0509001406). *Cash is only for approved regulars (+5 AED surcharge).* *🔄 **System:** Mix-and-match doubles for maximum variety ## 📱 New Players – Important At the time of RSVP, please WhatsApp the organiser: 📲 0509001406 \| 0502480751 \(Waqsi\) [https://wa.me/971509001406](https://wa.me/971509001406) ## 💰 Payment & Cancellation Policy - **RSVP = Commitment** *Your RSVP is your commitment to attend. Please honour it. - Your RSVP blocks a spot, and you are responsible for payment unless you cancel on time. **Payment** *Payment is required **immediately at the time of RSVP** to secure your spot. - If you RSVP but do not pay **and** do not cancel within the allowed time, you are still liable for the session fee. **Cancellation by Players** *✅ Cancel **12+ hours before the event:** No charge. If already paid, the amount is credited towards a future session. - ❌ Cancel **less than 12 hours before** OR **No-show:** Full payment required, even if you have not yet paid. No credit/refund. **Unpaid RSVPs** *Unpaid RSVPs may be removed by organisers **before the 12-hour window.** - Within 12 hours of the event, all RSVPs (paid or unpaid) are treated as confirmed and subject to the cancellation/no-show policy. **Event Cancelled by Organisers** *If we cancel, you will receive a **full refund** or a **session credit** (your choice). **Non-Payment Consequences** - Players who fail to honour payment after a late cancellation or no-show may be restricted from RSVPing for future sessions until dues are cleared. ## 📸 Social Media Policy *Photos/videos may be used to promote badminton & our community - You can request removal in writing for future events *Past media cannot be deleted ## 👥 Guest Policy *Guests must be registered with **name & level** - RSVP holder is responsible for guest payment & cancellations ## 🏸 Safety Guidelines & Event Rules *(Badminton Lovers Dubai)* To ensure a safe, enjoyable, and well-organised experience for everyone, all participants are required to read and follow the guidelines below: ### 1️⃣ Personal Responsibility *All players participate **at their own risk**. - Please ensure you are **physically fit and medically able** to play badminton before joining the session. *Warm up properly and play within your personal limits. ### 2️⃣ On-Court Safety *Always be aware of **other players**, shuttle direction, and adjacent courts. - Avoid running into other courts or behind players during active rallies. *Stop play immediately if a shuttle or player enters your court unexpectedly. - Wear **appropriate non-marking sports shoes** to prevent slips and injuries. ### 3️⃣ Equipment & Attire *Use suitable badminton rackets and equipment in good condition. - Badminton Lovers Dubai is **not responsible** for any damage to personal equipment. ### 4️⃣ Personal Belongings *Players are fully responsible for their **own belongings**, including rackets, bags, wallets, phones, and valuables. - Please do not leave personal items unattended. *** The organisers are not liable** for any loss, theft, or damage to personal property. ### 5️⃣ Injuries & Medical Emergencies - In case of injury, please inform the organiser immediately. *First aid (if available at the venue) is provided as a courtesy only. - **The organisers, hosts, and venue are not liable** for any injuries, accidents, or medical conditions arising before, during, or after the event. ### 6️⃣ Conduct & Sportsmanship *Respect fellow players, organisers, and venue staff at all times. - Aggressive behaviour, unsafe play, or repeated rule violations may result in removal from the session without refund. *Follow organiser instructions regarding court rotation, timing, and player grouping. ### 7️⃣ Venue Rules *All participants must comply with the **venue’s rules and regulations**. - Any penalties imposed by the venue due to misconduct will be the responsibility of the individual involved. ### 8️⃣ Liability Disclaimer By attending this event, you acknowledge and agree that: - You voluntarily assume all risks associated with playing badminton. *** Badminton Lovers Dubai, its organisers, hosts, and volunteers are released from any liability**, claims, demands, or causes of action related to personal injury, loss, damage, or theft of belongings. ## ✅ Ready to Play? Click RSVP, send us a WhatsApp to confirm, and get ready to smash your way into Dubai’s most exciting badminton community!

📍 **Venue:** Baseline Sports Academy, Al Quoz *[(Google Maps)](https://maps.app.goo.gl/KvyZpc9AFR4pDZNCA)*. We play badminton here every Sunday, 5-7 PM. Join our [Al Quoz/Jumeirah Group WhatsApp here](https://chat.whatsapp.com/GNNnYpvzVPjJLAgUAIG8Fg). **👋 First time joining?** [Click here to WhatsApp Sarfaraz (+971551899547)](https://wa.me/971551899547?text=Hey%20Sarfaraz!%20This%20is%20my%20first%20time%20joining%20Badminton%20For%20All%2C%20Dubai.) and confirm your slot. **📝 Key Info** This is a group open for players of all levels, nationalities, genders and races. *Cost per session: 45 AED* *Duration: Each session lasts 2 hours* *Equipment: We use feather shuttlecocks; please bring your own racket* *Slots: Booked on a first-come, first-served basis* *Play: Players will be rotated around multiple courts and will get games similar to their level of play* **Late Backout & No-Show Policy** **We strictly enforce our late backout and no-show rules to ensure smooth operations.** Organising replacements on short notice is difficult and disruptive, especially as our organisers have day jobs. Please be mindful of our policy: * **RSVP Policy:** Please RSVP for sessions exclusively through the Meetup app. WhatsApp is mainly for regular updates on attendance, timings and last-minute changes. Any requests made via WhatsApp might not be considered for session sign-ups. * **Late Backouts:** Backing out within 9 hours of the session is considered a late backout. You will be required to pay the session fee in full, even if a replacement is found. * **No-Shows:** If you fail to show up without notice, you must still pay for the session. * **Respect for the Organisers:** Our organisers finalise the list the night before or early morning. Last-minute changes mean they need to leave their work to arrange replacements. This affects not just the organisers but the overall experience of the players. * **Waitlist Responsibility:** If you're on the waitlist and no longer wish to attend, it’s your responsibility to remove your name. We assume that anyone on the waitlist still wants to join the session if a spot opens up. * **First-Come, First-Serve Basis:** We ensure fairness by adhering to a first-come, first-serve system. Please do not ask for special treatment or last-minute slots outside of this. **Note: Players may cancel without penalty up to 9 hours before the session. After this time, the session fee applies regardless of waitlist status. Please book and cancel responsibly to avoid disruptions for everyone involved.**

📍 **Venue:** Sportsbay - karama We play badminton here every Saturday 12 pm - 02 pm **Google Map Link:** https://share.google/ZmeMwUDIRTipZog22 **From Burjuman Metro Station - Exit 2** **Join our whatsApp group:** [Badminton for All - Deira/Quasis](https://chat.whatsapp.com/DCHMx6hAx3wEWDE93YTeJQ?mode=hqrc) **👋 First time joining?** [Click here to WhatsApp Sarfaraz (+971551899547)](https://wa.me/971551899547?text=Hey%20Sarfaraz!%20This%20is%20my%20first%20time%20joining%20Badminton%20For%20All%2C%20Dubai.) and confirm your slot. **📝 Key Info** This is a group open for players of all levels, nationalities, genders and races. Cost per session: 40 AED *Duration: Each session lasts 2 hours* *Equipment: We use feather shuttlecocks; please bring your own racket* *Slots: Booked on a first-come, first-served basis* *Play: Players will be rotated around multiple courts and will get games similar to their level of play* **Late Backout & No-Show Policy** **We strictly enforce our late backout and no-show rules to ensure smooth operations.** Organising replacements on short notice is difficult and disruptive, especially as our organisers have day jobs. Please be mindful of our policy: * **RSVP Policy:** Please RSVP for sessions exclusively through the Meetup app. WhatsApp is mainly for regular updates on attendance, timings and last-minute changes. Any requests made via WhatsApp might not be considered for session sign-ups. * **Late Backouts:** Backing out within 9 hours of the session is considered a late backout. You will be required to pay the session fee in full, even if a replacement is found. * **No-Shows:** If you fail to show up without notice, you must still pay for the session. * **Respect for the Organisers:** Our organisers finalise the list the night before or early morning. Last-minute changes mean they need to leave their work to arrange replacements. This affects not just the organisers but the overall experience of the players. * **Waitlist Responsibility:** If you're on the waitlist and no longer wish to attend, it’s your responsibility to remove your name. We assume that anyone on the waitlist still wants to join the session if a spot opens up. * **First-Come, First-Serve Basis:** We ensure fairness by adhering to a first-come, first-serve system. Please do not ask for special treatment or last-minute slots outside of this. **Note: Players may cancel without penalty up to 9 hours before the session. After this time, the session fee applies regardless of waitlist status. Please book and cancel responsibly to avoid disruptions for everyone involved.**

WA: https://chat.whatsapp.com/FWRfxRrzFg6EP4e7cIwGjX?mode=gi_t Get ready to step into the room where real work happens. The 24 Actor's Journey is a weekly training workshop built for anyone who wants to dig into the craft of acting and walk away a sharper, more present, more expressive human being. Whether you have years of experience or you're just starting to take this seriously, this space is designed to meet you where you are and push you further. Each session is three hours of hands-on practice, four times a month. We work the full instrument, meaning body language, physicality, movement, use of space, and vocal training all get equal attention alongside the internal work. You won't just be reading lines, you'll be training the whole self that shows up to deliver them. The approaches we draw from read like a who's who of acting methodology. Meisner, Adler, Uta Hagen, Strasberg, Laban, Michael Chekhov, Lecoq, Viewpoints. But none of this is taught as dry theory. It's all put into practice, explored in the room, and felt in the body. That's the only way any of it actually sticks. Over time, the work goes deeper. We get into character development, script analysis, monologues and scenes, stage fright, vulnerability, listening, and emotional expression. These aren't just acting skills. They're human skills, and the people who train them consistently are the ones who grow the fastest. The 24 Actor's Journey is a place to keep showing up, keep training, and keep building something real. If you've been looking for a space that takes the craft seriously and also makes the process genuinely exciting, this is your invitation to come find out what you're made of. WA: https://chat.whatsapp.com/FWRfxRrzFg6EP4e7cIwGjX?mode=gi_t

**\*\*\* We've Moved! Bold Penguin - 6555 Longshore St, Dublin, OH 43017 \*\*\*** TBD **AGENDA:** * See updates to parking below * Doors open at 5:30, feel free to come and hang out before! * Official start of the meeting is at 6:30pm * After the meeting is done, we will go hang out at a nearby space in Bridge Park! If you can, please sign up via meetup by noon the day of the meeting so we can have an estimate headcount for food :) We always order extra, so feel free to join us even if you don't get signed up! Thank you to Bold Penguin for providing the food and location! **Parking & Arrival:** **Parking:** Parking in Bridge Park is free. The closest lots are the Mooney Garage and the Hotel/Endres Garage. **Entry:** The doors to the office are to the right of PINS. The street level door and elevators lock at 6pm. If you arrive after that, someone should be there to let you in, else call the number posted. Take the elevator to the 2nd floor. Once you exit the elevator, turn right. \*\*\* We are a bunch of professionals, students, and geeks who are excited about Ruby programming language ([http://ruby-lang.org/](http://ruby-lang.org/)) and Rails framework ([http://rubyonrails.com/](http://rubyonrails.com/)) and the joy they have brought back to web development. Our main goal is to share the love of the Ruby and Rails ecosystems with anyone that is interested. We cater to everyone, whether a non-programmer through advanced Rubyists. * We give lectures on programming topics * We freely provide decades worth of experience * For full details of this month's meeting please visit [http://columbusrb.com](http://columbusrb.com)

Come out to Improving for our monthly iOS and Mac meetings. This Month's Presentation: Nothing yet. (You should volunteer). What is Cocoaheads (http://cocoaheads.org/)? CocoaHeads is a group devoted to discussion of Apple Computer's Cocoa Framework for programming on MacOS X and iOS (including the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch). During monthly meetings, members present on their projects and offer tutorials on various programming topics. What is BuckeyeCocoa (http://buckeyecocoa.org/)? BuckeyeCocoa is a group of Objective-C/Swift developers/enthusiasts. We host monthly Cocoaheads and near-weekly NSCoder meetings in Columbus, Ohio. The meetings are free to attend. Presentations! Presenters welcome! We are always in need of people willing to present material. Any Swift and/or Objective-C related topic is welcome. Times can be 5 minutes (i.e. lightning talks) to a maximum of 2 hours. Interested? Contact info is on the BuckeyeCocoa website. To volunteer for a presentation contact us at @BuckeyeCocoa on Twitter. Follow us on Twitter! @BuckeyeCocoa (https://twitter.com/#!/Buckeyecocoa/) For more information: http://buckeyecocoa.org/

Pay attention! We’re delaying a week for those of you who may be on Spring break and/or celebrating the holiday. Ok, no pancakes, but waffles-a-plenty. Join the local UX and Digital Design community for a casual monthly breakfast. Look for us upstairs!

**Our April novel is: *The Hong Kong Widow* by Kristen Loesch** **This month’s novel blends gothic atmosphere with historical fiction and chilling horror, set against the haunting backdrop of China. The book is 368 pages in print and 10 hours and 42 minutes on audiobook.** In 1950s Hong Kong, Mei is a young refugee of the Chinese Communist revolution struggling to put her past in Shanghai behind her. When she receives a shocking invitation—to take part in a competition in one of the city's most notorious haunted houses, pitting six spirit mediums against one another in a series of six séances over six nights, until a single winner emerges—she has every reason to refuse. Except that the hostess, a former Shanghainese silent film star, is none other than the wife of the man who once destroyed Mei’s entire life. It is promised the winner will receive a fortune, but there is only one prize Mei wants: revenge. Decades later, the final night of that competition has become an infamous urban legend: The police were called to the scene of a brutal massacre but found no evidence, dismissing it as a collective hallucination. Mei knows what she saw, but now someone else is convinced they know what she did. She must uncover the truth about the last night she ever spent in that house—even if the ghosts of her past are waiting for her there. . . .

Semi in honor of March being International Women's Month Columbus libraries: [https://cml.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S105C3454709](https://cml.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S105C3454709) Location: SOW Plated Menu: [https://www.sowplated.com/menu-brunch/](https://www.sowplated.com/menu-brunch/) Book summary: In 2006 Julia Lerner is living in Moscow, a recent university graduate in computer science, when she's recruited by Russia's largest intelligence agency. By 2018 she's in Silicon Valley as COO of Tangerine, one of America's most famous technology companies. In between her executive management (make offers to promising startups, crush them and copy their features if they refuse); self promotion (check out her latest op-ed in the WSJ, on Work/Life Balance 2.0); and work in gender equality (transfer the most annoying females from her team), she funnels intelligence back to the motherland. But now Russia's asking for more, and Julia's getting nervous. Alice Lu is a first generation Chinese American whose parents are delighted she's working at Tangerine (such a successful company!). Too bad she's slogging away in the lower echelons, recently dumped, and now sharing her expensive two-bedroom apartment with her cousin Cheri, a perennial "founder's girlfriend". One afternoon, while performing a server check, Alice discovers some unusual activity, and now she's burdened with two powerful but distressing suspicions: Tangerine's privacy settings aren't as rigorous as the company claims they are, and the person abusing this loophole might be Julia Lerner herself. The closer Alice gets to Julia, the more Julia questions her own loyalties. Russia may have placed her in the Valley, but she's the one who built her career; isn't she entitled to protect the lifestyle she's earned?

Let's bedazzle some books while we discuss our April pick: Bloodguard by Cecy Robson! Book description: One hundred years. Tens of thousands of gladiators. And today, only one will rise… Everything in the Kingdom of Arrow is a lie. Leith of Grey thought coming to this new land and volunteering to fight in the gladiator arena—vicious, bloodthirsty tournaments where only the strongest survive—would earn him enough gold to save his dying sister. He thought there was nothing left to lose. He was wrong—and they took everything. His hope. His freedom. His very humanity. All Leith has left is his battle-scarred body, fueled by rage and hardened from years of fighting for the right to live another day. Then Leith meets Maeve, an elven royal who is everything he despises. Everything he should hate. Until the alluring princess offers him the one thing he needs most: a chance to win the coveted title of Bloodguard—and his freedom. But in a kingdom built on secrets and lies, hope doesn’t come cheap. Nor will his ultimate revenge… Event: Please bring your own book, journal, bookmarks, etc to bedazzle. If you have bedazzling supplies, please bring them as well. I will supply gems, glue, and picker tools, but if you have certain colors in mind, you may want to bring your own.