Book Swaps Melbourne

Book swap brunch meet up

Yarra and Botanics Walk discussing 'A Shipwreck in Fiji' by Nilima Rao

We'll meet at the spot where Fed Square meets the Princes Bridge over the Yarra (near the pedestrian crossing closest to the river from Flinders St, on the Fed Square side). We'll walk for about 6km along the Yarra River, through the Botanic Gardens and back along the river to Federation Square for a coffee after the walk. This month, we're reading and talking about ''A Shipwreck in Fiji' by Nilima Rao Note: this is the second in a series. The book club has previously read the first in the series. You may also wish to read the first in the series, 'A Disappearance in Fiji'. The blurb: **"Fiji, 1915: when a purported sighting of Germans on the run from WWI turns deadly, Sergeant Akal Singh must (reluctantly) take up the investigation in this vibrant follow-up to *A Disappearance in Fiji*.** Sergeant Akal Singh, an unwilling transplant to Fiji, is just starting to settle into his life in the capital city of Suva when he is sent to the neighboring island of Ovalau on a series of fool’s errands. First: investigate strange reports of Germans, thousands of miles from the front of World War I. Second: chaperone two strong-willed European ladies, Mary and Katherine, on a sight-seeing tour. And third: supervise the only police officer currently on Ovalau, an eighteen-year-old constable with a penchant for hysterics. Accompanied by his friend Taviti, who is visiting his uncle, the local chief, Akal sets off on these seemingly straightforward tasks. Instead, they become embroiled in a series of local issues: the gruesome death of an unpopular local and the imprisonment of a group of Norwegian sailors in Taviti’s uncle’s village. To add to Akal’s woes, Katherine, the charming aspiring journalist, harbors an agenda of her own. Will Akal be able to keep her—and himself—out of trouble before anybody else gets killed? Nilima Rao’s debut, A Disappearance in Fiji, was a critical darling and award-winner, ending up on multiple best-of-year roundups. This next installment in the Sergeant Akal Singh series has all the charm and sparkle of the first book, with even more fascinating historical insight into the realities of life on Fiji at the start of the twentieth century." Goodreads rating: 4.00 How does a walking bookclub work? Like a normal bookclub, we talk about the book, what else we're reading, have read, or want to read (as well as a few tangents into life outside literature!) but we do it while walking around Melbourne and then over a coffee. We often split into smaller groups as we walk, but we also regroup through the walk. Should I read the book beforehand? The conversation will be more interesting if you do, but you can still come along if you haven't finished it yet! Do I need to bring anything? **Comfy** walking shoes, drinking water, some money for coffee or a bite to eat after if you wish. No need to bring the book unless you want to. No shows No shows (RSVPing yes and not attending) mean the group waits unnecessarily for those who are not coming, thinking you are running a little late. It’s absolutely fine to change your rsvp for any reason up until the walk begins, and you don’t need to leave a comment, send a message or give a reason, but if you don't click that 'change rsvp' button, you may be removed from the group. Membership Fee Did you know that while it is free to attend most events, Meetup charges organisers about $600 a year to organise a group? Members of the Walking Book Club are asked to pay a membership fee of $10 per year (not per event) to help cover this cost. When you join the group, you'll be automatically given a three month trial so you can see what the group is like, without needing to make any payment. If you would like to continue attending events after this, please follow Meetup's instructions to pay the $6.50US/approx $10AUD fee once per year (or contact group organisers if you would prefer to make payment using paypal, payID, cash or bank transfer).

July Book Club

Welcome to our July gathering of Melbourne Women's Big Ideas Book Club! If you love discovering great books and discussing the ideas they spark, we'd love to have you join us. This is a relaxed monthly lunch where every member brings along a book they've recently enjoyed. There are no set reads and no genre restrictions—just thoughtful books and interesting women. Each member has the opportunity to share what they've been reading, what resonated, what challenged them, or what fell short. From there, the conversation naturally evolves as we explore new perspectives, exchange recommendations, and connect through a shared love of reading. Whether you're a regular attendee or joining us for the first time, you'll find a welcoming group of curious, intelligent women who enjoy meaningful conversation and genuine connection. I can't wait to hear what you've been reading this month.

July Book Club Event

July Book of the month - Piranesi

Book Club: [Piranesi](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48496334-piranesi) by Susanna Clarke If you haven’t read **Piranesi** yet, you’re in for a trip. It’s basically about a guy living in an endless, massive house filled with thousands of statues and halls that literally flood with ocean tides. He’s super chill and loves the place, but as he starts digging into the mysteries of his home, he realizes his life isn’t exactly what he thought it was. It’s a total mind-bender that’s equal parts beautiful, mysterious, and a little bit unsettling. Points of Discussion Sanctuary or Cage? Piranesi loves the house, but we’d probably think it’s a prison. What’s your take? The Other What was your vibe on this guy? Did you trust him from the start? Perspective: Piranesi is so innocent and observant. Did that change how you saw the "normal" world? The Ending: Did it leave you feeling satisfied or did you have a "wait, what?" moment when you finished? I'm super keen to hear what everyone thought. When you first started reading, did you think the house was actually a good place to live, or did you get creeped out immediately?

Books & Bites - a bookish dinner for women in Melbourne

You love books. Your friends…not so much 😬 Or maybe they read, just not the way you do. Either way, you've been looking for your people — and this is where they are. 📚 After the success of our first (sold-out!) event in June, Busy with Books is hosting another Melbourne bookish dinner: good Italian food, good conversation, and a table full of women who actually want to talk about what they've been reading. We're gathering at [Il Mercato Centrale](https://www.mercatocentrale.com.au/) — Melbourne's beautiful Italian food hall in the CBD (close to Southern Cross) — where everyone orders what they fancy from the stalls, and we spend the evening doing what we love most: Talking about books. (And eating. Obviously 💁🏼‍♀️) **What to expect:** * A relaxed, informal dinner * Great food from Il Mercato Centrale (your order, your tab) * A small goodie to take home * Good conversation with women who get it * A cap of 10 guests to keep it intimate We won't have a set book, so there's no pressure or homework. Just show up, order something delicious, and talk books with strangers who are about to become your favourite reading friends. **Your ticket ($10 early bird, $15 regular)** secures your spot and helps us keep building BWB events in Melbourne. Can't wait to meet you 📚 **About Busy with Books:** *[BWB](https://www.busywithbooks.com/) is a reading community for women across Australia & New Zealand.* *Since 2024, we've hosted sold-out reading retreats in New Zealand (coming to Australia soon!), run an online book club, and been featured in NZ Herald, Stuff, Woman's Day, and more.* *Now we're starting out in Melbourne, and this dinner club is our first step ♥️*

Crime and Wine July Meetup!

For July we’ll be doing a Christmas in July book swap! Bring a wrapped [used] book to swap with others. Don’t forget to wear your Christmas cheer! I ask that you please only RSVP if you are absolutely committed to attending, and please update ASAP if you decide not to attend. This means that everyone who really wants to come can join us! RSVP OPENS SATURDAY JULY 11th AT 12PM. *Please note the PayPal fee to join is to cover MeetUp admin app costs.

The Twenty-fourth Page

Join us for the Twenty-fourth Page! Theme: **a book you're excited to read** Let's read something we're excited about! Hopefully this one will be an easy pick :) Feel free to bring along any discussion questions you can think of or theme suggestions. Happy reading :) See you there!

July - Furies: Stories of the Wicked, Wild and Untamed - multiple authors

July Book Club: Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

Socialise and discuss a novel over coffee

This is August meeting. We read the novel The Bee Sting by Paul Murray depicting the dysfunctional lives of a once wealthy Irish family.

July Book club - The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope