🔥 The Bonfire Story Club

📖 The 5-Hour Book Club The Many Deaths of Laila Starr by Ram V & Filipe Andrade

What if Death had one last chance to discover the meaning of life?

A visually stunning graphic novel about mortality, purpose, and the moments that make a life meaningful. Read the graphic novel on your own then join us as we explore a story that blends mythology, philosophy, and beautiful artwork into a surprisingly emotional journey.

Never read a graphic novel as part of a book club? Great, come join us.

Perfect for fans of:
✨ Thought-provoking fantasy
✨ Graphic novels with depth
✨ Stories that stay with you long after the final page

📍 We'll be meeting at Panera Bread so grab a bite or drink and join us as we dive in!

Read Less. Discover More.
📖 ~160 pages | ~3 hours

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📖 What is The 5-Hour Book Club?
Read the best sci-fi, fantasy, horror & graphic novels — in five hours or less.

You want to read great books, but don't have the time. We fixed that.
Every two weeks, we pick one must-read, acclaimed book or graphic novel — the kind of stories that win or are nominated for Hugos, Nebulas, and Eisners — and make sure it's short enough to finish over a weekend, a few evenings, or even during a few lunch breaks. No book series commitments. No massive tomes. No months-long commitments. Just great stories, curious people, and thought-provoking conversation.

Here's the deal:
⏱️ 5 hours or less to read (usually way less)
🙅 Didn't finish the book? Come anyway.
🎭 We rotate the vibe — hopeful sci-fi, gothic horror, mythic fantasy, and gorgeous graphic novels
📚 One book every two weeks — alternating prose and graphic novels.

It's The 5-Hour Book Club: the book club for the discerning (and busy) reader.

🎬 Second Take Cinema Club - Monster Edition

The Invisible Man (1933) vs. The Invisible Man (2020)

One monster. Two eras of fear.

👻 Kick off spooky season early with us! What happens when a century-old horror icon gets reimagined for a modern audience — and a modern anxiety? Join The Second Take Cinema Club as we compare the original Universal horror classic with its 2020 reinvention.

We'll explore:
🎬 How the "monster" changed with the times
🧠 Practical effects vs. modern suspense
💬 Which version is scarier — and why.

Watch both movies on your own time, then join us for a conversation about how horror evolves to reflect what actually scares us. One monster. Two eras of fear.

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🎬 What is Second Take Cinema Club?

Two films. One story. New perspectives.

Once a month, we pick a film and its remake, reboot, or reimagining — and watch how the same story plays out when a new director, culture, or era gets their hands on it. Sometimes the remake improves on the original. Sometimes it's a completely different beast wearing the same title. So get ready to rediscover popular favorites and unearth forgotten gems. Join us to share your second take.

Here's the deal:
🎞️ One original, one remake — same story, different lens
🍿 Watch on your own time before we meet (or don't — we'll fill you in)
🗣️ Laid-back Sunday afternoon discussion
🌍 We range across genres, decades, and countries

It's Second Take Cinema Club: you’ll never see movies the same way again.

The 5-Hour Book Club - Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

A haunting read, a world you won't forget.

🌊 What if the strangest place you've ever been made more sense than the one you left behind?

Read the novel on your own then join us for The 5-Hour Book Club — the Inland Empire's short-form book club for sci-fi, fantasy, and horror fans — as we discuss Susanna Clarke's Piranesi, a haunting, beautiful story about memory, identity, and a man who lives alone in an infinite, tide-swept House of endless halls and fallen statues.

Perfect for first-time book club attendees:
✨ A puzzle-box story that rewards close reading and great conversation
✨ Thought-provoking without feeling like homework
✨ A strange, gentle, unforgettable world unlike anything else you've read
✨ Haven't finished it? Come anyway — we'd still love to have you

📍 We'll be meeting at Bora Bora Smoothie Cafe so grab a bite or drink and join us as we dive in!

Read less. Discover more.
📖 ~245 pages | ~5 hours

==============================
📖 What is The 5-Hour Book Club?
Read the best sci-fi, fantasy, horror & graphic novels — in five hours or less.

You want to read great books, but don't have the time. We fixed that.

A short-form book club for the Inland Empire's readers - every two weeks, we pick one must-read, acclaimed book or graphic novel — the kind of stories that win or are nominated for Hugos, Nebulas, and Eisners — and make sure it's short enough to finish over a weekend, a few evenings, or even during a few lunch breaks.

Here's the deal:
⏱️ 5 hours or less to read (usually way less)
🙅 Didn't finish the book? Come anyway.
🎭 We rotate the vibe — hopeful sci-fi, gothic horror, mythic fantasy, and gorgeous graphic novels
📚 One book every two weeks — alternating prose and graphic novels.

It's The 5-Hour Book Club: the book club for the discerning (and busy) reader.