Book Swap

Hey all! My name is Sarah, I'm a romance girlie in my twenties, and welcome to the Mostly Romance Book Club! I am a big mood reader so assigned books at book clubs don't really do it for me. I wanted to create a space where anyone can come with whatever book they want, meet new friends, and chat about what they've been reading. When: First and third Thursday of every month. 7-8:30 pm. Schedule: First 30 minutes: Introductions and chat about all things books Next 45 minutes: Silently read your personal physical book, ebook, or audiobook (yes audiobooks count :)) Last 15 minutes: Chat some more and wrap up the meeting Check the home page for zoom links. Up to 100 attendees so still join the zoom even if you can't sign up for the event.

📚 Do you love reading, but wish you had a structure and a community to share your insights with? Join our small circle of curious minds (just 4 members per gathering) as we come together for an hour of focused reading—in the calm setting of a library or the cozy atmosphere of a café. Here’s how it works: First part: Quiet reading on your own—bring a book you’re exploring, whether it’s philosophy, history, psychology, literature, or anything meaningful to you. Second part: We regroup and each person shares key takeaways, insights, or questions sparked by their reading. This sparks a structured yet free-flowing conversation around ideas, perspectives, and personal reflections. Why join? Add structure to your reading habit. Discover new books, authors, and ideas through others’ choices. Build real connections by sharing and listening deeply. Socialize around something meaningful instead of small talk.

We will begin our new book "French Short Stories volume 2" by Dylane Moreau for the beginner reader. ISBN-10: 1998024121 and ISBN-13: 978-1998024124. Come join us every Wednesday at 8 PM until sometime in April, 2026. This is a collection of short stories in English and French with questions at the end. Then share your ideas for immersing yourself in the French language whether it's listening to music, watching movies, taking a class, or whatever you do. If interested, please RSVP for the events you would like to join in. I will send out the Zoom link, Meeting ID, and Passcode to everyone who RSVPs either on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, so remember to check your email including the spam folder. We are a casual group, there is no studying or commitment. This is a fun way to practice reading and speaking in French and all levels are welcome.

Join DC Metro Crafts for our first Thursday meetup. Bring your own cross stitch, knitting, crochet, or other portable craft. The Southwest Library is right off the Waterfront Metro. We're upstairs in Conference Room 1 (not 2). Note: The RSVP limit for this is 8 people. It's a small room and all that was available. Please make sure to rsvp if you're coming.

Zoom Link: https://us05web.zoom.us/j/7051101188?pwd=ZkUFbaR6Og2OUgJ06vEMnScDXN7UyQ.1&omn=88307943498 Join us for a vibrant gathering where we explore the rich traditions of Yoruba culture and language. Whether you are a beginner or a proficient speaker, all levels are welcomed to immerse themselves in the beauty of this West African language. Through interactive activities and engaging discussions, you will have the opportunity to deepen your understanding of Yoruba heritage and its influence on African culture. Don't miss this chance to connect with others who share a passion for language learning and cross-cultural appreciation. Join us and expand your horizons in a welcoming and inclusive environment.

Note change in time to 1:30pm. This will be the 4th bookswap and this time it will have a twist. We will be exchanging books/media as well as other gently used items such as clothing, accessories, and boardgames. Please be mindful not to bring any super fancy items or any items you would not be comfortable gifting a friend or neighbor. This is NOT a yard sale. Please only bring items you’d like to give away. Please do not bring your whole closet and please launder any clothing. Please consider donating (locally) any leftover items. If weather is bad, event will be cancelled or rescheduled. So that we can find each other easily, we will meet in front of Cabin John Ice rink entrance at 1:30pm and then move next door to Cabin John Park at around 1:45pm.

New (old) location - La Madeleine at 500 King St! Hope to see you there

🎉 **Puzzle Palooza: PUZZLES OF ALL KINDS WELCOME at the Board Room! 🧩** Join us for **Puzzle Palooza** in our puzzle swap series! Whether you're into jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles, sudoku, logic puzzles, or brain teasers, this event is for you. Bring any type of puzzle—whether it’s a challenging 1000-piece jigsaw, a captivating 3D puzzle, a fun puzzle book, or a unique brain-bending game—and swap it with fellow puzzle lovers. Let’s share the joy of solving and discover new puzzles to enjoy! 📅 **Date:** Sunday April 5, 2026 🕒 **Time:** 3:00 PM 📍 **Location:** [Board Room DC](https://boardroomdc.com/), 1737 Connecticut Avenue NW, WDC 20009, in the mezzanine. **Event Highlights:** 🌐 **Networking:** Connect with fellow puzzle enthusiasts over a game and some delicious drinks. It's a perfect blend of puzzles, games, and great company. 🧩 **Puzzle Swap Extravaganza:** Immerse yourself in a sea of puzzles as we transform the Board Room into a Puzzle Paradise. Bring your puzzles to trade, and discover hidden gems for your collection. 🎲 **Board Game Delights:** Enjoy the fantastic selection of board games available at the Board Room. Take a break from puzzles and explore a world of strategic challenges and social fun. **Agenda:** * 3:00 pm - 3:30 pm - check in and chat! * 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm - introductions and swap * 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm - social puzzling **How to Join:** 1. **Save the Date:** This is your ticket to Puzzle Paradise. Mark your calendar and get ready for an afternoon of puzzling delight. 2. **Location:** Board Room DC, known for its vibrant atmosphere and extensive game collection. [1737 Connecticut Avenue NW, WDC 20009](https://boardroomdc.com/) 3. **Spread the Word:** Invite your friends and fellow puzzle lovers. Let's make this Puzzle Paradise an unforgettable experience! \*\*\*Please note that if your puzzle is not swapped, you are still responsible for taking it home. **This is not a swap where you will be able to drop off puzzles and leave**\*\*\* For all of our Swap Series, please prioritize community safety. Ensure you're vaccinated before joining us. Your commitment creates a secure space for our shared love of cooking and good times. See you responsibly at the meetup!

Join us for a discussion of ***Thick: And Other Essays* by Tressie McMillan Cottom** Here's the summary: Tressie McMillan Cottom, the writer, professor, and acclaimed author of Lower Ed, now brilliantly shifts gears from running regression analyses on college data to unleashing another identity: a purveyor of wit, wisdom—and of course Black Twitter snark—about all that is right and much that is so very wrong about this thing we call society. In the bestselling tradition of bell hooks and Roxane Gay, McMillan Cottom’s freshman collection illuminates a particular trait of her tribe: being thick. In form, and in substance. This bold compendium, likely to find its place on shelves alongside Lindy West, Rebecca Solnit, and Maggie Nelson, dissects everything from beauty to Obama to pumpkin spice lattes. Yet Thick will also fill a void on those very shelves: a modern black American female voice waxing poetic on self and society, serving up a healthy portion of clever prose and southern aphorisms in a style uniquely her own. McMillan Cottom has crafted a black woman’s cultural bible, as she mines for meaning in places many of us miss and reveals precisely how—when you’re in the thick of it—the political, the social, and the personal are almost always one and the same. **Let’s meet at Caboose Commons in Fairfax to enjoy some good discussion and meet new friends.**

We will meet outside as long as the weather is nice. If not, we will move inside. Look out for a comment the morning of each meeting with our exact location. As we are meeting in person, please remember to bring something to read as we usually spend some time sharing our current reads and/or reading when meeting in person. As a reminder, there is no assigned reading; please bring whatever you are currently working on. This group is super casual, sometimes we read and sometimes we talk the whole time. **** NO SHOW POLICY: Due to the high number of members on the waitlist recently we are having to reinstate our no-show policy. If you sign up and no-show to 2 events you will be removed from the group. Reminders are provided weekly to change your RSVP to allow those on the waitlist a chance to come to the meet-up, no 3rd chances with be given. Please be considerate to your fellow members. Thank you! I look forward to reading you!

* We meet inside Zazzy * Bring something to read, as we often take some time at the beginning telling each other about what we're currently reading. * I have a favor to ask of you. To offset the cost of Meetup fees (\~$200 a year), I kindly request that you consider a small donation to my my [Pledge account](https://www.meetup.com/a-different-type-of-book-club-arlington/#pledge). 😊 **NOTE: NO DISCUSSION OF POLITICS: 12/31/21 UPDATE** For the sake of polite company, moving forward, we will avoid the discussion of politics at meetings of the book club. Please let me know if you have any questions. **NON-ATTENDANCE / NO-SHOW POLICY** If you have said that you will attend this event, but no longer are able to attend, please kindly update your status to "Not Attending" so that someone on the waitlist is able to RSVP. **Because this Meetup group is popular, and typically has a waitlist, effective immediately, I'm instituting a two-event no-show policy. If you RSVP as "Attending" but do not show at two events, you will be removed from this Meetup group.** We look forward to seeing you! Best, Jay

This Month's Book: *On A Sunbeam* by Tillie Walden Join us for discussion at the Granville Public Library from 6 to 7pm. Follow us on Instagram: @granvillepridebookclub

**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. . . .

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.

* Second ever book club! April meet up. All are welcome. * The book will be Play Nice by Rachel Harrison (determined by votes from March Book Club. Let me know if you’d like a free digital copy of the book) * This event will be at the main library, meeting room 1B, the location will not be changed for this event due to the number of people attending, we will just add more chairs if needed! * Feel free to come whether or not you’ve started or finished the book ◡̈ * Small snacks will be provided. You’re welcome to bring your own snacks & drinks too! Starting in June I will try to keep future book clubs at the Dublin Library. Now that I understand their reservation system, I will be on top of it with booking that location as soon as the date is released for the month. Thanks for your understanding with the varying locations in the meantime.

This meeting will be a discussion of the book "the Science of Aliens" by Mark Brake

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!

We’ll be having a game night! Bring a game, snack, drink or just yourself!