Fantasy Books

**DUE TO LIMITED SPACE PLEASE ONLY RSVP IF ATTENDING. IF NO LONGER ATTENDING PLEASE UPDATE YOUR RSVP.** Join us in the upstairs room of the Grafton Pub in Camden for another writing-focused session. Bring whatever you’re working on, whether you’re outlining a new idea or deep into your current WIP. This is a space for writers to connect, share ideas, and find inspiration. Whether you’re looking for feedback, want to brainstorm with others, or simply need a quiet place to write, our goal is to build a supportive and collaborative community for sci-fi and fantasy authors at all stages of their journey. Writing will start at 6:30, but feel free arrive and leave at your own convenience! We will end at 8:30pm, but the pub is open till 11pm so after it ends people can mingle or go home as they please. **While we encourage collaboration and occasional chat we ask everyone be mindful of those focused on writing until 8pm.** **Also please support the venue by buying food or drink from the pub!**

I've always wanted to create a book club and as a woman in my early 40s it's time. The first meeting is to get a few people together who are like minded and love reading to pick our first book to read !!!! All you need to do is bring yourselves!

Friendly book group Please remember to change your RSVP if you can't make it so someone on the waitlist can take your slot. New books chosen by popular vote and read 2 months later. We look forward to seeing you there!

London's Friendly Book Club's pick for February is **The Bandit Queens** by **Parini Shroff**. Geeta's no-good husband disappeared five years ago. She didn't kill him, but everyone thinks she did--no matter how much she protests. But she soon discovers that being known as a "self-made" widow has some surprising perks. No one messes with her, no one threatens her, and no one tries to control (ahem, *marry*) her. It's even been good for her business; no one wants to risk getting on her bad side by *not* buying her jewelry. Freedom must look good on Geeta, because other women in the village have started asking for her help to get rid of their own no-good husbands...but not all of them are asking nicely. Now that Geeta's fearsome reputation has become a double-edged sword, she must decide how far to go to protect it, along with the life she's built. Because even the best-laid plans of would-be widows tend to go awry. Please only RSVP if you think you'll be able to make this event. **We host three sessions per book, you only need to attend one.** Everyone is welcome! Grab your copy and join us for a relaxed and engaging discussion.

In honour of the two-year anniversary of the Popper-Deutsch Reading Group this week we'll return to The Beginning of Infinity to revisit chapter 1 - The Reach of Explanations If this is your first time attending we meet in the cafe of the Barbican Cinema, look for people with copies of The Beginning of Infinity. The book can be purchased on [amazon](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beginning-Infinity-Explanations-Transform-World/dp/0140278168), and many podcasts and summaries are available online. Here is Brett Hall's playlist exploring chapters of the book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG1qwlfDFkI&list=PLsE51P_yPQCRzJItkoRzu9HOGjYeFkfSB

Let's catch up to discuss The vegetarian by Han Kang. Come and join us!!!

**Address: 210-212 Southwark Park Road, London SE16 3RX** **Doors Open 11am Event starts 6:30pm-10pm** **Player Capacity: 14 players** Welcome to our **Magic: The Gathering** Booster Draft Tournament. The evening consists of a 50 minute booster draft. After that, you will be paired up and play 3 rounds of Swiss and prizing is distributed to players with a positive record. To participate in the event, alongside your **ticket purchase [here](https://www.thebrotherhoodgames.co.uk/magic-the-gathering-events)**, you will be asked to register on the Magic Companion app. We use this app for our tournament. If you are unfamiliar, please ask our member of staff upon arrival to the store where a member of staff will be happy to assist. **How to draft**: First, players sit around a table in a semi-circle. Each player then opens a booster pack and picks a single card without showing the other players. Each player then passes the remaining cards to the left, and continues drafting from the new cards they get from the player on their right. This continues until all of the cards in those packs have been distributed (drafted). Then each player opens a second pack, but this time, pass the pack to the right. After all those cards are drafted, you do the same with the third pack, passing to the left again. At the end, each player will have about 45 cards (along with any number of basic lands) which they can use to build a 40 card deck. If you haven't already, please join our Instagram, YouTube and Discord Server for news about upcoming events, announcements, and social interaction with your fellow players! *The Brotherhood Games Discord* https://discord.com/invite/SJaQXyeNXx

Love is in the air! In February we read romance books. This month's book is: This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone Get it now!

Do you have spare books lying around your home? Do you want to read new interesting books for free while socializing with interesting people? This is the event for you. We will enjoy nice drinks and snacks together at a beautiful lounge bar in London. You can bring your books and exchange them with whoever has the books you want to read. Since this is a Science and Philosophy book club, it would be great for you to bring non-fiction books that are insightful and thought-provoking. If you want to bring fiction books that are scientifically or philosophically insightful, feel free to bring those as well. Since it is a social event, I encourage everyone to make deep meaningful conversations and make new friends. You can come alone or bring your friends with you. If you come alone, there is no need to be shy or scared. I will welcome you and introduce you to cool interesting people to speak with. Also feel free to come even if you forget to bring any books.

**This Is How You Lose the Time War** (288 pages) **Genre:** Science Fiction, Romance, Epistolary, Time Travel **Summary:** In a war fought across centuries, timelines, and realities, two rival agents—Red and Blue—begin leaving taunting notes for each other in the ruins and wonders of worlds they’ve shaped. What starts as playful antagonism grows into something dangerous, intimate, and universe-shaking. Told through razor-sharp prose and coded letters scattered across the multiverse, *This Is How You Lose the Time War* is poetic, haunting, and unexpectedly tender—a story about connection, rebellion, and finding love in the unlikeliest corners of time. *** **Join Our Book Club Bingo! ⏳📚** For our February pick, we’re diving into something lyrical, romantic, and time-bending. Expect paradoxes, emotions, and possibly several gentle existential crises. And of course… Book Club Bingo! **How It Works:** ⏳ **Grab Your Bingo Card:** Filled with quotes, time-travel oddities, and iconic Red vs. Blue moments. ✅ **Mark Your Cards:** Check off squares as we discuss the twists, timelines, and letters. 🎉 **Shout “Bingo!”** Be the first to complete **two rows, columns, or diagonals**. 📚 **Win a Book:** Two readers will leave with a fresh new title for their TBR pile! Prepare for love, war, tangled timelines, and overly dramatic notes hidden in impossible places. 📍 **Dog & Bull (Surrey street) in Croydon** 📅 **18th of February 2026 (Wednesday) at 7:00 PM**

Join us for a special edition of Deeper Discussions, where we dive into thought-provoking **fiction** that challenges perspectives, sparks imagination, and opens doors to meaningful conversations. Whether you're a lifelong reader or rediscovering the joy of novels, this is a space to explore stories that stay with you long after the final page. 📖💭 **This Month's Book 📖 - *Never Let Me Go* by Kazuo Ishiguro 🌸** A haunting novel following a group of students whose seemingly ordinary upbringing slowly reveals deeper ethical and societal questions. Ishiguro's restrained, carefully controlled narrative explores memory, friendship, and moral responsibility—leaving you questioning what it means to be human long after you turn the final page. **How does it work? 📝** * Brief introductions and reflections on what struck you most 💡 * Moderated discussion exploring plot, themes, and characters 🎭 * Open conversation where different interpretations are welcomed 🗣️ * We wrap up by sharing insights and connections made 🌟 **What to Expect? 🔍** **📖 Close Reading:** We go beyond surface-level plot summary. Expect discussions that examine the author's choices, narrative techniques, and the questions left lingering in the silence between pages. **💬 Thoughtful Dialogue:** This isn't a race to share opinions—it's a space for genuine exploration. We listen, we reflect, we build on each other's insights. **🤝 Meaningful Connections:** Great fiction holds up a mirror to the human experience. Through discussing characters' choices and moral dilemmas, we often discover something about ourselves and each other. **How to get the most out of this event? 🌱** **📚 Finish the Book:** Please attend only if you've completed the book. Spoilers will flow freely, and the richest discussions come from those who've made the full journey. **📝 Ground it in the Text:** Bring your interpretations, but anchor them in what's actually on the page. Quote passages. Reference scenes. Let the author's words guide us. **🙏 Respect & Openness:** Every interpretation matters. Make space for quieter voices. Challenge ideas, not people. Stay curious rather than defensive. **Why a Fiction Book Club? 📚** **🪞 Explore the Human Condition:** Fiction lets us inhabit lives we'll never live, forcing us to confront questions about identity, morality, love, and loss. **🧠 Sharpen Your Thinking:** Close reading develops critical thinking—noticing what the author chose to include, exclude, and how the story is told matters as much as what happens. **💖 Deepen Connections:** Discussing characters' choices and moral dilemmas creates surprisingly intimate conversations with fellow readers. **Who is this event for? 🎯** * You find yourself thinking about books long after you've finished them 📖💭 * You want more from book discussions than "I liked it" or "I didn't" 🤔 * You're curious how others interpret the same story differently 🔄 * You value thoughtful dialogue over debate 🗣️✨ * You're looking for meaningful connections with fellow readers 🤝 **What's in it for you? 💡** * **Fresh Perspectives:** Discover interpretations you'd never have considered alone 🔄 * **Deeper Understanding:** Unpack themes and symbols that enrich your reading 📚 * **Genuine Connection:** Bond with others over shared literary experiences 💖 * **A Space to Think:** Slow down from the noise and engage with ideas that matter 🧘 **Ready to dive deeper into stories that matter? 🌊** Join us for an evening where fiction becomes a gateway to understanding ourselves and each other. 📚💬✨ **We really hope to see you there!** 👋 **About Deeper Connections** We have a mission at Deeper Connections to improve the quality of people's lives through conversation. All our events are centred around the concept of connecting deeply, because we believe we all deserve to be seen, felt and understood for who we really are. To have the 'deeper conversation' approach when relating with others can change our lives and can change the world. **Our Values** * **Respect:** Treat everyone with kindness and consideration. ❤️ * **Open-mindedness:** Be open to different perspectives and ideas. 🧠💡 * **Active Participation:** Share your thoughts and engage in meaningful discussions. 🗣️💬 **Staying in touch** Interested in finding out about all the events sooner than on Meetup or staying in touch beyond the events, you can join our WhatsApp channel and community using 👉🏽 [Deeper Connections WhatsApp Channel](https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb6CBAdIN9ijrEYdv33z) 👉🏽 [Deeper Connections WhatsApp Community](https://chat.whatsapp.com/EqGsmF3021RKTwBpGcuR80) **Keep This Event Free 💝** If this event brings you something meaningful, you can help others access the same transformational experience. Whether it's £5 or £15, every contribution keeps these events accessible to everyone in our community. You'll find a QR code on your conversation sheet during the event, or you can contribute here #SupportYourCommunity 👉🏽 [Ko-Fi](https://ko-fi.com/deeperconnections) 👉🏽 [Buy Me A Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/deeperconnections) 👉🏽 [PayPal](https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/DDSNCCFCYUEB2)

Having just discussed Rachel Joyce's book, we will head to the Theatre Royal Haymarket to see the musical adaptation of her novel. Since we have bought tickets in advance, spaces are limited and RSVPs are not open. Please contact me via message if you are interested in coming along.

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, starting in February. 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.

Please join us as we discuss **SOMEONE YOU CAN BUILD A NEST IN**, by John Wiswell. This queer romance novel won the Nebula and Locus Awards and was a Hugo nominee, and is a relatively short read, at about 363 pages. Please keep your RSVP updated and accurate! Space is limited for this event. We are intentionally holding some RSVP slots for new members specifically, so if you’re new and the event is full, please get on the waitlist ASAP! You may bring your own food/drinks (no alcohol, please) or you may pick something up in Mosaic or at the farmers market before the meetup. We do ask that you pack your trash out with you. * **[KINDLE](https://a.co/d/52iAE17)** * **[PAPERBACK](https://a.co/d/hYo70W5)** * **[AUDIBLE](https://www.audible.com/pd/Someone-You-Can-Build-a-Nest-In-Audiobook/B0CX7C9FQM)** **BOOK DESCRIPTION:** ***Shesheshen has made a mistake fatal to all monsters: she's fallen in love.*** Shesheshen is a shapeshifter, who happily resides as an amorphous lump at the bottom of a ruined manor. When her rest is interrupted by impolite monster hunters, she constructs a body from the remains of past meals: a metal chain for a backbone, borrowed bones for limbs, and a bear trap as an extra mouth. Badly hurt by the hunters, Shesheshen’s nursed back to health by Homily, a warm-hearted human. Homily is kind and would make a great co-parent: an ideal place to lay Shesheshen’s eggs so their young can devour Homily from the inside out. But as they grow close, Shesheshen realizes that eating her girlfriend isn’t an option. Just as Shesheshen’s about to confess her identity, Homily reveals something else: she’s hunting a shapeshifting monster that supposedly cursed her family. Has Shesheshen seen it anywhere? Shesheshen didn’t curse anyone, so now she has to figure out why Homily’s twisted family thinks she did. As Shesheshen’s hunt for the monster becomes increasingly deadly, the bigger challenge remains: learning how to build a life with, rather than in, the woman she loves. *\*Since missing one of these meetups is taking a spot away from someone else who wants to go, we'll need to have a stricter attendance policy than normal. For book discussions, 3 no-shows in a rolling 3-month period will prohibit you from attending any other book discussion for 2 months after your last no-show. In order to avoid a no-show, please update your RSVP no later than 10pm two nights before a discussion. Thanks for your understanding and cooperation! If you need to drop off because of Covid symptoms or exposure or a positive test or any other illness, there will be no penalty to no-showing or dropping late.*

Join our partners Watermark Woods Native Plants, Loudoun County Public Library (LCPL), and Birch Tree Bookstore for the Read! Plant! Grow! Book Club, which focuses on native plants, sponsored by Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and LCPL. At this meeting we’ll discuss the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. Both memoir and journalistic investigation, this book explores how the Kingsolver family took on a new challenge: to spend a year on a locally -produced diet, paying close attention to the provenance of all they consume. Concerned about the environmental, social, and physical costs of American food culture, they hoped to recover what Kingsolver considers our nation’’s lost appreciation for farms and the natural processes of food production. You can either buy the book from Birch Tree Bookstore or contact Allison Forbes at [Allison.forbes@loudoun.gov](mailto:Allison.forbes@loudoun.gov) to borrow a copy of the book at the library. There are two ways to participate: attend the event online via the library website or [sign up to participate in person at Birch Tree Bookstore](https://www.birchtreebookstore.com/event-details/read-plant-grow-2026-02-24-18-30). ***Questions:*** *Contact [info@loudounwildlife.org](mailto:info@loudounwildlife.org)*.

Join fellow book club members for an evening out at Travinia, 1605 Village Market Blvd., SE, #104, Leesburg. Each person is responsible for any food and drinks selected. If you sign up and need to cancel, you need to notify us at least 24 hours in advance.

Let's kick things off with a meeting to introduce ourselves and discuss what we're going to read over the next several months. Bring suggestions and your sweet tooth, because I'm bringing chocolate chip cookies!