BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Main Street Reads - ECPv6.15.20//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:Main Street Reads X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://mainstreetreads.com X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Main Street Reads REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20220313T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20221106T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20230312T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20231105T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20240310T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20241103T060000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230829T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230829T200000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230723T073740Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230723T073742Z UID:7571-1693333800-1693339200@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:Living Large Bookclub: The Summer of Songbirds DESCRIPTION:Join us for a lively discussion of the new hit from Kristy Woodson Harvey\, The Summer of Songbirds. As always\, treats are on us and all are welcome. The book is available at Main Street Reads for 10% off book club pricing! \n\n\n\nFour women come together to save the summer camp that changed their lives and rediscover themselves in the process in this moving new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Veil and the Peachtree Bluff series. Nearly thirty years ago\, in the wake of a personal tragedy\, June Moore bought Camp Holly Springs and turned it into a thriving summer haven for girls. But now\, June is in danger of losing the place she has sacrificed everything for\, and begins to realize how much she has used the camp to avoid facing difficulties in her life. June’s niece\, Daphne\, met her two best friends\, Lanier and Mary Stuart\, during a fateful summer at camp. They’ve all helped each other through hard things\, from heartbreak and loss to substance abuse and unplanned pregnancy\, and the three are inseparable even in their thirties. \n\n\n\nBut when attorney Daphne is confronted with a relationship from her past–and a confidential issue at work becomes personal–she is faced with an impossible choice. Lanier\, meanwhile\, is struggling with tough decisions of her own. After a run-in with an old flame\, she is torn between the commitment she made to her fiancé and the one she made to her first love. And when a big secret comes to light\, she finds herself at odds with her best friend…and risks losing the person she loves most. But in spite of their personal problems\, nothing is more important to these songbirds than Camp Holly Springs. When the women learn their childhood oasis is in danger of closing\, they band together to save it\, sending them on a journey that promises to open the next chapters in their lives. \n\n\n\nFrom an author whose “writing coats your soul with heart” (E! Online)\, The Summer of Songbirds is a lyrical and unforgettable celebration of female friendship\, summertime freedom\, and enduring sisterhood–and a love letter to the places and people that make us who we are. URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/living-large-bookclub-the-summer-of-songbirds/ LOCATION:Main Street Reads\, 115 S. Main St.\, Summerville\, SC\, 29483\, United States CATEGORIES:Book Club,Book Discussion ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/living-large-august-2023.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230826T110000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230826T140000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230813T060535Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230813T061123Z UID:7643-1693047600-1693058400@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:Book Signing: The Aliens Will Come to Georgia First DESCRIPTION:Join us for a special book signing with Stephen Hundley\, author of the debut fiction collection\, The Aliens Will Come to Georgia First\, releasing from North Georgia Press this Tuesday. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Aliens Will Come to Georgia First showcases sixteen bizarre\, hard-loving stories set in the foothills\, pinelands\, low country\, and barrier islands of Georgia\, and a few other places\, too. In its pages\, a boy and girl find a body on the marsh\, a delusional nude model takes on the fight of his life\, and a diver visits a sleeping nuclear bomb just a mile from the beach. Tourists eat shrimp and cheer for dolphins while a man falls in love with his television and a handy-woman sees jellyfish-like travelers from outer space. \n\n\n\nHundley’s men and women grapple with death\, distant lovers\, and damaged families as well as sharks\, stray dogs\, and man-eating tigers. This debut collection offers an intimate glimpse into a working class\, American South populated by people who have made themselves acolytes of existential powers-weapons of mass destruction and alien invasions\, the wide ocean and desperate love. This is a book for dreamers and space cadets\, fighters and providers\, and anyone who believes in a connection between the places we come from and the people we become.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nStephen Hundley is the author of The Aliens Will Come to Georgia First (University of North Georgia Press\, 2023) and Bomb Island (Hub City Press\, 2024). He is a fiction editor for Driftwood Press\, book review editor for Southeast Review\, and his stories and poems have appeared in Prairie Schooner\, South Carolina Review\, The Greensboro Review\, and elsewhere. Stephen holds an MA from Clemson\, an MFA from the University of Mississippi\, and is currently completing a PhD in English at Florida State University\, where he is writing a book about the feral horses of Cumberland Island.  URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/book-signing-the-aliens-will-come-to-georgia-first/ CATEGORIES:Book Discussion,Book Signing ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/aliens-stephen-hundley-book-signing.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230820T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230820T140000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230729T200623Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230729T200740Z UID:7594-1692540000-1692540000@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:Book Talk with Sally Jacobs - Althea: The Life of Tennis Champion Althea Gibson DESCRIPTION:The Timrod Library and Main Street Reads present author Sally H. Jacobs to discuss Althea: The Life of Tennis Champion Althea Gibson\, on Sunday\, Aug. 20\, 2 p.m. in the Catherine Stewart Room of the Timrod Library. Tickets are $40 ($30 for members) and include a copy of the book. A reception and book signing will follow. \n\n\n\nAlthea Gibson\, who was born in Silver\, South Carolina\, was the top female tennis player in the world in both 1957 and 1958. She became the first Black woman to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated and the second to appear on the cover of Time. Seven years later she became the first Black woman to join the Ladies Professional Golf Association. \n\n\n\n“A captivating book that brilliantly reveals an American sports legend long overlooked. Sally Jacobs tells the riveting story of Althea Gibson\, my personal shero\, who overcame daunting odds – on the tennis court and off – to stand at the world pinnacle of her sport and became an inspiration to many.” — Billie Jean King \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn 1950\, three years after Jackie Robinson first walked onto the diamond at Ebbets Field\, the all-white\, upper-crust US Lawn Tennis Association opened its door just a crack to receive a powerhouse player who would integrate “the game of royalty.” The player was a street-savvy young Black woman from Harlem named Althea Gibson who was about as out-of-place in that rarefied and intolerant world as any aspiring tennis champion could be. \n\n\n\nHer tattered jeans and short-cropped hair drew stares from everyone who watched her play\, but her astonishing performance on the court soon eclipsed the negative feelings being cast her way as she eventually became one of the greatest American tennis champions. Gibson had a stunning career. Raised in New York and trained by a pair of tennis-playing doctors in the South\, Gibson’s immense talent on the court opened the door for her to compete around the world. She won top prizes at Wimbledon and Forest Hills time and time again. \n\n\n\nThe young woman underestimated by so many wound up shaking hands with Queen Elizabeth II\, being driven up Broadway in a snowstorm of ticker tape\, and ultimately became the first Black woman to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated and the second to appear on the cover of Time. In a crowning achievement\, Althea Gibson became the No. One ranked female tennis player in the world for both 1957 and 1958. Seven years later she broke the color barrier again where she became the first Black woman to join the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA). In Althea\, prize-winning former Boston Globe reporter Sally H. Jacobs tells the heart-rending story of this pioneer\, a remarkable woman who was a trailblazer\, a champion\, and one of the most remarkable Americans of the twentieth century. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSally H. Jacobs is a former reporter for the Boston Globe\, a winner of the George Polk Award and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Breaking News Reporting. She is the author of The Other Barack\, a biography of Barack Obama’s father. URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/book-talk-with-sally-jacobs-althea-the-life-of-tennis-champion-althea-gibson/ LOCATION:Timrod Library\, 217 Central Avenue\, Summerville\, SC\, 29483\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Timrod-Talk-Sally-Jacobs-Althea.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230819T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230819T180000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230805T172707Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230805T172709Z UID:7623-1692439200-1692468000@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:Bookstore Romance Day! DESCRIPTION:Ahhh… the joy of a great romance. We’re celebrating all things romance on National Bookstore Romance Day with 10% off any romance title in the store (we’ll have a special display of them to get you started on our favorites) and we’ll discount our literary teas and chocolates that day too… isn’t it romantic?! URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/bookstore-romance-day-3/ LOCATION:Main Street Reads\, 115 S. Main St.\, Summerville\, SC\, 29483\, United States CATEGORIES:Celebration,Special Sale ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023-Bookstore-Romance-Day.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230817T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230817T170000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230730T034240Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230730T150025Z UID:7600-1692259200-1692291600@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:August's Third Thursday DESCRIPTION:On the third Thursday of each month Historic Downtown Summerville transforms into a special marketplace featuring local entertainment\, craft vendors and artisans\, to complement the extended hours of our eclectic shops\, boutiques and restaurants. \n\n\n\nTraffic\n\n\n\nThird Thursday traffic is rerouted 4:00pm until 9:00pm. from the following streets ; Little Main Street\, W Richardson to Central (closed for traffic). ​There is plenty of FREE parking throughout the downtown including the town garage located behind Town Hall.  \n\n\n\nHere at Main Street Reads we have treats and many featured authors… come join the fun! URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/augusts-third-thursday/ LOCATION:Main Street Reads\, 115 S. Main St.\, Summerville\, SC\, 29483\, United States CATEGORIES:Special Sale,Third Thursday ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Third-Thursday-Aug-23.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230815T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230815T200000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230723T132721Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230723T132723Z UID:7580-1692124200-1692129600@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:Thriller Book Club: Bad Summer People DESCRIPTION:This month’s Thrill in the ‘Ville will take place on August 15th – and we’ll be chatting about Bad Summer People (the book\, not the neighbors!) Everyone is welcome and we’ll supply the treats! \n\n\n\nEmma Rosenblum’s Bad Summer People is a whip-smart\, propulsive debut about infidelity\, backstabbing\, and murderous intrigue\, set against an exclusive summer haven on Fire Island.“This roiling beach community satire serves up wicked\, clever fun that is White Lotus sharp.” –Kevin Kwan\, New York Times bestselling author of Crazy Rich Asians and Sex and VanityNone of them would claim to be a particularly good person. But who among them is actually capable of murder? Jen Weinstein and Lauren Parker rule the town of Salcombe\, Fire Island every summer. They hold sway on the beach and the tennis court\, and are adept at manipulating people to get what they want. Their husbands\, Sam and Jason\, have summered together on the island since childhood\, despite lifelong grudges and numerous secrets. Their one single friend\, Rachel Woolf\, is looking to meet her match\, whether he’s the tennis pro–or someone else’s husband. \n\n\n\nBut even with plenty to gossip about\, this season starts out as quietly as any other. Until a body is discovered\, face down\, off the side of the boardwalk. Stylish\, subversive\, and darkly comedic\, this is a story of what’s lurking under the surface of picture-perfect lives in a place where everyone has something to hide. URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/thriller-book-club-bad-summer-people/ LOCATION:Main Street Reads\, 115 S. Main St.\, Summerville\, SC\, 29483\, United States CATEGORIES:Book Club,Book Discussion ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/thriller-august-2023.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230809T093000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230809T100000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230129T134929Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230806T032415Z UID:7223-1691573400-1691575200@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:Wednesday Stories on the Square DESCRIPTION:Join us every WEDNESDAY morning at 9:30 a.m. for “Stories on the Square\, our outdoor storytime adventure  – kids of all ages welcome! Treats served and student discounts to ALL attendees! \nStorytime at Main Street Reads is a weekly featured event\, held inside when the weather doesn’t permit. We have lots of chairs for younger listeners\, hula-hoops for distancing and plenty of juice boxes and fruit snacks to munch while they listen. \nIn case of inclement weather\, storytime moves inside – we move the furniture and place the hoops and chairs on the floor – we do ask that strollers park outside! URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/wednesday-stories-on-the-square-9/ LOCATION:Main Street Reads\, 115 S. Main St.\, Summerville\, SC\, 29483\, United States CATEGORIES:Reading,Story Time ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/newkirsten-johnson-storytime.png ORGANIZER;CN="Main Street Reads":MAILTO:shari@writerswin.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230806T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230806T160000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230729T182417Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230806T172456Z UID:7589-1691316000-1691337600@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:Tax Free Weekend Ends Today DESCRIPTION:South Carolina’s annual Tax Free Weekend is scheduled for August 4-6\, 2023.\n\n\n\nFor 72 hours\, tax-free items include school supplies\, books\, clothing and accessories\, These tax-free items can be purchased in-store or online.\n\n\n\n\nDid you know? Last year\, South Carolina shoppers bought more than $26.2 million in tax-free items during the Tax Free Weekend! In past years\, shoppers have saved between $2 million and $3 million during the weekend. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBooks\, clothes\, school supplies\, and a variety of other school-year essentials can be purchased free of Sales Tax during South Carolina’s annual 72-hour Tax Free Weekend. The South Carolina Department of Revenue (SCDOR) reminds shoppers that the 2023 Tax Free Weekend runs Friday\, August 4 at 12:00 a.m. through Sunday\, August 6 at 11:59 p.m. \n\n\n\nEligible items can be purchased online and in-store without paying the state’s 6% Sales Tax and any applicable local taxes during Tax Free Weekend\, often called the Sales Tax Holiday. \n\n\n\n“With the increased cost of inflation\, this year’s Sales Tax Holiday is a welcome relief for families. Everyone saves money during Tax Free Weekend\, particularly on back-to-school essentials\,” said SCDOR Director Hartley Powell. URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/your-2023-tax-free-weekend-kicks-off-this-friday/ LOCATION:Main Street Reads\, 115 S. Main St.\, Summerville\, SC\, 29483\, United States CATEGORIES:Celebration,Special Sale ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Tax-Free-Weekend.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230805T123000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230805T150000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230723T072022Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230727T130528Z UID:7565-1691238600-1691247600@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:Book Signing - Indigo Isle! DESCRIPTION:Join us on August 5th for a special “Meet the Author” with TI Lowe and grab a signed copy of her new release\, Indigo Isle. A story of hanging on and letting go\, of redemption and reconciliation\, and of a love that heals the deepest wounds\, from the author of the breakout Southern fiction bestseller Under the Magnolias. BOTH books will be available for sale and signing\, and treats are on us! \n\n\n\nAbout the Book\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n“Storms show up and there ain’t a thing we can do to stop them.” \n\n\n\nSonny Bates left South Carolina fifteen years ago and never looked back. Now she’s a successful Hollywood location scout who travels the world\, finding perfect places for movie shoots. Home is wherever she lands\, and between her busy schedule and dealing with her boss’s demands\, she has little time to think about the past… until her latest gig lands her a stone’s throw from everything she left behind. \n\n\n\nSearching off the coast of Charleston for a secluded site to film a key scene\, Sonny wanders onto a private barrier island and encounters its reclusive owner\, known by locals as the Monster of Indigo Isle. What she finds is a man much more complex than the myth. \n\n\n\nOnce a successful New York attorney\, Hudson Renfrow’s grief has exiled him to his island for years. He spends his days alone\, tending his fields of indigo\, and he has no interest in serving the intrusive needs of a film company or yielding to Sonny’s determined curiosity. But when a hurricane makes landfall on the Carolina coast\, stranding them together\, an unlikely friendship forms between the two damaged souls. URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/book-signing-indigo-isle/ LOCATION:Main Street Reads\, 115 S. Main St.\, Summerville\, SC\, 29483\, United States CATEGORIES:Book Discussion,Book Signing,Celebration ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/TI-Lowe-Indigo-Isle-Signing.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230803T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230803T200000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230723T074720Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230723T074722Z UID:7575-1691087400-1691092800@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:Fab Fantasy Book Club: Ink\, Blood\, Sister\, Scribe DESCRIPTION:Join your fellow readers for fun discussion\, 10% off book club pricing and free treats on book club night! This month\, Ink\, Blood\, Sister\, Scribe is up for discussion – we’ll see you there! \n\n\n\nA GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK! \n\n\n\n“Astonishing and pristine\, the kind of debut I love to be devastated by\, already so assured and sophisticated that it’s difficult to imagine where the author can go from here. . . . It’s simply a delight from start to finish.” – AMAL EL-MOHTAR\, New York Times Book Review \n\n\n\n“Follow where this novel leads and you will be lost in a bewitching spell\, a book of magic about books of magic . . . extraordinary.” – MARLON JAMES \n\n\n\nIn this spellbinding debut novel\, two estranged half-sisters tasked with guarding their family’s library of magical books must work together to unravel a deadly secret at the heart of their collection–a tale of familial loyalty and betrayal\, and the pursuit of magic and power. \n\n\n\nFor generations\, the Kalotay family has guarded a collection of ancient and rare books. Books that let a person walk through walls or manipulate the elements–books of magic that half-sisters Joanna and Esther have been raised to revere and protect. \n\n\n\nAll magic comes with a price\, though\, and for years the sisters have been separated. Esther has fled to a remote base in Antarctica to escape the fate that killed her own mother\, and Joanna’s isolated herself in their family home in Vermont\, devoting her life to the study of these cherished volumes. But after their father dies suddenly while reading a book Joanna has never seen before\, the sisters must reunite to preserve their family legacy. In the process\, they’ll uncover a world of magic far bigger and more dangerous than they ever imagined\, and all the secrets their parents kept hidden; secrets that span centuries\, continents\, and even other libraries . . . \n\n\n\nIn the great tradition of Ninth House\, The Magicians\, and Practical Magic\, this is a suspenseful and richly atmospheric novel that draws readers into a vast world filled with mystery and magic\, romance\, and intrigue–and marks the debut of an extraordinary new voice in speculative fiction. \n\n\n\n“Ink Blood Sister Scribe is so many things at once: an adventure\, a puzzle\, a twisty thriller\, and a tender romance. . . . I adored it.” – ALIX E. HARROW \n\n\n\n“If\, like me\, you’re a fan of Holly Black and Leigh Bardugo\, pick up this book at once.” — KELLY LINK URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/fab-fantasy-book-club-ink-blood-sister-scribe/ LOCATION:Main Street Reads\, 115 S. Main St.\, Summerville\, SC\, 29483\, United States CATEGORIES:Book Club,Book Discussion ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/fantasy-august-2023.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230725T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230725T200000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230702T044041Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230702T044044Z UID:7530-1690309800-1690315200@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:Living Large - Bestsellers Book Club This Month: The Paris Daughter by Kristin Harmel! DESCRIPTION:Join us Tuesday\, July 25th for an exhilarating discussion around Kristin Harmel’s latest hit\, The Paris Daughter. As always\, our clubs are free and open to all. Treats will be served and Kristin’s book is available at Main Street Reads at the 10% off book club discount – see you on Main Street! \n\n\n\nAbout the Book\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFrom the bestselling author of the “heart-stopping tale of survival and heroism” (People) The Book of Lost Names comes a gripping historical novel about two mothers who must make unthinkable choices in the face of the Nazi occupation. \n\n\n\nParis\, 1939: Young mothers Elise and Juliette become fast friends the day they meet in the beautiful Bois de Boulogne. Though there is a shadow of war creeping across Europe\, neither woman suspects that their lives are about to irrevocably change. \n\n\n\nWhen Elise becomes a target of the German occupation\, she entrusts Juliette with the most precious thing in her life–her young daughter\, playmate to Juliette’s own little girl. But nowhere is safe in war\, not even a quiet little bookshop like Juliette’s Librairie des Rêves. \n\n\n\nWhen a bomb falls on their neighborhood\, Juliette’s world is destroyed along with it. More than a year later\, with the war finally ending\, Elise returns to reunite with her daughter\, only to find her friend’s bookstore reduced to rubble–and Juliette nowhere to be found. What happened to her daughter in those last\, terrible moments? Juliette has seemingly vanished without a trace\, taking all the answers with her. Elise’s desperate search leads her to New York–and to Juliette–one final\, fateful time. An “exquisite and gut-wrenching novel” (Lisa Barr\, New York Times bestselling author) you won’t soon forget\, The Paris Daughter is also a sweeping celebration of resilience\, motherhood\, and love. URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/living-large-bestsellers-book-club-this-month-the-paris-daughter-by-kristin-harmel/ LOCATION:Main Street Reads\, 115 S. Main St.\, Summerville\, SC\, 29483\, United States CATEGORIES:Book Club,Book Discussion ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Living-Large-July-2023-Paris-Daughter.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230720T173000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230720T203000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230507T054735Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230719T030009Z UID:7413-1689874200-1689885000@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:Third Thursday: Christmas in July DESCRIPTION:This month’s Third Thursday kicks off Christmas in July weekend! \nWe’ll have treats at the bookstore and sales galore\, including 1/2 price items\, a $2 table\, AND 20% off ALL local interest/local author items in our Lowcountry Cove. \nSee you on Main Street! URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/third-thursday-christmas-in-july-2/ LOCATION:Main Street Reads\, 115 S. Main St.\, Summerville\, SC\, 29483\, United States CATEGORIES:Celebration,Special Sale,Third Thursday ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Third-Thursday-Aug-2023.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230720T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230722T180000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230619T163044Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230619T163045Z UID:7506-1689847200-1690048800@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:Christmas in July SALE! DESCRIPTION:All of downtown Summerville will be celebrating this special Christmas in July celebration – free parking\, eclectic shops\, plenty of sales! Here at Main Street Reads we’ll have selections at 25/50/75% off so come join the fun! URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/christmas-in-july-sale/ LOCATION:Main Street Reads\, 115 S. Main St.\, Summerville\, SC\, 29483\, United States CATEGORIES:Special Sale ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Christmas-in-July-2023-copy.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230719T093000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230719T103000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230528T170809Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230716T134310Z UID:7468-1689759000-1689762600@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:A VERY Special Stories on the Square with Martha Jaworowski: Trucks at First Sight DESCRIPTION:We have a visiting author for this Wednesday’s storytime\, and a chance to grab a SIGNED copy of her incredible book at a discounted price. \nMartha will be featured at Stories on the Square and you’re going to LOVE\, LOVE\, LOVE this book. It’s kid-smart in all the right ways – colorful\, insightful\, interesting\, teaching counting\, shapes\, patterns along the way\, and it’s FUN! \nTRUCKS AT FIRST SIGHT is a children’s counting book filled with brilliant illustrations which combine art and trucks to fuel a child’s passion for numbers and learning. The dazzling illustrations leave young readers (and their caretakers) yearning to turn the pages as they search the patterned drawings for the next set of trucks. TRUCKS AT FIRST SIGHT features a variety of childrens’ favorite vehicles: scooping excavators\, churning mixers\, puttering tractors\, and many more.\n\nCome meet Martha (she’s a mom\, too!) and learn more about her work\, her writing\, her art\, and her passion for young readers 🙂 URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/a-very-special-storytime-with-martha-jaworowski-trucks-at-first-sight/ LOCATION:Main Street Reads\, 115 S. Main St.\, Summerville\, SC\, 29483\, United States CATEGORIES:Book Discussion,Book Signing,Reading,Story Time ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/trucks-at-first-sight-event.png ORGANIZER;CN="Main Street Reads":MAILTO:shari@writerswin.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230711T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230711T200000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230618T035558Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230618T035600Z UID:7499-1689100200-1689105600@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:July Thriller Club: You Shouldn't Have Come Here DESCRIPTION:Join us to chat about the new sensation from Jeneva Rose\, You Shouldn’t Have Come Here. As always\, our Thrill in the ‘Ville Thriller Book Club is free and open to all – and we’ll bring the treats! \n\n\n\nSee you on Main Street… \n\n\n\nAbout the Book\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n“Everything I want in a thriller. Sexy\, shocking\, and tense with an ending I never saw coming. Jeneva Rose is the queen of twists.”–Colleen Hoover\, #1 New York Times bestselling author \n\n\n\nThe highly anticipated new thriller from the USA Today and #1 bestselling author of The Perfect Marriage and One of Us Is Dead \n\n\n\nYou’ve opened up your house and your heart to a total stranger … What could possibly go wrong? \n\n\n\nGrace Evans\, an overworked New Yorker looking for a total escape from her busy life\, books an Airbnb on a ranch in the middle of Wyoming. When she arrives at the idyllic getaway\, she’s pleased to find that the owner is a handsome man by the name of Calvin Wells–and he’s eager to introduce her to his easygoing way of life. But there are things Grace discovers that she’s not too pleased about: A lack of cell phone service. A missing woman. And a feeling that something isn’t right with the ranch. \n\n\n\nDespite her uneasiness\, the two bond and start to fall for one another. However\, as her departure date nears\, things change for the worse. What began as a playful romance soon turns into a complicated web of lies. Grace grows wary of Calvin as his infatuation for her seems to have morphed to obsession. Calvin fears that Grace is hiding something from him–including her reason for staying at his ranch to begin with. Vacation flings typically end in heartbreak\, but for Grace and Calvin\, it’ll be far more destructive. \n\n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\n\nJeneva Rose is the internationally bestselling author of The Perfect Marriage and One of Us Is Dead. Her work has been translated into more than a dozen languages and optioned for film and television. Originally from Wisconsin\, she currently lives in Chicago with her husband\, Drew\, and her English bulldog\, Winston. URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/july-thriller-club-you-shouldnt-have-come-here/ LOCATION:Main Street Reads\, 115 S. Main St.\, Summerville\, SC\, 29483\, United States CATEGORIES:Book Club,Book Discussion ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/THRILLER-CLUB-JULY-2023.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230706T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230706T170000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230528T145521Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230702T035131Z UID:7463-1688630400-1688662800@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:NEW Fab Fantasy Book Club! July's Pick: Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson DESCRIPTION:We’re dubbing our newest club “Fab Fantasy” and it will take place on the first THURSDAY of each month. \n\n\n\nIn order to give you time to grab and read the first selection\, this club kicks off in July\, July 6th to be exact. We’ll be reading Tress of the Emerald Sea by none other than #1 New York Times Bestselling author Brandon Sanderson.\n\nFan of The Princess Bride? (Um\, who isn’t?!) Then you’ll love this one…\n\n1 New York Times Bestselling author Brandon Sanderson brings us deeper into the Cosmere universe with a rollicking\, riveting tale that will appeal to fans of The Princess Bride.\n\nThe only life Tress has known on her island home in an emerald-green ocean has been a simple one\, with the simple pleasures of collecting cups brought by sailors from faraway lands and listening to stories told by her friend Charlie. But when his father takes him on a voyage to find a bride and disaster strikes\,\n\nTress must stow away on a ship and seek the Sorceress of the deadly Midnight Sea. Amid the spore oceans where pirates abound\, can Tress leave her simple life behind and make her own place sailing a sea where a single drop of water can mean instant death?\n\n \n\n  URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/new-fab-fantasy-book-club-julys-pick-tress-of-the-emerald-sea-by-brandon-sanderson/ LOCATION:Main Street Reads\, 115 S. Main St.\, Summerville\, SC\, 29483\, United States CATEGORIES:Book Club,Book Discussion,Celebration ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/First-Thursday-Fab-Fantasy.png ORGANIZER;CN="Main Street Reads":MAILTO:shari@writerswin.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230704T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230704T150000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230702T050814Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230702T050816Z UID:7534-1688464800-1688482800@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:Happy 4th of July - YES We're Open! DESCRIPTION:We’re open for you as you visit downtown Summerville on July 4th. We’ll be open ’til 3 pm before we head off to 4th of July festivities of our own… We’ll have treats for shoppers – See you on Main Street! URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/happy-4th-of-july-yes-were-open/ LOCATION:Main Street Reads\, 115 S. Main St.\, Summerville\, SC\, 29483\, United States CATEGORIES:Celebration ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/happy-fourth.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230628T093000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230628T100000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230129T135206Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230625T134147Z UID:7225-1687944600-1687946400@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:Wednesday Stories on the Square DESCRIPTION:Join us every WEDNESDAY morning at 9:30 a.m. for “Stories on the Square\, our outdoor storytime adventure  – kids of all ages welcome! Treats served and student discounts to ALL attendees! \nStorytime at Main Street Reads is a weekly featured event\, held inside when the weather doesn’t permit. We have lots of chairs for younger listeners\, hula-hoops for distancing and plenty of juice boxes and fruit snacks to munch while they listen. \nIn case of inclement weather\, storytime moves inside – we move the furniture and place the hoops and chairs on the floor – we do ask that strollers park outside! URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/wednesday-stories-on-the-square-10/ LOCATION:Main Street Reads\, 115 S. Main St.\, Summerville\, SC\, 29483\, United States CATEGORIES:Reading,Story Time ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/newkirsten-johnson-storytime.png ORGANIZER;CN="Main Street Reads":MAILTO:shari@writerswin.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230627T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230627T170000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230528T073458Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230528T073524Z UID:7456-1687852800-1687885200@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:June’s Bestsellers Book Club: No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister DESCRIPTION:This month’s best-sellers book club will meet on the 4th TUESDAY\, its new monthly date. We’ll be chatting about No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister! A readers group guide is provided HERE (but warning\, may contain spoilers). \nAs always\, book clubs are free and open to all; you bring you\, we’ll bring the treats!\n \nABOUT THE BOOK\nOne book. Nine readers. Ten changed lives. New York Times bestselling author Erica Bauermeister’s No Two Persons is “a gloriously original celebration of fiction\, and the ways it deepens our lives.”* \nThat was the beauty of books\, wasn’t it? They took you places you didn’t know you needed to go… \nAlice has always wanted to be a writer. Her talent is innate\, but her stories remain safe and detached\, until a devastating event breaks her heart open\, and she creates a stunning debut novel. Her words\, in turn\, find their way to readers\, from a teenager hiding her homelessness\, to a free diver pushing himself beyond endurance\, an artist furious at the world around her\, a bookseller in search of love\, a widower rent by grief. Each one is drawn into Alice’s novel; each one discovers something different that alters their perspective\, and presents new pathways forward for their lives. \nTogether\, their stories reveal how books can affect us in the most beautiful and unexpected of ways–and how we are all more closely connected to one another than we might think. \n“With its beautiful parts that add up to a brilliant whole\, No Two Persons made my reader’s heart sing.”–*Nina de Gramont\, New York Times bestselling author of The Christie Affair URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/junes-bestsellers-book-club-no-two-persons/ LOCATION:Main Street Reads\, 115 S. Main St.\, Summerville\, SC\, 29483\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/living-large-june-2023.png ORGANIZER;CN="Main Street Reads":MAILTO:shari@writerswin.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230618T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230618T160000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230527T144951Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230616T154835Z UID:7444-1687082400-1687104000@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:Father's Day Book Signing: Dangerous by Richard Standring DESCRIPTION:Bring your dad to Main Street Reads on Sunday\, June 18th for 10% off storewide\, and get a personalized copy of “Dangerous: 7 Mysteries” by Richard Shandring\, who’ll be on hand from 1-3 p.m. URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/celebrating-dads-this-fathers-day/ CATEGORIES:Celebration ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Richard-Standring-book-signing.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230613T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230613T200000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230527T165154Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230527T231552Z UID:7449-1686681000-1686686400@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:June Thriller Book Club: The Only Survivors DESCRIPTION:This month’s “Thrill in the ‘Ville” club will meet on the 2nd Tuesday to chat about the new thriller The Only Survivors by Megan Miranda. The book is in stock at Main Street Reads\, available at the book club 10% off discount. \nAs always\, this event is free and open to all; you bring yourselves and we’ll bring the treats! \nAbout the Book: \nFrom the New York Times bestselling author of All the Missing Girls and “master of suspense\, Megan Miranda” (Mary Kubica\, New York Times bestselling author of The Good Girl)\, a thrilling mystery about a group of former classmates who reunite to mark the tenth anniversary of a tragic accident–only to have one of the survivors disappear\, casting fear and suspicion on the original tragedy. \nSeven hours in the past. Seven days in the present. Seven survivors remaining. Who would you save? \nA decade ago\, two vans filled with high school seniors on a school service trip crashed into a Tennessee ravine–a tragedy that claimed the lives of multiple classmates and teachers. The nine students who managed to escape the river that night were irrevocably changed. A year later\, after one of the survivors dies by suicide on the anniversary of the crash\, the rest of them make a pact: to come together each year to commemorate that terrible night. \nTo keep one another safe.\nTo hold one another accountable.\nOr both. \nTheir annual meeting place\, a house on the Outer Banks\, has long been a refuge. But by the tenth anniversary\, Cassidy Bent has worked to distance herself from the tragedy\, and from the other survivors. She’s changed her mobile number. She’s blocked the others’ email addresses. This year\, she is determined to finally break ties once and for all. But on the day of the reunion\, she receives a text with an obituary attached: another survivor is gone. Now they are seven–and Cassidy finds herself hurling back toward the group\, wild with grief–and suspicion. \nAlmost immediately\, something feels off this year. Cassidy is the first to notice when Amaya\, annual organizer\, slips away\, overwhelmed. This wouldn’t raise alarm except for the impending storm. Suddenly\, they’re facing the threat of closed roads and surging waters…again. Then Amaya stops responding to her phone. After all they’ve been through\, she wouldn’t willfully make them worry. Would she? \nAnd–as they promised long ago–each survivor will do whatever he or she can do to save one another. Won’t they? \nA propulsive and chilling locked-box mystery filled with the dazzling hairpin twists that are the author’s signature\, The Only Survivors is New York Times bestselling author Megan Miranda’s best novel yet. \nBook Club Questions to Contemplate! (Includes Spoilers)\n\nThrillers often challenge readers to exercise their reasoning skills and guess twists and mysteries alongside the characters. Did you successfully anticipate any parts of the plot in The Only Survivors? Which parts caught you off guard and surprised you the most? How do you feel about trying to guess twists in a thriller – does it enhance or detract from your reading experience?\nThroughout the book\, references to luck and fate recur. Cassidy mentions that the survivor’s reunion house came down to luck\, Amaya’s dad believed in making their own fate\, and Russ asks Clara about her beliefs in fate. Do you think there is a difference between luck and fate? Which do you believe has a greater influence on the lives of the characters in this story – luck or fate? How do these concepts play out in the events of the book?\nCassidy is initially reluctant to reunite with the survivors for the 10th year\, as she feels it’s hindering her ability to move on. If you were in a similar situation\, would you choose to reunite with your fellow survivors annually? Do you think it would aid in your healing process or potentially set you back\, forcing you to confront emotions you’re trying to move past?\nLies seem to beget more lies in The Only Survivors. Let’s trace the instances where characters withheld the truth or told significant lies. Which lie do you think had the most significant impact on the course of the story? If Cassidy had initially confessed to the group that she was standing in front of the bus during the accident\, how do you think it would have altered the events of the story? Discuss the lies that had the greatest snowball effect.\nGuilt is a pervasive theme in the story\, with Amaya feeling burdened by the guilt of the trip being her idea and Cassidy struggling with the weight of inadvertently causing the accident. How do you think these characters can navigate their guilt and find redemption? Can you relate to their feelings of guilt in any way?\nThe characters in the story seem to grapple with tragedies on their own without seeking outside help. If the characters had involved the police or sought professional assistance\, how do you think the story would have unfolded differently? Do you believe any of the characters deserve to face legal consequences for their actions\, and if so\, who and why?\nRuss\, though not directly involved in the accident\, experienced his own tragedy with the loss of his sister and the subsequent neglect from authorities. How do you feel about Russ and his actions in response to his circumstances? To what extent do you sympathize with him\, and do you believe his actions were justified or not?\nCoping with trauma and loss can manifest in various ways for different individuals in the story. What do you think are some of the healthier ways the characters could have coped with the aftermath of the accident? If you could offer personalized advice to the remaining survivors\, considering all that they have been through in the past 10 years\, what would it be?\nAt the end of the book\, Cassidy promises to “leave the past to the past and never look back.” Do you think this is a wise decision? Should the group benefit from another reunion to confront the new truth they’ve uncovered\, or should they bury it and never speak of it again? Share your opinions on whether leaving the past behind is the best approach for the characters.\nThe premise of The Only Survivors revolves around a pact made by the survivors of a tragic accident. What do you think about the concept of survivor guilt and the ways in which the characters in the book cope with it? How do their actions and decisions regarding the annual reunion reflect their individual approaches to dealing with trauma?\nCassidy\, the protagonist\, is determined to break ties with the other survivors after a decade of commemorating the anniversary of the accident. Why do you think Cassidy wants to distance herself from the group?\nThe setting of the Outer Banks\, with its looming storm and closed roads\, adds to the sense of tension and urgency in the story. How does the setting contribute to the overall mood and atmosphere of the book? How does it impact the characters’ actions?\nAmaya\, the annual organizer of the reunion\, goes missing during the impending storm\, and the other survivors become increasingly worried. How does the disappearance of Amaya affect the dynamics among the remaining characters?\nMegan Miranda is known for her hairpin twists and suspenseful storytelling. Were you able to predict the outcome of the story\, or were you taken by surprise by the revelations and plot twists? How do you think the author crafted the mystery elements in the book to keep readers engaged and intrigued?\nThroughout the book\, the characters grapple with the concept of saving one another\, as they promised to do in their pact. What do you think this idea of saving each other means to the characters? How does it evolve and change as the story progresses?\nLet’s discuss the structure of The Only Survivors. How do the shifting time frames and points of view impact the story? Did you find Cassidy to be a reliable narrator while reading? Were there any other points of view that you distrusted or found unreliable? Explore the narrative structure and its effect on your reading experience.\nThe accident occurred during a pivotal time in the characters’ lives\, as they were high school seniors preparing to enter the “real world.” Do you think the accident severely altered the course of Cassidy’s life? Where do you imagine she would be if she hadn’t gone on that trip? Can you envision vastly different lives for any of the other characters? Share your thoughts on how the accident shaped their futures.\nThe Only Survivors delves into the complexities of relationships among the survivors\, as well as their relationships with the victim who died by suicide. How do the characters’ past and present relationships with one another shape their actions and decisions during the reunion? How do their dynamics evolve and change as the story progresses\, and what do you think this says about the nature of trauma and grief in relationships?\nThe book raises questions about the concept of accountability among the survivors\, as well as the choices they make in the aftermath of the accident. Do you think the characters take responsibility for their actions\, or do they avoid accountability? How do their actions and decisions impact the outcome of the story\, and do you think they find redemption or closure by the end of the book? URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/june-thriller-book-club-the-only-survivors/ LOCATION:Main Street Reads\, 115 S. Main St.\, Summerville\, SC\, 29483\, United States CATEGORIES:Book Club,Book Discussion ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/thriller-june-2023.png ORGANIZER;CN="Main Street Reads":MAILTO:shari@writerswin.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230527T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230529T160000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230527T160103Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230527T160218Z UID:7447-1685181600-1685376000@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:Memorial Day: Remember and Honor Our Heroes DESCRIPTION:We hope you’re all enjoying a safe and satisfying Memorial Day weekend as we pause to honor and remember the heroes in our lives. \nAll weekend long\, enjoy 10% off history/historical fiction/memoir and biographies\, plus hundreds of half off titles throughout the store. URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/memorial-day-remember-and-honor-our-heroes/ LOCATION:Main Street Reads\, 115 S. Main St.\, Summerville\, SC\, 29483\, United States CATEGORIES:Celebration ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/mem-day.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Main Street Reads":MAILTO:shari@writerswin.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230523T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230523T200000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230430T054820Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230522T153014Z UID:7400-1684866600-1684872000@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:May's Living Large Book Club: The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry! DESCRIPTION:This month’s best-sellers book club will meet on the 4th TUESDAY since it’s a five-week month\, giving everyone more time to read the new selection The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry! \nAs always\, book clubs are free and open to all; you bring you\, we’ll bring the treats! BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS BELOW…\n \n\n\n\n“Two sisters\, dual time periods\, a magical secret place\, an abiding mystery–The Secret Book of Flora Lea is an enchanting story of survival against all odds. With her trademark warmth and a feather-light touch\, Patti Callahan Henry weaves together events both real and imagined. Transporting\, heartfelt\, and atmospheric.” –Christina Baker Kline\, New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train and The Exiles \n“In this gorgeous ode to books and storytellers\, Patti Callahan Henry shows that literature lives inside us\, and can unite us despite the odds. Through war\, young love\, a sister’s remorse\, and a mysterious land called Whisperwood\, I was torn between savoring each word and tearing through the pages to learn what happened next. Pure magic!” –Janet Skeslien Charles\, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Library \n“At the heart of this novel is a shattering loss that irrevocably changes the lives of a cast of complex\, delightful characters. Henry is a born storyteller\, keeping the reader on tenterhooks as she expertly unveils the truths and lies that drive this gripping\, magical tale.” –Fiona Davis\, New York Times bestselling author of The Magnolia Palace\n“Patti Callahan Henry is a master of the elusive fairy tale\, and nowhere is her talent on better display than in the pages of The Secret Book of Flora Lea\, a bittersweet tale of loss\, destiny\, and the strings of deep love that bind us together across the years. The terror and heartbreak of the World War II children’s evacuation of London collide with the dangling threads of an unsolved mystery that picks up nearly two decades later\, at the dawn of the swinging Sixties. This heartrending\, captivating tale of family\, first love\, and fate will sweep you away.” –Kristin Harmel\, New York Times bestselling author of The Forest of Vanishing Stars and The Book of Lost Names \n“A spellbinding tale of hope and perseverance\, The Secret Book of Flora Lea is as enchanting and whimsical as the Whisperwood fairytale hidden within its pages. It reminds us that a happily-ever-after isn’t out of reach–so long as we heed the tiny voice within\, whispering that the real magic of the story may be closer than we think.” –Sarah Penner\, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Apothecary and The London Seance Society \n“A fantastical tale of the power of stories and the bond between sisters…I absolutely loved this book.”–Jamie Ford\, New York Times bestselling author of The Many Daughters of Afong Moy \n“Deft\, lyrical and supremely satisfying\, The Secret Book of Flora Lea isn’t so much a departure for Patti Callahan Henry as it is a culmination of her gifts as a novelist. This is a book about difficult history and unsinkable hope\, ordinary magic in the form of love\, and about how our stories can save and sustain us in the most trying moments of our lives. Callahan’s plot will keep you guessing even as her characters steal your heart. I loved it.” –Paula McLain\, author of The Paris Wife and When the Stars Go Dark \n“A world war and a fairy tale collide in the British countryside in 1940–and Patti Callahan Henry is the perfect novelist to explore how the living are forever changed. The Secret Book of Flora Lea is a treasure: moving\, surprising\, and deeply evocative of an England that everyday walked the tightrope between heartbreak and hope. –Chris Bohjalian\, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lioness and The Flight Attendant\n“[A]ffecting…Henry’s offering shines most in its exploration of the ways relationships grow and adapt to time and trauma\, making for a poignant meditation on the bonds of sisterhood. This captivates.” —Publishers Weekly\n \nThe Secret Book of Flora Lea is a beguiling blend of hope\, mystery\, and true familial love. It exposes the deep wounds of a family tragically separated because of war. Told in an utterly fresh way with dual timelines and a host of unforgettable characters\, this is a story that is both necessary and satisfying through the last page. Powerful and spellbinding!” –Sadeqa Johnson\, New York Times bestselling author of The House of Eve \nBOOK CLUB QUESTIONS\n\n1.Hazel and Flora Lea’s childhood experience was inspired by Operation Pied Piper—a real life event in British WWII history in which over three million children were evacuated from their homes to live with volunteer families throughout the English countryside. Were you familiar with this piece of history prior to reading the novel? \n2. Hazel takes great care of the rare books while employed at Hogan’s Bookshop\, wearing white gloves and logging items meticulously. In passing\, the owner\, Edwin\, has mentioned the enormous value original illustrations can add to a book. What is revealed about Hazel’s character in the decision to take the copy of Whisperwood and the River of Stars along with the illustrations? What about when her initial denial of taking them is factored in? \n3. When Hazel makes the phone call to Peggy Andrews seeking information about the book\, she gets an unexpected answer about the origin of Whisperwood and the River of Stars. What does this broadly say about the creation of storytelling and mythmaking? Can someone ever own a story? \n4. Bridie Aberdeen\, as a character\, is presented as extremely warm and nurturing yet with some eccentricities. The town gossips about her practices and the “mysterious” disappearance of Henry’s father. What was your first impression of Bridie? Did that change at any point during the book? \n5. Hazel and Flora’s mother had several opportunities to take her daughters back to London but ultimately made the decision that they were safer and better served in Binsey with Bridie and Henry. Do you have a positive or negative opinion of their mother? Would you have made a different choice? \n6. Only through an honest conversation years after the fact do Hazel and Henry discover their shared guilt over what happened to Flora. Would that silence have lasted as long if Hazel and Henry were older when Flora first disappeared? \n7. Barnaby is supportive of Hazel’s desire to reach out to Peggy Andrews and even encourages her to get in touch with Dorothy Bellamy\, thinking a reporter may be able to help\, yet he eventually struggles with Hazel’s never-ending quest and its effect on their relationship. Does Barnaby’s ultimatum change your view of the character? Did Hazel take her quest too far? \n8. How did you feel about the reveal of Dorothy Bellamy’s past? Did Dorothy’s Aunt Imogene have justification in her decision to remove the child the way she did? \n9. How do the specific time periods—World War II and 1960—affect the way in which the case of Flora’s disappearance was handled? Would the outcome have been different if set in present day? \n10. At the end of the story\, Dorothy (Dot) is coming to terms with two versions of herself. What are the broader implications of childhood memory? Why do we so clearly remember some things and not others\, regardless of importance? Can you think of your earliest childhood memory? \n11. Hazel’s character displays many different emotions in the decision making throughout her life—hope\, fear\, guilt\, love. Which one do you think is the dominant driver? Would it be the same if you were in her shoes? \n12. The Secret Book of Flora Lea weaves an ode to stories and\, ultimately\, how we carry them with us throughout our lives. Is storytelling a universal way for humans to connect? How has storytelling affected your life? \n  URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/may-living-large-flora-lea/ LOCATION:Main Street Reads\, 115 S. Main St.\, Summerville\, SC\, 29483\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Living-Large-May-23.png ORGANIZER;CN="Main Street Reads":MAILTO:shari@writerswin.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230516T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230516T200000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230430T053241Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230430T053241Z UID:7396-1684261800-1684267200@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:May Thriller Book Club: Death of a Bookseller DESCRIPTION:This month’s thriller club will meet on the 3RD TUESDAY since it’s a five-week month\, giving everyone more time to read the new selection Death of a Bookseller by Alice Slater. \nThe book is in stock at Main Street Reads\, available at the book club 10% off discount. \nAs always\, this event is free and open to all; you bring yourselves and we’ll bring the treats! \nABOUT THE BOOK:\nRoach would rather be listening to the latest episode of her favorite true crime podcast than assisting the boring and predictable customers at her local branch of the bookstore Spines\, where she’s worked her entire adult life. A serious true crime junkie\, Roach looks down her nose at the pumpkin-spice-latte-drinking casual fans who only became interested in the genre once it got trendy. But when Laura\, a pretty and charismatic children’s bookseller\, arrives to help rejuvenate the struggling bookstore branch\, Roach recognizes in her an unexpected kindred spirit. \nDespite their common interest in true crime\, Laura keeps her distance from Roach\, resisting the other woman’s overtures of friendship. Undeterred\, Roach learns everything she can about her new colleague\, eventually uncovering Laura’s traumatic family history. When Roach realizes that she may have come across her very own true crime story\, interest swiftly blooms into a dangerous obsession. \nA darkly funny suspense novel\, Death of a Bookseller raises ethical questions about the fervor for true crime and how we handle stories that don’t belong to us. URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/may-thriller-book-club-death-of-a-bookseller/ LOCATION:Main Street Reads\, 115 S. Main St.\, Summerville\, SC\, 29483\, United States CATEGORIES:Book Club,Book Discussion ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Thriller-May-23.png ORGANIZER;CN="Main Street Reads":MAILTO:shari@writerswin.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230514T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230514T160000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230507T055902Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230507T060013Z UID:7416-1684058400-1684080000@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:Celebrating Moms This Mother's Day... DESCRIPTION:Bring your mom to Main Street Reads on Sunday\, May 12th for 10% off storewide and special treats just for moms\, too! URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/celebrating-moms-this-mothers-day/ LOCATION:Main Street Reads\, 115 S. Main St.\, Summerville\, SC\, 29483\, United States CATEGORIES:Celebration ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/mothers-day-May-2023.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Main Street Reads":MAILTO:shari@writerswin.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230507T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230507T170000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230402T153047Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230402T153249Z UID:7355-1683468000-1683478800@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:Patti Callahan Henry Coming to Summerville! DESCRIPTION:Patti Callahan Henry Coming to Summerville!\n\nNew York Times bestselling author Patti Callahan Henry is coming to the Timrod Library on May 7 with her newest novel\, The Secret Book of Flora Lea\, releasing May 2. Patti’s presentation begins at 2 p.m. at the fellowship hall of Bethany United Methodist Church\, followed by a classic reception and book signing at the Timrod Library. \nTickets are $40 ($30 for members) and include the author’s presentation and reception\, plus a hardcover copy ofThe Secret Book of Flora Lea.  Tickets are available at the Library and payable by cash or card. Credit card purchases are also available by phone at (843) 871-4600 or online at the Event page on thetimrodlibrary.org. \nIn The Secret Book of Flora Lea\, a young woman named Hazel discovers a rare book that may reveal long-held secrets about her sister\, Flora\, who went missing as a child during World War II. The evacuation of British children to the safety of the countryside during the war provides the historical backdrop for this imaginative tale about the bond between sisters\, the complications of love\, and the enduring magic of storytelling. \nPatti Callahan Henry is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of several novels\, including Becoming Mrs. Lewis and Once Upon a Wardrobe. She is the recipient of the Christy Award\, the Harper Lee Award for Alabama’s Distinguished Writer of the Year Award\, and the Alabama Library Association Book of the Year. She is the cohost and co-creator of the popular weekly online live web show and podcast Friends and Fiction. A full-time author and mother of three\, she lives in Alabama and South Carolina with her family. \nMain Street Reads will provide the books for this special event and we’ll have other popular titles by Patti available for purchase and signing as well. \nAll proceeds benefit the Timrod Literary and Library Society. Don’t miss this special event! CLICK HERE to grab your tix now – we’re expecting a full house URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/patti-callahan-henry-coming-to-summerville/ LOCATION:Timrod Library\, 217 Central Avenue\, Summerville\, SC\, 29483\, United States CATEGORIES:Book Discussion,Book Signing,Reading ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/patti-ch-event.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230429T090000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230429T160000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230402T142000Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230402T142000Z UID:7346-1682758800-1682784000@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:Indie Bookstore Day 2023: Fair on the Square DESCRIPTION:Get ready to celebrate Indie Bookstore Day 2023 in style at Main Street Reads! This year marks the 10th anniversary of the national event\, celebrated by fine bookstores from coast to coast\, and we’re pulling out all the stops with our annual Book Fair on the Square. \nJoin us for a day of fun\, books\, and community as we celebrate the love of independent bookstores. Our Book Fair on the Square will feature sales on favorite books\, as well as exclusive merchandise available ONLY on Indie Bookstore day\, gifts for kids attending\, and raffle items all day long. \nBut that’s not all! We’ll also be hosting author talks throughout the day\, so you can meet and chat with some of your favorite writers. From bestselling novelists to up-and-coming indie authors\, we’ve got a great lineup of speakers and panelists who will be sharing their insights and experiences with us. Our kid-focused books will be featured before noon\, and adult titles in the afternoon. Grab some goodies at the farmers market and head on over to join us! \nAnd of course\, what would a Book Fair on the Square be without some great music? We’ve got Mike Kaltofen (fresh off his performance for Public Works during Flowertown Festival) lined up to provide the perfect soundtrack to your day of book browsing and community celebration. \nSo mark your calendars for Indie Bookstore Day 2023 at Main Street Reads! We can’t wait to celebrate with you and share our love of books and community. See you there! URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/indie-bookstore-day-2023-fair-on-the-square/ LOCATION:Main Street Reads\, 115 S. Main St.\, Summerville\, SC\, 29483\, United States CATEGORIES:Book Discussion,Book Signing,Celebration,Reader Meet Writer,Story Time ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Social-Media-IBD_Twitter-Post-yellow.png ORGANIZER;CN="Main Street Reads":MAILTO:shari@writerswin.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230420T173000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230420T200000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230409T051150Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230409T051150Z UID:7375-1682011800-1682020800@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:April's Third Thursday: Spring is in the Air! DESCRIPTION:On the third Thursday of each month Historic Downtown Summerville transforms into a special marketplace featuring local entertainment\, craft vendors and artisans\, to complement the extended hours of eclectic shops\, boutiques and restaurants. URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/aprils-third-thursday-spring-is-in-the-air/ LOCATION:Main Street Reads\, 115 S. Main St.\, Summerville\, SC\, 29483\, United States CATEGORIES:Celebration ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/3RD-THU-APRIL-2023.png ORGANIZER;CN="Main Street Reads":MAILTO:shari@writerswin.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230418T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230418T200000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230326T055510Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230326T060124Z UID:7330-1681842600-1681848000@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:April Living Large Book Club Discussing Picture in the Sand by Peter Blauner DESCRIPTION:April’s Living Large (bestsellers) Book Club will feature an engaging discussion about Peter Blauner’s new book club hit – Picture in the Sand: \nAs always\, the book is available from our online bookshop OR in-store at 10% off! All are welcome to book club night and we’ll provide plenty of treats and a fun chat! \n“On rare occasions I read a book that reminds me of why I fell in love with storytelling in the first place. This is such a book.” -Stephen King \nPeter Blauner’s epic Picture in the Sand is a sweeping intergenerational saga told through a grandfather’s passionate letters to his grandson\, passing on the story of his political rebellion in 1950s Egypt in order to save his grandson’s life in a post-9/11 world. \nWhen Alex Hassan gets accepted to an Ivy League university\, his middle-class Egyptian-American family is filled with pride and excitement. But that joy turns to shock when they discover that he’s run off to the Middle East to join a holy war instead. When he refuses to communicate with everyone else\, his loving grandfather Ali emails him one last plea. If Alex will stay in touch\, his grandfather will share with Alex – and only Alex – a manuscript containing the secret story of his own life that he’s kept hidden from his family\, until now. \nIt’s the tale of his romantic and heartbreaking past rooted in Hollywood and the post-revolutionary Egypt of the 1950s\, when young Ali was a movie fanatic who attained a dream job working for the legendary director Cecil B. DeMille on the set of his epic film\, The Ten Commandments. But Ali’s vision of a golden future as an American movie mogul gets upended when he is unwittingly caught up in a web of politics\, espionage\, and real-life events that change the course of history. \nIt’s a narrative he’s told no one for more than a half-century. But now he’s forced to unearth the past to save a young man who’s about to make the same tragic mistakes he made so long ago. \n  URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/april-living-large-book-club-discussing-picture-in-the-sand-by-peter-blauner/ LOCATION:Main Street Reads\, 115 S. Main St.\, Summerville\, SC\, 29483\, United States CATEGORIES:Book Club,Book Discussion ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/April-18-living-large.png ORGANIZER;CN="Main Street Reads":MAILTO:shari@writerswin.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230411T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230411T200000 DTSTAMP:20260410T150643 CREATED:20230326T054023Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230326T054023Z UID:7327-1681237800-1681243200@mainstreetreads.com SUMMARY:Thrill in the ‘Ville: April Thriller Book Club Features The London Seance Society DESCRIPTION:Our APRIL Thriller Book Club will feature The London Seance Society by Sarah Penner\, author of one of our favorite tales\, The Lost Apothecary. Grab either book in-store at our 10% off book club price or grab ’em from on our online bookshop HERE. \nAs always\, treats will be served! Want a headstart on the book club questions? Visit this handy guide HERE! \n“An atmospheric and evocative whodunnit steeped in suspense\, mystery\, and illusion.” –Nita Prose\, #1 New York Times bestseller of The Maid \nFrom the author of the sensational bestseller The Lost Apothecary comes a spellbinding tale about two daring women who hunt for truth and justice in the perilous art of conjuring the dead. \n1873. At an abandoned château on the outskirts of Paris\, a dark séance is about to take place\, led by acclaimed spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire. Known worldwide for her talent in conjuring the spirits of murder victims to ascertain the identities of the people who killed them\, she is highly sought after by widows and investigators alike. \nLenna Wickes has come to Paris to find answers about her sister’s death\, but to do so\, she must embrace the unknown and overcome her own logic-driven bias against the occult. When Vaudeline is beckoned to England to solve a high-profile murder\, Lenna accompanies her as an understudy. But as the women team up with the powerful men of London’s exclusive Séance Society to solve the mystery\, they begin to suspect that they are not merely out to solve a crime\, but perhaps entangled in one themselves… \n“An explosive\, immersive\, time-bomb of a novel. Vengeance is never sweeter than in Sarah Penner’s hands.” –Laurie Lico Albanese\, award-winning author of Hester URL:https://mainstreetreads.com/event/thrill-in-the-ville-april-thriller-book-club-features-the-london-seance-society/ LOCATION:Main Street Reads\, 115 S. Main St.\, Summerville\, SC\, 29483\, United States CATEGORIES:Book Club,Book Discussion ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://mainstreetreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/April-11th-Thriller.png ORGANIZER;CN="Main Street Reads":MAILTO:shari@writerswin.com END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR