Books and Adventures: Novel Tourists Cecil & Nearby Counties

To start out the new year, we'll be reading Thomas Schlesser's Mona's Eyes and visiting The Baltimore Art Museum and Brunch at Gertrude's inside the museum. We will tour the museum fortified by Brunch first.

EVENT: The Baltimore Art Museum, 10 Museum Drive, Baltimore, MD
443.573.1700

TIME: Brunch 11:00 at Gertrude's Chesapeake Kitchen
BRUNCH MENU

DIRECTIONS AND PARKING INFORMATION

MAKE RESERVATIONS FOR FREE ADMISSTION TO MUSEUM

NOVEL: MONA'S EYES BY THOMAS SCHLESSER
Genre: Fiction
From Amazon:
Ten-year-old Mona and her beloved grandfather have only fifty-two Wednesdays to visit fifty-two works of art and commit to memory “all that is beautiful in the world” before Mona loses her sight forever.

While the doctors can find no explanation for Mona’s brief episode of blindness, they agree that the threat of permanent vision loss cannot be ruled out. The girl’s grandfather, Henry, may not be able to stop his granddaughter from losing her sight, but he can fill the encroaching darkness with beauty. Every Wednesday for a year, the pair abscond together and visit a single masterpiece in one of Paris’s renowned museums. From Botticelli to Basquiat, Mona learns how each artist’s work shaped the world around them. In turn, the young girl’s world is changed forever by the power of their art. Under the kind and careful tutelage of her grandfather, Mona learns the true meaning of generosity, melancholy, love, loss, and revolution. Her perspective will never be the same—nor will the reader’s.

Mona’s Eyes is a heartfelt, enlightening journey across five centuries of Western art history. With the emotional impact of The Elegance of the Hedgehog and the readability of The Little Paris Bookshop, Thomas Schlesser’s sensational debut novel is at once a moving book about the beauty of life and a deeply touching story about the special bond between a girl and her grandfather.

Happy Reading,

Diane and Kelly

💪📚 BOOK THEME: WOMEN ON THE MOVE 📚💪

We’re looking for your suggestions for books about women stepping beyond traditional roles — especially in the mid-20th century or earlier, when expectations were tighter and choices felt bolder.

Suggest book HERE

⭐️Traveling, creating, working, leading

⭐️Breaking rules or expectations

⭐️Living boldly in changing times

⭐️ Historical or mid-century vibes welcome!

We’ll narrow it to 4 finalists, then you’ll vote for the winner!

⏳ Suggestion window closes January 25 — don’t wait!

Drop your book suggestions HERE!

After we get your ideas, we’ll pick 4 for everyone to select the winner!
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Each month we put out a call for ideas for one book that will have both an online discussion event as well as an inperson event. After you share your ideas, we'll pick four to put out for vote as the Member Choice Book for the month. After the book is chosen…well that’s when the fun begins! Stay tuned for the exciting paired online discussion and in person event!

This is not an "event" it is just a post to share the link to suggest the Member Choice Book for this month's theme. But feel free to click "attend" because then Meetup will show this to more people and we'll get lots of great book club book ideas!

🎉Stay connected** to other adventurous readers! Join the Novel Tourist online community:
📸Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thenoveltourist/
🌟Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNovelTourist

Thanks for participating! Reading books and doing stuff together as a book club brings us all so much joy. 🤩

The votes are in and you all knew exactly which book you wanted for January!! Join us for our online discussion of Mona’s Eyes - our “2025 debut” Member Choice pick to ring in 2026!

Online discussion is usually on the last Monday of the month at 7pm- except this month! 😆 Audrey is unavailable on Jan. 26 so we’re moving the discussion to Feb. 2.

‼️Stay tuned for the paired in-person adventure! It's definitely going to be very artsy...

Online Meets link will be posted on the day of the event.

🎉Want more ideas for bookish fun? Join the Novel Tourist online community:

📸Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thenoveltourist/
🌟Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNovelTourist

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📚NOVEL: Mona’s Eyes by Thomas Schlesser
Genre: Fiction

Ten-year-old Mona and her beloved grandfather have only fifty-two Wednesdays to visit fifty-two works of art and commit to memory “all that is beautiful in the world” before Mona loses her sight forever.

While the doctors can find no explanation for Mona’s brief episode of blindness, they agree that the threat of permanent vision loss cannot be ruled out. The girl’s grandfather, Henry, may not be able to stop his granddaughter from losing her sight, but he can fill the encroaching darkness with beauty. Every Wednesday for a year, the pair abscond together and visit a single masterpiece in one of Paris’s renowned museums. From Botticelli to Basquiat, Mona learns how each artist’s work shaped the world around them. In turn, the young girl’s world is changed forever by the power of their art. Under the kind and careful tutelage of her grandfather, Mona learns the true meaning of generosity, melancholy, love, loss, and revolution. Her perspective will never be the same—nor will the reader’s.

Happy Reading!

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-------------------The below is silly babble just for the algorithm - no need for book club members to read this!-------------------------------
Reading books everywhere in Maryland and the world’s neighborhoods is such a fun way to make new friends and be social with book loving book club members who like to read and explore urban areas and try new activities such as hiking, reading, craft, hobbies, museums and more! It's especially fun for a book club to go on outdoor and indoor adventures with all the book club friends who like to explore and try new hobbies

For February, we'll discuss the novel Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Cinnamon Buns are a favorite of Hannah's, and a recurring theme in the novel, with people always bringing them to her. So, I've reserved a meeting room at North East Library in North East, MD, for a Cinnamon Bun Dessert Break/Book Discussion after lunchtime. I'll bring the Cinnamon Buns, coffee, tea and a few other desserts for those who don't care for cinnamon buns. I'm asking everyone who attends to bring their favorite cinnamon bun, pastry, or dessert recipe to share with the number of people who attend.

LOCATION: The North East Public Library, 485 Mauldin Ave, North East, MD 410.996.6269

PLEASE NOTE: In the location section below, it is giving a different address. The above address is what is listed on the library website.

DIRECTIONS:

### From I-95

Take exit 100 (North East/Rising Sun) and go south on route 272. After crossing Route 40, turn right into the North East Station shopping center before you get to the bridge on Mauldin Ave. The North East Branch Library will be on your right.

### From Route 40 east of route 272

Take Route 40 east to Route 272, turn left onto route 272/Mauldin Ave, and then turn right into the North East Station shopping center before you get to the bridge on Mauldin Ave. The North East Branch Library will be on your right.

### From Route 40 west of Route 272

Take Route 40 east and turn right into the North East Station shopping center entrance before the intersection with Route 272. The North East Branch Library will be on your left.

### From areas south of North East

Take route 272 north through the town of North East and turn left into the North East Station shopping center after crossing over the bridge on Mauldin Ave north of town. The North East Branch Library will be on your right.

TIME: 1:30 PM/Study Room 2

No charge for this event

NOVEL: Maybe in Another Life By Taylor Jenkins Reid
Genre: Fiction/Contemporary Romance
From Amazon:

A breathtaking new novel about a young woman whose fate hinges on the choice she makes after bumping into an old flame; in alternating chapters, we see two possible scenarios unfold—with stunningly different results.

At the age of twenty-nine, Hannah Martin still has no idea what she wants to do with her life. She has lived in six different cities and held countless meaningless jobs since graduating college. On the heels of leaving yet another city, Hannah moves back to her hometown of Los Angeles and takes up residence in her best friend Gabby’s guestroom. Shortly after getting back to town, Hannah goes out to a bar one night with Gabby and meets up with her high school boyfriend, Ethan.

Just after midnight, Gabby asks Hannah if she’s ready to go. A moment later, Ethan offers to give her a ride later if she wants to stay. Hannah hesitates. What happens if she leaves with Gabby? What happens if she leaves with Ethan?

In concurrent storylines, Hannah lives out the effects of each decision. Quickly, these parallel universes develop into radically different stories with large-scale consequences for Hannah, as well as the people around her. As the two alternate realities run their course, Maybe in Another Life raises questions about fate and true love: Is anything meant to be? How much in our life is determined by chance? And perhaps, most compellingly: Is there such a thing as a soul mate?

Hannah believes there is. And, in both worlds, she believes she’s found him.

Happy Reading,

Diane and Kelly