Bonnie Garmus's novel Lessons in Chemistry tells the story of Elizabeth Zott, a chemist in the late 1950s-early 1960s who’s fired from her research job for being unwed and pregnant.

From Bonnie Garmus: "To make ends meet, Elizabeth reluctantly accepts a job as a TV cooking show host. But what she doesn’t accept are the brainless cue cards she’s asked to read, nor the tight dresses she’s told to wear. Instead, Elizabeth decides to teach her mostly female viewers chemistry. Because cooking is chemistry. And along the way, she empowers them to say 'no' to society's limitations; to stand up and be who they really are.

I included the recipe for 'Elizabeth's 'Cocktail for the Disenchanted Woman' in the reader's guide: 'On those days when a moment to yourself just isn’t enough, you can repurpose your potatoes and grains by employing a pair of oxygen and hydrogen atoms to replace the hydrogen atom in a hydrocarbon. In other words, you can make alcohol—specifically secondary alcohol. It is called ethanol. However, this process takes time and time isn’t your friend, so instead, I recommend purchasing a bottle of 40 percent ethanol in H2O. Some call it vodka. The recipe will serve both you and your depressed neighbor.'"

Xochitl Gonzalez's Olga Dies Dreaming is the tale of a status-driven wedding planner grappling with her social ambitions, absent mother, and Puerto Rican roots―all in the wake of Hurricane Maria.

From Xochitl Gonzalez:

“A few suggestions of Olga-themed snacks for book clubs. For early in the day, a big strong coffee and a buttered roll are a morning classic for Olga, wrapped up in South Brooklyn nostalgia. Italian rainbow cookies are also a favorite. For evenings, vodka martinis are a must. Hors d'oeuvres fit for a fabulous wedding in New York pair nicely, as does my arroz con gandules recipe—easy and delicious and very Boricua.”

Nita Prose's The Maid is a Clue-like, locked-room mystery about a clever hotel maid who sees the world a bit differently than many of us.

From Nita Prose: “Readers will find the following items discussed/mentioned/imbibed/eaten in The Maid: chardonnay, tea, lots and lots of tea, crumpets and jam, raisin bran muffin, The Olive Garden food, especially the Tour of Italy —see their menu for more details. Many book clubs do an Italian night and recreate The Olive Garden menu items. Others do a high tea, which works perfectly with the themes of the book."

*Over-Readers Anonymous, Cumming, Georgia

*Wine Club with a Book Problem, Woodstock, Georgia