Hungry Hungry Wyrm's Book Club: July's Discussion and August's Theme

July's Gathering: The Buck Moon

Welcome back, friends.

July's full moon is traditionally known as the Buck Moon, named for the time of year when young bucks begin growing a fresh set of antlers. These antlers are covered in soft velvet while they grow, slowly strengthening throughout the summer before being revealed in the autumn. It has long been seen as a season of growth, renewal, and becoming. A reminder that growth is rarely instantaneous. It takes time to shed what no longer serves us, stretch into unfamiliar places, and slowly become who we are meant to be.

That felt like the perfect theme for this month. Whether your July led you toward a book about personal growth, second chances, healing, found family, or simply becoming a little more yourself than you were last month, I'm glad you're here to share the journey!

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A Gentle Book Club Reminder

As always, a gentle reminder that this is, after all, a book club. We gather here to talk about the stories we've read, the characters we've loved (or maybe wanted to shake), and the moments that stayed with us long after we turned the final page.

The means there will almost certainly be spoilers ahead. If you're planning to read The Book Charmer (or my bonus read The Page Turner) and would rather discover its magic for yourself first, consider this your invitation to tuck this post away until you've finished. We'll leave a warm cup of tea waiting for you when you return.

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July's Theme: Growth and Becoming

This month I chose The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins, partly for a very practical reason. It was already sitting on my shelf after recommending it during last month's 'Books About Books' theme, and I couldn't resist continuing my accidental streak of stories where books are far more than paper and ink.

I genuinely enjoyed this one. Dove Pond quickly became one of those fictional places that feels welcoming from the moment you arrive, and I was charmed by the town, its people, its subtle magic, and the way books quietly wove themselves through everyone's lives.

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The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins

Did this book fit our Buck Moon theme?

I think it did beautifully.

Nearly every major character spends the novel growing into a new version of themselves.

Grace slowly grows into the role of caregiver, learning that love matters far more than perfection. Daisy gets to remain wonderfully, refreshingly (and irritatingly) a child, but even she begins finding confidence in herself and in Grace's love. Trav gradually sheds the weight of old hurts and allows himself to imagine a future that isn't defined by his past. Sarah learns perhaps the hardest lesson of all: she doesn't have to save the town alone. Sometimes strength isn't standing apart from everyone else. Sometimes it's allowing yourself to become part of a team.

Growth in this story isn't always loud or dramatic. It's quiet, steady, and deeply human. Which, honestly, feels much more true to life.

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What surprised you most?

One thing I kept expecting was to learn more about Grace and Hannah's past.

Early on, we're led to believe Grace is the "troubled" sister while Hannah effortlessly charms everyone around her. Yet somewhere along the way, those roles quietly reverse. Hannah follows a much darker path, while Grace becomes the dependable one everyone leans on.

It felt like such a significant transformation that I wished we'd actually seen it happen rather than simply being told that Mama G always knew it would. It seems like such an important turning point in both sisters' lives, and I would have loved to experience that growth alongside them.

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Was there a theme that particularly resonated?

One theme I wasn't expecting was just how deeply this story explores caregiving.

Grace caring for Mama G. Grace learning to care for Daisy. Trav caring for his father and then Mama G.

Again and again the story returns to the quiet fear that so many caregivers carry: Am I doing enough? What if I get this wrong? Would someone else do this better than I can?

I imagine almost every parent, grandparent, guardian, or unexpected caregiver has wrestled with those thoughts at some point. The Book Charmer gently reminds us that while no one gets it perfectly right, showing up with love, patience, and genuine effort often matters far more than perfection ever could.

Sometimes 'enough' truly is enough.

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Was there anything you wished had been different?

I admit I was a little disappointed when I realized this wasn't really Sarah's story.

Not because Grace wasn't wonderful, but because I found Sarah fascinating from the beginning. Not only because I identify with her for obvious reasons (also being a Sarah), but watching her slowly realize that she didn't have to carry the weight of saving Dove Pond entirely on her own became one of my favorite parts of the novel.

It also would have been lovely to spend a little more time enjoying the festival itself. After everything the town worked toward, I wanted to linger there just a little longer and enjoy the fruits of everyone's labor. Not just..."We did it...good job, everyone."

And...Karen Hawkins, if you're reading this...What book did Ava receive?? You can't tease us like that! Only after finishing did I discover this is part of a series, so apparently the answer to that question is simply another trip to the bookstore. As if my TBR needed any encouragement.

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A favorite lesson?

One of my favorite ideas from the novel was the reminder that the right book can truly arrive at exactly the right moment. Whether it's to read and learn a lesson, have at the ready for someone else, or simply a door stop. Books don't always change our circumstances. Sometimes they simply change us.

Have you ever experienced that?

Have you ever picked up a book that somehow said exactly what you needed to hear at precisely the right season of your life? (Or was the perfect size to hold your bike up to change a flat tire?) I'd love to hear about it!

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A few favorite quotes:

"...books always spoke inside the quiet of one's head."

"Everyone has a story. That's what makes use who we are."

"Grace knew it took effort and a lot of love to find brightness in the middle of gloom."

"Books are a treasure."

"When it's a memory, you already know the outcome, so we believe it was an easier time. Looking forward is much more uncertain, and so feels more complicated. But I don't think it is. Not really."

"It's funny, but we only know the people in our lives in relation to who they are to us...We never see them the way others do."

"Don't hide, child. People who really live have a little wear and tear. But that's good. It's what makes us interesting."

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Bonus Read: The Page Turner by Viola Shipman

I started this one a few days ago, but I haven't found it to be much of a page-turner.

I'm still trying to put my finger on exactly why. There are plenty of beautiful individual lines throughout the novel, but the writing feels fragmented to me, and I haven't quite connected with any of the characters, yet.

I'm still deciding whether I'll finish it before moving on to August's books. And honestly, that's become a lesson of its own. For years, I felt obligated to finish every book I started. Now I'm slowly learning that sometimes it's perfectly alright to set a book aside.

Maybe it simply isn't the right time. Maybe another season of life will make it resonate differently. Like trying asparagus again as an adult and deciding it's delicious! Or maybe it just isn't your book.

There are far too many wonderful stories waiting to be discovered to feel guilty for moving on.

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Looking Ahead: August's Sturgeon Moon

Our next discussion will take place beneath the Sturgeon Moon on 28 August 2026.

This month, I'm joining a friend's Libraries & Libations book club, where our shared theme is reading a book by a Hispanic author.

Naturally, I wandered into my local library to find one. We may have spent a few extra minutes there waiting out a tornado warning, but if you have to be stuck somewhere... I came home with a stack that leans delightfully toward fantasy, but also dives into important cultural themes. I chose Lobizona and Cazadora by Romina Garber, as well as Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova.

I'm looking forward to discovering how these stories are inspired by different cultures, folklore, and traditions while hopefully still satisfying my fantasy-loving heart.

If you'd like to join me, I'd love for you to read along.

Or...

Choose the book that's been quietly calling your name from your own TBR pile. Sometimes that's exactly the story we're meant to read next. Whether if fits the theme or simply finds you at the right time, every reader's journey adds something new to the conversation. And there's always room for one more at the table.

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Moonlit Question: If you could trust one fictional character to recommend your next book...Who would you choose?

Last Month I asked: If you could step into the world of any bookstore or library from fiction for just one evening, which would you choose...and do you think you'd ever want to leave?

My answer? I think I'd choose The Library of Dreams from Neil Gaiman's The Sandman. The idea of wandering shelves filled with books that were never actually written, books that existed only in someone's imagination or dreams, feels almost impossibly magical. I suspect I'd lose all track of time. And if someone eventually convinced me to leave...I'd probably spend the rest of my life hoping to find my way back.

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Until next time...

May your tea stay warm, your stories linger long after the final page, and may this season find you gently growing into whoever you're becoming.

The tea is steeping, and the book hoard awaits.

The Wyrm