Book Club!
Welcome to But the Book Was Better Book Club! This is a book club with a twist because it’s not just for book lovers, it’s also for streaming addicts. Each month we’ll select two books to read and we’ll also stream their screen adaptations. You can choose to just read, just watch, or do both! At the end of the month, we’ll have a virtual book club hang-out where we discuss and dive deeper into what we’ve read and watched. Throughout the month, we’ll post in our book club Facebook group about the books and the movies or shows. We’ll also open polls from time to time to pick upcoming books, movies, and shows.
Check out our book club guides!
Book Reviews
26. The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger – Book Club Pick
Read this: The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger Watch this: The Time Traveler’s Wife – 2009 movie and 2022 series Why We Made This Selection and Background Knowledge Julie: I remembered seeing […]
24. The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
Read this: The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave Watch this: The Last Thing He Told Me on Apple TV+ Why We Made This Selection and Background Knowledge Julie: Not […]
23. One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Read this: One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid Watch this: One True Loves major motion picture available for rental or purchase Why We Made This Selection and Background Knowledge Claire: none […]
22. Queen Charlotte by Julia Quinn and Shonda Rhimes
Read this: Queen Charlotte by Julia Quinn & Shonda Rhimes Watch this: Queen Charlotte, a Bridgerton Story limited series on Netflix Why We Made This Selection and Background Knowledge Claire: Been […]
21. Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah
Read this: Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah Watch this: Firefly Lane – 2 season series on Netflix Why We Made This Selection and Background Knowledge Claire: Nothing. I had only heard […]
20. Women Talking by Miriam Toews
Read This: Watch This: Women Talking – 2022 Major Motion Picture available for rental Why We Made This Selection and Background Knowledge Julie: I knew there was Oscar buzz around the […]
19. Conversations With Friends by Sally Rooney
Read This: Watch This: Conversations with Friends on Hulu (limited series) Why We Made this Selection and Background Knowledge Julie: I did not know much about this book or show […]
18. Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Read This: Watch This: Daisy Jones & The Six on Prime (limited series) Why We Made this Selection and Background Knowledge Julie: A friend had been telling me to read […]
17. Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie: The Book vs. The Movie
Read This: Watch This: Death on the Nile (2022) on Amazon Prime Why We Made this Selection and Background Knowledge Julie: Not too much. I recognized the title of the […]
16. Fleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner: The Book vs. The Show
Read This: Watch This: Fleishman is in Trouble on Hulu Why We Made this Selection and Background Knowledge Julie: I saw some previews for it when the show came out […]
15. Spare by Prince Harry plus Harry & Meghan on Netflix: The Book vs. The Show
Read This: Watch This: Harry & Meghan on Netflix Why We Made this Selection and Background Knowledge Julie: Big royal follower, but mainly for the tea. I definitely got my […]
Tell Me Lies by Carola Lovering – The Book vs. The Show
Read This: Tell Me Lies by Carola Lovering Watch This: Tell Me Lies on Hulu Why We Made this Selection and Background Knowledge Julie: I was seeing a lot of friends […]
Jessi Klein’s Book, I’ll Show Myself Out, Is Everything I Needed
This is a really cool time to be a mom and an avid reader. Millennials, my generation, born between 1980-1995, are starting to have kids of their own. And we […]
Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorp and Die Hard – The Book vs. The Movie
Read This: Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorp Watch This: Die Hard on Prime Video Why We Made this Selection and Background Knowledge Julie: My husband does not ever stop talking about […]
Time For Me to Come Home by Dorthey Shackelford and Travis Thrasher – The Book vs. The Movie
Read This: Time for me to Come Home by Dorothy Shackleford and Travis Thrasher Watch This: Time for Me to Come Home for Christmas on Hallmark Why We Made this Selection […]
Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates – The Book vs. The Movie
Read This: Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates Watch This: Blonde on Netflix Why We Made this Selection and Background Knowledge Julie: Heard about the standing ovation at the Venice film festival […]
Mr. Malcolm’s List by Suzanne Allain – The Book vs. The Movie
Read This: Mr. Malcolm’s List by Suzanne Allain Watch This: Mr. Malcom’s List on Prime Video Why We Made this Selection and Background Knowledge Julie: Seemed like both the book and […]
Normal People by Sally Rooney – The Book vs. The Show
Read This: Normal People by Sally Rooney Watch This: Normal People on Hulu Why We Made this Selection and Background Knowledge Julie: I actually watched the show about two years ago […]
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn – The Book vs. The Movie
Read This: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn Watch This: Gone Girl movie on Prime Video Why We Made this Selection and Background Knowledge Julie: I actually read the book just before the […]
Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan – The Book vs. The Show
Read This: Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan Watch This: Anatomy of a Scandal on Netflix Why We Made this Selection and Background Knowledge Julie: I literally cannot remember how we […]
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han – The Book vs. The Show
Read This: The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han Watch This: The Summer I Turned Pretty on Prime Video Why We Made this Selection and Background Knowledge Claire: I’ve heard […]
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens – The Book vs. The Movie
Read This: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens Watch This: Where the Crawdads Sing (currently only in theatres) Listen to This: Tell Me More: The Dark Side of Delia […]
The Godfather by Mario Puzo – The Book vs. The Movie (and Show)
Read This: The Godfather by Mario Puzo Watch This: The Godfather on Paramount+ The Offer on Paramount+ Why We Made this Selection and Background Knowledge Julie and her family has […]
Deep Water by Patricia Highsmith – The Book vs. The Movie
Read This: Deep Water by Patricia Highsmith Watch This: Deep Water on Hulu Why We Made this Selection and Background Knowledge Julie: I knew about this book because I follow […]
Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter – The Book vs. The Show
Read This: Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter Watch This: Pieces of Her limited series on Netflix Why We Made this Selection and Background Knowledge Claire: No actual background info. I […]
Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakaur – Book vs. Show
Read This Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakaur (2003) Watch This Under The Banner of Heaven on FX or Hulu Why We Made this Selection and Background Knowledge […]
Sorry Dave Grohl, The Storyteller Was Not The Book I Wanted
Let me start by saying – I love Dave Grohl. I love every band he’s ever been associated with – Scream, Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Them Crooked Vultures, and more. I […]
Book review: Rosie and Friends One-Of-A-Kindness
{Disclaimer: We are working with Helen Hipp/Rosie the Hippo to review her new book: Rosie and Friends One-Of-A-Kindness. All opinions are ours alone.} Back to school is in full force […]
Book Review: Duct Tape Parenting
Vermont author and parent educator, Vicki Hoefle, recently published an exciting book called Duct Tape Parenting. I heard about the book through our school who was offering a six […]
Books We Love!
12 Summer Children’s Books to Enjoy with Your Family
Every year, my family makes sure to sign up for our library’s summer reading program. It’s a great way to be held accountable for what we read over the summer and participate […]
Get Your Book Club on: Great Books for Busy Moms
Remember life before kids, when you could read a great book without any interruptions? As a mom of two, every book I read has to be put down roughly eight […]
My Favorite Bedtime Books For Toddlers and Up
Please note: The links in this post are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, Vermont Mom earns a small commission if you click through the link […]
My 10 Favorite Books to Read Aloud with My Kids this Winter
As we head deeper into winter and extended time at home, it seems like a great time to share what I think are the top 10 best books to read […]
Books about Racism to Educate People of All Ages
Racism is a huge problem in this country. I wish there was an easy way to solve this horrendous problem, but there is no easy answer. Each person must do […]
Books to Read Aloud to Your Elementary School-Aged Children
My son’s homework is to read books for 30 minutes a day. While he enjoys reading books, 30 minutes is a long time for him, especially when he is tired […]
Books on Motherhood: Reflecting the Full Scope of Experiences
Most moms wait patiently – or not so patiently- for that golden hour of the night when the house is quiet. Sure, we should probably be sleeping, but having a […]
Books Parents Hate: In Defense of Captain Underpants and Others
Many books have been controversial over the years and some have even been banned from libraries. Such classics as The Great Gatsby, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and To Kill […]
Board Books: Our Family’s Favorites and Why We Love Them
It’s been scientifically proven that reading to babies at early ages encourages cognitive and language development. It is never too soon to start reading to your babies. I’ll admit, when I […]
Chapter Books the Whole Family Will Love to Read Aloud
Has your family graduated from enjoying picture books to also reading chapter books aloud? But are your kids’ age and interests wildly divergent? Sure, you could read two or […]
Audiobooks and How They Made Me Love to Read Again
I don’t know when I stopped being able to read. Don’t get me wrong, I can physically read- I’m in the last semester of Nursing School and I have to […]
Required Reading for Strong Girls: Books She’ll Love
(Co-authored with my very own strong girls, my 10 year-old daughter, Nell, and my 7 year-old, Libby) In honor of Women’s History Month, (this is how we celebrate at my […]
Amazing Picture Books that Teach Kids About Emotions
There are so many books out there for younger children that help to teach about emotions. Happy, angry, sad, and mad… we can begin to teach emotions to children as […]
Books That Break Gender Stereotypes: Part II
For as many times as I have heard comments about gender stereotypes for girls, I have heard as many comments towards boys. “Your hair looks like a girl!” “Pink is a girl […]
Books that Break Gender Stereotype, Part I
It happened again the other day. I was in my classroom and my kiddos had just returned from art or music, or someplace else outside of the room. As I […]
My Favorite Kids Books for Littles
I am a bookworm. As soon as I could read, I discovered a rich fantasy that I never wanted to abandon. Books contain my favorite places, my best friends, and have […]
Our Favorite Read Aloud Books
Reading is a big part of our family life. We started reading books out loud every night when our firstborn was just an infant, and it became so ingrained into […]
Three (Non-Parenting) Books That Made Me A Better Mom
Mama Confession: I hate parenting books. Sure, I’ll read them, occasionally benefit from advice the authors work so hard to share with me. I respect the craft. The trouble with […]
Having a Baby? Four Books To Get You Through The Childbearing Years
There are many, ever-changing books, blogs, and websites on the topics of pregnancy, labor and birth, breastfeeding, and newborn/child wellness. Whether you are having your first or fourth baby, you […]
10 Favorite Children’s Books
There is something about children’s literature that is so magical. I have great memories of the summer reading program at my local library and in elementary school when I was […]
Booking Across the USA: Vermont Books and Fun Activities
We are excited to be participating in the Booking Across the USA project as Vermont’s representative blog! In an effort to showcase regional books, blogs in each state are highlighting a […]