This Summer’s #BookSparksBookClub Pick is How to Walk Away by Katherine Center. If you haven’t picked it up yet, don’t wait a second longer! This book is being hailed as a favorite by critics, fellow authors and beach readers alike. Check it out:

“A marvelous example of acceptance and healing and a celebration of family.” ―USA Today

“Center explores the limits of hope and love…[she] transforms the story of a family tragedy into a heartfelt guide to living the fullest life possible.” ―Publisher’s Weekly

“A story about survival that is heartbreakingly honest and wryly funny, perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes and Elizabeth Berg.” ―Kirkus Reviews

“Warm, witty, and wonderfully observed . . . Katherine Center’s HOW TO WALK AWAY reads like an intimate conversation with your best friend. I wish I could go have coffee with Margaret now!”

―Emily Giffin, #1 NYT bestselling author of First Comes Love

 “Center writes about falling down, growing up and finding love like nobody else.” ―Brené Brown, author of Daring Greatly

We’ll wait right here as you rush off to buy it.

Got it?

Great!

Now let’s get started talking about this incredible and breathtaking book. It is our BookSparks Book Club pick, an #SRC2018 pick and now we also have some discussion questions to get you talking about How to Walk Away with fellow book lovers.

You will also have the chance to chat with Katherine Center June 21 on Twitter! Be sure to join the BookSparks Book Club mailing list to get all the details on this awesome opportunity.

Discussion Questions for How to Walk Away

  1. How does the author/main character use humor to balance some of the tragic elements of the story?
  2. What role does Maggie’s sister play in the story? Why is it important?
  3. A strong theme in all of Katherine Center’s books is “picking yourself up after life knocks you down.” How does that theme play out in How to Walk Away and what are some of the lessons to be learned?
  4. Though it’s Maggie’s story of recovery and courage, how does the plane crash impact each character differently? Do you feel empathy for each of their experiences?
  5. How does this book celebrate family?
  6. What/who do you think contributes most to Maggie’s healing process?
  7. Was there a quote in the book you’d frame for motivation?
  8. What thematic element of this book stood out most to you? Courage, sympathy, family, love, recovery?
  9. How does family dysfunction come to light (or hide) amidst tragedy?
  10. How does Maggie embody the idea “you can’t control what happens to you, but you can control how you react” at different points in the book?

Be sure to join the conversation about How to Walk Away in the BookSparks Book Club Facebook group!