WHAT WE ARE READING / BOOK CLUBS IN GEORGIA

Club name: Sisters in the Spirit 2

Spokeswoman: Barbara Lovette Wright, Lithonia

How often they meet: Every other month

About the club: The club was formed last year and has 11 members, all homeowners in the Preserve at Beacon Mountain subdivision. Wright looked at other successful groups for help in developing a structure and format that would work for the new club. "The hostess of the month selects the book as well as provides dinner," she said. Members exchange bookmarks and celebrate birthdays during the social part of the meeting. "We enjoy the diversity of our book selections," Wright said. Members enjoy attending movie versions of books they have read, such as "Blindness," by Jose Saramago, and "The Secret Life of Bees," by Sue Monk Kidd. Other recent titles include "In Another Man's Bed," by Francis Ray, "Casanegra," by Blair Underwood and Steven Barnes, and "Deadly Sexy," by Beverly Jenkins.

Recently read: "God Don't Play," by Mary Monroe

What it's about: Lifelong friends Annette and Rhoda have weathered secrets, lies and even murder, but their friendship is threatened when Annette and her daughter receive mysterious and malicious phone calls, letters and packages.

What members thought: "This is an excellent sequel to Monroe's two earlier books, 'God Don't Like Ugly,' and 'God Still Don't Like Ugly,' " Wright said. "It is a powerful story about how women have endured the worst of abuse, but still survive in spite of it all. The author touches on themes of love, compassion, betrayal, infidelity, self-denial and reconciliation all in this setting. One member pointed out that, 'What doesn't kill us only makes us stronger.' "