Books on Tapps Provides Forum for Local Book Lovers

The Books on Tapps Book Group started with a group of friends who took turns hosting regular meetings. They met in living rooms, at restaurants, in the park—whatever struck their fancy or seemed most convenient.

Last fall, Books on Tapps found a more permanent home at the and invited everyone in the community to participate.

The founder and a member of Friends of the Bonney Lake Library, Stacy Nicoletta, heard that the library was looking to start a local book group and needed someone who was willing to take a leadership role. She responded by asking her friends whether they would mind moving their meetings to the library, and they all agreed. Thus, the Bonney Lake Library book group was born.

They began by renting book club kits from the Pierce County Library system, but that did not last for long.

“We’re finding that bestsellers don’t necessarily mean good books,” said Nicoletta. “Now I’m taking suggestions from members, because in order to keep the members I think you need to let them read what they want to read.”

Last month the group discussed The Big Burn by Timothy Egan, which was the book chosen for . This month the group plans to discuss Born Under a Million Shadows by Andrea Busfield.

“I try to mix it up with fiction and nonfiction. I do that because it’s important to get out of your comfort zone. Everybody should,” Nicoletta said.

Currently, Books on Tapps is made up of five steady members and a few who come and go as they please. Nicoletta stressed that she set up the group in a way that makes this flexibility possible. Each meeting introduces a new book, so members can go to one meeting, all of the meetings, or any number in between.

Although Nicoletta always comes with discussion questions prepared, she finds that she doesn’t “typically have to use them because the conversation flows naturally.”

The Books on Tapps Book Group meets on the last Thursday of every month at 7 p.m.

“This is an outlet for people who like to read to be able to get together with other people who like to read, and talk about it,” Nicoletta concluded. They welcome everyone with these interests in mind.