Book Club Night Kit

Heart Of Glass

Jennifer Hillier

Cozy night

The man known as the Carnival Killer takes back his confession, and two women who lost their friend 25 years ago have to face their shared past. Hillier pairs real suspense with a tender story about friendship, grief, and memory, which makes it a good book to talk through over blankets and warm mugs.

Cocoa, Caramel Apples, and Old Friends

Bring your coziest sweater and your copy of Heart of Glass for a warm night of comfort food and heartfelt conversation. Come as you are, whether you finished it or not.

Reading level: Easy

Best for: A close-knit group of friends who love a gripping story but would rather share feelings and memories than pick apart clues

Discussion

Warm-up

1.A carnival can feel both magical and a little eerie. What carnival or fair memory from your own childhood came back to you while reading, and does it feel sweet, spooky, or a bit of both?
2.If you could invite one friend from 25 years ago to sit with us tonight, who would it be, and what would you pour them to drink?

Digging in

1.These two women share a loss that has shaped them for decades. When have you felt closer to someone because you went through something hard together, even if you didn't talk about it much?
2.The title suggests something both beautiful and breakable. Where did you feel that fragility most while reading, and did any moment make you want to reach into the book and comfort someone?
3.When an old story that seemed settled suddenly opens up again, it can shake loose feelings people thought they had put away. Have you ever had a piece of your past come back unexpectedly, and how did you care for yourself through it?
4.Grief shows up differently for different people. Did either woman's way of carrying her loss feel familiar to you or to someone you love?

Going deep

1.By the final pages, how did you feel about the idea of closure? Did the book leave you feeling comforted, unsettled, or somewhere in between, and why do you think it landed that way for you?
2.Thinking about the whole story, what did it teach you (or remind you) about forgiving others, or forgiving ourselves for the people we were when we were younger?

On the table & to sip

To eat

Mini Corn Dog Muffins

A cozy, bake-ahead nod to carnival corn dogs. They come out of a muffin tin, stay warm in a basket under a tea towel, and nobody has to deep-fry anything.

Caramel Apple Slice Board

Sliced apples with warm caramel, crushed peanuts, and mini chocolate chips bring the fairground caramel apple to the coffee table in a shareable, low-fuss way.

Cinnamon Sugar Funnel Cake Bites

A little indulgent and very nostalgic. Store-bought pancake batter piped into hot oil (or baked donut holes rolled in cinnamon sugar) tastes like a summer midway on a chilly night in.

To sip

Cotton Candy Hot Cocoa (no alcohol)

Rich hot chocolate topped with a puff of cotton candy that melts into the mug. It's sweet, whimsical, and a warm take on the carnival.

Spiced Chai for Old Friends (no alcohol)

A pot of creamy chai to share and refill, for the kind of long, heart-to-heart talk the book's friendship makes you want to have.

Caramel Apple Hot Toddy

Warm apple cider with a splash of bourbon, a drizzle of caramel, and a cinnamon stick. It matches the apple board and warms you up on a reflective evening.