Comic Book Clubs Los Angeles

Los Angeles Rapid Dating for Young Professionals on Zoom

**Updated schedule: we have moved the start to 2:00 PM on October 4.** Private virtual meetings with residents of Los Angeles. [Register Below](https://juniper-7e665.theliveround.com/product?productId=658.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Los%20Angeles&groupurlname=level-up-your-esports-skills-together&face_v=7.0)

Los Angeles Mastering the Art of Civil Discourse

We are getting together to practice the art of civil discourse in a world that often feels like it has forgotten how to talk through disagreements. If you have ever felt frustrated by how polarized public conversations have become or want to sharpen your ability to listen and share ideas without things devolving into shouting matches, this is the place for you. We aim to create a space where we can explore complex topics with curiosity rather than a desire to win. The session will involve structured discussions where we focus on empathy, clarity, and genuine inquiry. It is not about changing minds or debating for the sake of being right; it is about learning how to stay present and respectful even when we strongly disagree. Whether you consider yourself naturally agreeable or someone who enjoys a spirited challenge, your voice would be a welcome addition to the room. If you are interested in spending an evening with others who value thoughtful exchange, please go ahead and RSVP so we can get an accurate headcount for the space. We look forward to seeing you there.

October Discussion: The Vegetarian by Han Kang

Our October Book Has Been Chosen! 📚 Thanks to everyone who voted! Our next Books & Brew read is: **The Vegetarian — Han Kang** Grab a copy, start reading, and join us for a great conversation! **About the Book:** After a series of disturbing dreams, Yeong-hye makes the seemingly simple decision to stop eating meat. But as her family reacts with increasing confusion, anger, and attempts to control her, that decision becomes the beginning of a much more profound transformation. Told through the perspectives of those around Yeong-hye, The Vegetarian explores autonomy, desire, conformity, violence, and the ways we understand—or fail to understand—the people closest to us. Originally published in Korean and translated by Deborah Smith, Han Kang’s unsettling novel won the 2016 International Booker Prize and invites plenty of questions about identity, choice, and what happens when someone refuses to live according to the expectations placed upon them.

📚 NOT OUR FIRST RODEO: BOOK CLUB

Los Angeles Global Palates: Mentors and Flavors

We are getting together for another installment of Los Angeles Global Palates, where we combine the best of local food culture with meaningful conversation. This is a chance for those of us who are passionate about international cuisine to pull up a chair, share a great meal, and connect with others who have spent years navigating the food industry. Whether you are looking for career advice or just want to hear a few stories from the kitchen, this evening is all about learning from one another in an informal, welcoming setting. This event is for anyone in our community who appreciates a good meal and the people behind it. We will be keeping the group size intimate so that everyone has a chance to participate in the conversation rather than just talking over the noise of a crowded room. If you are interested in food, mentorship, or just meeting some like-minded neighbors in the city, we would love to have you join us. We have limited space for this dinner, so please take a moment to RSVP if you think you can make it. We look forward to seeing some familiar faces and meeting a few new ones. Places are limited, so registration is required — please sign up at the link below before you come along. **[Head here to secure your place now](https://tally.so/r/A7ko0D?event=92955617641506131848)**

Betty by Tiffany McDaniel

Please note that this book is (at least in my opinion) amazing, but there are numerous heartbreaking trigger warnings (incest, rape, violence) that some readers may want to be aware of. The author does not shy away from writing about certain brutalities witnesses by the narrator. \*\*IN PARTICULAR, IF YOU WANT TO AVOID READING ABOUT ANIMAL CRUELTY, WHEN YOU GET TO A CHAPTER THAT DISCUSSES A CAT, SKIP TO THE NEXT CHAPTER\*\* **Summary from Goodreads:** "A girl comes of age against the knife." So begins the story of Betty Carpenter. Born in a bathtub in 1954 to a Cherokee father and white mother, Betty is the sixth of eight siblings. The world they inhabit is one of poverty and violence--both from outside the family, and also, devastatingly, from within. The lush landscape, rich with birdsong, wild fruit, and blazing stars, becomes a kind of refuge for Betty, but when her family's darkest secrets are brought to light, she has no choice but to reckon with the brutal history hiding in the hills, as well as the heart-wrenching cruelties and incredible characters she encounters in her rural town of Breathed, Ohio. But despite the hardship she faces, Betty is resilient. Her curiosity about the natural world, her fierce love for her sisters, and her father's brilliant stories are kindling for the fire of her own imagination, and in the face of all she bears witness to, Betty discovers an escape: she begins to write. She recounts the horrors of her family's past and present with pen and paper and buries them deep in the dirt--moments that has stung her so deeply, she could not tell them, until now.

🎥 Hollywood Horror Nights! 😱

Solenoid by Mircea Cărtărescu

WHAT WE'RE READING: Solenoid by Mircea Cărtărescu WHAT IT IS ABOUT: "Based on Cartarescu's own role as a high school teacher, Solenoid begins with the mundane details of a diarist's life and quickly spirals into a philosophical account of life, history, philosophy, and mathematics. One character asks another: when you rush into the burning building, will you save the newborn or the artwork? On a broad scale, the novel's investigations of other universes, dimensions, and timelines reconcile the realms of life and art. The novel is grounded in the reality of late 1970s/early 1980s Communist Romania, including long lines for groceries, the absurdities of the education system, and the misery of family life. The text includes sequences in a tuberculosis sanatorium, an encounter with an anti-death protest movement, a society of dream investigators, and an extended visit to the miniscule world of dust mites living on a microscope slide. Combining fiction with autobiography and history, Solenoid ruminates on the exchanges possible between the alternate dimensions of life and art, as various, monstrous dimensions erupt within the Communist present." WHERE WE'RE MEETING: 4100 Bar in Silver Lake A NOTE ON PARKING: Street parking should be more readily accessible on Sunset Blvd to the west of the meet-up location. A NOTE ON THE MEET-UP SEATING LOCATION: Meet-ups are generally held on the bar terrace, if sufficient seating is available. Please dress warmly in the event of cool evening weather! A NOTE ON RSVPING: If your name is on the attendee list for a scheduled meet-up and you no longer plan on attending the event, please remove your name from the attendee list at least a week before the scheduled event to allow individuals on the waitlist sufficient time to read the book beforehand (no worries if a cancellation has to be last-minute, though!). Happy reading! Colin

Book Club Meeting: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Happy Anniversary, Mocha Girls! ☕️🤎 Join the **Mocha Girls Read Los Angeles Chapter** as we celebrate another year of reading, friendship, fellowship, and community together. 📅 **Saturday, October 3, 2026** ⏰ **1:30 PM** 📍 **Lore Bookstore** Our September Monthly Book Selection is ***[Mexican Gothic](https://link.amazon/B09WaUZTJ)***[ by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.](https://link.amazon/B09WaUZTJ) ### 📖 About the Book After receiving a disturbing letter from her newlywed cousin asking for help, glamorous socialite **Noemí Taboada** travels to High Place, an isolated mansion in the Mexican countryside. When she arrives, Noemí finds her cousin frightened and unwell, surrounded by her mysterious new husband and his unsettling family. High Place itself seems to hold secrets of its own. Noemí may seem like an unlikely investigator, but she is intelligent, determined, and not easily intimidated. As she begins asking questions and uncovering the history of the house and its inhabitants, she realizes there may be something far more dangerous happening than she first imagined. Filled with Gothic horror, family secrets, mystery, history, and an unforgettable Latina main character, ***Mexican Gothic*** gives us plenty to discuss as we continue our 2026 **AROUND THE WORLD** reading journey. And remember, **you don't need to read the book to join us.** Come for the conversation, meet your fellow Mocha Girls, and enjoy an afternoon of books, friendship, and community. ### 🎉 We Are Celebrating Our 15th Anniversary! This meeting is extra special because **it is our 15th anniversary!** To celebrate and thank our Mocha Girls for being part of this community, **everyone who attends will receive a special anniversary gift.** 🎁🤎 Whether this is your first meeting or you have been part of Mocha Girls Read for years, we would love to celebrate with you. **Please RSVP so we know you are coming.**

[Book + Movie] HORROR BOOK CLUB (October): “Verity”

Thank You, John by Michelle Gurule IN PERSON at Aroma Cafe

A Wound That Will Not Heal by Eric Beetner

Book 3 of 3: A Carter McCoy novel. Author will be present. Trilogy conclusion. No LAPL hard copies but available on Hoopla and for purchase @ Bookshop.org,, Amazon, etc. inc. Kindle and paperback. Our host Erik Grady will lead discussion as Peg is out of town. Carter McCoy is on borrowed time. The only thing that could get him to hit the road is a call for help from a friend. When that call comes in, he doesn't hesitate. Loading his dog Chester and his best friend, Ivana, into his truck, they head for California to help in a way only Carter can. Bree and Katie's idyllic life is shattered when a homegrown evil begins terrorizing their new home. They need the help of the man who got them out of the worst situation of their lives before. They need Carter McCoy. Carter must face down a gang of men emboldened by a culture of hate and intolerance to rescue innocent people being snatched from the streets. When someone close to him gets caught up in their illegal and immoral mission, the man they need to fear most is the one with the least to lose. Once again, Carter McCoy stands up for the innocent and the helpless. Once again, he faces the ticking clock on his own mortality. This is his last stand for justice. His last chance at redemption. His last few miles of road. It's time for the thrilling conclusion to the Carter McCoy saga.