Book Club Reading List
Book Group Review
Book Group
The book group is limited to 13 and we now meet at The Riverside coffee shop on the 2nd Wednesday of the month. If interested in joining please contact me to go on the waiting list.
Members put forward recommended books or authors and then I investigate the number of copies available from the library. For most of us the library provides the books, whilst a few rather read on their kindles. I cannot believe that over the last 4.5 years the library has provided us with 621 copies of books- thank you Herne Bay library. Every now and then we try one of the book recommendations from WI Life which has not proved to be our favourites! In fact they have proved to be some of our most unpopular books. Over the past 12 months we have read a variety of books and definitely our favourite genre remains crime/ thrillers closely followed by historic novels.
All The Light We Cannot See Anthony Doerr (scored 7.3/10)
This is a book that really divided us: some giving up really quickly & 2 people giving it 10/10. Its not an easy read as it does flip back and forward. Set in WW2 the main characters are a young German boy drafted into a Hitler youth type school and a young blind French girl. One description of it says “harrowing, Hopeful & gritty” and yes I think all those apply.
Fire Queen Joanna Courtney (Scored 4.5)
This book takes Shakespeare’s Characters Ophelia & Hamlet & tells there story with Ophelia as the central character; a strong determined warrior , Not exactly as Shakespeare portrayed her. As you can see from the mark it wasn’t that popular.
Curfew TM Logan (scored 8.2/10)
Another thriller which led to us questioning modern youth what they get up to and what as parents you would do or not do. It’s a very easy read and would make an excellent TV drama.
Shrines Of Gaiety Kate Atkinson (scored 7/10)
Well written and researched book set in post war London. In the seedy world of night clubs, prostitution, and missing girls. Complex characters with plots within plots.
Girl Women Other Bernadice Evaristo (scored 7/10)
This was a booker prize winner which received a very varied response from the group. It is about the lives of each of 12 principal characters as they navigate the world. The book is divided into four chapters, each containing episodes about three people who are connected directly to one another in some way, the majority as relatives (such as mother and daughter). Although each character has their own chapter set across a particular time, their lives intertwine in numerous ways – from friends and relatives to chance acquaintances. You either love it or hate it, but all agreed her descriptions were brilliant. Just a very strange punctuation choice- no capital letters other than names no full stops, strange paragraphs
Other recommendations
Becoming Michelle Obama (scored 8.5/10)
State of Terror Hillary Clinton (scored 8.5/10)
Holy Island L J Ross. (scored 8/10)
The Burning Chamber Kate Mosse (scored 9.6/10)
A Man Called Ove Frederick Blackman (scored 9.4/10)