Really enjoyed being back at book club having missed the last one, and this time with a new addition! My baby Oliver gave some good input, mostly sleeping, eating and puking but he had lots of cuddles so he was happy!
We talked about the book 'What Alice Forgot' by Liane Moriarty. I wasn't bowled over by the book if I'm honest although it did grow on me as the story progressed. I felt after the accident when she was discovering things that have happened to her it became a bit silly for example her divorce, every little thing was 'that must be why he wants a divorce' I didn't really feel for the characters much. The mother reminded me a bit of the mum in Bridget Jones diary. We also talked about what it would be like if we forgot the last ten years and what huge milestones have happened since then! It would definatley be pretty scary to not remember having your children, but she just didn't seem freaked out enough for me to find it believable. I don't think I'd go ahead with parties at my house and an event to make a giant lemon merengue if I had lost my memory and didn't remember who my kids where! But i did warm to it towards the second half of the book when u learnt more about the family. It's a good chick lit book for the beach but that's about all id say!
So the next book is a new thriller hot off the shelves! It's a surprisingly short book so I reckon even I can get through this one right now! 'Under The Harrow' by Flynn Berry.
'When Nora takes the train from London to visit her sister in the countryside, she expects to find her waiting at the station, or at home cooking dinner. But when she walks into Rachel’s familiar house, what she finds is entirely different: her sister has been the victim of a brutal murder.
Stunned and adrift, Nora finds she can’t return to her former life. An unsolved assault in the past has shaken her faith in the police, and she can’t trust them to find her sister’s killer. Haunted by the murder and the secrets that surround it, Nora is under the harrow: distressed and in danger. As Nora’s fear turns to obsession, she becomes as unrecognizable as the sister her investigation uncovers.'
Next Book Club:
Date: 27/07/16
Location: Matthews Yard
Time: 7.30pm
Last book club we met up to talk about 'Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children'. Only Charlotte and I had finished the book and quite a few people couldn't make it, so we basically explained what happened in the story to the others, which to be honest was not an easy plot to describe!
I thought it was going to be a scary book and it did start off quite creepy but actually it really was not a horror at all, more fantasy. The real random photos that it had been based on however were very weird!! Although the characters had special 'peculiar' skills and abilities and lived in a kind of parallel universe set in the past (the fantasy bit) the parts I found hard to believe was how accepting the main character was of all he saw and what happened to him. It was a bit like 'Oh right so I've time travelled back into the 1940's and you can turn into a bird, Ok then' He also appeared to have no qualms whatsoever about leaving his family forever which you'd think might need some consideration at least. It was an enjoyable read but I wouldn't rush out and read the next instalment. I think it could have finished at the end of this book rather than open a whole new can of worms.
I am quite interested to see the film which is being released later this year, especially because it is directed by Tim Burton. He seems to take misfits and the curious and turn them into something awesome on screen, so hopefully he has made some improvements where needed and can make this book that has a lot of potential into a really exciting film!
We were a bit stuck on what book to choose next, so we googled and came up with something that we hope is a bit light-hearted 'Crooked Heart' by Lissa Evans. Next time I will come more prepared armed with a new list of suggestions, so if there is anything anyone would like to add please let me know.
When Noel – aged ten, no family - is evacuated from London to escape the Blitz, he ends up living in St Albans with Vera Sedge - thirty-six and drowning in debts and dependents. Always desperate for money, she’s unscrupulous about how she gets it.
Noel’s mourning his godmother, Mattie, a former suffragette. Brought up to share her disdain for authority and eclectic approach to education, he has little in common with other children and even less with Vee, who hurtles impulsively from one self-made crisis to the next. The war’s thrown up new opportunities for making money but what Vee needs (and what she’s never had) is a cool head and the ability to make a plan.
On her own, she’s a disaster. With Noel, she’s a team.
Together they cook up an idea. Criss-crossing the bombed suburbs of London, Vee starts to make a profit and Noel begins to regain his interest in life.
But there are plenty of other people making money out of the war and some of them are dangerous. Noel may have been moved to safety, but he isn’t actually safe at all…
The next book club is my last before the baby arrives, but I do plan to continue with book club, I just may have to have a slightly longer gap before the next one to give me a little recovery time!
Next Book Club:
Date: 6th April 2016
Time: 7.30pm
Location: Matthews Yard
I'm getting very forgetful lately - too much on my mind! I will not neglect my book club duties however!! So we met aaaaaages ago on the 20th Jan in Matthews Yard to talk about 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' by Khaled Hosseini.
This proved a very popular read! I don't think there was one person who didn't enjoy this book and it certainly gave us a lot to talk about, bringing up the subjects of Afganistan, war, arranged marriages, domestic abuse and children. There were some really strong characters in the book and I think everyone could empathise particularly with the women in the story. Its incredible to think that the real war events that it is based around happened not so long ago and really some of it is still happening now. Its one of those stories which makes you feel truly thankful for the way we live in this country, the rights we have on a day to day basis to live our lives as we choose and even just the material things we take for granted. I would definitely recommend this book if you did not get time to read it, its certainly not a jolly read but there is hope in there too. Its very well written, it draws you in and you feel for the characters, everything a good book should do!
Our next book (which I've already finished - as it is next week...) is called 'Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children' by Ransom Riggs
'A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. And a strange collection of very curious photographs. It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children;, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children who once lived here - one of whom was his own grandfather - were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a desolate island for good reason. And somehow - impossible though it seems - they may still be alive.'
So If you haven't started yet you've still got time to get reading!!
Next Book Club:
Date: Wednesday 24th February 2016
Location: Matthews Yard
Time: 7.30pm
Oops! So someone forgot to do a book club blog last month...I'll see if I can vaguely remember what happened!! We met back at Matthews Yard and it was a small gathering with only a few of us but we met up to talk about 'The Ocean at the End of the Lane' by Neil Gaiman.
It was a pretty mysterious book built around fantasy leaving the reader wondering whether any parts of the story could be true for the author or could have other meanings. It was quite creepy in places, the evil nanny reminded me of a character from Spirited away, a huge ugly creature that was not of this world that had many faces. Although the blurb sounds like its for children, this book was actually written for adults as Neil Gaiman said in an interview that when he writes for children there must be hope, whereas this story is more about the powerlessness of being a child. Although dark and creepy I did whizz through this and enjoy reading it a lot and I think the general consensus (if my memory serves correctly) was positive! It sparked a lot of conversation which is always good - when there's nothing to talk about its usually not a good sign.
I have read quite a few of Gaimans books and love his dark mysterious stories but although I enjoyed it I wouldn't put it up there with my favourites by him - maybe I prefer a bit of hope!
So next months (or shall I say next weeks) book is 'The Profession of Violence' by John Pearson and its based on the Kray Twins.
'Reggie and Ronald Kray ruled London's gangland during the 1960s with a ruthlessness and viciousness that shocks even now. Building an empire of organised crime such as nobody has done before or since, the brothers swindled, intimidated, terrorised, extorted and brutally murdered. John Pearson explores the strange relationship that bound the twins together, and charts their gruesome career to their downfall and imprisonment for life in 1969.'
I did cheat and see 'Legend' at the cinema (and I haven't quite finished the book yet) but its good so far, hopefully everyone has made a start at least for next week! The film is awesome if anyone gets a chance to go and see it!!
Next Book Club:
Date: Wednesday 4th November
Location: Matthews Yard
Time: 7.30pm
We headed back to the Oval Tavern this month and there was an open mic jam session going on which was pretty cool - luckily we did get a chance to talk about the book before it started! We welcomed Jennie G back this month too, it was lovely to catch up with Jennie!
So we talked about the Monogram Murders which was a take on Agatha Christies Poirot character and a new mystery to add to the series but it was written by Sophie Hannah. The overall rating came out at around 6.5 out of 10. I may have put a couple of people off slightly as I read this really early on in the month and the ending drove me a little crazy but it wasn't a terrible book, I just didn't think it was amazing!
The actual story was very clever, I didn't guess the twists and turns which is always good news in a mystery - its a bit disappointing if you work it out early on. The bit that frustrated me was the ending because Poirot went through the whole story of 'who done it' about three times, every time he got to his conclusion he said 'aha! but no..' and then started his next story. I found this a little tiresome! But all in all it wasn't a bad book it held my attention and I did race through it. Some of the characters were a bit woolly and not particularly likeable. It surprised me, because I grew up watching the Poirot mysteries on television and I had no memory of how annoying he was! I guess as a kid I was wrapped up in the awe of a murder mystery! He is quite an unlikable character really, very arrogant and considering he was supposed to be retired in this story he basically took over the investigation and told the policeman what to do. It does amuse me when they do the big reveal in front of a room full of people including all the suspects, it did feel quite typical of a Poirot story so I think the author did a pretty good job of keeping in the style! So don't let me put you off if you didn't get to read it yet, its still worth reading - Neil suggested it would be good to read a 'real' Agatha Christie to see how it compared.
Next month we picked at random from three suggestions and the winner was 'The Ocean at the end of the lane' by Neil Gaiman. I am particularly excited about this one because I'm a bit of a fan of Neil Gaiman, so I hope this is going to live up to my expectations!
'The Ocean at the end of the lane, is a fable that reshapes modern
fantasy: moving, terrifying and elegiac - as pure as a dream, as delicate as a
butterfly's wing, as dangerous as a knife in the dark - from storytelling
genius Neil Gaiman.
It began for our narrator forty
years ago when the family lodger stole their car and committed suicide in it,
stirring up ancient powers best left undisturbed. Dark creatures from beyond
this world are on the loose, and it will take everything our narrator has just
to stay alive: there is primal horror here, and menace unleashed - within his
family and from the forces that have gathered to destroy it.
His only defence is three women,
on a farm at the end of the lane. The youngest of them claims that her duckpond
is an ocean. The oldest can remember the Big Bang.'
Next Book Club:
Date: 23/09/15
Location: Matthews Yard
(Back to Matthews Yard for this one as its quiz night at the Tavern)
Time: 7.30pm
Be there or be square x
Last week we had a change of scenery for our book club - at the Oval Tavern. It did coincide with a quiz night so we thought it would be rude not to join in! We also came fourth which wasn't too bad at all!
Before the quiz we did manage to have a chat about the last book which was called 'Sleepers' by Lorenzo Carcaterra. It was based on a true story of 4 boys who grew up together in a rough neighbourhood in New York. Despite their surroundings they managed to stay out of serious crime until a prank in the street became a horrendous accident and had major consequences for all of them. They were all sent to a reformatory school which was essentially a prison where they were tortured and abused. The youngest was only 12 when he was sent there. It's unbelievable to think that this is a true story but also that it wasn't very long ago - and who knows whether this kind of thing still happens in these places. No one really thinks about where young offenders are sent. It did affect all of their lives, in mostly negative ways although with the help of a priest in the neighbour hood two of the boys managed to make something of themselves and avoid the life of crime that seemed to be inevitable in their return to the neighbourhood.
The last section of the book is about getting revenge against the prison wardens who inflicted all the hurt and evil on them. One is shot dead by the two boys who have become criminals, but in a fantastic trial they plot to take down the rest of the wardens in one fell swoop, even though it means dragging up the past and reliving their nightmares.
I thought this was an excellent book, I was compelled to keep reading and really felt for the characters. It is quite a short book where there is a lot of backstory. I liked reading about them growing up and obviously their time at the prison had to be a big feature but it did feel like the trial at the end was almost squashed in. I really want to watch the film now to see how they tackle the themes in the book, its one of those DVD covers I remember from my Blockbuster days but never actually watched!
As we got wrapped up in the quiz night, I made a decision on the next book and went with a book called 'The Monogram Murders' which takes Agatha Christies famous Belgium detective character Poirot and creates a brand new mystery for him to solve. Its set in the 1920's too which I am always drawn to for some reason. I used to watch the Poirot programmes on TV when I was younger and I've never read an old fashioned murder mystery so why not give it a go!
'Hercule Poirot's quiet supper in a London coffee house is interrupted when a young woman confides to him that she is about to be murdered. She is terrified, but begs Poirot not to find and punish her killer. Once she is dead, she insists, justice will have been done.
Later that night, Poirot learns that three guests at the fashionable Bloxham Hotel have been murdered, a cufflink placed in each one’s mouth. Could there be a connection with the frightened woman? While Poirot struggles to put together the bizarre pieces of the puzzle, the murderer prepares another hotel bedroom for a fourth victim…'
Next Book Club
Date: 25th August (Tuesday)
Time: 7.30pm
Location: Lets give 'The Oval Tavern' another go - hoping that it will be wamr and sunny so we can make sue of the beer garden!
It was like a book club reunion last week! So glad people have come back after all the busy stuff going on in everyone's lives lately! We had a new recruit aswell, Danielle - I think we have convinced her to come back, she chose next months book so if she doesn't come back we know why...
So we were supposed to discuss 'Becoming Johnny Vegas' which we did a fair amount considering only two of us had finished it, but a few had started it. Hopefully we managed to convert those that didn't read it because of their dislike for Johnny Vegas (No names - you know who you are people) or at least make them consider reading it. It really was a 'don't judge a book by its cover' story. Whoever you think you are watching on TV when Johnny Vegas is on there's a whole other man standing behind him called Michael Pennington.
I'm not a great fan of Johnny Vegas in terms of comedy, but I really enjoyed reading this book, you would not even know it was about him for at least half the book. A young boy of 10 goes to learn to become a priest, discovers he has made a terrible mistake and then does a degree in pottery. Sound like Johnny? Just not what you would expect.
Its quite a sad story, after his pretty awful experiences at the priesthood at such a young age it really roots some serious issues, he starts drinking heavily and becoming overweight. Its the alcohol that brings out this Johnny personality. And it is a personality, the way Michael talks about him is as if he is a part of himself that he cannot control, he doesn't even like Johnny or who he makes him become but finds that it is Johnny who starts to bring him success. He has to be someone else to become successful. Also a serious hypochondriac, who hears voices telling him he will die from some outrageous scenario, its incredible that someone can go from having such a happy normal childhood up until a life changing event at 10 years old. A child of 10 does not know what they want to be, he only went to become a priest, because he was an alter boy and one day said he'd like to be a priest - after that all the adults in his life swooned and told him it was amazing. He thought he was doing something wonderful - little did he know what was in store for him. Its even sadder that the experience pretty much ruined his faith.
The fact that Michael has written this book and realises what he has been through shows that he must be starting to get some control over his life, over Johnny. He now has a wife and a child and when you see him on TV if you think back to how he used to be in those first TV appearances he has definitely calmed down. It's made me want to watch something he is in now so I can see what he is like.
So even if you HATE Johnny Vegas, give it a go, I promise you will be surprised and almost feel a little guilty for judging that TV character.
Right next month, Danielle suggested a book which I though sounded awesome so we ran with it...'Sleepers' by Lorenzo Carcaterra'
An unforgettable true story of friendship, loyalty and revenge, set against the unmistakable backdrop of New York City
They were four boys who shared everything - the laughter and bruises of an impoverished upbringing in New York's West Side. Then one of their pranks misfired - a man nearly died and they were sent away to a reformatory school. There they suffered the worst abuse the guards could inflict on them. They were forever scarred by their experiences. Eleven years later two of them became killers for the mob. They met the ringleader of the guards who abused them - and shot him dead in front of several witnesses. No one thought they would see the outside of a prison again - but the four friends banded together once more and in one last, audacious stand brought their own vengeance to the courtroom.
Next Book Club
Date: 22nd July 2015
Location: Jen B has suggested a new venue to try while the weather is good and nights are light! So we will give 'The Oval Tavern' in Oval Road (off Cherry Orchard Road)
Time: 7.30pm
