Since the last post we've read:
One Plus One by Jojo Moyes
Daughter by Jane Shemilt
A Song for Issy Bradley: A Novel by Carys Bray
The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton
Us by David Nicholls
Not a bad haul there actually. I loved Us, which I wasn't expecting to, as I've not been hugely enamoured with some of David Nicholls' other books. It made me cry at one point, which isn't usual for me! I didn't expect to enjoy The Miniaturist, as it's not really my "thing", but I did. A Song for Issy Bradley and Daughter were both readable books. One Plus One was chick-lit par excellence, and although it was soppy and twee, I actually really enjoyed it. So there.
Friday, 10 April 2015
Thursday, 18 September 2014
Recent reads
We've been going since March 2011 and we're still reading away. We haven't quite managed a book a month in recent times, but we're doing alright! Next month we are off to try out the newly opened Kaspas Desserts in Catford, which just looks completely amazing. The book we're reading for that is The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North.
What else have we read since the last post? Well, one I didn't manage (shame on me) was Shotgun Lovesongs by Nickolas Butler. Ones I did read: Paper Aeroplanes by Dawn O'Porter, enjoyable enough - thoroughly readable, and A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon. That was great, but what is it about irritating 60-something male characters who need a good kick up the backside? Or maybe I'm just an unsympathetic type...
Onwards!
What else have we read since the last post? Well, one I didn't manage (shame on me) was Shotgun Lovesongs by Nickolas Butler. Ones I did read: Paper Aeroplanes by Dawn O'Porter, enjoyable enough - thoroughly readable, and A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon. That was great, but what is it about irritating 60-something male characters who need a good kick up the backside? Or maybe I'm just an unsympathetic type...
Onwards!
Thursday, 15 May 2014
What we've been reading SPOILER ALERT
Since the last update we haven't quite managed a book a month. We read Life After Life, which I enjoyed. Then a nice easy read in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy.
This month's book is Kill Your Friends which I've read before, and I can't make the meeting, so I shall share my view here (c&p from my goodreads review...):
One of the most horrendous books I've ever had the misfortune to read. And he doesn't even get his comeuppance in the end, which is about the only thing that could have saved this book for me, though I doubt even that would have done it. Grim grim grim, revelling in the worst kind of racist, sexist awfulness. Someone will no doubt now tell me it's satire and I've missed the point but I don't care! Horrible.
This month's book is Kill Your Friends which I've read before, and I can't make the meeting, so I shall share my view here (c&p from my goodreads review...):
One of the most horrendous books I've ever had the misfortune to read. And he doesn't even get his comeuppance in the end, which is about the only thing that could have saved this book for me, though I doubt even that would have done it. Grim grim grim, revelling in the worst kind of racist, sexist awfulness. Someone will no doubt now tell me it's satire and I've missed the point but I don't care! Horrible.
Friday, 28 February 2014
Latest reads
Since my last update, we've read:
The Casual Vacancy
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
Lady Chatterley's Lover (I didn't read this, as I'd already re-read it last year for my other book club...)
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
My favourite of those was probabaly Harold Fry, although I did find his character irritatingly wet.
Our latest book is:
Life After Life
The Casual Vacancy
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
Lady Chatterley's Lover (I didn't read this, as I'd already re-read it last year for my other book club...)
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
My favourite of those was probabaly Harold Fry, although I did find his character irritatingly wet.
Our latest book is:
Life After Life
Tuesday, 24 September 2013
Recent reads
Since Looking for Alaska, which I really enjoyed, we've read
Gone Girl
The Taming of the Shrew
The Tale of Raw Head and Bloody Bones
The Leftovers
No one ever has sex on a Tuesday
I don't think we enjoyed Gone Girl as much as we'd expected to given the hype, though it was readable enough. We went to see the Taming of the Shrew at the Globe, which was brilliant. I hated Raw Head and Bloody Bones, but I think everyone else enjoyed it... I thought the Leftovers was quite entertaining and No one ever has sex on a Tuesday was standard, but pretty readable, chick lit.
Gone Girl
The Taming of the Shrew
The Tale of Raw Head and Bloody Bones
The Leftovers
No one ever has sex on a Tuesday
I don't think we enjoyed Gone Girl as much as we'd expected to given the hype, though it was readable enough. We went to see the Taming of the Shrew at the Globe, which was brilliant. I hated Raw Head and Bloody Bones, but I think everyone else enjoyed it... I thought the Leftovers was quite entertaining and No one ever has sex on a Tuesday was standard, but pretty readable, chick lit.
Wednesday, 20 March 2013
Latest books
What have we read since last time?
Well. we took two months over Cloud Atlas, and who can blame us? After all it was Christmas and it's a long book.
Next up was Tigers in Red Weather by Lisa Klaussmann. I missed the meeting that discussed this, which was a real shame (but then I was at the launch of The Poisoned Island by Lloyd Shepherd at the time, so at least I was doing something book-related....) I for one really enjoyed Tigers. I found the Ed character and his part of the story quite disturbing though, to say the least, he wasn't a sympathetic character at all. I also found Helena somewhat irritating (understatement of the year). Nick and Hughes were my favourite characters and their story was fascinating - I could have read a whole book just about their relationship. Recommended.
This month's pick is Looking for Alaska by John Green. It's young adult fiction, or teen fiction or whatever that's called these days and I'm pretty sure I'd never have picked it up were it not for book clurb.
Well. we took two months over Cloud Atlas, and who can blame us? After all it was Christmas and it's a long book.
Next up was Tigers in Red Weather by Lisa Klaussmann. I missed the meeting that discussed this, which was a real shame (but then I was at the launch of The Poisoned Island by Lloyd Shepherd at the time, so at least I was doing something book-related....) I for one really enjoyed Tigers. I found the Ed character and his part of the story quite disturbing though, to say the least, he wasn't a sympathetic character at all. I also found Helena somewhat irritating (understatement of the year). Nick and Hughes were my favourite characters and their story was fascinating - I could have read a whole book just about their relationship. Recommended.
This month's pick is Looking for Alaska by John Green. It's young adult fiction, or teen fiction or whatever that's called these days and I'm pretty sure I'd never have picked it up were it not for book clurb.
Tuesday, 4 December 2012
Recently read
So what have we recently read at Book Clurb?
Over the summer we read Rebecca Skloot's book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks which is about a poor black tobacco farmer whose cells were taken without consent in 1951 and became one of the most important tools in medicine. I personally found it fascinating, though I think the group had mixed views.
To keep us going over the summer we also chose Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese, which again I absolutely loved. It was hard going at first, but one of those books that rewards the effort you put in. I'd recommend this to other book clubs, but you might have to put in some effort to finish it in the month!
Next up was The Earth Hums in B Flat by Mari Strachan about a girl who decides to turn detective and is oblivious to the consternation she leaves in her wake as she goes about her investigations. Poor Gwenni is a bit of an oddball who doesn't really seem to fit into 1950s Wales at all. I found the ending to this a bit unsatisfactory - I wanted it all nicely wrapped up!
November's book was The Guilty One by Lisa Ballantyne. I missed the meeting that discussed this, so am not totally sure what everyone else thought of it. I enjoyed reading it, but had worked out the ending and found it all a bit depressing! There seems to be a bit of a trend for reading depressing books at the moment - I think we need something uplifting soon! In fact if I have to read one more book that includes murdered or murderous children I might go mad!
We're currently reading Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell (my pick) and I know that some have already finished it and loved it, while others have already given up having hated it! I've only just started it, so I'll reserve judgment.
Over the summer we read Rebecca Skloot's book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks which is about a poor black tobacco farmer whose cells were taken without consent in 1951 and became one of the most important tools in medicine. I personally found it fascinating, though I think the group had mixed views.
To keep us going over the summer we also chose Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese, which again I absolutely loved. It was hard going at first, but one of those books that rewards the effort you put in. I'd recommend this to other book clubs, but you might have to put in some effort to finish it in the month!
Next up was The Earth Hums in B Flat by Mari Strachan about a girl who decides to turn detective and is oblivious to the consternation she leaves in her wake as she goes about her investigations. Poor Gwenni is a bit of an oddball who doesn't really seem to fit into 1950s Wales at all. I found the ending to this a bit unsatisfactory - I wanted it all nicely wrapped up!
November's book was The Guilty One by Lisa Ballantyne. I missed the meeting that discussed this, so am not totally sure what everyone else thought of it. I enjoyed reading it, but had worked out the ending and found it all a bit depressing! There seems to be a bit of a trend for reading depressing books at the moment - I think we need something uplifting soon! In fact if I have to read one more book that includes murdered or murderous children I might go mad!
We're currently reading Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell (my pick) and I know that some have already finished it and loved it, while others have already given up having hated it! I've only just started it, so I'll reserve judgment.
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