Summer is here and this was our pre-August meeting. August is holiday season and a month when we take a break for reading all those wonderful books that you just need some extra relaxing time to read. The To Be Read pile is always building, so these quieter weeks are here for a purpose. Reading! We come together every month and greet each other with words like ‘Did you read…?’ or, ‘I’ve read this fabulous book, so have you read it yet?’ There is always something to chat about if you have opened a book and embarked on a new adventure.
Our July books for us the read together were ‘Redemption‘ by Jack Jordon and ‘North Woods‘ by Daniel Mason.
‘Redemption’ by Jack Jordan
Sandra suggested this novel and loved it as it was full of dilemma.
Jenn also loved it but as she couldn’t attend, she sent an email with her findings. ‘I really like the undercurrent/ thread of the storyline, but I did find some of the violence a bit overdone. I very much liked the ending, though sad I felt it brought everything full circle, tied up all the loose ends. It was never going to end well, so for me, the way the ending was written was the strongest part of the book. I connected with all the characters in particular Aaron.’
Mark thought it was reminiscent of Dick Barton. He questioned the relationship between the husband and Aaron and found out something that did not seem possible. It needed a stretch of the imagination.
Sharon also loved it, and she wanted to keep reading. There was some artistic licence, no control and very sad.
Bob liked the relationship between the characters. He thought it very contrived but a good story. He thoroughly enjoyed it; it was interesting, and he would be happy to read it again.
Ruth did not read it as it was not her type of genre.
Carol found it somewhat depressing and realised it was an American setting. A British family but living in USA. Revenge for death of her son, but her methods were ‘bothering’. Overall an exciting read.
Chip wrote to say that ‘I follow your meeting notes, just finished ‘Redemption’. Wow that is a hard read – an unbelievable level of injury and violence, but the underlying story is convincing of how such an awful accident might have such consequences.’
Liz listened and will now read it. It has been a busy summer but soon there will be time to read.
‘North Woods’ by Daniel Mason
Liz really enjoyed this book. Being a lover of short stories, this appealed as with each era of the history of a piece of land, through characters and changing times, life in Massachusetts was portrayed. One chapter was a little laborious but generally a wonderful novel.
Ruth loved the concept. History and a sense of time passing, and it worked. She loved all the ghosts as ending took the reader back in time. She would like to read it again. One chapter was a bit tedious. The sense of the yellow house altering with time gave each story a sense of place.
Sharon thought she would need to read it again as the style of writing changes with the time. The Ants and plants were very detailed, but all the stories were sad.
Bob did not read it, and Carol found it intriguing and interesting. She will read it again.
Other Books We Have Read This Month
Sandra read Lucy Foley’s ‘The Midnight Feast‘. She has read several but felt this was not as good as some of the others by Lucy. This kept the reader guessing but the main character was evil.
Carol read ‘Golden Hill‘ by Francis Spufford. This told of English immigrants in New York and thoroughly enjoyed it. As a book group we had read this a few years ago but knowing that, Carol read it again and enjoyed it. She also read Val McDermid’s ‘Past Lying‘. Val is the Queen of Crime, but Carol found the use of Scottish words in this Scottish thriller needed some guessing at times. She really enjoyed it.
Bob read Elif Shafak’s ‘There are Rivers in the Sky‘ and thought the novel excellent and the research extraordinary. He also read Jenny Blackhurst’s ‘The Hiking Trip‘. This was an excellent crime story. He thoroughly enjoyed it as it was full of twists.
Another book Bob read was ‘The Phone Box at the Edge of the World‘ by Laura Imai Messina, translated by Lucy Rand. This is about a phone box in a garden so people can talk to their dead loved ones, whilst overcoming grief. Bob said it was good to have a change of reading genres, and that was the beauty of a book group as it encouraged us to break out of our reading habits.
Mark read ‘All the Colours of the Dark‘ by Chris Whitaker. The novel follows two children, Saint and Patch, whose lives forever change when Patch intervenes to save a young woman from an act of violence. This traumatic event affects their lives and others in their small Ozark community. Mark thought this a real page turner and enjoyed it.
Sharon read both of this month’s books. She enjoyed Elif Shafak’s ‘There are Rivers in the Sky’, especially the character of Arthur. She is also enjoying ‘Redemption’ by Jack Jordon.
Ruth read ‘Caledonian Road‘ by Andrew O’Hagan. It’s a big book and hard work but with patches of brilliant writing. In 1986, a deep friendship blooms between Tully and James, two working-class lads from a small Scottish town, and at a festival in Manchester they make life-changing promises to each other. Decades later, Tully calls James with news that changes everything.
Ruth has started ‘The Good Soldier‘ by Ford Maddox Ford so will tell us all at our next meeting. We look forward to hearing it.
Sandra read ‘The Book of Doors‘ by Gareth Brown. A woman works in a bookshop where an old man sits. He leaves behind a book. Cassie confides in Izzy about losing her favourite customer, who left her a mysterious book covered in symbols created with special ink known as the “Book of Doors.” Cassie discovers that when she visualizes a place and opens a door, her vision transforms into reality, allowing her to transport to that place. Sandra described this so well we have elected to read it for next month.
Theresa read ‘Murky Waters‘ by J. E. Hall who is a Devon writer. A piece of historical fiction taking the reader back to the Tudor period of the 1540s for a story set in Devon. An Ottery St Marry monk warns about Henry VIII’s greedy eyes when Dunkerswell Abbey is dissolved. She will tell us all about it next time we meet. Theresa is still to finish ‘North Woods’ by Daniel Mason.
Liz read ‘Midnight and Blue‘ by Sir Ian Rankin. It is now in paperback, but she read the signed hardback from Ian Rankin’s visit to the Yeovil Literary Festival last year. This is a ‘locked room’ storyline. It has to be as the room is actually a cell in HMP Edinburgh where Rebus happens to be awaiting his Appeal. The cell is on the same floor as Rebus’ cell. There are sub plots of a missing girl and drugs barons. The denouement is clever and definitely not foreseen by the reader.
Recommendations
Books read and enjoy during quiet August:
- ‘The Book of Doors’ by Gareth Brown
- ‘Midnight and Blue’ by Sir Ian Rankin
- ‘The Hiking Trip’ by Jenny Blackhurst
- And anything on your ‘to be read’ pile!
All these will lead us into interesting conversations when we next meet on Tuesday 9th September at 12 noon in the Lounge of the Westlands Entertainment Venue.
Enjoy your summer reading and we look forward to meeting you and everyone will find a warm welcome awaits!