A Year in Books :: January

I belong to two very different book clubs. The first dates back quite a few years and when we first used to meet, we all read the same book and then got together in each others homes over some nibbles and a glass of wine to chat about the book. Gradually as the nibbles and wine grew into three course meals and several glasses the books and the discussions diminished. We no longer all read the same books but instead meet to eat and chat and we bring along books to swap... which suits us all just fine.

 

 

But I found I missed the discussions so a couple of years ago I joined another club. We meet every month at the local pub and have a different book each month, suggested by different members. The books vary enormously and we have fiction, biography, non-fiction, light reads and heavy going stuff. I don't always enjoy every book and I don't always get through every book but I do enjoy the discussion. I also like that it makes me read things I might not have otherwise considered and sometimes I am pleasantly surprised. We've just met to discuss January's book "Significant Sisters". It documents the lives of eight women who played a significant part in the feminist movement which I felt could have been really fascinating yet Margaret Forster made it deadly dull!

 

But despite reading regularly, I still have piles of books all over the house as well as dozens on my Kindle that I just don't get around to reading. So when I heard about Laura's New Year intention (so much better that a resolution) over on Circle of Pine Trees, to read a book each month and document it on her blog as a Year in Books I thought I would join in. And what is lovely about this is that you can follow the links on her post to everyone else who is joining in... which means if every you are short of ideas of what to read there will be plenty of inspiration.

 

Before Christmas Gill passed these two Peter May books onto me. I don't usually pick crime thrillers but these were so good that I read them both in quick succession. They are set on the Isle of Lewis and are incredibly atmospheric - they made me want to visit the Hebrides!

 

So for January I am going to read the third book in the Lewis trilogy The Chess Men... and when I come back in February to tell you what I'm reading then I'll let you know if it was as good as the other two!