The Next Best Book Club discussion

So last year my goal was to read 50 books and I failed that miserably as I only reached 38. I did however find it to be a rewarding and enriching experience and as such I would like to give it another shot. I will also be participating in Diane's AtWi80 challenge so any overlap will count towards my 50. Unoffically, I will also be picking as many books as possible for TNBBC's bookshelf which I haven't read yet as part of the 50. Happy Reading in 2011 everyone.


1. Starter for Ten - David Nicholl

1. Starter for Ten - David Nicholl


3 stars.
Only just though, ideally I would have given it 2.8 but I prefer to go in increments of 0.5 stars, so 3 stars it is. I wanted to like this book so much more than I did. I received it as part of a First Reads giveaway and was pretty excited to read it as it was my first one.

The descriptions of the first year of University life in England were absolutely spot on, and the humourous commentary on classism was entertaining.Where the book falls down for me is with the protagonist, Brian Jackson. He is like a more annoying, significantly less endearing Adrian Mole. This ruined the entire experience for me as the book is writen from Brian's point of view. I simply found it impossible to root for him, and so overall that soured the entire experience of the book. It was very well written and fleshed out, but other than that it didn't do too much for me.

2. Outlander - Diana Gabaldon


4.5 stars.
I loved it. It was such a juicy, delicious yet informative read.

3. Dragonfly in Amber - Diana Gabaldon


2 stars.
Sorely disappointing after the fabulousness of Outlander. I think a break from the series is now in order.

4. Townie - Andre Dubus III



4.5 stars
I really loved and was moved by this book, especially the third segment. This is the first book by Andre Dubus III that I have read. I saw the movie adaptation of 'House of Sand and Fog', and thought it was so sad that I have never really had the courage to pick up the book.

This memoir however, while it had sad aspects to it was ultimately uplifting. Not in a cheesy Lifetime movie kind of way, but in the sense that one truly gets a feel for how much the events in the author's life have played a role in who he is today. The ruminations on the nature of violence and his descriptions of his slide into the world of fighting are very foreign yet very familiar.

All in all, a brilliant read, highly recommended.

5. Room - Emma Donoghue


5 stars
What more can I say about this book that hasn't already been said more eloquently in the multiple five-star reviews? All the accolades and honours heaped on the book are well deserved, it was brilliant.

6. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie - Alan Bradley


3 stars
I found this book to be neither here nor there. It was well written and all, but I just didn't find compelling enough. It ended up dragging seriously in the middle. I don't think I will bother with the rest of the series.

7. Heart of the Matter - Emily Giffin


2 stars
Emily Giffin = book about cheating.

I am so over it and have no idea why I bought another book by her. It will never happen again. Shame really because she is the perfect blend of fluffy and sharp for enjoyable chick-lit. I just can't fathom why she insists on essentially writing the same story over and over again. Married couple. One person is unfaithful. Forgiveness follows. Blech, pass me the eye bleach

8. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood


4.5 stars

I loved it. I loved it so much that I'm not sure why I waited so long to read an Atwood. I look forward to delving into nore of her work.

9. King Rat


3.5 stars

Very entertaining read and a nice change of pace after some of th eheavier reads I've undertaken. Not quite a masterpiece but a really interesting group of characters. I hope to read a lot more Clavell.

10. The Other Side of the Story - Marian Keyes


2 stars.
I usually love Marian Keyes. Her sense of humour is the perfect tonic for after work. I just couldn't quite enjoy this one though. I trudged through it and eventually finished it but kept looking at page numbers to see how much more I had to read. I didn't really care for the characters and the story never became partucularly gripping. Save for a few laughs here and there, I was pretty relieved to come to teh end of the book.

11. Shanghai Girls - Lisa See


3.5 stars
I really enjoyed the first 3/4 of this book. The period details and the compelling story had me hooked. I thought I was going ti love it more than other Lisa See books I have read, but then it all fell apart in the last quarter. The pacing was off and the story became impplausible and actions of the characters rang hollow. It just felt really rushed and I found the ending odd, difficult to believe and impossible to relate to. I was really happ to find out that there is now a sequel as I am hoping reading that will change how I feel about it.

12. Someone Knows My Name - Lawrence Hill


5 stars
An utterly brilliant, gripping and consuming read. I was really sorry when it was over that I had to put it down, I was left wanting more.

13. Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen


4 stars
I finally got to read this and adored it. That said, it really is like candy floss. It melts away really quickly and doesn't stay with you for very long. 3 weeks after reading it I am not giving it much thought at all. An extremely pleasant diversion best describes it.

14. What is the What - Dave Eggers


5 stars
I loved it. Every minute of it. Honestly I look forward to reading it again and devouring the gorgeous writing and spending more time with Valentino, what an extraordinary human being.

15. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet


2 stars
I can't really out my finger on just why I disliked this book so much. All I know is I did. It rendered what should have been an interesting and brilliantly compelling subject completely flat and lifeless for me. I pretty much didn't feel anything while reading it and was extremely releived when it was over.