Tag: The Book Taster Book Club

On the Edge by Sarah Turner

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

In preparation for The Book Taster Book Club this month, I made sure I read ‘On the Edge’ in plenty of time. It had, no surprise, been sitting on the tbr pile for a little while, so it was about time I picked it up, especially as I have been following Sarah Turner on social media for quite some time.

I will be completely honest, this book was a complete surprise. I was pretty sure I would enjoy it before I started, I was not aware quite how much I would enjoy it. I have read books that have made me laugh and cry before, but not ones that have made me literally laugh and cry simultaneously. I binged the entire second half of the novel, not moving until I had finished it one Saturday morning.

I really do not want to give this story away too much because I really want people to read it and enjoy it, because I think it will offer something different to everyone. However, this is a story about family, in pretty much every sense of the word. And a wonderful study of relationships and character. However, it will be no surprise that ‘on the edge’ has so many different meanings in this book – especially for our main character Joni who returns to her home town after the death of her Nana, who has set a number of challenges for the family if they wish to receive their inheritance (and have her ashes to spread). There are, of course, mishaps and revelations along the way, which make for a truly entertaining read.

A few of the characters are a little infuriating, but I am pretty sure we would all have encountered someone that had traits of all of these characters. And, for me, it was all perfectly fitting for the story, because I think a lot of what happens in this book when it comes to self-reflection and relationships have all been things that many of us have faced, and sometimes seeing them on the pages helps us all.

This has secured Sarah Turner as an author I am keen to read more from – surprise: I have ‘Stepping Up’ on the tbr too, so it may have to be bumped up the list now – although I may have to emotionally prepare myself for the experience after this book.

Probably Nothing by Lauren Bravo

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

For May’s The Book Taster Book Club pick we read ‘Probably Nothing’ by Lauren Bravo. I have seen Lauren Bravo’s books around but I had not picked one up, until now.

I am not sure what I expected, as we all know I do not read blurbs, so I always go blind into books and start a journey of discovery. (It will be no surprise that I loved the cover, however.) And this book was a joy to read. Although it covers some difficult issues, it does it with wit and charm, that creates a great story with some wonderful characters that you can imagine sitting down with and having a chat.

Bryony does not mind being single; she is fairly satisfied with how she is living her life. Until, one day, she gets a call telling her that her boyfriend has died and his family wanted her to know – the thing is, Bryony does not have a steady boyfriend, just a man she has been having fun with: Ed. From that moment, her life follows a bizarre path as she becomes swept up into Ed’s family, and she does not quite know how to break it to them that she is not quite who they think she is. Alongside this, Ed’s sister-in-law turns out to be her doctor’s receptionist, who probably knows more about Bryony that she would care to admit. And, as they are thrown together, they realise that they may be the support that each other needs against Ed’s slightly ethusiastic and intense family.

As the story unfolds, Lauren touches on issues such as grief, mental health issues, family relationships (some healthy and some not-so-healthy) and friendship, but this is also done with such wit and sensitivity that its adds to the depth of the story and creates quite a thought-provoking read. In fact, it will be a fantastic read for book club, and I can not wait to hear what other readers think, because I think this book could also mean different things to different readers.

This novel does another of my favourite things: it has the sort of title that can have so many different meanings depending on where you are in the story – now, I obviously can not share too much about them, because that could lead to potential spoilers. But, as you read it – because I would really suggest that you do – keep that title in mind, and see what it means to you.

Hold Back the Night by Jessica Moor

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

Wow, this book could be my book of the year. ‘Hold Back the Night’ by Jessica Moor was picked as the March read for The Book Taster Book Club and I was really intrigued by the premise of the book, but I was not expecting how blown away I was by the absolutely stunning story.

‘Hold Back the Night’ is about Annie, a nurse in a psychiatric hospital in the late fifties and sixties, a landlady to those who nobody else wants to help during the AIDS crisis of the 1980s, and an elderly woman during the Covid epidemic, who is forced to reflect on her life and her actions. Particularly those actions of her time in the psychiatric hospital, especially when a ghost of her past reappears in her life in the 1980s. I do not think I can do this story justice, but what I can say is that this book and the characters that you meet will stay with you for a long time after you have finished the final page.

There is a study of isolation, loneliness and freedom throughout the book. The male patients in the psychiatric hospital have been isolated from society for a number of reasons, but one reason is their sexuality and the fear they experience as they are treated for this. The men who come to stay with Annie are all HIV-positive and have been isolated by the rest of the world because of this, and they live in fear of death. And, finally, Covid isolates Annie, and she experiences the isolation and fear that the men she met in the past must have faced every day – this, as well as the loss of her friend Rita, forces Annie into this reflective mood and brings us the story of her past.

But, it also lets us think about love and what that really means. And why have people not been allowed to love in the way that they want to? Who has the right to have an opinion on love in any form? I think Annie was really rather liberal for the times that she lived in, but, at the start, she has a fear hovering over her that prevents her from making as much of a difference as she could, unlike her friend Rita. She takes the 1980s as her chance to seek redemption for her past, but also, we see that she accepts people for who they really are. And, at the end, we see her celebrate love.

‘To all the ghosts we failed to see’ is the dedication at the start of the book and I hope that this book does remind people of those ghosts, brings them back to our living memory and never lets us forget them. I would encourage everybody to read this book, because it is both a wonderful story and an education – and you will finish the book angry with the past and hopeful for the future. Thank you, Jessica Moor, for bringing this book to us all.

What Lies Between Us by John Marrs

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

It is John Marrs month for The Book Taster Book Club (and in my case for Book and Pudding Club too), and I am here for it. I have only ever read one John Marrs book before and I was a fan, so it is nice to have a chance to read an author’s backlist, especially when so many of my bookish buddies are also fans.

So, a wonderful bookish buddy and I embarked on a buddy read of ‘What Lies Between Us’ on Saturday and, by the end of Monday, we had both finished the book. In fact, I think it is safe to say that we had raced through it. We were both finding it incredibly difficult to put down what we were reading – in fact, I snuck off for a bath after work on Monday, just so I had an excuse to read the book because I just had to know what was going to happen. And my fellow bookworm and I were constantly messaging each other with theories and ideas about where the book was going, and at the odd OMG moment. All of this together is the sign of a good book, if you ask me – and this is definitely a great book.

As this is a no-spoiler post, as always, I really can not say too much about this book as I am so worried that I might give something away. However, I will say that I have rarely read a book with so many moments of misdirection that manage to send you off down a possible wrong path as you attempt to play ‘armchair detective’ to the plot. It is so cleverly plotted that you find yourself being thrown from one idea to another at various points in the story, and by the end there are still things that you do not expect – well, I did not expect them all, anyway.

This is a story about Maggie and Nina, mother and daughter living together in a rather unconventional way, it is soon revealed. We are told what has led to the present through events from different parts of the past. But is what we are reading always the truth, or are some memories misremembered, distorting the narrative of the characters’ past? And, sometimes, do we judge too quickly, especially when it involves someone we love? What really triggers any human to carry out the most extreme actions any human can?

That is all I can really say about the plot of the novel, as I absolutely can not give anything away, but this is a book that I really recommend if you are a fan of a pacy read, with an element of mystery and thriller along the way. This is a book that would make a brilliant book club read, because it was an excellent buddy read – so if you are looking for either of these things, maybe add this book to the list.

So, that has been a success of two out of two for my reading experience of John Marrs books, so I am off to find another to read, in the hope that the third choice will be just as brilliant as choices one and two.

The Unfinished Business of Eadie Browne by Freya North

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I would normally wait to write about ‘The Book Taster‘ pick for book club because we have not reached book club week yet. This is because the chance to chat helps you keep thinking and evaluating the book, and what you have read. However, this time, I can’t wait that long to share my thoughts – because I absolutely adored this book, and ‘The Book Taster’ has spread its magic again in introducing me to a new author.

‘The Unfinished Business of Eadie Browne’ has also been recommended by the fantastic Matt Cain, so it has actually been sitting on my shelf for some time, but, luckily, ‘The Book Taster’ gave me the boost I needed to pick it up. Because, let’s be honest, the curse of being a book lover, is that we may treat collecting books as a separate hobby to reading them, so they can be on those shelves for quite some time.

This is a beautifully written, thoughtful read. We meet Eadie Browne as she sets off on a road trip to a funeral in her home town. As she is on this trip with her husband, she is reflecting on what has got her to this moment. We go right back to her childhood, through her teenage years, to university, to the present day. And it is quite a journey we go on with Eadie as we learn more about her, her family, and her friendships and relationships. As we reach the conclusion of the tale and threads start to come together, we understand why exactly Eadie is so keen to be at this funeral, and the closure and support that it may give her and those around her.

I want this to be spoiler-free, but I will share that I think it is a clever technique in the tale that we do not know exactly who the funeral is for, for so much of the story – it is a twist that is quite a surprise. And it is a twist that for me was quite emotional to read and really made Eadie a beautiful character, as well as supporting the reader in really understanding her. This shows what skill Freya North demonstrates as an author, too – to bring so much emotion to a story that seems potentially so ordinary (a coming of age tale), but truly makes it her own and unique, feeling like you have not read something like this before.

Now, I am keen to read more books by Freya North, as this is my first and it has definitely whetted my appetite to read more. I do enjoy discovering an author who has a backlist for me to explore, because it opens you to a whole new world of reading adventures – and meeting more characters along the way.

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

As I have been lucky enought to visit Alaska, it is always a joy to find a book which is set in this wild and majestic part of the world. And, quite by chance, I have read two books this month set in this very place, and the author of ‘The Snow Child’, Eowyn Ivey, is a proud Alaskan which makes this book even more magical to me.

Now, I have to admit that this beautiful book had passed me by until it was selected as the December read of ‘The Book Taster Book Club’ and, to begin with, I was not entirely sure that this would be a book that I would traditionally choose to read (based on initial impressions – or as most of us call it, the cover). However, I would have missed an absolute treat if I had let that impression overtake me, because this book is an absolute treat.

This is a book that you have to savour; this is not a book that can be rushed. This book is inspired by ‘The Snow Girl’, a Russian folk tale, but is a magnificent story in its own right. We meet Jack and Mabel, as they are begining their new life on an Alaskan homestead; they are haunted by a tragedy from their past, but they are determined to make a success of their new life and the new opportunities that are promised to them in Alaska.

One evening, they meet Faina, the beautiful and mysterious young girl who seems to only appear when it snows and disappear as the new life comes with spring. We follow these characters over a number of years, and see how special Faina becomes to Jack and Mabel, and the magic that she brings to not just their lives but those of their closest friends in their new world. And, when you read the final page, you know that this book and its characters will stay with you for life – and that you will want to share them with as many other readers as possible.

There is also so much in this book that is left to the reader’s imagination, and that always makes for a read that becomes an interesting and fascinating one. There is also the mystery of Faina having no speech marks when she has dialogue with anyone in the book. Now, lack of speech marks is not being commented on, because it is something that bothers me, but it is clearly to serve a purpose in this book, and we had quite the conversation at book club as to what that purpose may be.

If you are looking for a magical winter read, then this is a book that I will forever recommend – in fact, since finishing it, I have realised that I love it even more than I thought I did, as I was reading it because it is so beautifully written, the characters are all lovely, and the atmosphere and sense of place within Alaska in the 1920s is stunningly created for the readers. This is a book that, despite being set somewhere remote and difficult to live in, makes you want to be there and experience it alongside the characters; in fact, you probably want to sit down with the characters and have a chat.

So, again, I have to thank ‘The Book Taster’ for bringing another brilliant author to my attention and more books to my tbr pile. Because I know would love to read anything written by Eowyn Ivey, and I am very excited for her new book inspired by ‘Beauty and the Beast’.

You Are Here by David Nicholls

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

Like so much of the book world, I was over the moon when I knew we were getting a new book from the pen of David Nicholls. I am an original fan of ‘One Day’, ‘Starter for Ten’ and ‘Us’ (‘Sweet Sorrow’ is on my shelf waiting to be read, and ‘The Understudy’ is on the wishlist) and, like so many, had my heart broken all over again by the recent Netflix adaptation of ‘One Day’. I was confident that ‘You Are Here’ would not disappoint, especially after hearing David Nicholls speak at the recent Stratford Literary Festival.

So, I was even more over the moon when ‘The Book Taster’ announced that this would be our June book pick, because that meant I had a whole host of lovely book buddies to read this book with and the chance to meet, discuss it and hear David Nicholls speak again.

‘You Are Here’ is just brilliant. I could end my review there, as this book is going to be up there as one of my top reads of the year (I never manage to have just one). This is a story that contains everything that you expect from the books of David Nicholls. Marnie and Michael are two beautiful characters who are incredibly easy to relate to (as my day job is a leading a humanities department, I can confirm that Michael is very much a geography teacher, with a geography teacher’s sense of humour). I would love to bump into these two and have a drink and a catch-up with them, especially as Marnie is a fan of ‘Wuthering Heights’. The plot is delightful, with humour and romance to satisfy us all; it is definitely a cosy read – none of that is a spoiler because, if you are a fan of David Nicholls, these things will not be a surprise.

But the thing I loved the most about this book was the beautiful, descriptive writing. I shared a wonderful paragraph about Euston Station with other readers because it was just so brilliantly written, and I think may well be one of my favourite pieces of writing in a book (and I never thought anything involving Euston Station would be my favourite…).

You feel you are there with Michael and Marnie at every moment throughout this book. There is a humour in the writing that is a joy to read; you smile as you read this book, and you feel like you are an old friend – and I may even have shed a little tear at one moment, too, which is also probably no surprise.

In a world that is far from ideal at the moment, where we all need a little escapism, this is a book that can give you exactly what you need – a hug in book form, and a pure moment of joy.

How to Build a Boat by Elaine Feeney

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

The May Book Club from ‘The Book Taster’ was ‘How to Build a Boat’ by Elaine Feeney. This is a book that I had half an eye on, so it being the monthly pick for book club meant that I would definitely have to read it. I also love the paperback cover, as it is very similar to a watercolour painting and, as my Grandad was a watercolour artist, it added an extra appeal.

‘How to Build a Boat’ is a slow burn of a book, but it is certainly worth it, and that adds to the beauty of the story. (Warning: there is a lack of speech marks, but this does not bother me as it does some other readers). Jamie’s mother died when he was born and he has been brought up by his father and his grandmother. As he has got older, he is becoming worried that maybe he is forgetting her and he wants a connection to her that will stop that from happening at the same time that he is dealing with starting a new school.

This leads him to forming a connection to his teachers, Tess and Tadhg, both of whom are also feeling a little lost, for different reasons. Together, with some help from others, they build a boat – and this project and the new friendships and relationships formed along the way take them all on some journeys of self-discovery. In fact, they may end up on their greatest adventure.

This book reminded me of ‘The Colony‘, which we read at book club last year. A beautifully constructed story, very well written, that touches on so many important topics and stays with you a long time after you have finished reading the book. I am still thinking about Jamie O’Neill and his friends, and hoping that they are still forging their paths to happiness, after some struggles along the way.

I am not always interested in books which make longlists or shortlists, but this is deserving of its place on ‘The Booker Longlist 2023’, as it is a special book. It was also one that was chosen by ‘Between the Covers’ on BBC Two, and I hope that also brought it to a wider audience, because it is a book that deserves to be read by everyone.

The Woman Who Lied by Claire Douglas

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

The Book Taster got us off to a thrilling start for 2024 with the January pick of ‘The Woman Who Lied’ by Claire Douglas. This is my first book by Claire Douglas and I am pretty sure that it will not be my last.

This was a fantastic page-turning thriller (yes, I have used that cliche phrase) and a great concept for a thriller too. Emilia Ward is an author of detective fiction and she is about to publish her final book with her famous chracter, Detective Miranda Moody. However, this does not quite become the celebration it should, as she suddenly seems to be living the story she created in her book. Was this story really from her imagination? Where did the inspiration for her final Detective Moody story really come from? And is Emilia’s perfect life about to come crashing down around her?

I found this a very well-plotted thriller. There are some fantastic red herrings woven into the plot. You are led down all sorts of paths, just like Emilia, only to find that you are completely off course. And, for me, that is the sign of a fantastic thriller. I did not reach the correct conclusion, and actually really enjoyed how this book ended, as I had not seen it coming. Although I admit that I do not read these to attempt to solve them, I read them to be able to have some complete escapism from the real world, and that is exactly what this book was for me.

I am looking forward to hearing Claire Douglas talk about her writing and her books at our book club meeting. And I will definitely be reading some of the backlist, because I always enjoy a good thriller.

Tell Me How This Ends by Jo Leevers

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

The October pick for ‘The Book Taster Online Book Club‘ is ‘Tell Me How This Ends’ by Jo Leevers. This was not a book I had heard of, but it has been a BBC Radio 2 Book Club pick and the cover is beautiful, so I was intrigued to pick it up and get started.

I loved this book; I found it so difficult to put it down, and every evening I was desperate to settle down and carry on reading because I just had to know – well – how it was going to end. Henrietta and Annie are thrown together as Henrietta gets a job recording and writing people’s life stories, and she is given the task of helping Annie record her story. This experience blossoms into a friendship as they both (without realising it) support each other in coming to terms with their past, and some of the ghosts and mysteries that haunt them. Although the idea is that Henrietta is writing the stories of those who are aware that they are facing the end of their lives, this is not a sad story. In fact, it is a clear story of hope and friendship. Even in the toughest of times, there can be a light, as both characters are freed from those who have not allowed them to shine as they should.

I am not sure I can do this book justice without giving too much away. But I found it so engaging, and I was rooting for Annie and Henrietta throughout – just pleased that they had found friendship with each other. It is a friendship that crosses the generations and these are some of the best friendships in fiction. It reminded me a little of the friendship in ‘Lenny and Margot’, although the gap is not quite as large. And I considered the new friendship that was found again at the end of the book an absolute joy.

Please be aware that this book does tackle the subject of cancer and grief, but this is handled so beautifully and, throughout the book, you know that these characters have been able to bring so much to each others’ lives. But, if you are a fan of ‘Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine‘ or ‘A Tidy Ending‘, I think you may enjoy this book, too.