Wanna join my online book club?
Wanna join my online book club?
The nights are drawing in, what better way to hibernate this winter than with a good book and good chat about it in my online book club.
There is nothing Ilove more than a long train delay. Or a friend who’s late for coffee, or aSaturday filled with rain… as long as I’ve got a book with me that is. Icould spend all day sitting and reading and waiting, using the stolen time toturn pages and explore stories as I drift in-between new worlds.
2018 wasthe year I fell in love with reading and 2019 isthe year I’ve fallen in love with writing. 2020? I’m not sure yet. But I know reading andwriting will always be there. The hidden prompts, the structures that make mefeel supported. That make me feel alive.
You can’t write if you don’t read and I want to spend the rest of my life writing so I thought it best to start making an extra effort to read. I’ve tried to find spare seconds in the day to crack open a book and devour a page, a chapter or even just a paragraph. On the bus, in bed, on evenings when I should be drifting off into sleep, waiting for the dentist and even when I’m cooking our tea. I force myself to read because books have changed my life and I know they are going to keep helping me to see all the colours of the world. Keeping my imagination alive and allowing me to dream.
What is an online book club?
Books can change yourlife too, if you let them.
Whenwas the last time you lost yourself in another world? When was the last timeyou woke up early to read before work? When was the last time a book made youcry? I used tocry in cafes all the time.Or laugh? Or feel scared? Or angry? Sometimesit can be really hard to choose which books to read. We are so busy living ourown stories, we often don’t stop or we don’t have the time to pick up a bookand lose ourselves in someone else’s story. This is where I can help.
The stories from a backpack online book club!
It’s been a whilesince I’ve written a post about books! Each month I thought I would start sharing around-up of the books I’ve read. An online book club, if you will. You can thenbrowse the list and see if any take your fancy. We can then talk books andstories and share our thoughts. What do you think? When you read a book onthe list tag me with the hashtag #storiesfromabookclub and we can comparenotes. Essentially I’m reading all the books so you don’t have too, you justget to choose your favourite ones.
WARNING – I read the most random selection of books.I’m trying to learn about technique and style and storytelling so my choiceseach month a super diverse. Hopefully, this means you’ll find new books,strange books and books you would never have ever thought about reading.
BUTI DON’T HAVE TIME – Reading is a habit and like allhabits, it’s not an easy one to force into your life. Start small. Buildmomentum. But the key thing is to find a book you love! Here’s a postabout how toread more.
I promise there will be no spoilers and I’m not into ripping books apart just to make a good review. You’ll find a short description and honest overview, highlight the things I loved and the reasons why you might like the book too…
Here’s the November round-up:
Total books read: 6
Fiction: 3
Non-fiction: 3
Total pages: 1,968
Book #1: How To Say Goodbye – Katy Colins.
Fiction – Grace Salmon is a funeral director, runningaway from her past life, hoping to make people happy by going a step too far inher funeral planning…
The book opens withthis quote (which I love), ‘That it will never come again is whatmakes life so sweet’ – Emily Dickinson. This sets the tone for the rest ofthe book. A women’s fiction read that deals with grief and loss in a humorousway. This is a book you could take on holiday or read instead of watching aChristmas film. It was ok, a bit slow in parts, but an easy read that makes youhug the people you love a little tighter.
Readthis book if: You want a quick chick-flick read witha more sombre topic.
Book #2: Mad Girl – Bryony Gordon.
Non-fiction – Columnist for the telegraph Byrony Gordonexplores her relationship with OCD and depression.
This book made mecry. I’m going to be honest, I didn’t like Bryony after I read her first bookearlier this year, ‘The Wrong Knickers’, but this one made meblurry-eyed. She talks so openly about her mental health and battles with OCD,anxiety, antidepressants and motherhood and I absolutely love her honesty. Ilove her truth-telling. She says the things that we cannot say. She epitomisesthe saying, ‘we don’t really know what people are going through just by lookingat them.’ Her writing style is incredible, your eyes scan through pages likeyou’re watching a TV show. She swears, talks about sex and her intermittentdrug use is more than intermittent, but this book is real, so I wouldn’t expectanything less.
Readthis book if: You want to learn more about whatlife is like for other people. If you’re not easily offended and if you want tojoin Byrony on her journey. It’s not a light read in terms of topic, but herwriting style makes it an easy read.
Book #3: My Not So Perfect Life – Sophie Kinsella.
Fiction – Katie has the perfect life, well accordingto her Instagram. When she loses her job and has to go back home to Somerset.Katie battles with the idea of settling back home or fighting for the life shewants.
Confession. I’venever read a Sophie Kinsella book before. This was a good book for research forme. I’m interested in understanding why ‘chick-lit’ books keep us reading, evenif we ‘cringe’ (even the word is cringy). Predictable, but it’s supposed to be.Easy to read. Sometimes we all want a book that turns the pages itself.
Readthis book if: You want a lighthearted book to readbefore bed.
Book #4: The Sense of an Ending – Julian Barnes.
Fiction – Tony Webster is coming to terms with hispast. Did his life turn out the way it was supposed to? Was it too simple? Toboring? Tony is haunted by a ghost from his past and we follow his journey fromgrowing up to growing old.
I think this isclassed as literary fiction? Because it was shortlisted for an award ortwo. The story was interesting. But I wouldn’t enjoy this sort of bookunless I was reading for research. Julian’s writing technique is something Ireally admire. I learnt a lot about writing from this book, but I’m not sureit’s one I’d shout about reading.
Readthis book if: You want to read a literary novel tosay you’ve read a literary novel…
Book #5: Building a Story Brand – Donald Miller.
Non-fiction – Donaldtalks about storytelling and how you need to sell your business as a story andsolve problems for your audience. He breaks it down as a step by step process.
Donald Millerwrote a book that changed my life,so whenever I see a new book written by him, I pick it up. This is a businessbook, it’s great if you are interested in building a brand and using stories tohelp guide your marketing. I’m in the business for story making and telling soit was a pretty interesting read for me.
Readthis book if: You interested in branding andmarketing.
Book 6#: Notes from Little Driblling – Bill Bryson.
Non-fiction – Bill Bryson wrote a famous book a few yearsago about him exploring the UK. He returns to lots of places quite a few yearslater and we follow him on his journey.
Guys, I think this isthe sort of book my Dad would read! I didn’t really enjoy it at the time.However, since finishing it, I’ve found myself talking about some of the thingshe said and laughing in real life when I saw things and I realised the imageryhe had created, or seeing how the way he had described something was true tolife. I love creative non-fiction books, I love seeing the world from someoneelse’s eyes. Sometimes I think Bill took the piss too much, unsure where hisjokes started and his sarcasm ended. But it was SO interesting to read aboutparts of MY country that I didn’t really know existed.
Readthis book if: You want to know what sort of book yourDad read. Or if you want to explore the UK without leaving your sofa.
What do you think?
I would love to know what you think about the online book club #storiesfromabookclub send me a message this week and let me know. I would also love to know what you’re reading? I always love book suggestions.
** This post containsaffiliate links. Don’t worry the books won’t cost you any extra, I wouldn’tplay you like that. It just means, if you buy a book clicking in thispost, I can continue to fund my book and coffee addiction **