Here’s a list of books that were mentioned today at book club. One of the rules is to not give away too much of the plot so if any of these sound interesting go online to learn more details.
The God of the Woods
The River We Remember – William Kent Kruger
Call of the Wrens – Jenni Walsh
The Crash – Frieda McFadden
All the Colors of the Dark – Chris Whitaker
How To Read A Book – Monica Ward
We All Live Here – JoJo Moyes
The Pecan Man – Cassie Selleck
James
Small Great Things – Jodi Picoult
Rubble To Redemption – Jim Jenkins
Saving Aziz – Chad Robichaux
……..Maddie – Lisa Genova
Secret Lives of Sunflowers
The Seed Keeper
Caste – Isabel Wilkerson
Art Thief – Michael Finkel
Son of Man
Water Keeper – Charles Martin
And the Mountains Echoed
Fox River – Emilie Richards
(I see my notes are incomplete – look online.)
I recommended Go As A River – Shelley Read. Another member had also read this and we both agreed it was a 5 Star book – our highest rating.
Both Keeper and Hank went along to Book Club and then the store – they are so good!
Tonight I finished the Harlan Coben series Just One Look on Netflix – a complicated plot but very good.
What good book have YOU read recently?
I just finished “Run” by Ann Patchett and I think it is a close-to-perfect book. Just so very good. The writing, the story, the character development, the way empathy develops for each character. I loved it. I have a great deal of respect for the author as a person–she backs up her feelings that we should support independent book stores by owning one, Parnassus Books in Nashville, TN–and I think she is a top-notch author.
Thanks for the book list. “How to Read a Book” I’ve already placed a hold on from the public library. Several other titles piqued my interest, too. I’m with Marlene about savoring the beauty of well-written books and the reason I love to read.
Jan
Janet – many have loved this book – I would not give it a 5, maybe a 4.
Go As a River is a wonderful book. Yes.
Mary, thanks for sharing your book list, I took notes.🌞 Our book club has read many of Catherine Ryan Hyde’s books, one of our all time favorites is…”Have You Seen Luis Valdez”. All of her books are so up lifting! We read “James” last month and it was meh… We are reading “The Small and the Mighty” by Sharon McMahon is month. Historical fiction is one of my favorites.
Love all the photos!!!!
Sherri – I’ve also read Luis Valdez – very good.
Rereading my library of Thomas Hardy books is always on my list as is Jane Austen. I read a lot of books simultaneously. So, “Two on a Tower” by Hardy is currently my bedroom book. I never, never tire of finding the gems. A sentence or paragraph written so profoundly beautifully, I set the book down, sigh, and think “this is why I read.” My current contemporary book I am reading is “How to Change Your Mind” by Michael Pollan. To get a sense of how really interesting, intriguing, informative, and entertaining his writing can be, I highly, highly recommend “Botany of Desire.” Non-fiction has never been my go-to genre for a good read; but, Pollan certainly changed my mind!
A great list of books to read. Thanks for the list and thanks to everyone else who’s added books to the list too.
Although I’ve read several books recently, nothing stands out to recommend. I put the William Kent Krueger book on hold on Libby. I’ve read some of the books in his Cork O’Connor series and thought they were very good, well written. I think I read the first one because one of Mary’s readers recommended it. Thanks for that!
Thank o the book list. I’m always searching for my next good read. Recently I read Shy Creatures which was very enjoyable. I spent the morning cooking two large roasters of vegetable soup for our Meals on Wheels clients.
Des,
What a wonderful gift you have cooking 2 roasters of vegetables soup for shut ins. I admire your heart of caring for others. Our senior group supplied placemats for meals on wheels program one year and it was such fun creating a large pile of different designs. But those who do the cooking and the drivers taking it to give nourishment to those who can’t get out are truly saints in my world. Thank you Des.
Kathy, I love to cook ( and eat) ! My quilt guild made over 150 placemats for our clients last Christmas. I was born on a small farm & sharing food with others is a family tradition I’m happy to carry on.
Next Year in Havana
by
Chanel Cleeton
Has mystery, romance and history
Sharon Ludwig
March 13, 2025 10:00 AM
Thanks for sharing your book selections. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout is one of my favorites!
I reread The Confession Club by Elizabeth Berg, part of her trilogy Mason. I listened to it this time in Libby and it was narrated by the author. It was so good I gifted to my sister for her birthday. I also gifted West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge as it was my favorite book last year. Heartwarming books.
Thank you, Mary for giving us a list of books from your book group. I’m in three different book discussion groups. Fun activity for me. I’m always on the lookout for books that are “loved”.
Carolyn, All of the Elizabeth Berg trilogy books are good. Have you read the rest of the books?
Yes I read all three of the Mason trilogy, as well as the prequel, Earth’s the Right Place for Love, about Arthur’s early years.
I haven’t read the prequel. Hopefully there’s a download at the library.
Kristin Hannah. “The Women” A WWIi story.
I downloaded How to Read a Book recently and will read it when I’m done with the book I’m reading.
Does anyone like kid’s chapter books? I worked at the school for nearly 30 years and when I visited the school library, a chapter book would catch my eye and I’d check it out. I’ve read several good kid’s books (targeted for middle school or upper elementary) if anyone is interested in a quick easy read to decompress after reading an intense adult book.
While our daughter was in middle school, I discovered an author who wrote for that age group – Patricia Beatty – and I found her books enjoyable and educational. She wrote on various topics from a fictional character during the Civil War to the orange groves in the early days of California. Her books are great!
Thank you, Barb. I’ll have to find her books. One of my favorite authors for young teenagers is Barbara O Conner. She wrote Wish…one of my all time favorite books. I loved it so much, I recommended it to teachers for their reading time. Many teachers read to kids and several teachers read that book. I found it in the Scholastic book club and bought it but loaned it out and have no idea where it is now. Barbara O Conner also wrote How to Steal a Dog. I enjoyed that book too.
While We Were Watching Downton Abbey – by Wendy Wax
It’s about friendships
Have read several of William Kent Krueger books and they are edge of your seat who did mystery and what’s next and unexpected events. Never been disappointed.