Read Scotland 2015 discussion

Sign up here for 5-8 books!

I'll go for the same again, Peggy.

Alan wrote: "I'll go for the same again, Peggy."

Wonderful, Alan!

Hi there! I’m glad you’re keeping this going again this year. It’s a great way to discover even more Scottish authors and other books related to my homeland.

Last year I joined up half way through the year and I had no real target last year – just to read only books from Scotland …….. and ended up having read 22 of them.

I’ve always read the occasional Scottish Book, but this last year has shown me the wide store of writing talent that we have here. And there are many more authors for me still to try out.

So I’m going to sign up properly this year right from the start. At the same time, I need to spread my reading around a bit more and so will for the moment limit my Scottish reading to 5-8 books.

I look forward to reading all your comments and recommendations. Best wishes for 2015!

Jim wrote: "Hi there! I’m glad you’re keeping this going again this year. It’s a great way to discover even more Scottish authors and other books related to my homeland.

Last year I joined up half way throug..."
Great Jim! You can upgrade as you go along. Hoping we get a little more conversation about books going this time. And more posting of what we are reading thru the group bookshelf. I wasn't too good at it myself this year but will try harder this time around.

I'm joining up this year again too! Hoping to read 8 Scottish books. :)

Tarissa wrote: "I'm joining up this year again too! Hoping to read 8 Scottish books. :)"

Easy peasy, Tarissa!

I am staying for another round. Really enjoyed the challenge last year and the people in this group.

Robin wrote: "I am staying for another round. Really enjoyed the challenge last year and the people in this group."

Good! Looking forward to what you read!

Hello, I'm new here and stumbled across Peggy's blog a few days ago. I'd love to join this challenge at the Highlander level.
I've just finished my first Scottish set book, When Will There Be Good News by Kate Atkinson.
Guess I will put up my blog post review and then link to it from here? Please holler if I've misunderstood the rules!

Here goes: When Will There Be Good News? is the third review on this post and I've put a bit about the Read Scotland Challenge as well.

http://stephjb.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01...

I post my blog book reviews in trios otherwise my OH says there's too many book posts! Honestly, how can anyone ever have too much to say about books?!

Stephanie wrote: "Hello, I'm new here and stumbled across Peggy's blog a few days ago. I'd love to join this challenge at the Highlander level.
I've just finished my first Scottish set book, When Will There Be Good..."

Glad you joined us Stephanie! You most certainly can post a link to your book review on your blog here. You can also link it on my blog, the home of the challenge, there is a review page for 2015. You do not have to follow the challenge in both places though!

I loved this book! I've read all of her Jackson Brody books though and liked them all. Masterpiece Mystery did a series on the books too!

Thanks Peggy! I'm looking forward to discovering more Scottish literature. I've not consciously looked out for a particular country's works before so am also interested to see where I'll find copies. We're at a Spanish campsite at the moment - will there be any in the exchange library?!

I stumbled on this group and am sure I can make this level, as my favorite genre is British/Irish crime fiction. I was lucky enough to have been able to attend Bloody Scotland in Stirling last year on my trip across the big pond. I am looking forward to seeing what others are reading...as if I need more books on my TBR list!

Candace wrote: "I stumbled on this group and am sure I can make this level, as my favorite genre is British/Irish crime fiction. I was lucky enough to have been able to attend Bloody Scotland in Stirling last yea..."

So glad you found us Candace!

Hi Peggy im going to try for 8 Scottish books but it could be more.

Laura wrote: "Hi Peggy im going to try for 8 Scottish books but it could be more."

Welcome, Laura! I won't be a bit surprised if you read more than 8!

I'm going to try for at least 5 Scottish books this year, but hopefully it will be more. I'm currently enjoying The Redemption of Alexander Seaton by S G Maclean, and am a big fan of George Mackay Brown. I'm also hoping to pick up ideas for reading more Scottish books in this group.

Bev wrote: "I'm going to try for at least 5 Scottish books this year, but hopefully it will be more. I'm currently enjoying The Redemption of Alexander Seaton by S G Maclean, and am a big fan of George Mackay..."

Welcome, Bev. The Alexander Seaton books look very interesting and I am going to have to give them a go this year!

1st book...'Cold in the Earth' by Aline Templeton. This is the first DI Marjory Fleming book. A good police procedural which I gave 3 stars. She is a new author to me and I will read her again.

2nd book...'The Hangman's Song' by James Oswald. 3rd DI McClean, ranking 4 stars. Have read the 1st and just sent for the 2nd. Read this one out of order because I brought it back from Edinburgh last year. This is a complex procedural with a touch of paranormal that works quite well!

Candace wrote: "1st book...'Cold in the Earth' by Aline Templeton. This is the first DI Marjory Fleming book. A good police procedural which I gave 3 stars. She is a new author to me and I will read her again.
..."

I have read the Oswald books and really like them too! Aline Templeton is still on my TBR pile but I'm looking forward to them this year! I think I have 3 of them.

Hi! I'm a bit late to the challenge, but I'd like to join up here, please! Can I add books I read earlier in the year before I joined the challenge?

Finally got to my sixth Scottish read, Life After Life by Kate Atkinson, which is very good!

http://stephjb.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05...

How's everyone else doing?

Mhairi wrote: "Hi! I'm a bit late to the challenge, but I'd like to join up here, please! Can I add books I read earlier in the year before I joined the challenge?"

Glad to have you along, Mhairi. Yes you can count what you've read since the beginning of the year! Which level are signing up for?

Stephanie wrote: "Finally got to my sixth Scottish read, Life After Life by Kate Atkinson, which is very good!

http://stephjb.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05...

How's everyone else doing?"
Steph, I'm not doing to good! Only 8 of 25! I'll never make it! Of course I am in Scotland right now and there is too much to do and see to get much reading done! But I've bought so many books I have to send them freight home as Ithey'll put my luggage weight allotment way over! Found old George MacDonald and O Douglas books I couldn't pass up! Plus James Oswald gave me 4 books and Alan Jones gave me copies of his two books he just got printed!

Wow, Peggy, sounds like you are doing really well for books, if not for the actual reading of them! Whereabouts in Scotland are you? I love Glasgow and Oban. Lucky you getting to meet the authors :-)

Stephanie wrote: "Wow, Peggy, sounds like you are doing really well for books, if not for the actual reading of them! Whereabouts in Scotland are you? I love Glasgow and Oban. Lucky you getting to meet the authors :-)"

Staying with friends in Markinch, near Kirkcaldy, Fife. They've taken me all over Scotland to try and give me the flavour of the country. We just got back from 3 days in the Highlands. Didn't make it to Oban. Was suppose to go sailing from there with Alan Jones, but it didn't work out. He met up with me in Glasgow for lunch though. Next trip for sure! The weather has been pretty nasty.

Not a book, but if you fancy some Scottish food to pair with your Scottish reads, I made these oatcakes that turned out well!

http://stephjb.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05...

Stephanie wrote: "Not a book, but if you fancy some Scottish food to pair with your Scottish reads, I made these oatcakes that turned out well!

http://stephjb.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05......"

Thanks Stephanie! Love oat cakes.

Thanks!!!

Peggy wrote: "Mhairi wrote: "Hi! I'm a bit late to the challenge, but I'd like to join up here, please! Can I add books I read earlier in the year before I joined the challenge?"

Glad to have you along, Mhairi...."

Hi Peggy! I'd like to sign up for Highlander please - that's 5-8 books, right? I'm hoping to exceed that but you know, baby steps and all that. :) Where do I post my books?

Mhairi wrote: "Peggy wrote: "Mhairi wrote: "Hi! I'm a bit late to the challenge, but I'd like to join up here, please! Can I add books I read earlier in the year before I joined the challenge?"

Glad to have you ..."

Right here on this Highlander thread, Mhairi. If you want you can also go into bookshelf up top right and put the book you are currently reading and mark it when finished and it will link to a review. I try to do that with the books I read so when someone else might be looking for a book to read it's available to look through for suggestions. I'm very slow this year with my reading! Probably won't make my level. Only on #9 at the moment:(

Thanks Peggy!

So far I'd like to add the following:
Northanger Abbey by Val McDermid
The Testament of Gideon Mack by James Robertson
and
When Will There Be Good News? by Kate Atkinson

More to follow! :)

Mhairi wrote: "Thanks Peggy!

So far I'd like to add the following:
Northanger Abbey by Val McDermid
The Testament of Gideon Mack by James Robertson
an..."

Love Kate Atkinson's books!

Adding another book:
Espedair Street by Iain Banks

Brilliant book, I highly recommend it!

Woo hoo! My eighth book finished - the wonderful The People's Act of Love by James Meek.

I've put my five star review up on my blog:
http://stephjb.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07...

And I am thinking that I will step up to The Hebridean level as it is only July so I could get through another four books :-)

Great challenge, Peggy!

Peggy, Surprisingly, I've read 8 scottish books already. How do I move up from a 'Highlander' to a 'Hebridean' ?

Two to add! Calendar Of Love by George Mackay Brown and The Skeleton Road by Val McDermid. Very different books, but both worth checking out!

I think that puts me at 6 books so far this year...

Jim wrote: "Peggy, Surprisingly, I've read 8 scottish books already. How do I move up from a 'Highlander' to a 'Hebridean' ?"

Jim wrote: "Peggy, Surprisingly, I've read 8 scottish books already. How do I move up from a 'Highlander' to a 'Hebridean' ?"

Just jump over here to The Hebridean and sign up! https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... Amazing how many good books there are by Scots!

Mhairi wrote: "Two to add! Calendar Of Love by George Mackay Brown and The Skeleton Road by Val McDermid. Very different books, but both worth checking..."

Good job, Mhairi! I need to get moving I'm only at 11, yikes! I signed up for 25.

Stephanie wrote: "Woo hoo! My eighth book finished - the wonderful The People's Act of Love by James Meek.

I've put my five star review up on my blog:
http://stephjb.blogspot.co.uk/2015..."

Thanks, Stephanie! I love it too! Glad your enjoying it.