UK Book Club discussion

If you’re fed up with the mention of COVID, elections, dark evenings and missed social events then this could be just the ticket: As we enter a second lockdown I thought maybe we could do a collective group challenge that would take us away from all this!

So here’s goes: All you need to do is read a book between now and 2nd December End of lockdown which takes you away from home.
We need a change of scenery, a feel good book, maybe by a favourite author. Any genre goes (except perhaps plague fiction!) It could be Sci-Fi or Fantasy taking you places like Mars or DiscWorld. It could be more of a Summer holiday read or anything in between. And if you’re in the middle of the Around the World in 80 Books Challenge you could tick off another country or get ideas for future reads.

Please post below where your book takes you and how it’s helped you escape from reality!
I’ll keep a list in this opening post of the destinations so we can see how far and wide we’ve spread.
Happy Reading Everyone!


UK North Yorkshire A Yorkshire Vet Through the Seasons by Julian Norton (Desley, message 8)
West Yorkshire - Haworth The Little Teashop of Lost and Found by Trisha Ashley (Lynne, message 21)
Northumberland Paw Tracks in the Moonlight by Denis O'Connor (Kate, message 29)
London Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith (Karen, message 22)
Sussex The Burning Girls by C.J. Tudor (Donna, message 46)
Devon It's a Vet's Life by Cathy Woodman (Kate, message 34)
Bristol Hannibal Rising by Thomas Harris (Desley, message 43)
West Country The Evening and the Morning by Ken Follett (Lynne, message 41)
Dorset Moonfleet by John Meade Falkner (Kate, message 44)
France - Burgundy (Bourgogne) Small Village Cemetery Fresh Water for Flowers by Valérie Perrin (Abigail, message 2)
Italy This Magnificent Dappled Sea by David Biro (Lynne, message 21) and Pompeii by Robert Harris (Kate, message 24 and Liz, message 45)
Corfu My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell (Desley, message 26)
Greece The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (Nikks, message 42)
Israel The Jerusalem Puzzle by Laurence O'Bryan (Donna, message 50)
USA - South Carolina The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix (Donna, message 7)
- Pennsylvania & Kentucky The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards (Lynne, message 21)
-MidWest Finders Keepers by Stephen King (Lynne, message 21)
-New York The Charm Bracelet by Melissa Hill (Kate, message 39) Fifty-Fifty by Steve Cavanagh (Kate, message 47)
-Various States NOS4A2 by Joe Hill (Desley, message 49)
Russia - St Petersburg City of Thieves by David Benioff (Liz, message 32)
The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden (Donna, message 37)

At Sea - River of Smoke by Amitav Ghosh (Liz, message 45) Act of Mercy by Peter Tremayne (Kate, message 47)

Discworld - Ankh-Morpork Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett (Karen, message 4)
Sacordia Green Rider by Kristen Britain (Karen, message 12)
Hogwarts Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling (Kate, message 20) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Liz, message 45)

Unknown Location
Lights Out, Full Throttle: The Good the Bad and the Bernie of Formula One by Johnny Herbert (Karen, message 27)
The Demon Club by Scott Mariani (Karen, message 27)

What a lovely idea! I am not under lockdown but am in voluntary quarantine after exposing myself to a couple hundred people on Tuesday (working the polls). I had the same impulse and started a book that fits beautifully into this challenge: Fresh Water for Flowers by Valerie Perrin. It’s translated (extraordinarily well) from French and set in a small village in southern France. In fact, it’s not even set in the village but in a cemetery in a village, where Violette Toussaint is the cemetery keeper. The story is told from so far inside her head that she doesn’t explain much, so understanding unfolds in snippets of revelation—like using the narrative tactics of a thriller to tell a personal story. It’s extraordinarily beautiful, highly recommended. You might not think a story set in a cemetery would be a good thing to read in a pandemic, but as the title implies, this is all about life.

That sounds perfect Abigail! Just what's needed at the moment.
What a beautiful book and an excursion to South France is certainly a change of scenery.

Back in lockdown in the UK, so currently reading Feet of Clay, meaning that Mr Pratchett takes me off to the Disc, on the back of the star turtle, Great A'Tuin.

It's helping to make me laugh and I can visualize myself walking the streets of Ankh-Morpork, and dodging the bits of the Alchemist's Guild that are flying through the air.

You can't beat a Disc World novel for escapism Karen -Good choice!

Great idea, Kate. I think another year at Hogwarts will definitely be on the cards...

I’m escaping lockdown with a trip to a book club in South Carolina via Grady Hendix’s The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires

I'm currently in North Yorkshire (ironic as I'm 3 miles from the West Yorkshire border!), a nice light hearted book A Yorkshire Vet Through the Seasons, I'm forcing myself to read more again in lockdown. This month is non fiction month, not sure I'll have time to read my only non North West UK book, unless I cheat and count it as three books (I bought a trilogy), they are all animal orientated though

That's an intriguing choice Donna. It looks like the kind of thing I'd like. Might have to add it to my ever growing TBR list!

Nice choice Desley but is it far enough from home?! ;)
As I work with animals too I'm a sucker for any animal books. I recently read The World According to Bob: The Further Adventures of One Man and His Street-wise Cat and its high time I cracked on with the James Herriot series.

Liz wrote: "Great idea, Kate. I think another year at Hogwarts will definitely be on the cards..."

I'm at Hogwarts at the moment Liz, I'm reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix which one are you on?
I just can't decide if its far enough from home for me, I think I'd rather leave the UK!

Now left Discworld and am off to Sacordia with Karigan G'Ladheon - the book known as Green Rider...

it's a book I've read before, but good writing never goes stale and it is a book that I can lose myself in for hours.

Probably not! James Herriot is one of my other books

It's The Halfblood Prince, Kate. I'll be starting it once I finish my current read...

Karen wrote: "Now left Discworld and am off to Sacordia with KarIgan G'Ladheon - the book known as Green Rider...

it's a book I've read before, but good writing never goes stale and it is a book that I can lose..."

Its always comforting to do a re-read and that's the sort of thing we need right now. I had to look up the Green Rider series but got sucked in by the synopsis for book 1. Its now been added to my TBR list!

Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "Probably not! James Herriot is one of my other books"

They do make an entertaining read and any kind of escapism is welcome at the moment, even if its only a couple of miles down the road!

Liz wrote: "It's The Halfblood Prince, Kate. I'll be starting it once I finish my current read..."

I think I'll have a break from HP once I finish The Order of the Phoenix. I'm still in Pompeii for our ancient times challenge but that's hardly scenic, its more impending doom than escapism!
I'll have to check my TBR shelves and see if I can find something a bit more uplifting in an inspiring setting...

Kate wrote: "Karen wrote: "Now left Discworld and am off to Sacordia with KarIgan G'Ladheon - the book known as Green Rider...

it's a book I've read before, but good writing never goes stale and it is a book t..."

It's a good series to read. Now onto book 2 First Rider's Call and I can see it being another late night or two...

Well, moved on from Sacordia, and an currently reading the latest in the Strike series by Robert Galbraith (aka JK Rowling). Up to the usual standard - but you certainly have to have read the other books for this to make sense.

Nice choice Karen. Where is it set?
I've got The Silkworm on my TBR pile but its a bit of a chunky book so it keeps getting overlooked! I'm almost finished with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and I'd like to see how her writing differs.

I’ve just finished The Magnificent Dappled Sea: A Novel which took my to Italy, New York, & Prague.
I’ve also been to Howarth with The Little Teashop of Lost and Found, Pittsburg & Lexington with The Memory Keeper's Daughter.
I am currently in the Mid West in the US with Finders Keepers
So although we had to leave the cottage we were staying in at Wells, Somerset at the beginning of November with my best friend, I have done a fare bit of galavanting.

Troubled Blood is set in London, but it does escape to my part of the world (Leamington Spa) and I know the places that are mentioned rather well - including the Roebuck pub in Warwick.

Really good book, and it's caused several late nights and a couple of near late starts for work.

Lynne - The Book Squirrel wrote: "I’ve just finished The Magnificent Dappled Sea: A Novel which took my to Italy, New York, & Prague.
I’ve also been to Howarth with [book:The Little Teashop of Lost and Found|3113203..."

That's a pretty diverse selection Lynne! And so wide spread!

I'm almost done with I've picked up my pace as the eruption got closer. I'm going to have to Google the event now, I'm disappointed there doesn't seem to be a historical note in the book. I think it would have benefited from a bit of context, who's fiction, who's an actual historical figure etc.

So I can tick off Italy although I wouldn't have said it was a relaxing escape!

Just a couple more days left of the official lockdown! However, as we enter the new tiered system and many of us continue living with restrictions I'm happy to continue this lockdown challenge for the next couple of weeks. Let's see if we can clock up a few more destinations before Christmas.
Let us know where your books have taken you and how its helped take your mind off everyday life.

Well, I'm currently in Cyprus with the Durrells - it was a book I wanted to read while on holiday in Jersey, but not meant to be My Family and Other Animals

Thanks Kate, we will be in Tier 3 after the lockdown ends, so apart from the odd thing, it might as well still be lockdown!

Ok - not really travelling as such - more a walk down memory lane. I'm reading , as I like both JH and DH as drivers (not to mention being a total petrol head).

I needed something light after reading the latest Scott Mariani book . Don't get me wrong, it was a riveting read (does help if you've read the rest of the series) but it was somewhat dark.

So, if you're into Motorsport - I can recommend this book( ) as it's light hearted and laugh out loud funny.

Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "Well, I'm currently in Cyprus with the Durrells - it was a book I wanted to read while on holiday in Jersey, but not meant to be My Family and Other Animals

Thanks Kate, we will be in..."

Did you mean Cyprus Desley or Corfu??

I've just finished which was set in the 1960s and took me to the Northumberland countryside.

I meant Corfu Kate, not sure why I said Cyprus! Now I'm in Edinburgh with Rebus

Wow Desley, you are getting about!

I'm in Russia at the moment (City of Thieves) - 1940's Leningrad (St Petersburg) during the siege, is probably not the best holiday destination. I must follow this with something a bit more cheery...

Liz wrote: "It's The Halfblood Prince, Kate. I'll be starting it once I finish my current read..."

Still haven't started it, but I'm looking forward to revisiting the Potterverse over Christmas....

I've just finished which was set in Devon. There are better books out there for Devon though if you're looking for the UK counties challenge.

Well we appear to have quite a variety of books on our list now, and plenty of interesting destinations to take us away from reality!

With the latest announcements about tiers and Christmas I think this challenge will be running for a while yet.
So please keep the destinations coming as you escape from home in the only way we can really travel at the moment - the power of books!

Well, I thought I would be in Edinburgh all month with Rebus, but he's been sent to London in the third one, not likely in the current climate!

Escaping tier 4, in spirit, to the wintery forests of Russia with The Winter of the Witch

Never mind Desley. Books are full of surprises. I picked a few for the 80 books around the world only to find that not enough of the book was set in the right country!

Russia seems a popular destination. Nice choice Donna.

Having been in tier 2 pre-Christmas today my region has entered tier 4. Only to be expected I suppose.
However, I'm now In New York with my current read: The Charm Bracelet

I'm not quite sure where I am! Hannibal Rising

I’ve just finished The Evening and the Morning so I have been in Shiring, Kingsbridge and along the sound west of England.

I thought I'd go to Greece, seems a nicer climate than a Canadian winter lol. Reading The Song of Achilles

I'm in Bristol, but I expected to be in Canada - the book is set in Bristol, the TV series is based in Canada!

Lynne I've settled on West Country for a location for you!
Nikks that is an excellent choice. The Song of Achilles got a worthy 5 stars from me!
Desley - glad you finally worked out where you are! lol

I'm now in Dorset with my classic read Moonfleet

I've taken to the high seas again for River of Smoke and I'm sailing toward 19th century Mauritius and Singapore...

If you're updating the big list, Kate. I joined you in Pompeii and I managed a year at Hogwarts with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince ;)

I’m in Sussex with The Burning Girls by CJ Tudor

Donna The Burning Girls looks intriguing but I see its been shelved as Horror by a few people so I'm not sure now! Let us know how you get on.

Liz - I've put you "At Sea" for now!
I'll join you there as I recently read which was set onboard a boat.
I'm currently reading which is set in New York. Its a thriller. Not my normal kind of read.

Liz - I've put you "At Sea" for now!..."

Yes, Kate, I'm certainly all at sea at the moment ;)

I'm somewhere in America with NOS4A2

Kate wrote: "Donna The Burning Girls looks intriguing but I see its been shelved as Horror by a few people so I'm not sure now! Let us know how you get on.

Kate I finished it last night, really enjoyed it was a 5⭐️ read for me. I personally would class it as a mystery thriller and definitely not horror; don’t get me wrong there are some pretty gruesome moments in the form of the murders but nothing that I would describe as horror. In fact because of the village setting and the way the plot revolves round the people and the historical events of the area (trying not to spoil stuff here so being vague!) I actually found myself being reminded of Midsomer Murders. I would say that there are fairly strong trigger warnings for bullying and childhood abuse though so if that might be something to keep in mind for some people.

Popping over to Jerusalem now for a quick visit via my Kindle and The Jerusalem Puzzle