Reading through the R&J book-club synopses it seems Sister is the best of what appears to be a selection or awful thrillers or romance novels. Can I voice my concerns that the DS book club is already going down the route of being dictated to by minor celebrities foisting their literary choices for a quick buck?
I think this is a great way of doing it and I was about to post something similar.
In regards to what books we choose, maybe we could all put our names down in a list and one FM is chosen at random to make the decision each month? "Random" being someone drawing the names from a hat.
It'd probably be more accessible and organised to create a new thread for each book; this way, new forum members won't be intimidated or put-off by one big, long thread but can easily join in or read discussions for each book on their own.
Maybe each thread could be titled "DS Book Club - Book #X - "Insert Title Here" by A. Author" and we could keep the admin-related decisions (choosing books etc) on this thread.
This way, we get to read a variety of different authors, genres etc as the books are chosen by one different individual rather than a majority vote which may always swing the same way.
And the first thread would most probably be called DS Book Club - Book 1 - "Sister" by Rosamund Lupton
Reading through the R&J book-club synopses it seems Sister is the best of what appears to be a selection or awful thrillers or romance novels. Can I voice my concerns that the DS book club is already going down the route of being dictated to by minor celebrities foisting their literary choices for a quick buck?
Normally i would agree with you, but as i found The Snowman on the Waterstones website i didnt even know it was on the R+J Book club, i picked it as my choice because it sounded good , and was only £3 something! . maby i missread but i thought we were all supposed to nominate a book ! i didnt realise we were only choosing between 2 !:)
In the future, rather than having a standard vote between two, could we possibly follow something similar to what I suggested here?
This way, we get to read a variety of different authors, genres etc as the books are chosen by one different individual rather than a majority vote which may always swing the same way.
And the first thread would most probably be called DS Book Club - Book 1 - "Sister" by Rosamund Lupton
That is exactly what I said, this somehow became a vote between two books seemingly chosen at random whilst I was at work.
I'm glad that this Book Club has an overlap with the R+J book club, although I think it will only be temporary ; as I have just realised most of my favourite books come from their book club and was interested in reading a few of their new Book Club books.
As far as I know it's not a vote between two. Nobody else has nominated a third title yet.
If someone does and it looks good I'm prepared to change my vote before the final deadline.
I'm not sure when the deadline is. If the reading commences at the start of October and we are trying to allow about a week before it commences then it is likely to be the end of this week I would imagine.
Reading through the R&J book-club synopses it seems Sister is the best of what appears to be a selection or awful thrillers or romance novels. Can I voice my concerns that the DS book club is already going down the route of being dictated to by minor celebrities foisting their literary choices for a quick buck?
That would be down to me not R&J.:p
I saw that WHSmiths have their books on BOGOF. I'm not sure if Amazon etc do or not.
What I thought was IF the chosen book does come from this promotion it means people get a freebie book regardless of whether that one also gets used in the DS Book Club.
I like freebies. Freebies are good!
Yesterday I bought 4 books from the promotion getting two freebies. Add that with an 20% off and it was 4 books for £11.99 or £3 a book. Happy days!
I like the sound of both Sister and The Snowman as they are the kind of books I often read.
However, as a couple of people have already said, having a vote each month doesn't seem a fair way of doing it. The vote will most likey swing towards the same genre every time –*not everyone likes those kind of books but because they may be in the minority their voice will not be heard.
We could have one of those 2 books for the first book, but after that we should do as someone else suggested. Perhaps the OP could copy and paste each member's name onto a document, then each month they can pick someone to choose a book – or if everyone wants a poll, then maybe whoever's turn it is could pick 3 or 4 books and then everyone else picks which one they want out of those choices.
The Snowman is part of a series so I'm not sure it would be good to choose that one as a first book, unless everyone has read all the other Jo Nesbo's as they are best read in chronological order.
Sister is not the type of book I would normally read, therefore would be very happy to give it a go - the point of a bookclub is to read a wide range of books not just your favourite genre, and also to get others to read those things that you like.
I agree with those that say each member should take it in turns to nominate 3 books, then other members vote in 1 of the 3. We could do that in alphabetical order.
For books that are part of a series though, perhaps the rec should always be for the first one. So in this case perhaps it should be a choice between Sister and The Redbreast (1st in the Harry Hole series rather than Snowman which is no 5!) ??
Edit to add: I'm a bit anal about reading series in order.
I like the sound of both Sister and The Snowman as they are the kind of books I often read.
However, as a couple of people have already said, having a vote each month doesn't seem a fair way of doing it. The vote will most likey swing towards the same genre every time –*not everyone likes those kind of books but because they may be in the minority their voice will not be heard.
We could have one of those 2 books for the first book, but after that we should do as someone else suggested. Perhaps the OP could copy and paste each member's name onto a document, then each month they can pick someone to choose a book – or if everyone wants a poll, then maybe whoever's turn it is could pick 3 or 4 books and then everyone else picks which one they want out of those choices.
Changing the genre is easy enough if all suggestions have to be from the same genre each month.
October - Crime/Thriller
November - Historical
December - Classic (Pre-1900)
January - Western
Changing the genre is easy enough if all suggestions have to be from the same genre each month.
October - Crime/Thriller
November - Historical
December - Classic (Pre-1900)
January - Western
and so forth.
Yeah, that idea would work well too. I just think that some members would get bored quickly if they had to read a genre they wern't interested in every month.
The Snowman is part of a series so I'm not sure it would be good to choose that one as a first book, unless everyone has read all the other Jo Nesbo's as they are best read in chronological order.
Sister is not the type of book I would normally read, therefore would be very happy to give it a go - the point of a bookclub is to read a wide range of books not just your favourite genre, and also to get others to read those things that you like.
I agree with those that say each member should take it in turns to nominate 3 books, then other members vote in 1 of the 3. We could do that in alphabetical order.
For books that are part of a series though, perhaps the rec should always be for the first one. So in this case perhaps it should be a choice between Sister and The Redbreast (1st in the Harry Hole series rather than Snowman which is no 5!) ??
Edit to add: I'm a bit anal about reading series in order.
Haha it does make sense – although sometimes it's not always easy. Look at James Patterson and the Alex Cross series – there are loads of them. They're probably the only series of books that I read randomly, although I wish I hadn't. I remember reading one in which Alex Cross's pregnant girlfriend just vanished. But because I had read the following books I already know what had happened to her.
Haha it does make sense – although sometimes it's not always easy. Look at James Patterson and the Alex Cross series – there are loads of them. They're probably the only series of books that I read randomly, although I wish I hadn't. I remember reading one in which Alex Cross's pregnant girlfriend just vanished. But because I had read the following books I already know what had happened to her.
Out of interest, what DID happen to her (better post in spoilers) The one where she disappeared is the last one I read. Gave up on James Patterson yonks ago when I realised he was just a money making factory. You know he doesnt actually write books himself these days, just puts his name to them, which is why its always his name and another name on them.
I think he still does the Cross ones but thats about it.
Hey, I'd like to join. I've not heard of any of the books being voted for. However, I'd be willing to read whatever. If someone could drop me a pm of the book and I could get it from the library.
That would be down to me not R&J.:p
I saw that WHSmiths have their books on BOGOF. I'm not sure if Amazon etc do or not.
What I thought was IF the chosen book does come from this promotion it means people get a freebie book regardless of whether that one also gets used in the DS Book Club.
I like freebies. Freebies are good!
Yesterday I bought 4 books from the promotion getting two freebies. Add that with an 20% off and it was 4 books for £11.99 or £3 a book. Happy days!
there was a time i used to come back from the library and quite unwittingly i found that at least one of the books i'd picked was a richard and judy book club book!:eek::eek:
i've read a couple of their 'endorsed' books, not bad at all
i like to read a variety of literature so i welcome most books into my repertoire
the only author i'm not keen on is martina cole, too much swearing:mad:
That would be down to me not R&J.:p
I saw that WHSmiths have their books on BOGOF. I'm not sure if Amazon etc do or not.
What I thought was IF the chosen book does come from this promotion it means people get a freebie book regardless of whether that one also gets used in the DS Book Club.
I like freebies. Freebies are good!
Yesterday I bought 4 books from the promotion getting two freebies. Add that with an 20% off and it was 4 books for £11.99 or £3 a book. Happy days!
there was a time i used to come back from the library and quite unwittingly i found that at least one of the books i'd picked was a richard and judy book club book!:eek::eek:
Out of interest, what DID happen to her (better post in spoilers) The one where she disappeared is the last one I read. Gave up on James Patterson yonks ago when I realised he was just a money making factory. You know he doesnt actually write books himself these days, just puts his name to them, which is why its always his name and another name on them.
I think he still does the Cross ones but thats about it.
She was kidnapped for a whole year by a psychopath who Alex Cross had had dealings with. During her kidnapping she gave birth to a little boy. But in another book she had left leaving Alex with the baby.
Comments
The Snowman - 1
Reading through the R&J book-club synopses it seems Sister is the best of what appears to be a selection or awful thrillers or romance novels. Can I voice my concerns that the DS book club is already going down the route of being dictated to by minor celebrities foisting their literary choices for a quick buck?
The Snowman - 1
In the future, rather than having a standard vote between two, could we possibly follow something similar to what I suggested here?
This way, we get to read a variety of different authors, genres etc as the books are chosen by one different individual rather than a majority vote which may always swing the same way.
And the first thread would most probably be called DS Book Club - Book 1 - "Sister" by Rosamund Lupton
Normally i would agree with you, but as i found The Snowman on the Waterstones website i didnt even know it was on the R+J Book club, i picked it as my choice because it sounded good , and was only £3 something!
That is exactly what I said, this somehow became a vote between two books seemingly chosen at random whilst I was at work.
Snowman-2
I'm glad that this Book Club has an overlap with the R+J book club, although I think it will only be temporary
Sister - 5
Snowman - 3
If someone does and it looks good I'm prepared to change my vote before the final deadline.
I'm not sure when the deadline is. If the reading commences at the start of October and we are trying to allow about a week before it commences then it is likely to be the end of this week I would imagine.
That would be down to me not R&J.:p
I saw that WHSmiths have their books on BOGOF. I'm not sure if Amazon etc do or not.
What I thought was IF the chosen book does come from this promotion it means people get a freebie book regardless of whether that one also gets used in the DS Book Club.
I like freebies. Freebies are good!
Yesterday I bought 4 books from the promotion getting two freebies. Add that with an 20% off and it was 4 books for £11.99 or £3 a book. Happy days!
However, as a couple of people have already said, having a vote each month doesn't seem a fair way of doing it. The vote will most likey swing towards the same genre every time –*not everyone likes those kind of books but because they may be in the minority their voice will not be heard.
We could have one of those 2 books for the first book, but after that we should do as someone else suggested. Perhaps the OP could copy and paste each member's name onto a document, then each month they can pick someone to choose a book – or if everyone wants a poll, then maybe whoever's turn it is could pick 3 or 4 books and then everyone else picks which one they want out of those choices.
Sister is not the type of book I would normally read, therefore would be very happy to give it a go - the point of a bookclub is to read a wide range of books not just your favourite genre, and also to get others to read those things that you like.
I agree with those that say each member should take it in turns to nominate 3 books, then other members vote in 1 of the 3. We could do that in alphabetical order.
For books that are part of a series though, perhaps the rec should always be for the first one. So in this case perhaps it should be a choice between Sister and The Redbreast (1st in the Harry Hole series rather than Snowman which is no 5!) ??
Edit to add: I'm a bit anal about reading series in order.
Changing the genre is easy enough if all suggestions have to be from the same genre each month.
October - Crime/Thriller
November - Historical
December - Classic (Pre-1900)
January - Western
and so forth.
Yeah, that idea would work well too. I just think that some members would get bored quickly if they had to read a genre they wern't interested in every month.
Haha it does make sense – although sometimes it's not always easy. Look at James Patterson and the Alex Cross series – there are loads of them. They're probably the only series of books that I read randomly, although I wish I hadn't. I remember reading one in which Alex Cross's pregnant girlfriend just vanished. But because I had read the following books I already know what had happened to her.
Out of interest, what DID happen to her (better post in spoilers) The one where she disappeared is the last one I read. Gave up on James Patterson yonks ago when I realised he was just a money making factory. You know he doesnt actually write books himself these days, just puts his name to them, which is why its always his name and another name on them.
I think he still does the Cross ones but thats about it.
http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/products/rosamund+lupton/sister/7151607/
there was a time i used to come back from the library and quite unwittingly i found that at least one of the books i'd picked was a richard and judy book club book!:eek::eek:
i've read a couple of their 'endorsed' books, not bad at all
i like to read a variety of literature so i welcome most books into my repertoire
the only author i'm not keen on is martina cole, too much swearing:mad:
there was a time i used to come back from the library and quite unwittingly i found that at least one of the books i'd picked was a richard and judy book club book!:eek::eek:
That may now be the best option. I think the BOGOF offer at WHSmiths may have ended yesterday.
So are we definitely going with Sister then? If so I'll get it ordered from Amazon.