The BCF Book Club - Part 4

[Hayley]

Well October is imminent, which means it's time for our final group read of the year! (Apologies that our suggestions for this one are coming a little late!)

 

As a reminder, or for those who haven't participated before:
‘Throughout 2023, the BCF Book Club will be in session! We will vote on categories four times per year (January-March, April-June, July-September, October-December) and participants will choose a book from that category. This means that we might not all be reading the same book, but we will all be reading from the same category.'

 

So please throw your suggestions for our October-December group theme into the thread below!

[Hayley]

My suggestion:

 

I really struggled to think of a potential theme for this one, but based on the success of our 'Victober' reading group last year, I would like to propose The Victorian as our final theme of the year. 

 

As with Victober, the books could be from the Victorian era or modern books with Victorian connections. There are plenty of spooky options for Halloween and Christmas books for December! 

 

[lunababymoonchild]

A brilliant suggestion, Hayley! 
 

I'll have a wee think and see if there's anything I can suggest but I do second The Victorian.

[lunababymoonchild]

How about History?

[lunababymoonchild]

or Science Fiction/Fantasy?

[Madeleine]

I'd love to go for the Victober/Halloween theme, and for once I know exactly what I want to read!

[Hayley]

20 hours ago, lunababymoonchild said:

How about History?

It would be fun to do a history one and see which era everyone chooses!

 

As it has two seconds though, are we all happy to proceed with the Victorian theme for this one? 

4 hours ago, Madeleine said:

I'd love to go for the Victober/Halloween theme, and for once I know exactly what I want to read!

I really want to know what it is!

 

 

Please get any objections in by tomorrow because it will be October 1st .

[lunababymoonchild]

Victorian it is

[Madeleine]

The next in the Frey and McGray series, "The Darker Arts", after last year's disappointment with Shadowplay I think I'm on safer ground with this one, plus it ticks all the boxes,maybe even Science Fiction/Fantasy too? But definitely Victorian!

[Hayley]

17 hours ago, Madeleine said:

The next in the Frey and McGray series, "The Darker Arts", after last year's disappointment with Shadowplay I think I'm on safer ground with this one, plus it ticks all the boxes,maybe even Science Fiction/Fantasy too? But definitely Victorian!

Oooooh yes! You’ll love it, I think. I literally couldn’t put it down for the last few chapters. It has the most tension of the series so far!

 

Ok, Victorian it is! 
 

I can actually cross-over with my previous challenge book, as Treasure Island was published in the 1880s 😄 but I’ll search my shelves for my next challenge read! 

[lunababymoonchild]

52 minutes ago, Hayley said:

I can actually cross-over with my previous challenge book, as Treasure Island was published in the 1880s 😄 but I’ll search my shelves for my next challenge read! 

I read De Profundis yesterday, which applies! I'm sure that I have more than enough to cover the three months but that won't stop me buying some 😏

[Madeleine]

2 hours ago, Hayley said:

Oooooh yes! You’ll love it, I think. I literally couldn’t put it down for the last few chapters. It has the most tension of the series so far!

 

 

Ooer, I thought the last one was tense enough!

[Chrissy]

On 10/1/2023 at 2:39 PM, Hayley said:

I can actually cross-over with my previous challenge book, as Treasure Island was published in the 1880s 😄 but I’ll search my shelves for my next challenge read! 

 

Yippee! I can extend my 'Sea' challenge into 'Victorian' with Treasure Island. When I finally find the headspace to read more than an E Mail that is! 😉

 

 

[~Andrea~]

Ooh Victorian Era sounds great. I would recommend anything by John Harwood for spooky Victorian gothic suspense. I've loved all 3 of his books so far.

 

I was thinking of reading something spooky for the end of the year, so I will have to think of something with a Victorian twist.

[lunababymoonchild]

My tentative plan, for it's only rolling around in my mind so far, is :

 

I'll grapple with Nietszche (lived during the Victorian era, so a connection if a little tentative)

 

I have 2 different versions of A Picture of Dorian Gray (The Original 1890 Uncensored Edition and The Expanded and Revised 1891 Edition) both by Oscar Wilde that I thought I'd read. I have read it before but such a long time ago I think that it's worth reading again and I do like an uncensored version.

 

As for poetry, well I have The Penguin Book of Victorian Verse. Than should keep me occupied for a while!

 

All subject to change, of course. 😉

[Madeleine]

Dorian Gray is pretty short, so maybe you could read both versions!

[lunababymoonchild]

55 minutes ago, Madeleine said:

Dorian Gray is pretty short, so maybe you could read both versions!

I might just! 😁

[Hayley]

Well I told myself I wasn’t going to buy any more books this year (we’re supposed to be saving money ahead of Christmas and a planned trip in the new year) but one of my favourite indie’s posted about having a bad day (as two people had cancelled orders, putting them at minus profit) which made me sad. And I was already sad, so I decided to buy books to help both situations… so, for the group read, I got: 

The Tumbling Girl by Bridget Walsh 

and

The Turnglass by Gareth Rubin. 
The latter especially was a book I really wanted as soon as I saw it being announced!

 

My sister also surprised me with a book that will fit the challenge (and which I’ve had on my wish list for ages!) - The Mad Women’s  Ball by Victoria Mas. 
 

As a lot of you know, I’m very into Victorian things, so I do tend to buy any books I see in charity shops that have Victorian settings. Which leads me to this confession… these are the books I took from my shelf that would fit the challenge. They don’t include my ‘for work’ books (I keep them on a different shelf), so there aren’t many actual Victorian novels. It did make me feel quite guilty for buying more 🙈.

 

[Brian.]

11 hours ago, Hayley said:

Well I told myself I wasn’t going to buy any more books this year (we’re supposed to be saving money ahead of Christmas and a planned trip in the new year) but one of my favourite indie’s posted about having a bad day (as two people had cancelled orders, putting them at minus profit) which made me sad. And I was already sad, so I decided to buy books to help both situations… so, for the group read, I got: 

The Tumbling Girl by Bridget Walsh 

and

The Turnglass by Gareth Rubin. 
The latter especially was a book I really wanted as soon as I saw it being announced!

 

My sister also surprised me with a book that will fit the challenge (and which I’ve had on my wish list for ages!) - The Mad Women’s  Ball by Victoria Mas. 
 

As a lot of you know, I’m very into Victorian things, so I do tend to buy any books I see in charity shops that have Victorian settings. Which leads me to this confession… these are the books I took from my shelf that would fit the challenge. They don’t include my ‘for work’ books (I keep them on a different shelf), so there aren’t many actual Victorian novels. It did make me feel quite guilty for buying more 🙈.

 

 

 

Nice haul. Whenever I feel a bit guilty about buying books I always rationalise it in my head by considering how much entertainment time I get for the money. Its not like-for-like, but if I go to the cinema to watch a movie I get a few hours entertainment whereas a book costing the same will keep me occupied for many many more hours. That is how I justify it anyway 😁

[lunababymoonchild]

11 hours ago, Hayley said:

Well I told myself I wasn’t going to buy any more books this year (we’re supposed to be saving money ahead of Christmas and a planned trip in the new year) but one of my favourite indie’s posted about having a bad day (as two people had cancelled orders, putting them at minus profit) which made me sad. And I was already sad, so I decided to buy books to help both situations… so, for the group read, I got: 

The Tumbling Girl by Bridget Walsh 

and

The Turnglass by Gareth Rubin. 
The latter especially was a book I really wanted as soon as I saw it being announced!

 

My sister also surprised me with a book that will fit the challenge (and which I’ve had on my wish list for ages!) - The Mad Women’s  Ball by Victoria Mas. 
 

As a lot of you know, I’m very into Victorian things, so I do tend to buy any books I see in charity shops that have Victorian settings. Which leads me to this confession… these are the books I took from my shelf that would fit the challenge. They don’t include my ‘for work’ books (I keep them on a different shelf), so there aren’t many actual Victorian novels. It did make me feel quite guilty for buying more 🙈.

Well, first of all can I help with you being sad? Secondly never feel guilty about buying books, they are good for you and that's a proven fact. The only trouble I have now is the space to put them because the TBR went out of control years ago. And I have just managed to find some space…………Also I think that there are certain books that just need to be read on paper, my current Krasznahorkai for example. 

Edited October 13, 2023 by lunababymoonchild

[France]

I don't have a Sky subscription or anything like it, I don't buy designer clothes or handbags - most of my stuff comes from Vinted, and unlike most of my fellow guides I don't buy endless cups of coffee and take sandwiches with me  when lunch isn't provided. I reckon that covers my absolutely non-guilty pleasures of buying books and nice knitting wool.

[lunababymoonchild]

45 minutes ago, France said:

I don't have a Sky subscription or anything like it, I don't buy designer clothes or handbags - most of my stuff comes from Vinted, and unlike most of my fellow guides I don't buy endless cups of coffee and take sandwiches with me  when lunch isn't provided. I reckon that covers my absolutely non-guilty pleasures of buying books and nice knitting wool.

I'd say so.

[Hayley]

On 10/13/2023 at 8:43 AM, Brian. said:

Whenever I feel a bit guilty about buying books I always rationalise it in my head by considering how much entertainment time I get for the money.

That is very true. There are many hours of joy from just a couple of books  

 

On 10/13/2023 at 8:54 AM, lunababymoonchild said:

Well, first of all can I help with you being sad? Secondly never feel guilty about buying books, they are good for you and that's a proven fact.

That is so lovely of you. You all help me not to be sad by being here and talking about books with me 😄❤️

 

On 10/13/2023 at 10:03 AM, France said:

most of my stuff comes from Vinted

Another good point. I very rarely spend money on anything but books. Speaking of Vinted has just given me a thought for another thread… 

[lunababymoonchild]

I have started Lynn Shepherd's The London Vampire, being in a Victorian, Gothic, vampire kind of mood. It's marvellous!

Edited November 1, 2023 by lunababymoonchild

[Hayley]

On 11/1/2023 at 3:14 PM, lunababymoonchild said:

I have started Lynn Shepherd's The London Vampire, being in a Victorian, Gothic, vampire kind of mood. It's marvellous!

I just looked this up and it sounds good! It has hardly any reviews, weirdly.