BCF Book Club 2024 - Part 2

[Hayley]

April is nearly here! Which means we need to make a speedy decision about our next group read theme.

 

Please post your suggestions in the comments below!

 

I am going to suggest the runner-up from our last group read - Folklore and Mythology.

 

As always, those joining in can read any book which connects to the theme! For this one, maybe you could read some classic mythology, a modern twist on something (like Pandora, Medusa or Circe), a fantasy book featuring folkloric creatures, or a book with ‘myth’ in the title - like Adulthood is a Myth by Sarah Anderson 😄. 

[Madeleine]

sounds good,will think of something!

[lunababymoonchild]

Sounds good to me, I have plenty that I can read on this topic!

[lunababymoonchild]

I have started : Witchcraft and Witchraft Trials in Orkney and Shetland (I had family in Orkney when I was growing up who never mentionied this!), I don't know if that counts as folklore and mythology but it's only 96 pages long so I'm reading it anyway, and Celtic Mythology, which is helping with the Tuatha De Danaan, mentioned in Shauna Lawless's Gael series set in Ireland in the first millenium. 

[lunababymoonchild]

Have given up on The Witchcraft Trials in Orkney and Shetland for now. It's full of 17th century language and I just don't have the energy to pursue this. I may do later on. 

[Hayley]

On 4/4/2024 at 9:17 PM, lunababymoonchild said:

Witchcraft and Witchraft Trials in Orkney and Shetland (I had family in Orkney when I was growing up who never mentionied this!)

That sounds interesting! I don’t know anything about those either but always found witch belief and persecution really interesting. I do think witch-related things count as folklore too 😄

 

I haven’t started my first challenge read yet (I’m aiming to finish a book my sister lent to me, but finding it hard to get past the first bit! I may potentially give up on it, but I know there’s a something in it later which should appeal to me more!). When I do start this one, I think I’m going to go for Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirrlees or Fearsome Fairies: Haunting Tales of the Fae (one of the British Library collections!). 

[lunababymoonchild]

On 4/7/2024 at 10:27 PM, Hayley said:

That sounds interesting! I don’t know anything about those either but always found witch belief and persecution really interesting. I do think witch-related things count as folklore too 😄

I parked that book as it contained old english which was difficult to decipher. I don't mind struggling usually couldn't be bothered a this time. I'll go back to it eventually.

 

On 4/7/2024 at 10:27 PM, Hayley said:

I haven’t started my first challenge read yet (I’m aiming to finish a book my sister lent to me, but finding it hard to get past the first bit! I may potentially give up on it, but I know there’s a something in it later which should appeal to me more!). When I do start this one, I think I’m going to go for Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirrlees or Fearsome Fairies: Haunting Tales of the Fae (one of the British Library collections!). 

I love the British Library series so will look this up.

 

Currently reading a book my friend recommended ("Read this now!") A Witch in Time, Constance Sayers - so I'm glad that witches are included in this category!

[lunababymoonchild]

On 4/7/2024 at 10:27 PM, Hayley said:

Fearsome Fairies: Haunting Tales of the Fae (one of the British Library collections!). 

Only available in Hardback! 

[Madeleine]

Still trying to decide on mine, possible the current Barbara Erskine book "The Dream Weavers".

 

I've now decided on my choice, it's "The Mermaid's Call" by Katherine Stansfield.

Edited April 11, 2024 by Madeleine

[lunababymoonchild]

I just wanted to point out that all of the Shauna Lawless Gael Series books fit into this category as does The Hounds of York by Arden Powell - there is a small amount of homosexuality in this should anybody need to know. Having read them before the category opened up I'll be choosing different books.

[lunababymoonchild]

Thanks to the friend who recommended A Witch in Time by Constance Sayers to me ("read this now!" is how she put it, and I did) and her fascination with vampires I thought that I'd read Salem's Lot by Stephen King for my next read in this category (quickly turning into my favourite so far). Not read King in a while and I remember the film, which looking back on it I was too young to watch, starring David Soul. My best friend at the time wanted to see it because of Soul and I'm pretty sure her parents would not allow her to watch it in their home - in those days there was no video recording or Sky TV, you had to sit and watch as it broadcast - and they were right, it scared the livin' daylights out of the both of us. Which did not stop us watching it again, I'm sure.

[lunababymoonchild]

Currently reading 'Salem's Lot, Stephen King

[France]

1 hour ago, lunababymoonchild said:

Currently reading 'Salem's Lot, Stephen King

I think that's probably the best vampire story I've ever read and I've read quite a few.

[lunababymoonchild]

14 minutes ago, France said:

I think that's probably the best vampire story I've ever read and I've read quite a few.

It's been a while since I read any Stephen King but I'm enjoying it so far. Saw the film (1979!) and it scared me stiff!

[lunababymoonchild]

Currently reading Wolf Blood by Steve Morris, it's about werewolves and there are 6 books in the series altogether. Only on chapter 4 so far but it's great and a friend of mine has read all 6 of them and loved them. 

[lunababymoonchild]

I have sooooooo many in this category that I want to read, not all of them are horror!

[Hayley]

On 5/16/2024 at 1:35 PM, lunababymoonchild said:

I have sooooooo many in this category that I want to read, not all of them are horror!

Same here!! 
 

I actually decided to go for The Watkins Book of English Folktales by Neil Philip. It’s such a beautiful book and has explanations of the origin of folktales, how they were recorded and who by, as well as details of how they connect to other stories (giving clues as to how they might have developed). I haven’t had much reading time recently (it exam season and I’ve been especially busy this year) but this book is great to just dip into. 
 

On 4/21/2024 at 5:04 PM, France said:

I think that's probably the best vampire story I've ever read and I've read quite a few.

That makes me want to read it too. Although I have heard of Salem’s Lot, I will admit that I didn’t even know it was a vampire story! 

[lunababymoonchild]

3 hours ago, Hayley said:

That makes me want to read it too. Although I have heard of Salem’s Lot, I will admit that I didn’t even know it was a vampire story! 

I saw the film and it took me a while to realise that it was a vampire story. It's very good.

[Hayley]

9 hours ago, lunababymoonchild said:

I saw the film and it took me a while to realise that it was a vampire story. It's very good.

Oh that is intriguing!

[lunababymoonchild]

Currently reading The Little Book of World Mythology: A Pocket Guide to Myths and Legends by Hannah Bowstead. It’s a factual book of world myths and very good so far

[niko]

1 hour ago, lunababymoonchild said:

Currently reading The Little Book of World Mythology: A Pocket Guide to Myths and Legends by Hannah Bowstead. It’s a factual book of world myths and very good so far

I'm really intrigued by the research in this book. I'm eagerly looking forward to reading it and learning more about world mythology.

[lunababymoonchild]

It's very informal and deals with the myths in general as opposed to in detail.  It's also only 105 pages long but very entertaining.

[Hayley]

On 6/8/2024 at 4:19 PM, lunababymoonchild said:

It's very informal and deals with the myths in general as opposed to in detail.  It's also only 105 pages long but very entertaining.

I love reading myths from different parts of the world! So interesting when you get crossovers in the stories with small changes 😄

 

I’m still working my way through Watkins’ fairytales (there are a lot!) but also started Fairy Tale by Stephen King!

[niko]

On 6/8/2024 at 10:19 AM, lunababymoonchild said:

It's very informal and deals with the myths in general as opposed to in detail.  It's also only 105 pages long but very entertaining.

Awesome, I'm getting started right away then! Usually, mythology books are really long