Suggestions for the first book of a new Book Club?

[Flubba]

Hi, I'm about to start a book club with other mums from our children's class and was looking for some inspiration for our first book. I don't know the other mums' interests so we're a bit of a blank page really.
Thank you.

Are we nearly there yet? Ben Hatch

Before info to sleep SJ Watson

Would be my recommendations

Before I Go to Sleep

We did this recently: for the first meeting everybody brought along two books they had enjoyed and a suggestion for something they wanted to read and we took it from there.

Into The Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes

Before I Go To Sleep by SJ Watson (who is, I was amazed to learn, is a bloke!)

I didn't know that!! Yes Into the Darkest Corner is also very good.

I've also read a very good crime one called Now You See Me by SJ Bolton. I enjoyed it so much I wrote an email to the author (and got a reply )

Maybe have a look at the Richard & Judy bookclub list - there's some good ones on there, inc Before I Go To Sleep (which I'm currently reading), My Dear I Wanted to Tell You by Louisa Young (set during WW1).

Also, you could have a look at the booklist for the More4 TV Book Club - interestingly Before I Go To Sleep is one of their choices too. A lot of people have really liked The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt, which I've got on my kindle to read. Another vote for Into The Darkest Corner - I've just bought that one to read too - looks really good.

Forgot to mention The Paris Wife by Paula McLain - I've just finished reading that and loved it. That one could lead to discussions of/further reading of the novels of Ernest Hemingway, and F Scott Fitzgerald amongst others which are mentioned in the novel.

My book group has been running for eight years now and this is the best book we have read.

There is so much to discuss afterwards, especially if you are a group of mums, the characters are written incredibly well and it's the book that all seven of us still rate as the best book we have read, and if you bear in mind that we have read over a hundred that's pretty good going. We might have read books that were better stories or better written but as a page turning book that promoted discussion this one can't be beaten.

Thank you for all your suggestions. I'll certainly put some of them forward (especially Before You Were Sleeping and The Soldier's Return), and I also like the idea of each bringing in a book we've read and taking it from there.

The Help? My book group loved this and it created a lot of discussion, which is rare............

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Room by Emma Donoghue

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom

The Shack by Wm Paul Young

These have all been popular ones with my book club and all prompted big discussions.

ooh yes, I loved A Thousand Splendid Suns.

I've barely read any books since DCs came along so am really looking forward to 'making' myself read again for pleasure.

How to tell when you're tired by Reg Theriault. Its outline is a brief examination of work. But for me it is more of an exploration of life/ balance/ priorities.

The Help, Tiger Hills and A Sense of an Ending have all been popular.

Agree that taking along the Richard & Judy list or a book you've enjoyed is a good idea. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes is on the R&J list and it is very good.

I can't recommend Me Before You (Jojo Moyes) highly enough. I've just finished it, and have not been so involved in and touched by the characters of a book for a very long time. Your book group will need a large supply of tissues!

Have you decided yet Flubba?

I saw Me Before You Go on amazon theliverpoolone but thought it looked a bit chick-lit? Am I wrong because I really liked the sound of the story?

Our book club is doing it too moon and I had the same reservations but no, its not too chick lit at all. In fact one of my friends only reads chick lit and I warned her off it. Thought that the cover might appeal but know the story wouldn't be for her.

Meeting with the others tomorrow evening, so will go armed with suggestions. I'll let you know what we decide... :)

Have a lovely time .

Thats interesting Jilted, might have another look!

If you've got a Kindle or a kindle app you could always download the first 5% for free to see if you like it. I'm sure you'll be hooked .

Moon - please read it, it's not what you'd think of as chick-lit. It might seem, initially, that it's going to be quite "light" but it's one of the most powerful books I've read.

We've gone for The Secret Life of Bees as was a suggestion by the person who first thought of doing the book club.

I'll keep the suggestions here for my turn, which is in two books' time! Thanks again.

The one book we all agreed on in the 2 years I've been going to my Book Club was The Memory Keepers Daughter. We loved it.

We also enjoyed Nothing To Envy about life in North Korea - very different from our usual choices but really pleased I read it.

Currently reading A Fine Balance which is excellent too.