Need help choosing for Book Club...

[Heidi]

I've read so many books over the last year or so that I'm having a hard time narrowing down to choose one for my Book Club month. If you've read some/most of these, please vote for your favorite. If you haven't read them, please read the bios and vote based on your interest. Thanks so much;)

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

[Kathy]

You sure picked some good books. I would probably pick Night Circus!

[Lynn G.]

I'm in the middle of Night Circus and find it hard to connect with. Perhaps because it is not set in concrete reality.

Really enjoyed Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. I liked the characters, the way that time in history was portrayed.

Cutting for Stone was a really good read; touching on cultures and countries we may not be as familiar with.

Winter Garden was also engaging. Liked the characters and the background story.

I would choose Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.

[Wendy]

I have only read the first three on your list. Really enjoyed them all. I think Night Circus was my favorite, but not sure if it would be the best for book club discussion. Of the other two, I would probably choose Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.

[Shannon]

Good list! I would go with Cutting for Stone.

[Bobbie]

Loved Hotel on the corner of bitter & sweet

[Sue Em]

Definitely a great list of books! I haven't read the Host, but have enjoyed all the others. I would choose Cutting for Stone. I think it's one of the best books I have read in the past 5 years.

[Judy]

really enjoyed Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet - it's a great book for a book club to discuss

[Charlie]

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet was definitely my favorite of the bunch, though I also really liked Cutting for Stone. Both kind of sad, Cutting more so than Hotel - at least that one had a good ending.

[Pat]

My Book Group enjoyed the Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. We also liked Winter Garden. I listened to that one on CD. The Actress was fantastic with the Russian accent.

For the future- One book that has caught the attention of our book group, "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks". Interesting book and very informative on Medical issues. Pretty controversial on several subjects.

"Lace Reader" was also excellent

[Joclyn]

"Hotel on the Cornor of Bitter and Sweet" is a great book club read. My Book Club Group is reading "The Blessing Stone",~ Barbara Wood, this a phenomenal read and a great book for discussion.

[Heidi]

Kathy wrote: "You sure picked some good books. I would probably pick Night Circus!"

Thanks for your reply and vote...After polling my Facebook friends, as well, the book with the most votes was Winter Garden. Although it was tied with Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet until the end.

[Heidi]

Lynn wrote: "I'm in the middle of Night Circus and find it hard to connect with. Perhaps because it is not set in concrete reality.

Really enjoyed Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. I liked the charact..."

Thanks for your reply and vote...After polling my Facebook friends, as well, the book with the most votes was Winter Garden. Although it was tied with Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet until the end.

[Heidi]

Wendy wrote: "I have only read the first three on your list. Really enjoyed them all. I think Night Circus was my favorite, but not sure if it would be the best for book club discussion. Of the other two, I wou..."

Thanks for your reply and vote...After polling my Facebook friends, as well, the book with the most votes was Winter Garden. Although it was tied with Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet until the end.

[Heidi]

Shannon wrote: "Good list! I would go with Cutting for Stone."

Thanks for your reply and vote...After polling my Facebook friends, as well, the book with the most votes was Winter Garden. Although it was tied with Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet until the end.

[Heidi]

Bobbie wrote: "Loved Hotel on the corner of bitter & sweet"

Thanks for your reply and vote...After polling my Facebook friends, as well, the book with the most votes was Winter Garden. Although it was tied with Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet until the end.

[Heidi]

Sue Em wrote: "Definitely a great list of books! I haven't read the Host, but have enjoyed all the others. I would choose Cutting for Stone. I think it's one of the best books I have read in the past 5 years."

Thanks for your reply and vote...After polling my Facebook friends, as well, the book with the most votes was Winter Garden. Although it was tied with Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet until the end.

[Heidi]

Judy wrote: "really enjoyed Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet - it's a great book for a book club to discuss"

Thanks for your reply and vote...After polling my Facebook friends, as well, the book with the most votes was Winter Garden. Although it was tied with Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet until the end.

[Heidi]

Charlie wrote: "Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet was definitely my favorite of the bunch, though I also really liked Cutting for Stone. Both kind of sad, Cutting more so than Hotel - at least that one had a..."

Thanks for your reply and vote...After polling my Facebook friends, as well, the book with the most votes was Winter Garden. Although it was tied with Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet until the end.

[Heidi]

Pat wrote: "My Book Group enjoyed the Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. We also liked Winter Garden. I listened to that one on CD. The Actress was fantastic with the Russian accent.

For the future- On..."

Thanks for your reply and vote...After polling my Facebook friends, as well, the book with the most votes was Winter Garden. Although it was tied with Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet until the end.

I, too, listened to Winter Garden and loved her accent! I've also read Henrietta Lacks and found it to be an excellent read. I'll have to check out Lace Reader...thanks!

[Heidi]

Joclyn wrote: ""Hotel on the Cornor of Bitter and Sweet" is a great book club read. My Book Club Group is reading "The Blessing Stone",~ Barbara Wood, this a phenomenal read and a great book for discussion."

Thanks for your reply and vote...After polling my Facebook friends, as well, the book with the most votes was Winter Garden. Although it was tied with Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet until the end. I'll have to check out The Blessing Stone...thanks so much;)

[Pat]

Hi Heidi, It is very nice to know that our replies are really listened to! Thanks for the return note.
My Group has been together for about 7 or 8 years. We find that we meet about every 4 to 6 weeks. Some of our book choices are so very serious we need something light and maybe even silly for comic relief, if that sounds reasonable. If you ever need some ideas, please let me know. I have found some really great ones in all categories. So many books, so little time. Isn't that the truth? Happy reading!

[Heidi]

Pat wrote: "Hi Heidi, It is very nice to know that our replies are really listened to! Thanks for the return note.
My Group has been together for about 7 or 8 years. We find that we meet about every 4 to 6 wee..."

You're welcome! Wasn't sure how to go about my little personal "poll" but it worked out pretty well! I would love any recommendations you might have. I'm always looking for great reads! "So many books, so little time" is spot on! Thanks again;)

[Kathy]

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet is an excellent read. Lots of grist and good character development. Father son relationships. WWII Japanese interment camps. Cultural explorations, Japanese and Chinese. Easy to pick up, hard to put down.

Cutting for Stone a fantastic character driven journey into fascinating realms of family, culture, medicine as performed by the highly trained and the highly intuitive. Very good discussions and insight. A more challenging but no less rewarding book.

I highly recommend both books. Both were very well received by my book club and still talked about.

[Anne Hawn]

Heidi wrote: "I've read so many books over the last year or so that I'm having a hard time narrowing down to choose one for my Book Club month. If you've read some/most of these, please vote for your favorite. ..."

I liked Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet and thought it would make a good book for a group.

[Anita]

I don't think you would go wrong with either "Hotel..." or "Cutting for Stone." However, I really liked "Night Circus" and woujd personally love to participate in that discussion, if the presenter was really good! The book had so many themes.

[Merrilee]

Terrific list of good books. The only one I am not familiar with is The Host. I will look it up!

Of the books on your list, Cutting for Stone is my favorite. Night Circus was intriguing for its imaginative strangeness. Not sure if it is everyone's cup of tea. The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet was a favorite with my book club.

[Ange]

I like all of the titles above except for Night Circus and The Scent... but my favorite is a tossup between Cutting for Stone and The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. They are both wonderful and would be perfect material for your book club. Actually, I vote for The Hotel on the Corner...