"Me Before You" and "The Waves" will be our Jan. and Feb. Group Reads!

[Sheila , Supporting Chick]

Since December is usually a very busy month for people we will be taking a 1 month break from doing a general group read, but we need to get ready to select some group reads for the New Year!

We will do it again in this thread rather than through nominations and voting polls. The reason for this is so that we can discuss potential books and see if we have enough excitement about a particular one to generate a group read and discussion leader.

With that said is there any book you would like to discuss and/or lead in the upcoming months (January and February)? Share with us the book and maybe what about it makes you want to dive into it. If you're unsure if it's a book from a previous group read just check the bookshelf it has all the books we've read.

If someone else nominates a book you would be willing to read and discuss, chime in and say so.

We can plan on reading and discussing the top two books, one in January and one in February, to give people time to get copies of the books and read them. This is also a good excuse to add books to our Santa wishlists, or to use up those book store gift cards you may receive this holiday season.

Let the discussion begin! :o) What would you like to read and discuss in the New Year?

[Irene]

"Until I Say Good-bye: My Year of Living With Joy" by Susan Spencer Wendel

I came across this book over the summer when I was listening to a news show on my radio one Saturday morning. The author has (I think it is) ALS. During the year she took to write this book, she was limited to movement in her thumbs. Her husband would place her smart phone into her hand, which was paralyzed into a claw perfectly fitted to fit her phone. Then he would leave for work and she wrote her story using the keypad on that phone. She is in her 40s and knows that her body is failing her. But, she wanted to tell her family and friends that life was still good for her, full of joy, and there was no reason for sadness. This is supposed to be her memoire of this past year.

Why do I want to read this...? Because I have so much going for me and I can be so negative. I need to hear the personal story of one who can rejoice in a situation that would cause many to grieve. I need to learn from her.

[Jennifer W]

I'll nominate Lady of the Butterflies by Fiona Mountain

They say I'm mad and perhaps it's true.
It is well known that lust brings madness and desperation and ruin. But upon my oath, I never meant any harm. All I wanted was to be happy, to love and to be loved in return, and for my life to count for something.
That is not madness, is it?

So begins the story of Eleanor Glanville, the beautiful daughter of a seventeenth-century Puritan nobleman whose unconventional passions scandalized society. When butterflies were believed to be the souls of the dead, Eleanor's scientific study of them made her little better than a witch. But her life-set against a backdrop of war, betrayal, and sexual obsession-was that of a woman far ahead of her time.

[Sheila , Supporting Chick]

Link to Irene's nomination:

Until I Say Goodbye: A Book about Living

[Petra]

I'd like to nominate The Waves.

I had started to read this book a couple of years back but got too busy to continue. I've had the intention of restarting it again soon, and "soon" is slipping away.

It's a wonderful story of a group of friends going through life.

I would be happy to lead the discussion if the book were chosen.

[AJCapper]

Hmmm...I'd like to discuss Lee Child and his main character, Jack Reacher. What makes these books so damn popular? I love them, but I'm not sure why. Built around action and violent men, neither of which usually draws me in, they are certainly working magic on me.

[Sheila , Supporting Chick]

Just a friendly reminder: Authors are not allowed to nominate their own books for a group read. Too much chance of conflict.

Thank you.

[Jennifer W]

AJ, I've never read any of the Jack Reacher stories, but oddly enough, I was just looking into them. If we started with #1, I'd happily join in!

[Sheila , Supporting Chick]

Interesting nomination, AJ. I have never read any of these either, but am also curious about the popularity. It looks like this is the first book in the series:

Killing Floor by Lee Child

[AJCapper]

Sheila and Jennifer, I warn you, you'll end up reading them all. You'll fall in love with Jack, even though you usually only like really nice guys.

It's his strong sense of what is right, I think. But I'd love to discuss his first book 'Killing Floor', Sheila, because I seem to remember he wrote this book in the first person POV and then switched to third later in the series. Why? Could start a debate on his reasoning for that move.

It's been a long time since I read the first one, but I'd be more than willing to, if we end up choosing this book.

[Susan]

I love to read series, so I'll likely join in if the 1st Jack Reacher book is chosen. I've wanted to start it anyway! I also like Petra's suggestion.

[Julie]

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

[Irene]

Julie wrote: "Me Before You by Jojo Moyes"

I would join in this discussion because I am curious to find out why it is getting so many incredibly wonderful reviews by most folks here on GR.

[Sheila , Supporting Chick]

updated above

[Jennifer W]

I'd read The Waves, too.

[Jayme(theghostreader)]

I would be interested in Me Before You, The Waves, and Lady of the Butterflies

[Sheila , Supporting Chick]

updated above

[Susan]

I would also like to vote for Me Before You.

[Petra]

I would also like to read Lady of the Butterflies,

[Jennifer]

I'm interested in Until I Say Goodbye: A Book about Living

[Amber]

I am new, but I would like to vote for Me Before You because I have it on my "to read" list, but I am game for anything!

[Julie]

I would like to nominate We Are Water by Wally Lamb

[Helen]

I would like to nominate a book that you have probably all read but if not how about, the Jeffrey Archer trilogy "Kane and Abel".

[Sheila , Supporting Chick]

updated above

[Viola]

You can put me down for Me Before You and The Waves.

[Taylor]

I'm in for Lady of the Butterflies and/or The Waves.

[Julie]

I have been wanting to read We Are Water also

[theFonz]

"Me Before You" sounds like fun. I'll vote for that. :)

[Irene]

Every title nominated looks good. As long as I can borrow the title, I will join the discussion. I have not had a chance to check what is available through my lending library because the holidays have me hopping.

[Sheila , Supporting Chick]

updated above

[Nea]

Of the available choices, Me Before You sounds like one I might enjoy. It gets my vote.

[Amuse]

I think The Waves would be fun to undertake as a group, but I would be happy with any of the choices.

[Helen]

Of the choices I would be interested in reading, Me Before you , We are water and Kane and Abel.

[Sandra]

I'll read Until I Say Goodbye and We Are Water.

[Jan]

I would like to read Me Before You.

[Nea]

My first vote was for Me Before You but I also vote for Kane and Abel

[Sandra]

I read Me Before You earlier this year, and, for me, it was the best book I read in 2013.

[Christine]

I am new :) I would be interested to read Me before you, The Waves and Lady of the Butterflies.

[Sheila , Supporting Chick]

updated above (or below, depending on how your page is set up) :-)

[Dee]

The Waves and Killing Floor!

[Karen]

I would like to read The Waves, I was planning on reading a Virginia Woolf book soon!

[Karen]

Sheila wrote: "Here is where we are so far. If you are willing to join in on a discussion of any of these books, please chime in stating so. I will let this thread run until the weekend, and the top two choices w..."

Put me down for The Waves

[Genevieve]

I would like to read Me Before You

[Julie]

I think both The Waves and Me Before You are good choices too.

[Sheila , Supporting Chick]

Me Before You (January) and The Waves (February) will be our next group reads!

Here is our final vote tally:

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes: Julie, Irene, Sheila, Jayme, Susan, Amber, Viola, theFonz, Nea, Helen, Jan, Christine, Genevieve, Julie #2, (and Sandra has read and loved it)

The Waves by Virginia Woolf: Petra, Sheila, Jennifer, Jayme, Viola, Taylor, Amuse, Christine, Dee, Karen, Julie,


Our Runner Up books. If anyone who nominated one of these would like to do a buddy read with any of these, you are welcome to set up a thread for that in the buddy read section. :-)

Lady of the Butterflies by Fiona Mountain: Jennifer, Sheila, Jayme, Petra, Taylor, Christine

Killing Floor by Lee Child: AJ, Jennifer, Susan, Sheila, Dee

Until I Say Goodbye: A Book about Living by Susan Spencer-Wendel: Irene, Sheila, Jennifer, Sandra, Doran

We Are Water by Wally Lamb: Julie, Julie, Helen, Sandra

Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer: Helen, Nea

Great selections and discussion ladies. I'm looking forward to reading both of these.

[Julie]

Great! Just loaded the two on my Kindle.

[Karen]

I am so looking forward to reading The Waves with a group! Nobody I know has my taste in books,, And I have wanted to read Virginia Woolf, I just didn't know what book, So thank you for helping me make that decision! Karen

[Sandra]

And the e-book is free on Goodreads!

[Petra]

I'd better start looking for my copy of The Waves. I have read the first chapter last year and found it really wonderful. I'm looking forward to restarting this book and reading it with all of you.

Karen, I've read Mrs. Dalloway and did not enjoy it. I don't remember why I picked up another Virginia Woolf book but I'm glad I did and I'm glad it was The Waves. I hope you enjoy this one.

[Karen]

Hi, I was going to read Mrs. Dollaway until I found out about this. Why didn't you enjoy it? Is that an off topic question?