Additional & Optional March Challenge 2012 - Ireland

[Angie]

This is an additional and optional challenge that some of you may like to take part in during the month of March.
The challenge? Read a book of your choice with some connection to Ireland. It may be written by an Irish author, set in Ireland, about Ireland or somebody Irish etc. Similar in a way to our Around the World Challenge, but in this case, we all read something different.
If you are keen, post the title of your book below.
Also, I would like to set up an additional and optional challenge every month, so tell me your thoughts, and also any ideas for April.

[Angie]

I entered 'Ireland' into the Genre search and stumbled across some great sounding books, including two books which I had previously marked as to-read. So I have gone with them. They both sound right up my alley and are both available at my local library. Woohoo!

and

What gorgeous covers they both have!

[Darkpool]

A St Patrick's Day challenge, huh? I happen to have Isolde, Queen of the Western Isle out of the library right now, just waiting for me to start. It's about Tristan and Isolde from Arthurian legend, and the Western Isle of the book's title is Ireland.

[Sharlene]

Seems pretty straightforward. I was a bit cheeky & searched for St Patrick in the Auckland Libraries catalogue. Came up with St Patrick's Day Murder

It's on request & hopefully will get to read it on St Paddy's day

[Sharlene]

March is also New Zealand Book Month. Use #nzbookmonth on Twitter/Tags to see what people are saying/reading.

[Angie]

Sharlene wrote: "March is also New Zealand Book Month. Use #nzbookmonth on Twitter/Tags to see what people are saying/reading."

I didn't realise that. I'll certainly keep that in mind for next March!

[Kerry]

I've borrowed the novella Proxpera by Benedict Kiely from the library so will try to read it around the 17th.
I used the $5 voucher today.

[Angie]

I'm loving The Yellow House: A Novel. It is really lovely to read a book so obviously set in Ireland, on St Patrick's Day. A beautiful story too.

[Darkpool]

Well I did finally finish Isolde, Queen of the Western Isle, and while it was quite interesting and easy to read, I found it just as easy to put it down in the middle of a paragraph and walk away from it. No, I was not gripped. I felt the settings were really strongly written - I had clear, vivid pictures of the scenes and people, but the emotional stiff was too syrupy and a bit tedious in places. Sometimes it seemed that the characters just needed a good slapping for a) making a big deal out of something really minor & carrying on like a drama queen or b) rejecting an obvious, easy solution to a dilemma for no plausible reason, then carrying on line a drama queen. Gah!
And I can't finish without saying something about the cover of the edition I read:

Hello??? Does this cover say "legendary Irish beauty & star-crossed lover"? Or is it just me that thinks it's totally unappealing? If I was the author and this was presented to me as the cover for my book I think I'd cry.
So yeah. Quite interesting, easy read that really failed to hold my attention much.

[Angie]

Here is my review of The Yellow House: A Novel...

This book had been on my TBR list for a while, so when a St Patrick's Day/Ireland challenge came up in one of the groups I belong to, I decided it was time to give it a go.
What a lovely story. Set in the years just prior, during and after WW1, it tells the story of young Eileen O'Neill and her Catholic family living in the very unsettled province of Ulster, Northern Ireland. As the protagonist, Eileen is a strong, determined and stubborn young woman who makes her fair share of bad choices. The story moves along at a perfectly steady pace, and the background to the battle for Irish independence is seamlessly woven into the storyline with a gentle hand.
An amazing first novel. I look forward to reading many more books by Patricia Falvey.

This afternoon, I picked up The Butterfly Cabinet from the library. It is my second Irish novel and looks like a very easy read. I'll let you know how it goes...

[Sharlene]

I'm hoping to get to St Patrick's Day Murder this weekend. I don't want to think too hard about getting into the book & having passed St Patrick's Day & not celebrated it... well it's not sounding too good. Maybe the secret detective in me will come out :)

[Sharlene]

One month too late but I finally finished it today! It didn't draw me in like other books but there were lots of characters, a bit of Irish history, and a story line that was true to the title. They say death comes in three (I don't know who they is) so keep your eyes open if you plan on picking up this book.