Book Chat Issue #97

A gem of a book

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Many people seem to be struggling to find something good to read and this is often true for me as well. Last week I picked up a much hyped book from the library, one that I’ve been dying to read, but after a few pages I abandoned it because is was just too dark.

I used to feel guilty about not finishing books, but these days I don’t worry about it at all. Life is short, and sometimes I’m simply not in the mood for a particular book, even if it has won a dozen prizes and everyone else is reading it. I might read that book some other time, or maybe not at all. Reading is not a competitive sport and you don’t have to prove yourself to anyone. Just go with your gut instincts and read whatever you fancy.

Having said that, sometimes it’s remarkably hard to find just the right book to fill your cup. There seem to be a lot of books that are ‘twee’ as my sister calls it, or too literary, or too dark. I’m particularly averse to books about children being murdered. No thank you!

But I’m really excited to share this week’s book. It’s a cracker.

What I’m reading

I’ve just finished Night Swimmers by Roisin Maguire and I’m pretty sure it’s my favourite book this year. It’s interesting, it has well rounded and likeable characters, plus it has a wild Irish setting. What’s not to love?

Here’s the publishers blurb…

Grace lives alone in Ballybrady, a little village on the sublimely beautiful east coast of Ireland. She fills her days swimming, fishing, quilting, and baiting tourists who arrive from the city with more money than sense. She hasn’t left the village since a traumatic stay in London as a young woman at the end of the 1980s.

One of the tourists is Evan, taking an enforced holiday from his family and work after breaking down after the death of his daughter in infancy. He has come to process his grief and become desirable again as a husband, a father and a business partner.

I won’t say any more because it might spoil the story, but the writing is wonderful and the ending is satisfying without being too saccharine or unbelievable. I’m not saying you have to read this book, because you need to make your own decisions about what you feel like reading, I’m just saying I enjoyed it tremendously and you might too.

Cover of Night Swimmers

What I’m cooking

Last week I made a delicious quiche so I could use up one remaining sheet of shortcrust pastry that was languishing in the freezer and a bit of leftover bacon. I didn’t use a recipe, but my general advice is to use a nice balanced mix of eggs and milk and maybe some cream if you have some to hand. I didn’t have any cream, so I used milk and some cream cheese (the soft spreadable kind) plus some grated cheese and mixed it together until it was well combined.

Here’s an easy quiche recipe if you need one.

Home-made bacon and onion quiche

International Book Club

We had such a fun time at book club. I really enjoyed it.

We discussed The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store and opinions differed widely. Some people loved it, others thought it was a bit all over the place. The beautiful thing about book club is that people can have different opinions and it’s all okay. In fact, it’s desirable to have different views because when everyone agrees with one another it can be quite boring. I love it when people are open to hearing another reader’s point of view. I think that the ability to listen carefully is a wonderful attribute, far more important than being eloquent.

If you’ve never been in a book club and would like to join, please let me know and I will add you to the invitation list. You don’t need to be a literary type or have strong opinions, you just need to like chatting to other people about books.

The next meeting will be in March and we will be reading You are Here by David Nicholls. If you are unfamiliar with this title, it’s about two people developing a connection during long scenic walks across the north of England. This novel is about the impact of loneliness, the pull of solitude, but also about the beauty of nature and the joy of interaction. I’ve had it on my TBR for ages, so please join me to read and discuss this book.

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In the next edition I’ll be sharing my favourite books from 2024.

What were your favourites this year? Care to share?

Until next time, keep well and happy reading.

Marg xx