6 member(s) found this review helpful.
engrossing story of 5 british women who are in a book club. Their lives intersect in interesting ways. And a bonus...their book discussions suggested several books that I would like to read or reread.
6 member(s) found this review helpful.
Quick, engaging read. It's not really a book about a reading group, but more of a book about the lives of a few interesting women.

Tiffany C. (
piekid) reviewed on 9/18/2007...
5 member(s) found this review helpful.
I was disappointed with how little focus there was on the books they read and the monthly discussion. You could hardly even tell who said what in those meetings, the dialogue was often not assigned to a character (like with "Harriet said" or "Clare pointed out"). It seemed like the author threw the books and meetings in as an afterthought. "Oh crap, I guess they better actually read a book or two considering the title!"
I was also annoyed with how much the author 'tortured' her characters. Everyone went through agonizing dilemma after agonizing dilemma. We hear about the book-of-the-month for a page or two, then we get 30 pages about how they deal with their dilemma. When the next month came along... rinse, repeat. It got so angsty I got bored. They made so many stupid choices I couldn't care about the characters. You'd think that a book called "The Reading Group" would have more focus on the meetings, you know, maybe a few good *reading group* scenes. Apparently logic failed there.
There was one thing I liked about the book... the British phrases and words. They're why I even bothered to finish reading. But they're no reason to start reading.

Susie C. (
soozrn) reviewed on 7/30/2007...
5 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book follows 5 people that are in a reading group. Each chapter starts out with the book that they read in a month with a short summary. The rest of the chapter follows the friends and their lives. The books that they have read for the month are also intertwined with their lives. This book made me want to check out some of the books that they read.I enjoyed the way these friends' lives changed during the book.
4 member(s) found this review helpful.
One of the best female bonding books I've read in a long time. Smarter than your average "chick lit," too!
4 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book took me a little bit to get into due to the multiple characters I had to get to know. After I figured out who everyone was it was very enjoyable... A light read about a group of women's different lives.
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
I really enjoyed this book. I feel it was a great summer read. There was never a dull moment. Think Desperate Housewives, meets England, meets novels, then you have The Reading Group. I believe this book could be easily dismissed at 'chick lit' however with the impressive literary references contained within, there is a bit more meat to this book than your average chick lit book. Call it chick lit light!
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
A great story about a reading group that meets once a month. Some of it's members are best friends while others are acquaintances. But each has things unfolding in their life outside of the group, some more dramatic than others, and yet they all intertwine at different levels.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Loved, loved loved the characters in this book. Looking forward to her next novel!
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
I read this in one day, I just couldn't put it down. Each woman in the group had a compelling, but very different story. It was wonderful to see them all come together and support one another.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
When I first started reading this book I thought for sure it would be one I'd not "get into" but forced myself to continue reading & once I got involved in the various characters I was hooked! I just hated it ended! Wondering what the ladies from the Club are doing now?
I'm going to search this author & order more books by her. This was her first.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book was good, but I found myself skimming a lot. I wasn't interested in their book club discussions. I wanted to hear more about their lives.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
One of those fun stories about women who talk to each other and become part of each other's lives.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
The trials and tribulations of a diverse group of British women who meet regularly to read and discuss books. Over the course of a year, each of these women becomes more intertwined, both in the books they read and within one another's lives.
A #1 British bestseller.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Fun British novel of a group of women in a book club and the curveballs life throws them. Very enjoyable!

Kim L. (
thienkim) reviewed on 4/17/2007...
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book is a great read! You can relate to all the characters as they go through all of trials.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Very good.

Becky Y. (
byby) reviewed on 3/30/2007...
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Great 'chick' book - and male characters well drawn as well! Good ideas for my book group reading, too.

Nancy T. (
bonan) reviewed on 3/28/2007...
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Really enjoyed this book ! The story follows a group of 4 women who meet regularly to read and discuss books .The women become entwined inthe books they read and within one anothe lives
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A good book about women and the bonds of friendship.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Elizabeth Noble provides another great read!

Pattie R. (
pattierwr) reviewed on 2/6/2007...
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I thought this was pretty good. A group of Englishwomen form a book club and their lives reflect the literature they select.
www.dcwblogs.com/books

Nicola M. (
britnick) reviewed on 1/15/2007...
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
loved this book. interesting characters
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
really good book...weaves the lives of several women together as they attend a reading group together...highly recommend -Mirah W.
Nan M. reviewed on 7/25/2006...
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Trials and tribulations of a grooup of women who meet regulaly to read and discuaa books.

Dara G. (
dara) reviewed on 4/8/2006...
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
really enjoyed this book

MaryAnn R. (
MaryAnn) reviewed on 7/23/2005...
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is a very interesting book about a group of women who get together regularly in a book club. As it says on the back of the book - They express their views through the books they read and grow to become increasingly more open as the bonds of friendship cement.
Easy reading- maybe a subplot or two I would have liked to see turn out differently, but overall an enjoyable read for relaxation.
Kay K. reviewed on 5/29/2009...
wow, i just could not get into this book, I was so excited to read it too!!!!

Janet A. (
abeljan13) reviewed on 1/25/2009...
Great book!
A definite read for those of us who like to read books. Good characters, interesting goings on, maybe female oriented.
Ann F. reviewed on 7/14/2008...
I liked it, quick read, great for the beach.. the books aren't discussed at length, most months, but it did give me an idea about reading my next book! Loved the british vernacular!

Susan B. (
Butter) reviewed on 3/25/2008...
Absolutely loved it...Reminds me of girlfriends that I wish I had....

Kimberly W. - TX reviewed on 3/21/2008...
This was a great book about friendship and relationships! I saw myself in almost every character. I could not put this book down.

Cybele H. (
Cybele) reviewed on 8/16/2007...
I loved this book. I thought the characters were very well-written and realistic. The relationships between the women were very interesting. A good-hearted, warm, satisfying book.
From the back cover....The Reading Group follows the trials & tribulations of a group of women who meet regularly to read & discuss books. Over the course of a year, each of these women becomes intertwined, both in the books they read & within one another's lives.

Erin O. (
Erin) reviewed on 3/1/2006...
The Reaing Goup follows the trials and tribulations of a group of women who meet regularly to read and discuss books. Over the course of a year,each of these women become intertwined,both with the books they read and in one another's lives.

Jean S. (
readmore) reviewed on 2/11/2006...
The Reading Group follows the trials and tribulations of a group of British women who meet regurlarly to read and discuss books. I read this book with a reading group. rating 2.5 stars.

Holly S. (
hoLLyLew) reviewed on 2/7/2006...
Wonderful Chick Lit! The first 50 pages, I had to continue to "look up" the secondary characters; which was a bit tedious. Very enjoyable. It was hard to put down!

Joey S. (
Joey) reviewed on 1/29/2006...
The story of a book club over a one year period.
The reader sees the members' lives between meetings. Then, at book club meetings these women discuss the books from their current life viewpoint, and become real friends and confidantes. Nice book.

Kim W. (
Moof) reviewed on 1/11/2006...
I really enjoyed this book. It made me want to join a reading club (perhaps some day!) The women in the book are at many different stages and it is easy to find a bit of yourself in several of the women. Enjoy!
Great read! I loved how you everyones lives intertwined somehow!

Catherine E. (
ccerdly) reviewed on 1/2/2006...
A very enjoyable light read about a reading group in England.
The story of five women's lives over the course of a year as they meet monthly to read and discuss books. Good story!

Stacy J. (
StacyJ) reviewed on 12/1/2005...
Loved it! Made me want to start a reading group of my own.

Sarah B. (
Pixie328) reviewed on 10/15/2005...
AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME

Mary K. (
momtomany) reviewed on 10/10/2005...
Wonderful book, couldn't put it down! Fun for book-lovers, too, as the characters talk about books.
Brit humor and a book that started our neighborhood book club!
Follows the trials and tribulations of a group of women who meet regularly to read and discuss books. Over the course of a year, each of these women becomes more intertwined, both in the books they read and within one another's lives.

Jennifer D. (
Jennifer) reviewed on 9/24/2005...
Excellent read. I liked the story of strangers becoming such close friends through a book club!

Kathryn (
Kmarie) reviewed on 9/18/2005...
A bestseller in the UK, THE READING GROUP is about a group of women who meet regularly to read and discuss books, and how their lives become intertwined, both with the books they read and with each other's lives.
What starts out as a good idea born from a glass of wine and the need to socialize, turns into much more. Over the span of a year, Clare, Harriet, Nicole, Polly and Susan -- five women of different ages, backgrounds and contrasting dilemmas -- transform themselves through the shared community of a book group.
Their reading group becomes a forum for each of the women's views, expressed initially by the book they're reading and increasingly openly as the bonds of friendship cement. As the months pass, these women's lives become more and more intertwined.
In the THE READING GROUP, Nobel reveals the many complicated paths in life we all face as well as the power and importance of friendship.
A book club book I enjoyed.

Maureen H. (
Maestra) reviewed on 8/9/2005...
The Reading Group follows the trials and tribulations of a group of women who meet regularly to read and discuss books. Over the course of a year, each of these women become intertwined, both with the books they read and in each other's lives.

Anne D. (
reader) reviewed on 7/30/2005...
I enjoyed this book.I was sorry when it ended.It was fun to read about a group of women who liked to read books.
I thought this was an interesting read. There are a lot of characters, but at the beginning of the book the author gives you a cheat sheet which I referred to frequently to keep everyone straight. A lot happens to these women during the year of the reading group and it wasn't predictable or boring in any way. I would read something else by this author.
Will label with a bookcrossing label to track in the future.