Any fan of HCG knows how much I love book club. I wasn’t able to post about all of the books we read this year, so I wanted to end the year with an ode to book club’s favorite reads of 2011 (in perfect HCG fashion, I’m a few days late). Also, I’m pretty obsessed with The Hunger Games, so I was pumped for an excuse to write about the trilogy.
To help with this post, I took a quick survey of my book club’s members to see which books were most loved last year. Some members with excess free time on their hands didn’t respond as quickly as I would’ve liked (MR), so I had to prompt her them. By a landslide, The Hunger Games won. We read all three Hunger Games books in November, and we quickly learned why so many people were taken by the technically “young adult” novels. It seems like lately “young adult” is code for “awesome”. Since November, I’ve basically made it my life’s mission to convince everyone I know to read these books. As I finished each one, I handed the books over to Joe and he promptly began reading them. Joe isn’t a big reader, but he tore through THG. He is so excited for the first movie to be released in March, he suggested we sleep outside the movie theater the night it premieres. When I discover someone (a stranger or a friend) hasn’t read THG, I suggest that person immediately ceases whatever activity she is doing and starts reading these books. They’re that good.
In distant second but still widely adored by our members was Tina Fey’s hilarious book Bossypants. As a Delaware County, PA native, I, and most other women I know, am generally smitten by Tina Fey. As CF predicted, this book made me feel embarrassed to read it in public. Before I started reading it, CF tried to read aloud portions on the beach in Cape May, and I thought I was going to have to muzzle her to prevent her from spoiling the entire thing from me. Much like THG, once you read Bossypants, all you want to do is talk to someone else who read the book about your favorite parts.
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet (our May selection) was another favorite of 2011. Ever since author Jamie Ford became the second author to comment on a Here Comes Gina book club post, he has been held in high regard on this site. We lost book club member Torrey to Boston after this meeting – R.I.P. Torrey.
Finally, many of our members (myself included) enjoyed What Alice Forgot (our September selection) as evidenced by the length of my HCG post about the book. I’ve since made that warm apple cobbler recipe three times, and it’s always a hit. Have you tried it yet Maureen Maxwell? Due to end-of-summer vacations, we took August off – hence the appropriate Google image of a sun.
We’ve set the entire 2012 book club calendar and chosen the first two books, and I’m hosting in April. As I’ve told Joe, that gives us more than four months to refinish our floors, do some more painting and make other necessary home improvements. Where would our house be without book club as a deadline?
Happy 2012 to all!
xo,
HCG
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Really with the Hunger Games? I have been so reluctant to try them because I really hate Twilight and too many Twilight lovers seem to be Hunger Games fans. But the fact that Joe likes them so much is winning me over because from what I know about him I dont see him liking cheesy books.
My favorite part of Bossypants was her wishes for her daughter. Every single one of them made me laugh out loud.
BSol: Yes, really with The Hunger Games. It’s 100 times better than Twilight. One of my favorite parts of Bossypants was Tina Fey’s recounting of when she felt she became a woman after she bought a white denim suit at the Springfield Mall (my mall growing up).
i love(hate) your book recs. because i’m one of those people who then will do nothing but read. and read. and stop working.
Other than the Hunger Games books, I’ve read most of your 2011 book club reads and almost always agree with your opinions. So, out of curiosity, what are your first 2 books for 2012?
WOW—great list!!! I have read 6 of the books listed above! I am on a wait list for Hunger Games….sadly there are 22 (YES 22) holds on the books before me! That will be a long wait and our school book club in 2 weeks is The Hunger Games. Oops!
BSol – I COMPLETELY agree with Gina re: Hunger Games. I was really reluctant to read the first one (I was all “post-apocalyptic America? No thanks”). Then I read the entire first one on the plane from London to NY and picked up the other two as soon as I landed. They are unreal. So, I understand your trepidation, but I say give it a whirl. You won’t regret it!
-Gina’s Friend C
AM: I gladly accept your love/hate because I’m the same way when I read great books. If you haven’t yet read The Hunger Games, prepared to get fired from your job.
Wendy: In an unprecedented move, I will reveal the first two book club selections for 2012: The Paris Wife by Paula McLain (January) and The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides (February).
CDW: One of those Bywood girls must have a copy of The Hunger Games for you to borrow!
C: Thanks for the back up! I miss you.
The Hunger Games is great. It is a lot like my two fav books, Brave New World & The Giver. Again, I have to recommend A Shadow In The Wind. It’s dark, creepy, and the characters are so well written. Plus you cannot figure out what’s next. Mike just finally finished it the other day!
Jenn: Are you referring to The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon? If so, it was included in the 2010 HCG Summer Book Guide per the recommendation of our Senior Editor MR: http://herecomesgina.com/index.php/2010/08/12/the-hcg-summer-book-guide/
I haven’t read it yet but it’s definitely on my list. Thanks for the other recommendations!
Awesome! I want to read Room, but i get so into books sometimes I can’t sleep, and that seems like one that will keep me up…
Just finished The Hunger Games!!! Glad I didn’t wait for the library copy! Crazy good and now I am all over finding/borrowing book 2. I passed your website along to my sister’s neighbors last night who were looking for book suggestions! Who better to suggest a great read than HCG!!
Yeah CDW! And thanks for passing along HCG :)