I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid

Sometimes you finish a book and you have to shake your head and think to yourself, "What on earth just happened???" This is one such book.

In the beginning it seems like a simple story about a couple heading out on a road trip for the narrator to meet her boyfriend's parents. They are still fairly new in the relationship and she isn't sure if she wants to continue on or break up. Maybe meeting his parents isn't the best idea. Plus, she's been getting these bizarre phone calls that are starting to scare her. She doesn't know if she should tell her boyfriend, or the police and the calls are becoming more frequent.

Then it starts getting strange. Strange. Super, super strange. I can't say a lot more without spoiling it, but the last quarter of the book takes you on a lot of twists and turns.

I read most of the book in one day, so it is a quick read. I've read a lot of other reviews where people said they finished it and then went back to the beginning and read it again to try to make sense of it all. It is a suspenseful, fun read and your mind will be reeling when you are done. If you are looking for something out of the ordinary, then give this a quick read. It certainly won't be for everyone, but I think you'll have some fun with it. Then talk to me about it, so I can figure things out!

The Prison Book Club by Ann Walmsley

I wish I liked this book more than I did. The concept is amazing, but I found the writing style to be a bit too dry, and pretty much just a prime example of why I have traditionally avoided non-fiction books.

This was our book club selection for our June meeting and it is the only time I can remember when no one in the group had finished the book. Shocking!

Ann Walmsley tells the story of how she joined her friend, Carol Finlay, who held book club meetings in the Collins Bay Prison near Kingston, Ontario. Having personally been the victim of a violent mugging while living in London, England, Ann found it difficult to walk into the prison and get to know the inmates on a personal level. However, she faced her fears and her life changed a result.

The men they encountered in the prison were intelligent, insightful and loved reading. They loved discussing the books given to them each month and looked forward to their meetings as more than just a way to escape prison life for a short time. Some of the men even began a book club at their new minimum security prison when they were reassigned there.

Ann encouraged the men to journal their thoughts about the books they were reading which often turned up even more insightful thoughts which hadn't been discussed in their meetings. They read a great variety of books, and my "To Be Read" list grew as I worked my way through this book.

So, all in all, the concept was exciting and interesting. However, the writing style was incredibly dry and it became too much of an account of what happened, instead of a compelling look inside the book clubs.

If you are interested in reading more about the book clubs meeting in prisons, by all means, pick it up. You will enjoy it, it just won't be the most exciting book you've ever read. You can also check out the website for Book Clubs for Inmates.