- Status
New to Tattle Life? Click "Order Thread by Most Liked Posts" button below to get an idea of what the site is about:
I’ve just finished The Herd (I’m going to regret staying up so late 🫣) I give it a solid 4 stars. Very thought provoking!
I am enjoying this one, im about 45% of the way through it.
Hopefully finish in the next few days. Im struggling to focus to read but it is a great book to keep my attention.
Hopefully finish in the next few days. Im struggling to focus to read but it is a great book to keep my attention.
I think we were due a book that the majority enjoyed. This was a great book club suggestion for your hat-trick of winning choices @Caffeine Fiend!
I can't find my copy to post some of the book club questions that were at the back of the book, but I remember some of them would be good talking points if anyone wanted to post them.
I can't find my copy to post some of the book club questions that were at the back of the book, but I remember some of them would be good talking points if anyone wanted to post them.
Book club questions coming up!
The Herd follows Elizabeth and Bryony – two women with very different viewpoints and perspectives. Did you identify more with one character than the other? Why?
Think about the events leading up to the birthday party. Could the drama that develops from that moment have been prevented?
Which characters are to blame for the way in which the tragedy unfolds?
Discuss the theme of responsibility in the novel. Do you think the characters are justified in acting in the way they do? Would you have made the same choices had you been in their place?
Were there any moments you found unexpected or shocking?
Think about the perspectives we are shown from people in and around the courtroom. How did these voices affect your reading of the novel? Did they make you consider any points of view different to your own?
Were you surprised by how the final chapters played out? While you were reading, did you have any different ideas for how the novel might end?
The Herd follows Elizabeth and Bryony – two women with very different viewpoints and perspectives. Did you identify more with one character than the other? Why?
Think about the events leading up to the birthday party. Could the drama that develops from that moment have been prevented?
Which characters are to blame for the way in which the tragedy unfolds?
Discuss the theme of responsibility in the novel. Do you think the characters are justified in acting in the way they do? Would you have made the same choices had you been in their place?
Were there any moments you found unexpected or shocking?
Think about the perspectives we are shown from people in and around the courtroom. How did these voices affect your reading of the novel? Did they make you consider any points of view different to your own?
Were you surprised by how the final chapters played out? While you were reading, did you have any different ideas for how the novel might end?
I love both Bryony and Elizabeth. They were both good strong characters. But, I identify more with Bryony. I thought she was a product of her upbringing, as are we all mostly, even Elizabeth will be. But, for me she was the most truest to herself. Whereas Elizabeth may have seemed stringer, yet in reality she was quite weak in that she couldn’t own her own experiences and beliefs and fears. But, my heart went out to her for this reason.
I am not sure if the drama could have been prevented because Elizabeth wasn’t ready to own her experience and so by pressuring everyone she encouraged Bry to lie who really didn’t want to offend her friend or want to have to explain her brother too. Bry’s experience was complex whereas Elizabeth was just a bit of a cop out in that she made her decision not to vaccinate out of fear of epilepsy and then pushed the responsibility onto others. So unless Elizabeth was ready to face her truth and the reasons for not telling the truth then the situation would have always been likely to happen. As above, I identify with Bry more because I feel I get the complexity of why she lied. Not that she should have had to but Elizabeth just wasn’t ready to accept her own or Bry’s truth.
I don’t think any are to blame. Life is messy. We are all products of our upbringing, even Elizabeth. But the freedom for transparency without judgement, from the start of their friendship, might have helped.
Responsibility, is not something we should be accountable for in others’ lives. I believe more in freedom of choice. The right to choose. No one can ever expect you to make a decision that injures yourself self at a soul level and claim it’s your fault something happened to them or their loved ones. We each take responsibility for our own decisions in life. And so had Bry been able to be honest from the start, Elizabeth could have chose not to associate with Bry or have her as godmother etc. I guess Bry would have benefitted with support to own her decisions aloud and then everyone could have based their decision accordingly. But, that said, I totally get why they all behaved the way they did. It’s life …
The end was shocking because all the way through I believed that Elizabeth had based her decision on medical advice, not her fear. And her fear ought to have helped her understand Bry’s fear too.
I felt anxious by those outside the courtroom because it reflects life and how readily and often vehemently people judge others for making a different decision to their own. That’s what is really scary about this subject matter. For instance, during the pandemic how readily people who chose not to vaccinate were treated appallingly because of their choice, regardless of their reasons. Society is very judgemental if you do not follow the herd.
The end shocked me. I wanted everything to be ok for Clemmie and Elizabeth and for Bry and Elizabeth to be friends again and talk through their issues. Of course I did. That’s what I’m like in life too. But real life isn’t like that and things end because of how we chose to be in a relationship, no matter how much we don’t want it to do. And so, I questioned my naive view of the world. How short life is. How valuable our senses and relationships are. But how intricate and messy our reason for anything can be.
I enjoyed the book a lot. These really are just a few of my thoughts and I’m looking forward to engaging with other’s thoughts.
Last edited:
Just pitching in to say I finished the book on my lunch break yesterday. Like others, I struggled with the large cast of characters at first and it took a couple days of lunchtime reads to get into the story. But then I was hooked.
Ooooh Book Club homework! Will try and do some tonight when I'm not rushing back from a lunch break!
Not too much of a reveal but I did gasp when the twist with Elizabeth was revealed. I did wonder if they were going to wheel the GP out at one point as I would be quite surprised at a doctor saying c.2014 not to vaccinate your kids.
Personal note: I am a (not all yummy) mummy but have two children under 5. I can only think of one child in their social groups who might not be vaccinated.
Personal note: I am a (not all yummy) mummy but have two children under 5. I can only think of one child in their social groups who might not be vaccinated.
Ooooh Book Club homework! Will try and do some tonight when I'm not rushing back from a lunch break!
Is there a December book? Do we need to nominate?
I’m going to nominate The Santa Killer as I believe it’s on a couple of our TBR lists. It’s also on KU or 99p to buy.
Amazon.com Amazon product
Amazon.com Amazon product
My first book club read and it was a great choice. It wasn't available where I live and I ended up ordering it on eBay. I read most of it in one sitting. my biggest gripe with the book was the use of baby language when Alba was speaking 
I wasn't expecting the ending with Elizabeth. At first, I thought it was kind of a cop out and was thinking about it last night after finishing the book. Reading other posts, it makes more sense now that she made her decision out of fear and that could explain her constant vaccine concerns. However, wouldn't she have insisted upon knowing Alba's status before all this happened?
I'm of the opinion that vaccinations are a social responsibility. However, I can see why both characters acted the way they did. I thought that Sara (Bry's mother) was a bit of a caricature, but with Bry's upbringing, you can see why she was not willing to vaccinate. To me, it seemed like Ash's decision to secretly vaccinate Alba would likely end that marriage as her beliefs were such an integral part of Bry's life. I was more disappointed with Elizabeth's decision when she knew that her daughter was vulnerable. I can see how she was afraid, but she was effectively lying to everyone when she said that Clemmie couldn't be vaccinated.
I'm of the opinion that vaccinations are a social responsibility. However, I can see why both characters acted the way they did. I thought that Sara (Bry's mother) was a bit of a caricature, but with Bry's upbringing, you can see why she was not willing to vaccinate. To me, it seemed like Ash's decision to secretly vaccinate Alba would likely end that marriage as her beliefs were such an integral part of Bry's life. I was more disappointed with Elizabeth's decision when she knew that her daughter was vulnerable. I can see how she was afraid, but she was effectively lying to everyone when she said that Clemmie couldn't be vaccinated.
Oh I forgot to come to this 
I gave it 3 stars.
Hated Elizabeth, much preferred Bry tbh. Have vaccinated my own kids so nothing about personal choice swayed that.
Quite enjoyed the little court segments in between the proper chapters. I feel like most of my opinions have probably been said already
I gave it 3 stars. Hated Elizabeth, much preferred Bry tbh. Have vaccinated my own kids so nothing about personal choice swayed that.
Quite enjoyed the little court segments in between the proper chapters. I feel like most of my opinions have probably been said already
Yes. Please start nominating December books. I will count up the votes at lunchtime on the 28th to give us a chance if it is a Kindle 99p deal.
Can I cheekily ask that if you direct link to an Amazon book you also type the name of the book, please? For some reason direct links to Amazon don't work for me and just show the Amazon A in the post, which isn't clickable.
Can I cheekily ask that if you direct link to an Amazon book you also type the name of the book, please? For some reason direct links to Amazon don't work for me and just show the Amazon A in the post, which isn't clickable.
Currently on sale as kindle deal
I’d like to nominate The Night Shift by Alex Finlay. It’s available on Kindle Unlimited
Amazon product
“What connects a massacre at a Blockbuster video store in 1999 with the murder of four teenagers fifteen years later?
It's New Year's Eve of 1999 when four teenagers working late are attacked at a Blockbuster video store in New Jersey. Only one survives. Police quickly identify a suspect, the boyfriend of one of the victims, who flees and is never seen again.
Fifteen years later, four more teenagers are attacked at an ice cream store in the same town, and again only one makes it out alive.
In the aftermath of the latest crime, three lives intersect: the lone survivor of the Blockbuster massacre, who is forced to relive the horrors of her tragedy; the brother of the fugitive accused, who is convinced the police have the wrong suspect; and FBI agent Sarah Keller, who must delve into the secrets of both nights to uncover the truth about the Night Shift Murders...”
Amazon product
“What connects a massacre at a Blockbuster video store in 1999 with the murder of four teenagers fifteen years later?
It's New Year's Eve of 1999 when four teenagers working late are attacked at a Blockbuster video store in New Jersey. Only one survives. Police quickly identify a suspect, the boyfriend of one of the victims, who flees and is never seen again.
Fifteen years later, four more teenagers are attacked at an ice cream store in the same town, and again only one makes it out alive.
In the aftermath of the latest crime, three lives intersect: the lone survivor of the Blockbuster massacre, who is forced to relive the horrors of her tragedy; the brother of the fugitive accused, who is convinced the police have the wrong suspect; and FBI agent Sarah Keller, who must delve into the secrets of both nights to uncover the truth about the Night Shift Murders...”
I had this on KU ages ago but never read it. Very happy to read it if it wins.
I's like to nominate Every Summer After by Carley Fortune. This is currently a 99p Kindle read and I know several of us on the book thread have purchased it already.
Five summers to fall in love. One moment to fall apart. A weekend to get it right.
A magazine writer has to make a choice when she returns to the lake she grew up on, and to the man she thought she'd never have to live without, in this achingly nostalgic debut.
They say you can never go home again, and for Persephone Fraser that has felt too true for the last decade, ever since she made the biggest mistake of her life. Instead of glittering summers on the lakeshore of her childhood, she spends them in a stylish apartment in the city, going out with friends, and keeping everyone a safe distance from her heart. Until the day she gets a call that sends her racing back to Barry's Bay and into the orbit of Sam Florek.
Amazon product
Five summers to fall in love. One moment to fall apart. A weekend to get it right.
A magazine writer has to make a choice when she returns to the lake she grew up on, and to the man she thought she'd never have to live without, in this achingly nostalgic debut.
They say you can never go home again, and for Persephone Fraser that has felt too true for the last decade, ever since she made the biggest mistake of her life. Instead of glittering summers on the lakeshore of her childhood, she spends them in a stylish apartment in the city, going out with friends, and keeping everyone a safe distance from her heart. Until the day she gets a call that sends her racing back to Barry's Bay and into the orbit of Sam Florek.
Amazon product
Ooh I’m voting for this simply because I happened to pick it up from the library this week so already have it ha ha!
Oooh I’m hoping to join in for the very first time, just found this thread and happily JUST finished current read so ready for another! When will it be chosen?
Sorry I’m jumping in ahead of @ordinaryjelly (and she’ll do a much better job than me but may be otherwise occupied) but the winning book for December is Every Summer After by Carley Fortune with 14 votes.
Today may be the last day this is on the kindle 99p deal so snap it up if you’re interested in reading this month!
- Status