UK Book Club discussion

Decided that I can't get away from the fact that I love to read about the UK particularly while I am living here so am going to attempt this one concurrent to the Round the World challenge.

Posting the list for my easy reference; thereafter will just post what I have read in comments, not full list.

ENGLAND

1. Bedfordshire (Bedford, Luton, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Biggleswade, Sandy)
**2. Berkshire (Reading, Bracknell, Maidenhead, Newbury, Windsor, Wokingham, Abingdon)
**3. Buckinghamshire (Aylesbury, Milton Keynes, Slough, Buckingham, High Wycombe)
4. Cambridgeshire (Cambridge, Wisbech, Ely, March, Whittlesey, Chatteris, Linton)
5. Cheshire (Chester, Stockport, Ellesmere Port, Birkenhead, Wallasey, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Crewe)
6. Cornwall (Bodmin, Truro, Camborne, Redruth, St. Austell, Falmouth, Penzance, Newquay)
7. Cumberland (Carlisle, Whitehaven, Workington, Penrith, Keswick, Brampton)
**8. Derbyshire (Derby, Chesterfield, Glossop, Ilkeston, Long Eaton, Swadlincote, Buxton, Matlock, Ashbourne)
**9. Devon (Exeter, Plymouth, Torquay, Paignton, Barnstaple, Tiverton, Newton Abbot, Tavistock)
**10. Dorset (Dorchester, Poole, Weymouth, Sherborne, Wimborne Minster, Shaftesbury)
**11. Durham (Durham, Sunderland, Stockton-on-Tees, Darlington, Hartlepool, Gateshead, Washington)
12. Essex (Chelmsford, Basildon, Romford, Southend, Colchester, Harlow, Brentwood, West Ham)
13. Gloucestershire (Gloucester, Bristol, Cheltenham, Stroud, Cirencester, Tewkesbury)
14. Hampshire (Winchester, Southampton, Portsmouth, Bournemouth, Basingstoke, Newport)
**15. Herefordshire (Hereford, Ross-on-Wye, Leominster, Ledbury, Bromyard, Kington)
** 16. Hertfordshire (Hertford, Watford, St. Albans, Hemel Hempstead, Stevenage, Hatfield)
17. Huntingdonshire (Huntingdon, St. Ives, St. Neots, Ramsey, Yaxley)
18. Kent (Maidstone, Canterbury, Bromley, Rochester, Margate, Folkestone, Dover, Greenwich)
19. Lancashire (Lancaster, Liverpool, Manchester, Preston, Bolton, Warrington, Barrow-in-Furness)
20. Leicestershire (Leicester, Loughborough, Hinckley, Melton Mowbray, Coalville, Lutterworth)
21. Lincolnshire (Lincoln, Grimsby, Scunthorpe, Boston, Grantham, Stamford, Skegness, Louth)
**22. Middlesex (City of London, Harrow, Enfield, Staines, Ealing, Potters Bar, Westminster )
**23. Norfolk (Norwich, Great Yarmouth, King's Lynn, Dereham, Cromer, Hunstanton)
24. Northamptonshire (Northampton, Peterborough, Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough)
**25. Northumberland (Alnwick, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Morpeth, Hexham, Berwick-upon-Tweed)
26. Nottinghamshire (Nottingham, Mansfield, Worksop, Newark, Retford, Southwell)
27. Oxfordshire (Oxford, Banbury, Witney, Bicester, Henley-on-Thames, Carterton, Thame)
28. Rutland (Oakham, Uppingham. Cottesmore)
29. Shropshire (Shrewsbury, Telford, Oswestry, Bridgnorth, Whitchurch, Market Drayton, Ludlow)
30. Somerset (Taunton, Bath, Weston-super-Mare, Yeovil, Bridgwater, Wells, Glastonbury)
31. Staffordshire (Stafford, Stoke-on-Trent, Wolverhampton, Walsall, Cannock, Lichfield)
32. Suffolk (Ipswich, Bury St. Edmunds, Lowestoft, Felixstowe, Sudbury, Haverhill, Bungay)
33. Surrey (Guildford, Croydon, Woking, Sutton, Kingston-on-Thames, Wandsworth, Wimbledon, Brixton)
**34. Sussex (Chichester, Brighton, Worthing, Crawley, Hastings, Eastbourne, Bognor Regis, Horsham)
35. Warwickshire (Warwick, Birmingham, Coventry, Nuneaton, Rugby, Solihull, Stratford-upon-Avon)
36. Westmorland (Appleby, Kendal, Windermere, Ambleside, Kirkby Lonsdale)
37. Wiltshire (Trowbridge, Salisbury, Swindon, Chippenham, Devizes, Marlborough, Warminster)
**38. Worcestershire (Worcester, Dudley, Kidderminster, Stourbridge, Halesowen, Malvern, Evesham)
39. Yorkshire
**a) North Riding (Northallerton, Middlesbrough, Scarborough, Whitby)
b) East Riding (Beverley, Hull, Bridlington, Driffield, Hornsea, Filey)
c) West Riding (Wakefield, Leeds, Sheffield, Bradford, Halifax, Harrogate)

WALES (including Monmouthshire)

40. Anglesey/Sir Fon (Beaumaris, Holyhead, Llangefni, Amlwch, Menai Bridge)
41. Brecknockshire/Sir Frycheiniog (Brecon, Builth Wells, Hay-on-Wye, Talgarth, Llanwrtwd Wells)
**42. Caernarfonshire/Sir Gaernarfon (Caernarfon, Bangor, Llandudno, Conwy, Pwllheli, Porthmadog)
43. Carmarthenshire/Sir Gaerfyrddin (Carmarthen, Llanelli, Ammanford, Llandovery, Kidwelly, St. Clears)
44. Cardiganshire/Ceredigion (Cardigan, Aberystwyth, Lampeter, New Quay, Tregaron)
45. Denbighshire/Sir Ddinbych (Denbigh, Wrexham, Ruthin, Abergele, Llangollen)
46. Flintshire/Sir Fflint (Mold, Flint, Rhyl, Prestatyn, Connah's Quay, Holywell, Buckley, St. Asaph)
47. Glamorgan/Morgannwg (Cardiff, Swansea, Merthyr Tydfil, Barry, Caerphilly, Bridgend, Neath, Pontypridd)
48. Merioneth/Meirionnydd (Dolgellau, Bala, Tywyn, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Barmouth, Harlech)
49. Monmouthshire/Sir Fynwy (Monmouth, Newport, Blackwood, Cwmbran, Abergavenny, Chepstow, Tredegar)
50. Montgomeryshire/Sir Drefaldwyn (Montgomery, Newtown, Welshpool, Machynlleth, Llanidloes)
51. Pembrokeshire/Sir Benfro (Pembroke, Milford Haven, Haverfordwest, Fishguard, Tenby, St. David's)
52. Radnorshire/Sir Faesyfed (Presteigne, Llandrindod Wells, Knighton, Rhayader, New Radnor)

SCOTLAND

53. Aberdeenshire (Aberdeen, Peterhead, Fraserburgh, Inverurie, Huntley, Ellon, Turriff)
54. Angus/Forfarshire (Forfar, Dundee, Arbroath, Brechin, Montrose, Carnoustie, Kirriemuir)
55. **Argyllshire (Inveraray, Oban, Dunoon, Campbeltown, Lochgilphead, Tobermory)
56. Ayrshire (Ayr, Kilmarnock, Irvine, Saltcoats, Kilwinning, Largs, Troon, Cumnock)
57. Banffshire (Banff, Buckie, Keith, Macduff, Portsoy, Dufftown)
58. Berwickshire (Greenlaw, Duns, Eyemouth, Lauder, Coldstream)
59. Buteshire (Rothesay, Millport, Brodick, Lochranza)
60. Cromartyshire (Cromarty, Ullapool)
61. Caithness (Wick, Thurso, Halkirk, Castletown)
62. Clackmannanshire (Clackmannan, Alloa, Tillicoultry, Tullibody)
63. Dumfriesshire (Dumfries, Annan, Lockerbie, Moffat, Sanquhar, Langholm, Gretna)
64. Dunbartonshire/Dumbartonshire (Dumbarton, Clydebank, Cumbernauld, Helensburgh, Alexandria, Kirkintilloch)
65. East Lothian/Haddingtonshire (Haddington, North Berwick, Dunbar, Tranent, East Linton)
66. Fife (Cupar, Dunfermline, Glenrothes, Kirkcaldy, St. Andrews, Cowdenbeath, Burntisland)
67. Inverness-shire (Inverness, Fort William, Kingussie, Newtonmore, Portree)
68. Kincardineshire (Stonehaven, Banchory, Laurencekirk, Inverbervie)
69. Kinross-shire (Kinross, Milnathort)
70. Kirkcudbrightshire (Kircudbright, Castle Douglas, Dalbeattie, New Galloway)
**71. Lanarkshire (Lanark, Glasgow, East Kilbride, Hamilton, Motherwell, Coatbridge, Carluke)
**72. Midlothian/Edinburghshire (Edinburgh, Musselburgh, Penicuik, Dalkeith, Bonnyrigg)
73. Morayshire (Elgin, Forres, Rothes, Lossiemouth, Fochabers)
74. Nairnshire (Nairn, Auldearn, Cawdor, Ferness)
75. **Orkney (Kirkwall, Sromness, Balfour)
76. Peeblesshire (Peebles, Innerleithen, West Linton)
77. Perthshire (Perth, Crieff, Pitlochry, Callander, Blairgowrie, Rattray, Coupar Angus, Kincardine)
78. Renfrewshire (Renfrew, Paisley, Greenock, Johnstone, Port Glasgow, Barrhead, Kilmalcolm)
79. Ross-shire (Dingwall, Stornaway, Tain, Alness, Invergordon)
80. Roxburghshire (Jedburgh, Hawick, Kelso, Melrose, Roxburgh)
81. Selkirkshire (Selkirk, Clovenfords, Galashiels)
82. Shetland (Lerwick, Scalloway, Baltasound)
83. Stirlingshire (Stirling, Falkirk, Grangemouth, Kilsyth, Bridge of Allan, Denny, Alva)
84. Sutherland (Dornoch, Helmsdale, Brora, Golspie, Lairg, Durness, Tongue)
85. West Lothian/Linlithgowshire (Linlithgow, Livingston, Bo'ness, Broxburn, Whitburn, Armadale, Bathgate)
86. Wigtownshire (Wigtown, Stranraer, Newton Stewart, Whithorn)

NORTHERN IRELAND

87. Antrim (Antrim, Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Larne, Lisburn, Newtownabbey)
88. Armagh (Armagh, Newry, Craigavon)
89. Down (Belfast, Newry, Dundonald, Newtownards, Bangor)
90. Fermanagh (Enniskillen, Lisnaskea)
91. Londonderry (Londonderry, Coleraine, Limavady)
92. Tyrone (Omagh, Cookstown, Dungannon, Strabane)

34. Sussex (Chichester, Brighton, Worthing, Crawley, Hastings, Eastbourne, Bognor Regis, Horsham)




Enjoyable read after a slow start. Mainly set near Hastings

Wow!!! Can you find books set in all those places? For such a small island it looks pretty big when written down like that!

Vicky wrote: "Wow!!! Can you find books set in all those places? For such a small island it looks pretty big when written down like that!"

I know, right!

heh! not each place, just each county - which will be enough of a challenge... but fun to try ... might even try to visit each county too for real.

Something tells me that I will probably do better on this challenge than I am on the Round the World challenge at the moment as I keep finding UK novels that I desperately want to read, but still going to keep going with both.

42. Caernarfonshire/Sir Gaernarfon (Caernarfon, Bangor, Llandudno, Conwy, Pwllheli, Porthmadog)

set between Caernarfon and Bangor; beautiful countryside that I want to revisit someday soon, beautifully brought to life by the author.

22. Middlesex (City of London, Harrow, Enfield, Staines, Ealing, Potters Bar, Westminster )

25. Northumberland

Wow it's been an age since I added anything to this challenge. Re read The Ivy Tree by Mary Stewart while actually in Northumberland so have decided to count it.

That sounds really interesting. Ooh I love Wales and Caernarfonshire is lovely. But I love all of Wales. Can't wait to see what you pick about Scotland, I'd really love to go there one day.

Scotland is just lovely Sarah - I've been lucky enough to take two extended journeys through there by car, one over 3 weeks, with my mum (who incidentally was great to go roadtripping with) = have also made shorter journeys to various parts because I have a good friend who used to live in Scotland and who got married near Inverness. Will probably end up by reading something by Christopher Brookmyre as I have a couple of his books sitting on my waiting to be read pile...

heh! just realise that this is the around UK challenge and so I will be reading many many books set in Scotland... doh - for some reason had it in my head it was the around the world one...

Oh wow, that sounds lovely. So you've been all over Scotland then? I have a friend who lives in Stirling, and hopefully within the next year or two will get a chance to go an stay with her. I'd love to see the Munro's and the castles and Hadrian's wall =]

10. Dorset (Dorchester, Poole, Weymouth, Sherborne, Wimborne Minster, Shaftesbury)

Broadchurch by Erin Kelly

Although the town of Broadchurch is fictitious it is clearly set in Dorset so am including this novelisation of the TV show. Interesting read.

16. Hertfordshire (Hertford, Watford, St. Albans, Hemel Hempstead, Stevenage, Hatfield)

Chances by Freya North

Fast and light read.

15. Herefordshire (Hereford, Ross-on-Wye, Leominster, Ledbury, Bromyard, Kington)

Foxglove Summer by Ben Aaronovitch

I love this series so much - a great central character, lots of laughs and quite unlike other "urban" fantasies. The location really shone in this story. Can't wait for the next one in the series.

72. Midlothian/Edinburghshire (Edinburgh, Musselburgh, Penicuik, Dalkeith, Bonnyrigg)

A re-read of Country Of The Blind by Christopher Brookmyre. Not much of a fan of crime fiction per se but I love Brookmyre's black humour and the bravado of the main character Parlabane. Not for the faint-hearted.

3. Buckinghamshire (Aylesbury, Milton Keynes, Slough, Buckingham, High Wycombe)
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson.

First half of the book I was not sure about but it was interesting enough to want to keep reading, if only to hopefully see some payoff for all the stop starts in Ursula's life - but I ended up by loving this - first book by Kate Atkinson I have read and will be reading more. Still thinking about it a week after I have finished.

55. **Argyllshire (Inveraray, Oban, Dunoon, Campbeltown, Lochgilphead, Tobermory)A Big Boy Did It and Ran Away by Christopher Brookmyre. Slightly fudging this as strictly speaking the main events of the book are set in a fictitious power plant near a fictitious town and loch but more or less in this region of Scotland so I figure it counts!

Slow read to begin with which ramps up intensively towards the end third of the book. Satire and ranting abound.

71. Lanarkshire (Lanark, Glasgow, East Kilbride, Hamilton, Motherwell, Coatbridge, Carluke)The Sacred Art of Stealing by Christopher Brookmyre. A reread following on from an earlier book in this series - probably my favourite book of Brookmyres which appeals to the romantic in me, if bank robbing and murder could be seen as romantic - love the main characters and so glad that they appear again in a follow up story.

38. Worcestershire - Queen Mapp by EF Benson - a bit if a stretch for this one as Riseholme is an imaginary town but it is based on Broadway so feel I can justify it.

Amusing read for a Christmas curl up on the couch.

2. Berkshire - The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Graham

Picked it up and put it down a couple of time but finally decided to read it over the winter solstice. Glad I persisted - beautiful prose.

67. Invernesshire - Black Widow by Christopher Brookmyre - a cracker of a read; I'm only sad that I finished it too quickly and now have a book hangover.

8. Derbyshire - "The way back home" by Freya North. Light holiday read.

9. Devon - "We are family" Josie Lloyd and ? Rees. Set both in this time and in the 50s - could be described as a love story of sorts, but fell somewhat flat. Did enjoy the details of the fictitious seaside Dorset town of the 50s.

23. Norfolk - The Turning Point Freya North

Found this a hard one to finish as I was totally invested in the characters and then something happened towards the end of the book which made me wonder about the point of the book - I got it in the end but it left an emotional undertow for a while. The descriptive writing about the locations (Norfolk and Canada in equal parts) was very evocative.

75. Orkney "The Outrun" by Amy Liptrot. An interesting blend of Memoir and Natural History, mixed with familiar neighbourhood London geography alongside the Orkneys. Once it got going, a fast, slightly compulsive read.

I aim to read a book about the Orkneys sometime. I'm interested in the ancient monuments there and history.

Sophie wrote: "I aim to read a book about the Orkneys sometime. I'm interested in the ancient monuments there and history."

The first half is more about the writer's experience in London (and her experience with addiction) but the second half definitely has some interesting anedotes about some of the smaller islands of the Orkneys. I"ve visited the Mainland once a long time ago and hope to get back there again someday - I found it a really magical place.

39a. Yorkshire (North Riding - Whitby)

Room 13 by Robert Swindells - a slightly dated children's book read for work - nicely evocative of the area around Whitby.

11. Durham (Sunderland) Time Travelling with a Hamster byRoss Welford. Read for work - a goodish read but imo not as brilliant as I had been lead to believe by reviews and others who have read it.

4. Cambridgeshire- The Humans by Matt Haig - love his writing, simple yet deep.

27. Oxfordshire "Good Omens" by Terry Prachett and Neil Gaiman. Love this book so much - can't believe it took me so long to actually read it...

67. Inverness shire (Skye) Wildfire at Midnight by Mary Stewart

A favourite read, enjoyed many times since teenage years.

Kiwi Sarah wrote: "4. Cambridgeshire- The Humans by Matt Haig - love his writing, simple yet deep."
Never read it, but I did hear him talk about the book at Greenbelt.