Hey, guys! Just wanted to let you know what we'll be reading for the A Beautiful Mess book club in January so you can order or put your copy on hold at the library soon. We'll be reading Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
. If you're more of a viewer than a reader, you'll be happy to know this book was made into a film starring Kevin Spacey and John Cusack. So feel free to cheat on your homework and watch the movie, or both. I can't stop you.
I'm super stoked for January because Joy the Baker will be guest moderating for us. I've been a fan of Joy's since before I even blogged my first recipe. It's true! Joy doesn't know it, but we go way back. 🙂
Joy might be mostly known as a baker and cookbook author, but she also has great book recommendations on her site and a whole lot of personality in her writing, so I'm excited to welcome her to the ABM book club next month.
And as we near the end of 2014, I can't help but be amazed that it was nearly a year ago that we started the ABM book club. Time flies! My main goal with the club was to force myself to read more regularly and to share awesome books with my virtual friends (that's you guys!). It has been a year full of really fun books and interesting discussions. I've loved it. I hope you have to. I can't wait to see what we read in 2015 together. 🙂 xo. Emma
Credits // Author: Emma Chapman, Photography: Joy Wilson, Emma Chapman and Sarah Rhodes. Most photos edited with A Beautiful Mess actions.
64 Comments
I LOVED this book, so much so that I told my husband he had to read it & he’s reading it right now! Would love to join the book club discussion 🙂
Yeah that goes for me too! I have read it so i am ready for the discussion. Maybe I will read again my favorite parts, we will see 🙂
tsiou, from http://www.inwhirlofinspiration.com/
Ooo, good one, guys! This is one that I haven’t read, but it’s actually sitting on my shelf right now. I’m definitely using this as inspiration to pick it up 🙂
Cat
http://oddlylovely.com
good
I’ve read “yes, please,” “not that kind of girl,” “the fault in our stars,” and gatsby. Love all of them except for gatsby lol.
http://www.modeography.com
LOVED that book! Savannah has been at the top of my places to go list ever since.
Sweeeeeeeeet. My friend recommended this book to me a couple of months ago, so now I have an extra reason to read it!
I love joy the baker! I am looking forward to this!
Love from Italy,
http://lasagnolove.blogspot.it/2014/12/inspiration-lately.html
Bambi
This is a GREAT book! So stoked for this selection!!
Yay! I added this book to my to-read list as soon as Joy posted it on her blog — I’d never heard of it before, but it sounds fascinating!
I’m looking to pick up a book or two for the holiday break, and I was curious which of the books you’ve read this year were your favorite?
This book is the BEST!
A good day after bad night when we are lose .. see awesome way to success
ow.ly/G0Zsr
Title itself is very intriguing, but i will probably cheat and watch the movie, or i might read, i love doing both,.. 🙂
xo
Hems
agoldentulip.blogspot.com
My husband and I listened to the audiobook on our way up to Savannah for our honeymoon. It was perfect; we felt like we knew the place by the time we got there.
I love to read by always say I’m too busy to read… not true! I’ll have to order the book and join in Hopefully.
Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil is my favorite movie! Best line from a film: “Two tears in the bucket, motherf*ck it!”
I just bought this book a few weeks ago!! After visiting the house where the murder happened, I had to read it to find out the full story. The tour guide at the mansion really plays down the drama in that house.
So excited for Joy to be here! I really enjoy her blog 🙂
excited for both the book, and the guest! Joy the Baker is so awesome-sauce! great way to start the new year…
I’ve never heard of this book, but it looks amazing. Definitely going to try and join in in 2015. <3
ahhhh! what a random selection! i was actually a musician extra in this movie, back in the day 😀 GREAT choice!!! <3
Funny thing! I follow Joy Baker myself too and it’s nice to see that she’ll be a guest in ABM! I hope I’ll get to read this book this time. xo
Great book! If you haven’t been to Savannah…run! GO now! It’s one of my most favorite cities! October is fantastic month to visit. Take the Midnight in the Garden walking tour, visitor the carriage house, and eat some fried green tomatoes eggs Benedict!
Whaaaat! I picked up this book at Goodwill, read the back, got intrigued, put it back for some reason, and now I’m regretting it! I’ll have to go back and see if it’s still there!!
I have just added this entire list to my kindle wishlist, 2 weeks of holidays on Koh Lanta in Thailand, i’ve finished my trashy novels already so looking forward to getting my teeth into these:) Thanks for the inspiration, rarrw!!
Love this book! I read it like ten years ago and then ended up visiting Savannah with my family and got to see the house and all the other awesome sites! Good choice!
Also to anyone who doesn’t want to read it – the movie was very good as well!
I think the book club is super exciting! I’ll definitely pick up a copy of this book.
I guess I’m a little late on the uptake, but the book club looks like something I’d love to do! Definitely stopping back here later.
Sarah Nicole
FRENCH PRESS
Do it!!!
Read this book. Loved it. Went to Savannah to experience the setting. So worth it!! My husband and I go once a year now (and from ct too, it’s quite a drive)
Stay at the East Bay or the Andaz, absolutely go shopping at red clover and try brunch at the firefly. Wait in line at Ms. Wilkes but skip Paula’s. Go during August or July because it’s cheaper, but there’s about a million free things to do there too. Carve out an entire day for bonaventure, you’ll need it.
Love this book and the movie! I went to Savannah this past summer and visited a lot of the places from the book and places where they filmed the movie. You can tour the house where the main event takes place, and eat at one of the cafes that’s mentioned frequently in the book.
Here are some of the places I went: http://www.livethemovies.com/search/label/midnight%20in%20the%20garden%20of%20good%20and%20evil
I highly recommend both the book and the film!
OHMYGOSH. My favorite food blog and favorite lifestyle blog coming together?! HEART EYES EMOJII x100
I just discovered the site in the past couple of weeks and I thoroughly enjoy everything you guys post and focus on. All the books you’ve chosen over the past year are fantastic and I’m really excited to join in and participate in the ABM book club!
This sounds like such a great book! I can’t wait to join you guys for the discussion.
I have not been participating in the Book Club this year (I am a slow-ish reader, although I LOVE reading). However, I am so appreciative of all the great book recommendations that have come from the book club. I am working my way through them now. I have “cheated” by starting to listen to some of the books that didn’t spark my interest as much on audiobook. I have one on my audiobook list and 3 have been on my reading list for a while. Hopefully I can power through some of them this winter! But beach reading is always fun too. Thanks Emma/ ABM for starting this great book club!
OMG Joy!!!! Love her.
I’m also impressed you managed to have a such varied backgrounds for each book photo (particularly like changing seasonal brick shots) 😉
I remember my parents playing the soundtrack from this moving when I was growing up! Just downloaded it on my phone (I’m an audiobook girl) — can’t wait to listen! 🙂
Always, Anita
http://www.alwaysanita.com
I’ve wanted to read this one for quite awhile. No excuse for missing out on the fun now!
It’s awesome that Joy The Baker will be moderating for you. How exciting and the book club selection for January seems like it will be a great read.
I am really enjoying your online book club. I’m going at a much slower pace due to time constraints, but I always go back and read your discussion and comments after I finish a book. This was a really great idea and even though I don’t participate in real time, this still gives me the experience of being in a book club, which I’ve always wanted to do. Thank you!
loved the movie!!! my uncle actually knew the guy that kevin spacey played in the movie.
Very cool!
This is one of my favorite books of all time. I didn’t even hate the movie 😉 I read it immediately after a trip to Savannah (complete with a 3 hour ghost tour) and it was great! Nice choice!
Can’t wait to read this one! I’m an avid lover of all things savannah! How do we join?
I have a suggestion for the next book! Labor Day by Joyce Maynard.
How do we join the book club? And when is the discussion held?
Hello! I enjoy A Beautiful Mess & finally clicked over to check into your book club activity. Would love to join in for January 2015 … how does this book club function? Do we chime at a certain time each week to discuss that month’s book? Please enlighten me or let me know where to view the rules.
Hi Heather! Thanks so much for your interest. All you have to do is read the book sometime in January, and then visit the blog at the end of the month for the book discussion post. 🙂 -Jacki
Hi Rebecca!
Thanks so much for your interest! All you have to do is read the book sometime in January, and then visit the blog at the end of the month for the book discussion post. 🙂 -Jacki
I haven’t read this, but I did watch the movie many moons ago during my John Cusack phase 🙂
How do you join the book club?
Hi Carol!
Thanks so much for your interest! All you have to do is read the featured book sometime during the month (we always post about it at the beginning of the month) , and then visit the blog at the end of the month for the book discussion post. 🙂 -Jacki
Wow – I am re-reading that book right now. Actually I am audiobooking it – it has an excellent reader. I just got back from a long weekend in Savannah. It had been on my must-see cities bucket list ever since I read “Midnight” back in the ’90s. I am excited to join your book club (even more so, since I have a head start). Just to put in my 2 cents about the movie – not nearly as good as the book.
Love your work and blog. I am a newbie to your work – got your home book for xmas and I love it. oops, I think my cookies are burning 🙂 xo!
I have the book but have never read it…I grew up in Savannah and love it! My brother, Sam Weatherly is mentioned in the book. Sam was on the Police Force at the time…later became a lawyer. He has since passed away…at 53 years!
oh! exciting! just might have to join the book club… Savannah is our home. this book is so popular. there are tours wrapped around it… still. read a few years ago… worth a revisit for sure! 🙂
This book is terrific! I read it while staying in Savannah, Georgia. I would walk by the Mercer House almost every day. The movie is pretty good too. It isn’t exactly like the book, but a pretty good representation. Lady Chablis has the best lines! Great pick!
Has anyone thought about making an actual physical book club based on the lovely ABM book club’s suggestions? i would love that.
When is the discussion for this months book? This is my first time trying the book club, I’m VERY excited 🙂
My friend and I went to savannah this past December and saw The Lady Chablis at Club One. Savannah is a great Southern town.
I was actually in Savannah twice in 2014 and it really made me want to read this book and/or watch the movie! I’m definitely joining the book club this month! Excited for the discussion and for Joy!
First of all, let me say that I think this is a wonderful choice for the book club. This book is amazing and I would venture to say that the film version is one of the most accurate adaptations of a novel into film that I have ever seen.
I would like to offer a suggestion for further book club choices (if I may). I think it would be great if we read something by a well-known female author about empowerment and self-discovery. I know that we have read several great memoirs (Yes Please, Girlboss and Not That Kind of Girl) but I think maybe reading something by a woman who is famous for being a female author and feminist.
Maybe something by Joan Didion? Or Margaret Atwood, Joyce Carol Oates, or Isabella Allende?
I’m a little behind the 8 ball this month, but participating in the ABM Book Club is one of my New Year’s resolutions 🙂 I just reserved my copy at the library… hoping I finish in time for the discussion!
Fun Facts: The book is based on true events. Lady Chablis plays herself in the movie.
Definitely the city to visit.
I am so excited to have stumbled upon this book club! Downloading the book to my Kindle now – I’ll speed read 😉