So I feel I probably come across as pretty hard to please when it comes to books but I really loved A Spool of Blue Thread. I read this is one weekend in two sittings, partly because I hadn't got round to reading it on my holiday for book club, but also because it was that good.

Our bookclub (Much Ado About Books based in Hillingdon) were lucky enough to be chosen to shadow the Bailey's Womens Fiction shortlist through the Reading Agency and their #ThisBookClub scheme. This meant that we were given a beautiful copy of the book to read and a copy to give to a friend plus a lovely bottle of baileys for the book group. It's a great scheme as it not only gave us a chance to read, discuss and share our thoughts on the book but also to interact with other book clubs taking part in the scheme through social media.

Of all the books on the Baileys prize shortlist, this is probably the most beautifully written. Anne Tyler famously doesn't do plot in her books, she does detail and style and realism. Everything about this book made me feel immersed in the characters' lives that the need for an action-packed plot is long forgotten. It is a book where nothing happens but the writing style you along the book until before you know it you're at the end. I think this was one of the reasons I was able to read this book is two long sittings, I could sit there for 4 or 5 hours and just read it without getting bored or tired or distracted. I read every day on my commute and I can go through a book every 3 or 4 days, but rarely can I sit there for that long in one go and read a book solidly. This one is something special.

Everyone in our book club agreed that this was so and that it is definitely a book by a woman for women. It is feminine but not overbearingly so. Even the male in our group, who isn't a fan of these type of books said that he could appreciate the beauty of it all and would keep reading it. I wouldn't be surprised at all if this book won. I haven't finished all of the shortlist yet, but I doubt the other books compare with such a lyrical writing style.

The winner of the prize is going to be announced next Wednesday! I'm very excited as I've managed to get an invite to the ceremony and will be sure to take lots of pictures and blog about it afterwards.

I'm currently 7 books into my 20 long list challenge and although the winner will be announced next week I will endeavour to keep reading them all so watch this space!