What are you reading for October?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Finished Remarkably Bright Creatures - great listen on Libby. Next was The Book of Lost Names, a Holocaust-era book about a document forgery ring that smuggled Jewish children into Switzerland. So intense and so many sad parts (along with happy ones too, but still) that I seriously have to recover from it. Earlier this fall I read my first Emily Henry novel (Book Lovers) so I’m going to read Happy Place next. Should be a lighter read!

Ooh, loved this! This was my book last month. Right now I am in the middle of Black Cake. I honestly don't know why I put it on my queue at the library, I tend to put things on my Libby list when I read a good review or somebody recommends it, but it took awhile to become available so I have forgotten when/why I put it on.

So far I love it - I am probably 60% through. It starts in present day (well 2018) with two grown siblings who have been estranged for 8 years, and are brought together by their family attorney when their mother passes away. He tells them that part of the mother's wishes was to listen to an eight hour recording, while the attorney is present. She had wanted to tell them in person together, but since the siblings were not on good terms, had not had a chance before she passed away.

The rest of the book is a back and forth between present day and the mother's youth and young adulthood, and her children learn that there was much to their mother's life that they did not know. You also go back a few years and learn about what happened to cause the rift between siblings. Not sure how it ends yet, but it has been really good.

The title references a cake that is a family recipe from when her mom grew up in the West Indies.

I read Black Cake last month and I loved it!

[Anonymous]

Just finished When We Were Bright and Beautiful.

I felt like it was NOT as advertised and did not enjoy where the book went at all. Curious if anyone else has read it.

It's the story of a wealthy NYC family in which one son is accused of rape while at Princeton. There is another son plus a daughter, and at first I thought maybe it would be similar to a Pineapple Street-like story of privileged people but nope, not where it went at all. I thought the character development was random and incredibly unfulfilling. I kept feeling like I had missed something because there would be something a character would say or do and I thought what? That doesn't sound right...

Now I'm on Tom Lake and loving it so far. I had honestly been holding off on that because I figured I'd really enjoy it and be sad when it was over, but it's the perfect panacea after the prior book.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm about to start The Ex Hex which is supposed to be a fun chick lit book appropriate for the season.

Life is so serious, reading is my escape so I rarely read serious literature.

Ugh sorry to say I really did not care for it with the poor writing and cliche/weird romance.

I'm PP. Only 15% in according to my Kindle and sadly I'm agreeing with you so far. Will see if I finish it, but it's pretty lame to date.

[Anonymous]

Currently listening to Vanderbilt by Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe. I've been distracted and not giving it my full attention so I am probably not absorbing all of the story.

I'm continuing the Aurora Teagarden series with book four, The Julius House.

The books on the nightstand are still A Brush with Death by Ali Carter and The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine. These are taking me awhile to get through.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Currently listening to Vanderbilt by Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe. I've been distracted and not giving it my full attention so I am probably not absorbing all of the story.

I'm continuing the Aurora Teagarden series with book four, The Julius House.

The books on the nightstand are still A Brush with Death by Ali Carter and The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine. These are taking me awhile to get through.

I devoured that book! I read it during summer though, and it was a great summer read, light and engaging and quick. Not sure where you are but feel free to speed read it. It's not beautifully written or anything, the reason I liked it was because of the plot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are you reading this month?
What is it about?
What did you think of it?
Why did you pick that particular book to read?

I have some questions for you by Rebecca Makkai
Think a more pulpy Secret History brought up to date after Me-Too. I am enjoying it so far.
Picked it because the prior book was non-fiction and wanted something more escapist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
It is one of best books I read this year. It’s a hard-to-put-down kind of book. Set in 1960s, it vividly portrays the 1960s, capturing the mood, attitudes, and challenges experienced by women from that era. I’ve heard about the inherent sexism and inequality of that time but I did not really KNOW this until reading the book. The protagonist, Elizabeth is a brilliant chemist and a way ahead of her time. She refuses to conform to societal norms. She wants a career. It’s a funny and entertaining book that celebrates the power of knowledge.

There's a series on Hulu (I think) based on the book, coming out soon!

I'm reading a friend's new book that just came out - Blissful Thinking: A MEMOIR OF OVERCOMING THE WELLNESS REVOLUTION. I know I'm biased because it's a friend, but I am really enjoying it - about halfway through so far.

I finished Yellowface right before starting this book, and tore through it. Liked it so much more than I was expecting. Not sure what to read after this so I will watch this thread with interest!

Not to highjack - but read book and then started watching miniseries - a feel like that was a mistake because the book is so refreshing in its unapologetic look at a woman who always, always put knowledge first - and the miniseries (so far) seems to be adding parts that make it more like other stories from the 50s. I'm not sure I like how they are messing with the timeline and introducing characters earlier on than in the book - but it may be that I read the book too close to seeing the miniseries (usually a mistake).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My plan is to listen to more Stephanie Plum books this month. There are 29 books in the series. I listened to books 16,17,18,19,20 and 21 in September. (I read books 1-15 years ago). I finished listening to book 22 yesterday. The month is young and the books are rather short -- maybe I will listen to all the rest in the series this month.

It is a cozy mystery series written by Janet Evanovich about a female bounty hunter who is 28 years old, works for her cousin Vinnie, and lives in Trenton New Jersey. The books are fun, but I quit reading / listening to the series about ten years ago because I got annoyed that Stephanie never seems to get her stuff together. This time around, I am trying to appreciate that she occasionally tries to get her act together. In one of the books I listened to last month she actually bought a vacuum instead of always borrowing her parents vacuum cleaner. But then of course her apartment got blown up.

How it came to pass that I am listening to this series again is because back in March when I heard that Overdrive was going away from libraries by May, I downloaded all the Stephanie Plum audiobooks onto my MP3 player while I still could. I downloaded lots of other audiobooks as well. Of course, now I see that I can still use Overdrive on my laptop and I can still download to my MP3 player. But I didn't know back then that I would still be able to do that.

I've read 1, 8, 9, 15, 18 and working on 11. The order doesn't really matter with this series. They are a relaxing read that keeps your mind occupied without having to think too hard...that's my jam. I'm saving my mental capacity for other less fun books that jump around between characters and time periods. I'm looking forward to reading the Christmas book and I also find the inclusion of Rex comforting and always envisioned him as a golden hamster but the movie casted a multi-color hamster, what a bummer.

[Anonymous]

I’m reading The Office of Historical Corrections and think it’s just fantastic. There’s a sentence that was so good I went back and read it a bunch of times.

Kind of reminds me of A visit to the goon squad and Birds of America in being a set of related stories with similar themes. Hoping I continue to enjoy it as much as those books.

[Anonymous]

I am reading the Peacock and the Sparrow - a new release, and interesting view of the CIA / Bahrain.

After that I'll read Mad Honey for book club, and after that Frankenstein for a classic and Halloween type read if I can squeeze it in!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Finished Remarkably Bright Creatures - great listen on Libby. Next was The Book of Lost Names, a Holocaust-era book about a document forgery ring that smuggled Jewish children into Switzerland. So intense and so many sad parts (along with happy ones too, but still) that I seriously have to recover from it. Earlier this fall I read my first Emily Henry novel (Book Lovers) so I’m going to read Happy Place next. Should be a lighter read!

Ooh, loved this! This was my book last month. Right now I am in the middle of Black Cake. I honestly don't know why I put it on my queue at the library, I tend to put things on my Libby list when I read a good review or somebody recommends it, but it took awhile to become available so I have forgotten when/why I put it on.

So far I love it - I am probably 60% through. It starts in present day (well 2018) with two grown siblings who have been estranged for 8 years, and are brought together by their family attorney when their mother passes away. He tells them that part of the mother's wishes was to listen to an eight hour recording, while the attorney is present. She had wanted to tell them in person together, but since the siblings were not on good terms, had not had a chance before she passed away.

The rest of the book is a back and forth between present day and the mother's youth and young adulthood, and her children learn that there was much to their mother's life that they did not know. You also go back a few years and learn about what happened to cause the rift between siblings. Not sure how it ends yet, but it has been really good.

The title references a cake that is a family recipe from when her mom grew up in the West Indies.

I read Black Cake last month and I loved it!

I read it about a year and a half ago. I liked it but didn’t love it. It felt like there were too many things thrown in there - life in the Caribbean, the Windrush generation, being black in the US, LGBT…. Would’ve been far more enjoyable if the author picked one or maybe two of those and explored them more in depth. A story based entirely in the Caribbean could have been very interesting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Currently listening to Vanderbilt by Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe. I've been distracted and not giving it my full attention so I am probably not absorbing all of the story.

I'm continuing the Aurora Teagarden series with book four, The Julius House.

The books on the nightstand are still A Brush with Death by Ali Carter and The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine. These are taking me awhile to get through.

I devoured that book! I read it during summer though, and it was a great summer read, light and engaging and quick. Not sure where you are but feel free to speed read it. It's not beautifully written or anything, the reason I liked it was because of the plot.

Same here, I read Mrs. Parrish, Verity, and Gone Girl all within a day or two. Sometimes nice to have a quick read.

[Anonymous]

I started hang the moon by Jeanette walls but could not finish because the writing is so terrible!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone recommend some spooky Halloween reads? I’ve already read pretty much every Stephen King and Shirley Jackson and I reread the classics (Frankenstein, Dracula) every year. Enjoyed Mexican Gothic recently.

I just started The September House by Carissa Orlando. It's a haunted house story that really jumps right in. I'm only about 25% into it, but expect it to be a quick read.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I started hang the moon by Jeanette walls but could not finish because the writing is so terrible!

+1 Glass Castle was very good so I was a bit surprised.