What I've Been Reading Lately

If you follow me on Goodreads then nothing will be new here but I've read some really good books lately so I thought I would highlight a few here. 

The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton: I'm a huge Kate Morton fan so I was so excited to read her latest this fall and it was a great seasonal read! This is one of those books I looked forward to reading at the end of the day. I just couldn’t read too late into the night by myself because it would freak me out slightly.

This one is a little different than her other novels except for the fact of jumping time periods like she usually does. There’s no real twist but it’s all about weaving stories together that revolve around Birchwood Manor. You’re always curious to what did happen in the summer of 1862 and how do all these characters relate?

But she throws in a TON of characters. I was nearing page 300 and there were still new characters being introduced. I can see why people didn't like this as much. The writing style was different because of the ghost character but I thought it was done tactfully even though it took me a couple of chapters in to get the groove of it. 

Chester and Gus by Cammie McGovern: Recommended by my sister, this was such a sweet middle grade novel and different than what I've read in a while. It's from the perspective of Chester, the dog, who is been trained to find 'his person' to help. And he feels he's found it in an autistic boy named Gus. I'm usually not an animal person or I like reading about them but I really loved that even though it was from the dog's perspective, it had some real emotions without being cheesy. 

Forty Autumns: A Family's Story of Courage on Both Sides of the Berlin Wall by Nina Wilner: Interesting look at a family's story that is divided by the Berlin Wall. I learned so much about East and West Germany at this time and I'm glad I learned it through the eyes of this family. It's heartbreaking to think that some of the siblings and their parents had little to no connection with each other, some for almost 40 years. This was written by a granddaughter so it had a similar feel/story to "We Were the Lucky Ones" but told in a non-fiction standpoint instead of historical fiction. (side note: Georgia Hunter, author of WWTLO, did a podcast interview with Anne on What Should I Read Next that I thoroughly enjoyed and Anne's book recommendations sound so interesting!) At times this book felt a little lengthy but overall really good. The central theme I felt was you don't know what it's like to have freedom until you lose it. 

Sweep: The Story of the Girl and Her Monster by Jonathan Auxier: This one came highly recommended by Sarah McKenzie on her instagram feed and I'm a sucker when someone says it's the best book they've read this year and they hope it wins the Newbery because it's that good. It was really really good. It's about Nan, a chimney sweeper in Victorian London and her experiences with Charlie, her golem and protector, while trying to escape from her evil master. There were so many great lessons that would be great discussion builders for kids and adults. It does have a bit of Dickens' feel with the time period and themes of child labor and poverty. And you need to read the author's notes at the end. Makes the book more meaningful.

Some quotes: “I’m not going to tell you it’s easy or that you shouldn’t be scared. But being scared’s not the whole story of it. There’s another reason we climb—one that makes all that danger worth it. It’s the view. There’s nothing in the world like it.”

"We are saved by saving others.”

America's First Daughter by Stephanie Dray: It took me a little bit to get into but then there was a point that I wanted to find time to read it. I blew through this book. She packs a ton of drama in these 600 pages which can be exhausting but definitely makes you want to keep reading. I felt like I was reading a combo of Gone With the Wind and The Kitchen House. I think it would have been too much for me if it wasn't historical fiction. I realize the author elaborates a lot but reading what she included and why was interesting. I learned a lot (maybe too much haha!) about Thomas Jefferson and his family. 

Marilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy: I read The Mapmaker's Children from this author last year and really enjoyed it. And I thoroughly enjoyed this one too. Even though she's making up the story of Marilla growing up and what her relationship with John Blythe might have looked like, it worked. I did roll my eyes a little bit with some of the romance but it was sweet and sad, even if you know how it ends from the Anne books. I loved the little connections between Marilla and Anne and fun to see some of the dots connect. Even the chapter headings were similar to the Anne books. Recommend if you need something light and nostalgic.