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. 

June 2018 Reading Round-Up

The Wright Brothers by David McCullough

Quite an interesting portrayal of Wilbur and Orville Wright and how they came up with the airplane. I really liked their determination and how genuine they were. I also loved their sister, Katherine. She was a fun character to read about.

To All the Boys I Loved Before by Jenny Han

I've heard this talked about a ton on everyday-reading.com. It's not the worst YA chick lit that I've read but still lots of fluff and not a ton of substance. And I'm not sure if I'm invested in the story enough to read the other two. I might just look up a summary of it later. A quick beach read if you need one.

Maisie Dobbs by Jaqueline Winspear

This is the first in the series of 14 (!) so far. If you read it, do it on audio. I loved the narrator. Overall, it was a fun read and I can see myself turning to it when I need something light and fun.

The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen

I loved her book Flipped and this one was really great as well. Even though pretty sad at first it turned out to be lighthearted and a perfect feel-good book when you need it. Sometimes a bit cheesy but again, it was another quick read that I needed.

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann

True crime isn't what I am drawn to but I was intrigued with the story nonetheless. It is a bit disturbing (as I'm sure most true crime is) because this actually happened and generations are affected by it. Basically it is 'secret combinations' in real form. But it was also hard to put down. A lot of characters and plots to sift through but it's crazy how interconnected they all were.

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

This was a re-read for me as I have a list of postpartum books that I'm going to read because I loved them so much the first time, I know I'll love them again when I needed something fun during this new transition. Two things I forgot about this book: Morton is a great writer but by golly she has a lot more detail than I remembered. I always highly recommend this book but I can see how it would be hard to get into with all the background of characters. It was fun to read this knowing the twist and how crafty the author was in creating the story. 

May 2018 Reading Round-Up

I have been packing in the books this month (can you tell that I'm about to have a baby?) ;) but thankfully I got out of an audiobook rut and was able to finish several of these through audio. And some other ones were just really quick, fun reads. 

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

This was a really fascinating look at aging, dying, and what our norms in medicine push us to do or how we should "treat" this as if it's a disease. What it comes down to is asking the hard questions like what are you willing to give up and what would you want your life in the end to be like? It's not so much that we want them to die pain free but rather live fully. I wish I had read this when I worked as a hospice volunteer. My perspective of that job changed from reading this. I would have been more sympathetic and had more desire to grant their wishes instead of meeting a criteria for my job. I'd be interested to hear those that have read it who have had to make these decisions concerning loved ones who were nearing the end of their life. Highly recommend.

The Read-Aloud Family by Sarah Mackenzie

If you've ever listened to Sarah on her podcast, you will know how enthusiastic she is about reading aloud. It's a bit contagious. I don't feel like I can give a full, life-changing review because I don't have kids yet BUT I still saw so much value in it. The first part is all about why reading to your kids is one of the best things to do as a parent to connect with your kids. The second part is the how to do it and the third part is what books she recommends. There were a lot on the recommend list that I had never heard of before. I think that was her intention. The classics will always be there but there are a lot of great hidden gems as well.

One of my favorite parts of the book was when she talked about compelling questions to ask your kids about what they're reading. This is what I wish my teachers would have done in elementary school. Instead of being bogged down with details of the story and quizzing them on little facts, get them to write down their thoughts to some interesting questions. Here are a couple of examples: What is the character most afraid of? What does the character want, and why can't he or she have it? What is something you don't want to forget from this book?

I loved this part because not only would it be great to ask kids but also ask these questions in my own book club and think about it with my own books. I can keep these questions in the back of my mind and dig a little deeper when I'm reading something. I'm amazed at people's insights to questions and things I would never think of.

For instance, I was talking to a friend about the book club read for the month (When Breath Becomes Air) and she asked, "would you give this book to someone with cancer? Would you give it to someone who is dealing with a loved one with cancer?" I never thought to ask those questions.

Anyway, there is so much to this book that I could share but simply read it! So many great takeaways.

Restart by Gordon Korman

I'm proud to say that this came recommended by my niece, Julia, and she has excellent taste-this was great! It's about Chase Ambrose who falls off a roof and gets amnesia and can't remember the last 13 years of his life. Once the bully in school, now he gets a new start at his life and what he wants to be. This one hit a lot of great spots for me in terms of middle grade/YA fiction. Reminded me a little bit of Wonder or Flipped where it makes you laugh but also can pull at your heartstrings.

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

This was my classic book for the month and the first time reading this one. It’s been a while since I’ve read a Jane Austen novel and while I enjoyed reading the beginning in book cover, there’s something about listening to her beautiful writing through audio that makes it better. I thought Fanny had some great moments in this book and I realized how much Edmund bothered me. He seemed more the timid character in my opinion. 

QB: My Life behind the Spiral by Steve Young with Jeff Benedict

This was an interesting and fun memoir with a lot of snippets about Steve Young that I would have never known about. I don't have real memories of him playing on tv but I do have memories of playing the NFL computer game where I always wanted to be 49ers because of Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, and Steve Young. My other favorite team was New York Giants because of LT (Lawrence Taylor). Anyway, I liked the book. I think my only hang up was the excessive play by play in writing. I tended to skim a little bit unless it was a real big game like the Super Bowl or NFC championship or something. 

West With the Night by Beryl Markham

This one has been on my list since I heard it talked about on the What Should I Read Podcast episode with Kathleen Grissom (one of my favorite episodes). I agree with what's been said already that the writing is exquisite. I'm so glad I listened to this one. I started to read it but with all the African names, I knew it would flow better if I listened to it. But the narration really enhanced the whole experience (the narrator was Julie Harris). You really felt like she was telling a story and not just reading a book. The only problem is you can't take time to write down all the quotes. I'll admit that I was more invested in Beryl's story once she started flying but I still thought all of it was worth listening to, just to hear her descriptions. 

I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai

I remember hearing about Malala being shot in my culture and gender class back in 2012. Our teacher, Matt Whoolery, had a daughter that same age and he never gets emotional but he choked up just talking about the incident. He has four daughters and they have lived all over the world including the Middle East so everything hit home for him. I love her courage to stand up for what's right and her advocacy towards education. Makes me want to do more. 

Middlemarch by George Eliot

I'm so glad I finished this! Even though it took me 4 months to do so. The first and the last third were really engaging but there was something about that middle third that was really tough to get through. I bet if someone did it on audio they might be able to get it through quicker. Excellent writing, great themes, and I loved the complexity of the characters. I think my next Eliot novel (but maybe not for a while) will be Adam Bede. Anyone read it? 

Cold Sassy Tree by Olivia Burns

A fun southern fiction book. I enjoyed listening to this on audio. Not a favorite but a good read overall. Great characters. 

Chateau of Secrets by Melanie Dobson

A very predictable and quick read about WWII. Not great literature but not terrible either. Reminded me a little bit of Julie Klassen's books. 

The Almost Sisters by Joshilyn Jackson

This was my first Jackson novel. She creates some fun and memorable characters. I wasn't pulled into this book as much as I was hoping. And the comic-con aspect didn't really work for me but I can see why her books are popular. 

At the Pulpit

See my full review here.

What good books did you read this month?

April 2018 Reading Round-Up

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

This one was a hot bestseller last year and made the Reese Witherspoon book club so you know people are going to read it. But I guess I went with the hype and wanted to read it myself. And I get why it was such a hit. It's one of those beachy type reads but more engaging like What Alice Forgot. It gives you some things to think about, especially in terms of motherhood and what makes a good mother. Overall I enjoyed the book for what it was. There were some content that bothered me (teen sex, abortion and such) but the writing was good and I enjoyed some of the characters. A good general recommend if you're looking for a fast read that's interesting.

The Truth According to Us by Annie Barrows

It's a story that is told from three perspectives: Layla, the senator's daughter who's job is to write the history of Macedonia, West Virginia, Jottie, the aunt who is still a spinster (lovely character), and Willa, a sharp twelve year old who is so observant and curious of her surroundings.

This is a slower type novel but enough that I always wanted to jump into it. It almost felt like lots happened and not a lot happened at the same time. A bit more of a character driven novel and as much as some characters aggravated me, I really loved the place and time setting of it all and it was always a treat to come back to.

The Professor and The Madman by Simon Winchester

This was for our book club. It's about William Minor who was in an insane asylum but at the same time was one of the great contributors of the Oxford Dictionary. At times I forgot it was a nonfiction read. Sometimes it seemed too crazy to believe. It wasn't one that had a lot to discuss. Interesting read but not one that I would highly recommend.

Roots and Sky: A Journey Home in Four Seasons by Christie Purifoy

Man, to be able to write like her...(sigh). I loved this. It's essays of the first year her family lived at Maplehurst. She is guided by religion in every aspect of her life and has some deep poignant thoughts that I had to book mark a lot. When I started her book, that night, Austin and I went on a picnic to a park near our house. He asked me, "when you see the view, what do you see?" (he was trying to do this as a personality type quiz to see if I would name emotions or just the obvious things like blue sky and green grass). Well, from reading this book, I was like, "longing, peace, stability" haha. All of the feelings and none of the actual, visible things you would see. You can probably guess that I'm more feeling oriented rather than logical. But it's because I was having Purifoy's words still in my head.

And check out her instagram. She takes the most beautiful photos of every day life.

Here's a few lines that I loved:

"Our lives are stories built of small moments. Ordinary experiences. It is too easy to forget that our days are adding up to something astonishing." pg 18

"Yet not even Adam and Eve were given the world. They were given each other. They were given one garden, as I have been given one garden. It has been a long time since the exile from Eden. I do not know but I long to know, if God still walks with us here." pg. 61

"This may be why I struggle against the idea of the now and the not yet. We only think in these terms when we are dissatisfied with our now...we are stuck in an imperfect reality we do not, in ourselves, have the power to change. The not yet no longer seems to be good news. It seems to taunt us, to tease us, to say what we have is not good enough. If we are always comparing our now with our not yet, then we will find it impossible to be glad in the day that God has given." pg. 72

Sully by Chelsey Sullenburger

What an incredible man! I vaguely remember the "miracle on the Hudson" back in 2009 when a plane had to emergency land on the Hudson River. We got more of the glimpse of the story when we watched the movie "Sully" and the magnitude of what happened that day. Now reading his back story, I'm even more amazed at Captain Sully. The hero that never wanted to be the hero. It wasn't just January 15, 2009 that he became a hero but really his life's mission was about helping people and he did that time and time again. It was the little decisions over a lifetime that helped him for those 3 minutes when he needed to decide how he was going to safely land this plane. It's a reminder that daily decisions are important for those unexpected circumstances.

I also loved how this story of the Hudson brought hope and renewal to so many people. After 9/11, the people of New York needed a plane story that they can feel good about it. It wasn't just Sully that made a difference that day but his co-pilot, flight attendants and all the passengers working together to make sure all 155 got out alive. It was a true act of heroism on all parts. Great read! I did this on audio and the last 2 chapters was Sully speaking himself and that was a neat thing to hear.

As Bright As Heaven by Susan Meissner

This one was just flat for me. In the first part, it goes back and forth between 4 characters (the mom and the three daughters) and despite the age difference, they all sounded the same. I had to flip back a few times to see who was actually the narrator in this chapter because I couldn't tell. I thought the 2nd half would be better with a different pace but there was still lack of character development and it just turned a bit sappy.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

This was my classic for the month. I had to do some digging later to find what themes people find most prevalent in the story. I was trying to wrap my head around why they require this for high school reading. There were some things that I noticed that would be good for discussion but it wasn't clicking as much as it does for other people. It was good. Nothing amazing to me though. But glad I finally read it.

I Was Anastasia by Ariel Lawhon

This is the third novel by Lawhon that I've read and I'll pretty much read anything she writes because I think she's a great storyteller. I picked up Flight of Dreams randomly at the library one time before a trip and finished in one day.

I feel like I need to give her major props for how she wrote this story about Anastasia. A lot of books go back and forth between time periods but she did it where she wrote the 'present day' period backwards and the 'past period' forwards. And then she converged them at the end. Hard to do I'm sure. But it did make it a bit confusing. And because I was getting snippets of scenes, I wasn't really invested in Anna, the main character, as much as I would have liked. A good read overall but not my favorite of hers.

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

This is another author who can write a really great story. She can take what could be surface level and give it more depth. I've only read one of her other novels, What Alice Forgot, and really liked that one. I would probably recommend that over this one generally. I'm still trying to decide how to rate books if they have content that would make me a little squeamish to recommend but still gives you something to think about (like Little Fires Everywhere). I'll admit I had a hard time putting this one down, but again, the content was a little more heavy than I would have liked.

Have you read any of these? What good books did you read this month?

March 2018 Reading Round-Up

Left to Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza

This was pretty difficult to read through. A lot of gruesome details of the Rwanda genocide. My heart ached for her and her people. I can't imagine living through the horror that she did. What amazed me was her devotion to God and her ability to forgive. It reminded me a lot of 'The Hiding Place'. I would just recommend you to read something 'lighter' in between as it's pretty heavy throughout.

"When we are no longer able to change a situation-we are challenged to change ourselves." Viktor Frankl

"So I resolved to pray during every waking moment, beginning as soon as my eyes opened at 4 or 5 A.M. My first prayer was always to thank God that the pastor's home had been built so it could shelter us during the genocide. Then I thanked Him for having the architect design the house with an extra bathroom, and for prompting the pastor to buy a wardrobe of exactly the right dimensions to conceal our hiding place." pg 84

"I knew that my bond with God would transcend the bathroom, the war, and the holocaust...it was a bond I now knew would transcend life itself." pg 107

Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover

See my review here. And if you do read the book, I think it's helpful to read one of her brother's review of it on Amazon.  

Secrets of a Charmed Life by Susan Meissner

This book falls under the genre of beachy, fast reads. The pacing of the story was such that you could read it in a day. It was about the London Blitz during WWII. It's focused on two sisters who get forced to evacuate London and what happens when they try to come back and the consequences that lead to that. Definitely kept me on my toes. I didn't love the last 1/3 of the book as much. It didn't grip me like the rest of it but still a fun read if you're looking for something fast.

A Tangled Mercy

This has a bit of Kate Morton style to it which I really like: the back and forth between time periods and how characters are weaved together in this story. It's about a woman who is on a mission to discover more about her mother and her mother's passion of 1822 revolution involving Tom Russell and slavery.

Again, I like the style of writing and some of the themes are timely for us today but I felt there were some loose ends that didn't get tied up. Or I just felt by the end that something was missing.

East of Eden by John Steinbeck

I'm just going to give myself a high-five for finishing this 600 page beast in a month! Apparently it was interesting enough to read it in a relatively short amount of time. This is a story that centers around the Hamilton and Trask families. But to me, it was mostly about the Trasks. The idea of the book is give it a theme like Cain and Abel. Thus the names, Caleb and Adam, Caleb and Aron were main characters, each set brothers.

I came away finding this book really interesting but I'm not sure if it's one I would read again or beg people to read it. I do wish I had someone to discuss it with because it definitely would have made it more interesting and I would find some more things to appreciate about it. But I felt like there were some unnecessary characters or plot lines (like a majority of the Hamiltons...what am I missing here?) But maybe that's just me.

I was really drawn to the character Caleb and even though he was supposedly the "evil" brother, I related to his humaness a lot more than "pure" Aron.

And then there is something really creepy about having a woman, and in this case, the mother, as the villain.

I can see why this one is a classic.

Miller's Valley by Anna Quindlen

I actually read this one in two sittings-about 250 pages and engaging enough to keep reading. This is one of those that feels like the author's memoir but it's really just the narrator's story from young childhood to adulthood and the ups and downs of life. I guess this would be considered a 'quiet' book if that's more your thing. I liked it well enough but it's not one that I'm gushing to recommend. 

The Year of Classic Literature

After talking with my friend, Sam, about her love for Far From the Madding Crowd, I resolved to pick it up from the library so I could chat with her about it later. She said she was surprised this one didn't take off and Pride and Prejudice did. That really intrigued me. 

I didn't start reading it right away as I also got a book from the library that "internet people" have been loving. It's a new release and it reminds me of Kate Morton's books (which I love) but it also seems a little flat. There is a time and place for books for pleasure and then books to learn. What I've been learning a lot lately is our brains naturally want us to do the easy thing. It avoids the hard, challenging work. I started noticing that I do this with the books I read. I've been neglecting classics or putting them off and instead gone for the quick, enthralling reads. Again, a time and place for those for sure. I think I will always revert back to those when I need a breather. But I love learning and I've had a great desire to learn how to read these classics but that requires doing the hard work. And I know not all the classics are hard work but I love when the writing challenges me a little more. 

This year I got caught up in the numbers on my Goodreads reading challenge. I did have my  blog reading challenge and in some ways I stretched myself and other ways I didn't. I pretty much have the challenge completed and I'm not sure if that's a sign that it was a real goal or not. ;) Don't we need to fail at these kind of things once in a while? 

Ever since I started putting books on my IG book account, I notice that I follow people who read the new and upcoming "thriller" reads. Not many people post about the classics. And I've read some of these books they highly recommend and in a lot of cases, I haven't jumped on the hype. I think this means that I want more when it comes to my reading. I want to be more intentional about it. 

It's so invigorating to read a classic and find worthwhile gems and it provides a reading experience that will stay with you. 

I found this post (and subsequently read so many of her other posts), that it inspired me to pick up more classics as well. 

Okay, the hard and fun part is what to read and how much I should read. This will be for next year's goal. I'm deciding between once a month or once every six weeks (because that's how long I get a book from the library if I renew it). I'm still trying to figure out if there should be a theme to this. 

And do I do some of them abridged or not? Which ones should I tackle on audio?

I'm also trying to figure out if I should slow my way into the classics by reading books where I'm familiar with the story like Little Dorrit and Mansfield Park? 

And do I intentionally pick books that I think I might hate like Wuthering Heights?

Here is the book list with definite add-ons later...

Far From the Madding Crowd

Uncle Tom's Cabin

Count of Monte Cristo

Anna Karenina

Middlemarch

The Remains of the Day

Huck Finn

Tom Sawyer

Dracula

Frankenstein

War and Peace

The Great Gatsby

Les Miserables

Crime and Punishment

Angle of Repose

The Scarlett Letter

The Age of Innocence 

Little Dorrit

Great Expectations

Walden

East of Eden

Lord of the Rings

The Color Purple

Brideshead Revisted

Brave New World

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Wuthering Heights

Mansfield Park

Northanger Abbey

The Secret Garden

The Woman in White

The Wind in the Willows

The House of Mirth

Quicksand

My Antonia

The Handsmaid Tale

The Portrait of a Lady

Watership Down

Jamaica Inn

Lonesome Dove

The Hobbit

Bleak House

Oliver Twist

Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

*************************************************

What would you add to the list? Are there any you see that I absolutely HAVE to read? Or are them some that I should completely avoid? I would love to know! 

I'm going to try to narrow down my picks by the end of the year so I can make a good headway on them come January. I'm pretty excited about it!

Third Quarter Reading

Here are some of my favorite reads these past three months. You can see my full list on Goodreads. And then I'll post at the bottom some books I'm looking forward to reading this next quarter. 

Fiction

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell: I pretty much decided to read this on a whim. I knew one of my goals this year was to read a book over 700 pages so I decided to go with this one. And then I decided my Mom should join in on the fun. For a book about 1000 pages, it didn't seem that long...ok, there were some skimming parts for sure, but it wasn't a dread to pick it up. Mitchell is a fantastic writer and she gives you a lot to think about it by the end. My Mom and I had a great 45 minute chat once I finished about characters we liked and disliked, what we would do in certain situations, and such. We both concluded that Ashley was a really weak character. Meaning him and Scarlett were actually more perfect for each other than him and Melanie. He just fell flat in my mind the whole time I read the book. I felt some pity for him at the end (if you've read the book, you know what I'm talking about) because it seems any sort of spark of courage or determination was plucked out of him. 

Despite Rhett being a womanizer, we actually really liked him. Him and Scarlett were a lot alike in my opinion but he was more mature to not let her run his life like she did with so many other men. I loved his relationship with his daughter at the end. 

Scarlett was so self absorbed it was almost comical. But in the end, I felt a twinge of sadness for her. I mean she was finally understanding what she really wanted and now it was out of her reach. But by the last sentence of the book, I thought, 'nope, she still has no idea what she wants.' #facepalm 

Mr. Rochester by Sarah Shoemaker: I never know what I'm going to get with a re-telling of a classic story. I'm glad this wasn't just another rehash of Jane Eyre told in modern setting, though. The author was able to use her own liberties with the story but then come back to Bronte's version pretty seamlessly. I thought she was a great writer and even though it's hard to match Bronte's style exactly (I mean, it's Bronte!) I thought it was well done. 

I was a little skeptical of his side of the story and the extra drama that the author put in but it really flowed so seamlessly that it felt like that really was his backstory. It's so weird not to have Jane's side of the story. It almost made her seem really flat as a character because she wasn't in it a ton. The time when she's at Thornfield is more condensed. There was a lot of back story before she comes. All in all, a great read and it makes me want to pick up Jane Eyre again. The audio version of Mr. Rochester is fantastic. 

Nonfiction

Not in God's Name by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks: Full review here

The Notorious RBG by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg: I feel sad to say I hardly knew anything about RBG...okay, basically that she's on the Supreme Court and that's it. This was part of the social book club read in September and I'm glad I read this fast and interesting book. It was a great look into her life and the hoops she had to jump in a world of even more suppression of woman becoming lawyers and succeeding in a "man's world". She did a lot for our country in equalizing men and women in the workforce. 

I really appreciate people who can tell their ideas on some hard issues of the day like abortion and marriage rights, etc., and I get an 'uh, never thought about that before' moment. It doesn't drastically change what I believe but I'm grateful for the other side that makes me think differently on such subjects. Two words for RBG: girl power. 

Memoir:

An Unseen Angel by Alissa Parker: Wow, lots of tears in this one. It made me depressed and comforted all at the same time. I don't know why certain things happen to certain people but I appreciate when they tell their story of hope, forgiveness, and how their faith is strengthened so it helps my faith to be strengthened. 

Textbook by Amy Krouse Rosenthal : I know a lot of people got weepy in this one but one thing I remember from reading this is the funny parts (does that make me a bad person?) I was trying to explain to Austin one part of the book and I couldn't because I was laughing too much. She explained a part of my life to a T. I am saddened by her loss, though. She wrote such beautiful essays. I'm in the middle of a food memoir and the essays just can't compare at all. 

Young Adult

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas: Overall I'm really glad I had this book because it's an eye opener for sure. The language was a bit much for me but I can see how it painted a picture of their life and I'm guessing it's pretty accurate. It's just a bummer that I'm apprehensive about recommending it for that reason. 

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys : This one is great if you're looking for a fast but engaging read. At first it took me a little bit to get a sense of place in the story. It's not a very detail read because the chapters are so short but it's one that can pull at your heart strings at the end. And about a part of history that I knew nothing about. 

Middle Grade

Hour of the Bees by Lindsay Eagar: This might not be knock-your-socks-off-amazing but it's a story that I think sticks with you. I don't really look at bees the same and it's fun when an author can throw in some magical realism to change your thinking on things. Solid middle grade fiction. 

4th quarter TBR:

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan

Still Life by Louise Penny

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser

Caroline by Sarah Miller

The Other Alcott by Elise Hooper

Code Girls by Liza Mundy

What's on your reads this fall?