October Reading Thread [emoji432]

[wise_rita]

Oct 2, 2024 18:50:18 GMT -5 dancingirl21 said:

I’m flying to Italy in less than 2 weeks. Anyone have good recommendations for a flight?

I like to read books about places before I go to them, which I will be going to Italy (Tuscany) next year so I'm seeking recommendations about that specifically! WWII focus a bonus.

cjcouple I think I'll do Frankenstein this month. It's been on my list for years so I think now it's the time.

[Jalapeñomel]

Oct 3, 2024 2:14:16 GMT -5 wise_rita said:

Oct 2, 2024 18:50:18 GMT -5 dancingirl21 said:

I’m flying to Italy in less than 2 weeks. Anyone have good recommendations for a flight?

I like to read books about places before I go to them, which I will be going to Italy (Tuscany) next year so I'm seeking recommendations about that specifically! WWII focus a bonus.

cjcouple I think I'll do Frankenstein this month. It's been on my list for years so I think now it's the time.

I loved Frankenstein. My college lit class was something around sci-fi themed, and it was my favorite lit class. I’m fairly certain we just talked about books the whole time, no writing (or no intensive writing anyway).

[rupertpenny]

cjcouple, my favorite Halloween adjacent book is The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova.

I read The Saturday Afternoon Club by Griffin Dunne, and it was all right. Very gossipy, which was fun, but it ended so abruptly.

I'm currently reading Sandwich by Catherine Newman, and it's decent.

I'm in a bit of a slump right now, but I hope I can get out of it soon. I have Real Americans waiting for me.

[Vally]

I’ll echo the suggestion to read a book set in a place before traveling there. I have an Italy trip in March and (not book related) but I plan on rewatching Master of None prior because I remember enjoying their Italy season.


Last month I read Cloud Cuckoo Land, and as I was checking it out at the library a man commented “oooh that was a good one, stick with it though” lol and he was RIGHT. It took a while to get into but once the stories started converging I really enjoyed it.

I also got Tom Hanks’ The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece thinking it was his memoir but it is actually a novel and he is verbose(!) I ended up liking the story a lot but it definitely needed heavier editing.

I also started the Throne of Glass series because I’m curious about the Sarah J Maas hype and it was just okay. I don’t have any desire to read ACOTAR but I will keep going with TOG at least to see if I like the second one better.

Listening to The Small and the Mighty now and I think i will end up buying it for the shelf.

[lilac05]

Oct 3, 2024 2:14:16 GMT -5 wise_rita said:

Oct 2, 2024 18:50:18 GMT -5 dancingirl21 said:

I’m flying to Italy in less than 2 weeks. Anyone have good recommendations for a flight?

I like to read books about places before I go to them, which I will be going to Italy (Tuscany) next year so I'm seeking recommendations about that specifically! WWII focus a bonus.

cjcouple I think I'll do Frankenstein this month. It's been on my list for years so I think now it's the time.

Beneath a Scarlet Sky was great read!

[expectantsteelerfan]

Oct 2, 2024 22:17:00 GMT -5 lilac05 said:

isabel , I’m reading The Small and The Mighty right now, and my oldest has asked to read it when I’m done. History is usually NOT my genre, but this is so, so good. Uplifting and inspiring. Highly recommend!

I’m also reading Anxious Generation, but having a hard time getting into it. It’s generally something that I’m interested in, but I think the science is pretty weak. He draws really dark lines connecting things when I think there are a LOT of things that contribute.

This book has been accused (by people I respect) of fear-mongering and other things I don't remember exactly so don't want to speak on, but I remember seeing that made me go from wanting to read it to being wary of it.  And then our school district picked it as the topic for the bi-yearly mental health for students symposium, and I was like, that probably isn't great.  I couldn't go to the symposium, but I still can't decide if I want to read this so that I'm aware of what ideas are being promoted by our district as helpful, in case they actually aren't.  

[lilac05]

Oct 3, 2024 10:20:25 GMT -5 expectantsteelerfan said:

Oct 2, 2024 22:17:00 GMT -5 lilac05 said:

isabel , I’m reading The Small and The Mighty right now, and my oldest has asked to read it when I’m done. History is usually NOT my genre, but this is so, so good. Uplifting and inspiring. Highly recommend!

I’m also reading Anxious Generation, but having a hard time getting into it. It’s generally something that I’m interested in, but I think the science is pretty weak. He draws really dark lines connecting things when I think there are a LOT of things that contribute.

This book has been accused (by people I respect) of fear-mongering and other things I don't remember exactly so don't want to speak on, but I remember seeing that made me go from wanting to read it to being wary of it.  And then our school district picked it as the topic for the bi-yearly mental health for students symposium, and I was like, that probably isn't great.  I couldn't go to the symposium, but I still can't decide if I want to read this so that I'm aware of what ideas are being promoted by our district as helpful, in case they actually aren't.  

The podcast “If Books Could Kill” has a great episode on it that kind of highlights the weak science, but also the good things. I think it’s just that the book spoon feeds you his thoughts/beliefs without doing much critical thinking. It’s his standard schtick…he also wrote “The Coddling of the American Mind” and “The Righteous Mind.” He seems to think he has everything figured out, and there’s not much room for nuance. That’s not to say he doesn’t have great points and recommendations, too. It’s just complicated. Listen to the podcast first (he also did a great podcast interview with @mosheh on the MoNews Podcast) and you can probably skip most of the book.

[sju]

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - I had a 10+ hr round trip drive so I decided to listen to it and I am glad because I think this one is better in audiobook. I probably would have DNF if I had started it as an ebook. It is slow at first but I ended up enjoying it. I found the book very sad although there were funny, ridiculous parts. 

Yours Truly - loved it. Very few books have made me laugh. 

[NewGirlNic]

In September I read:

The Book of Lost Names 3.5*
The Husbands 4* I thought this was a fun read
Sandwich 3.5*
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing 3* Listened on audio and I enjoyed it, but it was very disjointed and the timelines were confusing. Heartbreaking, obviously. 
Three Women 3.5* I read this because the series looks interesting. The book was sometimes hard to follow and I kept forgetting which story was what. 
Just for the Summer 4* I really enjoy these books, as cheesy as they are

Right now I'm reading Stop Trying to Leave Me. It's taken me a bit to get into, but I like it. I'll probably finish it tonight. 

I have the following holds to pick up at the library:
Shark Heart
The Return of Ellie Black
Red River Road
Here One Moment

[Vespasia]

Oct 2, 2024 22:49:58 GMT -5 krystee said:

I have Halloween recs!

For scary/creepy: Salem’s Lot, The Shining, The September House, The Lighthouse Witches, Hide

For general fall vibes: Weyward (loved!), Witch of Wild Things, In the Company of Witches

On my TBR: Discovery of Witches, VenCo, Once and Future Witches, A House With Good Bones

I really enjoyed September House! It had more depth than I expected from a haunted house book. 

A House with Good Bone is great. I absolutely love this author and would recommend everything she has written but The Hollow Places is particularly creepy. 

And keeping with the house theme, How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix is excellent and probably my favorite of his. 

[Jalapeñomel]

Just got Shark Heart on audio.

I’m trudging through the Wedding People. I don’t hate it enough to DFN, but I don’t like it all that much either.

[gummybear]

Oct 2, 2024 14:04:40 GMT -5 TR said:

Oct 2, 2024 12:11:40 GMT -5 cjcouple said:

Anyone have any suggestions for a fun Halloween or fall themed book/story?

Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig if you’re ok with fairly graphic(maybe? I don’t know what the norm is) horror. It’s kind of batshit, but I loved it.

So I just started this. The author is SUPER local and I am absolutely delighted with his not so subtle nods to local towns and boroughs and school board drama and he just dropped a Wegners reference which is EPIC. For context, when Oz was running against Fetterman he messed up and combined Wegmans and a local co-op “Redners” and said Wegners and it was one of the final nails in the coffin for his campaign. So I am all in on this book.

[shopgirl07]

Just finished Ina Garten’s memoir and enjoyed it. It was quick read.

[expectantsteelerfan]

Oct 2, 2024 12:45:04 GMT -5 meanie said:

I also read a few Freida McFadden books in a row, her books are a bit shorter so I will read them while I wait for stuff to come off hold. Someone on Goodreads nailed what bothers me about her books - the premise is always really good, but her lead is always a woman who makes really dumb decisions and doesn't get the most obvious clues until the very end - it's so frustrating, like yelling at the person who runs upstairs in a horror movie.

I had 2 Freida McFadden books on my Kindle, either from 99 cent deals or Kindle first reads.  I read one of them recently (The Perfect Son), and her writing style was SO terrible IMO.  It was like she was writing as if the reader is an idiot, when in fact it's her main character that is one.  I honestly felt like it insulted my intelligence, and I can't figure out why so many people love her books.  But I agree that in reading the descriptions, all of her books have really interesting premises, so I was doubly annoyed.  I will probably read the other book of hers that I have just to make sure that book wasn't a bad example, but I'm guessing it's just her style.

I read All the Colors of the Dark after that, which I believe some on here talked about last month and said they weren't fans, but the writing itself was SO much better after reading Freida McFadden that I enjoyed it just for that.  It was a little long, but I found it well-done and moving.

I'm reading A Discovery of Witches right now (haven't watched the show).  I felt like it was good for an October read, and I'd had it on my Kindle for years but never picked it up.  So I'm glad people are talking about the show because it made me interested in it again.  

[scm1011]

I'm just about to finish "The Third Gilmore Girl" on audio and I've really enjoyed it.

[luckystar2]

Oct 10, 2024 8:17:40 GMT -5 scm1011 said:

I'm just about to finish "The Third Gilmore Girl" on audio and I've really enjoyed it.

I just finished this a few days ago! I really enjoyed it too. I wish there was more Gilmore girls content but overall it was so interesting. I actually didn’t know she was on Broadway. She’s had quite a life.

I’m almost finished reading The Return of Ellie Black. I’ve liked it.

[dish2501]

@ Jalapeñomel Listen for the Lie was great as an audiobook.

I listened to The Ministry of Time. I loved it. It was completely bananas.

I’m currently reading The Shadow Cabinet, book 2 of the Her Majesty’s Royal Coven series. It’s fun.

I DNF Then We Came to the End. I just couldn’t power through.

[scm1011]

Oct 10, 2024 8:23:18 GMT -5 luckystar2 said:

Oct 10, 2024 8:17:40 GMT -5 scm1011 said:

I'm just about to finish "The Third Gilmore Girl" on audio and I've really enjoyed it.

I just finished this a few days ago! I really enjoyed it too. I wish there was more Gilmore girls content but overall it was so interesting. I actually didn’t know she was on Broadway. She’s had quite a life.

I’m almost finished reading The Return of Ellie Black. I’ve liked it.

Same! I'm not a huge Broadway fan but I really enjoyed hearing about those years, and things like how she was an abortion rights activist and unapologetically child-free. She seems like a really strong, smart, and fun woman. 

[gummybear]

I finished Black River Orchard and I loved it! It is pretty graphic and gory but I thought it was in a not-too-disturbing way (unless you have misophonia). It was clever and a huge allegory for the state of our country right now.

I also just finished (as in now, I got this book today and couldn’t put it down) The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb. If you are familiar with his books you know they can be quite heavy and that he does not shy away from tragedy. This book was GUT-WRENCHING. It was so, so good though. One of the best books I’ve read in a long while. I had kind of forgotten about WL but She’s Come Undone was a generational masterpiece, at least for me. The premise is EXTREMELY triggering so proceed with caution but if you like the author you know his books are stomach-churning in their humanity but so so worth it.

[al dente]

Oct 3, 2024 8:57:03 GMT -5 Vally said:

I also started the Throne of Glass series because I’m curious about the Sarah J Maas hype and it was just okay. I don’t have any desire to read ACOTAR but I will keep going with TOG at least to see if I like the second one better.

I just finished TOG. I agree it's ok. I've listened through ACOTAR and they're also just ok, some books better then others. I wouldn't ever prioritize either series, but I listen to them while waiting on other stuff to come in lol. I do not get the hype though.

I did recently listen to The Tainted Cup which is similar genre and really liked that. The audiobook narrator was also really good.

[al dente]

I finished Lady Tans Circle Of Women based on a rec here and really liked it! It was such a different story.

[wise_rita]

Oct 3, 2024 7:09:36 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

Oct 3, 2024 2:14:16 GMT -5 wise_rita said:

I like to read books about places before I go to them, which I will be going to Italy (Tuscany) next year so I'm seeking recommendations about that specifically! WWII focus a bonus.

cjcouple I think I'll do Frankenstein this month. It's been on my list for years so I think now it's the time.

I loved Frankenstein. My college lit class was something around sci-fi themed, and it was my favorite lit class. I’m fairly certain we just talked about books the whole time, no writing (or no intensive writing anyway).

My class was like that, too, and I found 3 of my favorite books from it:

Slaughterhouse Five
The Things They Carried
On the Beach

When I transferred after my freshman year that class transferred in as a writing intensive composition course, which made me laugh and laugh because I did none of that!

[TR]

Oct 14, 2024 22:51:10 GMT -5 gummybear said:

I also just finished (as in now, I got this book today and couldn’t put it down) The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb. If you are familiar with his books you know they can be quite heavy and that he does not shy away from tragedy. This book was GUT-WRENCHING. It was so, so good though. One of the best books I’ve read in a long while. I had kind of forgotten about WL but She’s Come Undone was a generational masterpiece, at least for me. The premise is EXTREMELY triggering so proceed with caution but if you like the author you know his books are stomach-churning in their humanity but so so worth it.

Did you get an advanced copy of this? It says it's being published May 2025.

[gummybear]

Oct 15, 2024 9:10:58 GMT -5 TR said:

Oct 14, 2024 22:51:10 GMT -5 gummybear said:

I also just finished (as in now, I got this book today and couldn’t put it down) The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb. If you are familiar with his books you know they can be quite heavy and that he does not shy away from tragedy. This book was GUT-WRENCHING. It was so, so good though. One of the best books I’ve read in a long while. I had kind of forgotten about WL but She’s Come Undone was a generational masterpiece, at least for me. The premise is EXTREMELY triggering so proceed with caution but if you like the author you know his books are stomach-churning in their humanity but so so worth it.

Did you get an advanced copy of this? It says it's being published May 2025.

Yes! Our supplier was at the library yesterday to pump up 2025 releases and I snagged a copy.

[followyourarrow]

I just finished The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell. I listened to it on audiobook. I love it until the last hour, the ending just didn't feel right to me.

I'm in the middle of Margo's Got Money Troubles, which I think was a rec from here. It's light and good.

[gummybear]

Also! I want to briefly talk about Shark Heart.
Overall I enjoyed it and it's metaphorical interpretation of losing a loved one to illness, esp. bc my dad is suffering from dementia.
BUT!!!

SPOILER: Click to show

The part where he hunts down and eats a newborn killer whale has haunted me. HAUNTED. Esp. how he describes it. I wish I never read it.

[skidunks]

Just started The Night Garden. I love Kristin Hannah’s books so much!
I started Nora Goes off Script and turned it back in to the library after about 10% done on my Kindle. I just wasn’t feeling it. Same with The Coast Road. I’m having a hard time sticking with books lately.

[RoxMonster]

I finished The Boyfriend by Frieda McFadden. I’ve not read any books by her before.

I’d say 3.5 stars. I was sucked into the story, it kept me wanting to read it, I figured out a couple of the twists but one I did not.


My biggest drawback was her writing stye. I just felt it was very…juvenile at times? I am not a book snob by any means and I actually enjoy a lot of YA Lit (and find it is written better than this!) she made the MC seem clueless and annoying. That was my biggest con.

[countthestars]

I'm about to finish The Grace Year. I loved it!

[expectantsteelerfan]

Finished Discovery of Witches, and wow did I not like it. I actually think this is one of those instances where the show is better than the book, although I haven't watched the show and don't plan to anytime soon due to how much I didn't like the book. I also don't know how it has an over 4 star rating on goodreads, when all the reviews on the 1st page are closer to 2 stars.