In case you missed it on IG, I GOT A PUPPY!!! We had originally intended to adopt another 5 year old but instead, this guy came home with us:
His name is Oscar, he’s tiny menace, he’s very adorable, Lizzy finally likes him, and he likes to eat books. Yup. Books. It’s not cool.
Fortunately, he leaves them alone long enough for me to read them and I was able to read a few this month. Not sure I’ll get to my Goodreads goal (I have 8 books left to get there, and they claim that I’m 4 books ahead of schedule. I don’t think they can math) but it’s been a shitfuck of a year and honestly, it’s close enough.
Recursion by Blake Crouch. Okay, so I totally had to look up the definition of the word and half the time the sciency concepts broke my brain but this book was definitely as good as everyone says. He and Andy Weir remain the only sci-fi authors I will read. Maybe also Ernest Cline. Oh, and thanks NetGalley for this one. I liked it very much.
God Land by Lyz Lenz. I am not Christian but this book about faith and how prevalent it is in our country and how it touches so much, particularly the Midwest (that’s where she’s from/lives), is absolutely fascinating. It’s a memoir so it relies heavily on her experience and does not claim to represent all people like her, and it exceptionally well-written. I
Tales of Two Americas edited by John Freeman. This collection features short stories/essays by a number of authors/writers/poets and was hit or miss for me. Some of the essays were fantastic and interesting and I wanted to learn more but others were just kind of meh. As the title implies, it focuses on minority and marginalized populations in America. Worth a read, but know that the stories are not connected so if you don’t like one, you can skip it without compromising the rest.
Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Letham. I wanted to read this because I plan to see the movie. It’s kind of a slog to read, but it’s mostly worth plodding along through it. It’s primarily a murder mystery, not a thriller, but more dark than a cozy mystery. I’m explaining this poorly. Anyway, the main character has Tourette’s, and his tics are written into the dialogue which is weird to read at times, so if that’s something that bothers you, I’d probably recommend passing on this one.
The Testaments by Margaret Atwood. Better than the Handmaid’s Tale and I highly recommend it. If you watch the show, some of the details they’ve introduced will make more sense and if you don’t, don’t worry about it because you don’t need to in order to enjoy the book. My favorite perspective was one I’m hesitant to give away but I’m glad she included it.
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. I’m on this kick now where I want to read modern classics that I’ve never read or don’t remember reading because I don’t think a high school freshman (well, most of them) are ready to read books like Animal Farm or To Kill a Mockingbird the way an adult is. Anyway, this book is hella depressing and sad (as you’d expect) but if you haven’t read it yet, do it.
A Girl’s Guide to Moving On by Debbie Macomber. If you need a book to lighten up your very heavy choices (I did) and you like what is traditionally considered chick lit (I don’t), this one is 100% for you. I don’t even know how it ended up on my Kindle (maybe a NetGalley request?) but I’m trying to clean up some of my Kindle library and this one was a quick, fluffy read even if some parts were a little unsettling. Like the one guy whose insane possessiveness somehow passes for romance (spoiler alert: it’s not).
Currently reading: The Bookshop of the Broken Hearted by Robert Hillman.
TL; DR: All the books this month were good, depending on your preference. Highly recommend The Testaments, Recursion, and God Land.
Now it’s your turn! Link up and Show Us Your Books! Don’t forget to visit my co-host Steph and some of the other bloggers on this list. And also don’t forget to mark your calendars for December 10 for our monthly linkup and December 27 for our year-end favorites linkup that also features a giveaway.
Comments
Trackbacks
-
[…] forget to check out the link up for more book reviews. (And admire Jana’s new puppy while you’re […]
Oscar is adorable!
I have The Bell Jar but have yet to read it.
I read Animal Farm when I was about 8! For some reason it was in my primary school library. I guess someone didn’t know what it’s was about and just thought it was a cute animal story – which is exactly how I read it. I only realised years later that it was all a metaphor for communism.
Motherless Brooklyn has been on my TBR for a while, but your comment convinced me to try it on audio rather than in print.
Jill K recently posted…November Show Us Your Books!
I was quite disappointed by the last Debbie Macomber book I read (Any dream will do). But I see The girl’s guide to moving on is the second book after Last one home which I did enjoy a while back. So I’m keen to give it a try.
Anthea recently posted…Show us your books – November link up
ok adding the testament to me TBR, the show spooks me so I’ve been hesitant lol.
xo
Pinksole
Rachelle recently posted…Book Review November 2019
Yay for a new pup! There’s few things better 🙂
I always tell myself I’ll read Blake Crouch and, after just one Pines book, I never do.
Kristin recently posted…Books in 2019 (post #9)
OMG Oscar is the cutest!! Yay!! I hope it continues to go well as he adjusts to your home. Bummer about him eating books though – lol! I’ve read a few Debbie Macomber books and I agree, they are extremely fluffy even for someone who enjoys (ish) that genre. I intend to read The Testaments sometime but hoping to re-read Handmaid’s Tale first. I’ve not seen the show but have heard mixed things about it. Loved Recursion but I think I still liked Dark Matter a tiny smidge more. I am too chicken to try the Pines series but maybe someday. Yay for 2 December link ups 🙂
Heather recently posted…Recent Reads and Reviews
I am a Christian, so God Land sounds intriguing! I’ve only experienced Northeast church life, so it’d be neat to read about it in another part of the country. Oscar is so adorable!
Rachel @ Never Enough Novels recently posted…What To Read & Skip – November 2019
I got my copy of recurssion a few months back and I really hope I get to it this month.
Also ya for new pup!
Love the puppy!!
Dara recently posted…31 Things I Was Thankful For in October
Alright, you and Steph are persuading me to start at the beginning and read Handmaid’s Tale. I’m with you on Recursion being a brain-bender. Loved the story but wasn’t entirely sure I understood all the science as it was being explained!!
Congrats about your puppy! He’s adorable! And I’m reading so much about Testament, I have to get on the library waitlist for it asap!
Oscar is SO ADORABLE. Millie also likes to eat books. I thought it was cute when she was little but not so much now haha.
yay, glad you liked recursion! i wouldn’t have thought to look up the definition, i have no idea what it means lol. the sciencey parts definitely broke my brain.
just added the testaments to my list!
kristen recently posted…Books Lately
The new doggie is so cute! I loved The Bell Jar, in the best dark-and-twisty way. Sad that she never got the help she needed though. Looking into God Land & A Girl’s Guide!
I was the first person to get Testaments from the library and I think I read it in two days. I couldn’t put it down.
Kasey recently posted…What I Read In October
I can’t remember if I have read Bell Jar or not. Your puppy is sooooooo cute!!!!!! Hopefully he gets tired of feasting on your books soon.
Nadine recently posted…Books
I read The Bell Jar last year and I agree with you, it was depressing and a bit hard to get through. I prefer her poetry.
Mackenzie recently posted…As The Page Turns: November Edition
I’m guessing we liked the same perspective the best in The Testaments. I was fucking thrilled to find it in there.
I cannot believe Oscar eats the books. Gus did that when he was a puppy. LOL
I’ve been wanting to go back and re-read some modern classics that I read in school, too. I remember liking many of them, but don’t remember much about the actual stories. I especially want to read Catcher in the Rye again, as my baby Holden was named after that book.
PS. LOVEEEE your puppers. OMG!
Awe, congrats on Oscar! He’s adorable!
I might have to give The Testaments a try. I was not a huge fan of Handmaid’s Tale – the book or the show – so we’ll see. I read the Bell Jar way back in high school (maybe freshman year of college?) and yes, super depressing but a classic nonetheless. My emo-self back then thought it was the coolest thing ever that I read it, ha!
Just sayin’,
Karly
https://www.whatkarlysaid.com
Karly recently posted…What I Read in October 2019 + Reviews
Im dying to read The Testaments!
Aw, Oscar is too cute – though not cool he eats books!! LOL I got a four year old cat named Charlie, which was a good fit right now instead of another dog. He’s a cuddle bug most of the time, so it’s nice.
I’m glad you had a pretty nice reading month!
-Lauren
ShootingStarsMag recently posted…November – Show Us Your Books!
It’s been a few years since I read The Bell Jar but I absolutely loved it. Could not agree more on reading classics as an adult. Congrats on the sweet pup!
What a cute puppy!
Oh my goodness, Oscar is so cute! Hopefully he can learn to like books and not eat them!
I think I started reading The Bell Jar a loooong time ago but I can’t remember if I finished it. I would be interested in trying to read it again though! God Land also sounds really interesting, especially since I live in the Midwest.
Megan recently posted…books lately vol. 25
He’s so cute! I can forgive him for the book eating 😉 Enzo was a corner chewer for a bit. We have quite a few coffee table books with chewed edges now. Sigh. Fortunately he grew out of that.
Your and Steph’s review of The Testaments has me interested. I hadn’t heard many good reviews yet but I loved The Handmaid’s Tale (as much as one can “love” it) so I might pick it up. I think the trailers for Motherless Brooklyn look good but I don’t usually like violent movies. I can read books like that, though. I didn’t realize it was a book. I’m going to check that out. God Land sounds interesting as well.
Audrey recently posted…What I Read…
I loved Recursion! And I really need to pick up the Handmaid’s Tale. I also want to watch the show!
For some reason I have been resisting Recursion (Andy Weir pretty much being my only reads in this category too), but I keep hearing so many good things! And I remember loving Motherless Brooklyn when I read it years ago – but seeing previews for the movie recently, I’m realizing, do I even remember anything about this book?! Ha.
Anne recently posted…wearing lately: fall upgrade
This is why I hate IG algorithm… I didnt know about your puppy – I AM SO EXCITED FOR YOU!!!!
Hooray for a good book month! I want to see Motherless Brooklyn but won’t be reading it. I’ve only ever heard of The Bell Jar… looking into it now.
I feel like I speak for everyone when I say more Oscar, please!
I haven’t read nearly enough non-fiction this year so I need to fix that, but I don’t think essays are the answer. I’ve never read so many classics and I don’t know anything about The Bell Jar but maybe that’s a place to start.
Lauren recently posted…wrong to right
Super late here, but congratulations on the puppy! 🙂 What a cutie! Glad you had so many great reads lately! I’m not religious but do live in the Midwest and am interested in God Land. Thanks for sharing. Debbie Macomber is one I used to read a lot. I like her older books, but I think her newer ones haven’t been as good so I stopped requesting them. Glad you like this one. Ugh on posessiveness. LOL XO – Alexandra
Simply Alexandra: My Favorite Things
Alexandra Consolver recently posted…Keep It Together // November 2019