Show Us Your Books, November 2021

Well, this one just snuck up on us, didn’t it? Hard to believe four weeks have passed since we last met but yet here were are.

Today, however, is special because it’s Lizzy’s gotcha day. Four years have gone by since my favorite girl was rescued from a puppy mill (the day before her 5th birthday!) and came into my life. She is genuinely the sweetest dog I’ve ever known, and I could (and probably should) write a whole tribute to her but for now, just enjoy a picture of her face:

And now, books.

I think I read six books. That’s what Goodreads tells me anyway. They were good – not great – books (except for one), but nothing I wouldn’t not recommend. Wouldn’t put them high on the list, either.

Several People Are Typing by Calvin Kasulke. This is a weird workplace book that takes place entirely in Slack conversations. If you have not used Slack, you might be less entertained but if you have, you’ll get it. It’s actually pretty funny and the ending was definitely a surprise. What I liked most was how different the story was told, and there were some unique elements to it (like Slackbot taking over a person’s body), but in the end it’s another workplace book.

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris. Speaking of workplace books, this is another one (not sure what was up with that theme this month). I liked this one a lot, particularly the mystery-ish elements to it, but some parts went on for way too long and I got a little glossy-eyed reading it. It does make some excellent points on race, workplace diversity, and performative allyship, and she is a good writer. Jus be prepared for a little bit of a slog at times if you pick this one up.

Off Season by Jennifer Weiner. Yet another work-related plot. This was a short story, part of that whole Cape Cod summer series she’s been writing, and it was more thrillery than what she usually does. I liked it, and it was a very enjoyable short story. Kind of wished it was a little longer but not too much longer because parts were really fucked up and I’m not sure how much more I could take. And that’s coming from me. I have a high threshold for fucked up.

The Killing Hills by Chris Offutt. So I gave this 3.5 stars but now that I’m sitting here trying to review it, I can’t remember a damn thing about this book. I guess I liked it but I couldn’t tell you why. ETA: I read the plot summary and it sort of made a lightbulb go off. It was kind of a run-of-the-mill thriller and I suppose it made sense to set it in Appalachia but it probably could have worked well in almost any setting. It makes a good vacation read.

Downeast: Five Maine Girls and the Unseen Story of Rural America by Gigi Georges. I loved the premise of this book, but the execution was for shit. I don’t know how to write about it without sounding like a huge asshole myself, but it felt voyueristic rather than anything else. She almost seemed to romanticize or glamorize the poverty and hardships that these girls experienced, mostly so she could showcase how idyllic where they live is. I’m not explaining it well, but something about the book just didn’t sit right with me. That said, I did find myself invested in what happened to the girls so there’s that.

As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson. The final book in the A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder trilogy and it delivered. Such a great ending to the series. Even if you don’t love YA, I highly recommend this book (and the previous two) because they could have worked just as well as adult thrillers.

Currently reading Godspeed by Nickolas Butler.

Now it’s your turn to link up and show us your books! Bloggers, drop a link below and nonbloggers (or anyone who didn’t write a post), share in the comments what you’re reading. Don’t forget to visit Steph and some other bloggers for even more recommendations, and mark down December 14 for the next one and December 30 (a Thursday!) for our yearly favorites linkup.