The first SUYB of 2020 comes with a special announcement. This weekend, starting at 8 AM on Saturday in whatever time zone you live in through 8 AM on Sunday, there is a SUYB readathon! It’s super informal but for those who like rules:
- Read as many pages as you want
- Read whatever kind of books you want
- Read for as many hours as you can fit in
- Tag us on IG with a hashtag we haven’t determined yet but will reveal before Saturday so we know who participates because there will be prizes (for those who don’t follow us, you can find me @saysjana and Steph @lifeaccordingtosteph
That’s it. Those are the rules. Other than that, do what you want. My plan is to read a few shorter books I downloaded from Prime Reading because that’s all I have time to fit in.
As for what I read since our last linkup, it’s not nearly as many as I had hoped but Christmas and the flu do not make a good reading combination. However, the books I read were all pretty damn great so it’s a fair trade-off.
Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer. This book is a deep-dive into Mormon culture that weaves together a modern crime with the history of the religion. It’s disturbing and unsettling and sometimes borders on a condemnation of Mormonism which we can debate for days and days. It’s worth a read but it can get a little tedious at times.
Your House Will Pay by Steph Cha. The best way I can describe this is as an adult version of The Hate U Give, but rather than focusing on the impact of a shooting on a teenage girl, it centers on the years-later aftermath for two families of a shooting around the time of the LA Riots. It’s well-written and timely and compelling and I definitely recommend it.
The Last Town on Earth by Thomas Mullen. Mullen is one of two writers who can get me to read historical fiction. This one is set against the flu epidemic of 1918, involves a couple of murders in a town that tried to isolate itself to prevent the flu from getting in and I read it while I had the flu so I spend 90% of the time reading it thinking I was going to die. Do not recommend. I mean, I do recommend the book but not reading it while sick with the flu. Sort of like how I don’t recommend reading Noah Hawley’s Before the Fall while on a plane.
Recipe for a Perfect Wife by Karma Brown. Thanks to whoever read and reviewed this last month because I requested and read it tout de suite. I absolutely loved it. It was so creative and interesting, and even though I figured out the twist, I didn’t care. I think I finished this book in a day. Plus, it was a NetGalley book so yay! I can check one off my list.
Unspeakable Things by Jess Lourey. I’m pretty sure this one found its way onto my Kindle via Amazon First Reads or whatever it’s called and I picked it because it was rooted in the Jacob Wetterling case and I am a morbid true crime junkie. It’s a completely fictional account that’s borrowed from that case, and it is a fucked up story with fucked up people and one little girl who you want to hug and steal from her parents because they’re terrible, awful people. It’s a good read, though.
The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers by Thomas Mullen. I told you I like his books. Anyway, this one is like The Sisters Brothers meets The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley meets the movie The Town but it takes place during the Depression. It’s slow to get into but the last 100 or so pages are a good payoff for slogging through the first 200.
Currently reading Just Mercy by Bryan Stephenson (who grew up in Delaware, which makes me so happy). Also, I waited FOUR months for this book and it came in the day after the movie was released.
TL; DR: All the books I read this month are worth adding to your TBR based on your personal preferences.
Now it’s your turn. Link up and show us your books! Don’t forget to visit Steph and some of the other bloggers, and hopefully we’ll see you this weekend! If we don’t, the next link up is February 11.
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[…] out the link up for more book recommendations, and let me know if you’ve read any of these books and what you […]
How is it I’ve never heard of any of these books?!
I like the sound of The Last Town on Earth.
Confuzzled Bev recently posted…What I read in December 2019
A readathon sounds fun. I’ll be traveling, but should have some car reading time.
I’ll have to read The Last Town on Earth- I had Christmas Flu too so now is a good time 🙂
Jill K recently posted…COOKBOOK REVIEW: Spiced by America’s Test Kitchen
recipe for a perfect housewife sounds so interesting, added to my TBR.
It sounds like you read some good ones this month! I am adding Your House Will Pay, Last Town and Recipe for the Perfect Wife to my list.
Nadine recently posted…Books
It may have been me who recommended Recipe For a Perfect Wife! I’m so glad you liked it!
Dara recently posted…Woven In Moonlight Blog Tour – Review and Giveaway
It looks like you had an awesome reading month, despite having the flu – not fun! Thanks for the new recommendations. I haven’t read any of these!
Lauren
ShootingStarsMag recently posted…Show Us Your Books: Dine With Me, The Hazel Wood, and More!
I’m hoping to read Just Mercy before seeing the movie!
Rachel @ Never Enough Novels recently posted…What To Read & Skip – January 2020
Hmm Banner & Last Town sound interesting. No one in my house has the flu but we have all taken turns being sick for the past 3-4 weeks. This is by far the worst sick season I can remember 🙁 Hope you are feeling better.
oh my gosh your review for the last town on earth made me laugh. will definitely add that author to my tbr, and your house will pay sounds super good as well.
I’ve been wanting to read Under the Banner of Heaven for awhile now – definitely have to pick it up soon.
Just Mercy is on my list!
I’ve always been intrigued by Under the Banner of Heaven. Your comment about it being “tedious” at times gives me a little pause but it sounds like you really did like it so I think it’s going back on my TBR.
I think Jon Krakauer is great but he can go on.
I might try the Karma Brown, I’m going to see if it’s still on Netgalley.
Also I am #209843023984203203948 for Just Mercy at the library
I’ve been wanting to read Recipe for a Perfect Wife!
Unspeakable Things might be one that I add to my TBR. Haven’t read a super messed up one in a while, ha!
Karly
https://www.whatkarlysaid.com
Karly recently posted…What I Read in December 2019 + Reviews
Love that I always get so many great book suggestions here! Thanks for hosting.
Joanne recently posted…All Is Better.. We Think. My Health Saga Part 1
ooooh adding the Last Town On Earth to my TBR. I had some kind of funk right after Christmas that I was really scared was the flu, I’m still not quite sure it wasn’t.
Kasey recently posted…What I Read in December
Adding Your House Will Pay now. I also need to listen to the Jacob Wetterling podcast, thanks for reminding me!
Lauren Martinez recently posted…first books of 2020
I love how laid back you & Steph are…the challenge – JUST READ 🙂 Love it!
Rebecca Jo Vincent recently posted…My top five books of 2019…. Show Us Your Books
Hey, just as an FYI, The Banner of Heaven isn’t about the “Mormon” church (the actual name of that church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints)—it’s about a spin-off faith, who call themselves the Fundamentalist Latter-Day Saints, who believe very different things. I’m a member of the former church, so I just thought you might be interested to know the clarification, since the FLDS church practices things that are condemned in my faith today.
Thanks for clarifying.
I spend every Saturday reading as much as I can! LOL But I’ll be sure to check out the hashtag and post for ya’ll 🙂
Becki recently posted…Books – December 2019
The Last Town on Earth sounds intriguing. Adding it to my list!
Mackenzie recently posted…As The Page Turns: January Edition
I thought Under the Banner of Heaven was one of those crazy but can’t look away kinds of reads. Very intrigued by The Last Town on Earth and Recipe for a Perfect Wife, which I had never even heard of. Yay for book bloggers bringing new stuff my way!
Anne recently posted…wearing lately: coat-fit
Hmmm … somehow I missed Recipe for a Perfect Wife last month, so definitely adding it to my TBR. I remember the Jacob Wetterling case so vividly, living in Minnesota. It was heartbreaking and I’m not 100% sure if I could do an inspired by story. I like true crime but it also freaks me out way more than fictional murders. 😀
Tanya @ A Mindful Migration recently posted…September Bookshelf: A Book Miracle
Your house will pay sounds awesome. Adding to the TBR
I just added Recipe for a Perfect Wife and Your House Will Pay to my to read list. Both sound like good reads.
I added Unspeakable Things and Recipe for a Perfect Wife. I read Under the Banner of Heaven years ago, and totally agree – it was good but tedious sometimes.
Gwen recently posted…Showin’ My Books – January ’20
Love your post! Thank you for sharing. Thank you to you and Stephanie for having this link-up, I love it!
Amy D. recently posted…Books Read in December 2019
The Town is one of my favorite movies (before Ben Affleck became such a …whatever he is now).
I liked Samuel Hawley, but more the beginning of the book when he was with his young daughter. So I wouldn’t rule out something similar.
Kristin recently posted…Stuff and Things 1/16
Loved The Sisters Brothers so I’m obviously going to read Firefly Brothers. Hoping I can bank some hours reading this weekend!
Audrey recently posted…My Resolution | 2020