Hey friends, long time no see! After an unintentional off-month in July – due to all the things going wrong and wreaking havoc with my site and hosting plan – I’m back in the saddle with a big ‘ole stack of books to share with you today. I’ve been reading like crazy as my library holds have been pouring in while also trying to keep up with a few review commitments and getting a jump start on the holiday reading for my annual Christmas reading list (here are the lists for 2018, 2017, and 2016, in case you feel like getting that jump start with me).
As always, I hope you’ll leave a comment at the end and share what YOU are reading too! No matter how big my TBR stack gets, I’ll always be open to more book suggestions.
A.L.W.A.Y.S. Amen.
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Just Finished:
Burnt Toast Makes You Sing Good
I LOVED this memoir by Kathleen Flinn. I listened to the audio version and it was highly binge-able. Kathleen herself is actually only in maybe about half of the book, with the rest spent exploring her family history and the choices that brought her family on a very interesting journey. In some aspects it was nothing more than the story of an ordinary family doing everyday things, but the author writes such that even the mundane things sound important and exciting. Also, the cover is gorgeous and food plays a huge role in her story. If you read this book, prepare to get hungry.
This book goes on my ‘books I think everyone should read’ list. It has changed my perspective on food significantly and their premise makes so much sense when you read the science behind it. The idea of never dieting again and giving yourself permission to eat without fear is so freeing and it’s already making a difference for me.
I have mixed feelings about this book. Overall I would recommend it because of a really interesting, well developed storyline. It’s obviously a novel, since it’s about time travel and alternate timelines, but the narrator tells the story as if it was his memoir. The main character, Tom Baron, is funny and self-deprecating, but also painfully aware of his shortcomings. He lives in the shadow of his brilliant, but critical and cold father. A serendipitous turn of events sends him back in time to witness a pivotal moment in history, but of course something goes wrong. While I was really engaged by this book, my one complaint was that there is a ton of cursing. I’m talking an entire chapter that was literally nothing but curse words. I get what he was trying to do with it, but I felt it was unnecessary.
Cute cover and equally cute love story. This book is pretty short, only 132 pages long, so it could easily be read in a single sitting. It follows Aimee, a dietary assistant at a hospital, as she tries to win the Vegan Valentine Bake-Off. Winning this contest would mean the world to her, but she finds herself distracted by a handsome crime scene investigator and his elderly grandmother who has all but given up on gettin better. She begins to question if her calling is really what she thought it was, or if God has something else in store for her. Another book with an emphasis on food, I enjoyed the cooking descriptions and now I think I need to try rhubarb.
I wrote a full review of this book a few weeks ago that you can read here, but the short version is that I really enjoyed this unconventional love story. It features an older couple with a lot of history, both apart and together and it’s a really good look at what real life romance can look like. I enjoy a fairytale style love story as much as the next person, but it was refreshing to read about an underrepresented subset of the population.
In Progress:
This is a book that I have heard lauded by many a bookstagrammer and podcaster as a favorite that is frequently recommended. I started listening to it without reading the description, simply because I needed an audiobook, it was available on Overdrive, and I had heard it’s praises sung over and over. It is not at all what I thought it was, and that turned out to be a very good thing. I had it in my head that this was a sci-fi novel, but it turns that it’s post-apocalyptic which happens to be one of my favorite things. I’m only about 20% of the way in, but I’m really enjoying it. Looks like the hype was worth it!
Talk about jumping right into the action – this story kicks off with lawyer Jack Carney absentmindedly watching the tv in a bar where he is waiting to meet his friend. All of a sudden a breaking news story has him witnessing the very friend he was supposed to meet shooting a newly arrested suspect accompanied by police. Against his better judgement, and the advice of his wife and the partners at his firm, Jack agrees to defend his friend in trial, even though he is definitely not a criminal lawyer. I’m about 20% into this one too, and interested to see how this story will play out, especially once I learned why his friend shot the guy.
The Pony Express Romance Collection
I don’t know why I am such a sucker for these historical romance collections. All I know is that when I saw this book at the library I couldn’t pass it by. I’ve been fascinated by the Pony Express ever since I read the book Grayfox as a young teen. This book is exactly what it sounds like – a collection of short stories highlighting a romance between two people who are somehow affiliated with the Pony Express. These stories are lots of fun and full of interesting history.
You guys, I have been working on this book for MONTHS using the Serial Reader app (it’s cool, check it out) and I’m finally about to finish it in about a week. I’m not sure what I was expecting it to be, but I wasn’t prepared for the many layers of story and the multitudinous characters. I’m glad I finally got around to reading this doorstop of a classic, though. What big, thick classic should I tackle next?
Up Next:
The Beginner’s Guide to Winning an Election
In an effort to stay young and not read myself into a corner, I like to branch out and read some middle grade/YA fiction from time to time. This one caught my eye as an interesting topic for young readers – politics, and not just the high school clique kind. I have high hopes for this book and agreed to review it later this month so be on the lookout for more details later.
I think I mentioned a minute ago that I like post-apocalyptic stories, and this is another one of those. From what I understand, it’s a darker retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. Here’s hoping it’s not too scary! I heard this book recommended on the Currently Reading podcast (Meredith and Kaytee are super fun, go listen to them and see!) and I immediately added it to my library holds list. It’s telling me I’m only two weeks out from my turn now, so hopefully I’ll get to read this one soon!
If you didn’t find just the right book in this list, go check out Modern Mrs. Darcy’s Quick Lit link-up for more suggestions!
The Recipe sounds like the best story to enjoy on the beach
It would be a good beach read.
Burnt Toast Makes You Sing Good–I love that title! I’m intrigued. Sounds like a fun listen!
The title is what initially drew me in as well!
I loved that memoir too! I love family stories like theirs.
This looks like a fun and useful list too! I’m not making it very far in mine.
If you consider how many amazing books there are in the world to read, I’m not making it far into mine either 🙂
What a great list of books, I am always looking for something new to read!
Me too, sister!
Sounds like you are reading some great books! thanks for sharing.
The Recipe is right up my alley. I’m currently reading The Proposal but my favorite read recently was Things You Save in a Fire.
I have heard good things about both of those but haven’t read either. Hope you’re enjoying The Proposal!
I am definitely going to look for Station 12. I can’t wait to put it on hold.
It’s really good!
I love post apocalyptic too. The Wanderers is my new favorite in that genre!
I haven’t heard of The Wanderers – going to look it up now!
I have yet to read this book by Kathleen Flinn (I think it is her first?) but I absolutely LOVED both of her other books (The Sharper the Knife, the Less You Cry about her time in Cordon Bleu cooking school in Paris and The Kitchen Counter Cooking School about how she taught a group of normal adults to cook really well).
Here are my recent reads: https://elle-alice.blogspot.com/2019/07/july-book-reviews.html
Those both sound wonderful. I think I’m a diehard fan of hers now and I can’t wait to read everything she’s written.