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Hosted by Kathryn at Book Date
Happy Thanksgiving Week! Ready or not the holiday season officially kicks off on Thursday. My son and his wife are hosting this year, making it especially easy for me. After that, I’m looking forward to three more days where I can relax, read, and maybe do some online Christmas shopping. (The actual stores, I plan on avoiding.) Then four more weeks of school and BOOM! It’s Christmas. I’m always amazed at how quickly November and December fly by. Enjoy the season!
Last Week’s Reads
Finishing three books last week is not nearly the accomplishment it might look like. I was already nearly done with the first and the next two were so good, it was easy. It took me a couple weeks, listen to it all, but I really liked Fly Girls by Keith O’Brien. My full review, along with four other Nonfiction November Mini-Reviews, posted last Thursday. I needed a fun, fast, high-interest read and I got all that and more in The Wife by Alafair Burke. I’m not sure when, but I’ll definitely squeeze in at least a mini-review before the end of the year. For me, The Line That Held Us by David Joy was a WOW book. How did I miss it earlier in the year? Joy’s writing awed me, and the book I could not put down. Full review to come soon. The Line That Held Us was also my 100th book this year, completing my Goodreads goal.
Currently Reading
I’ve spent over six hours listening to Michelle Obama tell her own life story in Becoming, and I’ve enjoyed every minute. I’m at the point where she and the future president have fallen in love, but still aren’t quite sure what that means for their lives. It’s been fascinating to learn so much about a woman I truly admire. I rarely reread, but somehow this just felt like the right time of year to do so. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving was first released nearly thirty years ago. I’m not sure exactly when I first read it, but I know two things. It was a LONG time ago and I LOVED it. I’m hoping I feel the same this time around.
Likely to Read Next
I’ve more or less entered the sort of free fall that is end of year reading for me. Now, more than ever, I’ll be primarily mood reading. I took a break from nonfiction, reading a few novels instead, but I’d like to squeeze one more in before the end of the month. Two I’ve been eyeing are The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton and The Far Away Brothers by Lauren Markham. Both feature marginalized men/boys who managed to survive despite huge obstacles. Should I end up feeling like my nonfiction break needs to continue, I may turn to a debut thriller, Ways to Hide in Winter, by Sarah St. Vincent.
I hope you have a great week in books!
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I’ve had The Line that Held Us from the library for about 2 months but still haven’t read it. I’ve read nothing but good reviews and now you loved it so that means I better get to it! I’m still hoping to come across a WOW book that will make my top 10 before the end of the year so maybe that will be it. Happy Thanksgiving Susie!
It’s a gritty Southern read that I went into with low expectations, but was captivated from the very start. I hope you like it, too.
Congrats on hitting your Goodreads goal! I’m behind schedule and will probably miss mine and I’m fine with that. I’m focusing more on reading quality…and that number has gone up!
I’m starting in on my free range reading too..which will be mostly backlist until I start 2019 releases.
And, am dying to hear how Owen Meany stands up. I’m long overdue for a re-read…and it’s one of my all-time favorites.
Since our earlier text chat, I keep asking myself what exactly I liked so much about Owen Meany the first go around. I feel like I might be a completely different reader today.
I’ll be listening to Michelle Obama’s book next year and remember loving A Prayer for Own Meany so many years ago. It’s a book I’ve held on to in hopes of rereading… glad to hear it’s just as wonderful the second time around. Congrats on reaching your goodreads goal!
Thanks, JoAnn. I’ve actually now become a little bogged down with Owen Meany. I’ll hold off final judgement for a bit though.
Yay on your Goodreads goal and not hosting Thanksgiving. 🙂 I reread Owen Meany a few years ago and *still* loved it! I have Michelle Obama on my list, but I have no idea when I’ll get to it.
Glad to hear you loved Owne Meany just as much. I’m not as sure about that at this point.
Happy Thanksgiving week and congratulations on hitting 100 books this year! The Sun Does Shine is on my TBR as well.
I started ‘Becoming’ on my flight home from England yesterday, and am LOVING it so far.
I picked up the The Sun Does Shine off the SALE shelf at my local indie bookstore recently, and since than have seen it pop up everywhere! Can’t wait to read it.
Part of me wishes I was reading Becoming because I know I’d be saving so many more quotes, but her reading is just so great, too. It was a hard call which way to go. Glad you’re loving it, too.
I got my copy of Becoming this week, and can’t wait to sink into it. Books like this one I buy in the hardcover version, mostly for the photos…and for how they look on the shelves. I will probably reread parts of it, too.
I enjoyed The Wife, and I’ve been meaning to read A Prayer for Owen Meany.
Enjoy your week, and here are MY WEEKLY UPDATES
Often times audios come with a PDF of the photos, but you’re right that it’s not the same as the physical book. I’m sure you’ll enjoy Becoming.
Nice variety of books. I’ve entered into a time of mood reading too. I think it is because the end of the year is coming and I have things I want to read before the new year begins. Have a great Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving Break. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
Thanks, Kathy. You have a great Thanksgiving, too.
I honestly can’t believe Thanksgiving is already here! Hope you have a wonderful holiday!
The year will be over before we know it!
Congrats on finishing your GoodReads challenge. I did too. We’re hosting our second Thanksgiving this year. My weekly updates
Thanks, Sarah. Have a great Thanksgiving.
Susie, congrats on reaching your goal, and on having 3 good reads in a row! I’m glad you enjoyed The Wife and The One That Held Us 😊
I didn’t care for Owen Meany years ago and now I can’t recall why. I should read it now just out of curiosity.
Happy Thanksgiving and may the long weekend include many happy hours of reading!
First of all, Happy Thanksgiving week. Second of all, I enjoyed the audio of Alafair Burke’s novel The Ex so I’ll likely have to get this one too. Fly Girls and Becoming I’ll get to too. Enjoy your company & books this holiday.