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Happy Labor Day! Isn’t it nice to get a long weekend here at the tail end of summer? I don’t know about you, but I plan to spend much of my day with books. It may be my last chance for awhile. Tuesday will be the first day of school and for me that’s the start of a couple of crazy busy months. I try to be rigid about keeping my home life and work life separate, but in September and October, that’s not always easy. Knowing that Tuesday and Wednesday will both be days when my brain is going ten different directions at a time, I’ve decided NOT to post a review on Tuesday. I’m going to be better this year about giving myself a little room, a little grace when needed. So, check back Thursday for my first September review…one of the September books I loved!
Hosted by Kathryn at Book Date
Last Week’s Reads
Despite working four days last week, I somehow still finished three books. I guess I can attribute that to great writing and lots of driving!
- What can I say about Ann Patchett’s latest book, The Dutch House? I loved it. Her writing and storytelling lived up to all my very high expectations. I wanted to savor this book, but couldn’t stop myself from flying through it. Get on your library’s hold list ASAP! Review coming closer to the 9/24 release date.
- Fan’s of Alice Hoffman are going to go crazy for The World That We Knew. It’s a fantastic WWII story of people who managed to avoid capture, and even fight back, but it still has Hoffman’s signature “magical” elements. At times I thought those were a little much, but overall really liked this book. Review coming closer to the 9/24 release date.
- I spent quite a bit of time in my car last week, so quickly finished Tiffany Jenkins’ memoir of her years of drug addiction, High Achiever. It was sad, eye-opening, scary, but very good. Both Jenkins writing and narration shone. Mini-review coming…soon?
Currently Reading
By Friday, I’d finished all my September ARC’s. I still have a couple more September books, but am waiting for them to be released because I’m more interested in them on audio. I also just didn’t feel like jumping into October books yet, so I looked back a little.
- My library hold on Necessary People by Anna Pitoniak came in more than a week ago, but I had mixed feelings about reading it since the reviews have been all over the place and I was only so-so on her debut, The Futures (my review). I’m happy to say that I was immediately drawn into this rich girl/poor girl friendship story and can’t wait to see where it goes.
- For my next audiobook, I turned to Libby to find immediately available audiobooks and Siracusa by Delia Ephron popped up. Since I never read it and have heard good things, I decided to give it a go. I’ve only listened to about 90 minutes, but am loving the format with the story told from four different perspectives, each having a different narrator.
Likely to Read Next
Next, I will turn to October books and depending on my mood first up will be one of these.
- Right After the Weather by Carol Anshaw sounds so interesting to me. It’s about a woman who finds her life going on in parallel worlds. There’s a lot more to it than that, and I’m excited to see how it will all come together.
- I’ve never read Ben Lerner before, but understand that his writing style can be a little edgy and has been very highly touted, so I’m excited to give him a try with The Topeka School. In this family story a high school senior becomes friends with another boy who happens to be a patient of his father, a psychologist working with “lost boys.”
I hope you have a great week in books!
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Good luck with the new school year, Susie! So glad you had a great summer, full of travel and reading. 🙂
Thanks so much for the good wishes, Katie. Hope you’re having a great week.
Good luck with the first day at school! I really enjoyed Necessary People.
Necessary People turned out to be a very pleasant surprise for me. I had no real expectations, but ended up loving it.
I hope you have a wonderful new school year. Your books sound great. I’ve heard of many of the authors but have never read any of their work. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
Enjoy the new school year. My weekly update
Right after the weather does sounds good! You’ve gotten some good reading in lately.
Thanks, Beth. I hope to listen to The Ten Thousand Doors of January sometime this fall, thanks to your rave review.
Thanks for the word. I’m on the wait list for The Dutch House. I have listened to Siracusa in 2016 and enjoyed it as a thriller type, fast going book. It kept my attention. And I liked Ben Lerner’s 10:04 book though it was different …. I’d try another of his books. I hadn’t heard of High Achiever but it sounds intense … I had a friend like this so I’m not sure if it’s too close hitting to go there. Enjoy your reads.
Thanks, Susan. I’ve read a bit of the Ben Lerner book and so far am just not sure. His writing seems a little pretentious, but I’m willing to give it a little more time.
I’ve got a galley of Right After the Weather so I’ll be interested to hear your thoughts! I probably won’t get to mine for a bit longer. Hope your first week back to school went ok!
The first week was exhausting! Thank goodness it’s over. Hopefully I’ll start Right After the Weather late this week.
I didn’t realise there was a new Ann Patchett coming out soon. I loved Bel Canto so have taken your advice and have got on to the request queue in the library
The Dutch House is so good. You’re in for a treat. If you like audiobooks, I just found out it’s narrated by Tom Hanks.
I’m 1 on 100+ for Dutch House. But I do wish people would read Patchett prior to Bel Canto. In my opinion those are her best works.
What great reads you had this week…Patchett, Hoffman, and the nonfiction book. I think I shall head over to add these to my wish list.
I hope all has gone well for you this week. I know how hectic the beginning of school is. Crossing my fingers for you.
Thanks so much, Deb. It was a crazy, busy week, but I survived!
Lots of great books this fall for sure.