October Reading Roup-Up

Though I read less than usual in October, I read perhaps two of my favorite books of the year (Life, and Death, and Giants and Demon Copperhead). I hope that November finds you curled up with a cup of tea and a good book!

Happy reading, friends!

Forget Me Not, Stacy Willingham | Thriller, 3/5

This was a solid three star thriller. A FLICKER IN THE DARK is still one of my all time favorite thrillers so I was really looking forward to this one. The pacing felt too slow and I wish the flashbacks would have had more detail or been omitted. But good if you’re looking for something just a little spooky.

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When the Going Was Good: An Editor's Adventures During the Last Golden Age of Magazines, Graydon Carter | Memoir, 3/5

This book was a little too name-droppy/insider baseball for me. I found parts of it fascinating but in general there were too many details for me.

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Frankenstein, Mary Shelley | Fiction, 3/5

This is not a book I would have picked up without my book club. I knew a lot about Frankenstein without ever having read it, but my understanding was greatly enhanced by finally picking it up and reading it with a group.

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Awake, Jen Hatmaker | Memoir, 5/5

I didn’t know much about Hatmaker before reading this book, but I knew her name from growing up in an evangelical family. Hearing her story in her words was so profound. I found this book to be honest, and fair, and vulnerable, and redemptive.

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A Load of Old Balls: The QI History of Sport, James Harkin and Anna Ptaszynski | Non-Fiction, 4/5

This book fell in the perfect center of my Venn Diagram—sports and fun facts! If you’re looking for something lighthearted but still interesting, I recommend this one. My favorite fact was that Pickleball was named after the inventor’s dog!

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Life, and Death, and Giants, Ron Rindo | Fiction, 5/5

I loved this book, and honestly it’s perfect for fall. It follows the life around Gabriel, born 18lbs. And while the book is about Gabriel, who is a giant, it is more about the community that loves him. I was deeply moved by the characters. This really is a book about life, and death, and giants.

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Monastery, Eduardo Halfon | Short Stories, 4/5

This book is a contemplative reflection as we follow Eduardo grapple with his family history and identity. I enjoyed it more than the Polish Boxer, and found the storytelling to be very moving.

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Demon Copperhead, Barbara Kingsolver | Fiction, 5/5

I put off reading this book because I knew I was going to love it and I knew it was going to break my heart into a thousand pieces. It did just that. Highly recommend this book.