4 Books I’m Currently Reading (+ My Team’s Picks) for October 2024
When we’re traveling, I often get a lot more reading in (when we went to Japan last year, I read 3 books, start to finish, on our flight from Calgary to Tokyo).
With our long flights to and from Croatia, there has been a lot of time to read this past week!
Here are the books I’m reading right now!
James by Percival Everett
I’ve seen this book everywhere this year, espeically after it was a Pulitzer Prize finalist – it’s the same story from Huckleberry Finn told from Jim’s point of view and I am BLOWING through it (I’m not actually certain I’ve ever read all of Huckleberry Finn – my mom read it aloud to my sisters when I was in high school so I’ve heard parts of it). Even without a complete background knowledge of the source text, it’s been a really engrossing read.
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower
This was one of the titles on my personal summer reading list – I’d read maybe 30% of the first book a year ago and then stalled out but after so many people told me to plow through the first one (because it is slow), I finally restarted on our Chicago trip and now I’m on book 5. They really are just so delightful!
The Gentleman’s Confession by Anneka R. Walker
I’ve been reading this during family reading time for the last week or so – it’s just fun and fluffy regency romance (it is book 3 in the Matchmaking Mamas series but I haven’t read the first two and it’s been fine as a stand-alone). In this one, the main character has promised her dying grandmother that she would find love despite her previous determination that she would never marry.
Shipwrecked!: Diving for Hidden Time Capsules on the Ocean Floor by Martin W. Sandler
This has been on my list to read since it got a Sibert Honor back in January (which is the award for non-fiction for children). This fall, I’ve been reading a few pages every day while my girls do their journaling during our homeschool Morning Meeting and it has been very enjoyable so far (it’s not really that long and has lots of photos, but it is taking me a good long while because I’m reading so slowly).
And here is what my team is currently reading!
ANALESE
Real Americans by Rachel Khong
I’ve been waiting for this one to come off my holds list for forever! I quickly finished my other book and dove right into this one and am trying to find excuses to read throughout my day. The sign of a good book. Lily is 22 years old, broke and working for free as an intern in New York City. Matthew has and exorbitant amount of family money and the two opposites fall in love. Fastforward 21 years where 15-year old Nick is living with his single mother Lily and desperately trying to fit in and find his biological father. I feel like this description doesn’t do this book justice. I’m halfway through and I can’t wait to see how the story unfolds.
KELSEY
Has Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter? by Nicci French
This mystery thriller had me hooked! When beautiful and vivacious Charlotte Salter fails to turn up to her husband Alec’s 50th birthday party, her children grow worried. As the days pass, her children struggle to come to terms with her disappearance, and her vanishing marks the beginning of a series of tragic events that haunt the lives of many in the town. Thirty years later, friends of the Salter children decide to make a podcast about Charlotte’s disappearance. It seems like the town’s buried secrets, and the Salters’, might finally come to light. After all this time, will they finally find out what really happened to Charlotte Salter?
JENNIFER
The Well-Educated Mind by Susan Wise Bauer
We made the decision to homeschool my oldest daughter this year for first grade. I’ve taken a deep dive into different theories on education and this book was recommended. It’s a guide to classical education that emphasizes the importance of reading and engaging with great literature. Bauer outlines a structured approach to self-education, focusing on key genres—such as novels, history, and philosophy—while providing reading lists and strategies for deep comprehension. The book encourages readers to cultivate critical thinking and a lifelong love of learning through thoughtful engagement with the classics, making it a valuable resource for anyone seeking to enrich their intellectual life.
KRISTIN
A Heart Worth Stealing by Joanna Barker
Now and then I go through a Regency novel phase and this is my most recent favorite! Genevieve Wilde is trying her hardest to independently manage her estate after her father dies, but when mysterious things start to go awry (a stolen pocket watch, a rock through a window, threatening letters), she enlists the help of a thief-taker to protect herself and her home. The ending of this one was surprisingly action-packed for a Regency romance and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
