Tell Me What to Read: Fall 2015 Edition
This summer was the most successful round of Tell Me What to Read I’ve had.
I thoroughly enjoyed all three books I’ve read, and since I’ve been in a little bit of a reading slump since our move, I’d love more recommendations.
Plus, isn’t there something about fall that just demands good reading material?
Suggest something fun (although that doesn’t need to mean chick-lit – I’m up for non-fiction, memoirs, young adult, middle grade, AND chick-lit), and I’ll pick three to read in October, November, and December.
Your job: Comment with the title of a book you think I should read.
My job: I’ll choose three from the suggestions and announce them next week. I’ll read one a month through the end of the year.
Feel free to read along and check back every month for my reviews.
And, as always, even if I hate the book, I will not hate you.
And . . . go! My four Arizona library cards are at the ready.
The Rent Collector is a great one 🙂 It's about a woman who lives in the dumps in Cambodia, while her husband picks for recyclable trash to sell. In the midst of that all, she learns to read. Super empowering book.
Lunch in Paris by Elizabeth Bard! So lovely and totally sends you into dreamy musings of France. Her second book, Picnic in Provence, came out recently and I've been dying to read it.
Go read The Julian Chapter: A Wonder Story by R. J. Palacio and tell me if it's any good.
It is very good. I read Auggie and Me: Three Wonder Stories a few weeks ago and that one was included. It's fantastic.
I thought The Julian Chapter was very good. A must-read if you've read Wonder.
I really liked The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd. It is a creepy/suspenseful YA book loosely based off of The Island of Dr Moreau by H.G. Wells. It's a good read for Halloween.
I just finished The Marvels by Brian Selznick and I loved it so much! Another dual narrative with one story in pictures and one in words and the reader gets to try to figure out how they fit together and then the author blows you away with an ending far cooler than you could have imagined. I think this is my favorite of his- the book itself is gorgeous and gold. Plus it is a story that demands cozy binge reading in bed with a cup of tea and cookies.
I am on fall break this Friday and the weather looks yucky. I think I will do exactly what you just said–grab a cup of tea and binge read this one. Thanks for the suggestion!
How do you feel about historical fiction? It's not usually my cup of tea but I really enjoyed The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress by Ariel Lawhon. It's a fictionalized account of the real-life unsolved disappearance of a judge who vanished in 1930s NYC.
If that's not your thing, I'd be so interested to hear your take on Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom is Wrong by Emily Oster. She's an economist & her book uses the principles of economics to analyze & debunk some of the western world's common pregnancy myths & misconceptions (no caffeine, alcohol, sushi, etc.). It's fascinating stuff. A really engaging non-fiction read.
I strongly second Bone Gap by Laura Ruby. One of my top ten books of the year, for sure.
Also, are you missing Harry Potter? Try The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas. Bonus, the third in the trilogy comes out this month, so you won't have to wait for the conclusion.
If you are looking for a middle-grade book, Goodbye, Stranger by Rebecca Stead is best middle-grade book I've read in a long time.
I second Goodbye, Stranger – and really anything by Rebecca Stead!
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
My favorite recent reads: The Department of Speculation, The Paris Wife and We are All Completely Beside Ourselves (it's got a twist so don't read spoilers if you can help it)
I'm on a middle grades kick lately. I recommend: All Four Stars by Tara Dairman, Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones, and Hook's Revenge by Heidi Schulz.
Just finished All Four Stars today and it's such a lovely, light-hearted, happy story!
Hands-down my favorite book I've read this fall is SYMPHONY FOR THE CITY OF THE DEAD by M.T. Anderson. It's YA nonfiction about the Siege of Leningrad during WWII and the composer Shostakovich's life and role in keeping up morale during the longest siege in history. It's not light reading (very serious subject matter), but I found it absolutely riveting and a great combination of biography, music history, and wartime history.
I was going to suggest this one, too! Very well done. I reviewed it on my blog, if you want my full thoughts, but yeah, go for it.
It was hard for me to think of a suggestion at first because recently most everything I have been reading comes from you! (Your recommendations are the best!) But then I thought of the two books that I have loved for years.
The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery
Mara, Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis Mcgraw
It feels like I've read them a thousand times. Just thinking about them makes me want to go read them again!
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty. Fascinating!
After consulting your goodreads to make sure you haven't already read them I would recommend Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen or The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant.
I thought the writing in Garden Spells was beautiful and I enjoyed the Magical Realism element. I am not a fan of the way the big conflict was resolved, but loved the book enough overall to recommend it.
I enjoyed The Boston Girl because it reminded me of what it's like to have your grandparent tell you a story about their youth. It's just cozy.
The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Bradley. I don't read a ton of middle grade books, but this one is hands-down the best one since Wonder. About children in WWII London sent to live with a stranger in the country. Read it now before it inevitably wins a Newbery next year and prices go up 😉
Ah never mind. Just realized you already read it.
I just read Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff on an international flight. I was sucked in to the point that I didn't watch a single movie on the seat back screen. The writing is almost self-conscious. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the book yet. But I know it was well worth reading.
Also, have you read The Martian yet? I read it several months ago and I loved it. The movie was good, too.
The Paper Magician by Charlie Holmberg is fabulous (as is the whole trilogy)! Also, The Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, and anything by Sarah Addison Allen is simply magical 🙂 And the series starting with Finnikin of the Rock was really great- though may have heard of that from you 🙂
I'll throw in another one for The Martian. So so good. I read it aloud with my husband, who doesn't really read at all, and he really enjoyed it. Doesn't feel like science fiction at all, just feels awesome. 🙂 Fair bit of swearing though, as a warning.
Also, This Monstrous Thing by Mackenzi Lee. In full disclosure, the author's a friend of mine, but I truly enjoyed this book. It's like a YA alternate history for how Frankenstein came to be written – fun clockwork technology, beautiful writing, and an awesome plot. Lots of fun, especially with Halloween coming up!
Two of my all-time favorite books are Eat Cake by Jeanne Ray and Left Neglected by Lisa Genova. I rarely read a book more than once but have reread these. I think you'd enjoy them both. Thanks for your good recommendations too!