RIP XI: A Recap

Another RIP is in the books and I'm happy to report that I managed to fulfill my pledge to read four spooky books plus an additional five titles. While I had so much fun dedicating a healthy portion to getting in the spirit of Halloween, I won't lie that I'm pretty excited to move on and start Nonfiction November, or books devoid of ghosts and haunted houses and murder and the like. Below is a short list of what I've read and what I thought about it. Enjoy!

Completed Titles*

*I'm just including a short reaction and star rating on those completed. Full reviews for some titles to come later.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

Three and a half stars. Delightfully creepy and sometimes a bit disorienting,  We Have Always Lived in the Castle, is the perfect classic to add to your Halloween reading list.

Through the Woods by Emily Carroll

Four stars. Categorized as a tween graphic novel, Through the Woods, is a perfect combo of creepy stories and beautiful, yet haunting illustrations. It's gorgeous! And I thought the stories were pretty good even if they didn't offer much of a conclusion.

The Forsaken Inn by Anna Katherine Green

Two stars. This one started off ok and then took a nosedive. Too many problems and little payoff.

Rest in Pieces: The Curious Fates of Famous Corpses by Bess Lovejoy

Three and a half stars. Interesting stories of, as the title states, the corpses of famous people and just all around bizarre behavior on the part of the living asked to protect them. I wouldn't say it was fun because it's dead bodies we're talking here, but it was a quick read with historical facts to keep for future trivia situations.

The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie

Three and a half stars. My first Christie (I read for Feminist Literary Society) and a great introduction to the Miss Marple character/mystery series. I could see myself reading more of these in the future.

The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James

Three stars. Paranormal mystery with a side of steamy romance. It was a fun read and easy to get through (I think I finished in a day), but definitely had some problems. I'll note that it should come with a trigger warning as there are suggestions of sexual violence.

Listen to Me by Hannah Pittard

Two stars. This just did not work for me. I loved the premise and could really feel the atmosphere as Justin and I had just driven from Richmond to Chicago (the same drive, in reverse, that the characters undertake), but could not relate to the characters or wrap my head around the clumsy conclusion. I should also note that I started on audio and could not stand the narrator so my experience could have been clouded a bit by the intro.

The Ghost Writer by John Harwood

Two stars. Another title that had a strong start and then totally crashed and burned. It's creepy, but I was initially really lost in terms of determining what time period the action was taking place, and then found the story within a story within a story within ANOTHER story just too tiring and convoluted. I'll probably try some of this other titles next year.

Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd by Alan Bradley

Four stars. Another Flavia de Luce mystery, which I love, back in England and the beloved Buckshaw. I'll probably post a full-length review in the future, but highly recommend to those who have read the others in the series.


So happy that another RIP Challenge is in the books! It's definitely my favorite reading event and know I'll start curating my list for next year soon. Here's to Nonfiction November and meeting those reading goals before the year's end!

What are you reading?

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Books and the Natural World (2016)

It's true that the natural world can be found in most literature; however, it generally can't be said that it's so much apart of the novel that it might even be considered a character itself. Today I'm discussing two recent releases that use evocative descriptions of the Earth's varied landscapes to shape narratives and provide the perfect setting.

Marrow Island by Alexis M. Smith

Twenty years ago Lucie Bowen left Marrow Island; along with her mother, she fled the aftermath of an earthquake that compromised the local refinery, killing her father and ravaging the island’s environment. Now, Lucie’s childhood friend Kate is living within a mysterious group called Marrow Colony—a community that claims to be “ministering to the Earth.” There have been remarkable changes to the land at the colony’s homestead. Lucie’s experience as a journalist tells her there’s more to the Colony—and their charismatic leader-- than they want her to know, and that the astonishing success of their environmental remediation has come at great cost to the Colonists themselves. As she uncovers their secrets and methods, will Lucie endanger more than their mission? What price will she pay for the truth? (Goodreads)

I really loved Smith's debut novel, Glaciers, about a precocious young woman coming of age in the Pacific Northwest. And while it wasn't the read of the year, or really a novel I can remember with great clarity, I do recall liking it and thus excited to see what Smith was up to next. Marrow Island did not disappoint.

The novel is slow going and alternates between past and present. I felt that Smith did a great job moving between the two periods without sacrificing clarity even if the memories slowed the momentum for the big reveal. The environment, and the devastation described after the horrific event that defines the novel, were such large parts of what made this book so successful for me. As a reader I found myself instantly transported and equally devastated when the narrator returned to the broken island so many years later. It's clear that Smith has much to offer on the subjects of environmentalism and sustainability; however, our protagonist, Lucie, does more navel-gazing than big picture analysis, and it loses its punch towards the end of the novel. What's more, there's a healthy dose of intrigue with a neighbor missing and a friend lost to a potential cult-like farming commune. Highly recommend this one for all readers!

Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton

Augustine, a brilliant, aging astronomer, is consumed by the stars. For years he has lived in remote outposts, studying the sky for evidence of how the universe began. At his latest posting, in a research center in the Arctic, news of a catastrophic event arrives. The scientists are forced to evacuate, but Augustine stubbornly refuses to abandon his work. Shortly after the others have gone, Augustine discovers a mysterious child, Iris, and realizes the airwaves have gone silent. They are alone.

At the same time, Mission Specialist Sullivan is aboard the Aether on its return flight from Jupiter. The astronauts are the first human beings to delve this deep into space, and Sully has made peace with the sacrifices required of her: a daughter left behind, a marriage ended. So far the journey has been a success, but when Mission Control falls inexplicably silent, Sully and her crew mates are forced to wonder if they will ever get home. (Goodreads)

This is definitely an author to be watching in the future! I enjoyed this novel for so many reasons and one was the attention to descriptions to build this world and set the tone. The reader is immediately immersed in these landscapes of unrelenting sub-zero temperatures and days without sunlight, or deep darkness miles and miles away from planet Earth. The characters were flawed and realistic with complex thoughts (for most of the book) capable of eliciting feelings of empathy from the reader. It's a slower read with much to offer towards the end. Good Morning, Midnight was brilliant on so many levels with minor pitfalls slowing the pace and quality, briefly, about halfway through. A perfect read for a chilly, winter weekend.

*Header image my own.

Have a title that would fit this list? Share it in the comments below!

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R.I.P. XI Challenge-- Sign Me Up!

It's that time again!! Yes, the best time of the year (and I'm not talking about Christmas). The R.I.P. Challenge (R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril) hosted by Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings is back for it's 11th year and I couldn't be more excited. I'm not kidding when I say that I start planning as soon as the challenge ends-- I love it!

This is my sixth year participating and feel it's going to be one of my best reading stacks yet! I'm sharing what I've got on the R.I.P. TBR and the rules of the game for those who are interested in joining and want to learn more.

What is R.I.P.? 

It's an informal reading event from September 1st to October 31st where participants focus on the following genres:

Mystery
Suspense
Thriller
Gothic
Horror
Dark Fantasy

I'm shooting for Peril the First*:

*Read four books, any length, that you feel fit (the very broad definitions) of R.I.P. literature. It could be King or Conan Doyle, Penny or Poe, Chandler or Collins, Lovecraft or Leroux…or anyone in between. (Head over to Carl's site to learn more.)

Some potential reads to meet my goal of four full-length novels:

Click on the title to read the summary on Goodreads:

Listen to Me by Hannah Pittard, We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson, Florence & Giles by John Harding, Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm: A New English Version by Jacob Grimm, Wilhelm Grimm, and Philip Pullman (Editor), The Trespasser by Tana French, The Secret Rooms: A True Story of a Haunted Castle, a Plotting Duchess, and a Family Secret by Catherine Bailey, The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James, Affinity by Sarah Waters, The Hounds of Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle, Our Endless Numbered Days by Claire Fuller, The Wicked Boy: The Mystery of a Victorian Child Murderer by Kate Summerscale, The Asylum by John Harwood

As sad as it'll be to say goodbye to summer,  I can't deny that I'm pretty excited about the crisp autumn air and fun activities that come up this time of year. I mean how can you say no to activities like this...

*Note: I also have three posts of summer reviews that have been languishing in my draft folder this entire season. SHAME. They'll slowly be pushed out in the next couple of weeks.

Are you participating in the challenge?? If so, what's on your list? If not, what's your favorite thing to do during the fall?

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24 in 48 Readathon is Here (Summer 2k16)

24 in 48 IS HERE!!!!

Really excited to join so many other readers for 24 hours of dedicated reading time!

Here's the stack I put together to get me through the weekend (plus, Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey on audio). I've got travel essays, graphic novels, fantasy, a thriller, and a kickass biography. I've even got plans to meet up with some other participants in the Chicago area for a little reading session in the park. Who knows... I might even end up by the pool at some point -- ah! the life!

What will you be reading? Good luck!

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Books to Fuel Your Wanderlust

Ring Road, Iceland, September 2015

The only thing I love as much as reading is traveling (excluding my husband, of course). I'm always dreaming of visiting a new city, state, country... you get it. I've recently found some A+ travel-themed material, which is really outside my regular reading zone, and thought I'd share the wealth.

Here are some titles that make me want to hit the road ASAP:

1) No Baggage: A Minimalist Tale of Love and Wandering by Clara Benson

A memoir, as the titles suggests, about traveling (overseas) sans baggage, but also a look at the author's struggle with severe anxiety and depression years before her journey. Benson's around my age and so hilariously cynical, to boot, that I couldn't stop turning the pages. Her experiences are both totally relatable and then completely foreign at the same time. Weird, right? There's also the guy she meets on OKCupid who suggests the whole thing, and a home in a garbage compactor, but I'll let you read it to get the other juicy bits that make it so good. *One of my favorites of 2016

Favorite passage:

I'd have saved myself some heartache if someone had informed me that life isn't a linear, teleological climb that culminates in some final plateau. It tends to look a lot more like a rolling tumbleweed that gets blown off arroyo cliffs and trapped in barged cow fences just as often as it rolls smoothly down the road. I wish I'd known how many forces are completely out of our control and how often we fail to get exactly what we want (and the disappointment that sometimes follows when we do get exactly what we want). I wish I'd know to hold everything a little more loosely; to be more accepting of the millions of messy, glorious forms a single life can take; to quit acting like the human experience was a geometry equation with a firmly established, correct answer. And hell, I wish I'd known it's perfectly acceptable to have a little fun with the whole business of being alive.

2) Lonely Planet's Ultimate Travel: Our List of the 500 Best Places on the Planet - Ranked by Lonely Planet

I actually read through all 500 picks and have never wanted to race to the airport and randomly select a destination so badly in my life. So many beautiful landscapes and interesting places! Naturally, I made a list of the locations I'd already visited and found I'd only seen 25/500. Looks like I've got some traveling to do! *Scroll down to see my own images of some of those 25.

3) The New York Times 36 Hours: 125 Weekends in Europe by Barbara Ireland

More a coffee table book than a guide you'd cart around (this thing is pretty hefty), the 36 Hours collection (I want them ALL) is not only beautiful, but also informative. I'm going to be honest and just come out and say that I love this one for the incredible photography packed within its pages. I sometimes find myself flipping through whilst daydreaming of my next getaway. The itineraries are more for people who enjoy hunting down cocktail joints and getting nightclub action in over finding new bookstores, so, again, I mainly use it as inspiration for my own photo work rather than travel guide.

Schloss Neuschwanstein, Germany, 2014

Versailles, France, 2014

Eiffel Tower, France, 2014

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, Iceland, 2015

*All images (aside from book covers) are my own. 

 Have any favorites that tempt you to pack up? Let me know!

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The Summer Solstice & Navigating a Reading Slump

Happy first day of the summer solstice!! Summer is one of my favorite seasons so I'm doing a little happy dance to celebrate. (Just picture that for a moment. Ok, let's move on.)

I know a lot of people don't particularly love summer because of the heat but I really thrive in the warmer months. Like fall, I strive to be outside as much as possible to get my body moving and soak up the sunshine before -0 temps return and I go into hibernation.

Here's a list of my absolute favorite summertime activities/things/places:

1) Mouthwatering berries.

Berries are in season during the summer months (so juicy and sweet), so I stock up to get my fix. ALL of the blueberries and stat!

2) Lazy days at the pool.

I know many people hate frying out by the pool during the day, but I LOVE it. Most weekends you'll find me, book in one hand, fizzy water in the other, soaking up the vitamin D and grinning. I get soooo much more reading done. Plus, short swim breaks take me back to my childhood and my mermaid dreams.

3) Picnics, concerts, Shakespeare—you name it—in the park! 

Chicago is the best during the summer (yes, it gets hot, but it's nothing compared to Atlanta's humidity so I can deal). There are always so many outdoor events occurring in each neighborhood that it'd probably take you a lifetime to experience them all. My particular favorite is the symphony at Millennium Park, where visitors have the option to buy seats or sit on the lawn (free) and watch the symphony perform at dusk. You're welcome to bring a picnic, a bottle of wine or two, and relax on the lawn with the skyline as your view. It's magical.

Yay! Summer.

I'll have a considerable amount of free time in the coming weeks so I'm looking to get some good reads in. I'm stuck in a rut at the moment with no sign of getting out. Help!

Current Reads:

The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

This started out strong for me (well, after getting over some small annoyances), but then kind of just died. I know I'll finish but don't find myself itching to get back.

Chronicle of a Last Summer: A Novel of Egypt by Yasmine El Rashidi

I keep reading that once you get past the initial chapters, told from the perspective of a 6-yr-old girl, this book gets really good, but it's been such a struggle to even get as far as I have. I'm really interested in Egyptian political culture but this just isn't doing it for me.  I feel guilty because I'm really trying to get through my ARCs (and post about them) and this one is just rotting on my kindle.

Grief is the Thing with Feathers by Max Porter

This one is actually really good. As much as I want to push on, I just don't think I'm in the right emotional place for it at this point in time. I linked to Julianne's (Outlandish Lit) review because she does a fantastic job covering everything Porter does right.


So... what should I pick up next? I've got The Girls by Emma Cline, Hot Milk by Deborah Levy, Invincible Summer by Alice Adams, and SO MANY OTHERS just waiting to be consumed. What are you reading right now?? And what do you love about it?

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Ten Books from BEA I Can't Wait to Read

Ok, guys, you saw the stack of books I picked up at BEA via my post on Wednesday. It might be a tad ambitious but I'm confident I can make a decent dent by end of year. Hoping to avoid a slump due to indecision, I've color-coded each title by season of release date, and composed a list of ten that I'm most excited about. Goals!

Here are the titles that were either A) on my list going into BEA, or B) just jumped out at me right away:

Btw, I totally stole the descriptions from Goodreads because they're so much better than anything I could've come up with. I've also linked back to Goodreads so you can add them to your TBR list, too!

1. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (June 2016)

"Two half sisters, Effia and Esi, unknown to each other, are born into different villages in eighteenth-century Ghana. Effia is married off to an Englishman and will live in comfort in the palatial rooms of Cape Coast Castle, raising children who will be sent abroad to be educated before returning to the Gold Coast to serve as administrators of the empire. Esi, imprisoned beneath Effia in the Castle's women's dungeon and then shipped off on a boat bound for America, will be sold into slavery."

2. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (Sept 2016)

"A Gentleman in Moscow immerses us in another elegantly drawn era with the story of Count Alexander Rostov. When, in 1922, he is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, the count is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. Rostov, an indomitable man of erudition and wit, has never worked a day in his life, and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel’s doors. Unexpectedly, his reduced circumstances provide him a doorway into a much larger world of emotional discovery."

3. Underground Airlines by Ben H. Winters (July 2016)

"A gifted young black man calling himself Victor has struck a bargain with federal law enforcement, working as a bounty hunter for the US Marshall Service. He's got plenty of work. In this version of America, slavery continues in four states called "the Hard Four." On the trail of a runaway known as Jackdaw, Victor arrives in Indianapolis knowing that something isn't right--with the case file, with his work, and with the country itself."

4. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (Sept 2016)

"Cora is a slave on a cotton plantation in Georgia. Life is hellish for all slaves, but Cora is an outcast even among her fellow Africans, and she is coming into womanhood; even greater pain awaits. Caesar, a recent arrival from Virginia, tells her of the Underground Railroad and they plot their escape."

5. Blood at the Root: A Racial Cleansing in America by Patrick Phillips

"In 1912, a young girl's murder rocked the rural community of Forsyth County, Georgia, and led a mob of whites to lynch a black man on the town square. A month later, thousands cheered the hanging, on spurious evidence, of two black teenagers, then set fire to the homes and churches of farmers, field hands, and servants. Bands of night-riders declared Forsyth "whites-only" and sent 1,100 citizens running for their lives. Whites took over their livestock, harvested their crops, and laid claim to "abandoned" black land, slowly erasing all evidence of their communal crime."

6. Mischling by Affinity Konar (Sept 2016)

"It's 1944 when the twin sisters arrive at Auschwitz with their mother and grandfather. In their benighted new world, Pearl and Stasha Zagorski take refuge in their identical natures, comforting themselves with the private language and shared games of their childhood.

As part of the experimental population of twins known as Mengele's Zoo, the girls experience privileges and horrors unknown to others, and they find themselves changed, stripped of the personalities they once shared, their identities altered by the burdens of guilt and pain. "

7. Emperor of the Eight Islands by Lian Hearn (Out / April 2016)* 

"A future lord is dispossessed of his birthright by a scheming uncle, a mountain sorcerer imbues a mask with the spirit of a great stag for a lost young man, a stubborn father forces his son to give up his wife to his older brother, and a powerful priest meddles in the succession to the Lotus Throne, the child who is the rightful heir to the emperor barely escaping the capital in the arms of his sister. And that is just the beginning."

*This title is book one of a four part series is currently available in stores. The series will be published in rapid succession in order to be binge read to mimic the act of binge watching television shows online. 

AM I STILL GOING???

8. A Woman on the Edge of Time by Jeremy Gavron (Sept 2016)

"Like Sylvia Plath, who died in eerily similar circumstances two years earlier just two streets away, Hannah Gavron was a writer. But no-one had ever imagined that she might take her own life. Bright, sophisticated, and swept up in the progressive politics of the 1960s, Hannah was a promising academic and the wife of a rising entrepreneur. Surrounded by success, she seemed to live a gilded life.

But there was another side to Hannah, as Jeremy Gavron's searching memoir of his mother reveals. Piecing together the events that led to his mother's suicide when he was just four, he discovers that Hannah's success came ata price, and that the pressures she faced as she carved out her place in a man's world may have contributed to her death. Searching for the mother who was never talked about as he grew up, he discovers letters, diaries, and photos that paint a picture of a brilliant but complex young woman grappling to find an outlet for her creativity, sexuality, and intelligence."

9. The Lesser Bohemians by Eimear McBride (Sept 2016)

"One night an eighteen year old girl recently arrived in London from Ireland to study drama, meets an older actor and a tumultuous relationship ensues. Set across the bedsits and squats of mid-nineties north London, The Lesser Bohemians is a story about love and innocence, joy and discovery - the grip of the past and the struggle to be new again."

10. Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders (January 2017)

"On February 22, 1862, two days after his death, Willie Lincoln was laid to rest in a marble crypt in a Georgetown cemetery. That very night, shattered by grief, Abraham Lincoln arrives at the cemetery under cover of darkness and visits the crypt, alone, to spend time with his son’s body. Set over the course of that one night and populated by ghosts of the recently passed and the long dead, Lincoln in the Bardo is a thrilling exploration of death, grief, the powers of good and evil, a novel - in its form and voice - completely unlike anything you have read before. It is also, in the end, an exploration of the deeper meaning and possibilities of life, written as only George Saunders can: with humor, pathos, and grace."


Here's to 2016 and the ARC!

Excited about any of these?

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A Post: Weekly Reads / 02.07.2016

Started and finished The Bronte Plot by Katherine Reay this weekend, so look out for a post of mini reviews with my thoughts on it, and The Improbability of Love, later this week.

Started First Ladies: Presidential Historians on the Lives of 45 Iconic American Women by Susan Swain on Friday and have gotten as far as the 28th-- there were two, Edith, and then Ellen Wilson. It's fascinating and has pushed me to do some more reading featuring American history. C-Span pulled the book together by taking pieces from the televised programs created for each of the first ladies in order to give a basic overview of their personalities and legacies. Pretty excited that I'll have something to watch once I'm finished. Learn more (and watch) here: http://firstladies.c-span.org/.

Hoping to get into Girl Through Glass by Sari Wilson after finally getting it in at the library.

And, of course, the large stack of comics I hope to add between longer reads. (insert smiley emojis)

All and all, I'm thinking it's going to be a promising week in the reading department!

What are you reading?

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A Post: Weekly Reads / 02.01.2016

I love taking pictures. I love books. I really love taking pictures of books.

Each Monday I'll be sharing an image of some of the things I'll be reading during the week.

February begins with me continuing  The Improbability of Love by Hannah Rothschild, which I AM LOVING for so many reasons. Art, food, history, and London!?!? Yes! All my favorite things in a cleverly written page turner.

And I'll be celebrating the start of #ComicsFebruary with graphic novel finds from my local library.

Cat Person by Seo Kim and The Great American Documents: Volume 1: 1620-1830 by Ruth Ashby are just two in my very large stack for the month ahead.

Whimsical meets serious historical fun. Can't wait!

What are you reading this week?

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My Favorites of 2015

2015 was big for me in so many ways. I celebrated two years of living in the Chicago area. Networked and made many new friends and collaborators. Saw my photography business start to really take off (2016 is going to be even better). And completed 45 books while doing it all. 45!

I'm still riding the high of surpassing my original goal of 40 and thinking back on all those that really stood out. While many have been saying that 2015 was a stellar year, it really was one of my least favorite years in terms of enjoyable reading as I found I started and abandoned more books than ever before.

Even though many of these are probably on every year-end list, I decided to compile my own top ten for 2015 and share... even if it is a couple weeks late.

Top Ten for 2015

1. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

This should be required reading in every high school in the United States. On the most basic level, Coates demonstrates that discrimination based on race has been, and continues to be, an integral part of America's foundation. Raw and heartbreaking and complete truth. 

2. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

Dystopian tale based in Toronto forcing readers to contemplate life and death in a sobering light.

3. The Tsar of Love and Techno by Anthony Marra

Connected stories from Stalin's USSR to present day Russia. It takes serious skill to successfully build an entire cast of authentic characters who also keep the story alive and moving. Marra did that and more-- I couldn't put it down.

4. Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson

Jenny Lawson, aka The Bloggess, does it again with her hilarious documentation of her own battles with mental illness to shed light on this very painful and often overlooked disease. Plus, she talks about wearing granny panties as a leotard, so, really, do I need to say more?

5. Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg

Condensed family history devolving into individual stories after tragedy strikes. Heartbreaking but so worth it. 

6. Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff

A record of a very interesting marriage, Groff approaches each narrative separately, showing readers that there are always two sides to every story.

7. Euphoria by Lily King

An exploration of anthropology in its infancy (Euphoria is loosely based on the work of Margaret Mead) and the way in which professionals viewed "primitive" peoples around the world at that time. There's also a bit of a love story for those who love some drama.

8. Saint Mazie by Jami Attenberg

A fun, and sometimes sad, story of a New York City movie ticket booth worker during the jazz age, and the people in her life. Read it for the atmosphere and Attenberg's Mazie.

9. Liar Temptress Soldier Spy by Karen Abbott

A nonfiction title exploring the role four females spies played during the American Civil War. Readers might be tricked into thinking they're reading fiction with Abbott's gift of engaging prose and the unbelievable tales of daring.

10. The Truth According to Us by Annie Barrows

A family secret comes to light when a stranger takes residence in their small town and begins documenting its history. 

I'm also taking part in the #24in48 Readathon this weekend! Woot woot.

Here's my stack:

What are you reading?

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A Wrap-UP: The RIP X Challenge with Mini Reviews

My post is a couple days late, but I wanted to share the fact that I failed to meet my goal for the first time in the five years I've participated in this challenge!! Heartbreaking, guys. I'm trying to not be too hard on myself because there were very necessary reasons for not having the time to read as much as I wanted, but I still can't help but be a little sad about missing the mark. I managed to fall one book short of my Peril the First pledge, finishing the challenge out with three spooky reads. I'm currently 75% done with my fourth title, so I've got that at least. 

Read:

I took my RIPX TBR list and ripped it into a million shreds and stuck it in a trashcan and lit that thing on fire. I didn't actually do any of those things but when you take a look at my TBR and then what I read it's essentially the same thing. 

I found The Secret History far too much of a commitment to finish (I still plan on reading it someday). I found The Uninvited boring and tossed it. I forgot about Wuthering Heights even though I just ordered a beautiful, vintage Penguin paperback version. I couldn't get The Ghost Hunters because it hasn't been published outside of the UK. I was too lazy to check out The Asylum from the library. And then left The Big Book of Ghost Stories languishing on my coffee table. I was TERRIBLE, people.

So what did I read??

Well, I listened to The Dead Duke, His Secret Wife, and the Missing Corpse: An Extraordinary Edwardian Case of Deception and Intrigue by Piu Marie Eatwell. I liked it well enough. I didn't think it was the book of the year but it was full of tidbits about Edwardian England and the legal process at this time. I found it a bit lackluster as the motive that put the whole thing in motion was never fleshed out. It's nice for long hours of editing or car rides because the reader for the audio does a great job voicing the many characters. 

I checked out a physical copy of In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware, which was pretty underwhelming considering I nailed the bad guy about 20 pages in. I thought the characters were one dimensional and felt their thoughts and feelings didn't really seem accurate for a person of 26 or 28. Honestly, I thought they were like 2 at most?? Anyway, it was a fairly fast paced read that got me one book in a weekend. I'd say go for it if you're looking for some quick entertainment, but not expecting much else.

Finally, I finished The Strangler Vine by M. J. Carter. This was my favorite of all my RIP reads, aside from In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (which I'm finishing now). The novel takes place in the early years of British imperialism in India. The author uses the language from the time period, which I thought was an interesting and authentic touch, in dialogue and in explanations of the atmosphere. The novel, longlisted for the Bailey's Prize, includes passages that immerse the reader in a rich, vivid landscape. There were momentary lulls in action and the dynamic between Avery and Blake, the novel's protagonists, was somewhat cliche. I would recommend for the atmosphere M.J. Carter is able to build alone. It gives an interesting look at greed and corruption during this very muddled time in British and Indian history. 

I'm currently finishing up In Cold Blood by Truman Capote and already know it's a 5-star on Goodreads. So gruesome, yet so beautifully written. I can honestly say I have never been more troubled by a book but also captivated to continue reading. It's definitely produced some WTF moments. Perfect fall spread pictured below--->

Headed over to now to see how others did in their RIPX Challenge!

Just a note:

I recently had the opportunity to photograph a number of writers and speakers while they toured Chicago, so stay tuned for posts on Jenny Lawson, Geraldine Brooks, Gloria Steinem, and Roxane Gay. You're going to love them!! 

What are you currently reading??!

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River City Reading's Library Checkout: October

I couldn't resist participating in Shannon at River City Reading's Library Checkout, a monthly feature encouraging readers to share their library haul (or hold addiction), for October because I actually finished a couple (or am so very close to) and needed to celebrate! This was, of course, prior to receiving a notification that every hold I have ever made was ready for me to pick up. AHHHH! At least November is looking a little less hectic than October and I can put a dent in it. Wishful thinking.

Read This Month

In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

Listened This Month

A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson (75% finished)

Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay (35%)

Returned, Unread

Mecca: The Sacred City by Ziauddin Sardar

Fairytales from the Brothers Grimm: A New English Version by Phillip Pullman

Black Earth: A Journey Through Russia After the Fall by Andrew Meier

An English Ghost Story by Kim Newman

**Only one fine (haha) for late return: Melt: The Art of Macaroni and Cheese (I didn't even make one dish from this book!! The horror!)

Checked Out/ To Be Read

TOO MANY TO LIST! AHHH. I'm drowning in books. Seriously.

On Hold

Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith

Audio Holds

Missoula by Jon Krakauer

Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Read any of these? Which one should I choose next?! :)

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A Review: Liar Temptress Soldier Spy (I Met the Author!)

Summary: New York Times bestselling author Karen Abbott tells the spellbinding true story of four women who risked everything during the Civil War. Seventeen-year-old Belle Boyd, an avowed rebel with a dangerous temper, shot a Union soldier in her home and became a courier and spy for the Confederate army, using her considerable charms to seduce men on both sides. Emma Edmonds disguised herself as a man to enlist as a Union private named Frank Thompson, witnessing the bloodiest battles of the war and infiltrating enemy lines. The beautiful widow Rose O'Neal Greenhow engaged in affairs with powerful Northern politicians and used her young daughter to send information to Southern generals. Elizabeth Van Lew, a wealthy Richmond abolitionist, hid behind her proper Southern manners as she orchestrated a far-reaching espionage ring—even placing a former slave inside the Confederate White House—right under the noses of increasingly suspicious rebel detectives. With a cast of real-life characters, including Nathaniel Hawthorne, General Stonewall Jackson, Detective Allan Pinkerto,n, Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln, and Emperor Napoléon III, Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy shines a dramatic new light on these daring—and, until now, unsung—heroines.

Thoughts: I LOVED this book! Even though a reader's copy was provided, I ended up purchasing it through Audible as well so I could listen when I was editing photos and cooking dinner and reaching my 10,000 steps. I needed to know what was going to happen next! I'd heard of Belle Boyd from one of my favorite podcasts, Stuff You Missed in History Class, and had been interested in hearing more about women involved in the Civil War after reading Erin Lindsay McCabe's I Shall Be Near to You (which is FANTASTIC), so this seemed like it would fit the bill. Abbott doesn't disappoint-- she really brings each of these women to life with beautiful prose and her attention to detail. If you're into fast-paced nonfiction about incredible women in America's history go grab a copy NOW!

Oh, and don't be jealous, but Karen Abbott just happened to be in Chicago this week so I also got to meet her and get my book signed!!! Yep, so cool. Here's some photos from the event at Women and Children First in Andersonville (these were taken on a Nikon and edited on an iPhone-- be nice!):

The Author: Karen Abbott is the New York Times bestselling author of Sin in the Second City, American Rose, and, most recently, Liar Temptress Soldier Spy, which was named one of the best books of 2014 by Library Journal, the Christian Science Monitor, Amazon, and Flavorwire, and which was optioned by Sony for a miniseries. A native of Philadelphia, she now lives in New York City, where she's at work on her next book.

*I received a copy of this book from TLC Book Tours and Harper Perennial in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, TLC!

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RIP X Challenge: The List

Fall is around the corner. Pumpkin spice is about to be added to every known culinary dish. AND the R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril X Challenge is kicking off!! Did I mention it's my absolute favorite reading event?!? The fact that The Estella Society is hosting this year is also pretty freaking awesome. You go ladies! And of course, we can't mention the event without a very BIG thanks to Carl V. Anderson of Stainless Steel Droppings who created it ten years ago. 

The Deal:

Read novels that fit any of the following genres from Sept 1st to October 31st:

Mystery.

Suspense.

Thriller.

Dark Fantasy.

Gothic.

Horror.

Supernatural.

Without further ado, here's my RIP X Challenge pledge (I'm going all in):

(read ANY four books that fit the RIP genre outline above)

&

(celebrate and read short stories)

The Books:

*Note: My husband is participating this year and has chosen Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde for Peril the Third. Yay, Justin!!

I have about three or four more on my Kindle that I haven't added here, but they'll probably be read while I'm touring Iceland later this month!! Can't think of a better place for a brooding atmosphere.

What are you guys reading this year?!? 

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A Review: Again and Again by Ellen Bravo

Summary (from the book jacket):

If sexual shenanigans disqualified candidates for Congress, the U.S. would have no goverment. But what if the candidate was a pro-choice Republican support by feminist groups-- and a college rapist whose secret could be exposed by a leading women's rights advocate?

Again and Again tells the story of Deborah Borenstein-- as an established women's rights leader in 2010 Washington, DC, and as a college student, thirty years earlier, whose roommate is raped by a fellow student. The perpetrator is now a Senate candidate who has the backing of the major feminist groups...which puts Deborah in a difficult position. Torn between her past and present, as the race goes on, Deborah finds herself tested as a wife, a mother, a feminist, and a friend.

Thoughts: Despite the disturbing content, I was interested in the concept of this book as I've actually never read a fiction title that explored sexual assault in the political realm. I found it informative, in the sense that there's much to research after reading, and enjoyed getting into something that was focused on women's issues in such a direct way. It definitely stirred emotions as the reader realizes its meant to emphasize how far society still has to go on this issue. Is it true that women face the same scrutiny and disbelief when reporting date rape now that they did in the 1970s?

This was very much a first novel for the author, but could still be a great learning tool for young men and women. I was impressed with Bravo's representation of Deborah and Liddie's relationship, but less so with Deborah and her daughter, and even less so with Deborah and her husband as they felt one dimensional and relied on the snotty teenager/inattentive husband stereotypes. The storyline had much to offer, but was somewhat dulled down by the technical language of Deborah's daily life and the tidbits clumsily added to modernize the story. I don't want to share too much as the summary has already provided enough, but I would recommend the novel based on the importance of the content and can definitely say I can't wait to see more from Bravo in  the future.

*Please note that those who have suffered from similar encounters may want to refrain from reading as the defining scene is graphic.

I received a copy of this novel from TLC Book Tours and She Writes Press in exchange for an honest review.

*Ellen Bravo is the head of Family Values @ Work, a network of state coalitions advocating family-friendly policies, and an award-winning writer. Her award-winning nonfiction books include Taking on the Big Boys, or Why Feminism Is Good for Families, Business and the Nation. A Cleveland native, she makes her home in Wisconsin.

Take a look at what other bloggers are saying on the tour here.

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An Update: Summer Reading and Beyond

Currently Reading 

I am loving it!! Why did I wait so long?! 

To Be Reviewed 

To Be Read

What's on your TBR??

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A Review: The Truth According to Us by Annie Barrows

"That was when I first heard about Layla Beck, when I began to wonder about my father, and when I noticed I was being lied to and decided to leave my childhood behind."

For the first time ever I believe I might actually meet my Goodreads Reading Challenge goal for the year. This is exciting for so many reasons. Maybe it's because I actually made it more realistic, setting it at 40 rather than 50, like in the past, where I've never even gotten close. It just didn't happen... but maybe it could now?! The Truth According to Us was my 20th and was completed just a day before the half-way point in the year! I can see victory on my horizon. These are exciting times, people! It also happened to be my favorite read thus far and has helped propel me into my next book, another ARC, This is Your Life, Harriet Chance!, which I'm also really enjoying. Ahhh... the book life.

I digress.

When I first started I was unable to overcome my desire to see what fellow book bloggers and enthusiasts were thinking about this one. It really is such a detrimental action but yet I still succumb. And I came across several reviews of respected fellow bloggers who just didn't feel like this delivered, and let me be the first to admit that it was far from perfect, but there was just something there that I loved so much. I was so happy that for once my impatience and curiosity hadn't spoiled something. What's more... I purposely paced myself in order to keep that world alive for just a bit longer and that's really what you want a book to do. It was just what I needed to start the summer and the next half of the year. For fans of the epistolary style found in the other title Barrows is so famous for, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, I promise you won't be disappointed. While the novel isn't told exclusively through letters from each of the participating characters, there are many that move the story along and add extra entertainment.

The novel centers on the small town of Macedonia, West Virginia during the depression. A small town much like any small town in the US of A at this period in time, everyone knows everyone, and they've all got a story to tell. Layla Beck is sent to Macedonia to record the history of town and its people for the Works Progress Administration after she refuses to marry a man her father, a wealthy senator, has chosen for her. Entitled and certainly naive, Layla learns Macedonia's history through the colorful townspeople, and her host family, the Romeyns. Little does she know she'll quickly fall head over heels for the patriarch, Felix Romeyn, and unearth some skeletons in the family's closet. With narration from the perspectives of Willa, Felix's eldest daughter, Jottie, Felix's eldest sister, and Layla herself, the reader is lost in Macedonia and an era that defined the nation.

Guys, I LOVED THIS NOVEL. All caps love. It's that serious. The story, tbh, was predictable and has been done before... BUT the characters! Oh my god. Jottie?! I loved her. I loved the family and the small town atmosphere and the southern dialogue. It offered a glimpse of how my grandparents' families were when they all got together. The phrase "hush up" took me back to family reunions from my childhood. I wanted to spend forever in those pages, conjuring up visions of my Nana sitting amongst my Papa's many sisters and their husbands. And if I'm being fair, that's probably why I connected to it like I did. On a deeper level, though, it also reminds readers what it's like to start seeing things as an adult as one comes of age.

Read it if you love historical fiction. Read it if you love epistolary tales. Read it if you're wanting something you could get lost in.



*I received an advanced reader's copy of this title from Random House through Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. 

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A Post: Readathon Wrap-Up

I did it! I participated in my first readathon and I'm already looking forward to the next one! Sometimes, and I'm ashamed to admit this, I feel really guilty if I read instead of doing other things, like focusing on my photography business, for example. Since I spend pretty much every night after my 8-to-5 editing, talking and/or meeting with new clients, marketing, and blogging for bethpriddy.com, reading has fallen by the wayside. The readathon gave me an excuse to dedicate every hour that I wasn't working to relax and READ to my heart's content. It was just what I needed.

I didn't finish the entire 24 hours because I did have to photograph an event and my sister-in-law was visiting, but I did complete 9 hours, one book, and a little over three quarters of another. I should note that I finished the second about 30 minutes after my 48 was up, so maybe I can count it? Anyway..

Thoughts

I mentioned that I loved Jane Harris's Gillespie and I (like top 10 books in my life love) and had tried reading this one before without success. Nope, not this time around. Summary: Poor Bessy is wandering the countryside of Edinburgh looking for work when's she suddenly hired on as a house maid to a Mrs. Arabella Reid, an English lady, she takes to be rather eccentric and out of place. Arabella, however, is quite brilliant, but suffers from secrets she keeps closely guarded. In an attempt to understand her mistress, Bessy begins snooping and ultimately uncovers information that leads her to play tricks that don't quite go to plan.

First, I should note that the rough dialogue is a little hard to get past in the beginning, but the authentic voice of a mostly uneducated woman working in the world of service in the 1860s is pretty incredible. Also, Bessy, the lead, is hilarious! I laughed out loud more times than I can count. A lot of reviewers expressed disappointment with the ending, and while it does lack the bang the reader expects, I still gave it five stars on Goodreads because I just really enjoyed being apart of the story. The rural atmosphere and townspeople came alive in the pages, and Bessy entertained me to no end. I recommend this to anyone, but especially those who love historical fiction or Jane Harris. Do it!!

Ranjit Singh is an ex-military Captain trying to make it in his new home in Martha's Vineyard after leaving India disgraced. Working multiple jobs to keep his wife and young daughter fed and housed, Ranjit is offered a position as caretaker to a well-loved senator's summer home on the island. When the Singh family loses heat during the winter, they decide to set up temporary camp in the Senator's home, a decision that will ultimately change their lives forever. Uncovering secrets about the Senator's shady international dealings and his tumultuous relationship with his wife, Ranjit is on a race around the city to save his family and the world.

Let me first say that I read this because NPR said the second in this series was a must-read this summer. I thought that I'd need to read the first in order to read the second and here we are. It was a fast one. Typical thriller material. Would I call it a literary thriller like every review I read before? Absolutely not. It's basically cheesy romance-part- thriller. And then there's the fact that Ranjit's whole family winds up in a detention center with the risk of being deported and all the while he's having sexy time with the Senator's wife. He blabs on and on and on about how he misses his daughter and his wife, but then as the date for deportation looms, he's literally banging this other lady while mentioning his guilt. And when the book concludes... he's flabbergasted that his wife doesn't want to return to America and doesn't want him back (btw, she doesn't even know about the banging activities). So yeah. It just didn't fit the character. At all. It was like forced, uncomfortable sex scenes to mix it up a bit. These issues aside, I did think it was awesome to see a cast of non-white leads in a new thriller. Ranjit is a Punjabi Sikh, the senator and his wife African Americans, with a Caucasian rounding out the cast as a corrupt secretary to the Senator. All and all, I'd say that if you've read other reviews and think you might like it, go for it. It's a quick read and won't break the bank. I gave this a 2.5 on Goodreads.

So.. what are you reading?? 

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