November 2020 GR Update pt. 1
I'm afraid I have been rather profligate in the adding of books to my Goodreads list. Sorry, not sorry. But for funsies let's take a look at what I've added.
Oh geez! I just realized I now have 849 books on my To-Read list. oops.
Blood and Beauty by Sarah Dunant - This is the first in an a duology of which I already have book 2. It's about the Borgias. I didn't realize until now that there was a first book. No one is surprised that I have an interest in the Borgias, I'm sure.
From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout - Everyone on BookTube is raving about this book, so of course I had to jump on the bandwagon. Armentrout had a popular series of teen romance fantasy books in the early 20-teens, but we hadn't really heard anything from her for several years. Now, she's back at it and apparently hitting it out of the park. I think this is aimed at an adult audience but is still fantasy romance.
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry - This is the author of Beach Read that I really enjoyed this year. This one comes out in May of 2021.
Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger - This is a YA novel set in an alternate America that has maintained all the legends and folk magic of its peoples. Elatsoe (imagine this being pronounced in Spanish and you have a pretty good idea of how it's said) can re-animate dead animals, for example. Her cousin is murdered and Elatsoe is going to solve the crime whether the town wants to hush it up or not. This is actually on my list to read for the award, but just in case I don't get to it, I want to keep it on my actual reading list.
Cross Stitch for the Soul by Emma Congdon - I used to love to cross stitch. My problem was figuring out what to do with my creations once I'd finished them. I'm still not sure about that, but here is a fun book of new designs.
Sheets by Brenna Thummler - I actually have this one in the backseat of my car as I write this. It would probably take me all of 30 minutes to read. I might go out and get it when I get off work.
Dear Reader: The Comfort and Joy of Books by Cathy Rentzenbrink - I watched a BookTube video in which the reader read this book and loved it immensely. She is in England, so I don't know if it's available here, but it wouldn't be too hard to find out.
The Gifts of Reading by Robert MacFarlane - This is an essay about how reading affects us and him in particular. Could be boring. Could be interesting. It's a toss up.
The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell - My friend was reading the third book in this series and recommended it to me, so of course, I put it on the list.
The Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare - I recently got tired of waiting for the second book in this series (The Governess Game) to come in from the library, so I ordered it on Book Outlet. What do you know, they also had the third one, so I bought it too. These are basically smut, and I'm okay with that.
Dating Mr. Darcy by Kate O'Keeffe - Based on many things, I feel like this is a Pride and Prejudice retelling with a twist. Mr. Darcy is not actually his name. His name is Sebastian, but he is as proud and obnoxious as the original. Emma wants to get her sportswear line of fashion off the ground by going on a reality TV show, but it means dealing with this guy which is not a good time.
Shit, Actually by Lindy West - From the first time I heard of this book to actually having it in my hands was about 2 days. That's a pretty good turnaround. Now let's see how long it takes me to read it.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab - I have yet to actually read a V. E. Schwab book even though I own several. I'm weird that way. This is her latest in which Addie LaRue makes a deal with a demon in the 1700s to live forever and not belong to anyone. This was in response to a possible forced marriage. However, the demon played a trick (as they do) and now no one will remember her. Like, they leave the room and come back and have no idea why she's in their living room. This goes on for 300 years until one day someone remembers her.
Finding God in the Mess by Brendan McManus SJ and Jim Deeds - I think I talked about this one in my birthday book haul. Yes, because I was wondering about the SJ initials. Well, I had this book on my wishlist on Amazon, but I hadn't put it on the Goodreads list. Oops.
Malice by John Gwynne - This is the first book in a series called The Faithful and the Fallen. It's an epic fantasy, and I do mean epic. This first book is nearly 700 pages.
How to Read Nonfiction Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster - I'm pretty stoked about this. I love his other books: How to Read Literature Like a Professor and How to Read Novels Like a Professor. I'm getting more interested in parsing the nonfiction I read. I tend to read the way I was taught: take it all in, question nothing. That's not so great these days.
Igniting Darkness by Robin LaFevers - I got this as a nomination for the award committee, but I'm saving it for later. I got the first one in the series last year, and didn't read it, but I'm keeping it for sure. These covers are amazing!
Mister Invincible by Pascal Jousselin - A friend of mine specifically sent me a recommendation for this book, so I immediately added it. I've got a hold on it from the library, too. I need all the fun books I can get to pad my goodreads numbers.
Crooked Hallelujah by Kelli Jo Ford - At Staff Development Day I attended a lecture on Native American Literature. That put the subject in my brain, so when I saw this crop up, I asked my local Native friends about it. One of them was actually reading it and enjoying it, so I put it on my list. Enjoying may be a strong word to use here. It's not a happy story, but I kind of expect that with any indigenous author these days.
Ladies of the House by Lauren Edmondson - This is a retelling of Sense and Sensibility. So of course, I put it on my list. Look at that cover! Stunning!
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman - I liked the Backman book I read, but I wasn't ready for the one about rape. This one may be more back to the arena of subjects I can read about: anxiety! So a guy decides to rob a bank, but it gets fouled up and he runs and hides in an apartment full of people looking to buy it. They all think they're being held hostage, until they realize the robber has slipped out and left. It's kind of a comedy of manners, I think, but you get to learn about all these people and their hangups.
A Duchess A Day by Charis Michaels - I watch a BookTuber named Jessica who mostly focuses on Romance books. She liked this. She reads a lot of contemporary romance and paranormal romance. Meh. I am partial to historical romance when we are talking about the smutty, mass market paperback version of romance. I like the more mainstream romance that has more meat to it. I can't believe I can even post on the internet that I like romance. I am abolishing my book snob ways!
Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia - This is the author of Mexican Gothic that I thought I might read in October (Spoiler Alert: I didn't). This one is an older book and is more fantasy than horror, I think. It's about a girl who accidentally unleashes the Mayan god of death and then must help him regain his throne.
Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur - Ok. 1) Pride and Prejudice Retelling. 2) Lesbian Pride and Prejudice Retelling 3) Lesbian Pride and Prejudice Retelling with a fake dating trope. Man I hope this is good!
Cobble Hill by Cecily Von Ziegesar - I read this author's Gossip Girl series about 15 years ago. That series was aimed at teens and this appears to be an adult novel, but I'm interested in what she's got to offer these days.
The Gifts of Reading edited by Jennie Orchard - Does this title look familiar? Yes! It's a book of essays by several authors based off the one I listed above by Robert MacFarlane.
You Can Keep That To Yourself by Adam Smyer - I'm cracking up at the sub title: A Comprehensive List of What Not to Say to Black People, for Well-Intentioned People of Pallor. People of Pallor!!! Hahahaha! My friend Sonya calls me Melanin-Challenged.
A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem by Manda Collins - Fun! A historical romance mystery!! Lady Katherine is a feminist journalist in London in 1865 who fingers a murderer in one of her columns. She flees the city in the ensuing uproar and goes to a country house party where she witnesses a murder. The Detective Inspector on the case, is not best pleased to have this meddling widow interfering with his case, but they'll have to work together to solve it.
Mimi Lee Reads Between the Lines by Jennifer J. Chow - Yayaya! Marshmallow is back! I read the first one in this series in August and just loved the cat. He's way smarter than his owner, that's for sure.
We Keep the Dead Close by Becky Cooper - This is a true crime book about a murder at Harvard University in 1969 that was quickly covered up and never solved.
The Flip Side by James Bailey - In this one, the main character has recently lost his girlfriend, his job, and his home in quick succession. Now living with his parents, he decides to let the flip of the coin decide his fate. But how committed is he to the coin flip when the perfect girl is on the line?
Barely Functional Adult by Meichi Ng - I think the title of this one describes us all at the point. I know it does me. Like many good comic books, this started out as a webcomic. I hope my library orders it.
Ok. So that's the list so far this month. See anything that piques your interest?