September Reading Wrap Up

Hello Friends! Is it just me, or is anyone else surprised to find we’re already into October? I honestly feel like September just flew by. Despite how quickly it went, I still managed to get a lot read, and I’ve also made some progress on my fall reading goals that I talked about last week.

I also finally took the plunge and bought an e-reader that supports Overdrive, and this has made a world of difference to my library e-book reading game. In the past, I have used my iPad mini or my phone to read library e-books, but this is not my preferred method, especially as I’m trying to limit screen time before bedtime. More and more I found that I wasn’t picking up library e-books, and that was starting to limit my reading. I am loving having an actual e-reader for library books now, and I think that helped me read more books overall this month.

In total I read 11 Books and DNF’d 1
– 3 Physical
– 4 E-books
– 4 Audiobooks

Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff (Cover)

1. Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff (3.5 stars)
If you are unfamiliar with this series, it is a dark, gritty (sometimes explicit) fantasy that follows a young woman who was training to be an assassin in the first book. It is a bit more gritty than I am typically comfortable with, so if that is something that bothers you, then stay clear of this series. I won’t say much about this one, since it is the second book in the series, but I will say that I mostly enjoyed it. It took me a bit to get into, and there were some story lines I didn’t enjoy at all, but I liked it overall and am excited to read book 3. That twist at the end!

1st to Die by James Patterson (Cover)

2. 1st to Die by James Patterson (3 stars)
I think this is the first James Patterson book I’ve read and, honestly, it was just okay. I strongly disliked the beginning and don’t think it was necessary to the story, unless I completely missed something. I almost didn’t read the book, I disliked it so much. Overall, I enjoyed this one enough that I think I’ll pick up book two to see if I can get drawn into the series. If you read Patterson, do you have a book or series that you would recommend?

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager (Cover)

3. Home Before Dark by Riley Sager (5 stars)
I loved this one! There were a few bits that I didn’t enjoy, but for sheer enjoyment it was 5 stars. It was exactly what I was looking for – a creepy, mysterious ghost story set in a Haunted House. I loved the way the story went back and forth between the present day and the “book” that the narrator’s father wrote about their experience with the ghosts at the house when the narrator was little. If you are looking for a ghost story that will keep you on the edge of your seat, I would highly recommend this one.

Trick or Treat Murder by Leslie Meier (Cover)

4. Trick or Treat Murder by Leslie Meier (3 Star)
This was a low 3 star read for me. Though I enjoyed the concept and the mystery itself, it reminded me of all the reasons I didn’t like Lucy Stone the first time I picked up this series. The Halloween vibes were great, and I loved the parts that talked about the old homes and renovating and restoring them, but I almost didn’t pick up the next book in this list because of my general annoyance with Lucy.

Wicked Witch Murder by Leslie Meier (Cover)

5. Wicked Witch Murder by Leslie Meier (3 star)
This was also a 3 star read, but it was inching up towards 3.5 stars. This book is much later in the Lucy Stone series than the one listed above. Lucy has started to come into her own by this point and I didn’t find her nearly as annoying in this book. Though the Halloween vibes weren’t as strong in this one, I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed this one enough that I’ll most likely read more in this series. The fact that Meier writes so many seasonally themed books is a major draw for me.

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green (Cover)

6. An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green (4 Star)
I have been meaning to read this book for so long. I was initially drawn to it because I have enjoyed Hank’s videos for years, but this was also the thing that made me hesitate to pick it up. In the time that it’s been out, however, I’ve consistently heard good things about it from others who were initially skeptical. As someone who does not read a lot of sci-fi, I would say that if you don’t often read in this genre, but want to try it out, this would be a good book to pick up . Who wouldn’t want to read a story that combines giant robot statues with a commentary on humanity and social media? I really enjoyed it and I am looking forward to picking up book two soon.

Blood Rites by Jim Butcher (cover)

7. Blood Rites by Jim Butcher (4 Star)
I know from scrolling through the reviews that people have very mixed opinions on this series, and I can understand the objections, but I am really enjoying it. It’s not perfect, and there are times I roll my eyes at Harry, or find myself wanting to have a serious conversation with him about some of his more questionable trains of thought, but aside from that, I’m really enjoying this series. I love the humour, and I found myself literally laughing out loud in sections. I am looking forward to continuing this series.

The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw (Cover)

8. The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw (3.5 Star)
This was almost everything I was hoping it would be. I had a day where I was exhausted, and overall feeling blah, and this was the perfect book to cozy up with that evening. I read it in almost one sitting. I just wish that it would have been longer, and that we could have had more time to really dive into the characters and the plot. I loved the premise of the ghosts of 3 women drowned as witches coming back to revisit a town every year for 200 years to enact their revenge, I just wanted more of it.

Heavy Vinyl by Carly Udin, Nina Vakeuva (Cover)

9. Heavy Vinyl, Vol. 1: Riot on the Radio by Carolyn Urdin, Nina Vakeuva (4 Star)
I cannot remember where I heard about this graphic novel, but I am so glad that I picked it up because I really enjoyed it. The basic premise is that there is a group of young women who all work at a music store. The story is set roughly in the 90s, which is excellent in and of itself, and then on top of that they are also part of a secret society, vigilante girl gang, fight club. It was so much fun, and I picked up the second volume shortly after finishing the first.

Tunnel of Bones by Victoria Schwab (Cover)

10. Tunnel of Bones by Victoria Schwab (4 Star)
This is book two in the Cassidy Blake series, which is a middle grade series about a young girl whose parents have a television ghost hunting show. Her mother is a believer, her father is a skeptic, and Cassidy doesn’t need to take it on faith because her best friend is a ghost. When Cassidy and her parents move to Europe for the television show, Cassidy discovers a new mission to send stuck ghosts on through the veil. In this instalment they are in Paris and hunting down a poltergeist. I am really loving this series, and as much as I loved book one, I thought this one was even better. Highly recommend.

He Started It by Samatha Downing (Cover)

11. He Started It by Samantha Downing (3 Star)
this was another low 3 star read for this month. This is Downing’s second book, and I think I might have to say that I just don’t mesh well with her writing style. As much as I love the premise of both books, the writing just drags for me. For both of Downing’s books, I have been simultaneously hooked on the story and bored by it. If you like family drama thrillers with an unreliable narrator, you may enjoy this book, and don’t let my negativity turn you away from picking it up. I am definitely in the minority in not loving Downing’s books.

DNF. Deep in the Alaskan Woods by Karen Harper
I had such high hopes for this book and was excited to read a book set in Alaska, so I was very disappointed when I made the decision to DNF it. Though I have read at least one other book by this author in the past, I just could not get past the writing style. The writing was clunky and confusing and I wasn’t nearly interested enough in the story to continue. I think this one could have benefited from a good edit.

Overall, I think September was a pretty solid reading month. I had a couple books on the lower end of the ratings, but the ones that I enjoyed, I really enjoyed and that made up for the low ones. I am really enjoying all of the fall vibes in the books I’ve been reading and am hoping to continue that trend into October.

What about you? How did your reading go in September? What was your favourite book that you read this past month? Have you read any of the books on this list? If so, do you agree or disagree with my thoughts?

Until Next Time,

Meaghan Signature

Reading the 1920’s: A Reading Challenge

Happy New Year! We have now officially entered into the Twenty-Twenties! …

The Great Gatsby book in front of Letterboard

Okay, so it’s clearly not January (though I’m not sure any one has informed the weather), and we are already well into this whirlwind that is 2020. This is a “reading goals for the new year” type post, which means that it is at least 4 months late. Because of that, I considered not even posting it. But then I figured that we still have 8 months left in the year, and it seems likely that this challenge will go into 2021, so I might as well just go for it.

A bit of background

I enjoy setting reading challenges for myself. I like to put together lists to challenge myself to read books within a specific theme. Sometimes the lists are seasonally themed, sometimes they are themed by genre or by some other category that interests me. I put these lists together all the time. I would like to think that I’m pretty good at putting together these lists.

What I’m not good at is completing these lists. I start strong, but then I gradually lose interest or motivation or, more often, come up with another shiny new challenge and the old challenge is left to sit unfinished.

Part of the problem is that I’m something of a mood reader. I like the idea of having a structured TBR, and it works for me for a while, but then I get really drawn to a certain author or a certain type of book, and that’s all I want to read. When I’m in one of those moods, forcing myself to read something else can push me into a slump. And then I don’t want to read anything. Which is no good.

The second part of the problem is that I put too many books on the list. Why put together a list of 10 books, when you can put together 20 books instead? Along with making a long list, I am prone to making the timeline too short. These two things together make the challenge unmanageable, and I inevitably just give up. Good challenges should stretch you without being completely unmanageable.

Despite these problems, I keep setting challenges. But I’m working on setting them better. I try to put a variety of genres on a list, and I leave myself open to swapping books out if I decide I have no interest in reading them. I’m also working on setting more accurate timelines. If a book list is long, it should have a long, even more open ended, timeline. Maybe eventually I will set myself a challenge that I can finish!

Onto the Challenge!

This year I decided that since we were entering into the Twenties, I wanted to devote some of my reading time to books set in or written in the 1920s. There are 20 books on this list, because that felt fitting. It’s a long list, but I’m trying to leave the timeline fairly open. I would love to read these all this year, but next year is still going to be the Twenties, so if it becomes a two year challenge, so be it.

The books cover many genres, so there should be something to fit into almost every reading mood. I’m also open to swapping out books if I change my mind, or find something better. I had a difficult time coming up with 20 books that I was interested in for this challenge, so there are a few on here that I already think I might not read. There are also a couple series, so there’s room for one series to take multiple slots if I get hooked.

Since I’m so late in posting this, I have already completed a couple of the books on this list. I’m not going to indicate that here, but I’m going to try and do a mid-year wrap up at the end of June where I’ll talk about my thoughts on the ones I’ve completed by then.

Onto The Books

Images of book covers

1. The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie (1920)

This, Agatha Christie’s first novel and first in the Poirot series, was first published in 1920. I can’t remember if I’ve read this one before – so it may end up being a re-read. I wonder if I’ll still be surprised by the twist?

2. The Wasteland by T.S. Eliot (1922)

Though I’m familiar with the poem, and have read excerpts, I would like to be able to say that I’ve read the entire thing. I rarely pick up poetry, so this one will definitely stretch my reading.

3. Ulysses by James Joyce (1922)

I have added and removed this book from the list a number of times already. It is a big book, and I really don’t know if I’m going to enjoy it or not. I can already see this being one that I swap out.

4. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925)

It seems like everyone has heard of the Great Gatsby. I read this book during University, but it has never been one of my favourites. Since it is short, and an iconic book of the decade, I thought a re-read was in order. Perhaps I’ll like it better the second time around.

5. Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh (1930)

Though this book was published in 1930, it is set in the late 1920s. I have never read anything by Evelyn Waugh, but Emma from Drinking By My Shelf (YouTube) raves about this book, so I have decided to give it a try.

6. Whose Body by Dorothy L. Sayers (1923)

Sayers is the second mystery novelist on this list, but unlike Christie, I have not read any books by her yet. This is her first mystery featuring Lord Peter Whimsey. If I enjoy this one, then I think she has quite a few other books that I will be able to add to pick up and enjoy.

7. The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (1927)

When I discovered that there were Sherlock Holmes stories that fit into my publication period, I knew that they needed to be on this list. I am a lover of most things Sherlock Holmes, though I have not actually read all of the original stories. This collection includes the final set of 12 Holmes stories published in the Strand from 1921 to 1927.

8. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie (1926)

I originally intended to have 20 different authors on this list, but I was having a difficult time landing on 20 books, and I know that I enjoy Agatha Christie. I am also 99% certain that I have not read this one.

9. Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne (1926)

As I was looking for books to include on this list, I realized that there were a number of classic children’s books written during this time period that I have not yet read. I have always loved Winnie the Pooh, but have read very few of the stories themselves, so I think I will read the stories between other books.

10. The Story of Doctor Doolittle by Hugh Lofting (1920)

I have watched the movie, but never read any Doctor Doolittle stories. And now with the new movie this year, it seemed like a perfect time to pick up this classic.

11. Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery (1923)

L.M. Montgomery is one of my favourite authors, and the Emily of New Moon series are some of my favourite books. I think the last time I read this series had to be when I was in high school, so I am very interested to see what I think of it as an adult.

12. The Secret of Father Brown by G.K. Chesterton (1927)

Another mystery! I have wanted to read something Chesterton for ages, but have never managed to pick one up. I am familiar with the Father Brown character, as I have listened to a couple stories that were turned into audio drama’s, so I am hoping that I will enjoy this one.

13. New Hampshire by Robert Frost (1923)

More poetry! Look at me go stretching my reading comfort zone (at least if we ignore all the comfortable mysteries included in this list). This collection includes some of Frost’s most well known poems.

14. The Diviners by Libba Bray

We have now officially reached the section of this list where books are set in the 1920s but written more recently. The Diviners is the first book in the series of the same name set in 1920s New York City. The series is tagged as both fantasy and mystery, and I love that combination!

15. The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle

I know very little about this book, other than that it is a short, dark fantasy set in New York in the 1920s. This one is recommended by Books with Emily Fox on YouTube. Sometimes with this type of book, it’s better to go in without knowing too much.

16. The Gallery by Laura Marx Fitzgerald

The Gallery has been on my library TBR for a couple years now but I have never felt the itch to pick it up. The description on Goodreads calls it “an historical art mystery set in the Roaring Twenties”… which sounds pretty amazing and right up my alley.

17. Born of Illusion by Teri Brown

I had not heard of this book before researching this list. With a description that includes words such as “magic,” “romance,” and the “New York Jazz age,” I am hopeful that it will be exactly my cup of tea.

18. Death at Wentwater Court by Carola Dunn

I am always looking for a new cozy mystery series to dive into. This is the first book in a cozy mystery series set in 1920s Britain. The description has me completely hooked, and I hope the book can deliver.

19. Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen

The front cover of this book practically screams 1920s. It is the first book in a series set in New York during the last summer of the jazz age. I’m not completely convinced that this is one that I will enjoy, because the genre is outside of my comfort zone. But I will give it a try.

20. Wildcard Slot

I didn’t intend to have a “wildcard” slot in this challenge. I had a book slotted into this spot, until I realized it wasn’t set in the 1920s. I’m not sure where I got my misinformation, but I had to remove the book, and I haven’t been able to find a replacement. I am open to suggestions!

Have you read any of the books on this list? If so, what are your favourites? Do you have any other books set in the 1920s or written in the 1920s that you would recommend?

Until next time,

Meaghan Signature