Book It – Reading on the Road
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September has been a busy month, with a family reunion, and a wedding, but I seem to have gotten back into my reading groove. The 10 hours I spent in the car to and from the wedding might have had something to do with it. And I’m also happy to have caught up with the ARC books I’ve been reading for review.
That’s thanks in part to using a reading challenge that’s expanded the types of books I’ve been reading. You can see the goals for my reading list on the 2015 Reading List from PopSugar.
A Beginner’s Guide to Paradise
The Book of Madness and Cures
The Book of Madness and Cures is a wonderfully written piece of historical fiction written by Regina O’Melveny. The novel follows Gabriella, a female doctor from 16th century Venice, as she goes on a journey to find her father.
Checked off the list:
- A book by a female author
- A book set in a different country – parts of this book take place throughout Renaissance Europe
- A popular author’s first book – this is her first novel, she has released books of poems before
- A book by an author you’ve never read before
Landline
Landline is a young adult novel by Rainbow Rowell. Landline follows a woman named Georgie as she tries to fix her broken marriage with the help of a phone that lets her make phone calls back in time.
It took me a while to get into this book, but about halfway though, I suddenly couldn’t put it down.Age-wise, I’m right between young Georgie and married adult Georgie, so I saw a lot of myself and my life in both of them. There were times I almost cried, which is impressive for a YA novel. I definitely won’t pass up a chance to read Rowell’s other novels.
Landline takes place over the Christmas holidays, so this would be a great book for you to pick up and read this holiday season.
Checked off the list:
- A book by a female author
- A book with a one-word title
- A book a friend recommended – thanks to many of my Tumblr friends for this one
- A book with magic
- A book set during Christmas
Lady Mechanika #2
The second in the original Lady Mechanika series, this comic was published in April 2012. It follows about 24 hours of Lady Mechanika’s exploits.
I love this comic because it has a female hero who is actually clothed, and because everything is so beautifully steampunk, from the 6-shooter pistols, to the flying machines.
Checked off the list:
- A book with a number in the title – it is a serialized comic though, so this kind of seems like cheating
- A book set in a different country
- A book with non-human characters – there are some pretty cool robots
- A book at the bottom of your to-read list – comics always seem to get shuffled to the bottom
- A book you can finish in a day – it’s a comic, you can finish it in less than an hour, though you should go back and stare at the beautiful artwork for a while
Mystery of Crocodile Island
Mystery of Crocodile Island is #55 in the Nancy Drew book series. First published in 1978 under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene, this book was authored by ghostwriter Harriet Stratemeyer Adams.
It follows Nancy and her friends George & Bess and they try to solve a mystery on Crocodile Island, a small island in the Florida Keys. Even with a few setbacks, Nancy and her friends solve the mystery.
As always, this Nancy Drew mystery was a quick and enjoyable read. It was a great choice of book to bring to read on my trip up to Chicago this month. I always enjoy reading in the car on long trips.
Checked off the list:
- A book by a female author
- A mystery or thriller
- A book you can finish in a day
- A book from your childhood
The Ghost of Blackwood Hall
I’m attempting to collect all of the Nancy Drew books, and The Ghost of Blackwood Hall is one I didn’t have until recently. I found it in a lovely little second hand book shop in Evansville. The Ghost of Blackwood Hall is #25 in the series, and follows Nancy and her friends as they try to expose a ring of confidence men (and women), who are swindling naive women.
Checked off the list:
- A book by a female author
- A mystery or thriller
- A book you can finish in a day
- A book from your childhood
- A book by an author you love that you’ve never read before
Books I’m Actively Reading
Books I’ve Put Aside and Plan to Finish Later
To Read:
I have a nice pile of books in my To Be Read pile right now. A few of them include:
- Man Repeller: Seeking Love, Finding Overalls is the 1st book by the acclaimed blogger and fashion darling, Leandra Medine. In this memoir, Medine recounts her most significant memories through the lens of her sartorial choices.
- A Small Fortune by Rosie Dastgir is the story of Harris, a Muslim man who gains a “small fortune,” and what happens when he tries to rid himself of his “burden of riches.”
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