Autobiography of a Bibliophile: September

I intended to begin a monthly book review months ago, but just haven’t made the time. Perhaps because I’d rather be reading? The irony! Anyone who has known me for 5 minutes won’t be surprised when I admit I enjoy reading more than most other activities. Any spare time is usually dedicated to my Kindle and I’ve recently started listening to audiobooks when I bike around the neighborhood and get ready in the mornings.

Tanner walked into the kitchen one Saturday morning a few weeks ago while I blared my audiobook du jour and scrambled some eggs. He accused me of being about 90 years old. If audiobooks age me, I’ll accept the accusation as a badge of honor. I see the audiobook as the multitasking book worm’s dream. Before, I had to choose between doing laundry or reading a book. NOW I CAN DO BOTH.

Still, despite the convenience factor of a good audiobook, nothing beats sitting down in my favorite armchair with a scintillating story in my lap. But as of cmuch as I adore books, I sure hate spending money on my word habit. Therefore, I download 99% of my books from the Overdrive app. If you’re unfamiliar, Overdrive is where the local library “stores” their digital copies of books. When I “borrow” the book, I can download it straight to my Kindle and I don’t even have to remember to return it. The book will automatically expire after day 14. Of course, the one downside of relying on my library is that if a popular book is on my “to read” list, it’s likely on the list of my entire neighborhood. Hence, I am currently hold #55 on 16 copies of “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.”

I find my book suggestions from Pinterest, other blogs, and the monthly book club I attend, but sometimes, when everything I want to read is on hold, I resort to trolling the pages of Overdrive until I find something that’s immediately available with a fetching cover. I’ve happened upon some duds this way, but I’ve also discovered some gems.

Without further ado, let’s chat September tomes!

Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy by Sheryl Sandberg

• I don't know why it's taken me 26 years to pick up one of Sandberg's books, but it was worth the wait. I'm typically not one to pick up a self-improvement book on my own, but I was pleasantly surprised by Queen Sheryl, COO of Facebook and right hand woman of social media mogul, Mark Zuckerberg. She's likely most known for her book, Lean In, which I'll cover in October. Based on her journey through grief after losing her husband, Option B earned 5 stars from me for its quotability, relatability, and implementability.

The Other Child: A Novel of Crime by Charlotte Link

• I devour suspense novels like sour patch kids, so I was disappointed when this tale only merited a mere 2 stars. I slogged through the mess and was frustrated by the ending, which appeared patched together with unanswered questions. If you need something riveting and chilling, I recommend Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris rather than this particular dumpster fire. 

Sparkly Green Earrings: Catching the Light at Every Turn by Melanie Shankle

• Again, it's not my usual fare, but this memoir on motherhood was touching even for this dog mama. Melanie is a talented storyteller and several of her anecdotes had me laughing out loud in the living room. 4 stars for you Glen Coco, you go Glen Coco!

The Favorite Sister by Jessica Knoll

• You may recognize this author from another book The Luckiest Girl Alive. I enjoyed that one, but this novel fell short for me. I generally can get on board with a busy book filled with several characters and points of view, but this one fell flat and I often found myself lost in the plot. I hate to leave a book unfinished so I pushed through to give it 3 stars.

Shelter in Place by Nora Roberts

• I've never been a huge Nora fan, but the mall shooting synopsis intrigued me enough to give her a go. 3 stars later, I'm not itching to pick up another one of her books. I think where I lost interest is when the victims and perpetrator were all laid out from the beginning, enough so that I was an omniscient reader just waiting for the characters to figure out what I already knew. The predictability was disappointing.

To Capture What We Cannot Keep by Beatrice Colin

• I'll admit I was drawn to this book by the Eiffel Tower on the cover. Historical novel? Set in Paris? Sign. Me. Up. The historical piece was especially fascinating as I'd never read anything about the building of the Eiffel Tower. The story follows an engineer that is integral in the construction of the "iron monstrosity" (seriously, people back then didn't think the tower would stick around for long and mocked it throughout construction!). It does pick up another storyline with romance along the way, but the characters were one-dimensional and the pacing was slow so I ended up giving this one only 3 stars. 

Bring Me Back by B.A. Paris

• I was SO pumped when this book came off hold in the library. After listening to Behind Closed Doors on a roadtrip 2 years ago and being utterly flabbergasted, I just knew that B.A. Paris had more talent to share. Sadly, I’m afraid Bring Me Back did not live up to my expectations. To be fair, they were set very high. The premise seemed too far out of the realm of possibility for me and the obsession with Russian dolls was silly rather than scary. 3 stars from this reader and if you’re dying to read something by B.A. Paris, just pick up “Behind Closed Doors” instead. And then call me because I will literally discuss that terrifying novel with strangers.

The Runaway Family by Diney Costleloe

• I’m usually a sucker for books set in the World War II era so I was anticipated quality. Due to simplistic writing and an ending littered with holes, I had to give it 3 stars. The subject matter was about the only redeeming quality. But if you’re waiting on something like “The Alice Network” to come available, it’s not a terrible way to spend a few hours.

We Own the Sky by Luke Allnut

• A story of loss and love, the subject matter was heavy, but the writing is light. If I could give out half stars, this one would get 3.5. Some points were slow, but top notch writing and multi-dimensional characters made up for most of it.

Keep Calm and Carry a Big Drink by Kim Gruenenfelder

• This is a beach read book to the T. Shallow and speedy, this read is easy to jump in and out of for dips in a nearby pool. It was not nearly as entertaining as Kim’s other books like A Total Waste of Make Up or Misery Loves Cabernet so it only earned 3 stars from me.

I have finished some absolute masterpieces of literature in October so I'm excited to share those with you soon! Hop on over to Goodreads (Taylor Olivia) to follow along in real time and please PLEASE share any book suggestions I should add to my ever-growing "To Read" list!