This month was less successful for reading. Or...not less successful but just less of it. Probably because this month was also very stressful and I wasn't in the mood for doing much of anything but sulking. (I'm still in a sulking mood.) Which has lasted some additional days since I wrote this and the never bothered publishing it.
But instead of focusing on sulking, let's look at this fun bookish puzzle I got cos that is where I'm now at when it comes to wild nights these days.
Anyway, hey book stats, eh?
Total books read
3
The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill
When Books Went to War: The Stories That Helped Us To Win World War II by Molly Guptill Manning
My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix
(I also started Severance by Ling Ma and while I think it could have been good, it wasn't the right choice for me at the time. )
The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill
A woman goes to the Boston Public Library to work on her novel. While there, she (and others in the Reading Room) hear a scream. she strikes up a friendship with a few other folks about what could have been happening and starts to work these new friends into her novel. When it turns out the scream was from a murdered woman, there is a crime to solve. BUT ALSO, this woman is a character in another story, which we learn about via letters from a beta reader, giving feedback on the chapters. I was intrigued by the mystery(ies) presented but wished we got a bit more of the beta reader piece. Some of the details didn't necessarily make all that much sense or maybe I missed a key detail (always a risk when doing an audiobook).
Rating: 4 stars
When Books Went to War: The Stories That Helped Us to Win World War II by Molly Guptill Manning
A history of WWII and how much soldiers wanted books. A bit about Nazis and book burning, a bit about how paperback books became a thing so that soldiers could have books with them that were lighter than traditional hardback books. WWII is not a period I typically find myself drawn to. This was no different. It's a bit like the rules of football: no matter what, I can't make myself care. Books are great. I'm a fan. I don't know that I totally understand how these helped win the war. I guess the argument is keeping up morale.
Rating: 3.25 stars
My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix
I love this book. I was recently traveling for work and saw someone on the airplane reading this. Had this trip not involved a 4 hour delay and getting home after midnight instead of like 8pm I probably would have said something to this lady. BUT ANYWAY, this is at least my third time reading this. A story of friendship, in particular those friendships that you have as children. Yes, the story involves demonic possession and also the '80s so it gets a little silly but also legit scary and yes, it does make me tear up. Who knew this Southern horror writer would be SO GOOD at teen girl friendships? (Me, I knew, cos I've read this before.)
Rating: 5 stars
Total pages read
889
Fiction
67%
Female authors
67%
BIPOC
0%
US authors
67%
Book format
audiobook: 100%
Where'd I get the book
library: 100%
Rereads
33%
Book club
33%
Decade published
2010s: 67%
2020s: 33%
Resolution books
33%
The Woman in the Library is by an Australian author
