Jessica Reads: October and November

Oh man, I am late.

Let me tell you. The end of my first semester of graduate school was no joke. I felt like I was constantly going. I was reading. I was writing. I was working. I was cooking and cleaning and taking care of kids. I was going to church.

I have been doing all the things, but all the things did not include sitting down to write about my book for two months. TWO MONTHS!

The time just flew by in a craze.

But now I am here. Let's look at what I have read in October and November of 2019.

I"ll start with October.

Shopaholic & Baby by Sophie Kinsella

This is the 5th installment of Kinsella's Shopaholic series. And it is probably my favorite of them all.  Becky is pregnant and excited for the baby and that includes baby shopping! Of course, this comes with its own set of problems and Becky's wild antics to save the day.


Light in August by William Faulkner

This bad boy here I had to read for my Southern Lit class this semester. I not only read it, but had to dive deep into this text to write a 20 page paper about it. 

This story follows the lives of several people in the 1930s American South. It is full of violence and racism and a deep story about being an outsider and struggles with not knowing oneself. After the several reads that I had through this novel, it began to grow on me. I would not call it my favorite book but I would say that it is worth reading.

Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

Oh, the baby is here. And she has grown. She is two years old and a bit of a handful. She has all the spunk of her mother and the sternness of her father, so Becky and Luke are a little rattled. And to top it off, Becky is trying to throw a surprise birthday party of Luke while trying to maintain a budget. It is another fun novel to the series.

Shopaholic to the Stars by Sophie Kinsella

As you probably noticed, I got into a bit of a Shopaholic binge lately. They are just really easy to pick up and read (or listen to). This particular installment does not rank very high in my opinion. It is one of the books in which Becky seems very selfish and unBecky like. Usually she seems selfish but generally has good intentions, but in this one, she is only selfish. I only read it in order to continue the story.

Shopaholic to the Rescue by Sophie Kinsella

The part of the series is where Becky is able to redeem herself from the previous book. In this one Becky and family road trip around the American southwest in order to right a wrong from Becky's father's past.

Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction by Jonathan Culler

Oh, literary theory, you are my foe. This is one that I had to read for school. I have had to read some literary theory in the past so I was aware of many of the theories represented in this text but it is not my favorite subject to take on. But it is a big part of what I am currently studying so I at least need to know this stuff. So, I read it.

Deep & Wide by Andy Stanley

I listened to this book while driving to and from school. And I was blown away. I love being apart of my church and loving on people the best I know how. Over the years I have learned how important it is to love people where they are, and this book spoke to all that I have learned. Andy Stanley speaks about how to make a church a place where people are welcome, not just "churched" people. It is so important.

Christmas Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

This is the current installment of the Shopaholic series, it just came out in October. And my awesome husband surprised me with it one day because he knew that I would want to read a new book. And I did. It started off a little slow, a little boring, but by the end I really did enjoy it. Sometimes with books we just need to push through to get to the good stuff, and this was one of those times. And I super love that Michael thought of me and brought it home, just because he is that amazing.

And that's October. Are you ready November?

The Marriage of Heaven and Hell by William Blake

I read this for one of my classes this semester. This is by far one of the weirdest things I have ever read. But the background about the making of Blake's work is very interesting. In his process of creating his text, he created a new way of laying down printing. Very weird, and very interesting.

New Essays on Light in August by Michael Millgate

This book was part of my research for my paper on Light in August. I would have never touched it if I didn't need it for research.

Violent Disruptions: American Imaginations of Racial Anxiety in William Faulkner and Richard Wright by Linda Chavers

This was another book used for research purposes. Only read it if you are interested in William Faulkner or Richard Wright and violence in their novels.

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

Man oh man, I have probably read or listened to the book a half dozen times over the years. I know people are really big fans of the Twilight series, but if you want Stephenie Meyer at her best The Host is it. Her world building and storytelling is amazing. And that is why I keep turning back to it over and over again. My advice, skip Twilight, read The Host and be happy with your choices.

Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

This is the first time Kinsella wrote a YA novel. And I think she does a wonderful job. This story is told from the perspective of Audrey, a fourteen year old with high anxiety. She has been through a trauma that has left her home bound. This story is how Audrey goes through her anxiety and moves through it and learns how to cope in life. It is endearing and lovely. I enjoyed it and think others would enjoy it too.

Can you Keep a Secret by Sophie Kinsella

This is the first Kinsella novel I ever read. It obviously was good enough to get me hooked on Kinsella as my favorite author. It is currently being turned into a movie that I cannot wait to see.

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

If you are going to read one Sophie Kinsella book, read this one. Twenties Girl is my absolute favorite book that she has written. I have literally read all of her novels and this one stands above all the others. Lara is struggling. Her business is hard and needs help, her love life is going down the drain, and suddenly the ghost of her great aunt Sadie is haunting her. This book is about the bonds and troubles with family. Trust me. Read it.

History of the Book by Leslie Howsam

This is another goody that I read for a class. It speaks about the book printing history. Interesting stuff, but not necessarily a page turner.

And that is it. That is a lot of book over the last couple of months. 

What have you been reading? I'm looking for recommendations now that I am in between semesters.

Jessica Reads: September

This month has been surprisingly full of stories. And almost none of them are from school. I just do so much more driving than I did before so I listen to audiobooks almost constantly.

However, time just seems to fly by so finding time to write on the blog can be so difficult to come by. Also, to add to it, I have spent the last 3 weeks being sick off and on in one way or another.

Anyway, enough of my own whining about myself. Let's get down to business.

What did I read in September?

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

I did say that I would be mentioning this book this month. I finished pretty quickly in the beginning of September. The first time I read it, I hated it. The book was such a downer. But, as I have ventured through this trilogy again, I have really come to appreciate Mockingjay for how it shows the struggle of life after trauma from several different perspectives. It is a very interesting take for a very popular YA novel. The movies just did not do this book justice (though they are very good). 

Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

There is something about Confessions of a Shopaholic that I keep returning to. I think it's that the novel is just a fun read. There are moment that are completely ridiculous and I love it. But, at the heart of it, the book is about a woman who is just trying to figure out life while making mistakes and figuring out how to face up to those mistakes along the way. I listened to this as an audiobook for this read through.

This book is about Becky Bloomwood who is a financial journalist for a small financial magazine, but she really does not know how to manage her own finances. Becky loves to shop. She loves a good sale and can never resist buying presents for her friends and family if she finds something great. She cannot turn down a deal that includes free gifts. But this love of shopping causes a bit of a financial mess for Becky and we get to follow along as she navigates through life.

I do recommend this book for fun read. And then I also recommend continuing the rest of the series as I have been doing this month.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Graphic Novels

I picked up these graphic novels at the library because Sidda and I had just finished watching the series and found out that there was a graphic novel that was a continuation. And since I was wanting to find out what happens I decided to give it a go...

And it just didn't feel the same. None of the characters seemed to embody the essence of the character in the TV series. I made it through the first five in the series and decided that I am not going to finish them. I was very disappointed. Honestly, if you love Buffy the Vampire Slayer, don't bother with the graphic novels. They just aren't worth it.

Shopaholic Takes Manhattan by Sophie Kinsella

This is the second installment of the Shopaholic series. Even after Becky seemed to get everything figured out, she now has the opportunity to visit New York with boyfriend Luke. With new shops and destinations to explore, Becky's financial issues return.

I enjoy this novel as much as the first. Becky continues to find herself in hilarious situations and somehow manages to creatively figure herself out.

Shopaholic Ties the Knot by Sophie Kinsella

Are you catching a theme yet? During my drives I have been listening to this series. This is another fun read. Becky and Luke are getting married! Yay! Also, that means wedding shopping. However, the problem that comes with wedding planning is, what do you do when you accidentally plan two weddings for the same day on two separate continents? 

Shopaholic and Sister by Sophie Kinsella

This particular installment took some time to grow on me. The first time I read through it, my reaction was kind of "meh". But over the years and reading it over a few times I have really started to enjoy the story of Becky discovering her long lost sister.

Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man by James Weldon Johnson

This is not my typical choice reading. This was an assigned reading for one of my classes this semester. The story is told from the perspective of an unnamed narrator, whose race is a constant concern. He has both black and white blood, but his skin is pale and can pass for white in a time when black blood makes life far more difficult. Throughout the novel he is battling to come to terms with both his whiteness and blackness and trying to choose from which perspective to live his life. It is an interesting read, but at times is very boring and long winded.

And there you have it. These are my reads for this last month.

Share with me your favorite book.

Jessica Reads: August

Another month has gone by and more reading has been done. With graduate school officially starting for me, I have transitioned mainly to audiobooks for my personal reading time. While I prefer to physically read books, I can listen to audiobooks while I am driving back and forth to school and work and while I am working out. This allows me to get a lot more "reading" time in. I have made the decision to do it this way because I must dedicate my time that I would normally be reading focusing on my academic pursuits.

This will likely be how I will continue to enjoy stories that I choose to read (or listen to) while school is in and then will physically read books during school breaks.

And with that, let's look at August books.

Last Night at Chateau Marmont by Lauren Weisberger

I'll start off by saying that I tried to read this book several years ago and couldn't even get through the first few chapters. This time around I listened to it on audiobook. I did finish the story and only because I was determined to get through it. It was not worth it. I just kept hoping that it would get better. I was very disappointed because I've read other novels by Weisberger that I have enjoyed quite a bit. This one, however, was a pages and pages of dull characters, pop culture references and a predictable ending. I do not recommend this book. If you want to read something great by this author your better choices are The Devil Wears Prada or Chasing Harry Winston.

Cocktails for Three by Madeleine Wickham

I first read Cocktails for Three nearly a decade ago. I really didn't remember much of the story when I grabbed it from the library. The story is from the perspective of three friends who meet monthly for cocktails to discuss life. Candice, Maggie and Roxanne work together at a high profile London magazine, but their lives are taking them in drastically different directions. Maggie is nearing the end of her pregnancy with her first child, Roxanne is a travel writer who is having an affair with a married man, and Candice is a reporter who is attempting to make up past wrongs. Through life and difficulties the women try to balance life, jobs and friendships. It is an enjoyable and at moments heart-wrenching novel. The older I get, the more I begin to identify with pieces of each of the woman. Well worth the read.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I don't think there is anyone who hasn't heard of The Hunger Games. What could there possibly be to say. Read it, listen to it, watch the movie. All enjoyable and totally worth your time.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Again, read it, listen to it, or watch the movie.

Be prepared to see the same advice next month when I finish up Mockingjay. 

Those are my books for August.

Jessica Reads: July

It is now time for the next installment of Jessica Reads. Things have started to settle down and reading has been happening again. But it's still not happening as much as I would like. This kids are reading like crazy. They finish multiple books a week. I have just not been able to concentrate fully as there has been still so much to do since we've moved.

Of course, there is always next month to help me catch up on everything.

But let's get to it. This month I finished two books and started several others. Hopefully, that means next month I'll have a much longer list.

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

I bought this book on a whim right before we left Nevada. I crazily thought that I would read it in the hotel after driving for 8 plus hours each day. I was a fool.

But once we got here, I picked it up and basically couldn't put it down. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. It is a story about 3 women and the bond they have but also the secrets they keep. The secrets they hold are life altering, so each of them walks alone in them. 

If you are looking for a page turner this is it. 

Remember Me by Christopher Pike

While unpacking I came across Remember Me. I had read this back in middle school. I still actually have my original copy from way back then. I must have read it at least five times in my early teens. It's a story I still remember the entire story, even though it's been about 20 years since the last time I read it.

The story follows the death of Shari Cooper. She falls from a balcony during a friends birthday party. Her death is ruled a suicide, but Shari (now a ghost) knows that she did not kill herself. She sets out on a journey to find out just what happened at the party that caused her death.

If you want a story that takes your imagination back to the fashions of the late 80s/ early 90s, but still tells an awesome story it's worth picking up. You're probably better off looking online for a copy, because I truly doubt it is at your local Barnes & Noble.

Did you have a favorite book when you were younger that you read over and over again?

Jessica Reads: June

As I mentioned before, because of our recent move, my reading really took a hit. The books I did read this last month were ones that I read with my kids. Two of them were actually audiobooks we listened to during the cross country drive.

All three of the books that I will be covering today were ones that I have read before.

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle by Betty MacDonald

Oh, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle. I discovered this book when I was briefly homeschooling Sidda. And what a joy it turned out to be! Recently Anya pulled this off the bookshelf and asked me to read it with her. That is why it is on my list for this month.

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books are perfect for young children who are beginning to read but could still use assistance while they do so. We read through this book together, laughing at all Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's cures for the childhood maladies that many of the children struggled with, (like not wanting to clean their rooms, or eat their dinner) making this a very enjoyable easy book to read. Highly recommended.

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

I remember the first time I picked up The Lightning Theif. We were in California, taking Sidda to the zoo for her 4th birthday and I was looking for an easy fun book to read. I saw this on a table in a bookstore, I picked it up and the rest is history.

This is one of those books that really cemented my children's love of reading. This time, reading it was listening to the audiobook while we were driving. The adventures of Percy and his friends while trying to prove that he did not steal Zeus' lighting bolt are a joy to read. In fact, Percy's story gets better and better with each book. It is a series worth jumping into. This is a family favorite.

The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

This is the second book in the Percy Jackson series. We also listened to this one on our drive.

I'm hoping this next month, with us beginning to settle down, I will be able to read a little more.

Jessica Reads: May

It's that time again. Another month has come and gone. I did manage to get some reading in but with the busyness of life, it never seems like it is as much as I would've wanted to. I always seem to have grand book plans, went to the library and picked some out, only to have them sit in the library bag for weeks, just to be returned without ever cracking one open. Instead, I ended up reading books that we already owned. Go figure.

My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella

This is actually my third time reading through My Not So Perfect Life. And I find I like it even more with each read. I thoroughly enjoy the story each time. It is about Katie, who is from the British country side, who has always dreamed about living in London and working in marketing and branding design. But living there is a lot tougher than she imagined. Especially the cost. 

A job loss sends her back home to the country where her family is beginning a glamping business. Which is where Katie runs into the boss who recently fired her. How will Katie seek revenge for being let go?

It's is a fun read. This book is more about getting to know who people really are because surfaces can be deceiving. I find that it is more than the average Chick Lit book that typically revolves around a love story. Instead, it is a story about self identity and acceptance.

The Martian by Andy Weir

So, I don't read too much science fiction. It is really not my cup of tea. This is one of Michael's books, and he really likes it, so I decided to give it a shot. Last year I read Weir's Artemis and didn't really like it. I thought his characters were too unrealistic for what he was trying to do, but The Martian was a pleasant surprise.

Since there is a movie that was very popular I am not going to go too far into a synopsis, but I will say, that the science mixed with humor and fear, makes for a very compelling read. Following Mark and NASA through their turmoil figuring out how to rescue rescue a man from Mars before he starves to death is very interesting.

Now, did I understand the science that was mentioned?

Nope.

But I found it was presented in a way that showed the characters knew what they were talking about, but without making me feel stupid while I read it. Which made it all the more enjoyable. I liked the book and the characters enough that I never rooted for Mark to die. I wanted to witness a rescue.

Storm by Evan Angler

Storm  is a book that I started with the family over a year ago. We had, for a while, been reading the Swipe series together. Each Sunday we would read a chapter. We got through the first two books in the series this way and it was fun for all of us.

I don't know what happened with this book that we just stopped making progress. But suddenly our routine changed and we weren't reading it every week. So a book that should've taken us maybe three months, at a chapter a week, took more like, 18 months to finish.

There is not too much to explain about it. It is about a dystopian society that takes place essentially after the rapture. We really enjoyed the first two books. This one was a little more difficult to get through.

There is still one more to go. Hopefully we'll pick it up soon and get back to our normal routine. Then we'll choose a new series to read together.

Do you have any favorite stories that you share as a family?