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Thursday, October 01, 2015

Books of September 2015


So, September was quick. I don't even remember what I did for Labor Day. Oh wait, I ran. Of course. Anyway, the month included a weekend trip to Indiana, a few parties, a wedding, an arcade opening, and my first Oktoberfest. And overall, just lots of [quality] beer. Gose(s?) and sours are my new jam.

I spent most of September "reading" the same book: Once a Runner. And by reading I mean falling asleep after each chapter. Unfortunately, it kept me from other stories, so my list is a bit lighter than normal. On the plus side, I'm now about 60% through that book and it's getting better. On to September's books...

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Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
Review: 3 / 5
This the second book in a teen series with embarrassing names (Book 1: Anna and the French Kiss). AATFK was a cute, quick read. I really enjoyed it. This one? It was just okay. There were parts of it that went so fast and were really great (a few scenes really stood out), but it was a bit too predictable and the conflicts seemed so manufactured. Plus, it was weird to have Anna and St. Clair (the people from book 1) as side characters.

Can't We Talk about Something More Pleasant? by Roz Chast
Review: 5 / 5
This isn't a "favorite book ever" 5 star book, but it is a good book. I'm not sure who I'd recommend it to as it is a graphic novel that deals with her parent's old age and eventual decline into death. If this were a traditional memoir without the comics it might be too depressing. Luckily interspersing text with drawings helped illustrate familiar interactions and her parent's day-to-day life. It was an honest mix of humor, frustration, and sadness.

Review: 4 / 5
(I won this book in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway. I entered this and another giveaway for a book about microwave mug meals and got the healthy one. Figures!) I appreciated the division of raw food meal plans. The author sets up three timelines: a weekend, a week, and a lifetime. It's nice that she understands many folks won't have a 100% raw diet. I didn't know much about raw food and preparation before I started reading and I think it was an easy-to-follow introduction. 

The recipes are pretty straightforward and I am very happy there were photos for each. Even though the foods are raw, I wouldn't consider every recipe to be super easy as some require a dehydrator or curing time overnight. Regardless, there are some tasty ideas in here and I'm happy I won a copy of the book.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Review: 3 / 5
The story was fine and funny. There were some clever bits, but I think I'd enjoy the original audio drama or the more recent movie better. (I know, I'm the worst. I love sci-fi, but this wasn't my favorite book. Perhaps my expectations were too high?)

Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Review: 4 / 5
Great, fast read. I don't feel like I can say much without spoilers, but I'd recommend this to most people. It's a light read that may be qualified as chick-lit, but I didn't find it overly ridiculous or eye-roll inducing. And you know what? It was so nice that not a single character was murdered or missing! (Seems to be a major theme in these post-Gone Girl times.) If they make a movie I certainly hope they don't screw it up with a bad cast. And, yes I did like one better... but I can't tell you which until you read it. 

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As always, these reviews were taken from my Goodreads.

What did you read in September? 
What are you reading now? 

1 comment:

  1. That raw foods book sounds interesting. I would like to incorporate more of them into my diet but sounds kind of boring bc I don't want to eat salad all the time. Maybe I do need this book to get more ideas.

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