I have a confession to make. Last month I didn’t do a book round-up, because I only read a fraction of the books I promised I’d committed to reading in September. Luckily I have now finished them, as well as a few others, and have some feedback to share. My apologies to those who missed me, I simply did not have the time to read. Now that my commute has been extended by 30 minutes each way, I am nearly back to my previous pace.

WHAT I READ IN SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER:

1.) City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert – This book started off super strong for me. I love a book that takes place in NYC, especially during an era in which I was not yet alive. This book has the glitz and glam of a showgirl story, but it takes a weird turn and the book gets dull in the last 25%. Definitely worth reading, but keep your expectations leveled.

Buy City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert

2.) Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi — This was the Bad Bitch Book Club BOTM for September, I really loved it! It’s the story of two sisters born in Ghana and the vastly different lives they will go on to lead; one to live a life married to an Englishman, another to be sold into slavery. The story spans 300 years and several generations. It’s definitely a book i’ll be thinking about for a long time. I’d recommend it for fans of historical fiction, but maybe not those who have a short attention span.

Buy Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

3.) All The Flowers in Paris by Sarah Jio — I read this book on my flight home from Paris and was delighted to find that it took place in the neighborhood I stayed in. If you love a strong female protagonist and a WW2 story, I highly recommend this book. It isn’t quite the Nightingale, but it’s really fantastic– and VERY easy to read.

Buy All The Flowers in Paris by Sarah Jio

4.) Know My Name by Chanel Miller — This was the Bad Bitch BOTM for October. There was a huge demand for it in the group that couldn’t be ignored. Chanel Miller is not only an American Hero, but she’s a fantastic writer. Whether you care to join my book club or not, you need to read this book.

Buy Know My Name by Chanel Miller

5.) American Royals by Katharine McGee —– American Royals poses the question; what if when America won the revolutionary war, a new monarchy was formed? This book was SO fun to read. If you’re looking for an easy, breezy book after reading something heavy like *Know My Name*, American Royals slaps. My only complaint is that the sequel won’t be out for another year.

Buy American Royals by Katharine McGee

6.) Trick Mirror by Jia Tolentino — This is one of the hottest books of the fall and it’s not surprising why. Everyone enjoys when a beloved journalist churns out a manifesto. If you liked Alana Massey’s All The Lives I Want or Roxane Gay’s Bad Feminist you’ll enjoy this book. As for me, I loved some chapters, but an equal amount fell flat for me. It’s clear the author is very smart, but at times it feels like she’s so well-read that you can’t possibly keep up without a masters degree in literature.

Buy Trick Mirror by Jia Tolentino

WHAT I’M READING IN NOVEMBER:

1.) Modern Love (Edited) by Daniel Jones: I’m currently watching Modern Love on Amazon Prime and I’m loving it! I’ve listened to the podcast and read the NYT column for years. This is an essay series about love. It’s an easy/breezy read (so far) that I recommend to anyone who loves love.

Buy Modern Love by Daniel Jones

2.) Three Women by Lisa Taddeo: This month’s Bad Bitch Book Club book of the month is Three Women. Lisa Taddeo travels the country and writes about three ordinary women’s lives, and the result is a New York Time’s best seller.

Buy Three Women by Lisa Taddeo

3.) The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah: I love all of Kristin Hannah’s books. In fact, The Nightingale is my favorite book of all time. I’ve owned The Great Alone for the better half of 2019, and yet I haven’t read it because I know it’s going to make me cry. Whatever, catch me sobbing on the W train. Because it’s time for me to read the story about the young girl in Alaska with an abusive father.

Buy The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

4.) One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus: Five strangers walk into detention and only 4 walk out alive. After sobbing to The Great Alone, I imagine I’ll need something fast paced and brainless. The perfect time for a YA book. I’m not sure if I’ll have time to read this in November, but I’m going to try.

Buy One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus