September Reading List

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This is a beautifully written book about a boy who struggles to unravel the mysteries of his own family. I like the main character, but never felt like I really got to know many of the other characters. It is so slow paced and focused on the telling rather than the actual story that I didn't finish it. I just wanted something to happen, and when it became clear is wasn't going to, I gave up. That being said, I think it might make a better movie than a book, and I never say that! If prose is your thing, read it. If you like a little more action or some revelations, skip it.

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I had heard rave reviews about the author and honestly didn't know what to expect. It is written by a comedian and it's funny. I laughed out loud more than once. It's a series of short stories or 'skits' from his performances. He's raw, honest and really funny. However, if profanity or sex jokes are not your thing, be warned, this contains both. Adult language and content in abundance. That being said, I am not easily offended and I laughed, a LOT. Read at your own risk.

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This short novel is heart breaking and heart warming. It's the story of an immigrant family after the mother dies and the father leaves the daughter with family to go explore the wild west. It's a short, quick read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I would have loved another few hundred pages, but even so, it was a well told story and I had huge amounts of empathy for the main characters. There's no happily ever after, but it's a good book that I would recommend!

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Ok folks, I am not sure what to say about this one. It's weird and freaky and bizarre and I could't put it down. It's the deeply disturbing tale of a young boy who gets kidnapped, and following his 'return' must try to find his captor to solve the mysteries of his new 'condition'. It's like the twilight zone meets a horror movie? It's not graphic or gruesome, but it's really weird! I like the main characters but find the ex-girlfriend a little annoying. I would recommend it if you don't mind a really bizarre experience.

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I am not sure what to say about this book. I liked the style of the writing and the way the story is told from each of the four siblings point of view but, it could have skipped a lot of the life observations and random bits of wisdom. Usually, I like those things, but in this book it made it feel a little over the top at times. Does that make sense?

It's the story of four siblings who go to a fortune teller on a whim as children, and they are told the day they will each die. It's seen as a burden by some and a blessing by others. It does raise the question about how much are we really in control of our destiny or are we just doomed to whatever fate has in store for us? As a child of the 70's and 80's I recognized many of the corresponding historical events and social issues of those decades. There are some graphic adult situations and sex included in the book. I always feel like I should warn about that. So read at your own risk.

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This is a fun little book that is a super quick read. It will make you feel cozy just reading about how the Danish people make their own lives cozy, thereby resulting in happiest nation on earth. It focuses a lot on friends, food, candles, and warm snuggly items like socks and scarves designed to get a person through a long, cold winter. What's not to like about that?

As someone who suffers from S.A.D. (seasonal affective disorder...in other words, I struggle with depression in the winter months) I felt this book might help with some practical ways to improve my environment during winter months. In Georgia we don't really have beautiful snow fall or pretty winters, we have cold wet cloudy weather for about four months. There is nothing nice about it at all from December through April. So I'm constantly looking for ways to distract myself during those months. Trying new recipes, reading, lots of quilting...and now I'll be able to add a few Danish strategies to my arsenal. I'll see what happens, it's worth a try in my opinion.

That is a crazy assortment of reading, I know. I was overwhelmed when 5 of my library requests all arrived on the same day. Ack! There should be a way to avoid that. LOL

Happy reading friends!
Diane