Recommended Reading: Fall

People talk about summer reading a lot, but I'd argue that fall reading is just as enjoyable. Especially now that the sun has started setting earlier and the temperature has begun dipping below freezing on a regular basis, curling up on the couch with a blanket, a mug of hot chocolate, and a good book seems even more appealing.

Fall is a great time to read thrillers (thanks Halloween), but since I don't do anything that makes me frightened when it's dark outside, I tend to stick to cozy mysteries for fall. This time of year also brings out my nesting tendencies, probably because I don't like going outside in the cold (AKA any weather below 60 degrees), so books about HGTV stars made their way onto this list as well.

The Books

Cocaine Blues - Kerry Greenwood

If you haven't already watched all of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries on Netflix, then you absolutely need to. The books that the TV series is based on it just as delightful as you would expect. Strong, interesting female characters are the absolute best. Spending a few evenings following the story of a lady detective in Australia during the 1920s is a great way to relax.


Murder on the Orient Express - Agatha Christie

Everyone knows that Agatha Christie wrote mysteries, but until I read And Then There Were None, I didn't understand why they were such a big deal. I kind of assumed that I would not enjoy her writing. Turns out I was completely wrong. There's a reason she is the best selling novelist of all time (according to Guinness World Records). Describing a book as page-turning is cliche, but it's true in this case. While I don't plan to try all 66 of her novels, Murder on the Orient Express is well worth the read.


The Magnolia Story - Chip and Joanna Gaines

Like the rest of America, I was slightly obsessed with Fixer Upper. Part of the appeal came from loving Joanna's style, but the other part came from the interactions between the couple. Reading their story made me love them even more. Chip and Joanna have almost opposite personalities, but they work together so well. If you like the show even a little bit, then you'll love this book.


Make Something Good Today - Erin and Ben Napier

Although I'm probably biased, I think that Home Town makes me even happier than Fixer Upper. Watching Erin and Ben restore houses because they are passionate about preserving and enhancing their community is so inspiring. Getting to read their story about how things started off for them makes me think about what I want to do with my life. I loved that I felt like I was able to celebrate along with them during the happy parts of their journey, but I also liked how realistic they were about the times that were difficult. Even if you don't watch their show (which you should), then you still need to read this book. (They also went to Ole Miss, so that should be reason enough.)


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Recommended Reading: Summer

Let's just be clear that none of these were beach reads. I know that lots of people are capable of reading on the beach, but somehow, I'm just not one of them. I did try to take advantage of the limited time I have left living near the beach to relax and read there. But, it was weirdly windy and sand got everywhere, and then my friend and I stumbled (almost literally) onto two dead fish that had washed up on shore. So, I'll be containing the rest of my summer reading to either a porch or a couch.

That being said, if you're looking for options on what to read this summer, either on the beach or somewhere less exciting, I have plenty of suggestions. 

The Books

Bossypants - Tina Fey

We don't even need to talk about why you should read this book. It's by Tina Fey. I realize that everyone probably read it forever ago (by which I mean 2011) when it first came  out, but I've only now gotten around to read it. Still good.

A River in Darkness: One Man's Escape from North Korea - Masaji Ishikawa

During World Book Day, Amazon Crossing gave away Kindle downloads of books translated from different languages. This book turned about to be a solid choice. The author was born in Japan but moved to North Korea with his family as a child. He tells about his life there and about his escape many years later. This is not a fun read, but it was eye-opening.

The House by the River - Lena Manta

The book also came from the World Book Day celebration. The House by the River is the story of a Greek woman with five daughters. It basically ends up being 6 stories because each woman gets her own section. This book falls into the romance category (or what I assume is the romance category given that I rarely venture beyond Nicholas Sparks.) The story is both beautiful and tragic. If you're looking to cry over the course of several days, this is your book.

Flipped - Wendelin Van Braanen

First, if you're a middle school teacher, you have to read this book right now so that you can recommend it to all of your students. They will love it. You will never see it left on your shelf for more than 5 seconds. 

If you don't teach middle school, you should still read it anyway. In the first chapter, Bryce tells about the day he moved a new town and meet the obnoxious, pushy girl next door. In the second chapter, Julie tells about the day a new family moved in next door and she fell in love with a set of beautiful blue eyes. We can all see where this is headed. Without the changing perspectives, this book would just be ordinary. But, thanks to the skill of the author, once you start reading, you have to keep reading to hear the other side of the story. Even if you think you don't like to read, you won't be able to help yourself with this one.

Solo - Kwame Alexander

Y'all, I was not prepared for this book (or really for the audio version of this book because I listened to it while driving.) Kwame Alexander's name is everywhere is YA/Children's lit right now. After reading this book, which isn't even the one he won a Newbery for, I see why. 

The main character is Blade, and he's the son of a fading rock star. Blade's life is luxurious, but his family is falling apart. Sometimes stories involving teen angst are just too angsty to handle, but this story had the right balance. You'll want to follow this character through all the emotional upsets that occur. Also, you'll probably want to add more of Alexander's books to your to-read list because one isn't enough.

Listen, Slowly - Thanhha Lai

After reading Inside Out and Back Again, also by Lai, I knew that I needed to read this one. Mai is a California girl who just wants to spend her summer on the beach looking cute in front of a guy she likes (don't we all.) Instead, her parents want her to travel to Vietnam with her grandmother to find out what happened to her grandfather during the Vietnam War. Mai feels out of place among relates she has never met and a culture that she doesn't feel is hers. It's a moving story about love, belonging, and family that you absolutely need to read.

Recommended Reading: Spring

One of the best parts about spring is sitting outside with a good book. Maybe for the rest of the country the beginning of March doesn't count as spring, but minus a few cold days, springtime has definitely started in south Mississippi.

I haven't been able to do as much reading as I would like lately because going to grad school while teaching leaves me with less free time than normal. Even so, I have been able to read a few books, and I always have suggestions. Mostly YA and children's books. Apparently, I no longer read fiction written for adults.

(Actually, I do have plenty of fiction written for adults sitting in a pile next to my bed. I just haven't gotten to it lately. Plus, YA books have cooler covers.)

The Books

A Wrinkle in Time - Madeleine L'Engle

You've probably already heard of this children's book before because it won a Newbery Medal in 1963, and it's become a classic. Although it is a "children's book," it deals with a heavy theme of good and evil that challenges adults just as much as children. If for some reason you haven't read this yet or if it's been a long time, now is a good time to read it again because a new movie version is being released in theaters on March 9. I'm definitely going to be there.


Red Queen and Glass Sword - Victoria Aveyard

After the popularity of books like The Hunger Games and The Selection, do we really need another YA dystopian series with a ridiculous love triangle?

Absolutely.

This is a new-ish YA fantasy series with three books published so far. I am not going to argue that these are deep, thought-provoking books. However, they are extremely enjoyable to read, the characters are interesting, and I have been surprised by every single twist in the plot. I haven't read the third book yet, but I can fully recommend Red Queen and Glass Sword.


Everything, Everything - Nicola Yoon

I saw this book in the public library and checked it out because I had seen several of my students reading it at school. It's not a book I would actually recommend to my students because some of the subject matter is a little mature for the age I teach. If you've run out of Nicholas Spark books or John Green books, and you're looking for a romantic book to read that will make you cry a little, then this is a good option. The ending was not everything that I wanted it to be, but there were a few tears in the middle.


For the Love - Jen Hatmaker

For the Love has been on my to-read list since it came out in 2015. I'd already read her book 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess, and I follow Jen on her blog and on Instagram. The book was even better than I expected. Jen talks about what it looks like to love people as a Christian. Her writing is honest, funny, and insightful which is a difficult combination to hit with this topic. The book is the kind that you will want to read and then reread later on. Out of all the books that I've read over the past few months, For the Love is the one that I'd recommend the most.

Recommended Reading: Summer

Reading books is kind of one of my favorite things. That doesn't surprise anyone who's spent more than about 5 minutes near me. I can use my job as an excuse for why I need to read a lot, but I would do it anyway even if I didn't teach. Sometimes though, I forget how much I enjoy reading. It's easy to get caught up in important things that take up my time - like work - and then fill all of my free time with media - like netflix and cat videos on youtube. In my defense, I do really want need a cat.

I've been making an effort to read more over the past two years because time spent reading makes me less distracted and less stressed.

As strange as it may sound, the thing that encourages me to just sit down and read is actually other people. Being able to talk about books with other people who are just as enthusiastic about them as I am can be as much fun as reading. I've spent hours in bookstores with friends and taken group trips to libraries. When I go to someone's house, I will be looking at their bookshelves. Not because I'm judging, but because I am looking to see what I might be able to borrow. I love it when friends bring me a book (or an impossibly large stack of books, no names) that they think I'd enjoy. Reading seems like a solitary past time, but, in my experience at least, it's a social activity.

I have more free time during the summer. Which means that I have time to catch up on books that I've been meaning to read and to work on a few book challenges. Even though I didn't read as much I as would have liked, I have read some good books over the past few months. If you're looking to do a little (or a lot) of reading over the summer, here are a few books are interesting/entertaining.

The Books

Entwined - Heather Dixon
Good fairy tale retellings are some of my favorite books. This one is based on the twelve dancing princesses. Each of the girls has a distinctive personality which is one of the best parts of the book. It's not a difficult read, and I completely got lost in the story.

The Girl Who Drank the Moon - Kelly Barnhill
If you keep up with children's lit, you might have already heard of this book because it won the 2017 Newberry Award. A witch rescues a baby girl left in the woods as a sacrifice, and she accidentally gives the girl magic. This book has witches, dragons, monsters, and magic. Basically all of the necessary points for a good story. The book is intended for middle grades, but even if you're not ages 8-12, you can still enjoy it.

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? - Mindy Kaling
Celebrity memoirs can be annoying because the celebrity tries so hard to be relatable, and sometimes it just doesn't work. But, Mindy Kaling actually manages to get this right. While reading her book, I came to the conclusion that Mindy Kaling and I should probably be best friends. This book and her other book Why Not Me? make perfect, hilarious beach reads.

Paris, My Sweet - Amy Thomas
Another memoir. This book sends you back and forth between New York City and Paris, and it includes descriptions of sweets that will make you incredibly jealous. This book was right up my alley in every possible way. At one point, she mentioned Valrhona chocolate, and I could barely keep from pausing to take a look at trans-Atlantic plane tickets. Read this one if you're prepared to deal with some wanderlust.

Maus I and Maus II - Art Spiegelman
Change of pace from the rest of the books on this list. This book is not a light, fun read. It's a graphic novel based on the experiences of the author's father during the Holocaust. The book isn't easy to describe because it doesn't fall into the format that I typically read and I don't have any references within my reading to compare it with. The main characters are difficult and real. Sometimes, the story feels overwhelming. I had to take breaks. I wouldn't have picked this one up on my own, but it's worth reading.

Hope that you've got some good books lined up for your summer reading. Also, I'll always happily take book suggestions (and offers of armfuls of books to borrow).