Hey friends! It’s a rainy and cold week here which I hate until I remember to call it “reading weather” instead of fall weather and then it’s ten times more bearable. What have you been reading lately? Here are some books I’ve enjoyed in the past couple of months, in no particular order. My list is a hodgepodge of recent releases, vintage novels, and an old classic. Please jump on over to Modern Mrs. Darcy to see what other book bloggers have enjoyed this month, too! Happy reading!
The Clockmaker’s Daughter – So, so good. If you liked Morton’s other books, you’ll like this one. It is fairly long, but even so I would have taken more about the characters. Warning that there is an element of ghosts in it, but it’s very mild and not scary at all, just completely whimsical and not at all spiritual, in my opinion. I’d rank this one up in Morton’s top three best books, behind The Forgotten Garden and The Secret Keeper.
How to Walk Away – Reads like a Hallmark movie but with better writing and not so neatly wrapped up at the end, thank goodness! I was surprised at how much I related to the main character – you really do feel like you’re in her head, which is not a bad thing in this case. Not prize winning literature, but a nice, light read, if somewhat predictable.
The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper – I liked the first half, liked the characters, but felt a little weirded out by the end. Still, it was a cheerful read that happened to also be a bit thought provoking. I especially recommend if you like quirky characters.
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine – Speaking of quirky characters…Eleanor is quirky. I was talking to a friend about this book and told her I thought the first three chapters were my least favorite opening chapters of any book I’ve ever started and finished. But I made it through, and I’m glad I did. By the end, I loved everyone in it. Think A Man From Ove and you’ll be thinking along the right lines for this book, but with a much bigger twist at the end and a younger main character.
Around the World with Auntie Mame – Hilarious if you like books published in the 1950s (which I looove).
The Fledgling – I will read anything by Elizabeth Cadell and I have never been disappointed. This one was actually a bit of a mystery combined with a sort of Little Princess type story. It was lovely.
The Penderwicks – I am waaay behind on this modern classic, but I’m glad I finally read it! My oldest daughter liked it, as well, but the seven-and-under crowd thought it was “dreadful.” I think it’s great for girls ten and up, and I wouldn’t be surprised if some boys like it, too.
The Princess and the Goblin – We all looooved this book! It was a read-aloud for school that we looked forward to every day. Now I want to read all of George MacDonald’s fantasy books. Five stars from us all.
Rachel @ Never Enough Novels says:
I still need to read The Penderwicks after first hearing about it on Mondern Mrs Darcy. It sounds delightful.
MiaTheReader says:
It was delightful, and there are several sequels I haven’t even cracked open yet! So much to look forward to.
Aimee says:
Your blog is beautiful! Glad I found my way over here from MMD. I’m almost done with the Clockmaker’s Daughter. The number of different plot lines and timelines is driving me a little bonkers, but at the same time I can’t put it down. I feel like I will need to reread it as soon as I finish to catch up on all the little details I missed.
MiaTheReader says:
I definitely felt the same way near the end when I was reading too fast to absorb all the details because I wanted to know what happened! =) Thanks for stopping by and saying ‘hi!’.