As you’ve probably gathered by now, August was a bit chaotic. Which means I was kind of scrambling this week to finish up my last two books. The good news is that I DID get my 3 books in, and I’m already into my next audiobook and have my next hard copy book on my shelf (The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, and Spark Joy for good measure), so I’m hoping to start out September a little more proactively with my reading.

I listened to The Silkworm on audiobook and immediately requested and got the next in the series – Career of Evil – on audiobook, but on our roadtrip we had other books to listen to instead so it expired before I got along to listening to it. The one good thing about our roadtrip being such a disaster was that we were able to finish Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – meaning The Beard is finally an accomplished reader/listener of all seven Harry Potter books – and started The Hobbit. Tolkien is The Beard’s Rowling; he’s as into it as I am into Potter. Well maybe not ~quite as into it, as I literally started a book club and he’s never done that. I read The Hobbit in junior high, and I’ve attempted Fellowship about 10x and never gotten past Rivendell. But this is the least I can do after he’s listened to all 7 Potter books. We nearly finished on our trip, and then I wrapped up in the weeks after we returned. Plus started my next audiobook “Devil in the White City,” which has come highly recommended to me as I love serial killers and history.

Basically what I’m saying is August was audiobook central. It was great! There’s just something about curling up on your couch with a real book though, ya know? I don’t think I’ll ever be a full blown electronic-only millennial. I love my real books too much. Anyway here’s my books of August!

The Silkworm

In the wake of the Lula Landry murder discovery, Cormoran Strike and his assistant Robin are incredibly busy. Though he is overextended with cheating spouses and political scandal cases, he consents to investigate the disappearance of an eccentric writer when his equally strange wife shows up in his office. Owen Quine was about to publish a very scathing satire which featured many people from his life in a particularly unpleasant light, leaving plenty of people with anger and motive. The case takes surprising and grisly turns, including assassins, car chases, literary clues, and ancient rivalries. Strike proves his prowess by sifting through the accounts of writers, publishers, agents, police, and family to eventually solve the bizarre and evolving case.

I was slightly disappointed in The Cuckoo’s Calling, but liked it enough to press on to this next book in the series. I am so glad I did because I liked it so much more! I still don’t feel like mystery/suspense is my core genre, but I really do enjoy listening to them because they keep me really interested. This book was so reminiscent of Red Dragon (by Thomas Harris, from the Hannibal series) to me, which is one of my favorite books so I really enjoyed that.

Good

• You just really grow to love Strike & Robin even more. They develop as characters and as a team and I’m just really invested in them now! The switching perspectives is masterful, especially because Galbraith/Rowling does a really good job of capturing the very different ways men and women can interpret the same situation.
• The twists and developments in Strike’s and Robin’s personal lives are much better in this book, and they actually feel part of the story.
• Very good audiobook. The reader was perfect, it was fast enough to keep me interested, but not too complex that I couldn’t listen while doing other things. Much less swearing/sex than Cuckoo’s Calling too so that was really nice.
• I really loved the dark, gothic tone of this book. I know that’s not for everyone but I really liked it!
• At first you think you’re just dealing with these Oxford sweater vest authors and publishers, but Galbraith/Rowling does another great job of pulling out a variety of diverse characters to support the story & investigation.
• It’s one of those twists where you’re like “Whoa what?” but then after sleeping on it you realize it couldn’t have been any other way and of course they are the killer!! That’s always kind of fun.
• I immediately downloaded the next one! It was unfortunate timing so I didn’t listen to it before it expired but I’m gonna request again!

Less Good

• There is much more violence in this one. Well mostly just one super nutso graphic crime scene. And I mean graphic.
• The missing author, Owen Quine, writes these awful gothic violent/sexual epics and tragedies. So you hear kind of a lot about that. It fits the story, but it’s still not pleasant.
• I don’t know much about the mystery genre, but I guess I just wasn’t all that wowed by the mystery part of it? I didn’t mind because I just liked the story and characters, but the mystery wasn’t the most solid.

The Martian

Astronaut Mark Watney is the only person on the planet, literally. The Ares 3 mission is aborted after 6 days and he is left behind, presumed dead. He has to find ways to survive in an environment that is increasingly dangerous and largely unknown. Eventually he’s able to communicate with NASA and everyone on Earth is teaming up to help bring him home. 

I saw the movie first, and really liked it! I wasn’t stoked about reading it for Bon’s Book Club this month because it’s hard to read books when you’ve already seen the movie. I wasn’t sure that I could deal with all of the science, all of the back and forth problems/solutions, and the maddening isolation. You would think with how much I love Star Trek and Star Wars I would be into sci-fi fantasy books but I’m actually not! But I am happy to report that I definitely enjoyed this book.

Good

• Mark Watney is one of the funniest, most likable characters I’ve ever read
• I feel like I learned a lot about science?
• It’s a very fast read, especially with the switching perspectives between Mars, Earth, and the Hermes
• The movie is a great interpretation of the book. I’m not sure why that’s good, but it is, right? Great movie, great book.
• The ending made me cry in both the book and the movie

Less Good

• Super science-y
• Some of the parts you do have to skim or breeze through because they’re SO SCIENCE-Y or repetitive. Like “oh no there’s this problem in my plan I didn’t foresee! What will I do I’m effed! Wait I figured it out I’m a genius!”
• Because the movie is so good and so much like the book I think I’ll have a hard time actually recommending the book over the movie.

The Hobbit

Cozy homebody Bilbo Baggins’ life is turned upside down when a team of dwarves and Gandalf the wizard invade his home and enlist his services as a burglar on their quest. Along their path to the Lonely Mountain they encounter trolls, goblins, elves, eagles, and men. Evicting the mighty dragon Smaug is the least of their problems, when everyone in the region shows up to claim some of the legendary dwarf treasure within the Lonely Mountain. This classic tale is one of bravery, friendship, wit, honor, and magic. 

Ok, I read this book when I was in middle school but I’m counting it as a new read because that was SO LONG AGO and I barely remembered anything when we saw the movies. Not to mention I super owed The Beard. I used to roll my eyes at him, acknowledging that Tolkien is a master and that these books are important, but never thinking they would ever be on the same tier as Harry Potter. I’m really glad we listened to it together because it really did help me come around. I want The Hobbit to be a book we read as a family. I’d rather my kids be Harry Potter dorks than LOTR nerds, but why can’t we be both?

Good

• This truly is a classic tale that everyone should read.
• Bilbo is a lovable, relatable character and generally a really good protagonist.
• I kept thinking about how many discussions we could have about morality, right and wrong, responsibility, and honor. I wouldn’t call it a parable or cautionary tale, but it really does have so many good lessons.
• I really really love the way Tolkien writes this. Like he’s a friend sitting down to tell you a very long, very good story that a close friend told him firsthand. His voice is very present as the narrator, but in such a fresh and companion sort of way. He explains things to you without slowing down the story, somehow.
• JK Rowling is an artist, and her writing is incredible. But I will say that Tolkien? Tolkien’s writing is prose.

Less Good

• SO MANY SONGS. The audiobook dude even sings them which is just too much for me. At least if you read you can skip over them.
• This isn’t a fast read or listen. It’s the kind of book you should read slowly all snuggled up. It’s not really a poolside or vacation read. We took a lot of breaks even just listening in the car. I think it’s perfect for like a bedtime story – read a few pages/a chapter each night before bed kind of thing.
• Now I have to listen to LOTR 🙁 (it’s not bad, it’s just gonna take 10 years)

So the books I need to read for September are as follows but not limited to:

So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed – for Bon’s Book Club

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow – following Delicious Reads Book Club

How May We Hate You

The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

Spark Joy

Devil in the White City (currently on audiobook)

Women & the Priesthood (currently reading, need to finish)

Career of Evil – hoping to listen on audiobook after Devil in the White City

Eve and the Choice Made in Eden

Gonna be a busy month. The good news is that next week I should be cleared to exercise again and I can do a lot of reading on the treadmill/elliptical and listening as I walk around the park or lift weights. Hoping to grind through a lot of these books that way. But hey – as long as I hit my 3 books a month I will be happy. 🙂