11 books finished this month! A benefit of working from home is that one can listen to audiobooks and slay one‘s reading goal. 💪🏻😁

The most surprising part of this whodunnit, to me, was how much I struggled to get through it and how relieved I was when it was over. I didn‘t connect with Flavia at all. I kept waiting to, and it never happened. I rather disliked her whole family, if I‘m being honest. The setting was nice, and I liked the chemistry tidbits and facts about stamps. But I‘m not sure I‘ll be continuing the series. 😐

What a heart-wrenching way to begin the 2019 Popsugar reading challenge! This was my pick for “A book published posthumously” and I couldn‘t put it down! I got a little over halfway through the 2018 challenge, so it feels good to already have one down for 2019. 📚

I was a little hesitant going into this, being a huge fan of Where‘d You Go, Bernadette and hearing that fans of the same would be disappointed with this one. But I really enjoyed it! I love Maria Semple‘s writing style, and I found the way she lovingly pokes fun at her home city of Seattle to be charming, but maybe that‘s just because I live there, too... (Fun fact - I actually met Maria Semple a couple of years ago. I groomed her dog!) 🐶

I am glad I read this. Thank you to @GarthRanzz for sending me a copy. A fascinating, albeit troubling insight into the psychology of one who has “gone berserk.” One can almost, not quite, but almost, sympathize with Charlie Decker. #losersclub

Well, I was going to start Rage for #losersclub but I was waiting for my copy of The Bachman Books to arrive that I ordered over two weeks ago...it came today and turns out that it doesn‘t even contain Rage! Hmm...guess I‘ll skip that one and move on to The Shining? LOL

I gleefully devoured this book and am hungry for the next! I loved the magic and seduction of Caraval. Topped with a little romance and a few sprinkles of blood, what‘s not to love?! Plus, Scarlett‘s gowns all sounded so glorious! I can‘t wait for Legendary! 💕🌞🌟🎪🎠🔮❄️👗

I‘ve been fascinated by the tragic story of the Ghost Girls ever since I first read about them a year or so ago and instantly put this book on my TBR. I didn‘t get to it until now, because life, but HOLY BUCKETS. I could barely put it down. Each girl‘s story is so heartbreaking. I like that the book is nonfiction that reads more like a novel and not a textbook, although I definitely learned a lot! A devastating story, excellently told. 5⭐️

This book gave me exactly what I wanted from it: an escape. Sometimes you just need to forget about your own life and read about other people‘s problems for awhile. Surprisingly more depth than I expected, along with a ton of laughs and an ample helping of profanity. It also managed to make me sort of, kind of want children, while at the same time strengthening my resolve to definitely not have children. 😂😂😂

So much for my book-buying ban for this month! 😂 I am not sorry!

Oh. My. God. This book. THIS BOOK. I‘m doing the Popsugar reading challenge and it was my pick for the prompt “a book with characters who are twins.” I absolutely loved The Goldfinch, but wow, this was EVEN BETTER. So good. So smart. So...I can‘t even put into words how good this book is. I truly couldn‘t put it down. Wow. Just...Wow. I‘m going to be thinking about this one for a LONG time.

Absolutely loving this so far. Picked it up at B&N last night on a complete whim because I‘d heard such great things. Pulled me in immediately and hasn‘t let go...

Read this over the weekend per hubby‘s recommendation. Wow! I was not expecting to be drawn in so quickly. I‘m really looking forward to seeing the film adaptation this weekend!

I love A.J. Jacobs, but I didn‘t love this book. Definitely not his best. It probably didn‘t help that I‘m not all that into genealogy. The stories about his family and some of the interviews were interesting, but it was lacking a lot of his signature humor, and I was slightly annoyed by the whole “we‘re all family and should love each other” theme. Disappointing, overall. 😕

Started this one tonight. Trying to squeeze in some quick reads before I start my new job next week and lose some of my precious reading time!

Not counting three I finished that were started in previous months, I read a total of seven books in November! Not bad considering I used to only manage about one per month. I guess that‘s the one upside to being unemployed...more time for reading! 📚📚📚

I have way too much to say about this book (that I admittedly almost bailed on!) to heed Litsy‘s 451-character limit, so here is a link to my full review on my blog. 😊

https://talking-muffin.tumblr.com/post/167990504403/time-for-another-tuesday-rev...

My first-ever #BOTM box arrived! Can‘t start it yet as I am saving it for a 2018 reading challenge prompt, but I have a feeling I might catch the hubby with it before then. 😂 Excited to be an official #BookOfTheMonth member! 💕📚

What a way to start the day! I‘ve been wanting to read this book forever and it‘s on sale until December 2! #tbr

I was so sad when this ended. I had heard mixed reviews of the stories, and while the first couple were just okay, they definitely got better as the book went on. Each story involves a typewriter in some capacity; sometimes it‘s the main focus of the story, sometimes it‘s not. Some of the longer stories are particularly impressive. I HIGHLY recommend the audio, because, well, it‘s read by the author, and he gives a stellar performance, as usual!

The burning question that plagued me throughout most of this book was, Why should I give a DAMN about Holden Caulfield? However, after his conversations with Phoebe and Mr. Antolini in the latter half of the book, I finally started to understand and sympathize with him a bit more, and I realized that this wasn‘t a book I was going to forget easily. I get why some people hate it, I really do. But I‘m also relieved to find that I am not among them.

“Goddam money. It always ends up making you blue as hell.”

Oh, this was wonderful! Well-written characters, quaint island setting, lots of book references, and just the right mix of happy and sad, with some unexpected twists thrown in. A quick, enjoyable read. I‘ll be looking for more by Gabrielle Zevin (Young Jane Young is also in my TBR). Highly recommend!

I completely forgot I had an Amazon credit to use, and I was able to snag an even better deal off of an already great deal! Can‘t wait to finally read The Kite Runner! I‘ve heard such great things! #TBR

I FINALLY finished this book after starting it in August, then putting it down to read “It” instead. When I picked it up the second time it was much better, but still seemed to drag in a few places. Overall, though, I love Diana Gabaldon‘s intoxicating world, and Claire and Jamie‘s relationship gives me all the warm fuzzies. 💕 Looking forward to moving on to Voyager, and also possibly starting the TV series!

“What imperfect carriers of love we are, and what imperfect givers.”

NPR called Khong‘s debut novel “endearingly quirky”, and I think that‘s the perfect way to describe it. Heartwarming, at times sad, and with more than a few laugh-out-loud moments (“‘ANNIE!‘ You marveled to Mom. ‘There‘s FRUIT inside this SEAT!‘”), it‘s a unique family perspective that will make you want to call your dad the minute you finish. I just wish there had been more!

Just started this today and I‘m already reminded of how much I LOVE TOM HANKS! Such a pleasure to listen to him read. 😊

“Life is catastrophe.”

I HIGHLY recommend anyone who may have bailed on this book or thought it slow to give the audio a try. David Pittu does an amazing job with the narration and giving life and voice to each individual character. I don‘t usually re-read books, but I may have to make an exception for The Goldfinch. I‘ll definitely be buying the print version. I feel like I‘d love it even more the second time.

I couldn‘t help wanting just a bit more from this one. I really liked Alex‘s character; she reminded me a bit of Lisbeth Salander. She takes justice into her own hands, and while she doesn‘t let many people close to her, those who have that privilege are protected by any means necessary. And the book deals with rape and sexual assault in a way that is both unapologetic and completely necessary. The ending, however, fell a little flat for me.

229 pages read this weekend. Making decent progress.

“Whether it was health of mind or body, the love of him was necessary to me as breath or blood. My mind reached out for him, sleeping or waking, and finding him, was satisfied.”

I went into “It” expecting to be scared, not even expecting to finish. There are some pretty disturbing moments (TW: suicide, domestic abuse, pre-teen sex), but with King‘s incredible flair for character development, Bill, Bev, Eddie, Mike, Stan, Ben, and Richie became so real that I wanted to pick up the phone and call them. 1477 pages (Kindle version) flew by. By the end, I felt strangely reluctant to leave Derry and the friends I had made.

I can‘t decide which book in my physical #TBR pile to read next! Any thoughts from Litsy folks?