Show Us Your Books Link-Up: September 2017



It's best day of the month! I had a pretty great reading month, looking back. I did an audiobook and a few ebooks, which helps because when I instinctively pick up the phone I can at least read instead of spending too much time on social media. Chit chat aside, let's get to the books!

Faulkner is supposed to be this great Southern writer and...y'all, I just didn't get it. This is probably partly because I started out listening to it on audiobook through the library, and that format just didn't work great for this particular novel. I switched to the physical copy and it was better, but still not the best. Some chapters I loved and totally clicked with, and others made no sense at all. I'd be willing to try another Faulkner novel, but it's definitely not a priority.
★★★
(but really more like 2.5)


This book was all over last month's link-up, and I'm so glad. It was really cute but also tackled a difficult subject. I don't personally struggle with the same issues, but I appreciated reading about a book where mental illness wasn't super easily "fixed" by falling in love or a dedicated parent or anything. The idea was presented that our lives aren't just a straight line up or down, but a jagged line full of both, and that's so true for us all.
★★★★


This was a somewhat random Goodreads Deals purchase, but I enjoyed it a lot. It was interesting to read about the split between growing up American and growing up in Senegal. She was really funny, and the parts about being awkward/nerdy were super relate-able. She has an HBO show and a YouTube channel with different topics & guests that are POC. Definitely want to check that out.
★★★★


This is the first book of a series, and it was interesting. I liked the idea of magician's being tied to a particular element (paper, glass, fire, etc). It was a little weird when the setting went from the "real world" so to speak to the heart...which brought this down a little for me. But definitely want to finish the series. 
★★★


This is the second of the series (trilogy? not sure). I enjoyed this a bit more than the first- the setting was consistent and I liked learning more about the way magic worked in this particular world. Still want to keep going with the series.  
★★★★


This an audiobook from the library, because I wanted something to listen to at work. Funny...basically like listening to his stand-up. I enjoyed it...although pretty sure I definitely do not want 5 kids. I know self-deprecation is part of the act, but the parenting bits made even me sad sometimes. In a funny way...
★★★


This may have been my favorite book this month. Assassin nuns who work for Death...in the middle of political rebellion/revolution in the Middle Ages. Already have the next book in the series on hold from the library and I need it to come in NOW, please & thank you!
 ★★★★


 Shrill by Lindy West
Due to my size, I couldn't relate to some of the "loud and fat" aspects of the book. But it was interesting to hear and I should have expected it since the NPR special is one of the first times I was introduced to Lindy West. I really loved the latter half of the book where she talked about comedy and why things are funny and the "punching up" theory, which I've never heard before. It made sense and I enjoyed it and appreciate knowing that people like Lindy are out there on the front lines of this issue...even though it makes me rage-y and sad at the same time. Guess that's kind of the general tone of 2017 though- and it's been a long time coming.
★★★★


More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera
You guys...I fucking loved this book. I really didn't think I was going to, for like the first 15 chapters. But then we find out something and it all starts clicking and by the end I was trying not to cry at work (listened to the audiobook through my local library). TBH, I was a little worried because while I've been trying to read more diversely, I was not blown over by Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda like everyone else and I hated Boy Meets Boy and I was starting to wonder if I had a bias I just couldn't shake. But this book was phenomenal. It addressed so many issues and was about nerds in the Bronx and I just loved it and seriously you should read it.
 ★★★★

 
What have you been reading this month? 
Link-up & let us know!
Life According to Steph

21 comments

  1. I LOVE More Happy Than Not, and his second book History is All You Left Me. His third book just came out and I need to read it ASAP, though I definitely have my copy already. LOL If you're looking for diverse LGBT+ books, I'd recommend searching book blogs because there are many out there that are quite good. I hear great things about The Gentlemen's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee. I own that one and need to read it. I also have an LGBT+ entertainment blog - with a lot of book reviews - www.letsgetbeyondtolerance.blogspot.com

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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  2. Grave Mercy has been on my list for ages, so glad to hear you liked it! i'll get to it one day lol

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  3. More Happy Than Not is on my list!

    I hate Faulkner, everything of him. It reminds me of a terrible semester in college where I felt like I was buried alive by his "genius."

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  4. I can imagine how funny Dad is Fat is - he is so funny!!!

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  5. More Happy than Not sounds like an interesting reading experience!!

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  6. The Magician books intrigue me and I love their covers. And I am always, always a sucker for a good cover. So I am adding them to my TBR along with More Happy Than Not and Grave Mercy. Both sound excellent.

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  7. I mean anytime a person says they fucking loved a book I have to immediately add it to the to-read list! haha

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  8. If you liked Dad Is Fat, check out Food A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan too. I listened to it twice and bought a copy of it. It is one of my favorite books, and just hilarious.

    Sophie Kinsella surprised me with Finding Audrey, a great book.

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  9. Jim Gaffigan's stand up plucks my nerves after awhile so I'm passing on his book.

    I loved Shrill although it started off stronger than it finished. Her voice and opinions are something we definitely need right now.

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  10. I've been on the waitlist for Shrill forever, I can't wait till it finally comes through!

    Faulkner is so notable because his writing style is DIFFICULT. And not, like, fun difficult. Single sentences lasting 2 and a half pages difficult. I can't imagine how brutal it must have been on audiobook! I've only read Faulkner within the confines of requirements of my English major, which is also where I learned that most "greatest hits" of literature have lousy staying power.

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  11. Definitely adding "Finding Audrey" to my to-read shelf! I've never heard of "More Happy Than Not," I'll have to check it out!

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  12. Loved Finding Audrey, I liked her new one...My Not So Perfect Life even better. I love Jim so I will have to check that one out. I like doing those on audio as well.

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  13. I really want to read Finding Audrey. I just got a book by her at the library today, My Not So Perfect Life.

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  14. I really enjoy the SUYB link up, because it's always interesting to see all the books everyone else reading and I love seeing if we've read the same books and whether our opinions are different.

    I also read The Paper Magician a month or so ago and was bored to tears with it. I think I was expecting more magic and less of the weird romance and then we went into the heart which I thought was the strangest thing ever. Needless to say, I gave up with the series.

    I'm glad you enjoyed it though, that's what makes reading so much fun, I like seeing different perspectives and opinions on the same books.

    I'm interested to hear what you think about the rest of the series, I thought it was just a trilogy, but I think there might be a fourth book now.

    Grave Mercy has been on my TBR for ages! I must get around to it, I hear nothing but good things about it.

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  15. Finding Audrey sounds really interesting! I'm going to add it to my TBR list! I've heard of The Paper Magician, but I don't know much about it, so maybe I'll read it at one point or another, haha.

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  16. Ooh I think Grave Mercy is on my ipad. Squee! :) I have the paper magician books on there as well. I have heard really good things about Adam Silvera's books. I just added this one to my TBR. :) XO - Alexandra

    Simply Alexandra: My Favorite Things

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  17. Jim Gaffigan's book about food (Food: A Love Story) was funnier than Dad is Fat (I thought)...People are all about recommend Dad is Fat.
    I listened to both of them.

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  18. I still haven't read a sophie kinsella book! definitely adding more happy than not to my TBR because of your review. any time someone uses a curse word in a book review, there's a 100% chance I'll read it ;)

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  19. Issa Rae's book has been on my list for a while. I love that she got her start on YouTube!

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  20. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Issa Rae! Her show on HBO is amazing! Jim Gaffigan's book is great too -- I listened to it on audiobook and it was just as funny.

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  21. PAPER MAGICIAN AND GRAVE MERCY!!!!!! ::flails:: So good, right? Paper Magician was originally a trilogy, but now she's writing a fourth book! And I actually kinda loved the whole heart thing. But to each their own. And YES ASSASSIN NUNS. Like... how has not everyone read those books? They're amazing!

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