Nonfiction November Challenge 2016

This week on Show Us Your Books I was surprisingly drawn to several non-fiction books. Then Kristi at Melborne on My Mind posted a video about the Nonfiction November Challenge and it just seemed perfect.

There are four individual challenges within the overall challenge- some could overlap but I am choosing four books...not sure I will make it, especially since I am starting a week and a half late. But one is an audio book so it's possible!

Challenge 1: New
                    -Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick (audio)

Challenge 2: Controversial
                  
Challenge 3: Important
               
Challenge 4: Fascinating 

I had to rethink my choices, because the library was missing 2 out of my 3 top picks.

I'm not really worrying about the order, because anything controversial is important and vice versa. And they're all fascinating to me or I wouldn't have chosen them. So if I only finish one more in November, I'll consider it successful. But I hope to get at least 2 and the last one can piggyback into October.

  -Girls & Sex: Navigating the Complicated New Landscape by Peggy Orenstein  
  -How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran
  -Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain


Have you ready any of these, or do you have plans to participate in Nonfiction November? 

This is actually my first "challenge" so I'm pretty pumped!

Show Us Your Books Link-Up: November 2016

Woot woot! It's time for the Show Us Your Books link-up!

I really thought I had read more books this month...but I guess that's what happens when you start and stop 3 books.

via GIPHY

Apparently I was in the mood for some dystopian YA this month...

A

    

Cinder & Scarlet 

(The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer) 

This book was a crazy departure for me, as I usually do not do sci-fi/steampunk-y stuff. But this is a great story! I love the characters and plot line. Plus, it delves into diversity topics like nothing I've ever read before. It's futuristic and deals with cybors/androids/etc (I had to google the difference) but there are clear parallels to racism/etc in our current time.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Y'all...this book grabbed me. It deals with a culture that has decided to blame love for almost all of society's problems. So at a certain age (17?) they are injected with a "cure" to make them...immune to love. Not just romantic love- all kinds of familial and platonic love also. It would also get some diversity points (mental health).

I paused on reading two separate books for these two series- and I don't regret it.

In Progress: The Light Between Oceans
Paused: On the Road
DNF: The Dance of the Dissident Daughter

What have you been reading?

Link-up & share!

Are Formulaic Books Bad?

I've heard a lot of complaints about books being "formulaic." This is typically brought up when discussing very popular authors such as Jodi Picoult, James Patterson, Nicholas Sparks, etc. And I completely understand this.

One great thing about reading is that it introduces you to new worlds and people. 

It can stretch your mind and present ideas that radically change your world. It can make you more open-minded and compassionate.

So if you read the same type of book over and over, you aren't getting the "dedicated reader" experience. And, sometimes you just get surprised and love things you wouldn't have thought you would love. It's a great thing to read widely, and it's needed.

But today I want to argue in favor of formulaic books.

For one, sometimes you just need a break.

Reading diversely and complexly is important. But it is hard. Stretching your mind and heart can hurt. And you can't do it all the time. Or at least I can't. Sometimes I need to return to something familiar and stand on steady ground for a minute. 

Secondly, it's a good starting point when recommending books.

I think of formulaic books as the foundation of reading, actually. Especially if you are talking to someone who isn't a big reader, it can be easier to grab their interest if you can confidently say "Well this is XYZ and it involves XYZ" and they can go in knowing what to expect. And then you can figure out what it is about those formulaic books and dig deeper into more diverse stories with those same enjoyable characteristics. Sometimes you gotta crawl before you walk, people.


As with most things, moderation is key. 

It's really easy to hate on authors who "sell out," or to laugh at books like Twilight or, God help me, even 50 Shades of Gray. And those books can definitely be problematic- but they can also be a great starting point. I know women who literally haven't read a book in 20+ years who read 50SOG. And as a reader, I have to believe that the act of reading itself is a valuable thing that should be celebrated. I have to believe that reading itself can grab people no matter the subject.