Fall & Winter Book Report

Somehow I thought I was really killing it with my reading list, but in looking back over the past 6 or so months, I've really not read all that many books. But still 8 is better than none and so here they are today, all lined up for you in a nice neat list! 

I've been really enjoying doing these little book reports seasonally (well, twice a year) and this year I've set a reading goal for one fiction and one non-fiction book per month. Hopefully those books will start showing up in these lists but if you'd like to see more you can follow along on Instagram (where I set up a handy hastag for the project of course!). 

let's start with the books from that list:

Talking as Fast As I Can // Lauren Grahame
Okay, so this was a fun read. I really enjoyed the behind the scenes Gilmore Girls stuff (both on the original series and the new Netflix episodes), and hearing more about Lauren's story and early days. One thing I did not like however was how she knocked knitting not once but TWICE. I mean... come on Lauren! More Americans knit that golf... get with it! 

Death on the Nile // Agatha Christie
Waldi and I listened to this audio book while in Scotland and it was a lot of fun. The story was engaging and I didn't figure out whodunit until the very end, which is always fun. Such a good memory from our trip. We're hoping to get a few more of her stories in audiobook form to listen to as well.

Longbourn // Jo Baker
I borrowed this from my mom over Christmas, who received it from my dad, who purchased it from Chatsworth house in England this summer (where the BBC Pride and Prejudice was filmed...) which is kind of fun. I'd heard mixed things about this one but I actually quite enjoyed most of it and thought it was a really interesting perspective on a beloved classic.

I Capture the Castle // Dodie Smith
Heard about this on the WSIRN podcast and ADORED it. Seriously. It was lovable and quirky and well written and perfectly British. Also, it's by the same woman who wrote 101 Dalmatians so that's pretty fun. (and it's listed as JK Rowling's favorite book so, you know, there's that...) Very glad I picked this up.



and here are a few other titles I managed to work my way through:

Knitlandia // Clara Parks
Loved this. I thought Clara's stories were a perfect tribute to this community and the fact that it did so well is also further proof that we knitters are presence out there not to be overlooked- this is where I first heard that stat about the golfers that I mentioned above. If you're going to read this, I would recommend listening to this interview after. It compliments the reading experience nicely.

I Am Malala // Malala Yousafzai
This was a book club pick and I thought it was moving and well told and inspiring. Malala is a force to be reckoned with and it was a very valuable experience to me to read a bit more of her story. I also learned a lot more about the recent history of this specific region in the world from hearing it told from her perspective. 

All the Bright Places // Jenifer Niven
I picked this up on a total whim and though I don't normally read much YA I must say I really enjoyed this. I thought it was a sensitive and nuanced handling of a difficult subject and it was honestly the type of story that made me want to write. It just felt like a book with weight and meaning to me- but I should definitely give a tear-jerker warning with this one!

Lady Crawford // Julie Cameron Grey
I'm almost finished with this lovely little book (pictured above) and I'm really enjoying jumping back into poetry again. I'm finding the poems to be unique and layered with meaning and often find that I have to pause after reading one and let it marinade for a few days before coming back to it again. If you're a fan of poetry I'd definitely recommend giving it a try! 

I'll be back at the end of the month to share a list of books I'm planning to get to over the next few months, but for now I wanna know- what have you been reading lately?