Roni's August Recs: Read - Watch - Listen

Well…it’s been a month, y’all. I’ve never been so happy to see September 1.

First, all three of us (me, hubs, and the 13 year old) got symptomatic Covid at the start of the month. (All of us were fully vaccinated.) Hubs had it the worst, ending up with double pneumonia, but none of us had to go to the hospital—though we did make lots of visits to Urgent Care *waves at Beverly*. I’m so glad things didn’t get serious, but getting Covid did wipe out all the exciting things we had planned for August—vacations, a Foo Fighters concert, Brenda Novak coming to visit in person to interview me for her book club, my husband’s band’s first show since Covid started, and kidlet’s first few days of school. But we’re okay and that’s what counts. We’re all doing much better now.

Then this week hit. Many of y’all know I’m originally from Louisiana. Well, most of my family still lives there, and my parents live in Laplace. If you’ve watched the news at all, you’ve probably seen Laplace on all the news stations as they took a direct hit from Hurricane Ida. (My husband’s hometown of Houma was also directly hit.) My parents still live in Laplace and thankfully evacuated, but their house is in one of those neighborhoods they keep showing on TV with all the flooding and roof damage. They can’t get back yet to assess. So, August has been a rough go.

However, while convalescing from Covid and taking care of the fam, I did get some time to read, watch, and listen to things. That’s the beauty of stories, right? We can escape into them for a little while when reality is stressful. So I’m here to tell you my favorites of the month.

Read

In My Dreams, I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead

About the book:

Six friends.
One college reunion.
One unsolved murder.

Ten years after graduation, Jessica Miller has planned her triumphant return to her southern, elite Duquette University, down to the envious whispers that are sure to follow in her wake. Everyone is going to see the girl she wants them to see—confident, beautiful, indifferent. Not the girl she was when she left campus, back when Heather Shelby's murder fractured everything, including the tight bond linking the six friends she'd been closest to since freshman year.

But not everyone is ready to move on. Not everyone left Duquette ten years ago, and not everyone can let Heather's murder go unsolved. Someone is determined to trap the real killer, to make the guilty pay. When the six friends are reunited, they will be forced to confront what happened that night—and the years' worth of secrets each of them would do anything to keep hidden.

Told in racing dual timelines, with a dark campus setting and a darker look at friendship, love, obsession, and ambition, In My Dreams I Hold A Knife is an addictive, propulsive read you won't be able to put down.

My thoughts:

This was my favorite read of the month. Y’all know that I’m a huge fan of campus novels—particularly ones with a dark edge—so this hit that sweet spot. (Want more campus novel recs? Check out this list.)

This novel was everything I wanted it to be. Even though I’m prone to like a campus novel, I'm pretty picky about mysteries. I need them to be at least somewhat character-driven and not plot only. This one had both. It's not an easy thing to have a cast of seven important characters and make them all feel distinct. I didn't have to flip back once to see--wait, which character is this again? And I loved the dual timelines of their years in college and then ten years later at homecoming. It kept me turning the pages and trying to figure out who the killer was. I didn't guess. There were lots of red herrings that worked.

If you need your characters lovable, then this might not be for you. These characters were all flawed, but the author did a good job of showing why they were the way they were and that made them (most of them) sympathetic. (And as someone who was salutatorian twice--both in middle school and high school--I resonated with Jessica's salutatorian "always second place" frustration, lol.) Also, there's a tiny bit of a love story mixed in, which did my romance writer heart good.

I don't give out 5 star ratings easily, but this one was an easy one to rate. :) My one caveat is if the opening chapters (before the flashback to the past starts) don’t capture you, keep reading. I wasn’t sure when I first started reading if it was going to be for me, but once I hit those flashback chapters, I was in.

Disclosure: I was provided an ARC by Sourcebooks for an honest review and Sourcebooks is my publisher.

Dinner: A Love Story by Jenny Rosenstrach

About the book:

Jenny Rosenstrach, and her husband, Andy, regularly, some might say pathologically, cook dinner for their family every night. Even when they work long days. Even when their kids' schedules pull them in eighteen different directions. They are not superhuman. They are not from another planet.

With simple strategies and common sense, Jenny figured out how to break down dinner—the food, the timing, the anxiety, from prep to cleanup—so that her family could enjoy good food, time to unwind, and simply be together.

Using the same straight-up, inspiring voice that readers of her award-winning blog, Dinner: A Love Story, have come to count on, Jenny never judges and never preaches. Every meal she dishes up is a real meal, one that has been cooked and eaten and enjoyed at least a half dozen times by someone in Jenny's house. With inspiration and game plans for any home cook at any level, Dinner: A Love Story is as much for the novice who doesn't know where to start as it is for the gourmand who doesn't know how to start over when she finds herself feeding an intractable toddler or for the person who never thought about home-cooked meals until he or she became a parent. This book is, in fact, for anyone interested in learning how to make a meal to be shared with someone they love, and about how so many good, happy things happen when we do.

My thoughts:

I picked this one up on a complete whim. It’s on Hoopla, so if your library has that, you can grab it there. Food memoirs are comfort reads for me, so when I was recovering from Covid (and had lost all smell and most of my taste, so couldn’t enjoy anything but kale salads and fruit), reading about this author’s dinner evolution somehow helped.

This is an easy read and technically listed as a cookbook, but I felt like this was much more memoir than cookbook. I loved reading about the author’s journey through making dinner from her early years when she was first married and then through motherhood. A lot of it mirrored my own journey, and it felt nostalgic to read about those days when she was first married and learning to cook.

I came into my marriage knowing how to cook three things—red beans & rice (like a good New Orleans girl), beef roast in a crock pot, and French bread pizza. Now, I own literally hundreds of cookbooks and consider myself a pretty savvy and adventurous cook. And I can look at my cookbook collection and see my own evolution from newlywed, to new mom, to mom of a foodie teen. I didn’t have the picky eater issue Rosentrach talked about when her kids were little, but everything else in the book felt like I’d been there too.

So, if you’re looking for an easy comfort read about food, this one might hit the spot. Plus, there are lots of recipes if you’re looking for that.

Watch

Modern Family (Hulu)

I know I am sooooo late to the boat on this one. When this premiered, my kiddo wasn’t even two yet. I didn’t have much time to watch grownup TV—or you know, brush my hair—so this one flew by me. I’d heard great things and had put it on my “one day” list, but when I was looking for a new show for my whole family to watch together, I decided to see if this one would be a good fit.

I’ve discovered that it is VERY hard to find a show that will entertain both me and the hubs AND also the 13-year old AND be age-appropriate for a young teen. Things are either too silly/kiddie or they jump to full out dirty humor. Not as much falls into the space in between. * puts on my Gen X back-in-my-day hat for a second * Back when I was growing up, sitcoms (and movies) were really good at innuendo that would entertain parents but went over kids heads and still had humor that kids could enjoy too. Those are so much harder to find now. * takes off hat * So I’m so thrilled to have found this one.

Yes, Modern Family has some sexual references, but they handle it in a way that I don’t feel awkward watching it with my 13 year old and he doesn’t feel awkward watching with us. And the show is SO FUNNY. We all regularly belly laugh to the point of losing our breath (which was a bit of a problem when we were still wheezy from Covid!) and it’s just straight up fun to watch. I don’t laugh aloud all that easily, but this one gets me on a regular basis. And it’s just a joy to hear both my husband and kiddo laughing just as hard. Family fun for all.

I’m already sad that we will one day get to the end and we’re only in the second season.

This is Pop (Netflix)

We are a music-loving family over here, so when I saw the description for this show, we decided to try it out. Each episode is a standalone documentary about a particular thing in pop music. For instance, there’s an episode about Boyz II Men, an episode about the rise of autotune, one on how Sweden played a huge role in pop music, another on the Brill Building.

The whole thing was fascinating and I learned so much. For instance, I now can’t NOT hear when a singer is autotuned—and realize that it’s kind of ruined pop music in a lot of ways. I also now can’t stop noticing nonsense lyrics from 90s/00s pop songs—lyrics I’ve sang over and over and never thought, “what does that even mean?” I want it that way. What way? What it do you want? The Backstreet Boys don’t even know. Lol.

The fam enjoyed the episodes too. You can hop around and don’t have to watch them in order if one topic interest you more than another. If you like music, I highly recommend checking these out—but be prepared to have the curtain peeled back on a few things.

Listen

Open Book by Jessica Simpson

About the book:

Jessica reveals for the first time her inner monologue and most intimate struggles. Guided by the journals she's kept since age 15, and brimming with her unique humor and down-to-earth humanity, Open Book is as inspiring as it is entertaining.

This was supposed to be a very different book. Five years ago, Jessica Simpson was approached to write a motivational guide to living your best life. She walked away from the offer, and nobody understood why. The truth is that she didn’t want to lie. 

Jessica couldn’t be authentic with her listeners if she wasn’t fully honest with herself first. 

Now, America’s Sweetheart, preacher’s daughter, pop phenomenon, reality TV pioneer, and the billion-dollar fashion mogul invites listeners on a remarkable journey, examining a life that blessed her with the compassion to help others but also burdened her with an almost crippling need to please. Open Book is Jessica Simpson using her voice, heart, soul, and humor to share things she’s never shared before.

First celebrated for her voice, she became one of the most talked-about women in the world, whether for music and fashion, her relationship struggles, or as a walking blonde joke. But now, instead of being talked about, Jessica is doing the talking. Her audiobook shares the wisdom and inspirations she’s learned and shows the real woman behind all the pop-culture clichés - "chicken or fish", "Daisy Duke", "football jinx", "mom jeans", "sexual napalm..." and more. Open Book is an opportunity to laugh and cry with a close friend, one that will inspire you to live your best, most authentic life, now that she is finally living hers.

My thoughts:

If y’all haven’t caught on to the pattern yet, I love a celebrity memoir audiobook narrated by the celebrity. This one took me a little longer to get through than Busy Phillips’ memoir that I read (and loved) in July. I think maybe because this one had less humor and tackled a number of heavy topics (TW: sexual abuse, alcoholism.) However, it was a good listen and I really did feel like she was being very open and vulnerable.

My favorite parts were when she was describing the years of trying out for the Mickey Mouse Club at the same time as Britney, Justin, Ryan Gosling, and Christina, and how not being part of that group kind of followed her (being the outsider.) I also enjoyed hearing the behind the scenes stuff about her and Nick Lachey’s reality show Newlyweds—which I most definitely watched every episode of when it was on, lol. (We’re close in age so I was only two years into my marriage when the show was on.)

She talks a lot about her faith and growing up with a pastor father. She gives dirt on people—looking at you, John Mayer. And unlike a lot of memoirs that feel very “I’ve been through these things and now I’m on the other side and have all this distance and perspective”, I feel like she’s still living through a lot of things. So, she has perspective on some but is still working through others.

And I had no idea that she was billionaire—yes, with a B—mogul because of her fashion company. Go on, Jessica.

Overall, a worthwhile listen but beware the heavy parts. Not one to listen to while your kids are in the car.

Alright, that’s it for this month’s round-up! What have you read/watched/listened to this month that was great?

What I've Been Reading & Loving Lately

Hi there! It’s been a minute. :)

I’m emerging from the book deadline cave (and book release frenzy) and finally have time to write something that is not a book! *blinks in the sunlight*

The good news is that, even though I’ve been writing most waking hours of the day for a couple of months, I have managed to carve out reading time along the way. (Because if I stop reading, the muse stops giving me words for my writing.) So, today I have some books to recommend!

Fave Fiction So Far

Wanderers by Chuck Wendig

Warning: This is a pandemic book. I bought this last year and had to put it on my shelf for a later date because I just couldn’t have handled this book in the early days of the COVID crisis. But last month, I decided to finally pick this up. I’m a person who gets anxiety relief from reading (or watching) horror stories (a concept I actually explore in my next book What If You & Me with the heroine), so your mileage may vary if you’re not wired that way. But I thought this epic book was very well done, and any author who can get me to read 782 pages of anything these days is doing something right. This hits the sweet spot between character-driven and plot-driven. It slowed a little in the middle for me, and I switched to audio to get through that part, but then after that, I raced to the end. If you’re looking for something like Stephen King’s The Stand, this is for you.

About the book:

Shana wakes up one morning to discover her little sister in the grip of a strange malady. She appears to be sleepwalking. She cannot talk and cannot be woken up. And she is heading with inexorable determination to a destination that only she knows. But Shana and her sister are not alone. Soon they are joined by a flock of sleepwalkers from across America, on the same mysterious journey. And like Shana, there are other “shepherds” who follow the flock to protect their friends and family on the long dark road ahead.

For as the sleepwalking phenomenon awakens terror and violence in America, the real danger may not be the epidemic but the fear of it. With society collapsing all around them—and an ultraviolent militia threatening to exterminate them—the fate of the sleepwalkers depends on unraveling the mystery behind the epidemic. The terrifying secret will either tear the nation apart—or bring the survivors together to remake a shattered world.

Boys Like You by Juliana Stone

This year, I created a TBR Backlog Reading Challenge so that I could tackle those books that have been sitting on my shelves for years. This book was one of them. It had been sitting on my shelf since 2015! That’s a long time to hold onto a book. But once I picked up this YA contemporary romance, I was hooked. I read through it in a day. A sweet, emotional romance.

About the book:

Two shattered hearts are about to collide in this achingly poignant young adult novel. Monroe and Nathan are two lost souls each struggling with grief and guilt from a mistake that changed their lives – looking for acceptance, so they can find forgiveness.

For Monroe Blackwell, one small mistake has torn her family apart―leaving her empty and broken. There's a hole in her heart that nothing can fill. That no one can fill. And a summer in Louisiana with her grandma isn't going to change that...

Nathan Everets knows heartache firsthand when a car accident leaves his best friend in a coma. And it's all his fault. He should be the one lying in the hospital. The one who will never play guitar again. He doesn't deserve forgiveness, and a court-appointed job at the Blackwell B&B isn't going to change that...

There's No Going Back

Captivating and hopeful, this achingly poignant novel brings together two lost souls struggling with grief and guilt―looking for acceptance, so they can find forgiveness.

When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn and It’s In His Kiss by Julia Quinn

I had read most of the Bridgerton novels years ago (and loved them!) but I had left a few unread. After watching the Netflix show, I got a hankering for those Bridgertons again. :) Luckily, I already had these on my shelf. I raced through them and had such a good time reading them. I only have one left and am waiting to savor it. Julia Quinn is one of those authors who I can always rely on to give me a great read.

Fave Non-Fiction So Far

My Life in France by Julia Child

The ultimate comfort read—or listen, in this case, because I listened to this on audio (highly recommend!) I love that this book was so many things—personal memoir, a peek into a time in history, a foodie memoir, a travel memoir, a love story, and the tale of a wonderful, strong, talented woman. The whole thing was a delight.

Text Me When You Get Home by Kayleen Schaefer

When I finished this, I immediately wanted to go out and buy a copy for all my friends. This essay collection was such a tribute to the beauty and richness of female friendships that I just wanted to hug it to my chest. I love how it explored how female friendships have been portrayed in the media (cat fights, mean girls, etc) and how, for most of us, that hasn’t been our experience. Instead, we are uplifted by the women we’re closest to. Readers often comment on the way I write supportive female friendships into my books, and I think I do that because I have wonderful friends in my life but also because it’s something we don’t see portrayed often enough on screen and in books.

Share Your Stuff by Laura Tremaine.

Speaking of friendships, I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook about digging deeper and sharing your stuff in a journal, with friends, or in other aspects of your life. This book is hard to describe. The official description says part memoir and part guidebook, and I think that’s apt, but also doesn’t fully convey the mood. I listen to Laura Tremaine’s podcast 10 Things to Tell You and enjoy it, so that’s what made me pick up this book. If this sounds interesting to you but you’re unsure, I encourage you to check out her podcast first. If you like the vibe, you’ll probably like this book. Recommended in audio since she narrates it herself and podcasters give good audio. :)

Solve For Happy by Mo Gawdet

This is another one that is a little hard to describe. It’s a book about happiness but uses math and physics and philosophy to tackle it. This is one I couldn’t rush through because the concepts took some time to wrap my head around. But I LOVED so much of this. It’s one I will probably reread so I can take notes the second time around.

Group by Christie Tate

I was a therapist before I was a writer, so therapy memoirs are my jam, and I hadn’t read one before that tackled group therapy. This one took me a little while to get into. The author made some life choices that made me want to yell at her “not to go there” like when I watch a horror movie, but I’m glad I stuck with the read. I ended up really enjoying the journey. I was also fascinated by the style of therapy because it wasn’t the kind I was trained in.

Light the Dark edited by Joe Fassler

My fellow writers, this was such an inspiring read. It’s a collection of essays from well-known writers (mostly literary fiction writers) about the different aspects of inspiration and the writing life. I felt so “seen” in the way some of them described their writing processes. This will be one I want to read through again.


Those are my faves so far. I hope you’ve found something that looks good to you!

What’s been your favorite read so far this year?

My Top 5 Reads of 2020 + More Favorites to Stock Your Bookshelves

At the end of each year, I like to flip through my book journal and see which books stood out the most. I assign star ratings in my journal, so it’s easy to see which rise to the top. Of the 69 books I’ve read so far this year, 22 have received 4 stars or above, but only 5 have received a 5-star rating. I’m pretty stingy with my 5-star ratings. For me, a four-star rating means I thoroughly enjoyed the book. A five-star means it wowed me. And though I know it’s not the end of the year quite yet (sorry December releases!), I know a lot of us are buying books for holiday gifts or putting some on our own Christmas list, and we might need ideas. So, I’m sharing my favorites today!

My Top 5 Reads of the Year

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab (fantasy)

This was a Book of the Month club read, and reemphasized why I’ve been a longtime member of Book of the Month club. This is not a book I would’ve found on my own because I don’t generally read much in this genre. (That’s a referral link if you want to check out BOTM. I’ve been a member for years and LOVE it.) This was a beautifully written fantasy story about a girl who makes a deal with the devil. She gets to live forever but is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. Until after 300 years…one boy remembers her name. The story moved through history so had great settings and period details. There’s a well done romance that wasn’t predictable. And though there was (thankfully) no blatant cliffhanger, the door was left open for a sequel. And I am so here for it if that happens. Loved the whole journey!

Most of All You by Mia Sheridan (contemporary romance)

I read this one in about 24 hours. It was such a page turner. My personal “catnip” in romance is dark, emotional backstories. I tend to write them, and I love to read them. This one hit the spot in that regard with a hero who was kidnapped as a child and a heroine with abuse in her past. I like that the author didn’t make expected choices and that the story kept me guessing. (I’m hard to surprise these days so bonus points for that!) This was a well-done, emotional love story.

Beach Read by Emily Henry (contemporary romance/women’s fiction)

Another Book of the Month pick. Though this was marketed as a romance, I feel like it was kind of a hybrid between romance and women’s fiction. I don’t mind that (in fact, I feel like some of my more recent books lean toward that as well.) This was the book that got me out of a reading slump back in May when I was having trouble reading with all the pandemic anxiety. The story was well-written, funny, and romantic while still having poignant undertones. Really enjoyed it.

My Kitchen Year by Ruth Reichl (memoir)

From my book journal: “This was exactly what I needed to read right now during this pandemic.” This is a food memoir, a favorite genre of mine, and it was just exactly the perfect book to read in 2020. Ruth Reichl has written a number of food memoirs, but this one was about the year after Gourmet, the magazine she was editor of, closed down suddenly. This memoir is about grief and slowing down and appreciating the small things. Gorgeous writing. There are recipes but come for the stories first.

Stillness is the Key by Ryan Holiday (philosophy/self-improvement)

I really enjoy Ryan Holiday’s books. He uses the wisdom of ancient philosophers to tackle contemporary issues in our lives, and does so in a way that makes the material really accessible. In Stillness Is the Key, he focuses on finding, you guessed it, stillness. In our always-on world, this book is much needed. I underlined a ton of passages (my book darts got quite a workout!) and I wish I could imprint some of the information onto my brain so I don’t forget it when I get swept up in the whirlwind of life.

More Fantastic Reads

These just missed the 5-star mark but were all 4 or 4.5 stars for me. You’ll notice more horror than usual. I was writing a heroine who is a horror author, so I read a lot of horror for inspiration. :)

Fiction

Finding Felicity by Stacey Kade (YA/new adult) - I love a book set on a college campus and this was one was made for me because I’d just finished binge-watching Felicity a few months before. The heroine used characters from Felicity when she was talking about her “friends” to her mom to hide the fact that she didn’t have any friends. But now she’s going to college. A well-done portrayal of social anxiety.

Diamond in the Rough by Skye Warren (dark erotic romance) - Warren’s books are dark, dark, dark, but I like a good dark erotic romance, so this fit the bill. Warning, it has a cliffhanger and is part of a trilogy.

Normal People by Sally Rooney (literary fiction) - Book of the Month pick - This is the rare circumstance where I’m going to recommend watching the TV adaptation of this book BEFORE reading the book. I know that’s sacrilege, but I think watching the show first enhanced my experience of the book. I could better picture the atmosphere and characters. Also, warning, this book has an abrupt non-ending (as does the show), but I still appreciated the journey enough to get past that and have chosen to believe what I want about how the couple ends up. :)

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson (YA mystery) - Book of the Month pick - Clearly inspired by the Serial podcast, this was a fast-paced mystery that kept me turning the pages. And that’s a feat because I’m not typically a mystery reader. I immediately had to track down book 2, which I had to buy from the UK since it’s not out here yet lol.

Fierce Kingdom by Gin Phillips (thriller) - INTENSE. A mom and her son get trapped in a zoo at closing time when mass shooters enter. Great setting and fantastic writing. Plus, love the cover.

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix - I really enjoy Hendrix’s books. Lots of humor but also real deal horror. I loved that this one was set in the 90s around a true crime book club of ladies. He nailed the concept of southern hospitality having “sharp teeth.”

The House Next Door by Anne Rivers Siddons (horror) - Written in the seventies but regularly pops up on lists of great haunted house stories. The growing dread in this one was legit.

Sour Candy by Kealan Patrick Burke (horror short story) - Creepy. And a true horror premise - what if that screaming child in the grocery store is suddenly calling you mom or dad?

Followers by Megan Angelo (dystopian) - The best dystopians are ones you could imagine happening. This fit into that category because social media really does feel like it could go there.

Non-fiction

Why We Can’t Sleep by Ada Calhoun - This was focused on the midlife crisis of Gen X, so I related. I liked how she focused on the generational aspects.

Hyperfocus by Chris Bailey - Really liked his concepts of hyperfocus and scatterfocus. I teach a class on focus for writers so this type of book is my jam.

Keep Moving by Maggie Smith - Short, uplifting essays and quotes about loss, creativity, and getting through changes. Lovely. Would make a good gift book.

I Remember Nothing by Nora Ephron - The last book Ephron wrote before she passed away. It was a quick, funny, and entertaining read.

The Art of Noticing by Rob Walker - Full of little exercises to enhance your creativity.

Losing Earth by Nathaniel Rich - Well-researched, fast read about the history of global warming

Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Right Now by Jaron Lanier - favorite quote” “Social media is making you into an asshole.” Very cerebral so don’t pick this one up for a light read, but it had great food for thought.

24/6: The Power of Unplugging One Day a Week by Tiffany Schlain - Loved the idea of taking a day off of tech each week.

Books on Writing

Dear Writer, You’re Doing it Wrong by Becca Syme - I always get something from Becca’s books, and they are good for getting me out of a writing rut.

The Scream Writer’s Handbook by Thomas Fenton - A short little book about writing horror screenplays that I got a lot out of.

Whew! I know that’s a lot. I hope you found something on the list that caught your interest or that would make a great gift for someone you love.

I’d love to hear your favorite reads of 2020! Let me know what got your top ratings this year. :)

The Right Book at the Right Time: Seasonal Reading & Campus Novels

Before I get to today’s post, I’m happy to report that I’ve turned in my book and I’m back from my summer online hiatus! I know it’s been quite the harrowing summer for us all, but I’m glad to be back to something “normal” —at least in some capacity. This lockdown has taught me that introverts like me are at high risk of becoming outright hermits if our “peopling” muscles aren’t exercised regularly. So even though this is online, blogging feels like peopling so *stretches unused muscles* let’s do this…

There are many kinds of readers. There are people who say they are readers but really only read that one giant bestseller ten years ago. There are casual readers who pick up a book on vacation or when they hear a lot of buzz about a book. Then there are Readers with a capital R. The ones who always have a TBR pile, who carry a book or e-reader with them everywhere, who think reading a book straight through is the perfect way to spend a Saturday night.

When you’re a Reader with a capital R, you often like to categorize and analyze your reading habits, preferences, and strategies. And we capital R Readers like to discuss those habits, preferences, and strategies with each other. As a proud and unrepentant book nerd, I am one of those people. And this time of year gets me to thinking about seasonal reading. Not everyone changes up their reading choices based on the season, but I definitely have that tendency.

Last week, my son started school, and that triggered my “end of summer, beginning of fall” reading mood—even though it’s still melt-your-face-off hot here. (The kids are in-person with masks in this school district, but I know many of you still have kiddos at home on virtual, so you may not be feeling the seasonal shift as acutely.) And when school starts, I find myself craving stories set at college or at boarding schools—what I think of as campus novels. I was someone who loved college. I can still remember that experience of moving onto LSU’s campus freshman year, that sense of shifting from childhood to adulthood, the fear of the unknown, the thrill of being on my own for the first time, the endless possibility of ALL THE NERDY CLASSES I COULD TAKE. Lol. So I love reliving that kind of experience in fiction.

Novels set on college campuses or at boarding schools can have all kinds of different tones. Rom coms. Dark thrillers. Thought-provoking literary fiction. Paranormal. But regardless of genre, they usually put me in the fall mood—leafy campuses, football games, late night studying. It’s just a cozy, insulated, or creepy (depending on the book) feeling that helps me get lost in another world. And with the world we’re currently living in, escape to a different one is highly appealing!

So this past week, I found myself scouring book recommendation lists featuring campus novels. I’ve already read one that I loved and have added more to my list that I’m going to share with you in case you’re in a similar mood. In addition, I’m going to include past campus novels I’ve enjoyed. Note: though there are lots of novels (particularly in the New Adult genre) that are about college students, a campus novel (to me) is one that evokes a strong sense of place. I want to *feel* like I’m on campus with the characters. So, that’s what my recommendation list will reflect.

I’d also love to hear if you have any recommendations for me! Anyone else in the fall mood?

Campus Novels I’ve Read and Loved

Finding Felicity by Stacey Kade

If ever there were a book meant for me in this moment, this is the one. Not only is this a starting-college, campus novel, the story is about a girl obsessed with the 90s show Felicity. I just did a binge watch of all the seasons a few months ago and was promptly obsessed, so this book was perfect. You do not have to watch Felicity to enjoy the book. (But if you love college-set stories and romances and haven’t watched Felicity, what are you even doing with your life? ;) )

About the book:

Felicity meets Fangirl in this contemporary novel about a young woman who must leave behind her fantasy life—inspired by her favorite WB show from the 1990s—and create a real one at college.

Caroline Sands has never been particularly good at making friends. And her parents’ divorce and the move to Arizona three years ago didn’t help. Being the new girl is hard enough without being socially awkward too. So out of desperation and a desire to please her worried mother, Caroline invented a whole life for herself—using characters from Felicity, an old show she discovered online and fell in love with.

But now it’s time for Caroline to go off to college and she wants nothing more than to leave her old “life” behind and build something real. However, when her mother discovers the truth about her manufactured friends, she gives Caroline an ultimatum: Prove in this first semester that she can make friends of the nonfictional variety and thrive in a new environment. Otherwise, it’s back to living at home—and a lot of therapy.

Armed with nothing more than her resolve and a Felicity-inspired plan, Caroline accepts the challenge. But she soon realizes that the real world is rarely as simple as television makes it out to be. And to find a place where she truly belongs, Caroline may have to abandon her script and take the risk of being herself.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

This was one of my favorite reads of 2019. A dark story set at a supernatural version of Yale that hits that autumn sweet spot of great setting and creepiness. There was clever world-building (which took a while to set up in the story, but was worth the time) and I didn’t guess the mystery, which I always love. It did have a cliffhanger about one plot line but wrapped up the main one, so I didn’t get too frustrated with a partial cliffhanger. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series

About the book:

Galaxy “Alex” Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale’s freshman class. Raised in the Los Angeles hinterlands by a hippie mom, Alex dropped out of school early and into a world of shady drug dealer boyfriends, dead-end jobs, and much, much worse. By age twenty, in fact, she is the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved multiple homicide. Some might say she’s thrown her life away. But at her hospital bed, Alex is offered a second chance: to attend one of the world’s most elite universities on a full ride. What’s the catch, and why her?

Still searching for answers to this herself, Alex arrives in New Haven tasked by her mysterious benefactors with monitoring the activities of Yale’s secret societies. These eight windowless “tombs” are well-known to be haunts of the future rich and powerful, from high-ranking politicos to Wall Street and Hollywood’s biggest players. But their occult activities are revealed to be more sinister and more extraordinary than any paranoid imagination might conceive.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

You’ll see this one pop up on almost all the campus reads book recommendation lists. It was a huge book when it released in the early 90s, and it is now considered a modern classic. I didn’t read it back then (I was 12) but I read this one about ten years ago. Because it’s been a while, I don’t remember a lot of details, but I remember this being one of the first novels that I read that made me fall in love with that closed-society campus feel. This book is literary, most of the characters aren’t very likable, and the mood is bleak. That’s usually not what I go for in my books, but it worked for me here.

About the book:

Under the influence of their charismatic classics professor, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at an elite New England college discover a way of thinking and living that is a world away from the humdrum existence of their contemporaries. But when they go beyond the boundaries of normal morality they slip gradually from obsession to corruption and betrayal, and at last - inexorably - into evil.

Of these three, if you want light and fun—go with number one, if you want dark but modern and fast-paced, go with book two, if you want to challenge yourself with a dense, literary mystery, go with book three. (And if all else fails, you can always just read Harry Potter again! Supernatural campuses count, lol.)

Campus Novels I’ve Added to My TBR

Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld

I’ve read Eligible by this same author and enjoyed it, so when I saw that her debut novel was set at a boarding school, I decided to add it to my TBR. This one is high school and not college, but I feel like boarding schools can give a lot of the same feel. The Goodreads ratings on this one are below 4, so your mileage may vary, but I think Sittenfeld tends to write unlikable characters which can get an author dinged in ratings. I don’t always have to like a character, but I need to be able to understand why they are that way and root for them on some level, so we’ll see.

About the book:

Curtis Sittenfeld’s debut novel, Prep, is an insightful, achingly funny coming-of-age story as well as a brilliant dissection of class, race, and gender in a hothouse of adolescent angst and ambition.

Lee Fiora is an intelligent, observant fourteen-year-old when her father drops her off in front of her dorm at the prestigious Ault School in Massachusetts. She leaves her animated, affectionate family in South Bend, Indiana, at least in part because of the boarding school’s glossy brochure, in which boys in sweaters chat in front of old brick buildings, girls in kilts hold lacrosse sticks on pristinely mown athletic fields, and everyone sings hymns in chapel. 

As Lee soon learns, Ault is a cloistered world of jaded, attractive teenagers who spend summers on Nantucket and speak in their own clever shorthand. Both intimidated and fascinated by her classmates, Lee becomes a shrewd observer of–and, ultimately, a participant in–their rituals and mores. As a scholarship student, she constantly feels like an outsider and is both drawn to and repelled by other loners. By the time she’s a senior, Lee has created a hard-won place for herself at Ault. But when her behavior takes a self-destructive and highly public turn, her carefully crafted identity within the community is shattered.

Ultimately, Lee’s experiences–complicated relationships with teachers; intense friendships with other girls; an all-consuming preoccupation with a classmate who is less than a boyfriend and more than a crush; conflicts with her parents, from whom Lee feels increasingly distant, coalesce into a singular portrait of the painful and thrilling adolescence universal to us all.

Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl

This one sounds like an updated spin on The Secret History, so that’s what made me pick it up. Each chapter is named after a classic book. Plus, it’s a pretty cool cover.

About the book:

Marisha Pessl’s dazzling debut sparked raves from critics and heralded the arrival of a vibrant new voice in American fiction. At the center of Special Topics in Calamity Physics is clever, deadpan Blue van Meer, who has a head full of literary, philosophical, scientific, and cinematic knowledge. But she could use some friends. Upon entering the elite St. Gallway School, she finds some—a clique of eccentrics known as the Bluebloods. One drowning and one hanging later, Blue finds herself puzzling out a byzantine murder mystery. Nabokov meets Donna Tartt (then invites the rest of the Western Canon to the party) in this novel—with visual aids drawn by the author—that has won over readers of all ages.

Rush by Lisa Patton

This one has been on my shelf awhile and has a gorgeous cover. As you can tell by the title, this one is focused on a sorority. I wasn’t in a sorority, so I find books that peek inside that world interesting.

About the book:

Set in modern day Oxford, Mississippi, on the Ole Miss campus, bestselling author Lisa Patton’s RUSH is a story about women—from both ends of the social ladder—discovering their voices, courage and empowerment. 

When Lilith Whitmore, the well-heeled House Corp President of Alpha Delta Beta, one of the premiere sororities on campus, appoints recent empty-nester Wilda to the Rush Advisory Board, Wilda can hardly believe her luck. What’s more, Lilith suggests their daughters, both incoming freshman, room together. What Wilda doesn’t know is that it's all part of Lilith’s plan to ensure her own daughter receives an Alpha Delt bid—no matter what.

Cali Watkins possesses all the qualities sororities are looking for in a potential new member. She’s kind and intelligent, makes friends easily, even plans to someday run for governor. But her resume lacks a vital ingredient. Pedigree. Without family money Cali's chances of sorority membership are already thin, but she has an even bigger problem. If anyone discovers the dark family secrets she's hiding, she’ll be dropped from Rush in an instant.

For twenty-five years, Miss Pearl—as her “babies” like to call her—has been housekeeper and a second mother to the Alpha Delt girls, even though it reminds her of a painful part of her past she’ll never forget. When an opportunity for promotion arises, it seems a natural fit. But Lilith Whitmore slams her Prada heel down fast, crushing Miss Pearl’s hopes of a better future. When Wilda and the girls find out, they devise a plan destined to change Alpha Delta Beta—and maybe the entire Greek system—forever. 

That’s what’s on my list, I’d love to hear if you have any recommendations for campus novels. What are some of your favorites?

And are you a seasonal reader? What’s your favorite season to pair books with?

What To Read: A Beachy Book, A Murdery Book, & One to Help with the Sads

Reading has always been my go-to method for fun and comfort. So it’s been interesting that during this pandemic, I’ve been less likely to pick up a book. It’s as if because the world is flipped upside down, my normal habits are too. So even though I was way ahead of pace on my reading challenge by March, now I find myself seven books behind.

I think this is partly because it’s hard to get lost in something when there’s so much going on in the world. Also, my kiddo is home all day with me and my husband is home a lot more, so quiet reading time is hard to come by. So, for a book to really capture me right now means it’s a REALLY great book.

The good news is that I’ve had two of those make that cut recently. Both were through my Book of the Month club subscription, so I guess they’re doing something right over there! (That link is a referral link, but this post isn’t sponsored.)

First up is Beach Read by Emily Henry. This one caught my attention because the heroine is a romance novelist, so of course, I needed to read that. What was a cute set up (see summary below) turned out to be a more poignant story than the cover would have you believe, but you know I love that. I write those kinds of books—ones that are romantic but also contain darker emotions and backstories. Though I can enjoy the lighter, lower conflict romances, my sweet spot is ones that have more angst. So I really enjoyed this read.

About the book:

A romance writer who no longer believes in love and a literary writer stuck in a rut engage in a summer-long challenge that may just upend everything they believe about happily ever afters.

Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. January Andrews writes bestselling romance. When she pens a happily ever after, he kills off his entire cast. 

They're polar opposites. 

In fact, the only thing they have in common is that for the next three months, they're living in neighboring beach houses, broke, and bogged down with writer's block.

Until, one hazy evening, one thing leads to another and they strike a deal designed to force them out of their creative ruts: Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel. She'll take him on field trips worthy of any rom-com montage, and he'll take her to interview surviving members of a backwoods death cult (obviously). Everyone will finish a book and no one will fall in love. Really.

Next up was one that I raced through. I’ll preface this by saying I’m not typically a mystery reader. Usually, I’m like—meh, I don’t care who did it. Because mysteries, in general, tend to be a lot more plot-focused than character-focused, and I’m just a character-hungry reader. However, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson, a YA mystery, had a great balance of both character and plot. Plus, I love true crime podcasts, and this definitely seemed inspired by season one of the podcast Serial.

I didn’t guess the ending, and I was interested in knowing who did it, but I also loved the characters (there’s also a touch of romance.) I actually enjoyed them so much that I went through the trouble of ordering a UK copy of book two from Book Depository because I don’t want to wait for the U.S. version to release lol. So, if that’s not an endorsement, I don’t know what is.

About the book:

For readers of Kara Thomas and Karen McManus, an addictive, twisty crime thriller with shades of Serial and Making a Murderer about a closed local murder case that doesn't add up, and a girl who's determined to find the real killer--but not everyone wants her meddling in the past.

Everyone in Fairview knows the story.

Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. It was all anyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town.

But she can't shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day. She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her. How could he possibly have been a killer?

Now a senior herself, Pip decides to reexamine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation. But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal innocent . . . and the line between past and present begins to blur. Someone in Fairview doesn't want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger.

This is the story of an investigation turned obsession, full of twists and turns and with an ending you'll never expect.

Finally, this isn’t a fiction recommendation, but with everyone going through so much right now, I know I’m not the only one struggling with bouts of anxiety and sadness. So, if you’re looking for some simple ways to boost your mood, the book The Upward Spiral by Alex Korb had a lot of great, scientifically-based suggestions. He gets a little technical with the neurotransmitter talk and such, but you don’t need to understand all of that to understand the tactics and techniques he’s suggesting. I found this was a quick read with lots of helpful things to try.

Alright, that’s all I’ve got for you today. I hope you have a great weekend!

What have you read lately that you were able to get lost in?