Hello on this lovely almost winter day. It still seems like the tail end of fall here, but winter is whispering in the trees and honking across the sky in long lines of geese heading south for the cold months. Here are the books we both read for the fall reading inspiration. We would love it if you would tell us what you read this fall.

Liz’s books

A novel with fall in the title: Where the Fire Falls by Karen Barnett. This was called a Vintage National Parks Novel. It took place in the 1920’s at Yosemite National Park. It was basically a little romance story with Yosemite as the backdrop. I learned some things about Yosemite National Park. Olivia, a down-and-out artist, comes to Yosemite to paint scenes for a magazine. She has to take the job because she needs the money. Her agent created an image for her and Olivia tries to dress and act the part of a worldly flapper, even though her heart knows she is not being true to herself. The gap between who she is and who she pretends to be could mean the difference between life and death. There are two more books to the set, Ever Faithful and Road to Paradise. The vintage-look cover won me over.

Cozy Mystery: Shady Hollow by Juneau Black. Shady Hollow is a place where woodland creatures live in harmony, until a toad turns up dead. Vera Vixen the local reporter, takes on the case, aided by Lenore Raven, who runs Nevermore Books, and Orville, a bear of a policeman. A cute story with lots of classic literature references. If you liked Thornton W. Burgess as a child, you will enjoy this book.

Takes place at school. I tried three different books and thought I’d have to abandon this idea. So much nonsense! Is that really what 3rd and 4th graders want to read? Then I thought of changing the prompt to a book for school. I looked at the stack of books to be read for the school library, and found The Haunting of Hillside School by Kristina Gregory. By the time I was two pages in I was hooked. There was a stormy sky, creaking floors, falling leaves, and a rattling windowpane. It was almost scary but in the end it was all explained satisfactorily. I think this was my favorite book of this list.

Least favorite was the dystopian novel. I read The Giver by Lois Lowry. I like some of her books but not this one. Since it’s publication, it has been required reading in some schools and I can see why parents protested. It may have a young protagonist but the themes and ideas in the book are for adults. Jonas’ world is considered perfect because the elders of the community keep everything under control. There is no war or pain, no colors, no creativity, no choices, no memories of how it was when these existed. Each person is assigned his role by the elders. When Jonas turns twelve, he is given the role of holding memories, so the people in the community do not have to. That is how he learns the truth about this ‘perfect’ world.

I did give up on the bittersweet book. I tried two books, both about the reason and meaning of sorrow and longing. The first was Bittersweet by Susan Cain. The author quotes from many religions, picking and choosing what she likes. I didn’t get past the introduction and knew it wasn’t for me. The second option was Bittersweet by Shauna Neiquist. Before I started reading it, I looked up who the author was and was disappointed enough that I really didn’t give the book a chance. Also the reviews weren’t very good. So with points at Thriftbooks, I ordered Bittersweet Country. I didn’t check it out well enough! It is a collection of articles by high school students in a school magazine by the same name, in the 70’s in Lebanon, Missouri. Talk about obscure! I might read a few of the chapters- there was one about shaped-note singing that looked interesting. The articles focus on lost arts of the people of the Ozarks. Who knows, maybe I will read it yet.

I did read a truly bittersweet book this summer called The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman. If happy endings make you sad, this one should make you happy!

Learn a skill: I read The Whole and Healthy Family by Jodi Mockabee. Many thoughts while reading it. It was really for moms with small children, which is not me, but I found it quite interesting anyway. She acknowledges how healthy eating can become an idol. And that wanting the best for our family can lead to trying to control everything. But neither did she feel like it was wise to put her head in the sand and not do her best to learn about nutrition and what was helpful for her children. I appreciated that nuanced approach.

I am about half way through the book with fall colored cover: The Hills of Zion by Andrew Lambden. This story takes place in 13th Century Europe. Caught in the midst of the political intrigue, war, and religious persecution, Perci tries to make his way to the truth. Will he take the path of peace or hatred? I do not know at this time. There are several characters to keep straight, and if I don’t read for a couple days, I need to figure out again who’s who.

I especially enjoyed choosing books to match the prompts. It took some time, a bit of searching my TBR shelf, thrift books and reading app, but that was fun. It was inspiring to see the stack of books on the end table – all ones I was excited to read. There was such a variety, that if I wasn’t in the mood for one, there was another that fit the mood.

Eva’s Books

A novel with Fall in the title: Not a Sparrow Falls by Linda Nichols. A sweet story of redemption and starting over. Mary was tired of running and worrying the past would catch up with her. When it did, there were good people there to catch her in the fall. This is a christian fiction book, which is not a genre I read often. It was a good easy to read story.

Cozy Mystery: A Grave Matter by Anna Lee Huber. This was the eastiest choice in the list for me. I love Cozy Mysteries and I have been working my way through the Lady Darby Series this fall. This one was the next one in the series. It takes place in Scotland, which was another win for me. Scotland, Ireland and England are favorite book settings for me. The story starts out at a ball. About midnight a boy comes in saying the caretaker had been murdered (no details on that in a cozy mystery), and a grave had been disturbed in a local cemetery. Lady Darby and the inquiry agent Sebastian Gage are on the hunt to find the killer before more graves are dug up.

Dystopian Novel: The Testaments by Margaret Atwood. Sequal to The Handmaid’s Tale If you have read The Handmaid’s Tale I recommend reading this one, too. Definitly read that one first. First of all a definition of Dystopian: “An imaginary place or condition where everything is as bad as possible.” Wow! Who would right a book about that? And who would ever read it?! Because I don’t know what the point of this book was I will put the book blurb here. I am very curious if any of you have read anything by Margaret Atwood? I would like to have a conversation with you, if so. For a longer blurb go to Wikipedia.

“More than fifteen years after the events of The Handmaid’s Tale, the theocratic regime of the Republic of Gilead maintains its grip on power, but there are signs it is beginning to rot from within. At this crucial moment, the lives of three radically different women converge, with potentially explosive results.
 
Two have grown up as part of the first generation to come of age in the new order. The testimonies of these two young women are joined by a third: Aunt Lydia.  Her complex past and uncertain future unfold in surprising and pivotal ways.
 
With The Testaments, Margaret Atwood opens up the innermost workings of Gilead, as each woman is forced to come to terms with who she is, and how far she will go for what she believes.”

Non-Fictiont to learn a skill: Animal, Vegatable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. This book was all about growing a garden and learning to eat locally. I’m not sure what I learned from it, but it did enthuse me to try my hand at a garden (small) next year. ( I was going to read The Whole and Healthy Family by Jodi Mockabee, but I haven’t gotten far in it, yet. I did have some good updates from Liz while she was reading it, though. It sounds like a really good book!

YA novel that takes place at school: First Term at Malory Towers by Enid Blyton This book would be perfect for your pre-teen and early teen daughters. Darrell is going to her first term at Malory Towers, a boarding school in Cornwall, England. Darrell is from London, so this is a great change of pace for her. She gets to know the other girls and the story tells a lot of funny scrapes she and her friends get into. Wrongs are made right and most of them end as friends. This is a series, so if you are looking for some books for the young reader in your life, this is a set to look into!

A Bittersweet book: 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff This book has been on TBR for years! Years, I tell you!! And now that I’ve read it, I wish I hadn’t. That way I would still think it was a good book. This book is a series of letters between Helene Hanff and a London bookseller. They never meet in spite of the fact that she kept saying she was going to go to London. These letters span about 40 years. They are mostly requests of books that Helene is looking for. He responds by sending the book along with a letter telling her tidbits of news and how much she owes. I found Helene to be a crass, bossy American. Mr Doel (the bookseller) was your steriotype Englisher: Stiff upper lip and all that. Why he put up with her is beyond me. Anyway, it didn’t seem bittersweet to me, in spite of the reviews that say the contrary. Read it and come back here and tell me which camp you are in. Do you like it or no?

A book with a fall colored cover: September by Rosamund Pilcher. This is a re-read. Ms. Pilcher is one of the few authours that I re-read. (This book is set in Scotland. I definitly am seeing a trend in my reading!!) This one would have suited the Bittrsweet reading prompt, but it also has a beautiful fall colored cover, so two birds with one stone. I could tell you what the book is about, but listen to this blurb from Amazon. Doesn’t this make you want to settle into this story on a cozy rainy day?

A place you will never forget

Rosamunde Pilcher’s Scotland…where the fields flourish with greenery, the hills bloom with purple, and the lochs glitter with the bright blue of the sky.

A time you will never forget

September…when the heather is in full flower, the first chill of autumn cools the air, and the countryside stirs with the hunt, balls, dinner parties, and dance.

A novel you will never forget

Amazon book blurb

I got a book from each category read this time, and I am totally amazed. Usually I bomb out on following book prompts. Something else catches my attention and I abandon the books I am ‘supposed’ to be reading. I thoroughly enjoyed this one, and I’m looking forward to hearing what you all read.

A Literary Christmas

Look for the download coming after Thanksgiving to join in a Literary Christmas. We’d love to have you read with us.