Stuff I Like: Recent Reads.

I've been doing a lot of reading lately and here are a few that I finished, one that I'm currently reading and what I have on deck. First, what I've read recently:

The Cloisters by Katy Hays. I am so conflicted about this book. I loved the story overall and really loved the dark academia/NYC feel. It's really atmospheric and descriptive and I love learning about an esoteric subject about which I knew nothing. But, the main character feels like such a beige drip of a Mary Sue that it's hard to feel like she's a real person. This resolves itself later (sort of) but the other characters are so much more alive, cunning, and interesting that it really was kind of off-putting, but Marianne (who also read it) thinks that contrast is important to the story.) Despite my conflict, I would recommend this if you like a twisty dark academia type novel. 

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. I'm pretty sure one of you recommended this to me! Overall I loved this book - the PNW location and the beautiful weirdness that one of the main characters is a giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus really made this book work for me. I enjoyed Marcellus above all the other characters. My only complaint is that one of the main characters is so unlikeable that I couldn't really make myself care about that storyline, but the rest of the characters make up for it. Overall, definitely recommend. 

The Christmas Wish by Lindsey Kelk. This was delightful! It's pure British rom-com Christmas fun but has a fun Groundhogs Day setup that I enjoyed a lot. All of the characters feel like real people and it was a fun read. I'm definitely going to see what else she's written and add her to my Brit rom-com roster. 

Currently reading: 

Meet Me Under The Mistletoe by Jenny Bayliss.  I am almost finished with this one and it's also delightful and fun in the most British rom-com Christmas kind of way. This is the third book by Jenny Bayliss and I really feel it's her best so far. Just a comfortable, cozy read with super likable (and a few deliciously hate-able) characters. 

On deck: 

Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson
I was saving this book to read on my flight to and from my hometown, but that trip obviously got canceled so it's been patiently waiting for me to be ready for it. 

Heartburn by Nora Ephron
How have I never read this? I love all of Nora Ephron's essay books but I've never read her novel. 

Finally, I was gifted the following books which are currently waiting in a tempting stack:

This Must Be The Place by Maggie O'Farrell
An irresistible love story, an unforgettable family. The New York Times bestselling author of Hamnet captures an extraordinary marriage with insight and laugh-out-loud humor in what Richard Russo calls “her breakout book.”

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
A triumph of imagination and compassion, a soaring story about children on the cusp of adulthood in worlds in peril, who find resilience, hope, and a book.

The Southern Book Club's Guide To Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
Steel Magnolias meets Dracula in this New York Times best-selling horror novel about a women's book club that must do battle with a mysterious newcomer to their small Southern town.

MacBeth by Jo Nesbo
Shakespeare’s dark and tragic play retold in a heart-pounding New York Times bestselling thriller from the author of The Snowman and The Thirst.

Gift Guide: Books, of course!

 I love getting books as gifts and love giving them as well. I've done quite a few book gift guides (here, here and here) but why not one more? 

Two Arty Books:

Wild Things Are Happening: The Art of Maurice Sendak. I suspect Maurice Sendak was a big part of a lot of your childhoods and now there's a book celebrating the art of his illustrations! I think this would be an amazing gift for the Gen-Xer in your life. 

Terry O'Neill: The A-Z of Rock ‘N' Roll. Okay, obviously I love that David Bowie is on the cover but Terry O'Neill's took amazing rock 'n roll photos of just about all the music legends. This book seems to cover a lot of ground and gets great reviews. This would be a great gift for anyone who's a rock music fan, especially a fan of 60's and 70's era music. 

Two Cook Books:

Appetites: A Cookbook by Anthony Bourdain. I've included this before but now I own it and it's amazing. Have I made any of the recipes? No, I have not, but I have taken his advice re. pigs in blankets, which is solid advice. It's a beautiful book and fun to read and I hear his voice in every page. 

Simply Julia: 110 Easy Recipes for Healthy Comfort Food. Marianne loves this cookbook and I buy what she tells me to because she's pretty much always right. The recipes aren't super complicated and they're really delicious. This is a good one. 

Two That I Read This Year and Loved:

Lesson in Chemistry. This one is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser! It's weird and funny and a fast read. My sort-of review is here, but if you're stuck on a gift for a fiction reader, this is probably a safe choice. 

This Time Tomorrow is such a delight. I am a big fan of time travel stories and this one was deeply satisfying and has such an excellent sense of place. My sort-of review is here. Highly recommend. 

Two To Get You In The Spirit:

In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash. Years ago I won a $5 off a guy when I was waxing poetic about A Christmas Story and he said he bet me I couldn't tell him the name of the book it was based on. What he didn't know is that my father was a huge Jean Shepard fan. There is a sucker born every minute and I took that guy's $5. Anyway, if you love the movie, read the book that inspired it and trust that it's amazing. (You can also buy just the Christmas story part but why? Get the whole book. It's funny as hell.) 

The Christmas Wish. I haven't read this but Marianne has, and she sent it to me because she's the best. She said it's the perfect light holiday read. A funny, holiday romance. I'm in! 

And, don't forget to check out my Christmas-y read list from last year! 

Stuff I Like: Fall Reading List.

I realized that I posted about my summer reading list but never updated on my progress. Here's what I'm reading, what I've read and what I have on deck: 

Currently Reading: 

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
A few of you sang this book's praises and so far I'm very much enjoying it. I'm about a third of the way through and it's just exactly my brand of quirky. I love the characters, especially Elizabeth Zott who's the main character, and the writing is sharp. It's also funny, which I wasn't expecting! Just a delight and I was happy to see it's being adapted for a show because it really lends itself to a (hopefully good) screen adaptation. 

Four I recently finished:

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
This one has been getting a lot of press and for good reason! It was a really top notch read. I don't know that I loved every element of it but I was very invested in the story and satisfied by the ending. It's a story of friendship, grief, love and failure, and introduced me to the world of video game design which I knew nothing about. Some books I read and immediately forget. This one I'm still thinking about weeks later. Recommend. 

In a New York Minute by Kate Spencer
This book was an entertaining read but not amazing. It had a few cringe moments for me but overall I found it enjoyable and I especially loved a lot of the secondary characters. That said, I'm getting a little tired of the trope of the beautiful girl (who doesn't know it!) who's good at everything (but doesn't know it!) and thinks she's not good enough for the guy. Also, I know that this is a first effort for Kate Spencer and I applaud anyone brave enough to write a novel, so here's to hoping she keeps writing! 

Mad About You by Mhairi McFarlane 
Delightful as always. Maybe not her 100% best but it was, as always, well-written with characters who seem like real people. Anyone who's ever been in a toxic relationship will relate to this one. If you've never read Mhairi McFarlane, she's really reliably good! I've talked about her before on the blog and have never not liked one of her books. 

The Mermaid's Child by Jo Baker
This one was...weird. Part odyssey, part fairy tale, part...I'm not sure, but so beautifully written. The ending felt abrupt but probably because I wasn't expecting it to end, like, ever. It was an epic journey of a story and while it wasn't perfect, I still really enjoyed it. Jo Baker is just such a excellent atmospheric writer.

Three I've got on my "to read" list:

Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson 
Brand new Kate Atkinson!! I have loved nearly everything she's written so I'm very excited to read this. Described by Slate: "The Jazz Age London of Shrines of Gaiety is nearly as merciless as Dickens’ Victorian metropolis and even more rife with crime and intrigue.” 

Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan
Described as: "A heartwarming and hilarious novel about a divorced romance channel screenwriter whose script about her marriage’s collapse just might help her reclaim her life and find love."

The Body Lies by Jo Baker
Described as: "A work of riveting psychological suspense that grapples with how to live as a woman in the world--or in the pages of a book--when the stakes are dangerously high"

One I DNF'd because life is too short to read something you're not into:

A Hundred Other Girls by Iman Hariri-Kia 
I wanted to love this because I really dig a story set in the fashion/magazine world but this one just didn't land for me. It feels young, the writing is a bit clunky, and some of the characters didn't seem like real, fully fleshed out people. But, it had fun NYC energy and its set in the fashion world which is always entertaining, so your mileage may vary. 

That's it for now! Please let me know in the comments how you feel about any or all of these books (or recommend something you think I might like!)

Stuff I Like: Summer Reading List.

I've been spendy this month, way more than I meant to be. I bought these jeans (still very on sale) from Madewell, this Clare V bag (when it was super marked down) and I recently ordered a perfume sampler from Henry Rose, a brand that my friend Kate introduced me to. I've decided to do a no-buy/low-buy for most of the month of August to balance things out (more details on that soon) and today, instead of talking about clothes and stuff, I thought I'd tell you about a bunch of books I've read this summer. 

Currently reading:

The Telling by Jo Baker
I loved Longbourn by Jo Baker (discussed briefly here and here) so I was happy to realize she had written other books! I'm about a third of the way through The Telling, which is a ghost story, sort of. It's about two women living in the same house, two centuries apart. Jo Baker is an excellent atmospheric writer and after the first two chapters, I was hooked. I'll report back when I've finished it! 

Three I recently finished:

This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub
I mentioned this one recently but at that point I was still reading it. I am happy to report I completely loved it and it's probably my favorite book this summer. Just a solid story with a likable protagonist,  a touch of time travel and some nostalgic Gen-X goodness. I've added another of Emma Straub's books to reading list, which I hope I love just as much.

Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen
This one was light and fun - a good beach or vacation book. It's a fast read and the twist wasn't a huge surprise, but still a good one! I love a heist story and even better with two women as the lead characters. I also loved getting some insight into the world of super-fake designer bags. Not the best thing I've every read but it was an enjoyable read.

Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
I didn't LOVE this but I did enjoy it the way you enjoy any beach-read romantic fluff. It's a friends-to-lovers story set over the course of six summers and one weekend. It's not perfect - I found some of the descriptions kind of cringe-y and the dialogue skewed a little YA to me (I am an Old), but it really captures the feeling of high summer and overall I enjoyed the story as it unfolded. 

Two I DNF'd because life is too short to read something you're not into:

One Italian Summer by Rebecca Searle
I truly loved In Five Years (discussed here) so I was excited to read this one but I almost immediately disliked the main character which isn't a great place to start. I also didn't like her mother because she was such an overbearing presence living rent-free in this character's brain. Also, girl, your mother is the love of your life? Cannot relate. The whole thing just struck me as weird and whiny and insincere. I will say, the descriptions of Italy were wonderful done but I just couldn't put aside my dislike of the characters long enough to enjoy them. 

Flying Solo by Linda Holmes
Here's another one where I liked her first book, Evvie Drake Starts Over, but this one fell flat for me. It wasn't bad, exactly, I just wasn't invested in the main character and didn't understand why a wooden duck would create any kind of mystery. I think it's probably a decent cozy story with a low-stakes mystery and some romance but it just wasn't for me. 

Four I've got on my "to read" list:

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston

"A romance ghostwriter who's lost her motivation after a breakup is haunted by the spirit of her newly departed editor in this whimsical paranormal romance."

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

"Two friends—often in love, but never lovers—come together as creative partners in the world of video game design."

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

A story about "Elizabeth Zott, a scientist whose career takes a detour when she becomes the star of a beloved TV cooking show."

The Maid by Nita Prose

“A heartwarming mystery with a lovable oddball at its center.”

Stuff I Like: Sparking Joy.

In today's post about Stuff I Like, I'm going to tell you about what's sparking joy in my life lately - the daily small pleasures that get me through the day. Here we go:

This Espresso Machine That Brings All The Joy
I seriously love espresso and after much cajoling (and a sale) I managed to convince my boyfriend that we needed this Breville Barista Express Espresso machine. It takes a bit of work to dial in but once you have it calibrated you are good to go. I am not exaggerating when I tell you the thing that gets me out of bed every morning is the Americano (or two) that I make for myself, a process I find deeply satisfying. Seriously, if there was a fire I'd have cats under one arm and my Breville under the other. I love it that much. It's fucking expensive but a few times a year William-Sonoma puts it on sale for $599. Worth every ridiculous penny.

This Book I'm Recommending Before I've Finished Reading It
I'm currently reading Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson and it's so good that I'm just going to go ahead and recommend it before I've even finished reading it. It's a multigenerational story "of how the inheritance of betrayals, secrets, memories, and even names can shape relationships and history." The writing is beautiful and the characters feel like real people. It's a good book to dive into if you want something really satisfying and evocative to read. 

This Album That's Become My Summer Soundtrack
You know how when you become obsessed with an album and every time you listen to it later you remember that time? Well, Harry's House is my soundtrack for Summer 2022. I don't love every track on it but so much of it is excellent. It's the perfect, easy album to listen to while you drive around with your thoughts. Just let it float over and around you and enjoy. Also, this video of Harry and James Corden making the music video for Daylight is hilarious.

This Guilty Pleasure I Can't Not Mention
Y'all, nobody was more excited about the return of Floor Is Lava than me. The first season came out exactly when I needed it - mid-2020 when the pandemic had ruined all summer plans and my dad was in the hospital. I just needed a show that would allow me to turn my brain off and watch over-confident bros slip and take a header into fake lava. It's back with a (much too short) second season and it really delivers. The stakes are incredibly low and you have a cast that's easy to both love and hate. Plus, it's just so, so stupid. I love it completely. 

Monday Mood: A few good Christmasy/Winter books.

 This is by no means a complete list or an accurate list, just some books that take place around Christmas time that I have loved or re-read every year or so. Some of these are books I've written about before but I feel are worth repeating:

This Darkly Weird Modern Fairytale
A Wild Winter Swan It's a coming of age story set in 1960s New York at Christmas time and I do love a bit of modern day fairytale. It's written by Gregory Maguire who wrote Wicked, so you're in good hands. It's not a super happy story (fairy tales rarely are) but it does have a satisfying ending, is dryly funny in parts, and also just beautifully written. Give it a try. 

A Christmasy British Romcom That Doesn't Disappoint
Marianne recommends The Twelve Dates of Christmas which is exactly the kind of cozy and relatable small British town Christmas romance novel we both enjoy. (I read it last year and loved it, especially as I've gone on quite a few internet dates in the past and know that pain all too well.) 

The New Jenny Colgan Which Did Not Disappoint
I just finished The Christmas Bookshop and y'all, it's really, really delightful. Unlike some of her other Christmas books, this one is a stand-alone so you don't have have read the others in the series (though there are some cameo appearances.) It's got everything: Beautiful snow-bound Edinburgh, a relatable protagonist, a cozy but decrepit book shop, a love triangle, and a deliciously hate-able villain. 10/10 - the best cozy Christmas read. 

A YA Favorite I'm Currently Rereading
The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper is a favorite from when I was a kid and it starts on midwinter's eve (that's today!) which is the day before the main character's birthday, the day he discovers he's an Old One, destined to fight in the ancient struggle against The Dark. It's the second book in a series that weaves Arthurian legend in with the struggle of darkest and light but you don't have to have read the first one to follow it - this one is good all by itself. 

Another YA Favorite You Really Should Read
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken isn't a Christmas book but it takes place in the winter and is another one of my favorites from when I was a kid. It has everything: Adventure, orphans, poverty, riches, bad guys and good guys, wolves and geese. Trust. I love that it's little dark, that most of the heroes are women, and the Edward Gorey cover art cannot be beat. 

This One I Can't Believe I Haven't Mentioned
Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher isn't my favorite of her books (that would be Coming Home) but it's a really good, engrossing read about a group of people, all with painful pasts, brought together for the holiday. I mean, you can't beat a Christmas book set in the Scottish countryside, right? 

Honorable Mentions: Obviously Little Women is a classic with some good Christmas action and the Little House books (especially The Long Winter) have wonderful Christmas scenes in which we should all be delighted to get a tin cup, a stick of candy and an orange for gifts. 

Black Friday: Read a Book/Buy a Book!

Because I'm dropping the ball hard this Black Friday (hi from Ireland!) I though I'd round up all of my book posts and encourage everyone to buy some books for gifts or for yourself. Instead of fighting over shit you don't need at Target, cozy up with a good book! Our book recs can be found in a lot of our "Stuff We Like" posts but also here:

Buy This: Books Make Great Gifts.

Stuff I Like: Thank God For Books.

Gift Guide: It's Book Time Y'all.

Gift Guide: Yay Books.

A Slightly Better Gift Guide: Books Are Awesome.

Holiday Stages of Grief Gift Guide: Bargaining.

Stuff We Like: A Marianne/Adrien Edition!

Hello! Today we both have stuff we like and we're gonna tell you about it. First, two from Marianne:

The One Where I'm Late To Athleisure
So yeah, everyone in the world is ready to wear real clothes again and I’m over here “discovering” the joy of leggings after 19+ months of wearing jeans and dresses like a CHUMP. Anyway! I tried a pricey set from Girlfriend Collective and like them fine, but my current favorites are these ribbed leggings from Aerie ($27!). They feel like you tried, and I have the matching longline sports bra too (on sale for $14!), and turns out a matching legging set brings me as much joy as a fancy dress does. Who knew?? (You all knew. I know.)  PS from Adrien: She wears this henley over the bra and it's real cute the end.

This Book I Would Make Everyone Read If I Had A Book Club
Something about the fall puts me in the mood for books that are a bit more twisty and thriller-y than my summertime beach reads, you know? Well, if you’re in the mood for a book that combines travel with suspense and is just written SO smartly, you must read Who Is Maud Dixon. After three in a row that featured children in peril and mothers ranging from slightly to very unhinged (Little Secrets, The Push, and Verity if you’re in the market), it was refreshing to read a different kind of thriller. I don’t want to give anything away because the twists are so good, but I couldn’t recommend this more. I really hope someone makes it into a TV show or a movie.

And, two from Adrien:

This Mirror So I Don't Look Like a Mole Person 
One thing I hate about hotels is the lack of any kind of good makeup mirror/lighting situation. I can't tell you how many times I've been half leaning out a window with my compact trying to see to put on eyeliner. So, I started researching lighted travel mirrors and found this one on Amazon. It arrived and it's bigger than I thought - the size of a chunky salad plate - but for a two week trip, I think it's going to be a life-saver. I love that it has a magnified side (the only way I can properly mascara) and it cranks up so you can put it on a surface and not have to lean out of a window. (I'm kidding about that. Sort of.) 

I Did Not Buy The Stupidly Expensive Containers
Do those cute beehive-shaped magnetic containers follow you around the internet too? Don't Google "magnetic toiletry containers" whatever you do. Anyway, whenever I'm going on a big trip I lose my mind and search for THE PERFECT THINGS to streamline my crap and every time I end up just shoving everything I own in my toiletries bag and hoping for the best. This year I bought this set of tiny dropper bottles and they are perfect for serums and stuff you don't use a lot of but don't want to be without. So, if you currently have four different The Ordinary serums you're using, these are for you! I did have to make labels, though. 

That's it for today! If you have any recs for us, please leave a comment. 

Stuff I Like: No Theme November.

Hi! Now is the time when I talk about stuff I like. Sometimes a theme forms but usually it's just a bunch of crap I happen to be into right now. (This is one of those.) First, I have to tell you about a book I'm reading:

This Book I Waited Too Long To Read
I talked about this book nearly a year ago, having heard about it from The Penguin Podcast. The amazing Sue Perkins interviewed Dolly Alderton about Ghosts and I'm FINALLY reading it. It's wonderful - warmly funny and clever with an instantly like-able main character. It's about online dating and being ghosted (a subject I can certainly relate to) but it's also about the importance of female friendships and how they start to change over time. I'm only about a third of the way through and I'm trying to read it slowly to make it last. (The sign of an excellent book.) 

This Candle Which Is Not The Candle I Was Looking For.
Marianne told me about the Ginger and Black Tea Target candle she thought I'd like and I went searching for it, because I like a Target challenge. When I finally tracked it down it didn't smell like what I'd decided it should smell like so instead I bought the Wooded Sage candle from the same line. I got the small one for my office and it's just the right size for a small-ish room. I love the sleek packaging and it smells delightful - woody and a little mysterious. It's a good one for those of us who don't like sweet/overly floral candles. Also, do you have an arc lighter yet? They are life-changing. 

This Nail File I Haven't  Dropped Yet.

I've written before about my favorite glass file from Sephora but the last time I tried to buy a new one it was nowhere to be found - like it had never existed. How dare they! Anyway, I checked around and found this set on Amazon which looked promising and, thankfully, totally delivers. I don't wear nail polish so I need a really gentle, smoothing file to keep my nails looking nice and glass is the way to go for that. I keep the tiny one in my purse (thankfully it has a cover because I recently destroyed the lenses of a pair of sunglasses by way of a loose nail file) and the other one by my bedside. (Also: how creepy is that product image? I couldn't not use it.) 

This New Podcast I Just Discovered.

I heard Am I Normal? via another podcast and was immediately sold by the dentist episode, because that exact thing happened to me recently. This is a great short-form podcast hosted by Mona Chalabi, a data journalist and illustrator who tried to make sense of the world by looking at the numbers (and sometimes consulting her mother, who seems lovely.)  It's a quick listen and I basically binged all the episodes yesterday, so I think you should probably go get caught up.

Stuff I Like: Catching Up Edition.

Hello! I've gotten behind so I have lots of Stuff I Like to catch up on. Here we go:

This Air Fryer Sandwich We Both Love
If you love C-F-A but not the associated guilt, and you have an air fryer, this sandwich is what you want. Marianne introduced me and I've made it twice and it is DELICIOUS. Now, it's a delicate beast to make and air fryer parchment paper is definitely helpful, but Marianne said she just flipped them super carefully with a thin spatula and it was fine. My first time (sans parchment) I had a full-out tantrum but they still turned out pretty freaking delicious. Just make them. They're so good. 

This Weird Travel Thing I Had To Try
There are these little travel containers that keep following me around the internet. They're magnetic and made from recycled ocean bound plastic and they honeycomb together and I WANT THEM SO BAD but they're expensive and probably I don't need them. I definitely don't need them. Anyway, because I'm about to go on a trip and have an obsession with travel containers, I bought this travel case thing on Amazon and it's so fun! It holds your toothbrush and toothpaste and has three different containers for shampoo and whatnot. Also, the lid is a cup and the bottom is magnetic. Sold. (I'll let you know how it performs.) And yeah, I'll probably buy the other ones eventually. You know me. 

This Book of Poetry That I Highly Recommend
Maybe you already follow poet Maggie Smith on Instagram but if not, you should. Last year was such a hard year for me (and for everyone, really) and her daily "Keep Moving" posts were, well, moving. She published a book of those posts but also has a new book of poetry that I preordered, so when it showed up it was a happy surprise. It's called Goldenrod and it's so good. I've been reading a poem every night before bed and it's been a nice meditation. Also, pretty much everyone is gonna get this for the holidays, so there's that. 

This Cleansing Oil From The Past.
Remember DHC and all their free samples? I used the cleansing oil back in the day and then promptly moved on to fancier things and forgot all about it. Well, my face freaked out recently which means I have to get REAL basic with my skincare. I'd run out of my balm cleanser and found the smaller size of DHC cleansing oil at Target. Y'all, it's so good. How did I forget about it? It's unscented, it gets all my makeup and sunscreen off and it doesn't upset my face. Plus, it's pretty affordable and a little goes a long way.

PS. These Unders I Really Love.
Real quick, I bought two pairs of the Evelyn & Bobbie mid-rise Girlshort and they are SO GOOD for wearing under dresses. I was worried the shorter inseam would ride up but they don't! And right now they're 65% off with code: LASTCALL. If you've never tried Evelyn & Bobbie you can get $10 off your first order through my link. (I also get $10 credit.)

That's it for now! I'll be back next week with a book/podcast/TV-specific entry because I have a lot to tell y'all and it's too much for one post. 

BUY THIS: Books Make Great Gifts.

 Nearly every year I post a gift guide that's all books because I am old fashioned and I think books make great gifts. I tend to read (and gift) mostly novels, because that's what I like the most - a good story. I've talked about most of these on the blog already, but here is a selection of my favorite books from the past year or so:

Longbourn by Jo Baker
This is one for Jane Austen fans! Longbourn is a servant's retelling of Pride and Prejudice though, really, Longbourn is just the setting for a totally separate story while the action from Pride and Prejudice is happening in the background. It's really quite satisfying and I loved the writing.

News of the World by Paulette Jiles
I read this last year and was floored by how GOOD it is.  It's a post-civil war novel about an elderly widow who's tasked with returning a young orphan to her family after she was "rescued" from the Indian tribe who kidnapped her. The writing is beautiful and the characters are compelling. It's an adventure tale, suspenseful but also touching.  (PS. I know that the movie version just came out and while I love the casting of Tom Hanks, I can tell from the trailer that they've changed the story. Please read the book first. 

Paris for One and Other Stories by Jojo Moyes 
Jojo Moyes is one of my go-to writers for when I need a comforting, easy read. This is a book of short stories, though the main story, Paris for One, is length and the rest are easy to dip in and out of. If you miss traveling like I do, check this one out. 

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
This is not a book for everyone but it was, by far, the best thing I read this year. It's in parts a love story, a fantasy novel and a mystery, with several different narratives. It's also a book for people who love books! It's weird and sometimes goes to places that you're not sure you'll come back from, but somehow all makes sense in the end. This is a great story to really fall into and I didn't want it to end. 

The Ocean and the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
Another fantasy novel, surprise! I read this a few years ago on my friend Kate's suggestion because she thought I'd like it. And really, you can trust Neil Gaiman for a really good story. This one is a dark fairy tale that focuses on memory and the powerlessness of childhood. 

I Capture The Castle by Dodie Smith
A classic! Definitely read this if you haven't already. My mother gave me for my birthday years ago and I re-read it every so often because it's just fantastic. It's the adventures the Mortmains, and eccentric family living in genteel poverty in a decaying castle during the 1930s. Hijinks ensue and there's a really good dog as well. 

That's all I've got for today! Some of my other favorite books can be found here and here.