A Hodge Podge of September Books

It's October! Have you done all the Fall things by now? I'm running a little behind. I haven't even indulged in my first Pumpkin Spice flavored anything.  Am I even an American? It's hard to say! Fall is an exciting time in the South. Yes, I will always refer to North Carolina as the South because humidity. To me, real humidity can only be found in the South...and on islands in the Pacific Ocean. But seriously, I'm not sure if North Carolina is technically the South to Southerners, but it is to me :) Anyways, Fall or mainly October, means the weather is bearable and we can spend more time outdoors. Hallelujah!

You know what goes perfectly with Fall weather and Pumpkin Spice? Books! Let's talk about that shall we? September was such a weird reading month for me. I just couldn't figure it out. I think I'm ready for a really good book. Do you know of one? I want a book that sucks me in pretty early on and  doesn't let go. It has been awhile since I had that. I miss it. My weird mix of books was a hodge podge. Nothing in the bunch was amazing but they weren't horrible either. Here they are:

#1 Sarah,  Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachan. A Newberry Award winning children's chapter book from ages ago. Sometimes, I feel the need to catch up on great children's lit that I should have read as a child. This book is about a motherless family living on the prairie who exchange letters with their father's potential wife. The author uses both characters to educate readers about life in two different areas of the United States which would have been important  way to glean that knowledge before the Internet ;) Not a page turner but it's a classic.

#2 The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy by Douglas Adams. This is a comical "dystopian" sci-fi book about the ins and outs of surviving in an intergalactic world. Aliens and humans co-exist and life is explained through the non-human perspective. It really is humorous in a clever and sarcastic way. This was my second attempt reading Hitchiker's; the first time I quit the book. I think you just have to commit to see it through :)

#3 Holly and Ivy by Fern Micheals. Fluffy Christmas novels are one of my all time favorite things. Every year I only read Christmas themed books in the month of December. It's a thing I started about a decade ago when I picked up reading as an adult. This year I was ready for Christmas reading early...way early. Netgalley to the rescue! The novel is about a single woman who is confronted with a motherless child and a relationship begins. Old wounds are healed and life evolves into a magical happy ending. Could we expect anything less? It's a feel-good novel. I liked it. You are in luck because the publication date is October 2017.

#5 Taking The Lead by Derek Hough. Another favorite genre of mine is celebrity memoirs. Derek Hough as a celebrity is another guilty pleasure as wel. ;) He is such an incredibly creative talent and he uses and continues to perfect those gifts. Years ago, I had a brief encounter where I was able to observe him in real life. That sounds creepy but bear with me :) I went to Dancing With The Stars taping and as we were leaving down the stairs he was walking up the stairs. A group of teen girls in front of us mulled him with hugs. "We love you. We love you!" He was taking aback but he was genuinely kind to them.  I had to give him credit because it was a little much :) We also stood on the stage right above him and Kellie Pickler and they waved and interacted with the audience during commercial breaks. I promise you, watching those celebrities during commercial breaks...you can see some celebrities put on a really good show. You can definitely tell who does not like their partner or who is a diva. Once filming resumes they put on a fake gracious attitude. Puh-lease. If you like Dancing With The Stars or Derek Hough, you will most likely enjoy this short read.

#6 Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman . Remember that book I abandoned 70 pages in? Yep, it was this current popular bestseller. My apologies to all who love this book. I just couldn't do it. The first chapter I laughed so many times. I was so excited to read the whole thing in two days. By page 40, I was not wanting to read it at all. The book is about this quirky socially awkward woman who finds a love interest and begins to pursue a relationship. It really is funny. There seems to be an underlying story that (I believe) helps us to understand Eleanor. I kind of felt like that storyline was a little too dark for my taste and it wasn't progressing quickly enough for me. I might attempt it again in the future.

Looking forward to spooky October reading in my sweaters with hot chocolate in hand ;) 
How was your reading month?

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