Happy October! This may be one of my favorite months, because it actually starts to feel like fall. Thanks to illness sweeping through our family I have been home a lot over the past two weeks and started to rewatch Gilmore Girls to get into the season (even though it was 80+ degrees outside). Some of the dialogue is definitely dated but it’s still a comfort show for me (Team Jess, always). We did manage to get in a family trip to pick pumpkins this past weekend but I am ready to break out the Halloween decor and go all in.
In the library we have been busy with classes; we’re pretty much booked from now through January! We had the freshman come in for an orientation and are seeing them again through their PE classes, working on a big health fair project. I am planning more behind-the-scenes posts on what a high school library is really like, so if you have any questions send them my way! And make sure to share what you have been reading in the comments below.
What have you been reading this month?
Book Buzz
No Rules Tonight by Kim Hyun Sook and Ryan Estrada (Oct.1). “From the creators of Banned Book Club comes a young adult graphic novel about unveiling secrets, confessing your crushes, and finding yourself: all in the mountains of South Korea on Christmas Eve.”
Nothing Like the Movies by Lynn Painter (Oct.1). “In this highly anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestselling Better Than the Movies, Wes and Liz struggle to balance their feelings for each other with the growing pains of being a college student.”
The Ballerina of Auschwitz: Young Adult Edition of The Choice by Edith Eger (Oct.1). A memoir by Eger, who trained as a dancer and gymnast before being sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp in 1943.
Twenty-Four Seconds from Now by Jason Reynolds (Oct.8). “Jason Reynolds tackles it—you know…it—from the guy’s perspective in this unfiltered and undeniably sweet stream of consciousness story of a teen boy about to experience a huge first.”
Together We Burn by Isabel Ibañez (Oct.22). “From the author who brought you the Secrets of the Nile duology comes a high fantasy steeped in history, dragons and a spritz of romance.”
From the Librarian’s Desk
Currently reading…
Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver. I’m about halfway through this novel and will have to reserve judgment until I finish it because Kingsolver is walking a fine line between addressing climate change effectively through a narrative and becoming preachy. I’m not sure which side it will fall on but her writing is, as always, stunning.
YA books read last month…
I posted a review about Looking for Smoke by K.A. Cobell and I really, really enjoyed it. Read the full review to add it to your list!
A Bánh Mì for Two by Trinity Nguyen is a cute YA romance about two teen girls, one a Vietnamese-American who studies abroad in Vietnam to learn about her heritage and the other a local food blogger who is dealing with writer’s block.
A 1930’s noir that takes place in Chinatown, Kill Her Twice by Stacey Lee is a mystery that also illuminates the struggles and discrimination Chinese-Americans faced in L.A. at the time.
Adult books read last month…
Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez. I confess I had not read anything by her until seeing her speak at the National Book Festival and am now a fan. If you enjoy Emily Henry’s books (the only romance novelist I read consistently) then Jimenez will be up your alley.
Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors is a big book for this fall and while I didn’t dislike it, I also did not love it. It’s an emotional and often depressing portrait of the Blue sisters, 3 of whom are trying to move on after the death of the 4th.
Beyond the Pages
Inspired by Alexandria’s (of the Marginalia Substack) book nook makeover. I’m trying to brainstorm where I can create a nook in my home, but I feel like my daughter would just end up taking it over!
Michelle of Literary Leanings has created a cozy fall book list, with perfect categories like “campus novels” and “a little witchy”.
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