Welcome to the October book review! At the end of each month, I review the books I’ve read. Enjoy!
(Disclaimer: I actually finished so many books in October that I’m going to shift some of them into next month’s review. Thank you to library and bookstore binges for supplying great reading material, and my new habit of going to bed early so I can read more!)
The Book: The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro
The Category: Historical Fiction
In Three Words: Globe-trotting literary mystery.
Biggest Takeaway: As a historical novelist, I’m always fascinated and humbled by the attention to detail other historical writers include in their books. I loved the passages describing the creation of scent and of post-war Paris. While the mystery of this novel was quickly guessable, I still enjoyed the journey of the two very different protagonists told from two points in time. Highly recommended for any fiction lover.
The Book: The Mansion of Happiness by Jill Lepore
The Category: Nonfiction.
In Three Words: Life/death perception.
Biggest Takeaway: I got this book out of the library, but I am absolutely going to buy and reference it. What a brilliant premise; it takes the reader through the history of how birth, death and everything in between have been perceived through the ages. From ancient board games to breast pumps to cryogenics, this book tells a fascinating story. Must-read for any amateur sociologists and history-lovers.
The Book: In The Unlikely Event by Judy Blume
The Category: Historical Fiction
In Three Words: Perspective explosion. (I didn’t even need a third word!)
Biggest Takeaway: Okay, I love Judy Blume. Everyone of my generation loves Judy Blume. But I didn’t enjoy this book. Theoretically, it’s my fiction dream: a book based on true historical events, during a time period I’m fascinated by (the 1950s), written in multiple perspectives. But I felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of perspectives and never connected with the characters. I also didn’t feel the impact of the three tragic plane crashes on the characters’ emotional lives as much as I thought I should. It reminded me that when I’m writing historical fiction, I have to make sure the characters still come first; the events are acting on them, not the other way around.
The Book: The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
The Category: Romance
In Three Words: Will & Kate parody.
Biggest Takeaway: I liked that this book had no pretension. It was exactly what it claimed to be: Prince William and Kate Middleton fan fiction. I thought the main characters had depth and felt relatable, even through the lens of royalty. This was no Cinderella fairytale, either; it was as realistic and fraught with difficulties as any relationship. A fun read for anyone who enjoys Brits, royals and romance.
The Book: A Writer’s Guide to Persistence: How to Create a Lasting and Productive Writing Practice by Jordan Rosenfeld
The Category: Nonfiction, Self-Improvement
In Three Words: Wise writing guidance.
Biggest Takeaway: I chose this book out of the dozen or so that I wanted to buy off the Greenlight Books table at the Writer’s Digest Conference last summer. I’m so glad I picked it. I’ll be paging through this book any time I feel low or lacking in faith over my writing practice, and I’ll find practical solutions and a sympathetic guide on every page.
What have you been reading this month? Any recommendations for me? I’d love to feature reader suggestions in next month’s book review!