Welcome to the first ever installment of Readers Recommend, my new monthly feature where “regular readers” (i.e. readers who do not have their own book blogs) share their book recommendations!
I recently surveyed my blog readers for the first time and one of the most surprising things I learned was that over 70% of you do not have your own book blogs. This means you are not book bloggers, but “regular readers”! That’s a large chunk of Sarah’s Book Shelves readers with fantastic book recommendations floating around in their heads and no place to share them. I’m thrilled to be able to mine all this brainpower for some great books! Prepare for your TBR to explode…
If you’d like to be featured in an upcoming “Readers Recommend” post, leave a note in the comments section or email me at sarahsbookshelves@gmail.com.
Let’s welcome our first guest…
Get to Know Brittany
- Home: I live with my husband and two elderly dogs (Mavis the pitbull and Ginger the chihuahua) in a small college town in Texas.
- Career: [I’m] working on my PhD in Industrial Engineering. My research uses mathematical modeling to capture the uncertainty inherent in real-world problems. (Sarah: sounds like we have another Malcolm Gladwell in the making!)
- Hobbies: I’ve recently taken up boxing, and punching bags really hard is an incredibly satisfying workout. On the weekends, you’ll find my husband and me camping or hunting for the best tacos around town.
- Favorite TV Show: I’m definitely a sitcom junkie, but my current favorite shows are Frasier and Life in Pieces.
Brittany Recommends…
An Old Love
I Capture the Castle
Fiction (Released 1948)
343 Pages
Affiliate Link: Buy from Amazon
Brittany:
I have so many backlisted favorites, but I’d love to share one that people I know seem not to have heard of. You might not think that a book written in the 40’s could make you laugh out loud, and you’d be so, so wrong. The narrator, Cassandra, is charming and hilarious while also being kind and insightful. As she grows and ages, the writing becomes sadder and wiser, but I promise you will fall in love with the Mortmain family. Plus, if you enjoy scenic books, you’ll adore reading about the family’s crumbling English castle surrounded by a chilly moat in the countryside.
My Take:
You’re right, Brittany…I hadn’t even heard of this one! But, when I checked it out on Goodreads, I realized hoards of my friends had read it and loved it. How did I miss the boat?! I love some humor in my reading and really should read more classics than I do, so it’s going on the TBR.
A New Love
My Life with Bob: Flawed Heroine Keeps Book of Books, Plot Ensues
Nonfiction – Memoir (Released May 2, 2017)
242 Pages
Affiliate Link: Buy from Amazon
Brittany:
Candidly, I don’t read too many new releases until they are technically no longer new releases, but one book that I have read and was pleasantly surprised by is My Life with Bob by Pamela Paul. The book is basically a memoir that focuses on the readerly bits of Paul’s life, or maybe it’s just a look at her life through a readerly lens; either way, it’s the sort of stuff that you and I would find interesting. Paul’s writing sometimes borders on pretentious, but mostly it’s just endearing and relatable to fellow readers.
My Take:
I actually tried this one and loved some parts…particularly where she focuses on her early reading life. But, the pretentiousness Brittany mentioned did get to me after awhile and I abandoned it at 42%.
A “Didn’t Love”
A Man Called Ove
Fiction – Literary (Released August 27, 2012)
337 Pages
Affiliate Link: Buy from Amazon
Brittany:
For fear of spoiling the book for those of you who haven’t read it, I’ll just say that I don’t care for books that rely on sad or heavy-handed character tropes to move the reader. The writing wasn’t strong or graceful enough to carry the plot (or characters), so I finished the book feeling like it was emotionally manipulative without having any real depth.
My Take:
I was in the “no” camp on this mega-bestseller as well. I actually DNF’d it pretty early on. While the opening scene of Ove at the computer store had me laughing out loud, I quickly got tired of his curmudgeonly schtick. However, and this is a big however, I ADORED Backman’s latest novel, Beartown
What do you think of Brittany’s recommendations (or her “Didn’t Love”)?
Oh my gosh, I Captured the Castle is a classic! We read it in my former book club about 15 years ago. I really enjoyed it!
It’s always interesting to see what other people are reading.
I’m admittedly terrible about reading the classics, but I’m embarrassed that I’ve never even heard of it! And I want to read it!
What a fun new feature! I enjoyed hearing from Brittany. I haven’t heard of either of Brittany’s picks, I’m most interested in checking out I Captured The Castle. I also DNFed A Man Called Ove so I’m happy to see others who feel the same about that one. Beartown is so worth it though and I have Us Against You which I’m dying to start but trying to hold off a little longer
Thanks – I’m glad you like it! I’m always nervous to see the reaction whenever I try something new. And jealous of your galley of Us Against You…I haven’t been able to get one yet!
I love this feature! Brittany sounds like one smart cookie.
She does, right?! And glad you like it…always nervous for the reaction to a new feature!
This is so fun and you may even develop a new blogger or two. (I started by doing book reviews on a food blog!) I have to disagree with you both about Ove, even though in the beginning I felt the same way as you. By the end of the book Ove had captured my heart!
Brittany’s writing is great…she could have a blog if she wanted to!
And most of the world disagrees with us on Ove…haha!
It’s so fun to meet readers! Brittany, thanks for spreading the word about I Capture the Castle! It’s a gem that deserves to be “discovered” again and again! I really liked A Man Called One, but I wonder if the fact that I listened to it made the difference.
I’m so embarrassed for not having heard of it! I need to brush up on my classics!
I’ve heard that as well – people seem to truly enjoy the audiobook! Maybe I’ll give it another shot on audio.
I love I Capture The Castle! It’s such a charming, quirky book. If my college roommate hadn’t bought it for me over 10 years ago, I probably wouldn’t have heard of it, either, but so glad she did!
And moving even farther up my TBR…
I don’t think I’d heard of I Capture The Castle either, though the phrase sounds familiar. I’d have probably guessed it came from a song.
I didn’t DNF A Man Called Ove, but probably would have had it not been a selection for my book club. In the end Ove kind of grew on me, but it’s not something I would have missed had I DNF’d it!
Well glad I didn’t spend the time then!
This is so much fun…and a Texas girl, at that! 🙂 I think it’s so interesting that so many of us were not big Backman fans until Beartown; I’m so ready for his new release!
I’m glad you mentioned that Beartown was a different – I’ll have to give it a shot!
It’s definitely different!! Changed my opinion of Backman.
So many have come out of the woodwork about not being Backman fans until Beartown! To think I thought I was the only one who didn’t love Ove…
Great feature!
While I will have to part ways with Brittany on “Ove” (perhaps I just personally identify with curmudgeons — hehe), I ordered “I Capture the Castle” from the library! Appears it was made into a movie too. AND Dodie Smith wrote “100 and one Dalmatians.”
You’re not alone 🙂
And please let me know what you think about Castle! I really want to read it, but need to find the time! And didn’t realize she wrote Dalmations too – very cool!
I like this feature and how great for you to give people a ‘voice’ here, Sarah! And to Brittany, hello from one person in Texas to another. I’ll just sit and think about what small college town you might be from – ha! I was aware of I Capture The Castle, but have not read it as yet. I’ve certainly had friends who loved it though. I do have My Life With Bob on my Kindle or I”m pretty sure I do. I definitely know about that one. And the ‘Ove’ book – gave it to my father-in-law for Christmas – he’s 87 and he loved it. Probably not for me.
Hello Kay – haha, I probably could have just mentioned the town! I am being spoiled by all this lovely weather we’ve been getting. Please read I Capture the Castle, and I hope you enjoy My Life with Bob!
Thanks – it’s gotten a great response and will be a regular monthly feature! I need to read Castle too – now to find the time!
Awwwww, I Capture the Castle is the BEST. What a terrific recommendation. They actually just released a really, really nice hardcover edition of it, so if you’re looking to buy it and try it out, there’s no time like the present.
Oooh – thanks for the tip!
Fun way to get to know a fellow reader.
Love this new feature! I always like to know what other people are reading, what they like and don’t like… even if I don’t know them!
I have not heard of her first two recommendations. As far as A Man Called Ove, well I would have quit it if I had picked it up on my own, but because a good friend that I trust in reading recommended it, I read it all and ended up enjoying it and gave it a 4 store. Have a tried a couple other books by Backman and didn’t finish. Not a big fan of his writing style.
That happens! I wasn’t a fan either until Beartown, but I’m also a sports junkie so that helped 🙂
I love this new feature! Very intersting. I enjoyed A Man Called Ove but didn’t love it. I did, however, LOVE LOVE LOVE his novel Beartown. Thanks for the new recommendations!
Amy,
I couldn’t agree more. I did not care for Ove, Britt-Marie, or Grandma. What possessed me to continue with this author, after a bad run, I have no idea. But,so glad I did. Beartown has got to be one of my favorites of last year. A really good story, with excellent character portrayal. I cannot wait until the next Beartown comes out. I think it will be a big seller. Word of mouth has done great things for Beartown. I haven’t heard too many complaints. Here’s hoping the next will stand up to the expectations. Big shoes to fill!
Thanks so much and you and me both on Ove/Beartown!
I”m sorry that this one didn”t work out for you, I haven”t read it in full yet. There was definitely a lot of abuse in the section I did read though Thanks for sharing, ~ Brittany @ Brittany”s Book Rambles
I guess I can join your elite club of Ove dislikers. I didn’t like anything Backman wrote until Beartown.
Great new feature. If all the non-bloggers share their recommendations your TBR is going to explode!
Another way we’re twins!
And yes! Kind of stressful!
Wow, I thought I was the only one who hated Ove. It was easily my least favorite book of 2017, and possibly in many years.