Last week was super busy with launching my new Patreon community for the podcast (Patrons get special bonus podcast episodes including monthly Superlatives episodes with every full length guest and more!), so I didn’t really get much reading done until later in the week. And, I was struggling a bit with my book (see more details below), which didn’t help. I’m hoping for more reading time this week.
I’m also starting to think about my TBR list for Nonfiction November (kicking off on Monday, October 28)!
Podcast
Episode 32, featuring Cristina Arreola (Senior Books Editor at Bustle), aired last Wednesday!
And, a MINI episode will air this Wednesday featuring Stephanie Freeman (@reads.on.wednesdays)!
New on the Blog
- Get bonus podcast episodes…I launched the Sarah’s Book Shelves Live Patreon community last week! When you support the podcast on Patreon for $5/month, you can get bonus podcast episodes and other goodies.
- Alcohol & Advil…my latest book that gave me a reading hangover and the book I read to recover. And, this one was a doozy!
- 2019 Rock Your Reading Tracker – I used my “Rock Your Reading Tracker” this year to track all my reading stats in real time and figure out who my best recommendation sources are…and, my reading QUALITY improved 42% from last year! The new and improved 2019 tracker is now available for $14.99…get more details here!
Hosted by The Book Date.
This post contains affiliate links (plus: here’s your Amazon Smile-specific affiliate link), through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).
I finished reading…
The Testaments by Margaret Atwood (September 10, 2019)
So many people (including some of my trusted recommendation sources) rated this 5 stars, but my feelings are more complicated. I definitely liked it more by the end, but I’m still trying to figure out my rating.
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I’m currently reading…
The Great Pretender by Susannah Cahalan (November 5, 2019)
I’m only about 10% through this true story of this investigation into the “50-year-old mystery behind a dramatic experiment that changed the course of modern medicine” by the author of the memoir Brain on Fire (my review). So far, some parts of super interesting (and horrifying) and some go far too deep into the history of mental illness and care. I’m going to keep going for now.
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Upcoming reading plans…
Unless a library hold comes in…
The Innocents by Michael Crummey (November 12, 2019)
I loved this Canadian novelist’s Sweetland (my review) a few years ago, so I’m hoping this survival story about a brother and sister in a remote part of Newfoundland pans out. This is also my last fiction ARC of 2019!
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How was your reading week?
Pin this post…
I snagged a copy of The Great Pretender at SIBA and have been excited about it. I hope you end up loving it.
I’m hoping to take part in Nonfiction November this year, I should probably start planning for it.
Wishing you a great reading week
I think I’ve decided to pass on The Testaments. I never requested and ARC, but did put in a library hold. And yet, I just don’t feel all that compelled to read it. I’ll be curious to hear more about what you think.
I was hoping The Great Pretender would be as good as Brain on Fire. Again, I’ll wait for your final thoughts on that one, too.
I loved (was scared by?) Brain on Fire, so I’m looking forward to her next book.
I loved The Testaments, and in the end, I gave it five stars. However, it took me a couple of chapters to really get into it.
I hope you end up liking it.
Here are Weekly Updates
Nice assortment of books. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
I hate when I feel torn on my thoughts on a book. Makes reviews and rating tricky. I hope you simply love your next read. 🙂
Ha – thank you!
I have the Testaments on my TBR. I plan to read it next week. My weekly update
I’m very excited to read The Great Pretender, since I enjoyed her previous book so much. I hope it picks up as you go 🙂