It's Monday 11/1! What Are You Reading?

What? November? How'd that happen? Suddenly, my favorite month is over and my favorite holiday past. Now, we are looking at colder weather and the sudden (it always feels sudden) onslaught of "the holiday season." In my reading world, my immersion into mysteries, thrillers, and ghosts for the R.I.P. Challenge will quickly transform now into Nonfiction November! I have lots of great nonfiction books on my shelf waiting for me, just as soon as I finish one last novel for my book group tomorrow. 

Healthwise, I'm still not completely out of this recent relapse of my chronic immune disorder, though I am finally doing a little bit better! The first half of last week was rough, but then I got an IV Thursday that helped temporarily.  I am also adjusting the dosing on one medication and tried stopping an immune supplement that was fairly new to me. I have a phone appointment today with my ME/CFS specialist in NYC, so I will discuss a couple of other treatment ideas with her. I want to be able to enjoy the holidays!

Since I was feeling a bit better this weekend, we were finally able to do a little overdue cleaning here (I can only manage the dusting and my husband does all the rest). I was feeling very nostalgic for Halloweens past, when our sons were little and their friends would come over and we'd work on our costumes (sometimes a family theme!), and there was so much excitement getting ready for trick-or-treating! But this weekend, we had lunch with a friend, and our son and his girlfriend came over for dinner last night. Most importantly, we got TWO trick-or-treaters!! We rarely have more than 5 or so, in a neighborhood with many empty nesters, and we had none the past two years, with the pandemic, so we were ecstatic to see two adorable kids in costume at our front door last night. Now, what do we do with all this candy??

Our youngest son's first Halloween: The Super Family!

 

Robin Hood and the gang

Star Wars family

When they got older: family rock band!

 

We were thoroughly enjoying our last books for the R.I.P. Challenge last week. Here's what we've all been reading:

I finished my last in-print book for the R.I.P. Challenge, a YA novel, Young Man with a Camera, by Emil Sher. This is a completely original premise and a powerful novel that blew me away. An unnamed young teen, referred to only as T--- in the novel, has a tough life. He was burned as a child and is left with disfiguring scars on his neck and face and is therefore the subject of some terrible bullying. T--- is a kind but shy kid, with one best (and only) friend, Sean. Because Ryan, the lead bully, is a star student and athlete, adults don't believe T--- when he dares to mention an incident that occurred. He sees the world through his camera lens, and the book is filled with real photos, illustrating what he sees and experiences. But when he witnesses a horrifying crime by his bullies, he has a tough decision to make. Ryan knows he took photos, so T--- must weight the his own safety and that of his loved ones against doing the right thing. Not only are the photos a unique feature of this book, but the first-person writing style is original, too, and I was riveted and moved. Can't stop thinking about it. See my full review.

I had to leave the R.I.P. Challenge behind before Halloween to fit in a book group selection, Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell. I really enjoyed (as did another book group) another of O'Farrell's novels, The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox, and I have been hearing rave reviews of Hamnet ever since its release last year. The title character was actually Shakespeare's real-life son, and the subtitle, A Novel of the Plague, tells you what the book is about. Although Hamnet's twin, Judith, begins to get ill in the first pages, much of the first half of the book are flashback chapters (as Hamnet runs to get help for his sister), all about his father (who is never mentioned by name) and his mother, Agnes, and their families. The novel recounts how his parents first met and all about each of their families, with chapters moving back and forth in time between the present and the past and the two timelines gradually coming together. It's very good so far, engaging and immersive.

I made sure that my last book for the R.I.P. Challenge, on audio, was a perfect choice for the season and for Halloween week ... and I just finished it last night! The Ghost of Midnight Lake by Lucy Strange, a middle-grade ghost story, was just right. In late 1899, twelve-year-old Agatha is stunned when, still reeling from the death of her father, the Earl of Gosswater, her cousin, Clarence, is named the new Earl and immediately kicks her out of her home. Before her father's funeral, she is sent away from the only home she's ever known to live with a man named Thomas. All she knows is that cruel cousin Clarence says that Thomas is her real father. But how could that possibly be? Clarence has inherited the whole estate, but what he really wants is a famous pair of opals, one white and one black, that are missing. Oh, and the ghosts! Agatha sees the ghost of a young girl, like herself, but doesn't know why she is there or what she wants, so Agatha is dealing with mysteries in both the real world and the spirit world. I really enjoyed this ghostly mystery with plenty of suspense and action.

My husband, Ken, finished reading one of the birthday gifts I gave him, The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters. I have been hearing great things about this pre-apocalyptic mystery for years. Yes, pre-apocalyptic. In this near-future setting, an asteroid is on a collision course with Earth and can't be stopped; it is due to hit in six months. So what's a homicide cop to do? Unlike many citizens walking off their jobs, Detective Hank Palace feels a responsibility to continue working. Currently, he has a case involving a hanging--in a city wracked with recent suicides--that feels suspicious. Some might say, "Why bother?" but Hank feels a commitment to see his role through. This is the first book in a trilogy. When I ordered it from our local indie bookstore, the store owner said, "Oh, my husband loves this series!" It certainly sounds intriguing to me. Ken enjoyed it and wants to read more of the series.

Even though he knew he wouldn't finish it by Halloween, Ken started another perfect-for-the-season book, Billy Summers by Stephen King. As he said, it wouldn't be spooky reading season without a Stephen King novel! I've been hearing great things about this one from lots of people, and it was another of my birthday gifts to Ken. This sounds like one of King's more thriller-like novels, rather than horror. The title character is a very talented hit man, the best in the business, only now he wants to get out of the business. He's also unusual in that he only takes on clients where the hit is a bad guy. Now, for his very last kill, he sets his eyes on the evilest man he has ever come across. He's excellent at what he does and especially at disappearing afterward, but this time, everything goes wrong. Oooh, sounds like some great King suspense! My husband is already engrossed in it, but he leaves on a business trip tomorrow and isn't so sure about lugging this big hardcover with him.

Our son, 27, hasn't been home in a month now, so we are all missing him. I try to keep in touch with him with texting, but it's not the same! Last I heard, he was reading The Towers of the Sunset by L.E. Modesitt, Jr., book 2 in the Saga of Recluce series. He loves to read epic fantasy, and I remember him reading--and loving--book 1 in the series, The Magic of Recluce, some years ago, so I know he likes this series. He says he's enjoying book two so far.

 

Last week's blog posts:

TV Tuesday: Only Murders in the Building - you must see this outstanding show!  Mystery, suspense, humor, warmth ... and an amazing cast!

Teen/YA Review: Young Man with Camera by Emil Sher - a powerful story, uniquely told - blew me away!

Fiction Review: The House on Tradd Street by Karen White - suspenseful ghostly mystery set in Charleston

What Are You Reading Monday is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date, so head over and check out her blog and join the Monday fun! You can also participate in a kid/teen/YA version hosted by Unleashing Readers.

You can follow me on Twitter at @SueBookByBook or on Facebook on my blog's page.   

What are you and your family reading this week?