October Book List

It took me three weeks to find a book to read this month. Three weeks! This happens every so often. I search lists online, on Pinterest, and through my massive "To Read" list on Goodreads. I got really excited about a book called The Kitchen Boy: A Novel of the Last Tsar because I loved The Romanov Sisters: The Lost Lives of the Daughters of Nicholas & Alexandra, but it was so poorly written that I couldn't get through it. I've also been listening to The Game of Thrones, which is really good, but after 20 hours, the last 10 hours is feeling a bit overkill.
And so I eventually found my way to these two books- a WWII story and a book about loving books. Two books well within my comfort zone.

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The Things We Cherished by Pam Jenoff

This is probably the least substantial WWII book I've read to date. It was a light read, which is odd for a this genre. I guess the story, though well written, lacked depth or emotion or something. I liked the characters for the most part, but the story is told from multiple different time periods and perspectives, and the present perspective seemed inconsequential to the other stories of loss and heartache. And yet, I did enjoy reading it! The characters were real and relatable, and the author is an expert at bringing scenery to life. Perhaps this would be a good book for someone interested in historical fiction but hesitant to read WWII Lit because of the heavy content. Clearly I'm still trying to wrap my head around this one...

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The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan

This book just up and ended on me! I was in the middle of enjoying a very satisfying turn of events, when suddenly there were no more chapters. My blasted ebook made it appear as if I had at least 30 more pages to enjoy, but they turned out to be Acknowledgements and Author's Notes.
Admittedly, the book ended much better than it started. As an avid reader myself, I was a little disappointed in the author's trite allusions and obvious comparisons- the main character is supposed to be such a reader, and yet she didn't convince me of her expertise. But then she moves to the Scottish Highlands and opens a bookshop and meets dreamy foreign men and I find myself forgiving her for her earlier transgressions.
And wanting to move to Scotland :)
It's cute and quick. All in all, a nice little read that will make you simultaneously homesick for the Moors, desperate for a good book, and a bit more optimistic about exploring the outer limits of your comfort zone.