I didn't get a lot of my personal reading done in September, but I discovered some new favorites! Discovering a book I really truly love makes up for the lack of quantity.
BOOKS WORTHY OF MY SHELVES:
Anne of Green GablesEvery, birthday, Christmas, random Monday, etc. my grandparents would gift me a "Great Illustrated Classic." Some of those "classics" I looked at, shrugged my shoulders and put them on my bookshelf, never to be seen again. . until last November when my parents boxed up anything and everything I had left at home. There were a few that sparked my interest enough that I actually read them. Anne of Green Gables was one of those books.
I didn't realize that wasn't the actual book until about a year later when my father arrived home from a business trip with a copy of Anne of Avonlea. I tried reading it and found myself feeling really overwhelmed. Turns out those "Great Illustrated Classics" are dumbed down.
This year I decided to give it another try. I wish I would have picked it up earlier! I adore this book. In fact, it may just be one of my favorite books of all time. I laughed, I cried and I cannot recommend it enough.
After You: A Novel
As soon as I heard the release date for After You, I began stalking Netgalley. Me Before You was a book that has stayed with me and I have spent a decent amount of time wondering about what would happen next for Louisa and her family. This isn't exactly the direction I had thought it would go, but I'm surprisingly pleased. It has provided me with some much needed closure and I would recommend picking it up if you too found yourself wondering where Louisa's life will go after such a huge tragedy.
The Last Letter from Your Lover: A Novel
This book gave me so. many. feels. It was ethically complicated. It was heart-wrenching and at times suspenseful. I love the way Moyes was able to weave together different two different stories in such an eloquent way.
BOOKS I WOULD SKIP:
How Children Learn (Classics in Child Development)This isn't a horrible book, but it is horribly boring. The subject matter is fascinating, but the writing style left something to be desired. I'm convinced that despite there being "over 750,000 copies sold" there has to be a better book on the subject by now. It was written in 1923 after all.
It's Not Summer Without You
I know that if I had read this about 3 years ago, I would have loved it. It's not a bad book, but I'm just past the point in my life where I can really relate. I would highly recommend it to those in their teens or very-early-twenties. Follow