I’m trying to read more books that I choose for my own reading enjoyment. Not for review, but because I’ve been wanting to read them or they caught my attention. Most of them have been talked about ad nauseam or have been on my to-read list for a long time so they don’t really need a full review. But, I’d still like to give them some space here on the blog, so instead, I’m offering mini-reviews of the books that won’t get full-page space here.
I’ll be linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy and her monthly Quick Lit link up. Be sure to head over to see others link up their Quick Lit posts.
MY OXFORD YEAR
Julia Whelan
Published: April 24, 2018
Publisher: William Morrow
Format: eBook through library
Julia Whelan is one of my favorite audiobook narrators. So when I heard she had also written a book, I was intrigued. If you liked ME BEFORE YOU, you would likely be a fan of MY OXFORD YEAR. The only thing that was a bit tough for me was the “Oxford jargon”. I actually felt kind of dumb at times while reading it because I didn’t get some of the terms/jokes/inside info about being in the Oxford world. But, the characters, the romance, and the setting were enjoyable. At this time it is just $2.99 on Kindle, HERE. Of course, these prices can change hourly, so be sure to check the price before you purchase.
ON WRITING
A Memoir of the Craft
By: Stephen King
Published: July 6, 2010 (10th Anniversary Edition)
Publisher: Scribner
Format: Audiobook through the library
I kept seeing that this was a book all writers should read. I’m not a writer in the sense that I write books, but since I do write, I was curious. I’m not a fan of Stephen King as someone who reads his books, but I have great respect for his writing. I’ve seen a couple of movies based on his books and they were scary enough that I know I can’t handle reading his books. I did appreciate his path to writing and the insight he gave regarding sentence structure, language, and grammar. I listened to the audio version which the author reads himself. He offers some back story on some of his earlier novels and his early writing which I enjoyed.
If you truly wish to be a fiction writer, then yes, you can get some helpful tips from Stephen King by reading this book and if you are a fan of his, then definitely read this book for a bit of a memoir of his writing career.
A YEAR OF READING
A Month-by-Month Guide to Classics and Crowd-Pleasers for You or Your Book Group
By: Elisabeth Ellington and Jane Freimiller
Published: October 4, 2016
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Format: eBook
This book is perfect for book clubs that need direction in choosing a year of books or for anyone that wants to step out of their “reading box” and find a wide range of books to read. The book shares a variety of books to read each month based on a theme like Justice, Families both in fiction and nonfiction, Food, and Classics. With each month’s theme, there are then five books featured. The author gives a brief synopsis of each book, with discussion/reflection questions and ways to dig deeper into that topic through another book or research.
The book opens with ways to enrich your reading life with tips like tracking your reading or keeping a journal. Then the end of the book shares tips for starting and running a book club.
If you are looking to add more books in a certain genre or broaden your reading life, this is a great way to find some books that were maybe not on your radar. Out of the sixty-plus books featured, I added a few books to my reading list and was intrigued by a few others. But, as an avid reader, many of the books listed were already ones I was familiar with. I think this book is targeted for readers looking for more exposure to books or beginning book clubs. In that sense, it is a great way to broaden your reading and be exposed to new genres and authors.
AS YOU WISH
Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride
By: Cary Elwes
Published: October 14, 2014
Publisher: Atria
Format: Audiobook through library
I listened to this one on audio and highly recommend it as the way to read this one.
Cary Elwes and the cast of characters (except for the few that have passed away) all give their perspective on the making of the movie. Listening to this book is like you are sitting around a table with all the actors and listening to them share all their favorite experiences from making the movie. Cary shares his great love and respect for the story, the actors, director Rob Reiner, and the author of THE PRINCESS BRIDE. If you are even remotely a fan of the movie, you must read/listen to this book.
Now I need to find a time to rewatch the movie now that I know all the background info on the scenes!
You can see all my other Quick Lit posts by clicking, HERE.
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Posted Under Book Review, Cary Elwes, Elisabeth Ellington, fiction, Jane Freimiller, Julia Whelan, memoir, non-fiction, Quick Lit, Stephen King
These look like some fun titles. I’m a sucker for books about reading or writing, so On Writing and A Year of Reading both piqued my interest. Thank you for sharing these reviews!