Beth Fish Reads: Stacked-Up Book Thoughts 1

06 September 2012

Stacked-Up Book Thoughts 1

Stacked-Up Book Thoughts are my random notes about books I've read, movies I've watched, books I'm looking forward to, and events I hope to get to.

Audiobooks

Although we rarely listen to a book together, Mr. BFR and I started Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl on a recent driving trip. We're only about a third of the way through and because we're listening to the book together, I suspect it will take some time for us to finish. We're both enjoying it and have several theories about what happened. I wonder if we're on the right track. I'm listening to Malice of Fortune by Michael Ennis by myself. This is a long book with multiple narrators; famous people who appear in the story include the Borgias, da Vinci, and Machiavelli. Ever since I started watching the HBO show The Borgias, I've been interested in that time period in Italy.

I also reviewed Rules for Virgins by Amy Tan for AudioFile magazine and The Dog Stars by Peter Heller for the SheKnows Book Lounge. Click the links to read the reviews.

Print Books

I'm currently reading Nichole Beriner's The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D.; in fact, I shared a quote from the book earlier this week. I'm also reading Harlan Coben’s Mickey Bolitar series; the first book, Shelter, is coming out in paperback this month, and the second book, Seconds Away, is just about to be released. Look for more about all these books in a couple of weeks.

In case you missed them, I wrote about Jussi Adler-Olsen's The Absent One (Scandinavian crime) and Diane Ackerman's One Hundred Names for Love (memoir) for the SheKnows Book Lounge last month. Click on the links to read the articles.

Movies

I saw One for the Money on BluRay over the summer. I thought it was only just okay, but I am one of the few people who is not a huge fan of Janet Evanovich's mystery series. I don't know why the books (and movie) haven't clicked with me. A few months ago I received a review copy of the movie Machine Gun Preacher. It's based on the true story of a man who went from biker drug dealer to god-fearing protector of children in Sudan; unfortunately, I didn't love the film.

In the Stacks

I was looking over my stack of September books, and I can't believe how many great reads are coming out this month. Released on September 4 were two children's books and two adult books that are calling to me. Deron R. Hicks's Secrets of Shakespeare's Grave (a Letterford Mystery) and Gary D. Schmidt's What Came from the Stars (fantasy) are for younger readers. Erika Robuck's Hemingway's Girl (historical fiction) and Chase Novak's Breed (horror, but I think I can take it) are for the older crowd. I can't wait to get started on them.

What's on your read, watch, listen, or review list?

15 comments:

(Diane) Bibliophile By the Sea, 9/6/12, 6:41 AM: I really like this all-encompassing post. Very concise and interesting. Nice job --Hemingway's Girl is on my radar as well.
bermudaonion, 9/6/12, 6:53 AM: Oh man, I'm a huge fan of Gary D. Schmidt, so What Came From the Stars looks great to me!!
Literate Housewife, 9/6/12, 8:25 AM: I just finished Hemingway's Daughter early Tuesday morning. Erika Robuck cost me some sleep. :) I will also be reading Breed this month. I may not be able to take it, but I'm willing to give it a try.

I love this feature. What a nice way to talk about what's going on without the pressure or structure of a review. You're a smart woman.
Serena, 9/6/12, 8:26 AM: sounds like you've been very busy. I have yet to get a copy of Gone Girl, so I think I'm out of the loop on this one.
Daryl, 9/6/12, 9:06 AM: i was just reading an article on the number of book releases for the fall and the authors ... i downloaded Justin Cronin's The Passage and pre-ordered the second in the series ... i thought i downloaded Breed but i dont see it so i guess i didnt .. so much good reading, not enough time
grammajudyb, 9/6/12, 9:29 AM: I really want to read Gone Girl and Hemmingway's Girl. I am currently reading The Yellow House by Patricia Falvey. And Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks is on my local book clubs list for October review. So many books!!!
Julie P., 9/6/12, 10:07 AM: I think HEMINGWAY'S GIRL is up next for me! And I'm willing to bet you won't figure out GONE GIRL, but I could be wrong!
Barbara, 9/6/12, 11:52 AM: Definitely do read Hemingway's Girl. It is probably going to be on my best of the year list.
Unknown, 9/6/12, 12:32 PM: I like this post too. I just finished the audio of Gillin Flynn's earlier work Sharp Objects last week...such a good book,so weird. I loved Hemingway's Girl. September has me reading a lot of good books, hope you enjoy too
Meg @ write meg!, 9/6/12, 4:04 PM: I'm really pumped for Hemingway's Girl, too. I'm more entranced with Hemingway the man and writer than his work! Funny how that works sometimes. (Same is sort of true for Jane Austen, though I do like her books as well.)
Anonymous, 9/6/12, 9:06 PM: I'm laughing about your Gone Girl theories. I lost count of how many I had before the end of the book. Enjoy the ride!
Nise' , 9/6/12, 9:26 PM: I am looking forward to Seconds Away and Gone Girl. I have The Absent One and need to get to it. I have avoided One For The Money movie.
Jenners, 9/6/12, 9:27 PM: I can't imagine stopping listening to Gone Girl!
caite, 9/7/12, 4:38 AM: If only I was organized enough to even have a list....
Karen White, 9/7/12, 9:27 AM: I read Breed recently and I recommend it. I'm very squeamish and have big difficulties with horror that has any religious elements (this does not, but the Rosemary's Baby comparison on the cover almost turned me off). But I found Breed to have a helpfully odd sense of humor and even whimsy that made it kind of fairy tale-ish. It DOES have horrific elements, but they weren't gratuitous.