October is over. I’m writing this on Election Day at 5:15 pm as an attempt to distract myself, and I hope by the time this publishes on Friday, I will be in a much better mood. This world is such a strange place at the moment, but overall October was a great month for me, as I moved into a larger, sunnier space in my apartment.
Note: This post contains affiliate links. When you click on and/or purchase from some links, I make a portion of the sale. This helps keep Bitch Bookshelf running.
Books I Read
I’m a children’s librarian, so I read books for kids and for grown-ups. This month, I read 19 picture/early reader books and 11 “big” books, including audiobooks, adult novels, and chapter books for children.
I’m trying to clean my slate of NetGalley, Edelweiss, ARCs, and books authors/publishers/PR companies heading into 2021. I’ve been on an extreme reading kick (for me). Whew!
Swim, Duck, Swim! by Susan Lurie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I LOVE this book. The photography is gorgeous and the story is nice. I think it’s important to share the forward with a child and then to mirror what the author did in real life. Ask the child what they think animals are thinking and doing on a nature walk.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I have to give this one three stars simply because I saw the movie first and enjoy it more. 😂 This is still a really fun read, and I think will be best appreciated by someone who has read Pride and Prejudice since some sections of text are the same. Also, I’m not sure all of the jokes aged well since this was first released. It’s not super PC. I do think it’s a great read for fans though, but if you’re on the fence I recommend watching the film at least.
They Were Her Property: White Women as Slave Owners in the American South by Stephanie E. Jones-Rogers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Using first person accounts, this book takes a deep dive into how white women benefited from slavery in America, and how they abused, sold, and schemed to keep/be recompensed for their slaves in the aftermath of the Civil War. While historical texts have made women slaveholders out to be sympathetic or at least not directly benefiting from slavery, this account shows the proof that they were directly involved and often owners in their own right.
Look out for my full review on November 20.
Death Is Stupid by Anastasia Higginbotham
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book had my crying. The collage-work inside is beautiful as is the lesson about death and how we experience it. I really think this would make a good gift for a child (or any age, tbh) who had lost a loved one, including a pet. There are spaces in the back to add your own pictures or words to celebrate a loved one (a page for animals and a page for people) you have lost.
Grandpa’s Stories by Joseph Coelho
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I cried while reading this one too. A little girl reflects on and honors the memories she has of her grandfather, who passed away.
The Scar by Charlotte Moundlic
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I cried so much reading this book, and I think I would have found it helpful had I read it as a child when my grandmother died. A little boy deals with the death of his mother, which initially makes him angry.
Daughters of the Wild by Natalka Burian
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This book really pulled me in and I found myself thinking about it when I was away from it and wanting to know what happened next. While I really enjoyed the characters, especially Joanie and Cello whose POVs we see through, this book didn’t live up to my expectations. Some of the negative reviews I see seem to involve a misunderstanding of magical realism, and that’s not where my problem is. Rather, I expected the ending to be empowering for the characters, and while it felt realistic, it was kind of a bummer. I wanted a lot more for them and more than they clearly wanted for themselves. While it’s an engrossing read, it’s not a feminist masterpiece, and it deals with some tough topics like child abuse (mostly through forced labor). On the plus side, I really enjoyed the characters and how all of the plot connected so seamlessly. My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for giving me a copy in exchange for my honest review.
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat! by Lucille Colandro
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
IMO this series isn’t anything special, but it is a fun twist on the original song with the Halloween theme, and the kids love it.
Animals on the Farm Turkeys by Kari Schuetz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A good early reader book about turkeys on a farm with vocabulary, a glossary, labels, and beautiful photography.
Llama Llama Gives Thanks by Anna Dewdney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A simple Llama Llama book with familiar characters about eating a meal together and being thankful on Thanksgiving.
Duck on a Bike by David Shannon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is just a plain fun book and I think also encourages kids to try things and know they’ll get better as they continue learning. The illustrations are so fun and bright.
Giving Thanks by Jake Swamp
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What a wonderful book about being thankful for all the gifts Mother Earth has given us. I love the opening line: To be a human being is an honor… It is based on the Thanksgiving Address and words spoken at Six Nations ceremonial and governmental gatherings.
Her Accidental Highlander Husband by Allison B. Hanson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a fun, steamy, and sweet romance. I haven’t read this author before, nor do I read a lot of Scottish romance, but I love the marriage of convenience (especially when it’s instant) trope and this did it justice. Thanks to the author, HFVBT, publisher, and NetGalley for giving me a copy in exchange for my honest review. The full review will be at https://bitchbookshelf.com on October 15.
The Light at Wyndcliff by Sarah E. Ladd
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I loved this mystery with a heavy dose of sweet romance. The characters are lovely and complex, even the villains. My thanks to the author, publisher, and HFVBT for giving me a copy in exchange for my honest review.
Know My Name by Chanel Miller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What an amazing book. Chanel’s voice will stick with me for a long time. I highly recommend this book to anyone, especially fellow victims of sexual assault. Empowering and real. I listened to the audiobook on 1.3x.
Look out for my full review on November 23.
Ties That Tether by Jane Igharo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really liked this one! There were parts I felt could have had more detail and nuance to them, but as a whole it was a good story about love, culture, and using your voice.
Naked Truth: or Equality, the Forbidden Fruit by Carrie Hayes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
It took me a few chapters to get into Naked Truth, but once I did, I was hooked. This book is written in a very unique way that too me some getting used to. The author shows multiple points of view, and uses real quotes from speeches and newspaper clippings to add to the authenticity of the story. At heart, this is the story of Tennessee and Victoria, and we mostly see Tennessee’s POV. My thanks to the author, publisher, and HFVBT for giving me a copy in exchange for my honest review.
The Water Princess by Susan Verde
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What an excellent book. I loved reading Georgie’s story. The images and text make for an emotional experience, and the call to action at the end is fantastic.
From Tree to Sea by Shelley Moore Thomas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A variety of children explore the earth around them and the lessons it has to teach them.
Sky Color by Peter H. Reynolds
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A book about creativity and exploring unique options to create a masterpiece.
Another by Christian Robinson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This wordless picture book is trippy and fun!
Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The story is sweet and funny – like with all Mo Willems book, kids will laugh. But the illustrations, combining city photography with Mo Willems’ typical fun cartoon art, really blow me away.
View all my reviews
Yaffa and Fatima, Shalom, Salaam by Fawzia Gilani-Williams
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
An absolutely gorgeous story about friendship.
Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What an excellent romance. I laughed, I cried, I fanned myself, I highlighted every hilarious reference to the awful final season of GoT. One of the best romances I have read this year and I am excited for more from the author!
Type Dirty to Me by Roxanne D. Howard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book was quite a bit of everything: part sweet romance, part steamy romance; part cozy mystery, part thriller. While I found the plot to be predictable, that did not make it any less enjoyable. I really loved Madelyn. She has been through the ringer, but knows who she is, what she wants, and how to get it. I really admire her. My only qualm was that the “bad guy” characters were traditionally feminine blonde women. That’s a trope I’m not a fan of. However, overall this book portrayed romance between middle-aged characters in a very empowering way. My thanks to Silver Dagger Book Tours, the author, and the publisher for hooking me up with a copy in exchange for my honest review. Look out for my full review at bitchbookshelf.com on October 26.
Off I Go!: An Acorn Book by Kelly Greenawalt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I think this is a great early reader and I love that Princess Truly’s hair is magical!
Please Take Me for a Walk by Susan Gal
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I’m obsessed with this book about a dog who wants to go on a walk through an engaging, diverse, beautifully illustrated community.
The Not-So Great Outdoors by Madeline Kloepper
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this book about a little girl’s experience camping with her family. Great representation and beautiful illustrations.
City Shapes by Diana Murray
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I love the illustrations in this one. This is a great book about shapes in the context of a city, with a sweet ending.
Bad Girls Throughout History: 100 Remarkable Women Who Changed the World by Ann Shen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What an amazing, inspiring, fun read with beautiful illustrations! I loved that for many of the women, the author mentioned their failures and even negative things about them, too. I learned so much and gained a ton of TBR goals from the bibliography.
A Peek Into My Planner
I’ve been trying to fill out my planner each day to keep myself organized and to use the plethora of planner supplies and stickers I possess. (I use The Happy Planner.) In July, I started a brand new planner. Here are my weekly spreads for October.
I’ve been keeping track of my moods to keep an eye on my depression and anxiety. In October, I felt:
- Good – 8 days
- Okay – 6 days
- Productive – 6 days
- Happy – 4 days
- Tired – 4 days
- Great – 2 days
- Bored – 1 day
More Stuff I Did
I got so much done this month. I moved bedrooms and am now in a bright, spacious room with a sitting room that I have turned into a library. I also kicked ass and took names on my reading goals. Additionally, I finished three seasons of shows: Little Fires Everywhere and the final seasons of Schitt’s Creek and The Good Place. I also watched some movies: Hocus Pocus, the new Rebecca on Netflix, and the 70’s B movie Phantasm.
Changing spaces in my apartment has led me to do some renovations to it as well to make the entire place feel less like a dorm for adults and more like a home.
@btchbkshlfMy favorite renovation project yet! 😍 Great renter’s hack 🥰 ##apartmentmakeover ##FallAesthetic ##nyc ##over30 ##cleaning ##millennial ##razrfit♬ bee – Burbank
Because I’ve been blogging about more than just book reviews, I wanted to share some of my “other” posts from this month:
Blog Hops, Memes, and Challenges
- Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Read Because Someone Recommended Them to Me
- Top Ten Tuesday: Halloween Freebie
- WWW Wednesday: October 28, 2020
Lifestyle
Other Bookish Posts
Writing
Looking Ahead: November
COVID-19 cases are still on the rise in my city, and as I write this, I am anxiously awaiting the results of the 2020 Presidential Election. There is so much going on. As for reading, writing, and blogging, I am participating in National Novel Writing Month and plan to continue tackling my reading goals. I hope you all have an excellent November!
