Fall Reading List

I started making my fall reading list earlier this spring. Slowly but surely, it's been filling up with titles that I'm really looking forward to. I noticed that my historical fiction avoiding self didn't pick one single piece of contemporary fiction this fall. Here is my list of possibilities.

I'll add a few comments about each book after I'm finished with it. 

The titles in bold will be ones that I'm currently reading. 

Also note that each title is a link to the goodreads profile of each book! 

Fiction

"The House Girl" Tara Conklin //  I couldn't get enough of this novel! The story flashes between NYC in 2004 and Virginia in the mid-1800's. The times weave together perfectly. You learn what really matters and enjoy digging up history with the Lina (the "modern" woman) and you are reminded of the horrors of the past and the hope the Underground Railroad offered with Josephine (the woman from the past). If you're looking for a good novel that takes a bit of time to read, this is a book for you! (September 10, 2014)

"The Alchemy of Murder" Carol McCleary // I decided to check this book out from the library after seeing it on my friend Shauna's goodreads page this summer. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that it was set around Jack the Ripper and more specifically a detective posing as a prostitute. The cover looks great, the jacket made it sound wonderful, but I just didn't make it very far before I realized that this was NOT a book for me. (September 13, 2014)

"The Small Rain" Madeleine L'Engle // I absolutely loved this book! Before I started I knew that it L'Engle's first novel, but I had ZERO expectations. I assumed that I would probably hate it. I didn't! It was first published in 1945 and is set in New York City. You'll follow a young pianist named Katherine as she deals with growing up in the world of the theatre. I read a 1984 edition that included a note from L'Engle that I found especially helpful.  (November 10, 2014)

"The Devil in the White City" Erik Larson // I started this book, but I decided that it was a little too much for me. The fact that it's based on true crimes started getting to me!

"A Severed Wasp" Madeleine L'Engle // I didn't even touch this one! I enjoyed "The Small Rain" so much that I am saving this for later because I don't want the story to end just yet. There were 40 years between the two books and if L'Engle had to wait that long, I think I need to wait at least a little while!

Added:

"Deceived" Irene Hannon //  I love a good mystery! If you are a fan of Mary Higgins Clark or Dee Henderson or mysteries in general, you'll probably really enjoy Hannon's style. This particular book is more of a HOW did they do it and less of a whodunnit which was refreshing to me. I found myself enjoying the writing and not really trying to hurry up and solve the mystery. You can read my full review HERE. (September 21, 2014)

"Call Me Zelda" Erika Robuck // I got into a Fitzgerald mood this fall. This fictional biography was very well written and appears to have given a very fair sketch of the life of Zelda Fitzgerald. It inspired me to pick up a collection of her own writings and to consider her as I read her husband's work. Her story is nothing fairytale or dreamy...but it's reality and I truly enjoyed it. (September 29, 2014)

"Save Me the Waltz" Zelda Fitzgerald // I ended up sending this back to the library before I finished it...I'm going to keep my eye out for a copy of my own at used book sales! (November 3, 2014)

"The Christmas Cat" by Melody Carlson // You can read my full review of this book HERE! (November 8, 2014)

"Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore" by Robin Sloan 

Non-Fiction

"The Wonder-Working God" Jared C. Wilson // Although this book did not live up to my expectations, it wasn't all bad. You can read my full review by clicking HERE. (September 21, 2014)

"The Evangelistic Zeal of George Whitefield" Steven Lawson // This is an EXCELLENT book! Whitefield is one of my favorite "Georges" from history past and I never tire of hearing of his walk with God, his influence in the world, and the stories of God's faithfulness to him in his ministry.

Pick it up, be inspired, and learn about more about one of God's greatest tools. (September 10, 2014)

"An Autobiography" Agatha Christie // This book reads like a history of days gone by. Christie fans and Downton fans will like it because it's a very real person's account of what life was actually like in the first half of the 1900's. I especially enjoyed hearing about how and why Christie wrote what she did. (October 28, 2014)

"Dispatches from the Front" Tim Keesee // This is one of those books that is made up of a collection of journal entries. It's the kind of book that I pick up and put down, never reading it all at once or all the way through. I checked it out from the library, read portions of it, and returned it. I'm looking forward to coming back to it again and again. The stories of God at work in and through Keese and the people he has found himself working among are refreshing and inspiring. This is a great, yet unique book! (October 4, 2014)

"By Searching" Isobel Kuhn // I'm putting this book on my list of all time favorites! This is an autobiography of sorts. Kuhn writes about what it was like to be a young woman in the 1920's. She writes about the years she spent questioning her faith, the years she spent questioning God's plan for her life, and touches on the years that came after those two difficult seasons. Trust me, this is one you MUST read. (October 15, 2014)

"My Life in France" Julia Child // I learned so much about Julia from this book...Memories, travel stories, cooking tricks, and the little things that end up forgotten were all very interesting to me! I really enjoyed it. It was amazing to hear about HOW Julia became Julia Child. You'll enjoy reading about her, food, cooking, France, and life in the 1940's-70's! (November 17, 2014)

Added:

"Cold Tangerines" Shauna Niequist // I think I'm the last person on the internet to read something of Niequest's! This collection of essays was beautifully written. I read the first eight of them all in one night because I just couldn't stop. My favorite piece was titled "Swimming" and close seconds were: "On Waiting", "Island", "French Class", "These Are the Days", "Pennies", "The Hook", and of course, "Cold Tangerines". I haven't completely finished this book, but I'm putting it down for now. Like "Lessons From the Front" (above), I want to come back to it later. If you've read Niequist, you know that she writes short pieces that have everyone nodding their head saying, "Yes! Me too!!!". If you haven't, you will and you'll want to stop and think and listen and maybe even write a short essay of your own. (October 14, 2014)

If you're looking for more book recommendations, check out these posts:

Summer Stack 2014

2013's Top Reads

What You Can Accomplish in 90 Hours