Reading RoundUp #36
Jay was away on a work trip last week and I joined him in Austin, TX for a few days, so I had lots of opportunities to catch up on reading. (Stay tuned for my Austin trip recap coming soon!) Plus, my library called on Tuesday with news that two books I requested became available! I love getting that phone call. Take a look at what’s on my “Currently Reading” list:
This week’s Reading Roundup!
Work Book (for lunch time reading):
The 100 Foot Journey by Richard C Morais – This foodie novel is about a prim and proper French hotelier and restaurateur who must deal with a boisterous Indian family who move in across the street and open a restaurant. The food descriptions are divine and make me wish I could visit both places in real life!
House Books:
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R Tolkien – Jay and I are planning to rewatch the Lord of the Ring movies, so I decided to start reading the books first. I don’t think I’ve read them since high school, so I’m thoroughly enjoying the rich detail and characters and events that aren’t included in the movies.
The Reading Group by Elizabeth Noble – I picked this up from a bookstore mostly based on the title and pretty cover. It’s structured around a book club, but focuses mainly on the dramatic lives of the members.
Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire – A Goodreads find that is both creepy and whimsical. Teenagers who can walk through doorways to other worlds are learning to cope at a special boarding school, until someone starts murdering them one by one.
Kindle Books:
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden – After reading the Snow Child, this fantasy tale set in Russia sounded appealing to me. The story completely enchanted me and I’m eager for the next book in the series. If you’ve also read this one and would like to chat about it, check out my book discussion!
From Around the Web:
Interview with a Bookseller – Author Emma Straub and her husband opened a bookstore in Brooklyn. This article is delightfully more in depth than other “bookseller interviews” I’ve read in the past.
Inexpensive Kitchen Updates – Love these ideas, especially the chalkboard fridge. I wonder if it stays magnetic, though…
Affordable Spring Dresses – One of my favorite book bloggers shared 12 low-cost spring dresses. Dreaming of warmer weather!
I’m linking up with Steph and Jana as well as Modern Mrs Darcy! Check out their sites for lots more book reviews : )
*Disclosure – I earn a small commission if you purchase any items through the links above. Thanks for supporting my reading habit!
Hey thanks so much for including my link! Love the way you lay out your reading roundup! And YES please nicer weather come to us soon!!! I
It’s been a long time since I’ve read The Lord of the Rings. I think if I ever read it again I’ll have to skip some of the page-long descriptions of scenery 😉
Haha they do get rather lengthy sometimes!
Ooh I love when travel time = more reading time. And Austin is great too! Excited to read that Emma Straub interview – thanks for sharing.
Popping over from the Show Us Your Books linkup 🙂
Traveling time is my favorite for reading. It’s so easy to just get absorbed in a book and forget you’re on a plane.
I’ve heard great things about Every Heart a Doorway so I need to read that. I read The Hobbit YEARS ago and really enjoyed it, but I never could get into Fellowship. ha
-Lauren
It’s been awhile since I read the Hobbit and the Trilogy — I may need to soon though. Just rewatched the Trilogy and I’ve started to forget what was left out in the movie and taking the movie version as being the only version.
I LOVE comparing books to movie (although my husband is probably getting annoyed with my constant interruptions hehe)
I have heard good things about the Reading group!
I feel I need to read Lord of The Rings with my son, I liked the movie, but haven’t watched it in a while.
oh man, it’s been YEARS since i read LOTR. i think when return of the king – the movie, obviously – came out. i’m due for a re-read for sure. i loved The Bear and the Nightingale but the second fell just a bit flat for me, but not enough for me to not want to read the third whenever it comes out!
I didn’t even realize the second was available. Thanks for the heads up! I’ll probably read it just to keep the story going…and hope the third will be even better.
I feel sorta bad admitting this but I have never read Tolkien. I enjoyed The Lord of The Ring movies but for whatever reason never felt real inclined to dive into the books. Maybe some day! The Bear and The Nightingale is on my TBR. Heard so many great things about it and it’s nice to see another positive review for it.
The movies actually do an excellent job representing the books, so no hard feelings : )
Not sure if you know but the 100 Foot Journey is a movie as well. As much as I enjoy food and books about it, I think I’d rather just watch the movie. I haven’t read or seen The Fellowship of the Ring and we own both the book and movie. I always tell my husband it’s not my thing. I thought The Reading Group was an okay read.
I read The Reading Group a while ago. It wasn’t my favorite, but I really loved Alphabet Weekends by Elizabeth Noble. It was a cute, easy read with an interesting premise. And I read The Fellowship of the Ring last year since it’s one of my husband’s favorite books, but I still need to read the other two!
The other two are terrific!! Thanks for the suggestion about Alphabet Weekends. I probably wouldn’t have tried anything else by her, but if you liked that one more it’s worth a go.
I’m intrigued by the called ‘The Book Club’ what are your thoughts on it? Would you recommend it?
It was decent, but not sure I’d recommend. If you’re looking for better books in a somewhat similar style I’d try the Jane Austen Book Club or pretty much anything by Liane Moriarty!
I like the idea of having a book stay at work for lunchtime reading – that’s a super clever reading hack. I added the 100 Foot Journey to my TBR. Thanks!
Thanks! It’s quite distressing when I finish a book and forget to bring a new one though : ) May be worth always having two books even haha.
I have not yet read The Bear and the Nightingale but it is high on my TBR. Pam 🙂
I have The Reading Group on my shelf but haven’t read it yet. I’m confident I’ll like it since it’s by Elizabeth Noble, but just hard to read the books on our shelves it seems!
I’m more and more behind on reading these and commenting each month. Oh well, I still love SUYB! 🙂 I love the selection of things you chose. I have never read LOTR/The hobbit,.. but I really want to! We watch them a lot! 😛 The Bear and The Nightingale was my favorite book of 2016! I re-read it this year to read the sequel. The sequel is pretty different, has a different setting, but I really enjoyed it just as much once I got into it. I cannot wait for the final book! 🙂 XO – Alexandra
Simply Alexandra: My Favorite Things
Oh my gosh, I absolutely adored The Hundred Foot Journey and you’re the first person I’ve seen mention it. I thought it was marvelous from beginning to end. You probably already know this but they made it into a movie with Helen Mirren and it sticks pretty closely to the book.