I love to reserve books at the library. It may be months or even a year before a popular book title is available and that's perfectly fine with me. Usually by the time I get the notice that the book is in, I've completely forgotten about it. I've come to realize that reserving a book is like giving my future self a gift: Here, I thought you'd like this.
Here are the books on my "to read" list for this fall (in no particular order):
- The Martian by Andy Weir.
How I heard about this book: I first heard about this book on the Still Untitled podcast with Adam Savage, best known for his role on the TV show Mythbusters.
Why it intrigues me: This book definitely falls outside of my normal reading interests. I read very few science books, fictional or otherwise. I like the basic idea of the plot: a man is stranded on Mars and needs to use his ingenuity to get home. Plus, it's now a movie starring Matt Damon. - X by Sue Grafton.
How I heard about this book: I've read every mystery in this series.
Why it intrigues me: I really admire how Sue Grafton sets out to write a different book each time, perhaps trying to write a Western or using multiple points of view. I don't always enjoy the results, but I do find them fascinating. (A crafty aside: Did you know that the PI main character knows how to crochet?) - Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline.
How I heard about this book: I saw this book on the hold shelf at the library for another customer.
Why it intrigues me: I don't normally read historical fiction, but I admit I have long been fascinated with the "orphan trains" that used to move children from New York to the Midwest to work on farms. As a kid, I read and loved Searching for Shona by Margaret J. Anderson, which expressed a similar idea of an orphan child on a train to an unknown destination, although the time period, locations, and basic plot were different. - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.
How I heard about this book: This book was published in 2008 and the movie came out in 2012. I'm not sure exactly how I found out about this book. Before I saw the movie, I attended a writing workshop that used the plot of the book to explain the concept of plotting in fiction. So I do have a peculiar relationship to this book that I haven't read yet.
Why it intrigues me: I normally prefer reading the book before the movie, but it's been so long since I've seen it that I'm hoping the book will feel fresh to me. - Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert.
How I heard about this book: Quotes from this book have been popping up periodically in my Facebook feed.
Why it intrigues me: I really enjoyed her TED talks on creativity ("Your elusive creative genius" and "Success, failure, and the drive to keep creating") and I'm hoping this book is more of the same. - Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan.
How I heard about this book: This is a title I picked up for the Inspired by Reading challenge back in September, but didn't have a chance to read.
Why it intrigues me: Bookstores are typically a sure-win topic for me. I did a little research and found that this novel started as a short story, so that makes this extra interesting. - The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo.
How I heard about this book: I read a review by Heather Powers on the Art Bead Scene blog.
Why it intrigues me: The word "magic" in the title of a book on cleaning? Who wouldn't be intrigued?
What are you reading now? Anything you'd recommend?