Hello Online Challenge Readers!
How did your month of September go, reading-wise? Did you find something wonderful, or did this month fall short for you? Make sure to share!
I’m afraid, after a string of 8 straight good-to-excellent reads, September fell short for me. I was all set to read Love and Ruin by Paula McLain, but it never caught my interest enough to stick with it. Maybe it was the subject matter – the main characters were often abrasive and made many poor decisions. Maybe it was my mood or the weather, or the fact that I had other things going on and taking up my time. Who knows why a book and reader fail to connect? Often it’s just timing – the right book at the right moment. And what doesn’t work at one time, might be perfect later. Fortunately, I know where there are hundreds of other books, all free for checking out! There’s always another great read waiting!
What about you – how did your reading go in September? And, have you ever picked up a book and found, no matter how badly you wanted to read it, it just wasn’t for you? What have been your epic book fails? Let us know your experiences in the comments!
I really really try to finish the books I choose. It’s rare for me not to finish a story. I read Moon Over Manifest this month with is junior fiction. This a very sweet story that alters between WWI and WWII. It is set in the town of Manifest, Kanas and tells of a you girl who struggles to find her life’s story among the mysteries of this small town. I loved it!
Epic book fails? Yes. Although generally when I don’t finish a book it isn’t that dramatic. I always have a stack of books in my to read pile, and sometimes there is just a book more compelling than the one in my hand! For instance, just this month I was reading The Monk of Mokha by Dave Eggers. It was very good and I was very much enjoying it. But I was also reading 2 or 3 other books that grabbed my attention and eventually I put The Monk aside. Too many books, too little time!
I ended up reading two books for the September challenge – The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis and The Evening Road by Hunt Laird. The Evening Road was written in two voices, which I usually enjoy, but neither of the characters were very likable. The entire story took place in the south around a lynching – the first half of the books told by a white woman who was dealing with the pressures of good ole’ boys and their expectations. Her story was one of abuse and moving from one sad life situation to another. There was certainly a sense of desperation in her tone that went deeper than economic depression. The second half of the story was told from the point of view of a young black woman. Her story was just as dismal, although she at least had a ray of hope in the dream of a future with her young man. The book did offer a sense of the racism and hopelessness of the depression era, making it a less than enjoyable read!
The Mighty Miss Malone was set in Michigan, this time from point of view of a young girl sharing her families struggles. All of the characters portrayed a pluckiness in dealing with adversity, offering readers a glimpse into the harshness of the era while maintaining a dignity and perseverance that can surface in hard times.
I’m not sure if I’ll get to the book for October since it’s so late in the month…