What's Up Thursday // Perfect Fall Day

Today I'm linking up with Shay (late) and Emily (right on time)! I thought I'd answer a few of the regular "What's Up Wednesday" prompts (because 13 is such an unlucky number to end on and some of those questions will be answered next week in the monthly "Currently" post with Anne) and then Emily's last Fall prompt: Your perfect Fall Day. Let's get started, shall we?! 

What I'm Eating:

I really meant to get back into meal planning this week, but one night of leftovers, and 2 (possibly 3) nights eating out and lunches still being catered by work because of our "situation," I just... didn't. What DID I eat? Um, there was pad Thai leftovers, Chinese food, cold-cut sandwiches, a microwave meal, beefsteak on Friday, and honestly I can't remember the other meals! I see hearty chilies and casseroles in my future though! 

What I'm Reminiscing About:

Not having my next door neighbor. This may seem like a weird thing to miss, but I live in an apartment building, and my back deck adjoins my neighbor's, separated by a little wooden divider. My next door neighbor Raven was super cool. It was very much like in Friends, where they just knock on the door (or in my case knock briefly to make sure she was decent before letting myself in) and we would hang out for hours just talking/bitching/laughing. Not every night, but we probably averaged at least once a week. We also cooked for each other (which was especially awesome on days when once of us had worked late), or pick up food/meds/drinks for each other. She was only next door for a year and just moved out on Monday to be closer to work, and I thought I was fine until she texted me last night and realized that I wasn't the only one missing that next-door-neighbor-bond. :(

What I'm Wearing:

It's still in the 80's in these parts, so I'm still in "work" tanks with a cardigan and dress pants for now. I'll probably change over my closet next week though- mornings and evenings are starting to cool down quite a bit. 

What I'm Doing This Weekend:

This is the last "free" weekend we'll have until November, so I'm hoping it'll be low-key. We're going to a charity "beefsteak dinner" on Friday- all you can eat beefsteak? Yes please! On Saturday we may head to our favorite local brewery since they're having an arts festival. But most of our shows are back this week too, so we may just stay in to catch up! 

  What I'm Looking Forward To Next Month:

In order: New York Comic Con! Blue and I won the lottery to see the Impractical Jokers Panel, and I'm looking forward to seeing all the cosplay and of course, Funko POPS! My friend's 50th Birthday Bash! And our 5th Annual Halloween Party! Our theme this year is "The One About the 90's," and I'm excited to share our costumes, food, and photo props for the occasion! 

What Else Is New:

You'll just have to wait til next Thursday to find that out! (Spoiler alert: Not much lol.)

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And now for Emily! Her prompt this week was "The Perfect Fall Day," and I'm pretty sure we were supposed to imagine what that day would look like, but I think I just experienced pretty close to my perfect fall day last weekend! Don;t get me wrong, it wasn't easy. But we did it! 

Blue and I were trying to get our friends together for a game night on Saturday, but by Wednesday it was clear that they weren't going to be available. So we redirected, and decided to make up for the beach day we missed early last month- I mean, it was supposed to be in the high 80's, so why not? I'll tell you why not, because a friend reminded us that there was a giant 2-Day music festival going on down there last weekend! That would have resulted in hours of highway traffic, followed by nowhere to park, and if we did manage to park in a lot, nowhere to sit on the beach. No, thank you. 

So we went north instead, up to a ski resort that was hosting an Ocktoberfest event. Huzzah! We had a few brew-skis and some potato pancakes and then left because honestly, it was pretty lame. But we went! And it was gorgeous out! We were home, changed into comfy clothes, and drinking selzies and reading on the porch by 2PM! We ordered sushi and Thai for dinner and finally watched Us (which I totally didn't get, so if someone wants to explain that one to me, that'd be great...).

Sunday was and is usually a planned lazy/chill day. We did laundry, Peapod came, we had some more deck time, I finished my book while Blue napped, and then we ordered in and ate our weight in delicious fried chicken, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and cornbread while watching football, followed by the Emmy's. 

So in summary, I guess my favorite Fall Day is doing something "fall-ish" like an Oktoberfest event, craft fair, or pumpkin patch, reading/chilling on a patio in sweats, watching football and scary movies, and stuffing myself with comfort foods? Yup, sounds about right! 

What's your perfect Fall Day?

Top Ten Tuesday: Books On My Fall TBR

Today I'm joining Jana/The Artsy Reader Girl for Top Ten Tuesday: Books on my Fall TBR. I was originally just going to post books that I plan on reading for a challenge I'm participating in which ends 10/31, but I know there are ones I'm hoping to read that don't fit that category at all. I mean c'mon, Halloween is this season! It's still near 80 degrees here though, so I'm hoping these will get me into the fall spirit. 

Pumpkinheads- Rainbow Rowell: I was about to say this was the latest from my favorite YA author, but she just dropped Wayward Son (the follow-up to Carry On) today!  Also not sure I should count this one since I read it in like 2 hours last week, but it's so perfectly fall  that I could not NOT include it! It's a sweet YA graphic novel... I just wish there was more! 

The Graveyard Book- Neil Gaiman: The first Gaiman book I read was The Ocean at the End of the Lane, which was a book club pick. Maybe I just wasn't used to his writing style, but it didn't get any easier. I'm not a fan of magic realism either, so maybe that was why I didn't enjoy it? It was really weird and I just didn't like it. I'm hoping that because this is YA (a genre I adore), I'll finally jump on the Gaiman bandwagon.

Frankenstein- Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley: Just picked this up for 10 cents at the library, and another classic that I've never read. Seems to be in season as well, no?! 

Sleepy Hollow and other Short Stories- Washington Irving: My copy has a collection of 6 short stories, and somehow I don't think I've ever read The Legend of Sleepy Hollow?! I know the story, but I don't think I've read it. 

The Wives- Tarryn Fisher: I got a free arc of this at NYC Book Con, but never got around to reading it. Blue read it though, and she claims it's a solid psychological thriller, so I'm in! 

Never Have I Ever- Joshilyn Jackson: I started this last month but a bunch of other books came in at the same time, so only got through 20% before I had to give it back. Ain't that always the way?! 

The Sleeper and the Spindle- Neil Gaiman: I know, I know. I just said I wasn't really "into" Gaiman, and now here's the second one I'm hoping to read this season! Honestly this just looked really pretty. It's supposed to be a Snow White retelling in graphic novel form, with a bit of dark magic thrown in.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle- Shirley Jackson: This little Gothic fiction has been on my TBR forever, but I'm a bit wary now that I've read The Haunting of Hill House and didn't love her writing style. Willing to give her another try though. 

The Girl With All the Gifts- M. R. Carey: Sci-fi? Check. Zombies? Check. Apocalypse/Dystopia? Check. I normally don't  like any of these things, but what can I say? I'm completely drawn in by the synopsis! 

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves- Karen Joy Fowler: I only learned of this book because of the reading challenge I'm participating in, and for that, I'm grateful. I'm not sure exactly what to think based off of the synopsis and none of my friends have read it, but I'm VERY curious. 

What did I miss? What's on your Fall TBR list? 
Linking up with Jana and Rachel!

TTT: Books on TBR Avoiding and Why

Yes I know, a Top Ten Tuesday post on a Thursday. What can I say? Show Us Your Books takes precedence, especially since I don't always link up to TTT! This one had me thinking though... why DO I avoid some of the books that are taking up space on my physical bookshelf? I did a count: not counting e-books (I have at least 20 more sitting on that shelf!), I own 61 books, of which 42 sit unread. But WHY? Here's an explanation for 10 of them, which I've further broken down by category. 

Size Matters! 

Shantaram- Gregory David Robert: I had originally borrowed this from a coworker turned friend back in 2008. And then I finally gave it back to her (unread, obviously) and grabbed my own copy. This book is 936 pages... that's a lot of weight to be carrying around, and I read quite a bit on my commute! (I just learned that there's a sequel, coming in at 912 pages... ugh!) Apparently Apple TV is making this into a mini-series though, and I love reading the book before the TV/movie adaption, so I need to get on this one! 

Middlesex- Jeffrey Eugenides: My cap is currently at about 400 pages, but it was closer to 300 when I originally added this one to my TBR back in 2009. In fact, the only book I even attempted to read that was over 500 was Carry On by Rainbow Rowell, which I read during my Christmas break last year (and surprisingly only took me 3 days to finish!).  I borrowed this one from Blue so it's not even counted in that 42/61 personally owned books, but again, 536 is a lot of weight to carry! The subject matter is pretty heavy as well (hermaphrodite born as a girl and eventually living as a man), so I've been putting this one off. 

Worth The Hype?

Burial Rites- Hannah Kent: Ok honestly, I think this one was hyped up but now I'm not so sure? I thought it was at the time, and bought at a library sale for 50 cents. Another one that's pretty heavy in subject matter as well (the final days of a young woman accused of murder in Iceland in 1829, based on a true story). 

Sadie- Courtney Summers: This is the second (unread) book I own by this author (The first being Some Girls Are), which I received as an arc. But of course I didn't read it before it actually published, and then everyone was like "OMGTHISISSOGOODREADITNOW!" so I didn't. 

Verity- Colleen Hoover: I've only read a few of Colleen Hoover's books, but I loved them. I'm worried that I won't feel the same about this one, especially since so many have raved about it.  Or maybe I'm saving it because I know it will be fantastic? Jury's still out on that one. (Available on Kindle Unlimited!)

'Tis... Not The Season

Little Women- Louise May Alcott: I'm not sure what it is about this book, but for some reason I imagine reading this when it's cold out. It just seems like the perfect book to snuggle up with under a thick blanket, candles, and tea or hot chocolate while it's snowing outside. 

One Day in December- Josie Silver: I love the premise of this one, but um, hello? It has "December" in the title. Obviously I can't read this until then! 

Summer Rental- Mary Kay Andrews: I admire people who can read about snow in July and hot, sun-kissed days in December, but I am not one of those people. It makes me physically uncomfortable to read about either of those situations when I'm not experiencing them firsthand at the same time, unless it has nothing to do with the story. And according to the title alone, it does. So this will be shelved until next summer! 

That's... Heavy, Man

I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness- Austin Channing Brown: My mom strong-armed me into joining her at a church event, and it just happened to be an author talk and meet and greet.  Of course I went (because, books). Ms. Brown was an exceptional speaker, drawing me in to her story immediately. I purchased her book that same night, but still haven't read it. I think I'm nervous because a lot of her experiences hit scarily close to home for me, and I feel like I need to be in a certain mind space to read this one. 

Why Be Happy, When You Can Be Normal?- Jeanette Wintersons: I originally picked this up because I thought she was the same "Jeanette" of The Glass Castle, which would have been heavy in and of itself. Once I read the description though, I realized I wanted to read this as well... when I'm in the right frame of mind. 

Orphan Train- Christina Baker Cline: The synopsis of this one drew me in instantly, but once you think about the characters (a 91-year-old woman with a hidden past as an orphan-train rider and the teenage girl whose own troubled adolescence leads her to seek answers to questions no one has ever thought to ask)- well, I gotta emotionally prepare myself first, and I just haven't been able to lately. 

What are some books on your TBR that you're avoiding? 

Linking up with Jana! 

Show Us Your Books: August

After an awesome reading month in July, I was off to a rough start in August. I had 2 books that stalled me in the beginning of the month, one of which I ultimately had to mark as a DNF which I haven't done in months. Luckily, a few books I had requested from the library that I really wanted to read finally came in, so it picked up a bit. 

Before we can in to what I read, did you know it was National Book Lover Day yesterday? Newsweek shared a list of books you can read in a day (I had no idea Breakfast at Tiffany's was based on a book!), and Monica shared some fun ways to celebrate. Now... on to the books! 

My Sister, The Serial Killer- Oyinkan Braithwaite: 4 Stars
library e-book

I read half of this in one sitting- all hail short chapters! I was completely captivated from the very first pages (how can you not be when it opens with a murder... by your sister, no less?!). 

I liked that there was no gory serial killer scenes, only clean up, and there wasn't a lot of police investigation, because I often feel bogged down by those details. I kept waiting to find out what made her snap and start killing though, and felt let down that that was never explained.

The Yellow Envelope: One Gift, Three Rules, and a Life-Changing Journey Around the World- Kim Dinan: 4 Stars
library e-book

The author really annoyed me in the beginning, but by the time she was about halfway through India, I felt more invested and she seemed more authentic. I was much more interested in her interpersonal relationships than the actual traveling parts though.

What's Your Story? True Experiences from Complete Strangers- Brandon Doman: 3 Stars
library hardback

This was...fine. I guess I was hoping that it would be a bit more like Humans of New York, and it definitely wasn't. Most of the letters were of mommy/daddy issues, regrets, and a lot of pain. I mean, NONE of them were uplifting or happy, and I guess that's to be expected when some stranger asks you to write a "secret," but I didn't find it very interesting. Also, I couldn't read some of the letters because the handwriting was illegible, and the composition itself was messy. It wasn't broken up in any sort of way, just a complete mish-mash of personal stories, and I think that if it had been divided in some way it may have felt like a more "complete" book. 

Love At First Like- Hannah Orenstein: 3 Stars
Netgalley

Maybe I should have known that this would be complete fluff after only getting through half of the first book I read by this author, Playing With Matches. As with that one, the synopsis was interesting enough, but then it just went all over the place with these outrageous setups and the MC acted more like a floundering 20-something than a functional 32-year old. Good for a palette cleansing beach read, but not much more. 

Never Let Me Go- Kazuo Ishiguro: 3 Stars
library e-book

I only picked this up for the Man Booker category in Erin's Challenge. I probably would have put it down for some other books that came in from the library that I REALLY wanted to read, but since I had such a hard time with my other Man Booker choice and I want to complete the challenge, I stuck with it. The beginning pulled me in quickly enough, but then the author's writing style started to nag me. There was a lot of "...and then this happened, but before I can tell you about that, let me go back to three weeks earlier when this other thing happened...". The middle dragged. There was also terms that were mentioned but not explained until very late in the novel like "carers," donors/donations," and "possibles," and I think had they been explained earlier, I would have been more invested in the story. It did have me thinking about it for awhile after I'd finished though. 

DNF: The Accidental- Ali Smith
library hardback 

This was a Booker Prize for short-list novel that I just couldn't get into after nearly 20%. I really tried. The synopsis was compelling- a girl randomly shows up at a family's summer rental home and each family member think she's there for a different reason. Each chapter was told by a different family member's POV, starting with the 12-year-old daughter. I think if this had started off with one of the other characters, it may have captivated my attention a little more. I may pick it up again in the future, but I'm not in any hurry. 

Currently reading: The Perfect Stranger- Megan Miranda

What are you reading lately? 

Linking up with Steph and Jana! 

* ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!