Show Us Your Books: Celebrating Two Years of Reading Together

Two years ago Jana and I thought what the hell, let's make the book talk post into a monthly linkup and see if anyone links up. And boy, have you. Together with all of you, we've really built a nice reading community. Thanks for linking up or commenting on posts or tweeting us about what you're reading. It's awesome to be surrounded by other booknerds, and to celebrate, we're giving away four prizes this month so be sure to enter the rafflecopter down below before you hit the linkup. The prizes are all book related. First prize = $50 Amazon gift card; second prize = banned books socks and a library card catalog coffee mug; third prize = reading journal and book ornament; fourth prize = card catalog pouch (when we bought it, Out of Print sent a book to a community in need, so it's a feel good prize too). The thing you can do to get the most entries to win is follow The Armchair Librarians on Instagram - even if you (like me) don't listen to podcasts, on Instagram we post about book and reading related stuff so I think you'll like it. Please and thank you. Speaking of, who would like to take over The Armchair Librarians account for a few days with your reading/book related thoughts/pics? 

Linkup Guidelines:

This link up happens the second Tuesday of every month.

The next one is Tuesday, November 8, 2016

1. Please visit and comment with both of your hosts, Jana & me
2. Please display the button (need it? let me know) or link back to us on your blog post
2. Please visit a few other blogs who've linked up and get some book talk going!

Here's what I've read since the last linkup. 

Engrossing Reads

Siracusa by Delia Ephron - I was in thick with this book from jump. I devoured it. So many assholes, so little time. Four different viewpoints tell the story, and there's a little overlap with each. The perspectives are true to each character and what could have felt burdensome to read did not. Ephon did well. Thanks to Jen from That's What She Read for the recommendation.

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena - There's something appealing about reading the monumental fuckup that a circle jerk of dumbasses can get themselves into. This was like hopping on the crazy train from beginning to end and the ride was pretty enjoyable to me even with insane plot jumps, sometimes flat characters, and general lunacy from all parties involved. 

Swear on This Life by Renee Carlino - Touted by at least two people in last month's linkup, I got right on this and I'm glad I did. I don't often read love stories, but I loved this one. A few times I was like yes WE GET IT when the author repeated, but all in all I had feelings for this book. (Amazon e-book)

The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison - Kristen told me this would be a good read for me, and she was correct. This was creepy as fuck and God knows I love psychotic characters. (Amazon e-book)

Sleeping in Eden by Nicole Baart - I don't often have great luck swiping books off of library shelves, especially when I judge a book by its cover, which is what I did here. That was not true with this hidden gem. Fast moving, a little weird, and told in a really interesting way that only became apparent later on in the book. If you've got nothing else to do, give it a go. This is straddling the line between engrossing (was it just a good time for me to read this book?) and passed the time just fine. (library paperback)

Passed the Time Just Fine

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead - I think this is an important book, but I drug my feet reading it through most of the first half. I think it actually is a good commentary on race relations today, and how there are so many things that are not the same for black people as they are for white people. There was also a liberty taken with history in this book that I absolutely could not hurdle. (hardback, purchased and passed on) (discussed on The Armchair Librarians)

The Girl in the Ice (DCI Erika Foster #1) by Robert Bryndza - I thought this was a little scrabbled together as far as mystery stories go, but I liked the writing and I liked DCI Foster so if there's another I'll give it a go. (Amazon e-book)

Let Me Go (Archie Sheridan & Gretchen Lowell #6) - I read this series a few years back, and was unsure if I'd finished it out. Turns out, I hadn't. This is the last one, and it felt like meeting up with those fucked up old friends you used to have and finding out that shocker they're still a little fucked up even after all these years. (library hardback)

The Wednesday Group by Sylvia True - Kimmi read this last month. This was a quick and interesting read, especially having lived the role of an addict's wife (different type of addiction, but still). Some of it rang true and some did not. (library paperback)

Owl Island by Randy Sue Coburn - A weird little book filled with eccentric characters. I had to skim some of it because one of the characters could be a real dumbass and the other a real pain in the ass. I wish there was more of the surrounding cast. (cheap Amazon e-book)

The Guineveres by Sarah Domet - This book was close to being not worth it. I had to skim a good deal, and even though it wasn't actual repetition it felt like it at times. Other reviewers were all oh in the vein of The Virgin Suicides - I don't think so. In the end, some of the storylines did redeem it and I was pretty surprised at how it ended. (Free e-copy from Netgalley)

Not Worth It

Seventh Heaven by Alice Hoffman - Every once in a while I like a dose of Alice Hoffman's mystical writing. This was like pounding warm keg beer as an adult. Too much, why am I doing this, no thank you. (e-book, not sure from where)

Prize entry here

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Link up here - what have you been reading? 

An InLinkz Link-up