Fall Reading Recommendations

I am LOVING this cold snap. It almost feels like fall here, which is such a welcome change. Last year, we stayed near 80 until almost November, so I am so happy to have an actual season! Woo-hoo!

One of my favorite parts of this chill is the permission to curl up with a good book. If you're of the same mindset, let me give you a few recommendations. Disclaimer-NONE of these would be appropriate for your church book club.

First up is The Alice Network: A Novel by Kate Quinn. Two women, a young American socialite and a former British spy are brought together after WWII to search for a missing cousin. I loved this book, as one of the main characters  would  be affectionately called a "tough old broad." I kept imagining Cate Blanchett in the role for some reason. You get a glimpse at the contributions women made in the war effort, and the sacrifices that came with it. The chapters swap back and forth between WWI and the time right after WWII. It is part historical novel, part mystery, and all fun.

My second recommendation is The Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll. I think this book would appeal to middle school/high school teachers and any girl working in the fashion industry. The main character seems to have what so many young women seek: career, love, success. However, as you read, you find out what a dark past she has, and her search for emotional survival ultimately surfaces. This is another book with flashbacks between the main character's present day and her time at a prep school at age 14. Dark, sometimes snarky, but also deeply human.

Finally, I wanted to delve into P.D. James work, so I started with her first novel, Cover her Face. If you aren't familiar with James, she has been hailed as the modern Agatha Christie, and was a prolific mystery writer. She wrote fourteen novels, spanning from this 1962 debut to her final work in 2008. In typical British fashion, this story opens with a dinner party and a murder. Poison, secret identities, and blackmail all play a part in this fun read. If you're needing a Brit-fix since we don't have Sherlock on the BBC, this is a good substitute!

Have you read anything wonderful lately? I'm currently working on In a Dark, Dark Wood, but would love any other suggestions!

--Glee