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October 4, 2021

What I read: The Pumpkin Spice Latte Edition

Little Bun Reads:

Note: I don’t actually drink Pumpkin Spice anything, but this seemed fitting for this month, as September is when all of the pumpkin stuff debuts!

  • January: 41
  • February: 24
  • March: 24
  • April: 17
  • May: 20
  • June: 11
  • July: 28
  • August: 28
  • September: 23

What I read

Note: I do not drink Pumpkin Spice Lattes, let alone coffee lattes, it is more that I find it endearing it’s such a marker of the ‘season’ of autumn, that everyone squeals over PSLs coming back in the stores.

Arsène Lupin: Gentleman-thief

[ Short Stories, Thievery, Mystery ]

How could I NOT read the inspiration after watching the superlative TV series with Omar Sy!?!?! EXCELLENT series, and the books are okay. I’d say they’re just fine, but they are no Sherlock Holmes though entertaining as they may be. I guess for French readers it was quite good because it was in their own tongue, similar to my trying to read it in French, they must have had a bit of a struggle reading Holmes in English and really getting the stories to the fullest extent. This is the one case I think the TV series was way way better (I am rewatching the episodes now), but the books aren’t bad either.

Children of Blood and Bone

[ Young Adult, Supernatural, Magic, Action ]

Another good young adult series about the supernatural. LOVED IT. Can’t wait to read the sequel. It reminds me a lot of this series – The Gilded Ones. Very dark, full of mystery, magic, intrigue, pain… excellent reads.

Food in the Ancient World

[ Food, Dry, Timeline, History ]

A timeline of food in the ancient world. I was a tad bored to be honest, I need STORIES to be told when I am learning about history, anecdotes, funny quips, and this was dry.

The Room on the Roof

[ Thoughts, Rambling, Wonder, Philosophy]

What a fabulous book. There is no real “plot” per se with an ending that would satisfy 100%. I’d liken it a lot to the meandering thoughts of The Little Prince (yes that same one). It was well written, interesting, beautiful writing. It is a lot to do with happiness, I am sure there is some philosophical stuff buried in there, but I haven’t tried to study it too deeply with metaphors.

Original Sin

Golddiggers

Daddy’s Girls

[ Super Rich, Chicklit, Drama, Wealthy Lives ]

All three books from Tasmina Perry – some of her best work because they are all just such great escapism books that have rich people, travel, and complex, interesting characters.

Fix Her Up

Love Her or Lose Her

Tools of Engagement

[ Friendships, Chicklit, Families, Relationships ]

They are all standalone stories but it is best if you read them in order because it made more sense to me rather than my jumping in at the end to be honest. They were very good, fun, fluffy reads. Definitely more sex talk, it’s very descriptive versus the other books I’ve read, and I’ve noticed this trend in chicklit.

The Angel’s Game

The Prisoner of Heaven

The Labyrinth of the Spirits

[ Mystery, Drama, Thriller, Books ]

I FINALLY finished the saga of The Cemetary by Zafon and it did not disappoint. The last book ties it all together even though his timeline is not quite kosher and I still have outstanding questions. It all makes so much more sense now, even if I am unsure about a few bits here and there. EXCELLENT READING. I am just enjoying the mystery, story and words.

Crying in H Mart

[ Memoir, Bi-Racial, Asian American, Star, Celebrity, Culture, Heritage ]

A poignant memoir about growing up bi-racial, and all the different things observed in Korean culture. I really enjoyed it. She also became famous in the end (I had no idea who she was), and I had to look her up afterwards. Quite a good read even if you do not know her nor her music.

Vegas Girls

[ Friendships, Affairs, Relationships, Families ]

This felt like the writing along the same style as Weiner or Hilderbrand, so if you enjoyed their deep introspectives into people, their characters, their motivations, hopes & fears, you’d enjoy this one as well.

Best Friends Forever

[ Friendships, Families, Relationships, Growing Up ]

Weiner never disappoints. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and the exploration of families, relationships, friendships and the awkward world of growing up.

Eating Rome

[ Italy, Food, Shopping, Guide, Anecdotes, Culture & Customs ]

A book on Italian eating, customs, “rules” like no cappuccinos in the after noon, along with recipes and like a mini tour guide of the cities.

Everyone’s a Critic

[ Short, Thriller, Book, Critics ]

I was reading this book and it just turned totally dark near the end, unexpectedly, and I loved it. It was a short read, and VERY engaging.

Comfort Food Diaries

[ Memoirs, Food-Related but not Foodie, Stories, Anecdotes, Life ]

I am CERTAIN I have read this book already (the beginning is very familiar in my head), but I do not recall the anecdotes and I enjoy reading the book again, picking up the stories. It talks about love, life, loss, family relationships and how things are not what they seem sometimes. A nice mental meandering.

The Happiest Man on Earth

[ Memoir, History, Holocaust, Survivor ]

You hear and read about the atrocities of the Holocaust but it is a completely different ballgame to read them firsthand, in simple, unembellished words from a survivor. I am in awe that he even survived all this time, with everything he went through and was subjected to. The pages are painful to read, but extremely required for us all to gain a bigger perspective as to how much worse it could be. It also makes you angry at the Covid, Mask & Vaccine mandate comparisons being made today to what they suffered through and survived during the Holocaust. It is unspeakably gross and disgusting to do so, and not at all similar by a long, long, LONG shot. People who say this, should be encouraged to read this book.

Blended

[ Bi-Racial, Young Adult/Preteen, Race, Identity ]

This was meant for a preteen to read, the way the words flowed, the story and so on, but I still enjoyed it. And it still made me (in some pages), feel extremely angry and sad, particularly the end. It is a good book to serve as a reminder of what it is like to be a preteen (good practice for when I am about to parent one in a few years), and to be young and so innocent.

Bobos in Paradise

[ Wealth, Upper Class, Middle Class, BOBOs, Society ]

An interesting view into how Bobos (a member of a social class of well-to-do professionals who espouse bohemian values and lead bourgeois lives) have blended into middle and upper classes to the point where they are no longer distinguished by the way they look or act. An interesting read into “wealth” and rather, what I would call “stealth wealth”, that we are all slowly embracing. It made me realize that I could certainly be a bobo in many of the aspects listed there. Good food for thought.

A Court of Silver Flames

[ Fantasy, Fiction, Magic, Dark Magic ]

I need more of her books on this series. I devoured the 4th book in the series, it was everything I hoped it would be and more. It had been so long since I read the other ones, that it took me a few chapters before I remembered who everyone was, what happened and so on. I don’t recall her earlier books being so sexual, but this one it seemed pretty heavy on the erotica, just as a side note. Whatever the case, the story was GREAT. I loved it, with all the subplots, characters, nuances.. it was excellent. I would however, recommend re-reading the first 3 if possible, before diving into this one because I may need to re-read it again as I was lost for the first part of the book. Her writings remind me a lot of Anne Bishop’s work, another author I will loyally read ANYTHING by. It does not matter what worlds Bishop creates, they are all good and not a single one is boring, or has ever made me think: OH GOD JUST GET TO THE END OF IT ALREADY.

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