My Fall 2015 Reading List

What is it about the fall that makes me want to read all day long? The cooler temperatures make curling up on the couch with a blanket, a warm mug of apple cider and a good book all too appealing.

I did my fair share of reading this summer and shared some of my summer 2015 favorites in various Things I’m Loving Friday posts, but today I’m teaming up with Oyster to share a handful of books I have in my reading queue for the fall!

First, I want to tell you a little bit more about Oyster, because I think my fellow book-loving fanatics will be all about this awesome app! Let’s start from the beginning: Oyster actually reached out to me months and months ago about their service, which is essentially like Netflix for books. The whole concept sounded great – unlimited books for only $9.95 a month – but I wasn’t really on board with the whole “reading from a tablet” thing. (If you don’t want to subscribe, you may also purchase books.) Call me old school, but I still gravitated toward holding a book in my hand and wasn’t sure the whole Kindle/tablet-reading thing was for me, so I declined.

And then I got pregnant and a bunch of my mom friends told me that their tablets and e-readers were lifesavers for them during the early months with a baby when they wanted new reading material in a flash and didn’t have the time to run out to the store or library to pick up a new book nor the desire to wait for a book to come in the mail. (Some of my girlfriends even recommended adding a Kindle to my baby registry!)

Well, I figured reading a book on a tablet was worth a shot and downloaded The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins to give it a try a couple of months ago and within two paragraphs forgot I was reading from a tablet. I had the book I wanted to read at my fingertips in two seconds and flew through it, knowing I could easily move onto my next book from the Oyster library the second I finished The Girl on the Train.

Oyster makes reading from a tablet so darn easy and accessible. You can access Oyster on iOS, Android, Kindle Fire, Nook HD and the web and once you download a book, you can read it offline.

So what books do I have on my fall 2015 reading list?

Here are a handful of the books I’m hoping to read in the coming months:

Fall 2015 Reading List

• The Astronaut Wives Club by Lilly Koppel

After I started watching the TV show inspired by this book, it immediately claimed a spot on my upcoming reading list. I love historical fiction, so this one is right up my alley!

As America’s Mercury Seven astronauts were launched on death-defying missions, television cameras focused on the brave smiles of their young wives. Overnight, these women were transformed from military spouses into American royalty. They had tea with Jackie Kennedy, appeared on the cover of Life magazine, and quickly grew into fashion icons.

As their celebrity rose-and as divorce and tragedy began to touch their lives-the wives continued to rally together, forming bonds that would withstand the test of time, and they have stayed friends for over half a century. The Astronaut Wives Club tells the story of the women who stood beside some of the biggest heroes in American history.

• Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

My friend Leah has been urging me to read this book for years! It’s intrigued me for a while and I think it’s finally time to dig in!

Synopsis: There is a story that is usually told about extremely successful people, a story that focuses on intelligence and ambition. Gladwell argues that the true story of success is very different, and that if we want to understand how some people thrive, we should spend more time looking around them-at such things as their family, their birthplace, or even their birth date. And in revealing that hidden logic, Gladwell presents a fascinating and provocative blueprint for making the most of human potential.

• The Time In Between by Maria Duenas

This book was highly recommended to me by one of my girlfriends and the positive reviews on Amazon and GoodReads made it a no-brainer to add to my fall reading list!

The inspiring international bestseller of a seemingly ordinary woman who uses her talent and courage to transform herself first into a prestigious couturier and then into an undercover agent for the Allies during World War II.

• What to Expect The First Year by Heidi Murkoff

I read my fair share of pregnancy-related books but feel a bit behind on knowing what to expect now that our baby is actually here! I am hoping this book will help me feel a little more prepared and I’m planning to use it as a reference throughout my first year as a new mom!

Synopsis: Keeping the trademark month-by-month format that allows parents to take the potentially overwhelming first year one step at a time, First Year is easier-to-read, faster-to-flip-through, and new-family-friendlier than ever—packed with even more practical tips, realistic advice, and relatable, accessible information than before.

• Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight 

This book popped up as a Oyster-recommended read for me and the synopsis instantly intrigued me! It sounds like an intense read and I can’t wait to get started!

Synopsis: When Kate, single mother and law firm partner, gets an urgent phone call summoning her to her daughter’s exclusive private school, she’s shocked. Amelia has been suspended for cheating, something that would be completely out of character for her over-achieving, well-behaved daughter.

Kate rushes to Grace Hall, but what she finds when she finally arrives is beyond comprehension.

Her daughter Amelia is dead.

Despondent over having been caught cheating, Amelia has jumped from the school’s roof in an act of impulsive suicide. At least that’s the story Grace Hall and the police tell Kate. In a state of shock and overcome by grief, Kate tries to come to grips with this life-shattering news. Then she gets an anonymous text:

Amelia didn’t jump.

The moment she sees that message, Kate knows in her heart it’s true. Clearly Amelia had secrets, and a life Kate knew nothing about. Wracked by guilt, Kate is determined to find out what those secrets were and who could have hated her daughter enough to kill. She searches through Amelia’s e-mails, texts, and Facebook updates, piecing together the last troubled days of her daughter’s life.

• 10% Happier by Dan Harris

The Happiness Project is one of my all-time favorite books and I have high hopes for this book that I’ve seen tons of people rave about in recent months.

Synopsis: Nightline anchor Dan Harris embarks on an unexpected, hilarious, and deeply skeptical odyssey through the strange worlds of spirituality and self-help, and discovers a way to get happier that is truly achievable.

10% Happier takes readers on a ride from the outer reaches of neuroscience to the inner sanctum of network news to the bizarre fringes of America’s spiritual scene, and leaves them with a takeaway that could actually change their lives.

Oyster Unlimited Offer: $.99 for Three Months!

If you are interested in trying Oyster for yourself, they’re offering PBF readers three months of Oyster Unlimited for $.99! Pretty sweet, huh!? With Oyster Unlimited, you’ll gain access to more than one million books a month (and receive discounts on other books, too)! You’ll have access to books in every genre from cookbooks and classics to new releases and New York Time’s Best Sellers. New titles are added every day!

You may click here to take advantage of this offer and start making your way through your own summer reading list!

Question of the Day

• What is the last book you read that you think is a “must read?”
• What is one book you have on your fall reading list?