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?
![\"Quantcast\"/](\"//pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-1e3-7hOJ_U8Bg.gif\")
Outliers is awesome! It was a great book – read it in a week when I was commuting in and out of NYC. Super interesting stuff. My number one must read is The Shadow of the Wind. A little long, takes a few to get into, but the best piece of literature I’ve ever read!
Can’t wait to read it. And thanks for the book recommendation! I’ll definitely look into it!
The Shadow of the Wind is my all time favorite book! I rarely hear anyone mention it! But I also love Outliers–probably my favorite Gladwell 🙂
Reconstructing Amelia was really good. And I loved the Astronaut Wives Club tv show so I got the book from the library and was promptly disappointed. The author isn’t very good, so instead of being a narrative and feeling connected to the characters and caring about the outcomes like I did in the show, the book reads as kind of short description of events that happened all strung together, but not really connected. If you like the show I think I’d skip the book.
I just finished The Astronaut Wives Club after watching the series this summer. It was interesting getting the wive’s point of view of the space race and NASA. I will have to go back and read The Right Stuff. An excellent book if you haven’t read it and a great movie about the Mercury 7 astronaut program.
I also read Reconstructing Amelia – good book and am in the middle of The Time In Between. That one has been a slow read and not sure if I’ll finish it. Enjoy!
Hi! Thanks for sharing your choices for autumn. I love books too.
I had never heard of Reconstructing Amelia but now i”m curious about it.
the Time in Between was a very successful tv show in Spain. (I live in Portugal so it was quite famous here too).
Like Jamie said The Shadow of The Wind is an amazing and magical story. I couldn’t recoomend it more.
I just The Underside of Joy by Sere Prince Halverson and could not put it down!
I read the happiness project having seen it on here…now I really want to read 10% happier!
I read Reconstructing Amelia for a book club I’m in (actually, I picked it!). I really didn’t like it. I couldn’t figure out who the target audience was – young adults (high school aged) or adults (20s/30s), and there were some parts of the story that never came full circle with some very unrealistic portions. Anyway – I would recommend reading a different one first!
I’m currently working through The Goldfinch, which I am enjoying despite its extreme length!
100% agree. Thought Reconstructing Amelia was terrible. So many plot gaps.
The Outliers is excellent! Easy to read and makes you think about life and luck. I’m just starting The Other Wes Moore- I hear it is a great book, especially for a Baltimorean.
My brother really likes all of Malcolm Gladwell’s books so Outliers is on my to-read list too. I am currently reading Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult – I absolutely love all of her books and would highly recommend any of them. I’m also hoping to finish reading Outlander as I watched the first season of the show this past year.
Jodi Picoult is the best! I read Leaving Time and thoroughly enjoyed it too!
I love reading. Thanks for the ideas:)
I would definitely take advantage of this, except I have a Kindle, which is not supported (and I’m kind of attached to it!). Tired of having to deal with the library loans, but it’s free…. =)
Outliers was a great read. The Astronaut Wive’s Club looks interesting. I watched an episode of it on TV and it looked pretty good.
I read Reconstructing Amelia this summer and loved it! I’ve been recommending it to everyone!
This service (and the price) sound great! Do you know if it is available in Canada?
Outliers is a great book! I’m really enjoying Astronaut Wives, the TV show, too! I want to read the book!
I just added pretty much all of these to my To Read list – The Time In Between might be my next read. Thanks for the recommendations!
I loved 10% Happier! I am currently reading The Good Girl, which is a really easy to read mystery/thriller. The Desire Map, Better than Before and Unbeatable Mind are all on my fall reading list. Thanks for sharing!
So glad to hear you liked 10% Happier! Can’t wait to get started!
Thanks so much for your suggestions! I have The Astronaut Wives Club on my to-read list but haven’t gotten around to it yet. My suggestion for a good page turner (and plot twists) is The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton. Hope you enjoy!
Oh my goodness, I totally agree. Curling up with a book in the fall is just about one of the best things there is! I can’t wait to read and hear about these books whenever you finish them! I’m a fitness book worm too 😉
The best thing about tablets and e-readers for new mums is you only need one finger to turn the page and no hands to hold it open! I liked 10% Happier, funny & well-written 🙂
You will LOVE Outliers, it’s one of the most interesting books I’ve ever read. As far as a recommendation, I loved “Where’d you go, Bernadette?” It’s written by a comedy writer. If you liked the quirky humor of Arrested Development, you’ll like this book. Congratulations on the new baby, you look joyous!
Reconstructing Amelia was such a good book. I was hooked & couldn’t put it down!
I am a huge fan of reading on my tablet – I have the Kindle paperwhite. & Netflix for books?! This sounds amazing. I need to check out their selection. Thanks for the promotion.
Loved The Girl on the Train! Through my husband’s work I have had the incredible privilege of meeting John and Annie Glenn. They are so adorable and amazing and still so
sharp at 93 and 94. My husband’s work just threw them a party for their 72nd wedding anniversary 🙂 definitely need to check out The Astronaut Wives Club book and show!
I’m adding The Time In Between and 10% Happier to my to-read list right now!
The best book I’ve read recently is Station Eleven.
On my fall reading list I’m most looking forward to The Martian and Circling the Sun.
I’ve never tried an e-reader, but the idea of getting books right away without paying full price is pretty tempting as I wait for my library holds to come in…
I just finished astronaut wives club, the book and the show were awesome! I loved the inside look at the wives!
I was totally against e-readers pre-baby too! I don’t have an e-reader, but we do have an iPad, but I found reading on my phone way easier while breastfeeding than holding a tablet. Plus, it gave off less “glow” haha. This sounds like a cool service, but I prefer to take out my e-books from the library since I still also buy a lot of hard copies of books. Reconstructing Amelia was really good – it’s everything that is wrong with smart phones and social media in teenagers’ lives. I haven’t read (or watched) The Astronaut Wives Club, but I just finished The Martian (about an astronaut trapped on Mars) and it was really good (and comes out in theatres this fall!). Have you read Attachments by Rainbow Rowell? It’s her first novel and an adult one and was soooo good. And since a lot of the book is told via emails, it seemed like a really good book for reading on an ereader (or your phone haha).
Great post! I always thought I would hate having a kindle, but with all the travel I do it’s perfect. I just added a bunch of these books to my “Want to read” on Goodreads. Thanks!!
I’ve been watching the Astronaut Wives Club and had no idea it was a book! I am going to have to add it to my reading list. And I’m bookmarking this post so I can check out Oyster – that’s a fantastic offer!!
I didn’t realize it either for a while but once I did, I knew I had to read the book!
I’m excited to try Oyster once I have the baby. I think only needing one hand to read a book will be helpful!
I need this in my life! How did I not know about it? I really want to read the Astronauts Wife Club. I was totally into the show and kind of bummed that it was just a mini-series! I thought it would last longer 🙁
My biggest newborn lifesaver was a Nook. I could prop it up on something, rock my son who had colic, and read hand free!
I need to figure out hands-free reading!
Reconstructing Amelia, sounds SO good!! I’m definitely going to read that! I just started reading I Let You Go last night and it’s great so far, something happens that causes the character’s life to change instantly and she has to move away and start a new life. I’m only one chapter in, but I can tell it’s going to be a great book full of surprises.
I’m reading Reconstructing Amelia right now–it’s pretty good. Not as gripping as Gone Girl (per the cover suggests) but it has held my attention and I’m already halfway through after reading for 2 nights.
So interesting, I too am old fashioned and like to hold a book properly! Though it does get a little frustrating when travelling and trying to squish my reading selection into a suitcase…
I’ve just started to get back into reading again as I come to the end of writing my thesis when academia took over. I’ve just finished Everything Beautiful Began After by Simon Van Booy and loved it! Couldn’t put it down.
Do they offer audiobooks? I downloaded one and really took a liking to listening to them vs reading them. I can drive and listen and clean. I don’t always have time to sit and read.
Any Jojo meyes book! the Girl you left behind is phenomenal, Historical fiction from a WW1 story!
If you like historical fiction (just like me!), I’ll second Veronica’s recommendation of Kate Morton. Her stories are beautiful and enthralling, with twists that I never see coming. I liked both The House at Riverton and The Secret Keeper.
“Center of Gravity” by Laura McNeil, which I’m reading as part of a Blog Tour, and needs to be posted by October
“Emma” by Jane Austen, which I’m reading because of the massive Jane Austen fan I am. 🙂
“How Do You Know” by Meredith Schorr, an author Friend, also as part of a Blog Tour.
Aren’t eBooks awesome? I read a lot more since I can do it from my phone anywhere. I know paper books are awesome, but convenience has been great.
It’s been so long since I’ve read fiction – I’ll have to give one of these a try. I’m currently re-reading the Yamans & the Niyamas by Deborah Adele.
I was always one of those “I’m never going to read on a tablet” people. Until I started reading on my iPad. Now I don’t want to read anything but! I did read the Astronauts Wives Club and did not care for it at all. Let me know what you think. One book I really liked was The Bullet.
You might also be able to download ebooks from your local library! I do that all the time and keep my holds list maxed out, too. I got a kindle years ago and haven’t looked back. I love the fact that I can read almost any book I want at any time as long as I’ve got internet!
And another thumbs up for Reconstructing Amelia. Good read!
I’ll pop a vote in for libraries and their often really extensive collections of ebooks. Typically it takes a few minutes to get in the groove of how to do it but it’s free, your taxes support it most often, and the rental periods are decent, so while you might not have everything available all the time, you know you’ll get it before long. $10/month is reasonable, but if you do it for five years, that’s $600 if the rate doesn’t ever increase … we might be more cost conscious than others though… But putting in a little time to figure out the library’s ebooks system could be well worth it!
Reconstruction Amelia was so so good! It was a little slow (for me) at times but ended up being amazing!
I use my local library for e-books, sometimes I have to wait, but I always have plenty to read :). I love my Kindle Paperwhite, it fits in my purse so I always have it with me to read anytime I have a few minutes to spare.
I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes was AMAZING, Runner by Patrick Lee, and anything by JoJo Moyes is fantastic as well. So many good books… so little time.
Since I stare at a computer screen all day for work I still love the feeling of holding a book. But my friend and I share a Kindle account so it does come in handy when I’m stuck. I’m currently reading The Art of Racing in the Rain and it’s so good! Devil in the White City and The Girl on the Train are also on my list.
Thanks for the suggestions!!
A few others have mentioned ebooks from the library. I do the same. I’ve seen over time that Oyster is partnered w a number of bloggers.. I’ve read articles that say Oyster is missing lots of books from big publishers. Would you use this service if you had to pay for it?
Thanks! I’ll definitely take advantage of the offer!
I have been reading the Outlander series and I LOVE it!! I would highly recommend it!
My husband got me a tablet before I had our first baby (then a Kindle before the second baby) with the idea that I could use it to read, watch shows, and browse the internet when I was nursing the baby. I was, like you, unsure and preferred reading an actual book. Then the baby was born and he could not have been more right. I can read and turn pages with one hand and I can order more books anytime.
Our library has a set up where you can rent book on your Kindle. It’s pretty handy and then you don’t have to buy books all the time.
I’m not a reading-by-tablet kind of person either, but I can see the appeal for a busy mom! I am excited to start reading Game of Thrones series as well as Andy Weir’s “The Martian”, a book about the mission to space and how someone gets left behind and struggles to survive until help can arrive. I think it is suppose to be turned into a movie too!