Happy Hour Book Chat - January 2016

A group of us got together to discuss all things books over drinks and some snacks. 

We discussed many things going on now and coming in the near future. The first one being The Morning News 2016 Tournament of Books

The shortlist for the tournament includes the following books. (I've rated the ones I've already read):

The New World by Chris Adrian

The Sellout by Paul Beatty

Bats of the Republic: An Illuminated Novel by Zachary Todd Dodson

The Turner House by Angela Flournoy

Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 One of my favorite books from last year.

Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf 🌟🌟🌟🌟 A quick read, I read it in less than a day.

Ban en Banlieue by Bhanu Kapil

The Story of My Teeth by Valerie Luiselli 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Quirky but good. The more I think about it the more I like it.

The Tsar of Love and Techno: Stories by Anthony Marra 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Loved this book! It says it's stories but they are very connected. I'd really consider it a novel.

The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

The Whites by Richard Price

Oreo (New Directions Paperbook) by Fran Ross 🌟🌟🌟🌟 I just finished this one and I wasn't sure about it at first, it's kind of out there but I fell in love with the character of Oreo.

The Book of Aron by Jim Shepard

The Invaders by Karolina Waclawiak

A Little Life by Hanya Yanigahara I just started it and one chapter in and I'm already sad!

Avenue of Mysteries by John Irving 🌟🌟 I do not recommend this one. I really struggled to finish it and I really liked John Irving's earlier works.

A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler 🌟🌟🌟 I enjoyed this. I'm not sure I liked the ending (I had a much better ending in my head) Not her best work but o.k.

Since then they have also announced the brackets, which you can find here.

We also discussed some new releases 

My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout I just recently read Olive Kitteridge and loved it. I can't wait to read this one.

Your Heart Is a Muscle the Size of a Fist by Sunil Yapa

The Swans of Fifth Avenue: by Melanie Benjamin I'm interested in this one, it's historical fiction based on Truman Capote and Babe Pauley's friendship. Juicy!

Anna and the Swallow Man by Gavriel Savit

Georgia: A Novel of Georgia O'Keeffe by Dawn Tripp Fictionalized account of Georgia O'Keeffe, I have to read that!

And some books we're looking forward to

The Girls by Emma Cline release date June 14th, 2016. I am sooo excited about this debut novel! I am literally counting the days. 1960's, lonely teenage girl, Manson like cult, what more could you ask for!

Barkskins by Annie Proulx release date June 14th, 2016. an 800 page epic, five years in the writing

Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay release date June 14th, 2016 I loved Bad Feminist, can't wait to read this one!

A House Without Windows by Nadia Hashimi release date august 15th, 2016, her third novel, I can't wait to read it I really enjoyed her first two, The Pearl that Broke Its Shell and When the Moon Is Low

Other books that were mentioned were

The Postman Always Rings Twice, Peace Like a River by Leif Enger, The Coal Tattoo and Clay's Quilt by Silas House, My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman (Author), Henning Koch (Translator)

If you'd like to join us for our next book chat you can get the details on meetup.com at Book Lover's Never Go To Bed Alone, Literary Adventures

Happy Reading!!