The Power of Pivoting, A Movie Recommendation, October's Best Audiobooks

Plus recent reads & LINKS

Hello! I’m often curious about what’s on other people’s minds. I’m a questioner by nature and I especially like to know what’s on other readers’ minds. Are you a mood reader like me and often struggle to decide what to read next? Or do you plan your tbr weekly or monthly and stick to it? Do you dnf (not finish) if you’re not enjoying a book or do you finish every book your start? These are things I’m endlessly curious about. I believe every reader approaches their reading lives differently and that’s also why we could all read the same book, but have vastly different feelings and opinions when we come to the end. I’d really like to know your answers to these questions - and anything else on your reading mind!

Wondering what’s on your reading mind led to me to thinking maybe you’d like to know a bit more about what’s on my mind- reading and otherwise. I’ve been doing quite a bit of thinking about the concept of pivoting.

The dictionary definition of pivoting is: to adapt or improve by adjusting or modifying something (such as a product, service, or strategy).

To me, this means more than just changing one’s mind. I think pivoting can be seen as something bigger, bolder, and more encompassing. I’ve been thinking quite a bit about the ways I’ve been pivoting since turning 50 (I’m 52), and how I’d like to continue pivoting in this second half of life. I think part of the fun of pivoting is the chance to experience unexpected delight. When I started blogging 8 years ago, I had no idea it would lead to me meeting people online who I now call my friends. I had no idea the same thing would happen when I joined Instagram. And then I pivoted to podcasting which challenged me in new ways, changed the way I read, and led to so many amazing connections with other readers. And then more pivoting back to writing here on Substack where I’m making even more connections, chatting with people from all walks of life, and challenging myself creatively in unexpected ways. There is power in the pivot! And I say this as someone who’s consistently been resistant to change, but what I want for myself in this second half of life is to fully embrace the pivot. To not let fear and second guessing override what’s possible, but to be open to shifting course, even if the outcome is unknown.

You might be wondering how this thinking applies to my reading. I’m going to continue along the path that has been working for me- staying in tune with my mood by constantly asking myself what type of story I want to read and then choosing a few books to sample. I think of book sampling like the concept of speed dating- I gather 3-5 books that I want to read and then I read or listen to the first few chapters. Whichever one gives me that little bit of excitement, that giddy feeling of wanting to read more, then that’s the book I go with. If I don’t like any, then I chose another group of books and start over- the reading equivalent of a pivot! And speaking of my reading, let’s get to a couple books I’ve read recently. If you’re a paid subscriber, you’ll hear about the additional three surprise books I read in September in Tuesday’s audio September Books & More episode . I can’t wait to talk about the book that just might be my newly crowned top book of 2024 - and is also now an all time favorite! If you’d like to upgrade to paid to hear about these surprise books, click the button or scroll to bottom of this post for more details

Recent Reads

• Guide Me Home by Attica Locke 🎧 Bookshop.org

In this final novel of the Highway 59 trilogy, Texas Ranger Darren Matthews is pulled out of an early retirement to investigate the disappearance of a Black college student from an all-white sorority and soon finds nothing is as it seems.

I listened to each book in this trilogy and enjoyed the audio narration by JD Jackson very much. To me, he IS Darren Matthews. I found book one, Bluebird Bluebird to be fairly enjoyable, I remember having issues with the pacing, but I thought her writing was good and I was invested in Darren Matthews as a character I wanted to follow. Book two, Heaven, My Home was by far my favorite of the three, I found the mystery interesting and Darren and his relationship with his mother equally compelling. In this new book, something felt off right from the start. The stakes of the crime were vague, there was so much underlying and overt politics throughout, and the narrative structure felt forced. While I continued reading because I wanted to know what would happen to Darren and how (if at all) his complicated relationship with his mother played out, I didn’t look forward to listening. In the end, I thought the author played it safe with the storyline and I was overall very disappointed.

• Red Widow by Alma Katsu 🎧 Bookshop.org

A spy thriller written by an intelligence veteran about two women CIA agents whose paths become intertwined around a threat to the Russia Division--one that's coming from inside the agency.

I love a good spy thriller, especially one which centers around women as the main players. I listened and the audio narration was great, but I do wish I would’ve started it in print to get my bearings on who was who as there are many Russian names and places mentioned alongside the many characters in the CIA. Once I could keep everyone straight, I very much enjoyed the fast pace and found the story complex, yet compelling. I don’t know much about Russian politics and their involvement around the world, but I found the plot fascinating and both the women intriguing, especially the “Red Widow.” I always love a spy story revolving around secrets, lies, and betrayals and this one was no exception. Highly recommend!

Movie Recommendation

• Ghostlight - When a construction worker unexpectedly joins a local theater's production of Romeo and Juliet, the drama onstage starts to mirror his own life.

Two thumbs up from my husband and I! We rented this on Amazon Prime Friday night and it was an unexpected winner for us. It’s a quiet, character driven movie that’s, on the surface, about a family struggling and you’re not sure why. I don’t have an interest in Shakespeare and/or plays, but I really loved the parts involving the play and I can’t tell you why. This is emotional, yet also heartwarming. It’s deeply sad at times, but also deeply hopeful. It’s about grief, death, family, forgiveness, finding oneself, and taking chances. I loved it!

LINKS

• What’s coming to Netflix in October (Vogue)

• Which big fall book should you read? (LitHub)

• The Bachelorette Had Its Most Dramatic Finale Ever, but at What Cost (Vanity Fair)

• Are you cool enough for Sally Rooney’s new novel? (Esquire)

• September’s best psychological thrillers (Crimereads)

• The 25 greatest horror books of all time (Forbes)

• The power of a minimalist skincare routine (Comfort Zone)

• 14 big audiobooks for October (Audiofile Magazine)