Currently Coveting {December}

Hello.
It's me.
(Adele humor...get it? I'm not very good at making jokes).

Also, happy December! One of my favorite months of the year (the peppermint-chocolate candies, the twinkly lights, the Christmas movies!!) and also one of the busiest for me, what with wrapping up my first half of grad school (can you believe it!) and preparing to enter my student teaching full time in January. While I've been on my blogging break, I've been taking full advantage of jump-starting the holiday season. I may have put up my own little Christmas tree a week before Thanksgiving, but I strongly believe that when the fancy strikes you should go with it. For me that means lots of holiday music, gift preparations, and spreading cheer!

Speaking of my blogging break,  a big thank you to those of you who have stuck around and explored past posts while I've been on hiatus. I had a few weeks where I questioned how much I wanted this blog to remain a part of my weekly routine, so I thought that the best course of action would be to take some time off and see how it felt. After a few weeks, I realized that this blog acts a sort of creative outlet (if you can call it that) for me and that I missed the thrill of sharing great reads with others. 

 Now, let's get to talking about books. The end-of-the-semester chaos naturally slows my reading pace, so I've been in search of some extra captivating reads to keep me enthralled during this busy season (and I'll be needing a stack for my upcoming winter break). This one was my favorite from my Thanksgiving break (a hearty portion of which was spent lounging with my nose in a book). Now that we are back to school for the final "finals" push, I am feeling grateful for the energy that I gained from that extra down time!
Below you'll find just some of the reads that I'm currently coveting:

The Relic Master: A Novel by Christopher Buckley // This one caught my eye because of the cover. It's a new historical fiction novel featuring a relic hunter from the early 1600's. It will be out on December 8th, so if you're into that sort of historical fiction/adventure mix, keep an eye out for it!

At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen // Sara Gruen's Water for Elephants was a huge hit a few years ago, but I actually fell in love with her writing after reading Ape House. This latest one from her is on my list to read next time I'm craving some historical fiction featuring high society scandals and strong female characters.

The Bounty by Caroline Alexander // For those interested in non fiction stories, I've found that I'm most interested in ones featuring the sea. This true story of one of the most famous instances of mutiny has me craving a night curled up next to the fireplace with this book in hand. I'm thinking I'll add this one to my winter break reading list (keep an eye out for that next week).

What are you looking forward to reading this month?

Happy Reading!

-Madeleine-

Literature Link Roundup

 Happy Monday! I spent the past week at home for my spring break, and it was one of those weeks during which absolutely nothing got done. I lazed around for pretty much the whole week, and while it was nice to feel like I had no obligations, I'm feeling ready to get back to a routine!

While I was home, I stumbled upon some fun links on Pinterest. Mostly, I find that Pinterest is a great place to find inspiration for interior decorating, but last week I found some fun links that will appeal to a range of my fellow book-lovers, so I thought I'd share them here!

One // 29 True Crime Books Every Armchair Detective Should Read 

This buzzfeed list is one for fans of Serial, and since I'm a big-time fan, I'll be adding a few to my reading list. I like that these books appeal to mystery and non-fiction-lovers alike.

Two // 18 Pulitzer Prize-Winning Books By Women

I have more than a few of these on my shelves already (most of them still unread) but I like the idea of working my way through this list. They're listed in reverse chronological order, and first up is Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch, which you can read my review of here.

Three // 12 Clever Ways to Decorate With Books

I am loving some of these ideas! I have been looking into DIY headboard ideas for my next apartment, and though the book one doesn't look feasible for me next year, I love how these ideas bring personal touches into a space that really speak to a love of (and reverence for) books. 

Four // Libraries of the Rich & Famous

I'm telling you, these personal libraries are the stuff of dreams. I am especially smitten with this one, the Biltmore House, which is the largest privately owned home in the country. It has such an old world feel with the candles, ornate architectural touches, and richly textured furnishings. And can we talk about that spiral staircase? I would gladly pay a premium for a few hours to peruse those shelves.

Currently Coveting {November}

November is my favorite month of the year, hands down. Not only is it my birthday today (yay!), but in two weeks I'll be home stuffing my face enjoying a Thanksgiving feast, and I can finally see the light at the end of the hardest-semester-ever-tunnel. For this month's currently coveting, I picked only two books that have been on my mind for the past week straight. I tend to stick to a very predictable model of personal style, decor, etc. but my reading selection is never predictable and my bookshelf is the most varied collection of things that I own, as evidenced by the two picks below. Now I'm off to indulge in birthday treats and maybe sing a certain relevant Taylor Swift song...enjoy!

Proust and the Squid by Maryanne Wolf // This book looks so fascinating, though it's definitely not for everyone. As a psychology major, I love learning about the ways in which the mind works. People are often surprised that a large part of my psychology education has been dedicated to learning about the technical aspects behind cognition, and that there is a heavy emphasis in my university's psychology program on neuroscience. In fact, following a neuroscience track into graduate school was one path that I seriously considered this past year. The brain is fascinating- we know barely anything about it- and I would love to be part of that movement to really dissect the workings of the body's most important organ. One of the biggest pushes in the neuroscience community right now is for neuroscientists, developmental psychologists, cognitive psychologists, and educators to work together in researching how development of the brain affects learning at an early age. In working to become an educator, an integral part of my professional knowledge (in my opinion) has to do with the workings of the brain. This book brings together two things that fascinate me: neuroscience and reading. It explores the neural processes behind reading, examines the history of the human ability to read, and pays special attention to the subject of dyslexia. I'll be adding this to my growing stack of reads for professional purposes, but from a personal perspective this looks like the perfect storm of my interests and I can't wait to get my hands on it. 

Yes Please by Amy Poehler // On the opposite end of the reading spectrum is this. As soon as I saw the announcement for this book, I knew I had to have it. Not only is Amy Poehler a force to be reckoned with in the pool of role model-worthy women, she's also beyond hilarious. Tina Fey, her real-life BFF, wrote my favorite memoir to date (I've listened to the audiobook three times and own both a hardcover and paperback copy), and I'm expecting this one to be just as good. Perfect for holiday gifts to your girlfriends and a sure way to make people judge you when you belly laugh while reading it in public. 

What are you looking forward to reading this month?

Review: The Girls of Murder City

{on Goodreads}

The Girls of Murder City is an account of the real life events that led to the inspiration behind Chicago, one of the most popular musicals in Broadway history. Although the book features the murderesses who became famous during a particularly troublesome time in Chicago history, the timeline is built around Maurine Watkins, a bold young woman who comes to Chicago chasing a dream: to become a field reporter. As Maurine makes her way into the chaotic world that is Chicago homicide, she finds that unlike many of her female colleagues, she has a real talent for reporting the news stories as she sees them, not as the lawyers of these beautiful killers portray them. Her wit and sarcasm earn her a spot as a top reporter for female homicides. As the stories unfold, we can recognize moments of Chicago as they were actually said during the trials, and we follow Maurine's story until years after Chicago has made her famous. 

I picked up this book as a precursor to my first trip to the city of Chicago. I thought it would give me some great background knowledge on the city in its heyday, as well as be one of those history books that pulls you as if it were a novel. I actually lost interest at several points throughout the book, and the most interesting points to me were ones that could have been elaborated on much more. I think I was most fascinated by the case of the Millionaire Murderers, who actually had little to do with the narrative, except that Maurine covered the story. I would love to find a book on that case. I did like the look into Ms. Watkins' articles, as her writing was charming and I loved that she saw through the public facades of these women. What bothered me the most was the ditzy personalities of the murderesses. Maurine's sarcastic comments about their dramatic testimonies reflected my own thoughts...how could these juries have been so gullible? In any case, some of the stories were interesting, and I did have fun imagining my self in the city as if it were in that day. There was something glamorous about the whole scene, but I'd much rather stick to the movie soundtrack than trudge through this book again. 

Bottom Line Rating: 2/5

Title: The Girls of Murder City: Fame, Lust, and the Beautiful Killers Who Inspired Chicago

Author: Douglas Perry
Publisher: Viking, 2010

ISBN: 978-0-670-02197-0

Format: Hardcover
Price: $25.95 (I paid $5.95)

Source: University Store

Genre: History, Non-Fiction

Book # 57 of 2013