I’m a total bookworm.

It’s time for a book update. I know, thrilling.

But honestly – NOTHING beats a good book. You get to use your imagination, become smarter and look cute in your reading glasses, it’s a good thing :-).

Here are the books I enjoyed this fall:

Catch me if You Can by Frank Abagnale Jr.

This book was incredibly interesting. If you’ve seen the movie, you know the general plot. It was mind boggling how ballsy this kid was. There were quite a few jaw-droppers while reading this. I highly recommend for a quick, easy and fun read.

The Debutante Divorcee by Plum Sykes

I like these books purely for the outfit descriptions. Brands I’ve never heard of. Trends I never knew existed. The life of the Manhattan super-rich.  A life I will never know. Totally fun to read.

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

Jodi Picoult is hands down one of my favorite authors. Her writing style makes the characters seem so real and alive, like someone you’ve met or actually know. She always writes about really thought-provoking subjects and sometimes controversial subjects, which is awesome because I end up learning loads from her books.

Nineteen Minutes is about a school shooting, with close parallels to the events of Columbine. She tells the story from each characters point of view,  most interestingly, the shooter. She delves into the psyche of these high school students to uncover the true impact of bullying, cliques and friendships. I also really enjoyed learning about the responsibilities and perils of being a judge as well as a judge’s daughter. This book is heavy and emotional but completely worth it. The mark of a good book, in my opinion is, does it make you think? Does it challenge a belief? This book certainly meets that criteria and leaves you with a sense of hope in the end.

A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard

Okay – so this is the memoir of Jaycee Dugard, the girl who was kidnapped when she was 11 and held hostage in a backyard for 18 years. A Stolen Life  is the polar opposite of a “light read”. It is heavy. Many times through out this book, I had to simply set it down, walk away and spend 15 minutes alone. As I read this book, my mind automatically placed myself in her situation. I physically shuttered through out the book. Jaycee tells the story exactly as it happened and doesn’t leave out any details. In the book, she will write a section, for example “The Studio”, tell us what happened and then goes on to reflect on how she feels about  it now that she is free. I highly recommend this book for it’s amazing story of survival.

The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult

This book was awesome. Not my favorite in the way of Picoult books, but excellent nonetheless. Maybe it was the subject matter…rape…it honestly gives me goosebumps to even think about. So horrible. I loved the relationship between the family members in this one as well.

Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult

This Jodi Picoult novel also doesn’t fail to disappoint. This time, we are thrown into the life of an American family dealing with osteogenesis imperfecta. Google it for all the details, but basically it’s when a human is born with super brittle bones that break very easily. People that have OI either die right after they’re born or live a life where they’ll likely break hundreds of bones, never walk and not exceed 3 feet in height. This book depicts a family dealing with a child with this disorder. Again, we hear stories from all members of the family and also a few outsiders. This book also addresses issues like cutting and bulemia. This one is incredibly compelling and as always, really makes you think.

I am currently reading the The Shadow Wife, by Diane Chamberlain per a recommendation from this awesome blogger.

Next on the list:

• Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult – PUMPED about this one!
• Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
• Bossypants by Tina Fey
• How to Love an American Man by Kristine Gasbarre
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

What are you reading lately?