Peek Over Our Shoulders: What Rioters Are Reading On March 26, 2015
In this feature at Book Riot, we give you a glimpse of what we are reading this very moment.
Here is what the Rioters are reading today (as in literally today). This is what’s on their bedside table (or the floor, work bag, desk, whatevskis). See a Rioter who is reading your favorite book? I’ve included the link that will take you to their author archives (meaning, that magical place that organizes what they’ve written for the site). Gird your loins – this list combined with all of those archived posts will make your TBR list EXPLODE.
We’ve shown you ours, now show us yours; let us know what you’re reading (right this very moment) in the comment section below!
Amanda Nelson
So Good They Can’t Ignore You by Cal Newport: Because the “quit your job and follow your passion” advice we so often hear is bullshit. (Audiobook)
The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma: When my fellow Rioters rave, I listen. (ARC, but it’s out now)
The Architect’s Apprentice by Elif Shafak: Elif’s TED talk about the politics of fiction is one of my faves, so when the publisher offered me this book, I jumped on it. Also, it’s pretty and I’m shallow. (hardcover)
Liberty Hardy
The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins: This sounded so cool, I couldn’t resist. (Galley)
Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman: I’m a big fan of his Unwind series, so. (Galley)
The Wright Brothers by David McCullough: Those magnificent men in their flying machines. (E-galley)
Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut: One of my goals this year is to re-read all of Vonnegut’s novels. This is the first. (Paperback)
Brenna Clarke Gray
Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation by Bill Nye: I grew up on Bill Nye the Science Guy, and now every day as I walk to work he reads me science. It’s a slam dunk. (Audiobook)
We Were Here by Matt de la Peña: I’m sort of mad at everyone who didn’t tell me about this book because it’s compelling, funny, and tragic. New lifelong fan of de la Peña here. (Paperback)
Rebecca Joines Schinsky
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz: In my ongoing attempt to read more YA, I’ve encountered more recommendations for this title than any other recently. Loving it so far! (ebook)
Nimona by Noelle Stevenson: Sweet Gloria Steinem, do I love Stevenson’s work on the Lumberjanes comic! Naturally, I jumped at the chance to see her original graphic novel. (galley)
Tasha Brandstatter
Roulette by Megan Mulry: This received some pretty glowing reviews, so I couldn’t resist it when it was on sale. (ebook)
The Gold Bag by Carolyn Wells: A new release on Librivox by an author I’ve been meaning to try. (audiobook)
The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss: Ordered this one from the library after I saw it listed as a must-read for freelance writers. (hardcover)
Derek Attig
H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald: Because everyone’s been talking about it, and now I can see why. (e-book)
The Gracekeepers by Kirsty Logan: It’s totally up my alley and perfect so far. (e-galley)
Ms. Marvel Volume 2: Generation Why by G. Willow Wilson, Jacob Wyatt & Adrian Alphona: Because I devoured Vol. 1 and need more.
Kim Ukura
The Great Beanie Baby Bubble by Zac Bissonnette: I was a middle schooler during Beanie Baby madness, so if course I grabbed this book on the subject. Bissonnette is a business reporter, so there’s a lot in here about speculative markets and how the toy industry works. Super fascinating. (Hardcover)
Jeanette Solomon
Hausfrau by Jill Alexander Essbaum: Books about marriage and all its intricacies are one of my kryptonites (hardcover, which is GORGEOUS)
Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton: I had no idea I was so into books about ballerinas. Looking forward to The Walls Around Us after I finish this one. (egalley)
David Abrams
It by Stephen King: Because I wanted to know more about Derry, Maine after reading 11/22/63, and because this whopper of a novel has been unread on my shelf for decades, and because “There was a clown in the stormdrain.” (e-book)
EH Kern
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel: This book has been recommended and praised by so many people I’ve lost count. I decided to pick it up because I’m on an apocalyptic reading binge right now. This is the third such novel I read after Jeff Vandermeer’s The Southern Reach Trilogy: Area X and Laura van den Berg’s Find Me. (Hardcover)
Peter Damien
Madness: A Bipolar Life by Marya Hornbacher: an intense, fast-moving book about Hornbacher’s diagnosis with bipolar disorder, her ignoring that diagnosis, and her life going wildly up and down in flames before she finally began to sort it all out. As hard to put down as a good novel.
We Are Our Brains: A Neurobiography of the Brain, from the Womb to Alzheimer’s by D.F. Swaab: a dense book examining the brain, what happens to it from birth through various disorders and lifestyles, and what the brain can in turn influence in people’s lives. It’s not easy or fast reading, but it is tremendously interesting, at least to me.
Edd McCracken
Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls by David Sedaris: After reading a few whoppers, time to just lie back and nibble on Sedaris’ tapas-sized tales, in which every moment is a potential madeleine, ripe with childhood reminiscences, wit, and pathos. (paperback)
Eric Smith
Boomerang by Noelle August: When it comes to New Adult books, I definitely haven’t read enough. I loved included Luck on the Line by Zoraida Córdova, Last Will and Testament by Dahlia Adler, and Positively Mine by Christine Duval, and really wanted to check out some more. Boomerang, the first NA title from Noelle August is first on that list. Fun Fact: Noelle August is actually Lorin Oberweger and Veronica Rossi, writing together.
The Dark Water by Seth Fishman: At last, I’m settling down to read the final book in Fishman’s Well’s End series. If you haven’t scoped out the first book, The Well’s End, please do. It’s an awesome ride, with deadly plagues and an insane secret. If you haven’t read the first book, don’t look up the second. There are spoilers.
Nikki Steele
Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You Think by Peter H. Diamandis and Steven Kotler: This book is fascinating in itself, but it was made even more so because, now that it’s three years old, you can research to see how the author’s original predictions have developed. (ebook)
Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor: I love a good science fiction novel, especially those that take us from those normal places we expect to go and to somewhere new–in this case, the ocean. (audiobook)
Dana Staves
Boy Snow Bird by Helen Oyeyemi: This book has been much lauded by fellow Rioters, and my number finally came up on the library hold shelf. Thoroughly enjoying this re-imagining of the classic tale of Snow White. (hardcover library book)
The Light of the World by Elizabeth Alexander: Poet Elizabeth Alexander lost her husband young – he was only 50 years old – and in this memoir, she shares the story of their love and of her loss, all with heartbreaking beauty and lyricism. (eGalley)
Jessi Lewis
The Sparrow by Maria Doria Russell: In my search for really intelligent science fiction that asks big questions, I’ve had so many people recommend this to me, it’s ridiculous. They were right. It helps that the author was a really awesome speaker at the Virginia Festival of the Book a few years back (ebook).
Some Luck by Jane Smiley: I’ve just started in on this one in part because my mom recommended it to me. Which is dangerous. You never know when it comes to Mom-books, but the tone here is fantastic so far. Arranged by year and following family generations, this one has me hooked surprisingly early. Smiley won the Pulitzer in 1992, so this novel has big shoes to fill and I’m excited (ebook).
Rah Carter
Unnatural Creatures stories chosen by Neil Gaiman: My Mum’s school librarian friend is clearing out books from the library that are no longer needed and I got to keep this one. I always need more stories about fantasy creatures. (hardcover)
As for Me…
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by Diane Wiessinger and Diana West: Because I’m pregnant and you have to read books about these sorts of things when you haven’t had children before. However, this one is actually fascinating from a scientific side… crazy what our bodies know how to do without us telling them to do it!
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