Peek Over Our Shoulders: What Rioters Are Reading On November 13, 2014

Wallace Yovetich

Staff Writer

Wallace Yovetich grew up in a home where reading was preferred to TV, playing outside was actually fun, and she was thrilled when her older brothers weren’t home so she could have a turn on the Atari. Now-a-days she watches a bit more TV, and considers sitting on the porch swing (with her laptop) “playing outside”. She still thinks reading is preferable to most things, though she’d really like to find out where her mom put that old Atari (Frogger addicts die hard). She runs a series of Read-a-Longs throughout the year (as well as posting fun bookish tidbits throughout the week) on her blog, Unputdownables. After teaching for seven years, Wallace is now an aspiring writer. Blog: Unputdownables Twitter: @WallaceYovetich

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!

Liberty Hardy

The Skeleton Cupboard by Tanya Byron: I can’t remember why I had this sent to me from across the pond, but I’m about to find out. (Paperback)

Lock In by John Scalzi: Because everyone is raving. (Hardcover)

Let’s Go Crazy by Alan Light: There is a book about the making of Purple Rain. I repeat: There is a book about the making of Purple Rain. (print galley)

The Watchers by Charles Maclean: Because someone online told me if I liked scary, effed up books, I should read this and AAAAHHHHHHH why did I listen to the internet?!? *sobs quietly* (Paperback)

Amanda Nelson

Coop: A Year of Poultry, Pigs, and Parenting by Michael Perry: Because I’m on a farming memoir kick, and this is one is a beaut. It’s got all the down-in-the-dirt-with-the-chickens stuff, without the self-righteousness a lot of these books can have. (Audio)

Home by Marilynne Robinson: Because I want to read Lila and can’t read stuff out of order. (Hardcover)

David Abrams

The Sasquatch Hunter’s Almanac by Sharma Shields: Because Spokane writer Sharma Shields writes weird, dark and funny modern fairy tales.  And because I need some magical realism.  And because BIGFOOT! (print galley)

Rebecca Joines Schinsky

Get in Trouble by Kelly Link: because I love short stories, and I never disobey Liberty when she tells me I need to read a book RIGHT NOW. (print galley)

The Bonobo and the Atheist by Frans de Waal: It’s been sitting on my digital bookshelf for a while, and I finally had a moment to pick it up. Love nonfiction that addresses big questions about science and religion. (ebook)

Jessica Woodbury

Christine by Stephen King. I love audiobooks, but I’m cheap, so Audible sales are my jam. This is my most recent acquisition and it’s LONG, which is even better. (Audiobook)

Golden Son by Pierce Brown. Red Rising book 2, I’m in, of course. (e-galley)

Magda Szabo by Magda Szabo. I try to get more international reading in. I try. So far I’ve been trying on this one for a month but I keep ditching it for fluffy books (see above). It’s good, though, so I’ll power through. Eventually. (e-galley)

Cassandra Neace

The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes.  After finally reading Broken Monsters and learning what a completely twisted delight the work of Lauren Beukes is, I have decided to work my way back through her backlist. (audiobook/ebook)

Peter Damien

Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley. I mentioned this book on twitter in passing and was greeted by shouted enthusiasm in return, so I had to read it. Thank god I did, I devoured it. An absolutely amazing book. I described it as Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children meets Bioshock Infinite, filtered through Hayao Miyazaki (specifically, Castle In The Sky) and I hold to that description. I finished it last night, and it left me too hyper to sleep, like a good book should. (e-galley)

Bird Box by Josh Malerman. I just started this, but it’s riveting from the get-go. A woman who has sealed herself into a house with two children, whom she has never let see the outside world and whom she blindfolds. The hint that something has gone badly wrong out in the world. That’s all I know so far, but it’s pretty intense for the first few pages and I’ve heard nothing but good things.

Rincey Abraham

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese: Literally everyone and their brother has told me to read this book because some of the characters are Malayali (like I am), which is not common to see, so I am FINALLY getting around to it. (paperback)

The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II by Denise Kiernan: I saw this at Barnes & Noble and the premise totally intrigued me. I’m all about ladies who have made significant contributions to history. (audiobook)

Edd McCracken

The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach: One that I picked up via cultural osmosis – I knew that lots of people loved it, but didn’t know much about it beyond thinking its cover art wouldn’t look out of place on a Nicholas Sparks novel. Turns out I was right not to judge this book on its aesthetic merits. Go osmosis! And Harpooners! (Paperback)

Derek Attig

Native Son by Richard Wright: I’m teaching it this week.

EH Kern

The Paris Review #210. TPR does amazing author interviews. This time around, for example, they’re interviewing Herta Müller about living in Communist Romania (very appropriate considering the 25th anniversary of the opening of the Berlin Wall) and Chris Ware about his views on comics (his mind is a strange and fascinating one indeed). I haven’t started with this issues short stories yet, but knowing TPR I’m sure they’ll be great. (Literary print journal)

Christy Childers

Yes Please by Amy Poehler: Reading Amy Poehler needs no explanation. (Hardcover)

Alison Peters

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon. (Paperback) After a wild n crazy few months living in the high plains world of Walt Longmire, I came down, took a deep breath – and plunged right into the crazy world of Kavalier and Clay, as they cross continents carrying sacred golems, plot Houdini-like escapes from their Brooklyn brownstone, and basically caper about in the most wonderful Chabon-like way. I’m so happy this is a really long book. I’ll be here for a while.

Nikki Steele

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson: Because sometimes you just need to return to an old friend (and get ready for a new one). (Paperback)

Kim Ukura

The Restless Sleep by Stacy Horn: I’m reading all nonfiction during November, and I grabbed this one because I liked Horn’s most recent book, Imperfect Harmony. (Paperback)

Johann Thorsson

Echo Lake by Letitia Trent. Dark House Press was having a three-for-two sale and this was one of the books there. A woman who recently broke up with her cheating boyfriend learns that she has inherited a house in Oklahoma, after her great aunt dies. Once there she learns that her great aunt was murdered in the house, and it turns out that the lake the house stands by is not completely normal. Slow-boiling, well-written darkness.

Kristina Pino

Alistair Grim’s Odditorium by Gregory Funaro – I was in the mood for some middle grade reading and upon browsing upcoming Disney-Hyperion titles (because Disney makes me happy) this book caught my eye. (egalley) ***

Waistcoats & Weaponry (Finishing School Series #3) by Gail Carriger – I can’t express my excitement over this in words. Do you hear pure joy in the distance? It might be me. (audiobook)

Kelly Jensen

The Good Sister by Jamie Kain: A YA book about three sisters, one of which has died and one of which may have had something to do with her death. The dead sister is a narrator in the novel, a la The Lovely Bones. (egalley)

Better Than Before: Mastering The Habits of Our Everyday Lives by Gretchen Rubin (March 2015): About this time of year, all I want to read are books like this because when I can’t control the weather or the fact it’s dark before 5 pm, at least I can try to take control of my own life and improve them. I love Rubin’s writing and am excited she has another book coming out. (egalley)

Swapna Krishna

The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro: Because he’s one of my favorite authors and I couldn’t wait to read it (print galley)

The Immortals of Meluha by Amish Tripathi: It’s a fascinating take on Hindu religious myths, set up as a historical fantasy (print galley)

Antarctica by Gabrielle Walker: Because I’m going there and I love reading about places I’m going to visit (print galley)

Why Homer Matters by Adam Nicolson: Because I absolutely love the Iliad and everything ancient Greece (print galley)

Aram Mrjoian

The Dinner by Herman Koch: When I was at Printers Row Lit Fest in Chicago this summer, I asked a few authors at a Q & A what they were reading. Kodi Scheer, author of Incendiary Girls, said she was reading The Dinner. I finally got around to it and devoured it. Hella awesome read. (paperback)

The World of Apples: Stories by John Cheever: I just nabbed this from the Open Books Pilsen Warehouse whilst painting bookcases. Sometimes you just get that Cheever fever. (hardcover)

James Crossley

Penelope Fitzgerald: A Life by Hermione Lee: Sometimes you love a writer’s books so much you just have to read a book about her. (print galley)

Tasha Brandstatter

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins: After enjoying the hell out of Divergent, I decided to read the book of another dystopian movie I enjoyed, Catching Fire. (ebook)

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving: Audible offered this as a free download several weeks ago and I couldn’t resist, especially since the narrator is Ichabod himself (Sleepy Hollow’s Tom Mison—delicious!). (audiobook)

Eric Smith

Adventure Time: Bitter Sweets by Kate Leth and Zachary Sterling: Because it’s hard to imagine a better combination. Kate Leth + Adventure Time = yes please. Halfway through this, and already adoring it as much as Seeing Red. (paperback)

Fables: Book 9 by Bill Willingham: The latest hardcover collection of Willingham’s awesome series, and this one is GIGANTIC. Seriously, it’s the largest of the deluxe editions. It’ll break my heart when the series ends next year, but I’m looking forward to seeing how he wraps it all up. (hardcover)

The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma: Due to her blurbs and her tweets, I think I’ve discovered more books by following Nova than any other author. And I’m really excited for her next book to hit this Spring. (netgalley)

Jessica Pryde

The Damned Busters by Matthew Hughes. The idea of a demon/actuary superhero pairing was too good to pass up. (paperback)

Prince Lestat by Anne Rice. I finally got it from the library. I’m still hopeful. (Library hardcover)

Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie. I’ve been meaning to read this one since it won the Carnegie in 2012. It was actually available at the library. (Audiobook)

Rachel Manwill

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. Obviously this has been on my radar for awhile, but it wasn’t until my book club picked it, on my suggestion, that I’ve had the motivation to pick it up. Why did I wait so long?? (Galley)

The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott. I’m listening to this because it’s on my Seasonal Reading Challenge. (Audio)

Greg Zimmerman

The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber. The “big” book of the fall – Faber sure knows how to slow-play the drama. (ebook)

Emily Gatlin

Mademoiselle Chanel by C.W. Gortner: Historical fiction narrated by one of my favorite designers? Yes, please. (Galley)

Something Rich and Strange: Selected Stories by Ron Rash: Short story collection from one of my favorite writers? Yes, please. (Hardcover)

As for Me

Women & Money by Suze Orman: I’m on a “let’s get super organized” kick and am reorganizing everything… including financial things. This is one of the more interesting financial books I’ve read because it talks a little bit about the psychology of spending and what we allot our money for.

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