It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? Is hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date, a great place to meet up and share your reading plans for the week. I love finding new blogs and new books – so a link-up that helps me do both? Sign me up!

Another rainy Monday in Houston – all I want to do is stay home and cozy up with a good book! Oh well, at least it’s a short week for me since I’ll finally be getting my wisdom teeth removed on Wednesday. EEK! Originally planned for last week, we figured I’d have plenty of time to recover before going to the Houston Rodeo this weekend, but of course, plans do change. Hopefully I’ll be semi back to normal on Saturday because there’s no way I’m missing out on Alan Jackson! On the bright side, I have a fresh pile of library books to keep me busy.  🙂

Back to my usual reading habits, I finished two World War II novels last week, The Orphan’s Tale by Pam Jenoff and Anna and the Swallow Man by Gavriel Savit, both with amazing audio narrations. The Orphan’s Tale, set during the start of the war, follows a young woman, Noa, rejected by her community and family alike after becoming pregnant by a German soldier. In an unusual turn, Noa is unabashed by her actions. Throughout the novel, Noa takes on a childlike mannerism, looking at the world with big, puppy-dog eyes and buying into the glitz and glamour of the circus, but all the while, refuses to apologize for falling in love with the soldier. Full of emotionally complex characters and the budding friendship between Noa and long-time trapeze artist, Astrid, The Orphan’s Tale is not to be missed! Likewise, Anna and the Swallow Man, through its creative use of word play and symbolism, paints a curious tale of a young girl rescued by a mysterious stranger. Narrated by Allan Corduner, who voiced The Book Thief, the novel’s poignant mix of folklore and magical realism will leave you breathless for more, and ever so hopeful.

This week, I’m hoping to get through Area X by Jeff VanderMeer, a compilation of The Southern Reach Trilogy, in audio. I’ve already finished the first book, Annihilation, and OMG, this series is going to be crazy! One book in, I’m still not exactly sure where the story is heading, or what Area X even is, but I’m so excited to find out! In print, I belatedly started reading The Vegetarian by Han Kang because it’s due back today. I didn’t have high expectations for this one, given the title, but I was so wrong. Rooted by mental illness, and only extenuated by sexual abuse, scandal, and estrangement, Yeong-hye’s nightmares are spiraling out of control, and into real-life in this truly Kafkaesque novella. I definitely see what all the fuss is about now!

What are you reading?