October 2018 Book Releases | Part 2

Hello again! Welcome back to part 2 of October book releases. I originally was going to make one post for my favorite October releases coming out but part 1 was so long that a second one had to be made. I hope you enjoy discovering new books with this post. Let me know in the comment section below which books you are excited to read from this list and the rest of October.

When Louisiana Elefante’s granny wakes her up in the middle of the night to tell her that the day of reckoning has arrived and they have to leave home immediately, Louisiana isn’t overly worried. After all, Granny has many middle-of-the-night ideas. But this time, things are different. This time, Granny intends for them never to return. Separated from her best friends, Raymie and Beverly, Louisiana struggles to oppose the winds of fate (and Granny) and find a way home. But as Louisiana’s life becomes entwined with the lives of the people of a small Georgia town — including a surly motel owner, a walrus-like minister, and a mysterious boy with a crow on his shoulder — she starts to worry that she is destined only for good-byes. (Which could be due to the curse on Louisiana’s and Granny’s heads. But that is a story for another time.)

Simply for my love of Because of Winn-Dixie, I will always want to read DiCamillo's books. I expect the concept of Louisiana's Way Home to provide me with an adventure, mystery, and a bittersweet feeling - mostly because Louisiana is trying to get back home when she is starting to develop new friendships in her new town.

Side note: Doesn't the cover reminds you of the original Lemony Snicket characters or am I going crazy?

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The polar bear is a royal bear, a gift from the King of Norway to the King of England. The first time Arthur encounters the bear, he is shoved in her cage as payback for stealing food. Restless and deadly, the bear terrifies him. Yet, strangely, she doesn’t harm him—though she has attacked anyone else who comes near. That makes Arthur valuable to the doctor in charge of getting the bear safely to London. So Arthur, who has run away from home, finds himself taking care of a polar bear on a ship to England.

Tasked with feeding and cleaning up after the bear, Arthur’s fears slowly lessen as he begins to feel a connection to this bear, who like him, has been cut off from her family. But the journey holds many dangers, and Arthur knows his own freedom—perhaps even his life—depends on keeping the bear from harm. When pirates attack and the ship founders, Arthur must make a choice—does he do everything he can to save himself, or does he help the bear to find freedom?

Journey of the Pale Bear is reminiscent of Life of Pi but for kids. I love the idea of this story and I'm curious to see the adventure it will take me on. The cover alone is convincing me to read this story. I mostly like that it conveys to kids to be kind to animals.

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Ali lives with his great-grandmother in a tiny clay house at the edge of the desert. Just her and him. Just him and her. They don't need anything more to be happy. But lately, Ali has begun to notice how his great-grandmother has aged. And one day, he asks if her life's dreams have come true. All except one, she tells him. She had a dream to see the sea, but now she is too old to go. So, the next morning, Ali sets off with a pail in hand. He is going to make his great-grandmother's final dream come true. He is going to bring the sea to her. 

The description of A Drop of the Sea alone makes me want to cry. I love picture books like this that show children what kindness is and hopefully gets them to think about what they can do for others.

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WHAT HAPPENED TO NORA?

When Maddie met Nora, their friendship felt as easy as breathing. And when Nora disappeared, all the air went with her. Without her best friend, Maddie’s life became impossible.

Ten years later, Nora is still missing and Maddie is still searching. People have been questioned. People have even been accused. But no one has managed to find Nora.

Then, in the same spot where Nora went missing, the murdered body of Nora’s little sister is found. Convinced this is no coincidence, Maddie resolves to uncover the killer and find Nora – dead or alive.

But will she be able to cope, when we learn what really happened to Nora…?

Psychological Thrillers are the best. What made me want to read Forget Me Not was that Nora's, the missing girl, little sister's body was found in the same spot that Nora went missing. That immediately made me curious whether or not Nora was really missing or was just hiding out so "the killer" murdered her sister in retaliation. 

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When Friends debuted in 1994, no one expected it to become a mainstay of NBC's “Must See TV” lineup, let alone a global phenomenon. In the years since, Friends has gone through many phases of cultural relevancy, from prime–time hit to '90s novelty item to certified classic. Ross, Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Joey and Phoebe have entered the pantheon of great television characters, and millions of people around the globe continue to tune in or stream their stories every day.

I'll Be There for You is the definitive retrospective of Friends, exploring all aspects of the show from its unlikely origins to the elusive reasons why we still watch it. Journalist and pop culture expert Kelsey Miller relives the show's most iconic moments, analyses the ways in which Friends is occasionally problematic and examines the many trends it inspired, from the rise of coffee–shop culture to “Friendsgivings” to the ultimate '90s haircut, The Rachel.

I used to watch Friends, Seinfeld, and Everybody Loves Raymond as a kid. They weren't the most appropriate shows for my age - definitely not Seinfeld but I loved them; I grew up with them. Naturally, I want to read any behind the scenes stories of the show. So many people from the generation below me or people from my generation are discovering Friends for the first time. This is the perfect time for I'll Be There For You to come out. Smart thinking Miller.

That's it for Part 2. Have you seen any of these books around? Do you think you'll enjoy any of them? Let me know in the comments!