Welcome back to the Monet Book Club, where every month we discuss our favorite books, podcasts, and movies of the month. If you missed our last one, we will have it linked at the end of this post. Read on for some exciting new books, thrilling movies, and enticing podcasts for the month of October!
What To Read:
The One by John Marrs
This riveting thriller is set in a near future that combines the technology of an AncestryDNA-type site with a dating site to find your “one true match” based on DNA. I thought the premise had a lot of promise, but I couldn’t seem to get that invested in the characters. Maybe there were just too many for any of them to get solid backstories and dimension? Still an entertaining read.
The Turn Of The Key by Ruth Ware
In all fairness, I will read anything Ruth Ware writes — but this one I found especially hard to guess the ending. She always has a twist and it’s never an easy guess. This story of a nanny accused of killing the child in her care appears ripped from the headlines, but you’ll be on the edge of your seat the whole time.
What Are You Going Through? By Sigrid Nunez
In this book, the narrator shares a series of random encounters she has with seemingly unrelated various people in the course of her normal life. Snapshots into her days, her life, their lives and the mundane thoughts that we all share together. It’s a profound and gripping peek at human nature and the bonds that connect us all.
What To Watch:
The Banker — Apple Plus
This is an incredible story about two African American men in the 1960’s who managed to amass a vast real estate empire while hiding their true identities. They used their real estate holdings to integrate previously segregated neighborhoods and purchased a bank in order to offer loans to black families and small businesses. It’s an amazing true story and an important watch.
The Social Dilemma — Netflix
This documentary on the impact social media has had and is having on our world and the ways in which it is shaping and changing the way we think is a MUST SEE. Whether you consider yourself addicted to tech or not, it’s intriguing to see how the very people who invented this technology are concerned about the direction in which it’s heading.
Glitter Town — Bravo Digital
Ok, so not only are Lydia McLaughlin and her mom Judy some of my favorite people in REAL LIFE, they are just as much fun to watch on the screen. Honestly, Lydia and Judy make me smile every time I get to hang out with them in real time, so why wouldn’t I want to add to that time digitally? If you don’t have the pleasure of being their friends in the real world, this is the next best thing — they spread joy (and glitter) wherever they go.
Explained — Netflix
These are short 20-30 minute episodes, each on a different topic where they explain a socially relevant subject that may be confusing to the general public. They cover everything from cryptocurrency to the female orgasm to the wealth gap. It’s riveting television and educational at the same time, and something my husband and I love to watch together and discuss afterwards.
What To Listen To:
(I listen to my podcasts on Spotify but they are generally widely available)
Up And Vanished
If you liked my recommendation for Someone Knows Something, then you’re sure to like Up and Vanished. It follows the same slow burn format, following one mystery per season but in this podcast it’s a missing person rather than a murder or crime. It tends to be a little ad-heavy which I don’t love but hey, everybody’s gotta pay the bills. In Season One, they follow the disappearance of Tara Grinstead in Georgia. Shockingly, the 11-year old cold case gets solved and an arrest gets made during the course of the podcast, which I have never seen happen before.
Stuff You Should Know
This is just a really fun, pass the time type of podcast. Each episode covers a different topic and it’s all just kind of bits of interesting information and explanation of a different subject each episode. I always finish feeling smarter than when I started.
What books, podcasts, shows, and movies have you been enjoying this month? Have you checked out any of our favorites? Chat with us below!
Missed Last Month’s Monet Book Club? Check it Out Here:
Welcome To The Monet Book Club Where We Share Our Favorite Entertainment And Reads Of The Month
