Imagine my excitement this morning when I discovered the annual Fall Extravaganza episode of The Girl Next Door podcast had dropped!!! I queued it up immediately, and listened as I drove around town doing my errands.
Their theme this year is “ghosts” and while nothing could compare to the apple theme of last year (when they named the Honeycrisp apple “Jenny”), they nailed it as always. There’s a quiz, (what kind of ghost would you be?) a ghost-themed would you rather?, the famous candle-sniffing segment, falliday gift exchange, and more.
One of my stops was Barnes and Noble. Let’s back up for a second, and remember that I have a fall reading list. I started this book, which I had heard such great things about:
I was over 100 pages into the book when I discovered 30 pages were missing. Obviously it was a publishing mistake, because it skips ahead from page 130-160. To be honest, I was liking the book okay but not loving it, so I made a controversial decision. I read the rest of the book, minus those pages… and then I returned it.
I felt slightly guilty about returning a book that I read- er, more or less. The fact remains that missing 30 pages did take away some enjoyment, and I wanted my money back! I wasn’t going to get anything else, but as I was about to leave the store, a display of this book caught my eye:
Meredith and Kaytee, from Currently Reading podcast, both loved this book. It’s middle grade, so not something I would usually pick up, but I decided just to read the first chapter in the store.
Clare is an “undead” fox- at the moment of his death, he was given the choice to go to the Afterlife, or become an Usher, helping other animals navigate their ways to the Afterlife. Clare became an Usher and lives in Deadwood Forest, where he grows mushrooms and performs his ushering duties. But you guys… he wears a monocle. At the moment of his un-death, one of Clare’s eyes was injured. He’s self-conscious about the empty socket, so he foraged in the dump and found a monocle to cover it up.
That settled it! A fox wearing a monocle! I had to buy the book. It’s very fall-ish (the season in Deadwood Forest is perpetually autumn) and although it’s middle grade, it’s clever and funny. I’m already halfway through, and I’ll report back when I’m done.
My next errand was Michael’s. where I bought Halloween flowers for my daughter (something about making a corsage for Homecoming?) And I needed a few supplies for another living room project. Now that the furniture has been rearranged, the wall behind the couch needed something… and it now looks like this!
This is where I usually put my Christmas card display, so I’m just getting things started a little early. When the time comes, I’ll change out the orange lights for white, and the pumpkins for holiday cards.
Are you getting fall weather yet? – We ARE NOT. But that’s okay. It’s fall in my heart. And in my house.
Would you continue to read a book if 30 pages were missing? – I really don’t feel like I missed much, which goes to show it wasn’t a great book anyway.
Top photo by Mark Duffel on Unsplash
28 Responses
A fox wearing a monocle and living in perpetual autumn… yep, a perfect read for the Crazy Pumpkin Lady, haha!
As for the missing 30 pages, I think you made the right call. You were only mildly invested, had the discipline to finish it despite the missing 30 pages and got your money back. No harm done! I’m impressed you even finished the rest of it!
We’re in full autumn mode here in Switzerland – I hope your weather cools down soon, Jenny!
Ooh…. full autumn mode! I’m envious (obviously). And yes- this is the perfect read for CPL, ha.
We’re starting to get fall colors. Hopefully we will soon have the temperatures to match!
I hope that Foxy enjoys the fox book just as much as you do.
I sounds like the missing 30 pages were the best part of the book lol. I totally approve of returning it.
Ha ha… I still have a mild curiosity to know what was in those pages, but not enough to actually seek out another copy of the book. And I’ve been trying to get Foxy interested in the book with no success, hrumph!!! Do you think I can get him to wear a monocle???
You definitely did the right thing returning the book!
It is very definitely feeling like fall here. The morning air is cool (sometimes even COLD!).
I love your light/photo display. And you can transition it right into Christmas cards. Squeal!!!
Ooh! COOL MORNINGS!!! That sounds amazing. Our mornings are so humid, I have to keep the windshield wipers on while I drive my daughter to school- and it’s not raining.
Yep… I’m already imagining how the Christmas cards will look!
Woah on a book missing all those pages — and on trying to read it anyway. You were right to return it regardless!
We have a string of the mini white Christmas lights on our fireplace mantle year-round. My husband calls them our “party lights” even though we rarely have people over, they do make it festive and cozy.
Oh, party lights- I love it. Last year I kept a string of white lights up until April- then I changed them out for pastel colored lights for Easter, then finally took those down in July. Things looked so dark and gloomy until I put my orange ones up! This year I should just keep the white ones all the time.
It was missing 30 pages? How bizarre!
I just listened to that episode yesterday, it was so much fun. I love your pumpkin light display! Now you can just segue into Christmas!
The farm market is just starting to get the little decorative gourds, but I’m waiting until they have a good selection, probably next week. Then it’s Decorative Gourd Season Motherfuckers! My fall celebration!
Oooh… DG season (motherfuckers). I love it!
I love those string lights! It makes the room look so cozy and ready for fall.
It is I guess desert fall here? I think we’re done with the 100+ degree weather (don’t wanna jinx it because those days can still happen into October sometimes), but the forecast shows mostly temps in the upper 80s and low 90s which feels nice compared to the summer weather. Once we start having lows in the 60s, it will definitely feel like fall!
Oh good- I really hope you’re done with 100s. Our “lows” are still around 80- although actually I just looked at the weather and it’s saying lows in the mid 70s later in the week, WHOA. I guess “Florida Fall” is coming!
I would not have kept on reading when I realized 30 pages were missing! Maybe a page or two, but not that much. I definitely support you returning it, though.
Funny thing, I once was reading a (very old) novel and found it had this kind of problem: it was obviously very screwed up at the binder, as it had both missing pages and repeated ones, all out of order. I found another copy of the book (which happily did not have the same problem) to read, and then I found a person who made hollowed-out book safes and had them make me a hide-a-book with it! I keep it on the shelf with a little cash in it, mostly because it amuses me.
I know- if it had been another book I may not have kept reading. As it was, I was feeling kind of “meh” about the book anyway, so I decided to take the chance that I wouldn’t miss anything big. It’s a police procedural, and when I rejoined the story after the missing pages, they were saying “let’s review what we’ve learned so far.” Ah! Perfect.
That fox books looks interesting! I’ve been working my way through all the books that won the Newberry Medal, so I also keep an eye out for the Newberry Honor books. It’s fascinating to me how much times have changed in what was regarded as “interesting” or “award winning” for children’s literature. Some of the first Newberry books are so boring that I wonder how children read them, and some of the newer ones I’ve noticed have more new age cultural content. I wonder what the original Newberry medal pickers would have to say about death and afterlife, etc. I’m not saying that as a negative thing, just as an observation- it’s fascinating to me!
It’s such a good book!!! There’s adventure, talking animals, and gives you (even adults) some interesting things to think about. I love this as a book for kids. Yes, I know what you mean about the older Newberry books- I definitely avoided “award winning” books when I was younger.
I once was going to buy a book from B&N one time and then realized that the cover was attached upside down. I think they gave me a 10% discount when I pointed it out. Well, first they offered to order me a new copy, but I was about to leave on vacation and wanted to read the book on the plane, so I said no. All to say, returning the book was the right thing to do because you should not have to pay for a faulty product. No guilt at all required here! It’s not as if you returned a book that had all it’s pages. And the store should know about faulty products because maybe there are more books missing thirty (!) pages?
It kind of reminds me of how sometimes the family will watch something, like an action adventure movie, and I’ll kind of wander off in the middle some long action sequence, and then come back for the end and not feel like I’ve missed a whole lot. Sometimes you just need the beginning and the end of something….
Here the weather feels like fall when I’m standing in the shade, but in the sun it still feels like it’s 80 degrees. It’s not, of course, but something about the difrect sunlight feels punishing.
Yes- that’s exactly what reading that book- minus the 30 pages- was like! I got the gist of it. And, I think they should have give you more than a 10% discount for that book with the upside down cover! 10% is nothing.
We are having fall weather and I am HERE FOR IT. I was in Dallas this week where it was 90-100 with no cool off whatsoever overnight. I was so happy to land in Minneapolis this morning and experience cool, crispy weather! There’s no place like home (but don’t talk to me about weather in January…).
That middle grade book sounds delightful. I’ll have to check that out for Paul and me at some point. We are on book 2 of Nevermoor and then have the next book in a national park mystery series we’ve been reading. Then maybe we will try to get that monocled fox book!
I was thinking of you guys- I think you would both like it. It’s not overly cute and there’s plenty of adventure to interest Paul. But it’s also for smart kids, and if he likes animals (most kids do) he’ll like it.
No one’s weather is perfect. We’re miserable in July, you’re miserable in January. It all evens out!
Fall weather is definitely forecast for NEO, and I could not be happier. I am so, so sick of this damned humidity and heat. WHY DO I LIVE HERE?
You were absolutely justified in returning the book. How does 30 missing pages even happen? Yikes.
Nance, I have been asking myself that question, WHY DO I LIVE HERE, way too often these past several years. And we don’t have fall weather forecast here. Maybe November?
JENNY! Preview for my post tomorrow, but THERE ARE TREES WITH LEAVES CHANGING COLOR HERE ALREADY. WHAT IS THIS BULLSHIT? I probably shouldn’t swear on your blog, BUT I am verrrrrry unhappy about this situation. Unlike you pro-fall people, I am NOT HERE FOR IT. I will never be warm again.
Ha ha, swear away, Engie!!! I’m only pro-fall because I live in Florida now. When I lived in Illinois I was swearing constantly from September-May (inside my head, that is- my parents were too strict to let me swear out loud).
A FOX wearing a MONOCLE. Yes.
Also, of course you should have returned that book! It was defective!
We had, like, one day of fall-ish weather. I made butternut squash soup, it was heavenly. And now we’re back into 80+ degrees and sticky humidity. UGH. I think I am finally ready for fall. Mainly because I am OVER the humidity.
Humidity is evil. EVIL, I say! The good thing is… you WILL have fall weather soon. Summer can’t last forever.
Cool mornings here but it warms up… to 70. LOL
Nope on finishing the book with missing pages… I have too many books to read.
I love the Halloween lights! I haven’t done lights for fall, only Christmas, but that looks really cozy and wonderful.
I was able to go on a walk around 11am on Saturday so I’m taking that as a win. Was it hot? Yes. Unbearably so? No. It was “only” 84 degrees so FALL IS HERE.
I would have returned the book, too!