The Last 10, Plus One

This week's Ten on Tuesday topic is The 10 Last Books You Have Read. Luckily for me, Goodreads is one of the few places where I manage to stay up-to-date and organized, so this one should be easy. Including what I'm currently reading, my books are:

1.   The Golem and the Jinni - I'm reading (actually listening to) this one after Carole convinced me with her review. I was a little hesitant because the story sounds so different (almost odd!) but it's really wonderful so far.

2.   The Green Road -  Another current read, this Irish family saga is a pre-publication copy I was lucky enough to win through First Reads. I would probably be done with it if The Golem and the Jinni hadn't captured my attention so well.

3.   Better Than Before - A nonfiction book, that, while not bad, didn't really teach me anything I didn't already know. I need to stop thinking that new self-help books are going to solve all my problems and bad habits.

4.   Unless - A successful writer's oldest daughter drops out of college to become a panhandler, sitting on a street corner with a sign around her neck bearing the word "Goodness". I read this one in search of some parental insights. I don't know that I came away with any answers, but it did raise questions, which can also be a good thing.

5.   Hausfrau - Ugh! This is definitely not the book for me. I honestly couldn't even finish it (and I rarely abandon a book) after I grew weary of a protagonist intent on self-destruction of her decent life, without any desire to change herself or her circumstances. On the plus side, the cover is beautiful.

6.   The Martian - Science fiction with lots of science! MacGyver on Mars! I found the book fun, entertaining, and enjoyable. Some of the writing is adolescent, and if you're looking for evocative prose, a beautiful, complex story, character development, and introspection, I'm afraid you won't find it in this book, but you will find a compelling adventure.

7.   A Fatal Grace - This is the second in the Armand Gamache mystery series, and I liked it even more than the first. I've got the third and fourth books ready to go when The Golem and the Jinni release their hold on me.

8.   Station Eleven - Post-apocalyptic fiction is not my favorite, but the author managed to intertwine both the pre- and post- worlds in a well-written, thoughtful, and unique way. 

9.   The Shipping News - This was a reread for me, and I was thrilled to find that The Shipping News is one of the few books that stands up well to a reread and is even better than I had remembered!

10. If I Loved You, I Would Tell You This - This book illustrates some of the difficulties I have reading and rating a volume of short stories. Some of these stories are very, very good (the title story) and some are very much less so.

11. The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend - This picture book is the 2015 Caldecott Medal winner, and I loved it so much that I had to include it as a bonus #11. I won't bore you with all my thoughts here in case picture books for children 3-6 years old aren't your thing, but you can take a look at my review if you're interested. It's possible that I may have ordered a copy for myself.

So, what are some of the last books you've read? I'd love to hear about them, good, bad, or in between!