Happy Halloween, fellow book lovers!
October found me in a spooky mood, meaning more than half the books I read were thrillers. (But not straight-up horror. Super scary books? No thank you!) It was a decent reading month, where I discovered that World War II Historical Fiction is not my jam and books that are plot-driven will keep me reading past my bedtime.
I’m finishing up the fiction books I’m currently reading and gearing up for Non-Fiction November, which will be a nice change of pace after all the novels I’ve read lately. Below are the books I read for the month along with my ratings and reviews:
The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott
Genre: Historical Fiction
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The premise of this book sounded promising. Based on a true story set during the Cold War, it follows a couple secretaries turned spies who are tasked with infiltrating Soviet Russia by way of the banned book Dr. Zhivago. It was interesting in a lot of aspects, but for me the story had too many character perspectives with storylines I didn’t much care for. I might have felt this way because I listened to the book on audio and had a hard time paying attention to the intricate plot points. I think this is one that needs to be read with the eyes and not the ears.
Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes
Genre: Romance
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is as light a read as light reads can get. While there’s no distinct plot, this is still an enjoyable story. Newly widowed Evvie Drake takes in a recently washed up Major League Baseball pitcher as a tenant in her home to make extra money. Some parts were a little predictable, but I liked that this was a story about starting over and embracing who you’re becoming as opposed to being a straight-up romance novel. And anything to do with baseball (my other pastime love) is a win in my book.
Verity by Colleen Hoover
Genre: Thriller
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I picked this up based on the hype it has received on the Monthly Book Club Facebook group. People loved this book. I thought it was good, but nowhere near as good as it was hyped up to be. It’s definitely plot driven, and it did keep me up past my bedtime a couple nights because I was eager to see what happened. It was very weird, and those who don’t like explicit sex scenes will not want to read it. But I did ultimately enjoy it, especially the open-ended ending.
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Genre: Historical Fiction
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️.5
I have seen nothing but praise and love for this book. This was another one of those hyped books that seems to be everywhere. While the writing is good, and the World War II setting is well-detailed, I was completely bored by this book. I had started to read the copy I’d borrowed from my aunt (who is a huge Kristin Hannah fan), but when it wasn’t holding my attention, I decided to switch to the audio version. It didn’t matter what format I read it in; I still found it boring. I think I realized after reading it that I am just not that into WWII fiction like some people seem to be. And that’s ok. I don’t regret reading it, and I’m happy it has helped me realize just exactly what my reading interests are.
The Bookman’s Tale by Charlie Lovett
Genre: Historical Fiction / Books about Books
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I read this as the November pick for the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club. I listened to it on audio in order to read it in time for the discussion in the middle of the month (which I still missed), and if I had tried to read it on my own, I think I would still be working on it. There are three storylines, each traveling through different time periods. The exact plot kind of went over my head, if I’m being completely honest. Something about a book or a manuscript that may or may not be a forgery? I don’t know. There was really only one storyline I was interested in, and that was of the relationship between the main character, Peter, and his love, Amanda. Proving to me that stories about relationships are what I’m ultimately interested in.
The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth
Genre: Thriller
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I loved this book. It’s probably my favorite thriller that I’ve read this year. That could be that it’s not like the other thrillers on the market right now. Yes there’s a classic unsolved murder, but it also delves into family relationships, which is always a favorite topic for me to read. It also holds a strong message to how we never really know what a person is going through internally despite their external persona. The chapters are short, which makes this a super fast read. I one hundred percent recommend this book.
Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson
Genre: Thriller
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I wasn’t particularly excited to read this one. I had read one of Jackson’s previous novels (The Almost Sisters) and thought it was just ok. But as soon as I started listening to Never Have I Ever it was hard to stop. This book was so unpredictable. As soon as you think you know what’s going to happen, the story takes a complete left turn. Which is why it was so thrilling to keep reading. And Jackson reads the audio version herself once again, which is always a treat when you get to listen to an author tell their story in their own voice. I very highly recommend it.
The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
Genre: Thriller
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Having recently started working for a domestic violence shelter, I’ve been learning more and more about the types of abuse and the different tactics abusers use against their victims. This book does a good job of showcasing these tactics without being overt about it. That may sound like a downer, but the book does have some twists that makes this a thriller worth reading. It reminded me a lot of The Last Mrs. Parrish (another thriller I read this year and loved), so it’s not exactly a story that’s never been done before. But it’s still a quick, easy read.
Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris
Genre: Thriller
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is another domestic violence-type novel, but with a twist. I won’t reveal what the twist is here, but let’s just say, be weary of couples who appear to be perfect on the outside. This was a fast-paced read (only 298 pages) that I got through in a couple of days. The main character has a sister with Down syndrome, which I loved. I can’t think of any novels I’ve read in the last couple years (or maybe ever) where a main character had the congenital disorder. The main plot can be very disturbing at times, though. Read this one with caution.
What were some good books you read this month? Let me know in the comments!
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