What did you read in Oct 2021?

[litskispeciality]

I was hoping to finish one more before posting, but it's 11/2. Anyway ratings/reviews, recommendations?

Overall a pretty good month for me.

Read/finished:

Dear Evan Hansen (obvious major @ and suicide TW)

The Lost Village 3*'s max (major mental health TW)

True Crime Addict: How I Lost Myself in the Mysterious Disappearance of Maura Murray 2.5 - 3*'s (I can see why the family didn't want this published)

I'm 100/147 pages through "Halloween Party" by R.L. Stein (Fear Street). Was hoping to finish in Oct, but such is life.

19/24 for the year.

[Vespasia]

I gave most books 4 stars this month but that's definitely my average. The last two books on the list were the exceptions with 3 and 5 stars respectively.


All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace - I enjoyed this but a month later I can barely remember what it was about. 

Have We Met? by Camille Baker - Not generally a romance reader but this had an interesting premise. I liked it until it strayed into formulaic territory. 

Horseman: A Tale of Sleepy Hollow by Christina Henry - I prefer some of her previous books but I liked where she went with this one. 

State of Terror by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny - Pretty standard political thriller made much more interesting because of the author(s). 

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune - By far my least favorite of the month. Way too cute and sentimental for my taste.

The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik - I looooooooooooooved this. It went in directions I wasn't expecting and now I am going to be very anxiously awaiting the next book. 



I'm at 52/48 books. Not sure if I will up my goal next year. 

[rootbeerfloat]

Mr. Impossible (Dreamer Trilogy #2) by Maggie Stiefvater - 3*
One the Way to the Wedding (Bridgertons #8) by Julia Quinn - 3*
Pack Up the Moon by Kristan Higgins - 3*
While We Were Dating (The Wedding Date #6) by Jasmine Guillory - 3.5*

I'm at 52/50.

[litskispeciality]

These threads give me serious reading goals.

rootbeerfloat, you mentioned The Wedding Date #6, is that a whole series tied to the original characters, or just books by the same author? I liked the original, although it was a bit cheesy

[meowmaps]

Animal by Lisa Taddeo 2.5*
Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy 5*
The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman 4.5*
Black Girls Must Die Exhausted by Jayne Allen 4.5*
Dark Things I Adore by Katie Lattari 3*
House of Sticks by Ly Tran 4*
Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Austen 5*
This Will All Be Over Soon by Cecily Strong 4.5*

70/75 so far but I anticipate getting closer to 80 by the end of the year.

[rootbeerfloat]

Nov 2, 2021 16:18:34 GMT -5 litskispeciality said:

These threads give me serious reading goals.

rootbeerfloat , you mentioned The Wedding Date #6, is that a whole series tied to the original characters, or just books by the same author? I liked the original, although it was a bit cheesy

They all live in the same universe, so each book has at least one character than can be linked back to the original couple. One of the main characters in #6 (Ben) is the brother of one of the characters in #3 (Theo), who was a friend of one of the characters in #1 (Alexa, if you remember). The couple from #3 (Theo/Maddie) are in #6 (and the couple from #2 make a brief appearance as well). 

[travella]

I finally got out of my reading rut about halfway through the month.
1*
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton, 1*
The Light of Days: The Untold Story of Women Resistance Fighters in Hitler's Ghetto by Judy Batalion, 1*
2*
The Woman with the Blue Star by Pam Jenoff, 2*
3*
Cloud Cuckooland by Anthony Doerr, 3*
The Invisible Husband of Frick Island by Colleen Oakley,3*
4*
The Stolen Hours by Allen Eskens, 4*
Sparks Like Stars by Nadia Hashimi, 4.5*
5*
The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland by Jim Defede, 5*




I would recommend The Day the World Came to Town and Sparks Like Stars.

[mie]

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid 4*

Pack Up the Moon by Kristan Higgins 3.5*
Twice Shy by Sarah Hogle 3*
On Second Thought by Kristan Higgins 3*
Love Scenes by Bridget Morrissey 3*
Swear on This Life by Renee Carlino 3*
Before We Were Strangers by Renee Carlino 3*
Boyfriend by Sarina Bowen 3*
Intimacies by Katie Kitamura 3*
A Lot Like Adios by Alexis Daria 3*
Isn't it Bromantic by Lyssa Kay Adams 3*
Kaleidoscope Hearts by Claire Contreras 3*
It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey 3*
Eight Perfect Hours by Lia Louis 3*

The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss 2*
It's Not Like It's a Secret by Misa Sugiura 2*
Torn Hearts by Claire Contreras 2*
Anything for You by Kristan Higgins 2*

In Your Dreams by Kristan Higgins 1*
Unbreak my Heart by Nicole Jacquelyn 1*

[tacokick]

Not a bad month! Some books took an oddly long time to get though

Practice to Deceive by Ann Rule (not good)

A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins (okay)

Never Saw Me Coming by Vera Kurlan (fun)

The Thirteenth Cat by Mary Downing Hahn (very cute)

The Stranger She Loved by Shanna Hogan (bad)

Don't Let It Get You Down: Essays on Race, Gender, and the Body by Savala Nolan (good)

Front Desk by Kelly Yang (cute)

The Very Nice Box by Laura Blackett and Eve Gleichman (lots of fun but I didn’t love the “twist”)

Truffle Hound: On the Trail of the World’s Most Seductive Scent, with Dreamers, Schemers, and Some Extraordinary Dogs by Rowan Jacobsen (interesting but a little tedious at parts)

I Know You by Claire McGowan (good)

I'll Be You by Janelle Brown (good)

The Mother Next Door by Tara Laskowski (good)

The Neighbor's Secret by L. Alison Heller (bad)

Yours Cruelly, Elvira: Memoirs of the Mistress of the Dark by Cassandra Peterson (good, gossipy)

The Unsinkable Greta James by Jennifer E. Smith (boring)

The World Cannot Give by Tara Isabella Burton (good)

Extra Salty: Jennifer's Body (Pop Classics #11) by Frederick Blichert (poorly written)

The Trouble with White Women: A Counterhistory of Feminism by Kyla Schuller (a little long)

More Than Just Coincidence by Julie Wassmer (good)

[mrspez07]

Read:
Oona Out of Order 4*
The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires 3*

Audio:
Dial A for Aunties 3*
A Trick of the Light 4*
Small Fry 2*

I’m also in the middle of a re-read of an Echo in The Bone

[ufcasey]

The ones in bold I recommend! 

2 stars
Moon Touched by Elizabeth Briggs

3 stars
State of Terror by Hillary Rodham Clinton
The Music of Love by Minerva Spencer
Double Indemnity by James M. Cain
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
Bring Down the Stars by Emma Scott
Midnight Fae Academy by Lexi C. Foss
Thorn Bearer (#10 in series) by E.G. Manetti

4 stars
Archangel's Light (#14 in series) by Nalini Singh
The Last Graduate (#2 in series) by Naomi Novik
The 22 Murders of Madison May by Max Barry
The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
The Vanished Days by Susanna Kearsley
Address Unknown by Kathrine Kressmann Taylor