This was a fabulous month to fall into books. Even the three star books were good, but I had so many really good reads I’m counting this as a winning month. I can’t believe I waited this long to read Beartown and Us Against You by Fredrik Backman (my last two books of the month). I am suffering a serious book hangover because of those two amazing reads. Whether you are looking for a light, fun read or a twisty thriller, you will definitely find a few good books to love in this month’s wrap up.
Us Against You by Fredrik Backman (5 stars)
Oh…. my heart. How did I go so long without reading Beartown and Us Against You? If you haven’t read these, your reading life is incomplete. Backman’s ability to see the ordinary and then write about it in the most extraordinary words is truly a gift. ⠀
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Backman’s words are amazing, but I think the thing that makes this book and Beartown so loveable, heartbreaking, and un-putdownable are his characters. They are so all so real, even the minor ones, even the ones you don’t like. You know them. You understand them. You cheer for them. You curse them. You cry for them. And in Beartown, you bleed for them.⠀
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I cannot recommend these two enough, but I will tell you that my eyes leaked a lot. I know I’m talking a lot about Beartown in my review of Us Against You, but I read them back to back and they are two halves of a whole; two halves of the same broken heart.⠀
Beartown by Fredrik Backman (5 stars)
Just wow. My first five star book in a while and it’s not surprising that Fredrik Backman wrote it. I didn’t know anything about the story before I started it, and I guess I expected it to be like A Man Called Ove. This story is nothing like Ove, but the beautiful writing and fully developed characters are very familiar. You will experience a range of emotions while you read this and sometimes you will put the book down so you can think about what you just read.
If somehow (like me) you haven’t read this yet, read it now. You deserve it.
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory (4 stars)
I really, really enjoyed this one. Told from Mary Boleyn’s viewpoint, it covers her story and the rise and fall of her sister, Anne. I loved the competition between the sisters and the behind-the-scenes scheming of her family. Nine books into the series, and I’m still learning about the history of the court and the people in it.
I think this is my favorite part of reading this series…. the amount of time I spend googling to learn the real history behind the story. Books are beautiful things.
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara (4 stars)
OMG this was a long book. Mixed feelings about some parts of it, but overall I loved it. Want a fun drinking game that could possibly kill you? Listen to this on audio and take a shot every time someone (especially the main character, Jude) says, “Sorry, I’m so sorry.” It got a little old.
Of the four friends in the book, all four become wildly successful in their chosen careers. They take spontaneous trips around the world. They own multiple properties. This also got old.
So what exactly did I love? This book. All 720 pages of it. Even when it drove me crazy, I loved it.
Yanagihara has such an amazing way with words and this story of friendship and love will hug you and break your heart and then haunt you after you finally close the cover. I recommend it when you have time and brain energy to commit to it.
The Half Sister by Sandie Jones (3 stars)
This one was a fun one. I finished it in about 4 hours, so easy a quick and easy read when you just need to take a little mini-vaca from life but can’t go full 13-episodes-binge-watch-shut-down.
Twisty without being overly complicated, this was engaging from start to finish. Grab this one for sure!!
The Safe Place by Anna Downes (3 stars)
This was a recommendation from a friend of mine and I’m going to pass it on to you! It kept me guessing until the end, which very few books are able to do. The characters are erratic… I liked them, then they annoyed me, then I was picking sides….
Not the best book I’ve ever read, but I definitely enjoyed it while I was reading it. If that’s what you are looking for (and who isn’t looking for a little escapism right now?) this is the perfect book for you!!!!!
Majesty by Katharine McGee (4 stars)
I LOVED this sequel!!! McGee does such a good job imagining what our country would look like as a monarchy without completely reimagining it, which might be what I love most about these books.
Like American Royals, this is just a fun book to read. I’ve been looking forward to Majesty since I finished AR, and it was worth the wait.
I heard a rumor that Majesty is the end of the series. I need more Bea and Sam!!!! I’m looking at you, @katharinemcgee !!!
Grab these when you need a break from real life or all of the heavy reads in your TBR. You won’t regret it!
The Perfect Mother by Aimee Molloy (4 stars)
If you are looking for a fast-paced, twisty thriller, pick this one up now.
Liked: If you ever joined an online pregnancy/mom group you will enjoy a bit of nostalgia in here; that may have actually been my favorite part of the book now that my nest is 2/3 empty 😊.
Didn’t like: It was a little difficult to keep the characters and their storylines straight at times, but not enough to feel frustrating or make me want to stop reading.
*** I listened to it and the narrator did a great job, which I think helped me keep track of the different characters.
Overall: Recommend you add this one to your TBR!!!!
Home Before Dark by Riley Sager (4 stars)
Riley Sager gets better with every book. Perfect ghost story going into Fall/Halloween season, but a terrific story no matter when you read it.
Full of twists and turns, it will keep you guessing right up until the very end.
Put this one at the top of your TBR!
Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan (4 stars)
I am totally late to this Crazy train, but I am fully on board now! What fun, over-the-top read! I loved the descriptions of the locations and the food and the “Real Housewives” type characters were the kind you love to hate. As someone who cares nothing about clothes, manicures, and the like, I still enjoyed READING about all of it.
I didn’t expect too much from this because of all of the hype, but I was very pleasantly surprised. Add this to your TBR for a good touch of crazy in your reading repertoire.
The Swap by Robyn Harding (3 stars)
Not sure I would call this one a thriller. It was good and I read it in one sitting. Characters are all whack and they are the definition of toxic. But overall the book was just okay.
Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas (3 stars)
“A seductive, gothic-infused tale of literary suspense”. Sounds awesome, doesn’t it? I really wanted it to be. I didn’t connect with the characters or the story, but I wanted to the entire book. It’s not bad, per se, it just never got really good.
Read it or don’t, you won’t regret it either way.
What You Wish For by Katherine Center (4 stars)
The thing I love about Katherine Center’s books is that they are always positive and uplifting without being preachy.
This is a perfect book for the pandemic blues, with the caveat that you may need to suspend belief about some of the characters’ behaviors or the situations they are in.
Overall, it is a fun, perfectly delightful book about finding joy anywhere and everywhere. Add it to your TBR!!!
Are You Ready to Fall Into These Books?
I know I was late to the party on a couple of these (I can’t believe how many people recommended Beartown when it first came out and I just “never got around to it” until now). If you are in the same boat, it’s not TOO late! Grab them now and start reading! Are any of these already in your READ pile? Tell me what you thought of them! And what’s on your TBR for October? I’ve got more Philippa Gregory and Kevin Kwan, more thrillers, some personal development, some book club books, and who knows what else!
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