Are you looking for a new book? These are my latest recommended reads! October was a good month for me- 16 books in a mix of personal development, historical fiction, thrillers, mysteries, and general fiction. My five star reads included The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell by Robert Dugoni, Dear Martin by Nic Stone, and Mindset by Carol Dweck and I had a slew of four stars. Regardless of your favorite genre, you will find something to love.
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Confessions on the 7:45 by Lisa Unger (4 stars)
This was my last book of November and it was a fantastic way to end the month!
This one is sneaky. It’s totally predictable until you realize the author set you up big time. I liked Unger’s writing style and the pacing is perfect throughout the book… the equal focus on mystery and characters made it an easy read and the book was over before I knew it.
This was my first book from @launger but I can’t wait to read more!
Rich People Problems by Kevin Kwan (4 stars)
Finally finished Kwan’s trilogy and I loved it.
Rich People Problems was still fun and rompy, but didn’t feel quite like the soap opera or Real Housewives drama of the first two books. Don’t get me wrong, these people are still unbelievably rich and it was fun to imagine having those kinds of problems, but even the most shallow characters seemed to have a little depth in this one.
If you are looking for an imaginative (that’s the only word I can think of when writing about the obscene wealth in these books), fun series full of crazy characters that actually has a good story line, these are the books for you.
Mindset by Carol Dweck (5 stars)
This is the book I needed to read right now and I know a LOT of other people would benefit from it as well.
If you aren’t familiar with the idea of fixed vs growth mindset, Dweck not only explains the difference but also gives real life examples. There are also exercises to help you identify where you have a fixed vs growth mindset and ideas on how to develop a growth mindset moving forward if you don’t currently have one.
Cannot recommend this book enough.
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (3 stars)
I can see what the buzz is about and will tell you upfront that I recommend this book. The stories inside the story are sweet and the overall book is endearing.
I struggled with this book, though. At only 213 pages it took me a full 10 days to read. The translation was choppy and it did not flow at all. As I became accustomed to the style of the book, it got easier, but I never enjoyed reading this book the way I should have.
But I still recommend it. The idea is so original and, like I said, the book is just endearing.
Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith (4 stars)
Another winner! The fifth book in the Cormoran Strike series is just as tense and full of mystery as the first four. JK Rowling does a good job balancing the personal story and the mystery without having one overwhelm the other.
If you are a fan of the Strike series, make time to read this one. If you haven’t found these books, Rowling displays her writing prowess in a whole new way. If you love a good mystery, you must read these.
Focus by Daniel Goleman (3 stars)
I have mixed feelings about this book. It was not what I expected, so that is affecting how I feel about it. I went into this book thinking it was about HOW to focus, and instead it was about focus itself.
I obviously needed to read this book because I don’t even remember why I put it on hold in the first place!
There were a lot of really good points in this book, just not a lot that hit home with me where I am in my life right now. I would still recommend this as an interesting read.
The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory (4 stars)
The Boleyn Inheritance might be my favorite Philippa Gregory novel yet. The 10th book in the Plantagenet and Tudor Novels, this is the story of Anne of Cleves, fourth wife of Henry VIII, Katherine Howard, fifth wife of Henry VIII, and Jane Boleyn, lady-in-waiting to both. This is also her most descriptive novel (so far) of Henry VIII’s descent into madness.
In the author’s note at the end of the book, Gregory talks about how little is known about these two wives and I’ll admit I knew nothing about them (Hello? I already admitted I hated history growing up). Gregory did a fabulous job creating a full story for each of these women, and then creating a completely different story from Jane Boleyn from the one we thought we knew from earlier books.
Was the book actually better than all of the others? Maybe, maybe not. I will tell you that she did such a fabulous job with the triple narrative that I gave it five stars for that. And maybe because of her characterization of Kitty Howard. Once you’ve read it, you’ll know what I mean. Perfection.
This is book 10 chronologically, and I am enjoying reading them in that order so I will suggest that you do the same. If you MUST choose only a few to read, however, put this one at the top of the list!
Dear Martin by Nic Stone (5 stars)
Nothing I say will do justice to this book, so I will just tell you to read it.
Nic Stone has a remarkable way to represent all sides of an issue. Her characters are real (as a mom of teenage boys, sometimes too real) and make you think about things in new ways.
This story has moments that are so real and raw I feel like she might have witnessed them in my life. And then she writes about them in a way that takes them apart and makes them make sense.
This book made me think of The Hate U Give, but it is definitely its own book and shouldn’t be compared to it. Instead, I think of them as books that complement each other to give a very powerful message.
Read this one, and read it soon.
13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do by Amy Morin (3 stars)
If you be like personal development books, add this one to your TBR.
There wasn’t a lot of new information, per se, but I liked Morin’s writing style and felt the examples she used were relatable.
I found a few solid takeaways from this book, which makes it a winner to me. What do you look for in a personal development book? Have you read any good ones lately?
Verity by Colleen Hoover (4 stars)
Verity has been on my TBR forever and I finally got around to reading it bc so many other bookstagrammers were raving about it.
I had no idea what it was about before I picked it up and that worked for me, so I will just tell you that this is twisty and creepy and Colleen Hoover did a great job screwing with my head!
Highly recommend!
China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan (4 stars)
Although I didn’t enjoy the story in China Rich Girlfriend as much as I did Crazy Rich Asians, I loved the format.
In addition to the narration, the story is told through emails, texts, news reports, blogs, voicemails, and memos. This added to the richness of the story by giving depth to the large cast of characters.
Even though this was the second book, I found it harder to keep up with all of the characters and their stories… maybe because they were all working on changing themselves, but this wasn’t a problem for me in CRA and it did give me pause in CRG.
Overall, I still gave this 4 stars because of the creativity and entertainment factor.
His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie (3 stars)
This isn’t a book I would’ve chosen on my own, so that’s the beauty of book clubs.
I loved being introduced to Ghanaian culture, especially the food and clothes, and I loved the writing in this book. But I didn’t love the book. I never connected with any of the characters… I did feel sorry for Afi and her situation, but she generally drove me crazy, I empathized with Eli initially but ended up really disliking him, and felt like I wanted to punch most of their families.
This isn’t a book I’ll tell you to run out and get, but I know many people enjoyed it a lot more than I did.
The Wives by Tarryn Fisher (4 stars)
Talk about twisty!!!! Ever finish a book and think, “What the heck just happened????” If you like a book that keeps you on your toes and keeps you guessing about the truth and the lies, this is the book for you. Is Thursday an unreliable narrator or is Seth trying to convince her she’s crazy? As soon as you figure it out, you’ll figure out you’re wrong.
Add this to your TBR!!!!
Can’t Even by Anne Helen Petersen (4 stars)
I first learned of this book when it and the author, Anne Helen Petersen, were being featured on a podcast. Although the book’s subtitle is “How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation,” one of the podcast’s hosts made it clear that the book was not just about burnout and it was not just for Millennials. As I listened to the podcast, I knew I wanted my networking group to read it with me.
This is not a personal development book, but it will help you understand yourself, others, and how some of the things in your life have potentially come to pass the way they have.
Can’t Even is a look at how expectations and responsibilities have changed throughout the generations and what that has done to each generation. Full of research and personal stories, I thought it was fascinating and insightful. I like Petersen’s writing style. It keeps a heavy topic interesting and makes it relatable.
I think this is an important read no matter what your age because burnout affects every age, every generation. It has different causes, shows up differently, and has different effects. Understanding this can lead to better relationships and better decisions; at least in my humble opinion.
Add this to your TBR and read when you are ready to learn and be introspective.
The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell by Robert Dugoni (5 stars)
There are so many things I loved about this book.
I loved Sam and his misfit best friends, his parents, and even the antagonists of the story. I loved Sam’s perspective on the events of his ordinary life, especially as he contrasts them against his mother’s extraordinary expectations. I loved the contrasting narrative of his childhood and his current life. And I loved Dugoni’s casual, conversational writing style.
A book that is heavy on heartwarming with enough heartbreak to keep it real, this book is about friends and family, keeping, losing, and finding faith, and overcoming the obstacles that life inevitably puts in your path.
I highly recommend this book.
Finding Your Element by Ken Robinson (3 stars)
I believe I would have gotten more from this book if I had read the first book, The Element. There are many real-life examples and practical exercises in the book.
If you are still searching for your passion, that thing you want to do in life, this might be just the book to help you find it!
Have you read any of these recommended reads? I would love to hear about your favorite October book.
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As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Links in book titles and pictures will take you to Amazon for your convenience.
Quite a diverse list. Put a few on my TBR list. Thanks.