Hi friends!!
I have been trying to get this post out since we changed over to a new month, but…life. I read FIVE books in the month of October. This actually surprised me when I looked at my Goodreads at the books I completed last month. For some reason, I didn’t think I finished that many. It was a nice surprise!
Two of these were read for my book club, two were Book of the Month books, and one was a birthday present.
I enjoyed all of these reads, but some were definitely enjoyed more than others.
The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
The Wife Between Us was my book club’s pick for the month of October. I think almost everyone at book club read and loved this book!
This was a real page-turner for me!! It was a domestic type thriller that was better than the average book in this genre. The narrator had a lot more depth to her than you typically see in these books and, as a reader, I really appreciated that. The was a much stronger female character who took control of her situation and I appreciated that as well.
At first glance, this novel seems to be about a jealous ex-wife, but it is nothing of the sort! And that’s all I’m going to give away! I love that there were surprises right up to the very end of this engaging read.
Goodreads rating: 4/5 stars
Warlight by Michael Ondaatje
Warlight was given to me as a birthday present by my husband. It was on my Amazon books wishlist, but I cannot recall what prompted me to add it to my list.
This book is much more complex than the previous book. I like to go back and forth between easy and more complex reads. I had a hard time getting into this book at first but ended up really liking it.
Warlight is the coming of age story of a young boy, Nathaniel, and his sister who are apparently abandoned by their parents and left in the care of a strange figure who goes by the name of “The Moth”. They suspect he is a criminal and become entwined in his strange network of friends. All of these people have a shared history and seem determined to protect and educate these two young people. This story is Nathaniel’s journey of discovering all that he didn’t understand at that time in his life.
I loved the beautifully written prose in this intriguing and atmospheric novel!
Goodreads rating: 4/5 stars
The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton
The Clockmaker’s Daughter was a highly anticipated Book of the Month pick for me! I love it when a book from my wish list ends up being selected by Book of the Month. I am a fan of Kate Morton’s writing, so I knew I wanted to read her latest as soon as it was released!
This is the kind of book that I just couldn’t let go of even after I finished reading it. I kept going back to it, clasping it in my hands, and remarking on what a good book it was!
This majority of this novel takes place in two time periods, in 1862 and in the current time, but there are also other time periods interspersed throughout. In the summer of 1862, a group of up and coming artists led by Edward Radcliffe visits his recently purchased home, Birchwood Manor. The mystery of this book is centered around this home and the events that take place there beginning with the tragic events of that summer.
This book contains so much of what I love in a book…beautiful language, history, mystery, and heart-warming characters.
Goodreads Rating: 5/5 stars
Bitter Orange by Clare Fuller
Bitter Orange is my book club’s pick for November. The pick came at my recommendation, so I read it hoping and praying that it wasn’t a total bomb!
Well, it wasn’t for me, but I definitely don’t think this book is for everyone.
Bitter Orange was a slower-read because it was so beautifully written. The language was intricate and challenging in a way that I absolutely loved. It is full of symbolism and elements of excellent literature that begged to be processed.
It was a great read after finishing The Clockmaker’s Daughter because the house is a central figure in the story. That really brought a heightened sense of enjoyment to my reading of this novel.
Bitter Orange also goes back and forth between the present time and 1969. The central character, Frances Jellico, is spending the summer living in the attic of a dilapidated home in the English countryside while another couple resides downstairs. Soon after moving in, Frances discovers a peephole that allows her to look into her neighbor’s private lives. As the summer progresses, she gets more and more involved with this couple. As she gets involved with them the lines between right and wrong become blurred and she loses herself to the consequences.
Bitter Orange was not an easy read, but I loved it!! This story, the writing, and the characters will stay with me for a long, long time.
Goodreads Rating: 5/5 stars
Winter in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand
I don’t have a photo of this book because I read it so quickly (just two or three days) and passed it along to a friend. I selected this book as an extra from Book of the Month because I knew it would be a fast palate cleanser after reading a couple harder books.
Winter in Paradise is the first in a series “Paradise” books by Elin Hilderbrand, who is known for her beach reads and that’s exactly what this was.
I felt very “meh” about this book. It served its purpose and told a fast-paced story, but that was about it.
One thing that really bugs me when I’m reading is finding errors that should have been caught in the editing process and I found several of those as I read this book. I think those are found more often in works by authors who are pumping out books and it’s utterly disappointing and ruins a book for me.
This book centers around Irene Stelle who’s seemly perfect life is disrupted when she discovers that her husband has been keeping a huge secret from her. The unbelievability of some of the events in the story and the unlikability of many of the characters was a bit frustrating. I did find myself immersed in the story and in finding out what would happen next.
Goodreads Rating: 3/5 stars
I am so excited to have read so many great books in one month and I’m looking forward to another great month of reading!
Melissa Lewis says
I thought the same thing about Winter in Paradise. Just meh and multiple typos!