October books for me were a bit all over the place. I had a busy month and was hoping to really sink my teeth into some great books but there were just a couple that I really loved. In addition to those below, there was another that was a DNF, I just don’t continue to read things I am not enjoying or connecting with at all. I did get caught up with my ARCs though and will now end the year reading some back lists I have been wanting to get to.
A Guardian and a Thief – Megha Majumdar
This is a book I devoured on vacation and it was a page turner. It’s incredibly well written, where we meet Ma, a mother juggling care of her aging father and two year old in a near future India where food scarcity is forcing people to flee. Ma is preparing to take her family to Michigan, where her husband already awaits. But as their departure nears, an event causes chaos to ensue and puts her path on course with another family also desperate to survive. Which of our characters is the Guardian or the Thief? A riveting page turner. There is something that happens that kept this from going into 5 territory for me, but it was close…
🍷🍷🍷🍷
A Family Matter – Claire Lynch
My Goodreads review consists of 3 words. “So, so sad.” And while that pretty much sums it up. I do think it is best you don’t know much about this book – but please do know that it is a two-timeline, multiple point of view family drama and will pull at your heart strings in many ways.
🍷🍷🍷🍷
The Women of Wild Hill – Kirsten Miller
Once I start reading about magical powers and such, I often wonder why did I select this book, as magical realism and supernatural powers rarely works for me. This was sort of the case with The Women of Wild Hill. It worked and then it didn’t and then it worked again and then… well you’ll have to read it to see. I was mostly entertained by this over the top vengeance tale of powerful women that somehow even being so far out there, felt quite real as we watch daily headlines of our current state of affairs. With that said. it was a fun, witchy way to start spooky season. While the events were a tad different than real time, it also felt very current. I was mostly entertained and strangely hopeful (until it became too much). Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. The Women of Wild Hill is now available.
🍷🍷🍷1/2
The Many Mothers of Dolores Moore – Anika Fajardo
I have been reading so many books (by chance) that have revolved around talking to dead people or from the perspective of dead people. I am not sure what to make of that – but here we are. This was a bit too slow for me and honestly, I had trouble keeping all of the characters straight. The voices of her ancestors were intriguing but I never felt like they were fully developed as they could have been, and it affected my overall enjoyment of the story. I almost DNFed a few times, I am glad I stuck with it, but it wasn’t a favorite. Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for an advanced copy. The Many Mothers of Dolores Moore is now available.
🍷🍷🍷1/2
And the others…
I finished three books this month that I rated a 3🍷. For me, 3 isn’t terrible. But instead is somewhere between “it was fine/ok” and “I liked it enough to not dislike it”. Perhaps a bit above, Meh…. With the goal of saving a bit of time and getting this posted, I am not writing review blurbs for them. Honestly, I wouldn’t be able to say more than, “it was fine…”
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The Incredible Kindness of Paper – Evelyn Skye
The Book Club for Troublesome Women – Marie Bostwick
Slanting Toward The Sea – Lidija Hill
