I have been slacking big time in posting here on the blog. I’ve been in a minor reading slow down too, but have still gotten some good books in. In the act of saving time – here is every thing I read in one post – October through December. There are some real goodies here – quite a few 5 🍷s!
October 2019
Suspect– Michael Robotham
After reading my first Michael Robotham book earlier in the month, I decided to start the Joesph O’Loughlin series, Suspect being the first. Honestly the first half was a bit boring and clunky but it did pick up. I believe this may have been his debut novel so I am going to give #2 in the series a try as Joe was a likable character and I am curious to see where his future will go.
🍷🍷🍷 1/2
Ordinary Grace – William Kent Krueger
This was a pick for one of my bookclubs (I’m in 3!) and I loved it. It pulled my back from my hectic schedule and I dove deep into it. Frank is the son on a Methodist minister in Minnesota and when tragedy falls upon his family he is thrust deep into the world of adult secrets and betrayal. A true gem of a book.
🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷
Stories I Only Tell My Friends – Rob Lowe
I grew up adoring Rob Lowe. When I was a teen I had a celeb-crush on both him and his brother Chad. I saw just about every Rob Lowe movie there was during those years and even through his trouble times, he just seemed like a good person to me. I really enjoyed this on Audible, where Rob himself is the narrator. And because I often listen to Audible at night, Rob read to me as I fell asleep for the week or so it took me to finish this book. Nice.
🍷🍷🍷🍷
The Things We Cannot Say – Kelly Rimmer
Earlier in the year I decided to take a WW2 reading break. I have loved these historical fiction novels but it had become too much for me. Too much horror. Too much sadness. Just too much. When The Things We Cannot Say was picked for a book club, I wasn’t sure I was going to read it. Boy, am I glad I did. Hands down one of my favorites of the year. Woven through time, Alina is a young girl in pre-war Poland and Alice in modern time USA. I can’t say more than that, I don’t want to spoil it. Just read it. You won’t be sorry.
🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷
November 2019
Rachel Ray 50 – Rachel Ray
As a 50th birthday present to herself, half cookbook, half memoir, Rachel’s recipes tell the story of her life, her heritage and her family. I adored this book and can’t wait to make a few more of the recipes included.
🍷🍷🍷🍷
The Family Upstairs – Lisa Jewell
I am a huge Lisa Jewell fan. Some of her books are among my favorites. I read her new release The Family Upstairs, but before I was able to finish it I attended a talk by Lisa herself at a local independent bookstore, The Tattered Cover. Lisa was delightful – fun, witty and quite funny! I loved hearing her talk about how she got started, her writing process and what she has going on next. This probably wasn’t my favorite book she’s written, but it is still very good. She’s a dark writer that is a mix of thriller and domestic suspense.
🍷🍷🍷🍷 1/2
The Dutch House – Ann Patchett
This is another book that I enjoyed on Audible. Read by Tom Hanks, I can only wonder if I would have loved it as deeply if I had read it on my own. It certainly felt to me that Hanks was an additional character, just as the house was. I was deeply engrossed in the lives of Danny and Maeve and didn’t want it to end. A beautiful, heart ache of a story.
🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷
December 2019
Nothing More Dangerous – Allen Eskens
Eskens is another author that I automatically read when he has a new release. Ever since I picked up The Life We Bury, I’ve been a fan. Nothing More Dangerous is a book he started years ago and just now finished. I can’t say I loved it as much as his others, but it was a solid read.
🍷🍷🍷 1/2
Know My Name – Chanel Miller
Chanel Miller is the rape victim of Stanford athlete swimmer, Brock Turner. Chances are you knew her by her court name, Emily Doe. Or didn’t know her name at all. It is time to know her name as she recounts this horrific four year period of her life from the attack through the judicial process. A very hard read. I cried, often, and that is not something that happens often to me with a book. I was also moved to action. If you like listening, the audible is read by Chanel and you can hear the trauma in her voice at times still. This book should be required reading for all of humanity. This is easily the #1 book I read in 2019.
🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷
Regretting You – Colleen Hoover
After finishing the above, it was time for a lighter book. This one is on the chick-lit side, but has strong themes of family issues including mother-daughter relationships, trauma and forgiveness.
🍷🍷🍷🍷
DNF’s – Did not finish
The Unbreakables, Me by Elton John, Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins
The first – I just couldn’t get into it. As far as the last two, I will likely read them another time. I was too busy for books that were so intense.
