It seems like forever ago I was reading these November picks. Because it was! I started this post at the end of November and then December happened. All of the craziness coupled with a business trip and it just never got posted. So here it sits in my draft folder all sad and lonely. A quiet morning now is in front of me and so I shall finish it up and share what I read and listened to on Audible in November 2018.
When We Found Home – Susan Malloy
This was the first book I read this month and finished and it was o.k. It was part emotional, part romantic, part dysfunctional family, all bottled up in one. I can’t say this was a favorite by any stretch but it was a “chick-lit” page turner that I continued and finished that was probably a good dose of lightness that I needed to take a break from the dark or intense reads I generally pick up.
3 🍷🍷🍷
The Invention of Wings – Susan Monk Kidd
I loved this book. Loved. It will wind up being one of my top reads of the year. Although I did listen to it. As I approached work each morning, I found my self circling the block a few times so I could finish a chapter – it was THAT GOOD! Hetty, Sarah and Charlotte stole my heart and I can’t believe this book did not land it my hot little hands sooner. Sarah is the daughter of the wealthy Grimke family and is “gifted” a slave, Hetty/Handful on her 11th birthday. Sarah lives her young life knowing she is destined for more and the path she follows deeply affects those around her and their own destinies. The Invention of Wings is based on the true inspirational story of the Grimke sisters and I very much enjoyed diving into the past of these strong women in American history.
5 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷
The Other Woman – Sandie Jones
The Other Woman was a Reese Witherspoon book club pick (Hello Sunshine) and I am starting to think I may waver from following her picks so closely. They are ok. And she is getting people reading and talking, I love that! And I also love that she is picking books from female authors and advancing that part of the publication and entertainment industry. But it is starting to feel a bit to me that most of her picks are starting to be more about the mass market appeal than truly amazing books. Anyway, I digress. This book was ok. Emily falls in love with Adam but is about to have the mother in law from hell in manipulative Pammie. It was entertaining and while I was surprised at how it wrapped up, I figured it out a little sooner than I would have liked.
3 🍷🍷🍷
How To Raise A Plant and Make It Love You Back – Morgan Doane
This selection was a quick guide book to help yours truly on my desire to be able to keep a plant and not kill it. Nothing earth shattering in here but it did point me to some hardy plants to try. I’ll report back in 2019 and let yo know if I have been successful.
Nine Perfect Strangers – Lianne Moriarty
Here is what I wrote on GoodReads when I first completed Nine Perfect Strangers.
“I’m feeling like it is time for me to move on from this author. I loved What Alice Forgot, liked The Husband’s Secret & Big Little Lies but the rest were just Meh for the most part. This was not an exception to that.”
I am going to leave it at that as I just don’t have much more to say.
2 🍷🍷
The Shadows We Hide – Allen Eskens
I was sooo looking forward to this book. I have really enjoyed Esken’s novels starting with The Life We Bury and The Shadows We Hide was a sequel that followed the path of Joe Talbert and his girlfriend Lila so I had been waiting anxiously all year for it’s release. I devoured it quickly, maybe too quickly. I did like The Shadows We Hide, but I was wanting and expecting just a little bit more. I am not sure what it was lacking specifically but if I had to put my finger on it, the ending just didn’t do it for me. But still a very good book and I do recommend.
3.5 🍷🍷🍷 +
Becoming – Michelle Obama
I am always hesitant to write about the books that are even a bit political that I have read. Let me say first that I went into this book with a deep admiration for Michelle Obama and I still have that. I was really looking forward to reading Becoming. But I did not love this book. I did like it and there were parts that I did love, but overall I was expecting a 5 start read, or listen as I did, but it fell short of that for me. There were just parts that I wanted to end and by the last chapters I was ready to be done. I did love hearing her history and I would say the first chapters were my favorites. I do think it is worth a read or listen to as she has already achieved so much and as a mother, I think she and her husband have done a stellar job in raising their daughters under such touch scrutiny.
3.5 🍷🍷🍷 +
My book of the month: Invention of Wings.
On to December!
