As always, I will share a Halloween wrap up tomorrow (I am SO GLAD I still have a little kid on Halloween, you guys!) and will kick NaBloPoMo off today with October's reading round up.
Nothing spooky about how awesome my October reads were-- some BOTY contenders here, and even the backlist was pretty great. As always, they are organized from least favorite to most :)
Big Nope Energy:
Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors: Nope. Not a good read. I got it from Book of the Month, so I felt duty-bound to keep slogging. **2024
The Silent Woman by Minka Kent: Not a bad thriller, but not a good one, either. **Audio
Only if You're Lucky by Stacy Willingham: Solid meh on this thriller. I think I am not a fan of this author and will not read her again (unless everyone else is reading her and then I will because baaaaaaah). **2024
Oldies but not baddies:
Every Summer After by Carley Fortune: I like this author. I like her characters. I like her harmless little romances. **Audio
Meet me at the Lake by Carley Fortune: Ditto **Audio
I Know What You Did by Cayce Osborne: I must have put this thriller on hold because it is set on the west side of madison-- and it's true, the setting delighted me the whole time. **Audio
Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas: Loved it. Not my fave series by her, but she's great, and I dig romantasy-- WHO KNEW?? **Audio
Now we're getting somewhere:
The Pairing by Casey McQuiston: Darling! And such a good discussion of gender in there. **2024
Dearest by Jacquie Walters: SO CREEPY and weird-- liked this one and was tense THE WHOLE TIME. **2024
The Mighty Red by Louise Erdrich: I liked but did not love this book,even though the plot is quick and the characters are engaging. Too many perspectives herhaps? *2024
Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty: LOVED IT. **20024
YES YES YES
Identity Unknown by Patricia Cornwell: I absolutely liked a ton this 28th Scarpetta novel. I was going to say LOVED, but I didn't, quite. **2024 **Audio
The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War by Erik Larson: I love his books, but this is the first time I have read one that is about a time period I am familiar with--I was a little worried about this-- would his POV match up with what I know about the rhetoric? IT DID, of course. Loved this book. **2024
Hum by Helen Phillips: This book is a brilliant masterpiece but also YIKES. I really loved it-- BOTY material. But also! Is not the time for dystopian fiction?? **2024
THE STATS
This month: 14 books
Audio books: 5
Real books: 9
2024 books: 9
This year: 139
Audio: 61
With my eyes: 78
Books published in 2024: 81
I set a goal of 124 books, and I am technically past it, but I think I would really like to break 100 actual books (not audio). Which means I need to read 11 real book in November and 11 more in December. This seems... not likely?
I am done with my BOTM extras. Just in time for November reads to come out...
I have not read a single one of these books. But the The Pairing by Casey McQuiston sounds interesting somehow.
ReplyDeleteI love your very quick one line summery. I may have to try that. But I fear I wouldn't remember anything a few years in.
I never remember what the books I am not super crazy about are all about and often have to look on Goodreads.
DeleteThe only one of these I've read is Here One Moment, and I liked it. I STILL want to know how you manage to read 14 books in a month!!! (And... how is Annabel Squishmallow doing? We need more photos!)
ReplyDeleteAnnabel is a DELIGHT!!
DeleteIf 2024 is not the time for dystopian fiction, when is? I have been puzzling over this since I read this an hour ago! I think we might have divergent thoughts on this.
ReplyDeleteI need my fiction to feel less real when it is also bleak and terrifying
DeleteI think the only one on your list that I have read are the Carly Fortunes, which I thought were okay. My favorite books in October were God of the Woods and Finding Jane.
ReplyDeleteI haven’t read Finding Jane— I’ll put it on hold :)
Deletelove your honest take on October's reads! It’s always great to hear which books are worth the time and which ones to skip. I've been so busy as a carpet cleaner, but I’m hoping to carve out some reading time soon, and your round-up is super helpful. Looking forward to your Halloween wrap-up, too—enjoy every moment with your little one!
ReplyDeleteThanks :)
DeleteHave you read The Need by Helen Phillips? I was creeped out, intrigued, and unsatisfied by it...but that's not the same as not liking it, I think.
ReplyDeleteNo, but I want to now— Hum was awesome
DeleteI'm glad you mentioned Hum is dystopian because that is a hard pass for me, even if it's a book everyone loves! I just can't read dystopian, even when life doesn't feel dystopian-adjacent.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read or heard of many of these books! My favorite of October was def Ina's memoir! It was a total delight and like a warm hug.
That memoir sounds like a delight, and I will keep my eyes open for it at the library.
DeleteI loved Here One Moment, really good. I haven't heard of the others, but will take note of the ones you loved. And wow, you read a lot! I'm guessing some of that is time commuting?
ReplyDeleteNot very— I read fast. That’s one thing a PhD in the humanities is good for— fast reading practice LOL
DeleteI always appreciate your book reviews. I'm not gonna bother with the dystopian Hum one. Bummer, because BOTY quality sounds great. I'm like Lisa, not my genre. Good luck on 11 books each of the next two months. Yikes.
ReplyDeleteIt’s a lot of books…
DeleteI read a Stacy Willingham book and it was bleah. Dry and who cares-ish. I read Helen Phillips previous book and I can't WAIT to read this one. SO TWISTED.
ReplyDeleteI burned out on Patricia Cornwell, am intrigued that one this far into the series was good.
I am at 86 books for the year - almost twinsies! For this and literally NOTHING ELSE lol
86 books with my eyes, to be clear
DeleteI actually like these later Scarpettas (even the space one LOL LOL LOL), but there were a few in the middle that were bad.
DeleteWow that's a ton of books! Good for you. I am struggling to get to 30 this year LOL! I love Liane Moriarty will have to check that and the dystopian book out. Carley Fortune, I love that she's a Canadian but her books were meh for me. Stopping by from NaBloPoMo, also a vintage Momblogger...
ReplyDeleteI agree about Fortune. I like her better as an audiobook for sure.
DeleteI hear you on dystopian fic. Life feels dystopian now so I don't really need to read about it as well.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to add those Carley Fortune books to my TBR. I've seen her everywhere but have yet to read one of her books!
YES re: dystopia.
DeleteHooray, happy you're participating again, Sarah :)
ReplyDeleteSo happy you are hosting again :)
DeleteGreat suggestions, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete