Category: books

The Best Books I Read in October (2021)

In October I read 15 books, bringing my total to the year to 195 books. I’m not sure I’m going to hit my goal of 250 books for the year….But four of those reads were really excellent:

Winterlight, by Kristen Britain. I love this series! The characters are vibrant, the world is so vivid and brimming with life, and the storyline always has me on the edge of my seat.

The Rot, by Siri Pettersen. This is the second book in a trilogy, and from the very first page of the first book, I was riveted. This feels very much like Norse mythology and I’m completely invested in the story and can’t wait until the third one comes out.

Little Thieves, by Margaret Owen. This started off a bit slow, but I’m so glad I stuck it out. Unique and captivating.

Three Sisters, by Heather Morris. This is the third book in The Tattoist of Auschwitz books (I haven’t read the others. This was so moving, sad, and yet full of hope. This family is incredible.

What I Read in October (2021)

Books Read in October: 15
Books Read for the Year:  195/250
Topical Books/Monthly Goal Books:

Just Because:
Winterlight, by Kristen Britain (TBR). I really love this series! This was as excellent as the other books, and with the twist at the end, I can’t wait to read the next one.

Parable of the Sower, by Octavia E. Butler. I listened to this as an audio book, and enjoyed it far more than I expected to.

For Review:


The Rot, by Siri Pettersen. Can we talk about how amazing this book is? I adored the first book in the series, Odin’s Child, and this follow-up did not disappoint! Cannot wait for the third.

Luminous, by Mara Rutherford. I enjoyed Rutherford’s previous duology, but this one felt much less…polished. It was a decent read, but I wasn’t riveted.

The Keeper of Night, by Kylie Lee Baker. The MC here was…difficult. Unlikable. Selfish. The writing was excellent, the premise was unique, the characters…meh.

Little Thieves, by Margaret Owen. This started off very slowly, and I wanted desperately to put it down, but I’m a fan of Owen’s other works, so I persevered—and this ended up being a fantastic read!

Lies My Memory Told Me, by Sacha Wunsch. This was just a meh read for me. I strongly disliked the ending, and the MC was a little bit…passive, maybe? The other characters felt like cardboard cutouts.

I Am Not Who You Think I Am, by Eric Rickstad. I really didn’t care for the MC in this one. He was way too prone to jumping to conclusions, and he was oblivious to what anyone else wanted.

Sankofa, by Chibundu Onuzo. This was way better than I expected, although the MC still has some growing to do. Her father was awful, though.

Three Sisters, by Heather Morris. I haven’t’ read The Tattoist of Auschwitz, but this was a phenomenal read!

Finding a Christmas Home, by Lee Tobin McClain. This was a decent romance read. Quick, easy, standard romance fair.

A Cowgirl’s Secret, by Melinda Curtis. This wasn’t a standout romantic read, but it delivered on its promises.

The Alchemy Thief, by R.A Denny. This was an interesting time travel/historical read. I enjoyed reading the bits about alchemy especially.

I Am Margaret Moore, by Hannah Capin (review forthcoming). I’m not sure what to say about this. I figured out the twist pretty early on, but I didn’t care for the confusion that made the book very hard to connect with.

You Can Go Your Own Way, by Eric Smith (review forthcoming). I don’t know a thing about pinball machines or Philly, but I really enjoyed this read. Whitney and Adam were great—and relatable—characters, and I loved their journey. And the plants.

Left Unfinished:

The Mother Next Door, by Tara Laskowski. This was just a case of the book not being a good fit for me right now. I read about 20% of it before I stopped reading, and the writing was strong, the characters realistic. I just didn’t like the characters. I thought they were petty, vapid, and superficial, and I didn’t care about them in the slightest—or their secrets.

The House of Dust, by Noah Broyles. I read about 25% of this, but the point-of-view and the characters were too distant and disjointed to feel any connection to.

Five Strangers, by E.V. Adamson. I tried. I read about 20% of this, but the MC was pretty unlikable to me, so the story didn’t hold my interest.

The Last House on Needless Street, by Catriona Ward. Despite the glowing reviews for this one, I couldn’t get into it. I only made it about 10% before giving up on its disjointedness.

Book Review:  The Alchemy Thief, by R.A Denny

Image belongs to the author.

Title:   The Alchemy Thief
Author:  R.A Denny
Genre:   fantasy, history
Rating:  4 out of 5

When the secrets of the past threaten to destroy the future… 

A tale of hope, resilience, and the indomitable spirit of a woman, this sweeping epic spans the Atlantic from New England to Morocco during the Age of Exploration. 

2019: A young woman finds a relic engraved with a mysterious symbol off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard. Terrorists in Morocco steal a 17th-century book engraved with the same symbol. As the woman struggles to unravel the secrets behind the symbol, her life changes in ways she could never have imagined. 

1657: Transported back in time, she meets the alchemist, John Winthrop, Jr. who is plotting to lure the greatest scientific minds to the New World. But the more she learns, the more she fears for the lives of the loved ones she left behind. 

In a stunning twist of fate, a modern terrorist has traveled into the past, where he has become a Barbary Corsair. He has plans of his own. And he will stop at nothing to succeed.

This was quite an interesting read. I haven’t read any time travel novels set in Puritan New England (Well, before it was actually New England.), so that kept me interested. Peri was just an innocent in 2019, so she fit right in in the past—in a manner of speaking.

The writing here is solid, and the characters, even the Corsair from the future, were intriguing enough to keep me engrossed in the novel. There’s a lot going on, but it blends together to make for an entertaining read.

R.A Denny has a law degree from Duke University but chooses to do just what she loves:  write. The Alchemy Thief is her newest novel, the first in the Pirates and Puritans series.

(Galley courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review and Blog Tour:  A Cowgirl’s Secret, by Melinda Curtis

Image belongs to Harlequin.

Title:   A Cowgirl’s Secret
Author:   Melinda Curtis
Genre:   Romance
Rating:  4 out of 5

Could saving the ranch… 

Mean a future together? 

Cowgirl Cassie Diaz has a secret—a bull riding accident may have stolen her dream of motherhood. She needs to recover, but how can she rest with her family’s ranch in peril? Recent Second Chance, Idaho, arrival Bentley Monroe offers help, and his quiet strength makes her feel safe. Loving him could heal her wounds, but would she have a future with this family man?

I enjoyed reading Bentley’s point-of-view. I liked Cassie’s, too, but I could totally relate to Bentley. I felt like Cassie’s potential health issue was inflated quite a bit—any confusion could have been cleared up with a simple phone call—but maybe that’s just me. I also had a little trouble with the idea of the Monroe family owning this entire town and its inhabitants, basically, but this was still an entertaining read.

Melinda Curtis is a bestselling author. A Cowgirl’s Secret is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review and Blog Tour:  Finding a Christmas Home, by Lee Tobin McClain

Image belongs to Harlequin.

Title:   Finding a Christmas Home
Author:   Lee Tobin McClain
Genre:   Romance
Rating:  4 out of 5

Two little girls need a family…in this novel by New York Times bestselling author Lee Tobin McClain

 They are his nieces…

 But she can never tell him. 

As the new guardian to her twin nieces, Hannah Antonicelli is determined to keep her promise to her late sister—that she’ll never reveal the identity of their father. But when the girls’ uncle, Luke Hutchenson, moves in next door and takes a job where Hannah works, the truth threatens their growing connection. How can she keep the secret when she can’t even guard her own heart?

I’ve read the previous book in the Rescue Haven series, but it isn’t necessary, as these are standalone novels. Hannah was so determined to be awkward and unpretty that it was a bit annoying, but I liked her. It was also nice to see Luke get that chip off his shoulder. This was a pleasant read.

Lee Tobin McClain is the bestselling author of small-town romances. Finding a Christmas Home is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review:  Three Sisters, by Heather Morris

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title:   Three Sisters
Author:   Heather Morris
Genre:   Historical fiction
Rating:  4.5 out of 5

When they are girls, Cibi, Magda and Livia make a promise to their father – that they will stay together, no matter what.

 Years later, at just 15 years old, Livia is ordered to Auschwitz by the Nazis. Cibi, only 19 herself, remembers their promise and follows Livia, determined to protect her sister, or die with her.

 In their hometown in Slovakia, 17-year-old Magda hides, desperate to evade the barbaric Nazi forces. But it is not long before she is captured and condemned to Auschwitz.

 In the horror of the death camp, these three beautiful sisters are reunited. Though traumatised by their experiences, they are together. 

They make another promise: that they will live. Their fight for survival takes them from the hell of Auschwitz, to a death march across war-torn Europe and eventually home to Slovakia, now under iron Communist rule. Determined to begin again, they embark on a voyage of renewal, to the new Jewish homeland, Israel.

This was an incredible read! I haven’t read any of the other books, but that isn’t necessary to enjoy this one. This story. It’s so unbelievable—and it’s true! The strength of these sisters is amazing and inspiring, and I was completely enthralled with what was happening to them. This is a powerful, moving story that showcases strength and determination, love and family.

Heather Morris is from New Zealand. Three Sisters is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review:  Sankofa, by Chibundu Onuzo

Image belongs to Catapult.

Title:   Sankofa
Author:   Chibundu Onuzo
Genre:   Fiction
Rating:  4 out of 5

Anna is at a stage of her life when she’s beginning to wonder who she really is. She has separated from her husband, her daughter is all grown up, and her mother—the only parent who raised her—is dead.

 Searching through her mother’s belongings one day, Anna finds clues about the African father she never knew. His student diaries chronicle his involvement in radical politics in 1970s London. Anna discovers that he eventually became the president—some would say dictator—of a small nation in West Africa. And he is still alive . . .

 When Anna decides to track her father down, a journey begins that is disarmingly moving, funny, and fascinating. Like the metaphorical bird that gives the novel its name, Sankofa expresses the importance of reaching back to knowledge gained in the past and bringing it into the present to address universal questions of race and belonging, the overseas experience for the African diaspora, and the search for a family’s hidden roots.

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Anna has spent most of her life stagnating, so it was good to see her finally take some sort of action. But, Anna still lets life happen to her, going along with a lot of things instead of speaking up or standing up for herself. Her father was kind of awful, a far cry from the man she got to know from his diary.

Chibundu Onuzo is from Nigeria. Sankofa is her new novel.

(Galley courtesy of Catapult in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review and Blog Tour:  Lies My Memory Told Me, by Sacha Wunsch

Image belongs to Inkyard Press.

Title:   Lies My Memory Told Me
Author:   Sacha Wunsch
Genre:   YA
Rating:  3.0

Enhanced Memory changed everything. By sharing someone else’s memory, you can experience anything and everything with no risk at all: learn any skill instantly, travel the world from home, and safeguard all your most treasured secrets forever. Nova’s parents invented this technology, and it’s slowly taking over their lives. Nova doesn’t mind—mostly. She knows Enhanced Memory is a gift. 

But Kade says Nova doesn’t know the costs of this technology that’s taken the world by storm. Kade runs a secret vlog cataloging real experiences, is always on the move, and is strangely afraid of Nova—even though she feels more comfortable with him than she ever has with anyone. Suddenly there are things Nova can’t stop noticing: the way her parents don’t meet her eyes anymore, the questions no one wants her to ask, and the relentless feeling that there’s something she’s forgotten…

This was just a meh read for me. Nova never felt like a real person to me at all. She just let things happen to her, and then was astonished. The other characters, especially Kade, felt like mere shadows of people, and there was just so much that felt unfinished. Even the ending was…lackluster.

Sacha Wunsch is a bestselling author. Lies My Memory Told Me is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Inkyard Press in exchange for an honest review.)

 

 

Book Review:  I Am Not Who You Think I Am, by Eric Rickstad

Image belongs to Blackstone Publishing.

Title:   I Am Not Who You Think I Am
Author:   Eric Rickstad
Genre:   Mystery/thriller
Rating:  3.0

Wayland Maynard is just eight years old when he sees his father kill himself, finds a note that reads I am not who you think I am, and is left reeling with grief and shock. Who was his father if not the loving man Wayland knew? Terrified, Wayland keeps the note a secret, but his reasons for being afraid are just beginning.

 Eight years later, Wayland makes a shocking discovery and becomes certain the note is the key to unlocking a past his mother and others in his town want to keep buried. 

With the help of two friends, Wayland searches for the truth. Together they uncover strange messages scribbled in his father’s old books, a sinister history behind the town’s most powerful family, and a bizarre tragedy possibly linked to Wayland’s birth. Each revelation raises more questions and deepens Wayland’s suspicions of everyone around him. Soon, he’ll regret he ever found the note, trusted his friends, or believed in such a thing as the truth.

Wayland…ended up being a horrible person. Completely self-absorbed, selfish, and prone to jumping to conclusions, I never felt any sympathy for him. Later in the book, I actively disliked him and found him even less sympathetic. While the writing was solid, I found the premise—and the truth—outside my realm of belief.

Eric Rickstad lives in Vermont. I Am Not Who You Think I Am is his newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Blackstone Publishing in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review:  Little Thieves, by Margaret Owen

Image belongs to Macmillan.

Title:   Little Thieves
Author:   Margaret Owen
Genre:   Fantasy
Rating:  4.5 out of 5

Vanja Schmidt knows that no gift is freely given, not even a mother’s love–and she’s on the hook for one hell of a debt. Vanja, the adopted goddaughter of Death and Fortune, was Princess Gisele’s dutiful servant up until a year ago. That was when Vanja’s otherworldly mothers demanded a terrible price for their care, and Vanja decided to steal her future back… by stealing Gisele’s life for herself. 

The real Gisele is left a penniless nobody while Vanja uses an enchanted string of pearls to take her place. Now, Vanja leads a lonely but lucrative double life as princess and jewel thief, charming nobility while emptying their coffers to fund her great escape. Then, one heist away from freedom, Vanja crosses the wrong god and is cursed to an untimely end: turning into jewels, stone by stone, for her greed. 

Vanja has just two weeks to figure out how to break her curse and make her getaway. And with a feral guardian half-god, Gisele’s sinister fiancé, and an overeager junior detective on Vanja’s tail, she’ll have to pull the biggest grift yet to save her own life.

Confession: I almost stopped reading this about 15 times in the first 20%. It just started out so slow, and Vanja just wasn’t a very likable person at all. Fortunately, she started learning and changing after that, so she became more tolerable. After that, I enjoyed this story immensely.

The setting was vividly wrought, and the culture was fascinating to me, with the mythology woven seamlessly in, adding depth and nuance to the story. In the end, this ended up being a fantastic read filled with magic, danger, and romance.

Margaret Owen grew up in Portland, Oregon. Little Thieves is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Macmillan in exchange for an honest review.)