October Reading Recap
It's Fridayyyyy!
October was a helluva stressful month. Not to get too much into it, but my dad has been having health issues and I had 2 visitors stay at my house over 2 different weekends. Last week I flew back to Florida on a whim to visit my dad and family, and since I got back, I've just been vegging out and reading. The weather here in Colorado has made it even easier to do that since we've had SNOW since Sunday! It's been crazy cold, and I've been huddled up by the fireplace with a book all week.
I've been prioritizing books I already own lately (I haven't been to the library in months) and I did pretty well in October! Check out the books I read below.
Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore, 4/5
I got this ARC from The Book Drop as part of my brand ambassadorship. Like I said in my review I was hesitant to read Bringing Down the Duke since 18th or 19th century English novels aren't my favorite, BUT I stepped out of my comfort zone and tried it. And I really enjoyed it! It was a steamy romance steeped in English history and politics. I could totally picture Richard Armitage as the hot duke.
The Last Book Party by Karen Dukess, 3/5
My bookstagram buddy @abookwormwithwine and I started a new buddy read series, #JAMbuddyreads! This book was our first one for September. While I think I could have enjoyed The Last Book Party more if some things were different or better developed, our online group discussion was really fun! Plus, Henry Holt shared my Instagram post on their own page and that was a cool thing to see.
My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing, 3/5
Speaking of sharing, Penguin USA shared my photo of My Lovely Wife on their page, too! Doesn't Kaylee look so cozy in it? Like The Last Book Party, this thriller didn't do it for me, though I know a lot of other people loved it.
MOCHIIII. One of my favorite snacks and desserts. I somehow forgot to post a full review of this book after this one I set up with some mochi. I Love You So Mochi is a really sweet and hopeful YA novel about finding yourself amidst family expectations and clashing cultures. I'm super into Japanese culture lately thanks to Netflix's Terrace House so I was excited to read this. The protagonist did irk me at times because of her quirky, clueless personality, but overall it was an enjoyable read.
The Bride Test by Helen Hoang, 5/5
After I read and loved The Kiss Quotient I snapped up The Bride Test right away. And I loved it too, maybe even more than TKQ! I thought the characters and relationships were even more well-developed in The Bride Test. Of course, this book was full of steamy romance as well.
The Whisper Man by Alex North, 4/5
If you're on bookstagram, you probably saw The Whisper Man all over your feed. It got so many rave reviews that I put it on my Want to Read list immediately. And I finally got to read it! It didn't scare me as much as it seemed to scare others (which is really odd because I get scared so easily by movies and TV, but not books) however it was still a really good creepy thriller.
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah, 5/5
This was my FAVORITE read this month. The Great Alone is a hefty (about 550 pages) epic novel about a family who moves from Seattle to Alaska to escape their troubles and make a new life. Of course, it's not that easy, and...things happen, is all I'll say. This was sometimes hard to get through because domestic violence is a big plot point, but the overall story and characters are well worth it. I've found one of my new favorite authors in Kristin Hannah.
I've read 84 books this year, you guys. And my initial Goodreads reading challenge goal was 55! Do you think I can make it to 100 before the year ends?