October reads
Some books I read in October:
Choices [4/5]
I was a big time fan of MTV’s The Hills. Audriana Partridge wrote this memoir of her experiences. I didn’t follow the cast after The Hills ended, so I didn’t realize that there had been a comeback show. I also didn’t know what happened to Audriana since then, so it was difficult to read about her toxic relationship with the boyfriend we all watched her meet and date. I only can hope the best for her.
Sweet and Sour [5/5]
A middle school level fiction book taking place in Mystic, CT… naturally I had to read it! It was a very adorable story of friendship. Two best friends comes to Mystic every summer with their families. I enjoyed seeing local ties in the book. Worth the read!
The Liar’s Girl [5/5]
I was glued!! I am a fan of the author, Catherine Ryan Howard. This was a thriller taking place in Dublin, Ireland. I picked up the book only on the notion that it was in Ireland but it turned out to be a very suspenseful read. I can’t wait to read more of her other books!
Built to Last [3.5/5]
Being that I’m a fan of home makeover shows, especially Joanna and Chip, I was excited about this book description! A book about childhood friends-to-lovers doing a home renovation TV show together. I enjoyed the banter between them. It was a slow burn read, but picked up towards the end. At times, I found it difficult to connect with the book. Overall, a cute romance read!
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder [5/5]
I throughly enjoyed this young adult thriller! It focuses on a high school girl who takes on the project of finding out what really happened in a murder that occurred in her small town. The pacing was very good, it kept me hooked to the plot. It was hard to put down this book because there were cliffhangers throughout. This is the first of a three books series. I went to the library and got the second book the day after I finished this one!
Payback’s a Witch [5/5]
I was in the mood for some Halloween-themed reads. I was intrigued by this witchy romance. While I was reading this book, I felt like I was in Halloweentown (Disney movie). It was so fun and the perfect read to get me in the mood for Halloween! This is the first of a three books series. I picked up the second one immediately but unfortunately it was a DNF.
We Are the Light [4/5]
Whew! This was an emotional read. I liked the uniqueness of the book - the whole story is told via letters. You could feel the sense of community/small town when the characters came to help each other maneuver through the tragedy. It is hard to read at times because of this, but the grief process is very real. This book also shows hope. A very worthwhile to read.
The Resemblance [4/5] Coming out on November 8th.
This dark academia thriller was a perfect read for fall! The read was was a slow burn filled with many twists. I enjoyed the police procedural process of uncovering who did it. The book also mainly focused on the fraternity/sorority and the complexities. Unfortunately, the issues the author talked to about Greek life such as hazing, toxic environment, etc are very realistic. The detective reminded me so much of the TV series - Mare of Easttown. If you enjoyed that show, you would like this read! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches [5/5]
I LOVED this book!!! I knew within reading the first 50 pages that it’d be one of my favorite books and sure enough, when I finished… it is! I enjoyed the romance between the grumpy librarian and the witch. Not just the romance, but the family… whew! It’s not your typical family, they are not the same blood line, but rather they are a found family. You could feel the happiness. The perfect cozy and heartwarming book to read!
Bring Me Back [4/5]
I follow the author Kristen Granata on Instagram. Usually I never follow authors before reading their books but I like how real she is! In this book, it follows a suicide survivor who moves into her old family home on the Jersey shore. She falls for her next door neighbor, who is a cop. This was a quick read but STEAMY! Again, with the author being real - she covers depression and anxiety in the book. She shows a positive outlook when dealing with mental health.
The Couple at No. 9 [4/5]
Throughly enjoyed this thriller! The book took place in Cotswold, UK with a couple who moved into a cottage that was an inheritance. Two bodies were found in their yard when they were working on an extension to the cottage. It was a slow start, but the pacing picked up quickly mid-way. It had a lot of twists, I was glued! My mind was constantly trying to figure out the ending, this was a jaw-dropper!
Good Girl, Bad Blood [5/5]
The second book to the A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series. I throughly enjoyed this sequel, it was as suspenseful read and a page turner! In this book, the same girl seek answers for her friend who went missing. I look forward to reading the final book of the series!
Spells for Forgetting [5/5]
A slow burn mystery! I really enjoyed this read. It took a while before I got really glued (half way thru). It was told in multiple POV’s but wasn’t confusing. The book didn’t have too much of the magic/witch aspect focusing more on the mystery. It was perfect book to finish out October!
The Sporty One [4/5]
A memoir by Melanie C., who is well known as Sporty Spice of Spice Girls. I wasn’t sure if I’d like this as I usually don’t care to read about music. BUT as a young girl, I was obsessed with Spice Girls! Don’t ask me why. I was curious to see what Melanie C had to say. The memoir was very likable and brought up a lot of memories from my life! I appreciate Melanie’s vulnerability, she really shared her tough stories. This book is a good example having it all and never having it be enough. A good read especially if you were a fan of Spice Girls!
Unfortunately there’s a few books that were DNF (Did Not Finish). I really tried to like those books but couldn’t be interested enough to continue reading:
The Witches of Moonshyne Manor
From Bad to Cursed
Our Missing Hearts
Cackle
I’m Glad My Mom Died