Today’s post covers the second half of the books I read in October 2022. I shared the first half of the books I read here. I shared two of the 5 star reads I had this month here. I will be linking up with Lauren’s book link up, My Month Is Booked, on Tuesday! The Amazon links to the books I’ve read are affiliate links and if you use them and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. If you’ve read any of these books or are interested in them, I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
Title: Marlowe Banks, Redesigned
Author: Jacqueline Firkins
Genre: Rom Com
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin, 10/25/22
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 3.5 Stars (Rounded up to 4)
Marlowe Banks, Redesigned is a slow burn work place romance between costume designer Marlowe and actor Angus. Marlowe is scared to be in the spotlight with the publicity it brings to date an actor.
“Marlowe Banks’s life has come apart at the seams. Her engagement ended abruptly. Her latest costume design was shredded by critics. Her student loans are overdue. Her parents have never been more disappointed. Desperate to hide from her failures, Marlowe flees New York City to embrace invisibility in Los Angeles as a menial Production Assistant on a popular TV show. While sorting socks and taking care of her boss’ spoiled Weimaraner, no one can confront her poor artistic choices or the end of her engagement, the end her ex refuses to accept. When a costume mix-up requires Marlowe to step into in a scene, the camera catches a heated look between her and Angus Gordon, the show’s arrogant bad boy, thrusting Marlowe into the spotlight. As the pair is forced together on set, Marlowe learns she’s not the only one hiding. Walls come down for both of them, revealing a life Marlowe isn’t sure she’s ready for, and when her past comes calling, she has to decide if she’s going to stay invisible or if it’s time for a redesign.”
I enjoyed that Marlowe came to realize that “normal girls” deserve love too. Overall I thought this one was a bit slow and I’m still not enjoying reading rom coms at the moment!
Title: The Couple Next Door
Author: Shari Lapena
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books, 8/23/16
Source: Thrift Store
Why I Read It: Spent too long on my shelf
My Rating: 4 Stars
The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena was one of the first books I acquired after becoming a bookstagrammer. It sat on my shelf for 3 years and I finally added it to my pile for this month!
“Anne and Marco Conti seem to have it all—a loving relationship, a wonderful home, and their beautiful baby, Cora. But one night, when they are at a dinner party next door, a terrible crime is committed. Suspicion immediately lands on the parents. But the truth is a much more complicated story. Inside the curtained house, an unsettling account of what actually happened unfolds. Detective Rasbach knows that the panicked couple is hiding something. Both Anne and Marco soon discover that the other is keeping secrets, secrets they’ve kept for years.”
This was a very quick read that could have even been a short story with a little less repetition. It includes post partum depression, mental health issues, and child abuse. Overall it was a good thriller, but it didn’t feel unique or memorable to me.
Title: Killer Content
Author: Kiley Roache
Genre: YA Thriller
Publisher: Underlined, 11/30/21
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 4 Stars
This was the second book called Killer Content that I read this month. See my earlier post for the review on the other one! This is a YA thriller about a house of teen TikTok stars. When one is found dead, the others have to find out who killed their friend (or frenemy).
“The six teenagers who make up the Lit Lair have it made. A beachfront mansion, millions of followers, stunning good looks, and sponsorship deals worth more money than they ever dreamed. They live together, making videos about their perfect lives. Except it’s not so perfect after one of them turns up dead in the infinity pool. When the group TikTok account starts posting cryptic messages, the police stop looking outside the house for suspects—and start looking straight at them. Everyone in the Lit Lair had reasons why their lives would have been easier without Sydney Reynolds. But only one of them killed her.”
I thought it was pretty obvious who the culprit was, but this was a fun read told from multiple viewpoints!
Title: The Angel Maker
Author: Alex North
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Celadon, 2/28/23
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 4 Stars
The Angel Maker isn’t out until February so I’m way ahead having read this, but it fit it so well with my fall creepy reading and I couldn’t resist. While it was a bit confusing with many characters that are tied together, the main character is Katie, who is looking for her brother Chris, who was injured as a child. It also features Laurence, a detective who connects a current murder to a past serial killer – and to Chris.
“Growing up in a beautiful house in the English countryside, Katie Shaw lived a charmed life. At the cusp of graduation, she had big dreams, a devoted boyfriend, and a little brother she protected fiercely. Until the day a violent stranger changed the fate of her family forever. Years later, still unable to live down the guilt surrounding what happened to her brother, Chris, and now with a child of her own to protect, Katie struggles to separate the real threats from the imagined. Then she gets the phone call: Chris has gone missing and needs his big sister once more. Meanwhile, Detective Laurence Page is facing a particularly gruesome crime. A distinguished professor of fate and free will has been brutally murdered just hours after firing his staff. All the leads point back to two old cases: the gruesome attack on teenager Christopher Shaw, and the despicable crimes of a notorious serial killer who, legend had it, could see the future.”
I was left with a few questions but overall this was a quick read that I enjoyed. It has a bit of a philosophical focus as well – is everything pre determined and if so, can your fate be changed?
Title: Meet Me In Another Life
Author: Catriona Silvey
Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Sci Fi
Publisher: William Morrow, 4/27/21
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 3.5 Stars (Rounded up to 4)
I received Meet Me In Another Life by Catriona Silvey last year and I finally picked it up this month. At first, I was sure I was getting an amazing 5 star read about the many ways people may love each other as Thora and Santi appear in each chapter in different iterations of themselves – college students, a student and teacher, father and daughter, siblings, etc. The chapters read like short stories. Then, the characters start to remember their past iterations and the book takes a turn.
“Two strangers in a foreign city, Thora and Santi meet in a chance encounter. At once, they recognize in each other a kindred spirit—someone who is longing for more in life than the cards they’ve been dealt. Before their friendship can blossom, though, a tragic accident cuts their story short. They will meet again. But this is only one of the many connections they share. Like satellites trapped in orbit around each other, Thora and Santi will find each other again: as husband and wife; teacher and student; caretaker and patient; cynic and believer. In recurring lifetimes they become friends, partners, lovers, and enemies. Only they can make sure it’s not for the last time. As strange patterns and blurred memories compound, Thora and Santi come to a shocking revelation. They must work together to discover the true reason behind their repeating realities . . . before their many lives come to one, final end.”
I didn’t love how the book evolved after the turn. I know some people did love this one all the way through so don’t let me deter you from checking it out!
Title: Stinetinglers
Author: RL Stine
Genre: Middle Grade Horror / Short Stories
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends, 8/30/22
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 4 Stars
This is a book of 10 new stories from RL Stine with introductions by the author that explain why he wrote the story. I can’t remember if I read the Goosebumps series as a kid but I definitely remember seeing them in the library!
“A boy who hates bugs starts to see them everywhere. A basketball player’s skin starts to almost drip off his hands―but no one else can see it. Three friends find a hole in the ground that just gets bigger, and bigger, and bigger… And each story is introduced by Stine himself, providing a personal touch sure to delight fans. Laced with Stine’s signature humor and a hefty dose of nightmarish fun, Stinetinglers is perfect for fans of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and Stine’s own Goosebumps books. These chilling tales prove that Stine’s epic legacy in the horror genre is justly earned. Dive in, and beware: you might be sleeping with the lights on tonight!”
I liked the humor within the stories and my favorite of the bunch was called Our Little Monsters.
Title: Bindle Punk Bruja
Author: Desideria Mesa
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Harper Audio, 9/13/22
Source: libro.fm
Why I Read It: Takes place in Kansas City
My Rating: 4 Stars
I loved the sound of this 1920s Kansas City book with a witchy spin. It takes place in an illegal jazz club and features real historical Kansas City people.
“Luna—or depending on who’s asking, Rose—is the white-passing daughter of an immigrant mother who has seen what happens to people from her culture. This world is prejudicial, and she must hide her identity in pursuit of owning an illegal jazz club. Using her cunning powers, Rose negotiates with dangerous criminals as she climbs up Kansas City’s bootlegging ladder. Luna, however, runs the risk of losing everything if the crooked city councilmen and ruthless mobsters discover her ties to an immigrant boxcar community that secretly houses witches. Last thing she wants is to put her entire family in danger. But this bruja with ever-growing magical abilities can never resist a good fight. With her new identity, Rose, an unabashed flapper, defies societal expectations all the while struggling to keep her true self and witchcraft in check. However, the harder she tries to avoid scrutiny, the more her efforts eventually capture unwanted attention. Soon, she finds herself surrounded by greed and every brand of bigotry—from local gangsters who want a piece of the action and businessmen who hate her diverse staff to the Ku Klux Klan and Al Capone. Will her earth magic be enough to save her friends and family? As much as she hates to admit it, she may need to learn to have faith in others—and learning to trust may prove to be her biggest ambition yet.”
This book included racism, the KKK, antisemitism, homophobia, and violence. I enjoyed the listen, although I started to find the encounters with the mobsters to be a bit repetitive.
Title: The Vicious Circle
Author: Katherine St. John
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: William Morrow, 9/27/22
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 4 Stars
I enjoyed Katherine St. John’s previous two books and like those, this one sort of defied genres as it contains a bit of a thriller, suspense, romance, and family drama all in one. While I thought the book started a bit slowly, the 2nd half was faster.
“On a river deep in the Mexican jungle stands the colossal villa Xanadu, a wellness center that’s home an ardent spiritual group devoted to self-help guru Paul Bentzen and his enigmatic wife Kali. But when Paul mysteriously dies, his entire estate—including Xanadu—is left not to Kali, but to his estranged niece Sveta Shocked and confused, Sveta travels from New York City to Mexico to pay her respects. At first, Xanadu seems like a secluded paradise with its tumbling gardens, beautiful people, and transcendent vibe. But soon the mystical façade wears thin, revealing a group of brainwashed members drunk on promises of an impossible utopia, guided by a disturbing belief system and a charismatic, dangerously capable leader. As the sinister forces surrounding Sveta become apparent, she realizes, too late, she can’t escape. Frantic and terrified, she discovers her only chance of survival is to put her confidence in the very person she trusts the least.”
At times it was hard to know who to trust and I was worried for Sveta as she navigated the cult like situation she uncovers in Mexico!
Title: As Long As The Lemon Trees Grow
Author: Zoulfa Katouh
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publisher: Little Brown Books For Young Readers, 9/13/22
Source: Book of the Month
Why I Read It: Chose as my BOTM
My Rating: 4 Stars
I found this book a bit too long, but it was moving and somewhat heavy. It is about the conflict in Syria and I have seen it called historical fiction, but to me, it takes place too recently to be considered historical.
“Salama Kassab was a pharmacy student when the cries for freedom broke out in Syria. She still had her parents and her big brother; she still had her home. She had a normal teenager’s life. Now Salama volunteers at a hospital in Homs, helping the wounded who flood through the doors daily. Secretly, though, she is desperate to find a way out of her beloved country before her sister-in-law, Layla, gives birth. So desperate, that she has manifested a physical embodiment of her fear in the form of her imagined companion, Khawf, who haunts her every move in an effort to keep her safe. But even with Khawf pressing her to leave, Salama is torn between her loyalty to her country and her conviction to survive. Salama must contend with bullets and bombs, military assaults, and her shifting sense of morality before she might finally breathe free. And when she crosses paths with the boy she was supposed to meet one fateful day, she starts to doubt her resolve in leaving home at all. Soon, Salama must learn to see the events around her for what they truly are—not a war, but a revolution—and decide how she, too, will cry for Syria’s freedom.”
The way Salama’s trauma was depicted was interesting and well done. She has lost so much and her fear actually helps her go on. There was a twist in the book that I didn’t expect, although I have seen this plot point occur in other books in the past. The lemon trees in the book symbolize hope, and I appreciated that in a book full of war, injuries, guilt, and PTSD, there was still hope depicted.
Title: In The Shadow Garden
Author: Liz Parker
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Hachette Audio, 9/13/22
Source: Publisher Audio
Why I Read It: Sounded good
My Rating: 4 Stars
I am calling this a fantasy because it takes place in a world where magic is the everyday. There were a lot of characters to keep track of and there were multiple narrators, but I found some of them harder to understand.
“There’s something magical about Yarrow, Kentucky. The three empathic witches of the Haywood family are known for their shadow garden—from strawberries that taste like chocolate to cherry tomatoes imbued with the flavors of basil and oregano. Their magic can cure any heartache, and the fruits of their garden bring a special quality to the local bourbon distillery. On one day every year, a shot of Bonner bourbon will make your worst memory disappear. But the Haywoods will never forget the Bonners’ bitter betrayal. Twenty years ago, the town gave up more than one memory; they forgot an entire summer. One person died. One person disappeared. And no one has any recollection of either. As events from that fateful summer start to come to light, there must be a reckoning between the rival Haywood and Bonner families. But untangling the deep roots of this town’s terrible secrets will expose more than they could ever imagine about love, treachery, and the true nature of their power.”
I liked the mystery element to the story and the way the characters uncovered what happened in the past. I may have had an easier time keeping the characters straight it I had read it in print!
Title: The Housemaid
Author: Freida McFadden
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing, 8/23/22
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 5 Stars
While this book showed up unexpectedly, I heard it was good and was excited to read it. It ended up being a very quick and fun read for me.
“Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor. I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband. I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out… and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late. But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don’t know who I really am. They don’t know what I’m capable of…”
There were some plot points that could have used some more explanation and the description above doesn’t really equal what was in the book, but I still loved reading it. It was quite similar in plot and twist to another book I read previously (and I can’t say which or I’d give away the twist if you also read it!) but this one managed to fix the issues that I had with the ending of that one! This book includes gaslighting, abuse, etc.
Title: Maybe An Artist
Author: Liz Montague
Genre: YA Graphic Memoir
Publisher: Random House Studio, 10/18/22
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 5 Stars
Maybe An Artist by Liz Montague tells the author’s life story as a child at the time of 9/11 through entering adulthood during the pandemic. Her whole life, she thought she could not pursue art as a career, though she was led back to being a cartoonist.
“When Liz Montague was a senior in college, she wrote to the New Yorker, asking them why they didn’t publish more inclusive comics. The New Yorker wrote back asking if she could recommend any. She responded: yes, me. Those initial cartoons in the New Yorker led to this memoir of Liz’s youth, from the age of five through college–how she navigated life in her predominantly white New Jersey town, overcame severe dyslexia through art, and found the confidence to pursue her passion. Funny and poignant, Liz captures the age-old adolescent questions of ‘who am I?’ and ‘what do I want to be?’ with pitch-perfect clarity and insight.”
The book also addressed dyslexia and racism. I found this book was well expressed and meaningful.
Title: And Yet
Author: Kate Baer
Genre: Poetry
Publisher: Harper Perennial, 11/8/22
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 5 Stars
I am a huge fan of Kate Baer’s poems and this new collection was just as wonderful as her previous two books.
“Kate’s second full-length book of traditional poetry, And Yet, dives deeper into the themes that are the hallmarks of her writing: motherhood, friendship, love, and loss. Taken together, these poems demonstrate the remarkable evolution of a writer and an artist working at the height of her craft, pushing herself and her poetry in a beautiful and impressive way.”
With poems about motherhood and being a woman, as well as existing in our current world, Kate Baer’s poems are moving and meaningful.
There you have it, the rest of my October reading! This post included 13 of the books I read in October. Of these books, 11 were print and 2 were audio books. Genres included rom com, contemporary, horror, historical fiction, fantasy, graphic memoir, and poetry. Three were YA and 1 was middle grade.
Have you read any of these books or do you want to? What have you been reading lately?
