It’s time for my first half of October book review post! I am sharing what I read in October so far, although I am skipping my 5 star reads to share later in the month. 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: No One Does It Like You
Author: Katie Shepard
Genre: Rom Com
Publisher: Berkley, 9/3/24
Source: Publisher / Audio Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 3.5 Stars (Rounded up to 4)
No One Does It Like you was a cute rom com about Rose and Tom, previously married and now divorced for ten years. Tom is about to try to rescue his Broadway co star during a hurricane and he calls Rose to say he still loves her. Rose doesn’t get the message until later and needing help fixing her family inn after the storm, she asks Tom to help. With his Broadway co stars and some of their fandom, Tom brings found family to Rose, whose own family is no help at all. Tom is able to convince Rose to give him a second chance.
“When’s the best time to tell your ex that you want them back? Probably not in the middle of a Category 3 hurricane. But when Broadway actor Tom Wilczewski is about to dive into the floodwaters to rescue his co-lead, he calls the ex-wife he hasn’t seen in ten years to swear he still loves her and ask for a chance to make things right. Two months later, Rose Kelly is tired of seeing pictures of her ex-husband Tom rescuing Hollywood darling Boyd Kellagher. Not that she’s jealous. Of course not. She’s far too busy taking care of her elderly aunt and worrying about the storm damage to the family B&B on Martha’s Vineyard to miss the love of her life. But after belatedly hearing Tom’s voicemail, Rosie asks him to follow through on his promises for once by helping her fix the inn. Thinking this is the perfect way to win her back, Tom agrees. When they get there, things are…less than ideal. Rosie expected the inn to be in better shape. She expected it to have more beds. And she expected more help from her actual family—not from Tom and the rest of his Broadway cast. But Rosie begins to wonder if maybe the life she expected isn’t the one she really wants. If she and Tom can repair the inn together, can they possibly repair the damage to the relationship they both thought was long gone?”
I listened to this one and I wasn’t fully invested, but I still found it cute enough to continue the listen. I am not sure the print would have held my attention.
Title: Tales of a Pet Vet
Author: Dr. Dawn Filos
Genre: Memoir
Publisher: She Writes Press, 10/8/24
Source: PR for Author
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 4 Stars
I really enjoyed reading the fun stories Dr. Dawn had to share from her work in clinics and as a home visit vet.
“Dr. Dawn Filos has always had a passion for animals—and with a lot of hard work and perseverance, she turned that passion into a career. Here, with emotional honesty, Dr. Dawn shares her colorful, memorable journey from nervous novice to seasoned, self-assured doctor. This modern-day James Herriot ultimately finds her niche as a house-call vet, where she creates a way to practice on her own terms with the privilege of unique, intimate access into the homes and lives of her beloved patients and their human families.”
The funny stories were my favorite part of the book and there were a lot of them! The author also discussed dealing with emergencies, alternative treatments, pet trusts, and euthanasia, which is a hard part of being a vet I am sure. So some of her stories talk about saying goodbye to loved pets and those parts were sad to read. I enjoyed learning about how having a home visit vet makes a lot of sense for animals who have fears, maybe don’t like seeing other animals, or have higher health needs.
Title: The Sound of a Thousand Stars
Author: Rachel Robbins
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Alcove Press, 10/8/24
Source: PR for Author
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 4 Stars
This historical fiction book takes place in New Mexico in 1944, where scientists have been brought to work on a secret government project. The author based this book on her grandparents. In the book, Alice and Caleb meet and form a relationship while also working with dangerous substances. Interspersed with their story is that of Haruki’s, a survivor of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima. His perspective added to the reality of the story of the scientists who were developing this weapon.
“Alice Katz is a young Jewish physicist, one of the only female doctoral students at her university, studying with the famed Dr. Oppenheimer. Her well-to-do family wants her to marry a man of her class and settle down. Instead, Alice answers her country’s call to come to an unnamed city in the desert to work on a government project shrouded in secrecy. At Los Alamos, Alice meets Caleb Blum, a poor Orthodox Jew who has been assigned to the explosives division. Around them are other young scientists and engineers who have quietly left their university posts to come live in the desert. No one seems to know exactly what they are working on—what they do know is that it is a race and that they must beat the Nazis in developing an unspeakable weapon. In this atmosphere of fear and uncertainty, and despite their many differences, Alice and Caleb find themselves drawn to one another.”
I thought this story was well done and it made me think about whether the scientists could be held accountable for their work when at first they didn’t even know what they were working on. I liked that many of the characters are Jewish, but bear in mind they do deal with antisemitism.
Title: Dear Eliza
Author: Andrea J. Stein
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Publisher: Flashpoint, 10/8/24
Source: Author
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 4 Stars
After her father passes away, Eliza’s aunt gives her a note from her mom, who passed away when Eliza was young. The new information in the note changes Eliza’s life.
“Eliza’s world broke apart when she was sixteen and her mom died of cancer. Now, years later, she has rebuilt her life to include a director-of-development job at a nonprofit, a Manhattan apartment, and an easy-on-the-eyes bedroom buddy—just the kind of no-strings relationship she wants, even if it’s less than her best friend, Mo, thinks she deserves. But when Eliza’s dad dies unexpectedly, her beloved aunt Claude arrives at the shiva with a letter from her mom—to be opened only after her father’s death. Inside the letter? A bombshell. Suddenly, all of Eliza’s relationships are upended. Her brother is angry, her stepmother is threatening to disinherit her, and Mo—who has always been her rock—doesn’t seem to understand what she’s going through. But as Eliza struggles to cope with the shocking news, she finds an unexpected ally—her brother’s best friend, Josh—her high school crush, whom she’s tried hard to forget. It’s not in Eliza’s nature to trust . . . but maybe it’s time for that to change.”
This book deals with Eliza’s relationships with her brother, her best friend, her high school crush, and her job. She works at a non profit and her work there intersects with what she learns in her mother’s letter. The book deals with grief when it’s tied up with other emotions. I found it quite readable and well written.
Title: Wildflower Emily
Author: Lydia Corry
Genre: Middle Grade Graphic Novel
Publisher: Godwin Books, 10/15/24
Source: PR for Author
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 4 Stars
This wonderfully illustrated graphic novel introduces the reader to a young Emily Dickinson growing up in Amherst, MA.
“Emily Dickinson is one of America’s greatest and most original poets of all time. When you hear her name, you may imagine the famous recluse whose withdrawal from society became legendary. But it’s time to meet a new side of Emily, one that is powerful, adventurous, and joyful. Follow along as we delve into Emily Dickinson’s childhood, revealing a young girl desperate to go out exploring―to meet the flowers in their own homes. Wade through tall grasses to gather butterfly weed and goldenrod, the air alive with the ‘buccaneers of buzz.’ And, don’t forget to keep a hot potato in your pocket to keep your fingers warm. This is Emily Dickinson as you’ve never seen her before, embarking on an unforgettable journey in her hometown of Amherst, Massachusetts, with her trusty four-legged companion, Carlo.”
I liked the way Dickinson’s poetry was woven into the story, whether it was her spoken pieces or various poems in full on the page. The story takes you through a day in her life, as she searches for flowers and engages with nature with her pet dog. This was a sweet way to learn about her history and poetry.
Title: The Butterfly Girl
Author: Rene Denfeld
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Harper Audio, 10/1/19
Source: Print from Publisher, Audio from Library
Why I Read It: Backlist
My Rating: 4 Stars
From my 24 in ’24 Backlist, I listened to The Butterfly Girl by Rene Denfeld which I received in 2020. This book is the 2nd in a series about Naomi, and I did not read the 1st one, but I didn’t feel like I missed much. Naomi finds missing children, and she once was one herself. In this book, she is looking for her missing sister. Her story intersects with that of Celia, an abused teenage runaway.
“A year ago, Naomi, the investigator with an uncanny ability for finding missing children, made a promise that she would not take another case until she finds the younger sister who has been missing for years. Naomi has no picture, not even a name. All she has is a vague memory of a strawberry field at night, black dirt under her bare feet as she ran for her life. The search takes her to Portland, Oregon, where scores of homeless children wander the streets like ghosts, searching for money, food, and companionship. The sharp-eyed investigator soon discovers that young girls have been going missing for months, many later found in the dirty waters of the river. Though she does not want to get involved, Naomi is unable to resist the pull of children in need—and the fear she sees in the eyes of a twelve-year old girl named Celia. Running from an abusive stepfather and an addict mother, Celia has nothing but hope in the butterflies—her guides and guardians on the dangerous streets. She sees them all around her, tiny iridescent wisps of hope that soften the edges of this hard world and illuminate a cherished memory from her childhood—the Butterfly Museum, a place where everything is safe and nothing can hurt her. As danger creeps closer, Naomi and Celia find echoes of themselves in one another, forcing them each to consider the question: Can you still be lost even when you’ve been found? But will they find the answer too late?”
The viewpoints switched between Naomi and Celia and you get to know both characters and what they’ve been through. Celia’s obsession with butterflies helped her to distance herself from her own story. Both Naomi and Celia deal with having left sisters behind and this bonds them as they try to discover why women are going missing. I found the intersection of the stories a little coincidental, but overall this was an interesting listen.
This post includes 6 of the books I read this month. 4 were print books and 2 were on audio. 5 were adult books and 1 was middle grade. Genres included rom com, memoir, historical fiction, contemporary fiction, graphic novel, and thriller.
Have you read any of these books or do you want to? What have you been reading lately?
