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October Wrap Up

Happy November Everyone :)


While I'm sad to see fall coming to an end, I'm also excited to be moving into the Christmas season as it's always my favorite.


Now that October is officially over, I want to share with all of you my wrap up of all the books I finished during the month.


I felt that October wasn't as great of reading month for me as September was. This was due in part to the fact that I had a bunch of other time commitments, and wasn't able to finish as many books. And it was also due to the fact that I ended up having a few books this month that I didn't enjoy as much as I was expecting to.

However, let's jump right into the wrap up.


A September Bride by Kathryn Springer:



This novella from Autumn Brides was my first read of the month, and I adored it. The small town, book store setting, the two protagonists who get off on the wrong foot, and the historic reenactment wedding all endeared this story to me, and I gave it five out of five stars, and you can read my full review here.


An October Bride by Katie Ganshert:



It's a toss up as to whether I enjoyed this one or A September Bride more as I honestly adored them both. Katie Ganshert always has a way of writing that sucks you right into the story, and I seriously think this one could have been a full length novel, and still have kept me engaged for each and every page. I gave it five out of five stars, and you can read my full review here.

A November Bride by Beth K. Vogt:



While I enjoyed this story overall, and thought that the main character being a personal chef was a unique plot point, I had a few issues that really hindered my enjoyment of it. There's a point in the novel where Sadie is talking to one of her client's, and it comes across that she's mocking the woman's struggle with infertility, and how rich and clueless her and husband are. Later on a comment is implied that basically only older people struggle with infertility and I thought this was a tad tactless for a novella in this collection. I did overall enjoy the rest of the story, but that spot bothered me enough to only rate this three out of five stars. Now I will fully state that I don't think the author set out to have the character come across this way, but it rubbed me the wrong way, and I was left feeling the same way I would if a tasteless joke had been made about someone struggling with mental illness.


To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han:



I'd read (and loved) this one shortly after its publication date, but I'd really been wanting to reread it again, especially with how much I adored the movie. My friend and I decided to make this trilogy our October book club reads, and I'm so glad we did as I'd forgotten just how much I missed this story. I gave it five out of five stars, and I continue to love Lara Jean and Peter.


The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan:



This has been a book that my hubby and I had been attempting to buddy read for a few months, and something kept interrupting us from doing so once we'd started. Last month I finally finished it, and I thought it was basically like National Treasure in a middle grade book. While it is a tad more juvenile than I was expecting, I did overall enjoy it, and thought the cliffhangers thrown in were pretty good. My favorite character was Saladin, and I gave this three out of five stars.


You're The One That I Want by Susan May Warren:



I thought this was a really good sendoff to the Christiansen Family series. The mystery is really well played out, and there's lots of family issues and dynamics that finally get dealt with. I gave it four out of five stars, and I'm honestly sad that my time with this family has come to an end.


Get Even by Gretchen McNeil:



I enjoyed this one okay. It's definitely not what I'd typically pick up for myself, and if I hadn't received a copy at a book convention, I probably never would have. However, I thought the mystery was pretty well written, and I kept guessing and suspecting different characters at each and every turn. It is a tad disappointing that nothing's really revealed until the second book though, and I definitely could have enjoyed it more if it hadn't been quite so full of language, teen drinking, and sexual innuendos. I gave it three out of five stars.


Stalking Jack The Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco:



I'm not quite sure why I wanted to read this one so badly, as it's not normally ever the type of book I'd go ahead and pick up. Me and detailed, forensic science normally don't go hand in hand, and yet I kept hearing more and more about just how amazing this book was, even from bloggers who typically have the same type of reading preferences that I do. I decided to grab it from the library, just in case I didn't end up liking it, and I'm happy I did so as it will definitely not be a reread for me, nor will I ever be continuing on with the rest of the series. Surprisingly though, it wasn't for the reasons I'd expected that made me dislike it. For now I'll simply say that I gave it two out of five stars, it was my least favorite read of the month, and I'll be sharing a full review with you all in the next little while.


Paperback Crush: The Totally Radical History Of 80's And 90's Teen Fiction by Gabrielle Moss:



Guys, I adored this book! It was such a fun, insightful look into the many ya series of yesterday that I happily gobbled up as tween and young teen, and this book is definitely a fun blast from the past. It's officially out now, so I highly suggest you check this one out. I gave it four out of five stars, and you can read my full review here. 


In Peppermint Peril by Joy Avon:



I'd mentioned awhile back that I've been really into cozy mysteries lately, and the Christmas themed ones are always my favorites. Because of this, I was very excited to get an arc of In Peppermint Peril, and I really ended up enjoying it. I loved the way the author points suspicion at almost every character in the book, and that by the time the culprit was finally revealed, I actually hadn't already figured it out. I gave this one four out of five stars, and you can read my full review here. 


Get Dirty by Gretchen McNeil:




I actually ended up enjoying this one more that I expected to. I thought the first one was a little slow moving, but this one was perfectly paced, and kept me guessing right until the end. The reveal was pretty mind blowing, and I was pretty impressed with just how well Gretchen McNeil can write a thriller. I could have done without the sexual innuendos though, and there was way more language than I felt was necessary. Also, it was kind of a bummer that my favorite character from the first book was barely in this one, as she's in a coma for the majority of the story unfolding. I gave this one three out of five stars.


P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han:




I'm so happy I reread this one, as I'd forgotten just how much I enjoyed how much Lara Jean and Peter's relationship strengthens throughout this story. While I don't love it quite as much as the first one, I really adore it still, and I gave it four out of five stars.


Christmas Blessings by Katherine Spencer (and Thomas Kinkade):



I'm always happy to return to Cape Light, and see what the residents of one of my favorite fictional towns have gotten up to in the last year. This addition was really enjoyable, especially getting to see how Darrell's grown up from the little boy he was in the earlier books. I gave this one four out of five stars, and I'll be sharing a full review of it with you all shortly.


Ash and Quill by Rachel Caine:



I'm going to come right out and say that I didn't have high hopes for this one. I didn't really love either of the previous two novels, and it was mainly the setting that was the reason I gave them both three out of five stars. However, this one drags even more so than the first two books did, and I felt like we were reading about the same characters doing the same things they did in the previous two books. The ending was pretty good, but even that wasn't enough to redeem it for me, and I'm sorry to say but this only ended up being a two out of five star book for me.


Always and Forever Lara Jean by Jenny Han:



Reading this was so bittersweet for me, as I'm so sad to say goodbye to all these beloved characters. While I knew I would love this, I wasn't expecting it to focus quite so much on Lara Jean's family, and not as much on her and Peter, but I still really did enjoy it. I loved that it felt very realistic, and touches on the struggles that all seniors face in making their first truly adult decisions. As well, I loved getting to see Kitty growing into a strong, young woman, and see the ways her character has grown and changed from the previous books. And of course, Peter and Lara Jean are as perfect together as ever, and I loved one last look into their relationship that really highlights the struggles of two teenagers faced with what comes after high school. All in all, I gave this four out of five stars, and I thought it was a really great way to wrap up Lara Jean's story.

 Second Chance Sweethearts by Kristen Ethridge:



I don't really have too much to say about this one. I enjoyed it alright, and it was a sweet, second chance at love romance, but it didn't really stand out as anything special, and I gave it three out of five stars.

The Queen of Zombie Hearts by Gena Showalter:



I knew going into this one that there were probably going to be some plot points I wasn't going to like, and I was proven right. Right from the synopsis, the reader knows this one is going to contain some tragedies, and I was very saddened by the direction this went. However, I really did still enjoy it, other than the overt sexual content, and I gave it four out of five stars.

A Mad Zombie Party by Gena Showalter:



I surprised myself with just how much I enjoyed this one. After the way the last book ended, I didn't think I was going to like this one, and yet it ended up being one of my favorites of the series. If only the sexual content had been a little more toned down, this would probably be one of the best zombie series I've ever read. I gave it four out of five stars.

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen:



My last read of the month was the best. I read this beloved Jane Austen novel for the first time, and I adored it. I always take my time when reading her beloved stories, as I really want to treasure them, and make sure I'm actually understanding everything. I gave this one five out of five stars, and I'm only sorry it took this long for me to read it in the first place.



And that's all the books I read during October guys! Have you guys read any of these? And if so, what'd you think? I'd love to hear all about it.


Thanks so much for reading guys! I hope you all have a fantastic weekend!


This is not a sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions are my own. The photos do not belong to me, and all rights to the respective owners. 





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