Happy November Everyone :)
I hope you all had a great Halloween, and that you're all looking forward to a fun weekend!
Do you have any exciting plans for the weekend? I will mainly be working, but possibly also doing some Christmas shopping and trying some new recipes I've been wanting to try for awhile.
Was October a good reading month for you?
For myself, it was actually a pretty good month. I did have quite a few five star reads, and only ended up having a couple that I rated less than three stars.
Today I'd like to share with you all what books I read during the month of October, and what I thought of each one.
I'll be sharing them in the order in which I finished them, and not in a best to worst or worst to best type of order.
The Bake Shop by Amy Clipston:
The month started off with a fantastic read. I read Amy Clipston's upcoming book release, and it might just be my new favorite by her. I loved the developing romance, the marketplace setting, and the focus on forgiveness and finding trust and truth in God's Holy Word. I gave this one five out of five stars, and you can check out my full review here.
You'd Be Mine by Erin Hahn:
I really enjoyed the premise of this one, and the way it focuses around the country music scene. I thought the writing was beautiful, and the characters felt three dimensional and realistic. What hindered my enjoyment however, was the inclusion of explicit language, sex content, drinking and partying and so on. It could have been an amazing read if it had shied more away from all of that. I gave this one a three out of five star rating.
This Heart of Mine by C.C. Hunter:
I love C.C. Hunter's writing style, and how addicting her books always are. Every time I pick up a title by her that I haven't already read, I can barely put it down. However, I always have two big complaints about her books. First, the kind of content she includes in young adult novels is so unnecessary. The book would be so much better without the sexual content, the drinking and partying and the language. Secondly, her books always have a big mystery surrounding them, but when the final reveal happens everything always wraps up way too easily to truly be convincing. I gave this one a two out of five star rating.
The Words Between Us by Erin Bartels:
I really expected to love this one. It's timeslip, it's focused around a bookstore, and I'd heard nothing but great things about it. While I did still enjoy it overall, I didn't enjoy the way that large passages are skipped over, and never truly resolved to the reader. I also didn't like the way that large chunks of the timeline are skimmed over, and then hastily summed up in the last few chapters. It's also always disappointing to me when Christian fiction titles don't actually include much true spiritual content, and that was the case with this one. I gave this one a rating of three out of five stars, and you can read my full review here.
Mandie and the Tornado by Lois Gladys Leppard:
I don't really remember anything truly standing out about this Mandie title, but it was a cute story, and I ended up giving it a three out of five star rating.
Sea Witch Rising by Sarah Henning:
I hadn't loved the way the first book in this duology ended, but I decided to go ahead and give the second book a try anyways. Unfortunately, this one really ended up missing its mark for me, and was one of my least favorite reads of the month. I enjoyed the premise, and about the first half of the story. After that, I felt the story completely changed, went in a direction I never could have seen coming, and it failed to hold my interest. I gave this one a rating of two out of five stars.
The Goodbye Bride by Denise Hunter:
A sweet story that focuses around the middle Callahan brother, Zac, and his former fiance, Lucy, who left him right before their wedding. When Lucy gets amnesia, her last memory is of her time spent with Zac, and it ends up giving them a second chance. I did really enjoy this one, although not as much as the first in the trilogy as Lucy's character rubbed me the wrong way for a large portion of the story. Still a great read though, and I gave it four out of five stars.
A Sweethaven Homecoming by Courtney Walsh:
I adored this one just as much as I did the first. I loved how each woman's story is continued in this one right from where the first book left off. However, I have to be honest and state that Meghan's character took a little bit longer for me to root for than the other women did. I still loved this one though, and I rated it five out of five stars. You can check out my full review here.
A Sweethaven Christmas by Courtney Walsh:
This was a beautiful ending to the Sweethaven Cycle. I loved the focus on Christmas, and the happy endings that many of the characters end up with. I highly recommend this series as a whole, and I gave this one four out of five stars.
Mandie and Joe's Christmas Surprise by Lois Gladys Leppard:
This was a really cute holiday story, and I loved that half of the book is the story in a script form for a play. My only real complaint with this one was Mandie's behavior was a tad on the bratty side for a good chunk of the story, and it was a little hard to read about at some points. I gave this one a rating of three out of five stars.
Mandie and the Quilt Mystery by Lois Gladys Leppard:
I really enjoyed the mystery featured throughout this story, but I honestly ended up not loving this one overall. Mandie's behavior is at its absolute worst, and it's honestly to the point of almost unbearable to read about. She literally changes everyone's vacation plans just so she can have things her own way, and I was really wishing someone would have finally put their foot down with her in this one. I rated it three out of five stars.
Mandie and the New York Secret by Lois Gladys Leppard:
I really enjoy this particular Mandie title. I loved how everyone was together in New York for vacation, and I especially enjoyed how the reader is finally given the reason behind Grandmother Taft's dislike of Jonathan's father. I rated this one four out of five stars.
The Clause in Christmas by Rachael Bloome:
This was by far one of my favorite reads of the month guys, and it's now officially out so you can go and grab your copy. If you love sweet romances, if you love Christmas stories, and if you love books that feel like you're reading one of your favorite Hallmark movies in book form, then give this beautiful story a try. I absolutely loved it, and I rated it five out of five stars. You can check out my full review here.
Christmas in Harmony Harbor by Debbie Mason:
If you've been reading my blog for awhile, then you'd probably remember me mentioning that this series overall hasn't been one I've really loved that much. However, I wanted to see it through until the end, and I'm actually glad I did. While I didn't enjoy a few of the other titles, I was actually pleasantly surprised with this one. There was still some content I could have done without, but it was definitely toned down from the previous books. I also really enjoyed the way that she chose to wrap up the series, and how the mysteries were finally concluded. I rated it three out of five stars.
One Night in Christmas by Debbie Mason:
This novella was included with Christmas in Harmony Harbor, and that's pretty much the only reason I ended up reading it. It was about what I expected honestly; a Christmas story that focused more around what felt like insta-lust than anything else. Plus, the main character was extremely annoying, and grated on my nerves. I rated this one two stars out of five, and it was definitely one of my least favorite reads of the month.
Tiger's Voyage by Colleen Houck:
I absolutely loved the first two books in this series, but this one I didn't end up enjoying quite as much. While I still loved the quest their on, and the writing style, I found the love triangle and the back and forth with it a little frustrating with this one. I ended up rating it three out of five stars, and I'm hoping the last book will have less of the back and forth between Kelsey and the two brothers.
Now and Then and Always by Melissa Tagg:
I was expecting great things when I heard Melissa Tagg was releasing a new book set in her beloved Maple Valley, and it definitely did not disappoint. The story is both charming and heart wrenching and shrouded in a mystery surrounding the disappearance of the owner of Maple Valley's beloved bed and breakfast. I rated this one five out of five stars, and I highly recommend it. You can check out my full review here.
Coral by Sara Ella:
This was probably the book I was most excited for releasing in all of 2019, and I got the opportunity to advance read it. It comes out on November 12th, and I'm feeling a little bittersweet about it after finishing it. I definitely enjoyed certain parts of it, and I loved that Sara Ella chose to write about mental illness, but it didn't end up being the five star read I was expecting. I won't say too much about it, as you can read my full review here, but I will simply say that I rated it three out of five stars.
Just a Kiss by Denise Hunter:
I'd been waiting for Riley's story ever since I first read Falling Like Snowflakes two years ago, and it definitely didn't disappoint. I loved that this particular one is a friends first romance, and I thought it added another depth to Paige and Riley's relationship that they'd been friends as long as they had. I'll be sharing a full review of this one with you all next week, but for now I'll simply say that I loved it and I rated it five out of five stars.
Lake Season by Denise Hunter:
October 2019 was apparently a Denise Hunter type of month for me, as I ended up reading (and loving) three of her books during the entire month. This one is her upcoming release that releases on November 12th, and I literally loved everything about it. The story was phenomenal, the romance was beautiful and pulled at my heartstrings, the writing kept me glued to the pages, and I loved that it's partly told in a time slip format. I rated this one five out of five stars, and you can check out my full review here.
Deadly Deceit by Natalie Walters:
I was pretty sure I was going to end up loving the second book in Natalie Walters' Harbored Secrets series, and I was definitely not disappointed. I loved Ryan and Vivian's story, and I loved that the mystery kept me guessing right until the end. I'll be sharing a full review of this one with you all on Monday, but for now I'll say that I rated it five out of five stars, and I highly suggest you all pick it up when it releases on November 5th.
Mandie and the Night Thief by Lois Gladys Leppard:
I loved that this particular Mandie title was set in Charleston, and that it once again brings together many of Mandie's beloved friends. The mystery was cute, although I didn't really enjoy the way that it all wraps up at the end. A cute title nonetheless, and I rated it three out of five stars.
A Sparkle of Silver by Liz Johnson:
Liz Johnson's Prince Edward Island Dreams series is one of my all time favorites, and I couldn't wait to dive into this relatively new series by her. However, I ended up feeling like this one missed its mark, and didn't really leave much of an impression of me. I thought the plot kind of dragged, and both characters acted somewhat juvenile. I will be sharing a full review of this one with you all shortly, but for now I'll simply say that I rated it three out of five stars.
10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston:
My last read of the month was this super adorable holiday themed contemporary. I really enjoyed this one, and thought it was the perfect book to close out the month with. I loved the emphasis on the importance of family, and how zany and hilarious most of the dates end up being. I rated this one four out of five stars, and I hope to share a full review of it with you all shortly.
And that's all the books I finished during October 2019!
What was your favorite read of the month? Let me know in the comments below guys, and have a great 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.
I hope you all had a great Halloween, and that you're all looking forward to a fun weekend!
Do you have any exciting plans for the weekend? I will mainly be working, but possibly also doing some Christmas shopping and trying some new recipes I've been wanting to try for awhile.
Was October a good reading month for you?
For myself, it was actually a pretty good month. I did have quite a few five star reads, and only ended up having a couple that I rated less than three stars.
Today I'd like to share with you all what books I read during the month of October, and what I thought of each one.
I'll be sharing them in the order in which I finished them, and not in a best to worst or worst to best type of order.
The Bake Shop by Amy Clipston:
The month started off with a fantastic read. I read Amy Clipston's upcoming book release, and it might just be my new favorite by her. I loved the developing romance, the marketplace setting, and the focus on forgiveness and finding trust and truth in God's Holy Word. I gave this one five out of five stars, and you can check out my full review here.
You'd Be Mine by Erin Hahn:
I really enjoyed the premise of this one, and the way it focuses around the country music scene. I thought the writing was beautiful, and the characters felt three dimensional and realistic. What hindered my enjoyment however, was the inclusion of explicit language, sex content, drinking and partying and so on. It could have been an amazing read if it had shied more away from all of that. I gave this one a three out of five star rating.
This Heart of Mine by C.C. Hunter:
I love C.C. Hunter's writing style, and how addicting her books always are. Every time I pick up a title by her that I haven't already read, I can barely put it down. However, I always have two big complaints about her books. First, the kind of content she includes in young adult novels is so unnecessary. The book would be so much better without the sexual content, the drinking and partying and the language. Secondly, her books always have a big mystery surrounding them, but when the final reveal happens everything always wraps up way too easily to truly be convincing. I gave this one a two out of five star rating.
The Words Between Us by Erin Bartels:
I really expected to love this one. It's timeslip, it's focused around a bookstore, and I'd heard nothing but great things about it. While I did still enjoy it overall, I didn't enjoy the way that large passages are skipped over, and never truly resolved to the reader. I also didn't like the way that large chunks of the timeline are skimmed over, and then hastily summed up in the last few chapters. It's also always disappointing to me when Christian fiction titles don't actually include much true spiritual content, and that was the case with this one. I gave this one a rating of three out of five stars, and you can read my full review here.
Mandie and the Tornado by Lois Gladys Leppard:
I don't really remember anything truly standing out about this Mandie title, but it was a cute story, and I ended up giving it a three out of five star rating.
Sea Witch Rising by Sarah Henning:
I hadn't loved the way the first book in this duology ended, but I decided to go ahead and give the second book a try anyways. Unfortunately, this one really ended up missing its mark for me, and was one of my least favorite reads of the month. I enjoyed the premise, and about the first half of the story. After that, I felt the story completely changed, went in a direction I never could have seen coming, and it failed to hold my interest. I gave this one a rating of two out of five stars.
The Goodbye Bride by Denise Hunter:
A sweet story that focuses around the middle Callahan brother, Zac, and his former fiance, Lucy, who left him right before their wedding. When Lucy gets amnesia, her last memory is of her time spent with Zac, and it ends up giving them a second chance. I did really enjoy this one, although not as much as the first in the trilogy as Lucy's character rubbed me the wrong way for a large portion of the story. Still a great read though, and I gave it four out of five stars.
A Sweethaven Homecoming by Courtney Walsh:
I adored this one just as much as I did the first. I loved how each woman's story is continued in this one right from where the first book left off. However, I have to be honest and state that Meghan's character took a little bit longer for me to root for than the other women did. I still loved this one though, and I rated it five out of five stars. You can check out my full review here.
A Sweethaven Christmas by Courtney Walsh:
This was a beautiful ending to the Sweethaven Cycle. I loved the focus on Christmas, and the happy endings that many of the characters end up with. I highly recommend this series as a whole, and I gave this one four out of five stars.
Mandie and Joe's Christmas Surprise by Lois Gladys Leppard:
This was a really cute holiday story, and I loved that half of the book is the story in a script form for a play. My only real complaint with this one was Mandie's behavior was a tad on the bratty side for a good chunk of the story, and it was a little hard to read about at some points. I gave this one a rating of three out of five stars.
Mandie and the Quilt Mystery by Lois Gladys Leppard:
I really enjoyed the mystery featured throughout this story, but I honestly ended up not loving this one overall. Mandie's behavior is at its absolute worst, and it's honestly to the point of almost unbearable to read about. She literally changes everyone's vacation plans just so she can have things her own way, and I was really wishing someone would have finally put their foot down with her in this one. I rated it three out of five stars.
Mandie and the New York Secret by Lois Gladys Leppard:
I really enjoy this particular Mandie title. I loved how everyone was together in New York for vacation, and I especially enjoyed how the reader is finally given the reason behind Grandmother Taft's dislike of Jonathan's father. I rated this one four out of five stars.
The Clause in Christmas by Rachael Bloome:
This was by far one of my favorite reads of the month guys, and it's now officially out so you can go and grab your copy. If you love sweet romances, if you love Christmas stories, and if you love books that feel like you're reading one of your favorite Hallmark movies in book form, then give this beautiful story a try. I absolutely loved it, and I rated it five out of five stars. You can check out my full review here.
Christmas in Harmony Harbor by Debbie Mason:
If you've been reading my blog for awhile, then you'd probably remember me mentioning that this series overall hasn't been one I've really loved that much. However, I wanted to see it through until the end, and I'm actually glad I did. While I didn't enjoy a few of the other titles, I was actually pleasantly surprised with this one. There was still some content I could have done without, but it was definitely toned down from the previous books. I also really enjoyed the way that she chose to wrap up the series, and how the mysteries were finally concluded. I rated it three out of five stars.
One Night in Christmas by Debbie Mason:
This novella was included with Christmas in Harmony Harbor, and that's pretty much the only reason I ended up reading it. It was about what I expected honestly; a Christmas story that focused more around what felt like insta-lust than anything else. Plus, the main character was extremely annoying, and grated on my nerves. I rated this one two stars out of five, and it was definitely one of my least favorite reads of the month.
Tiger's Voyage by Colleen Houck:
I absolutely loved the first two books in this series, but this one I didn't end up enjoying quite as much. While I still loved the quest their on, and the writing style, I found the love triangle and the back and forth with it a little frustrating with this one. I ended up rating it three out of five stars, and I'm hoping the last book will have less of the back and forth between Kelsey and the two brothers.
Now and Then and Always by Melissa Tagg:
I was expecting great things when I heard Melissa Tagg was releasing a new book set in her beloved Maple Valley, and it definitely did not disappoint. The story is both charming and heart wrenching and shrouded in a mystery surrounding the disappearance of the owner of Maple Valley's beloved bed and breakfast. I rated this one five out of five stars, and I highly recommend it. You can check out my full review here.
Coral by Sara Ella:
This was probably the book I was most excited for releasing in all of 2019, and I got the opportunity to advance read it. It comes out on November 12th, and I'm feeling a little bittersweet about it after finishing it. I definitely enjoyed certain parts of it, and I loved that Sara Ella chose to write about mental illness, but it didn't end up being the five star read I was expecting. I won't say too much about it, as you can read my full review here, but I will simply say that I rated it three out of five stars.
Just a Kiss by Denise Hunter:
I'd been waiting for Riley's story ever since I first read Falling Like Snowflakes two years ago, and it definitely didn't disappoint. I loved that this particular one is a friends first romance, and I thought it added another depth to Paige and Riley's relationship that they'd been friends as long as they had. I'll be sharing a full review of this one with you all next week, but for now I'll simply say that I loved it and I rated it five out of five stars.
Lake Season by Denise Hunter:
October 2019 was apparently a Denise Hunter type of month for me, as I ended up reading (and loving) three of her books during the entire month. This one is her upcoming release that releases on November 12th, and I literally loved everything about it. The story was phenomenal, the romance was beautiful and pulled at my heartstrings, the writing kept me glued to the pages, and I loved that it's partly told in a time slip format. I rated this one five out of five stars, and you can check out my full review here.
Deadly Deceit by Natalie Walters:
I was pretty sure I was going to end up loving the second book in Natalie Walters' Harbored Secrets series, and I was definitely not disappointed. I loved Ryan and Vivian's story, and I loved that the mystery kept me guessing right until the end. I'll be sharing a full review of this one with you all on Monday, but for now I'll say that I rated it five out of five stars, and I highly suggest you all pick it up when it releases on November 5th.
Mandie and the Night Thief by Lois Gladys Leppard:
I loved that this particular Mandie title was set in Charleston, and that it once again brings together many of Mandie's beloved friends. The mystery was cute, although I didn't really enjoy the way that it all wraps up at the end. A cute title nonetheless, and I rated it three out of five stars.
A Sparkle of Silver by Liz Johnson:
Liz Johnson's Prince Edward Island Dreams series is one of my all time favorites, and I couldn't wait to dive into this relatively new series by her. However, I ended up feeling like this one missed its mark, and didn't really leave much of an impression of me. I thought the plot kind of dragged, and both characters acted somewhat juvenile. I will be sharing a full review of this one with you all shortly, but for now I'll simply say that I rated it three out of five stars.
10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston:
My last read of the month was this super adorable holiday themed contemporary. I really enjoyed this one, and thought it was the perfect book to close out the month with. I loved the emphasis on the importance of family, and how zany and hilarious most of the dates end up being. I rated this one four out of five stars, and I hope to share a full review of it with you all shortly.
And that's all the books I finished during October 2019!
What was your favorite read of the month? Let me know in the comments below guys, and have a great 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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