December Reads and Rapid Reviews
- The Ghostwriter – Alessandra Torre
- Shadow Sister – Lindsay Marcott
- Notes on an Execution – Danya Kukafka
- The Walls – Hollie Overton
- The Overnight Guest – Heather Gudenkauf
- Nobody But Us – Laure Van Rensburg
- This Is How I Lied – Heather Gudenkauf
- The Maid – Nita Prose
- The Other Mrs – Mary Kubica
- The Second Husband – Kate White
- The Woman in the Window – A.J. Finn
- When No One is Watching – Alyssa Cole
- Little Secrets – Jennifer Hillier
- The First Mistake – Sandie Jones
- After We Were Stolen – Brooke Beyfuss
- Spark of Light – Jodi Picoult
- Top 3 Reads of December
- Monthly Giveaway
- SHOP ALL BOOKS
The Ghostwriter – Alessandra Torre
*Available on Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon rating: 4.5 stars
Goodreads rating: 4.24 stars
How I read it: Audiobook
Read if you like:
- Books about books
- Multiple POV
What I loved: Multiple POV
What I didn’t love: Kind of drug on a bit, wanted more storyline with MC (main character) and her husband, Simon
Book Blurb
“Four years ago, I lied. I stood in front of the police, my friends and family, and made up a story, my best one yet.
All of them believed me.
I wasn’t surprised. Telling stories is what made me famous. Fifteen bestsellers. Millions of fans. Massive fame and fortune.
Now, I have one last story to write. It’ll be my best one yet, with a jaw-dropping twist that will leave the readers stunned and gasping for breath.
They say that sticks and stones will break your bones, but this story? It will be the one that kills me.“
My thoughts
I really wanted to like this one. I feel like it had all the elements to make me fall in love with a book, but I wasn’t a fan.
I listened on audiobook and there were several times where I could tell that there was a re-record of a sentence because the voice sounded totally different which threw me off a bit. I also felt it wasn’t produced super well as far as audiobooks – kind of choppy, too much dead air at the end of chapters, etc.
I loved the storyline of the rivalry between her and the other author, but I *really* wanted more about her husband, Simon since he was the crux of this whole thing.
I will also say the blurb had me feeling this was going to be VERY different – I honestly feel the blurb is one of the first ones I’ve read that made me feel like it wasn’t even written for this book which feels weird.
The storyline was good, but it definitely left me wanting more.
My rating
Shadow Sister – Lindsay Marcott
*Available on Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon rating: 4.5 stars
Goodreads rating: 4 stars
How I read it: Physical copy (borrowed from my local library)
Read if you like:
- Dual timeline
- Dual POV
- A *touch* of paranormal, but not really
- Slow burn
What I loved: Dual timeline
What I didn’t love: A bit predictable
Book Blurb
“Ava grew up in a haunted mansion, envied by all her friends. But when her mother died mysteriously there, the thrills of Blackworth Mansion became nightmares. Ava never accepted that her mother perished from natural causes, but no one would believe her.
Seventeen years later, Ava returns home to unravel the truth of her mother’s death—and her own demons quickly follow. Her estranged and vindictive father may be stalking her. Her secretive new sister-in-law lands on her doorstep with troubles of her own. And then there’s the strange girl who may or may not be haunting the grounds. Even Ava’s romance with her first crush is shadowed by her suspicions.
When Ava makes a terrifying discovery on the property, she must decide just how far into the past she’s willing to go. Some secrets can be deadly—especially the ones Ava’s kept hidden in the dark.“
My thoughts
I really appreciated both the dual timelines and the dual POV.
The suspense throughout was really good, especially the parts regarding the house and the eerie-ness I felt while reading it.
The big twist of the book did feel pretty predictable to me, but it didn’t take away from the story. This was definitely a slow burn, but at least I feel like it went somewhere.
My rating
Notes on an Execution – Danya Kukafka
Amazon rating: 4.5 stars
Goodreads rating: 4.1 stars
How I read it: Physical copy (borrowed from my local library), finished with audiobook
Read if you like:
- Multiple POV
- Deeper thinking on our criminal justice system
What I loved: The countdown chapters, hearing from the women in the MC’s life
What I didn’t love: Definitely very sad in some parts
Book Blurb
“Ansel Packer is scheduled to die in twelve hours. He knows what he’s done, and now awaits execution, the same chilling fate he forced on those girls, years ago. But Ansel doesn’t want to die; he wants to be celebrated, understood.
Through a kaleidoscope of women—a mother, a sister, a homicide detective—we learn the story of Ansel’s life. We meet his mother, Lavender, a seventeen-year-old girl pushed to desperation; Hazel, twin sister to Ansel’s wife, inseparable since birth, forced to watch helplessly as her sister’s relationship threatens to devour them all; and finally, Saffy, the detective hot on his trail, who has devoted herself to bringing bad men to justice but struggles to see her own life clearly. As the clock ticks down, these three women sift through the choices that culminate in tragedy, exploring the rippling fissures that such destruction inevitably leaves in its wake.
Blending breathtaking suspense with astonishing empathy, Notes on an Execution presents a chilling portrait of womanhood as it simultaneously unravels the familiar narrative of the American serial killer, interrogating our system of justice and our cultural obsession with crime stories, asking readers to consider the false promise of looking for meaning in the psyches of violent men.“
My thoughts
This is probably one of the best book blurbs I’ve read. It fully encompasses the plot, while letting you know what you’re going to get from the book.
I read this side by side (unintentionally) with The Walls by Hollie Overton and it was SO INTERESTING to me since these totally unrelated books take place at the same prison but shine such different perspectives.
This was a great read.
My rating
The Walls – Hollie Overton
Amazon rating: 4.5 stars
Goodreads rating: 4 stars
How I read it: Audiobook
Read if you like:
- Domestic thriller
- Psychological thrillers
- Fast paced
- Deeper thinking on our criminal justice system
Content warning: Domestic violence
What I loved: The story of Kristy and Lance, the kindness of the death row inmate
What I didn’t love: I really liked this one all the way around
Book Blurb
“Working on death row is far from Kristy Tucker’s dream, but she is grateful for a job that allows her to support her son and ailing father.
When she meets Lance Dobson, Kristy begins to imagine a different kind of future. But after their wedding, she finds herself serving her own life sentence – one of abuse and constant terror.
But Kristy is a survivor, and as Lance’s violence escalates, the inmates she’s worked with have planted an idea she simply can’t shake.
Now she must decide whether she’ll risk everything to protect her family. Does she have what it takes to commit the perfect crime?“
My thoughts
Like I said in my previous blurb about Notes on an Execution, reading this side by side was fascinating, but this book alone was really good.
I went in pretty blind since I found this book on Chirp and didn’t really read the blurb since I purchased it a couple months before.
The moral struggle of Kristy of seeing how the death penalty affects not only the wrongly convicted, but their families was heartbreaking and probably just touches the surface of reality, but it still made you think about it.
This was VERY bingeable on audiobook and I tore through it in a couple of days.
My rating
The Overnight Guest – Heather Gudenkauf
Amazon rating: 4.5 stars
Goodreads rating: 4 stars
How I read it: Audiobook
Read if you like:
- Snowy thrillers
- Dual POV
- Fast paced
- Short chapters
What I loved: Short chapters, multiple storylines
What I didn’t love: There’s a murder scene that’s somewhat graphic (didn’t bother me at all, but that isn’t for everyone)
Book Blurb
“True crime writer Wylie Lark doesn’t mind being snowed in at the isolated farmhouse where she’s retreated to write her new book. A cozy fire, complete silence. It would be perfect, if not for the fact that decades earlier, at this very house, two people were murdered in cold blood and a girl disappeared without a trace.
As the storm worsens, Wylie finds herself trapped inside the house, haunted by the secrets contained within its walls—haunted by secrets of her own. Then she discovers a small child in the snow just outside. After bringing the child inside for warmth and safety, she begins to search for answers. But soon it becomes clear that the farmhouse isn’t as isolated as she thought, and someone is willing to do anything to find them.“
My thoughts
I really wanted to read a “snowy thriller” this month to feel all Christmasy and whatnot.
This was a newer release and had great ratings and it didn’t let me down!
I listened to this on audiobook and I would consider this another bingeable one for sure.
There was suspense all the way throughout and the multiple story lines and the different POVs made it really good too,
My rating
Nobody But Us – Laure Van Rensburg
Amazon rating: 3.5 stars
Goodreads rating: 3.21 stars
How I read it: Physical copy (borrowed from my local library)
Read if you like:
- Multiple POV
- Snowy thriller
- Locked room trope
- Slow burn
What I loved: It was a quick and easy read
What I didn’t love: Felt dramatic and over the top; read very YA to me
Book Blurb
“Steven Harding is a handsome, well-respected professor. Ellie Masterson is a wide-eyed grad student.
Together, they are driving south from New York for their first vacation: three days in an isolated cabin, far from the city.
Ahead of them, the promise of long, dark nights—and the chance to get to know each other better, away from prying eyes.
It should be a perfect romantic getaway for two. But when a snowstorm strands them in the house, each realizes the other harbors a dangerous secret—and soon it becomes clear one of them won’t escape the weekend alive.
By turns tantalizing, surprising, and thrilling, Nobody But Us heralds the arrival of an incredibly talented author of literary suspense.“
My thoughts
Hear me out – I do *not* in any way condone any weird grooming of younger girls and don’t like players, I don’t think this whole reason for revenge was necessary, but maybe I’m too savage – ha.
The reason I didn’t love The Good Girl’s Guide To Murder was because it just felt over the top dramatic for no reason which is more typical of a YA novel.
While this definitely had more adult themes, it still didn’t feel like there needed to be that much drama.
It made for a suspenseful story and was an easy read, but it wasn’t my fave.
My rating
This Is How I Lied – Heather Gudenkauf
Amazon rating: 4.5 stars
Goodreads rating: 3.8 stars
How I read it: Audiobook
Read if you like:
- Dual POV
- Dual timeline
- Short chapters
- Cold case whodunnit trope
What I loved: Short chapters, good twists, read by my favorite audiobook author
What I didn’t love: Didn’t like it as much as The Overnight Guest that I also read this month
Book Blurb
“Twenty-five years ago, the body of sixteen-year-old Eve Knox was found in the caves near her home in small-town Grotto, Iowa—discovered by her best friend, Maggie, and her sister, Nola. There were a handful of suspects, including her boyfriend, Nick, but without sufficient evidence the case ultimately went cold.
For decades Maggie was haunted by Eve’s death and that horrible night. Now a detective in Grotto, and seven months pregnant, she is thrust back into the past when a new piece of evidence surfaces and the case is reopened. As Maggie investigates and reexamines the clues, secrets about what really happened begin to emerge. But someone in town knows more than they’re letting on, and they’ll stop at nothing to keep the truth buried deep.“
My thoughts
This popped up as an available audiobook from my library and since I had already read one of Heather’s books this month, I bit.
I will say it was pretty action packed from the jump. The first chapter set the scene from the entire book and then through dual POVs and also dual timelines, the story unfolds pretty well.
There were twists all throughout and it was a super bingeable audiobook. Not to mention, I stan Brittany Pressley as an audiobook narrator so it was great to find another one by her.
My rating
The Maid – Nita Prose
Amazon rating: 4 stars
Goodreads rating: 3.84 stars
How I read it: Audiobook
Read if you like:
- Main characters with a different worldview due to what’s most likely Asperger’s or Autism
- Dry humor and sarcasm
- Rooting for the good guy
What I loved: Molly
What I didn’t love: I feel this would have been way better as a physical copy
Book Blurb
“Molly Gray is not like everyone else. She struggles with social skills and misreads the intentions of others. Her gran used to interpret the world for her, codifying it into simple rules that Molly could live by.
Since Gran died a few months ago, twenty-five-year-old Molly has been navigating life’s complexities all by herself. No matter—she throws herself with gusto into her work as a hotel maid. Her unique character, along with her obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette, make her an ideal fit for the job. She delights in donning her crisp uniform each morning, stocking her cart with miniature soaps and bottles, and returning guest rooms at the Regency Grand Hotel to a state of perfection.
But Molly’s orderly life is upended the day she enters the suite of the infamous and wealthy Charles Black, only to find it in a state of disarray and Mr. Black himself dead in his bed. Before she knows what’s happening, Molly’s unusual demeanor has the police targeting her as their lead suspect. She quickly finds herself caught in a web of deception, one she has no idea how to untangle. Fortunately for Molly, friends she never knew she had unite with her in a search for clues to what really happened to Mr. Black—but will they be able to find the real killer before it’s too late?
A Clue-like, locked-room mystery and a heartwarming journey of the spirit, The Maid explores what it means to be the same as everyone else and yet entirely different—and reveals that all mysteries can be solved through connection to the human heart.“
My thoughts
I almost added this to the second book I didn’t finish this year. I felt like it was one that was so hyped on the gram and the clock app, but when I started the audiobook, I thought the narrator was the most SINFULLY boring personality.
However, the more you learn about Molly and the way she sees social cues and the world, you start to understand why.
I still recommend this as a physical copy, though. And be prepared to be pissed off of people taking advantage of Molly, but trust that it will end the way it should.
My rating
The Other Mrs – Mary Kubica
Amazon rating: 4 stars
Goodreads rating: 3.74 stars
How I read it: Audiobook
Read if you like:
- Domestic thrillers
- Multiple POV
- Psychological thrillers
What I loved: Multiple POV, the ending!
What I didn’t love: I was able to easily figure out the overarching big plot twist
Book Blurb
“Sadie and Will Foust have only just moved their family from bustling Chicago to a coastal island in Maine when their neighbor Morgan Baines is found dead in her home. The murder rocks their tiny coastal island, but no one is more shaken than Sadie.
But it’s not just Morgan’s death that has Sadie on edge. And as the eyes of suspicion turn toward the new family in town, Sadie is drawn deeper into the mystery of what really happened that dark and deadly night. But Sadie must be careful, for the more she discovers about Mrs. Baines, the more she begins to realize just how much she has to lose if the truth ever comes to light.“
My thoughts
Mary Kubica wrote one of my absolute favorite books I read in September, Local Woman Missing.
I will say that I didn’t love The Other Mrs. as much as Local Woman Missing, BUT I thought it was REALLY good.
I listened to this on audiobook and it was very entertaining and a real easy listen.
I mean THAT ENDING Y’ALL! WHEW! What a ride.
My rating
The Second Husband – Kate White
Amazon rating: 4 stars
Goodreads rating: 3.42 stars
How I read it: Physical copy (borrowed from my local library)
Read if you like:
- Domestic thrillers
- Unreliable characters
What I loved: Unpredictable
What I didn’t love: Slow burn that went nowhere
Book Blurb
“After losing her husband, Derrick, in what appears to have been a random street crime, thirtysomething Emma has built a new life with widower Tom, who is kind, handsome, driven, and successful. Emma is finally able to feel safe again, both in her relationship with Tom and in the home they’ve made together on the Connecticut shore.
Then one day a homicide detective shows up at Emma and Tom’s door asking questions. Though Emma had been cleared of her husband’s murder, it appears that law enforcement is taking another look at her and the case.
What do they know? Are they on the right track this time? And most importantly, will the renewed investigation ruin Emma’s chances of a happy life?
With twists and turns all the way to the last page, this fast-paced, expertly plotted novel will have you asking that age-old question: how well do you really know the ones you love?“
My thoughts
Y’all.
When I say this is THE MOST anticlimactic book I’ve maybe ever read, I really am not exaggerating.
There were times in the book where I was like, “Oh snap, what’s really going on?” but the entire plot felt predictable and was SO boring.
I tried to think of so many ways this could have gone to have some kind of a twist and literally none of them came true and then the ending was just a big WTF?
Snooze. Fest.
My rating
The Woman in the Window – A.J. Finn
*Available on Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon rating: 4.5 stars
Goodreads rating: 3.96 stars
How I read it: Audiobook
Read if you like:
- Unreliable narrator
- Domestic thrillers
What I loved: The plot was really interesting and it was a good book to listen to on audiobook
What I didn’t love: Extremely predictable, the author is kind of a douche
Book Blurb
“Anna Fox lives alone—a recluse in her New York City home, unable to venture outside. She spends her day drinking wine (maybe too much), watching old movies, recalling happier times . . . and spying on her neighbors.
Then the Russells move into the house across the way: a father, a mother, their teenage son. The perfect family. But when Anna, gazing out her window one night, sees something she shouldn’t, her world begins to crumble—and its shocking secrets are laid bare.
What is real? What is imagined? Who is in danger? Who is in control? In this diabolically gripping thriller, no one—and nothing—is what it seems.“
My thoughts
Yikes, this was SO predictable for me.
Minus the very last big twist, I was able to predict this entire book and probably should have predicted this ending had I been paying a bit more attention.
There was also some drama that came out about the author that made me really not like this guy because he seems shady.
And if you see the movie on your Netflix list, skip it. It’s SO BAD.
My rating
When No One is Watching – Alyssa Cole
*Available on Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon rating: 4 stars
Goodreads rating: 3.5 stars
How I read it: Audiobook
Read if you like:
- Conspiracy theories
- Neighborhood love
- Apocalyptic vibes
- Racial and social justice
Content warnings: Racism
What I loved: The plot was really interesting and it was a good book to listen to on audiobook, the last 75% was WILD, LOVE her writing style, great audiobook narrator
What I didn’t love: Because the last part was so wild, it felt implausible; Theo’s racist ass girlfriend
Book Blurb
“Sydney Green is Brooklyn born and raised, but her beloved neighborhood seems to change every time she blinks. Condos are sprouting like weeds, FOR SALE signs are popping up overnight, and the neighbors she’s known all her life are disappearing. To hold onto her community’s past and present, Sydney channels her frustration into a walking tour and finds an unlikely and unwanted assistant in one of the new arrivals to the block—her neighbor Theo.
But Sydney and Theo’s deep dive into history quickly becomes a dizzying descent into paranoia and fear. Their neighbors may not have moved to the suburbs after all, and the push to revitalize the community may be more deadly than advertised.
When does coincidence become conspiracy? Where do people go when gentrification pushes them out? Can Sydney and Theo trust each other—or themselves—long enough to find out before they too disappear?“
My thoughts
When I read Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score, I loved the sarcasm and dry humor and felt like I was reading something I had written myself.
Or so I thought.
The first line of this book is “History is fucking WILD” which made me literally laugh out loud, but also got my attention. I really loved how Alyssa was able to weave in the love of one’s community and serious (very real) racial issues right alongside a good story and plot.
I will say that this was labeled as a thriller and quite honestly, I felt NOTHING of a thriller until I was in the last few chapters of this book. It felt more like a general fiction for me, but nonetheless, I really enjoyed this one.
I rated it the way I did because of the incredulousness of the ending and that I feel like calling it a thriller was a touch misleading.
My rating
Little Secrets – Jennifer Hillier
Amazon rating: 4.5 stars
Goodreads rating: 4.2 stars
How I read it: Audiobook
Read if you like:
- Psychological suspense
- Many twists and emotions
- Domestic thriller
- Dual POV
- Fairly short chapters
What I loved: I was hooked within a couple minutes – great right out of the gate
What I didn’t love: Emotionally sad as a mama sometimes to read
Book Blurb
“All it takes to unravel a life is one little secret…
Marin had the perfect life. Married to her college sweetheart, she owns a chain of upscale hair salons, and Derek runs his own company. They’re admired in their community and are a loving family―until their world falls apart the day their son Sebastian is taken.
A year later, Marin is a shadow of herself. The FBI search has gone cold. The publicity has faded. She and her husband rarely speak. She hires a P.I. to pick up where the police left off, but instead of finding Sebastian, she learns that Derek is having an affair with a younger woman. This discovery sparks Marin back to life. She’s lost her son; she’s not about to lose her husband, too. Kenzie is an enemy with a face, which means this is a problem Marin can fix.“
My thoughts
This has been on my list for months and I was SO GLAD I got to sneak it in the last month of the year!
I did a lot of driving this month since I had to run holiday errands so I was mostly doing audiobooks this month and this one did NOT disappoint.
I TORE through this in right at 2 days.
I loved the dual POV of Kenzie and Marin and seeing a bit into their brains and their trains of thought. This had just about everything I love about a thriller – shorter chapters, fast paced, dual POV, marriage drama that all surround a twisty plot!
My rating
The First Mistake – Sandie Jones
Amazon rating: 4 stars
Goodreads rating: 3.7 stars
How I read it: Kindle (borrowed from the Libby app)
Read if you like:
- Domestic thrillers
- Psychological suspense
What I loved: The plot was really interesting
What I didn’t love: Kind of a slow burn
Book Blurb
“THE WIFE: For Alice, life has never been better. With her second husband, she has a successful business, two children, and a beautiful house.
HER HUSBAND: Alice knows that life could have been different if her first husband had lived, but Nathan’s arrival into her life gave her back the happiness she craved.
HER BEST FRIEND: Through the ups and downs of life, from celebratory nights out to comforting each other through loss, Alice knows that with her best friend Beth by her side, they can survive anything together. So when Nathan starts acting strangely, Alice turns to Beth for help. But soon, Alice begins to wonder whether her trust has been misplaced . . .
The first mistake could be her last.“
My thoughts
This was a bit predictable, but it still had a good bit of twists.
Admittedly, I really wanted to read The Other Woman by her instead, but since I realized too late it was on Kindle Unlimited, I decided to go with this one instead.
I really liked the tension this gave all throughout the book, but it still was a bit forgettable.
My rating
After We Were Stolen – Brooke Beyfuss
Amazon rating: 4.5 stars
Goodreads rating: 3.9 stars
How I read it: Audiobook
Read if you like:
- Cult survival (and not the weird sex kind)
- Family drama and suspense
- Psychological suspense
Content warning: Emotional and physical abuse
What I loved: This is what I think of when I think of a good cult book
What I didn’t love: The stories of indoctrination were sad (but also so true) and how the siblings came out of everything got me up in my feels
Book Blurb
“When nineteen-year-old Avery awakens to flames consuming her family’s remote compound, she knows it’s her only chance to escape her father’s grueling survival training, bizarre rules, and gruesome punishments. She and her brother Cole flee the grounds for the first time in their lives, suddenly homeless in a world they know nothing about. After months of hiding out, they are arrested for shoplifting and a shocking discovery is made, resulting in the pair being separated.
Avery is alone and desperate. She is uncertain if her “parents” survived the fire and is terrified to find out. But when the police investigation reveals there may be more survivors, Avery must uncover the truth about the fire to truly be free.
Suspenseful, emotionally charged, and deeply thought-provoking, After We Were Stolen delves into the idea of family―those we’re born into and those we make―resilience, and the lengths a cult survivor will go to finally be free of her painful past.“
My thoughts
Now THIS is what I want when I read a fiction book about cults. I want to know the emotional damage they cause and this book definitely showed that.
This book was slightly triggering because although I’ve never been a part of a cult per say, being heavily involved in a megachurch in the evangelical world and then that come crashing down around us, the fallout has been really interesting to say the least.
All that to say, for a cult book, I really enjoyed the approach of this one for sure and it was a very bingeable audiobook!
My rating
Spark of Light – Jodi Picoult
Amazon rating: 4 stars
Goodreads rating: 3.73 stars
How I read it: Audiobook
Read if you like:
- Deep thought
- Seeing other’s perspectives
Content warning: Abortion, miscarriage, infertility
What I loved: The characters were developed so well, the twist of the connections of all the characters
What I didn’t love: The reverse timeline threw me for a bit
Book Blurb
“The warm fall day starts like any other at the Center—a women’s reproductive health services clinic—its staff offering care to anyone who passes through its doors. Then, in late morning, a desperate and distraught gunman bursts in and opens fire, taking all inside hostage.
After rushing to the scene, Hugh McElroy, a police hostage negotiator, sets up a perimeter and begins making a plan to communicate with the gunman. As his phone vibrates with incoming text messages he glances at it and, to his horror, finds out that his fifteen-year-old daughter, Wren, is inside the clinic.
But Wren is not alone. She will share the next and tensest few hours of her young life with a cast of unforgettable characters: A nurse who calms her own panic in order to save the life of a wounded woman. A doctor who does his work not in spite of his faith but because of it, and who will find that faith tested as never before. A pro-life protester, disguised as a patient, who now stands in the crosshairs of the same rage she herself has felt. A young woman who has come to terminate her pregnancy. And the disturbed individual himself, vowing to be heard.
Told in a daring and enthralling narrative structure that counts backward through the hours of the standoff, this is a story that traces its way back to what brought each of these very different individuals to the same place on this fateful day.
One of the most fearless writers of our time, Jodi Picoult tackles a complicated issue in this gripping and nuanced novel. How do we balance the rights of pregnant women with the rights of the unborn they carry? What does it mean to be a good parent? A Spark of Light will inspire debate, conversation . . . and, hopefully, understanding.“
My thoughts
My last read of the year was a doozy.
I will say, I listened to this on audiobook and because there were so many characters that it took me a while to get into it.
Not only that, but it was written in a reverse timeline so while I really liked it in the end, it was very difficult to listen to because you had to really be paying attention.
This wasn’t as hard to read as Small Great Things which I read in November, but it was still VERY hard and VERY heavy.
I’ve struggled with infertility since we’ve been trying to have kids and so I did not take this subject matter lightly, but quite honestly I would absolutely recommend this book, especially if you’re hella close minded and are one of the “pro-lifers” who shout about the baby m*rder and don’t stop to consider any other thing about the subject.
I said what I said.
My rating
Top 3 Reads of December
I like to give my top 3 so that if you can’t read as much, here are the ones to definitely add to your list!
3 – Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka
2 – The Walls by Hollie Overton
1 – Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier
Monthly Giveaway
My local bookstore had a few good ones this month so I was super excited to snag several for future giveaways, but
THIS MONTH’S BOOK IS…..
I love it when I see a Book of the Month pick in my local bookstore because if it’s a BOTM, you can usually bet on it being really good.
This is DEFINITELY on my TBR and I honestly considered keeping it for myself, but I love y’all and decided to share the spoil.
As you guys on my Book Buddies email list already know, you have to do NOTHING to be entered! It’s just as a thank you for being here and I’ll let you know via email if you’ve won!
SHOP ALL BOOKS
CLICK BELOW TO SHOP OR ADD TO YOUR TBR!
