I tend to remember books in association with the season I read them in. The transition from Summer to Fall is typically my least favorite time of year. If you’re a newsletter subscriber, I talked about this a little bit in my latest letter. Summer is my favorite season. Give me sunny days, water, and warmth. Fall, in distant memory, has been associated with the increasingly difficult work of setting the foundation for another school year.
This is the first time in memory that I’ve really enjoyed the change of season. It’s been a renewing and welcomed embrace.
September has come and gone. These are my reflections on the ten books that I read.
I’ve outlined my thoughts on all of them below. Be sure to let me know if we’ve read any of the same books!
The Fortunes of Jaded Women by Carolyn Huynh, published September 2022
I enjoyed the premise of the story, but felt a lot was lost on me by listening to the audio. There are a lot of characters, they’re all women, and they’re all in the same family! It was a lot to try and keep straight via audio. There is a family tree printed in the print copy, so consider that when giving this one a read.
Atomic Habits (for the second time this year) by James Clear, published October 2018
Never have I read a book twice in one year until now. I first read Atomic Habits in January and it was like a fire was lit in my brain. It’s filled with practical and purposeful actions and reflections of how to build positive habits and work toward your goals- and the opposite of working to break bad habits for the betterment of your well-being. The audio is fantastic, Clear narrates his own book, but you’ll want a physical copy to annotate!
This Time Tomorrow Emma Straub, published May 2022
*Sigh* I had such high hopes for this book! I’d looked forward to it for so long. It has all the elements that I love: family dynamics, magical realism, introspective reflection. Ultimately, it fell flat for me. While reading, I found myself getting bored. I was expecting more drama or meaningfulness or I don’t know… something to grip me, but it never happened. This isn’t a rip! Other reviews have raved! If the synopsis sounds interesting to you, go for it and form your own opinion!
The Girl in the Mirror Rose Carlyle, published October 2020
Ehh, it was just so so! Again, it had all of the elements that I love in a thriller, but it didn’t quite blow me away. It was an enjoyable, quick read, but nothing to write home about. This is another that I’d say if it sounds interesting to you, try it! I read this for my Backlist Book Club’s September genre, thrillers.
Nothing But the Truth by Holly James, published July 2022
This is a female-centered, modern version of the movie Liar, Liar, one of my favorite movies! I completely enjoyed it. It’s fun and empowering and shines a very bright and necessary light on harassment and systems set up in favor of men. It’s strong and lovely at the same time. Definitely worth a read!
The Silent Wife by Karin Slaughter, published August 2020
I’ll start by saying that I didn’t realize this was the **10th** book in a series. So, maybe I should’ve just stopped right then. I was not so wise, I definitely kept going when I found that out. Although the plot stands alone, I was so confused on who the characters were and kept feeling so disconnected. Well, that’s why. If you’ve read any of the Will Trent series and have a basis for who these characters are, you’ll probably enjoy this book more than I did! I read this for my Backlist Book Club’s September genre, thrillers.
Fairy Tale by Stephen King, published September 2022
I love the way Stephen King can craft a story and build a world. 11/22/63 is one of my favorite books of all time. If you haven’t read it, do it! It’s historical fiction mixed with some magical realism and it’s amazing. Not scary, in case you’re wondering.
That impromptu review being shared, maybe I had too high of hopes for this one. It was just okay. Fine, if not a little long and drawn out. The premise of good vs. evil fighting to the death and a boy and his dog working at the forefront, I was all in. Ultimately, it left me a little disappointed.
Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club by Roselle Lim, published August 2022
This was a cute and refreshing storyline! I loved Sophie’s drive and passion for making her dreams come true. I loved the group of septuagenarian bachelors. I loved learning more about matchmaking in Chinese culture. For those reasons, I would recommend the book!
On the flip side, the character development fell short for me. I was hoping for deeper introspection, more developed descriptions of the characters, and maybe some redemption for some unlikeable characters. It was a little dry at times and I found myself skimming more than I would have liked. This was the Bookcase Beauty Book Club pick for September!
Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn, published September 2022
Solid, fun, and entertaining. It kept me excited to find out what happened next! This audiobook was the soundtrack to my morning walks. I looked forward to “my stories” each morning. This would be a great movie! I kept picturing Diane Keaton and Jane Fonda.
The Personal Assistant by Kimberly Belle, publishing November 2022
I am excited for this one to hit shelves! This suspenseful thriller is told from multiple perspectives and dual timelines. At first, I was skeptical that this story would be cliché and another ‘meh’ social media thriller, but I was delightfully wrong. It kept me guessing until the end, excited to read what could possibly happen next, and compare my theories to what actually played out.
Overall, here’s how my reads stacked up:
Five Stars:
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Four Stars:
The Fortunes of Jaded Women by Carolyn Huynh
The Girl in the Mirror by Rose Carlyle
Nothing But the Truth by Holly James
Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Reybourn
The Personal Assistant by Kimberly Belle
Three Stars:
This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub
The Silent Wife by Karin Slaughter
Fairy Tale by Stephen King
Sophie Go’s Lonely Heart’s Club by Roselle Lim
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Have you read any of these? Do we have any similar or differing opinions? Put any of these on your TBR?
Leave me a comment!
