reading Archives - The Bookcase Beauty

The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh, published March 2022

This genre-bending book took me by surprise! Admittedly, I didn’t read the synopsis before diving in, but the title and cover led me to think it was going to be a summer love-esque/ second chance romance type of plot… I was wrong! It packed a punch right from the beginning with the main character having cancer and suffering from infertility (not spoilers). As the story went on, it melted between romance, family drama, and suspense/mystery. Some may think that feels all over the place, but I thought it added depth to the story. This was the Bookcase Beauty Book Club pick for October and we had such great conversations that stemmed from topics in this book. Pick it up if you’re looking for something that will keep your mind swirling.

⅘ stars

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeny, published August 2022

I’m a sucker for a trapped thriller! Stuck in a house? A basement? An island? And people keep dying?! I’m all in! This was a very Agatha Christie-inspired book! The Darker family has traveled to their grandmother’s coastal home for her 80th birthday, but then Nana is found dead! So begins ongoing murders and the inability to escape. The Darker family is forced to reckon with their own secrets, while trying to stay together and alive until the tide goes out. This was a fast read! The story keeps the pages turning almost automatically. Pick this one up if you want to get lost in thrilling book!

⅘ stars

Perish by LaToya Watkins, published August 2022

This was another powerful read! Although some moments were difficult to read, this story is immersive and shines light on generational trauma. If you have reading sensitivities, I would suggest looking up the content warnings on Goodreads. This book follows the Turner family over four decades and is told from four perspectives of family members. Set in a tiny town in east Texas, the Turner family has a dark and twisted path. A family reunion brings up long-held secrets that force each family member to evaluate who is worthy of forgiveness and who is worthy of blame.

⅘ stars

Seattle’s Great Fire by Jordan Kidd

This narrative non-fiction book was fascinating! Set in the mid-1800s, it centers on local pioneer “Doc” and Chief Si’ahl (Seattle) of the native Duwamish tribe, as they try to bring together a clash of cultures. The real partnership in this story comes from young Mila and Catori, one an orphan being raised by Doc and the other a boy in the Duwamish tribe. This pair comes together to try and stop a planned attack on the new settlement by the Duwamish tribe. I loved reading about the relationships, good and bad, that grew between cultures.

Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras, published July 2018

I had marveled at this cover for over a year, yet left it unread because I wouldn’t prioritized it over the new releases. I finally read this for my Backlist Book Club’s October focus, Cover Love. I’m so glad I did!! The synopsis hooked me right away, hence why I bought it on Pangobooks, but the story was so immersive. It had everything I needed for a fall historical fiction read! It’s set in Columbia during the Pablo Escobar era and contrasts high society and working class. Told between alternating perspectives of Chula, a seven-year-old girl and Patrona, a young live-in maid, this story gives a history lesson of Columbia during this fearful time. It was eye-opening and heart wrenching at times, but a powerful read worth your time!

⅘ stars

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver, published October 2022

FIVE STAR ALERT

I recently gushed about my love for Barbara Kingsolver and Demon Copperhead on Instagram. Please go check out this post for more of my thoughts, the algorithm was not too kind to it. She wrote one of the pivotal books that formed my passion for reading, The Poisonwood Bible. She has such a power about her. Her writing feels classic in the modern era, something so rare! It’s absolutely one of my favorites of the year and I won’t be surprised if I pick this one up again one day.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna, published August 2022

This was a cute, not-so-spooky read for spooky season! It reminded me of The House in the Cerulean Sea, with characters feeling like misfits and unlikely bonds between children and caretakers. This was a great representation that family doesn’t always mean shared blood. Don’t let the title fool you, this book may be about witches but it’s not a Halloween book. Think Sabrina, the Teenage Witch vibes. It can be read year-round without holiday ties!

⅗ stars

East Winds by Rachel Rueckert, publishes November 2022

East Winds initially grasped my attention with its book trailer. You can watch it here:

I loved the examination of marriage and commitment across cultures! Rueckert did a fantastic job making parallels to her own religion and culture. Beyond the scope of cultural diversity and unique travel experiences, East Winds gives a great depiction of the first year of marriage- learning the nuances about your partner, building communication, and inevitably repairing and learning from negative experiences. Definitely recommend this perspective-broadening book!

The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simon St. James, originally published 2012, reprinted October 2022

St. James can tell a ghost story! Although this book is a decade old, the reprinting of this cover made me finally pick it up! I also read this book for the Bookcase Beauty Backlist Club’s Cover Love focus. It’s a mystery how Maddy came to be at the Clare’s home all those years ago, but they took her in and raised her. After her suicide, Maddy still haunts the barn on the Clare’s property. The story is told from the perspective of Sarah, who’s temp agency has sent her to assist the ghost hunter, Alistair. The hope is that they can finally send Maddy to rest in peace, but Maddy is MAD and she wants vengeance. If you’ve never read any of Simone St. James’ books, this is a great place to start!

⅘ stars

Happiness for Beginners but Katherine Center, originally published in 2015, republished in 2020, soon to be a Netflix movie!

I managed to squeeze in one last Cover Love book for the Bookcase Beauty Backlist Club! If you’re thinking, “geez, that club seems excessive.” It’s not, we only plan to read one book a month from our TBRs, I’m just an overachiever. 🙂 Happiness for Beginners has been on my TBR for so long. I’m a huge Katherine Center fan. If you’ve been around the blog or followed me on Instagram for very long, you know that to be true. Here’s an embroidery I made of her newest book, The Bodyguard.

She’s the master of sweet. This sweet romance has the fun little brother’s best friend trope. There’s something about the friends to lovers and siblings friend to lovers tropes that always get me. Maybe because there’s already a trusting relationship there. I feel like the relationship build is so much more believable. Absolutely recommend picking this one up when you need a dose of sweetness in your life. There are a few heavy topics woven in, but Center does so with such love and grace.

⅘ stars

Overall, here are my top three favorites of the month:

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras

Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center

If you pick any of these tiles up, I’d love to know your thoughts! Let’s keep the conversation going by leaving a comment below!

If you want to stay up to date on my ratings, follow me on Goodreads and Instagram. I also have a Substack Newsletter, where I update you on all things books and life.

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!

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bookcasebeauty October 6, 2022

Ten Books I Read in September 2022

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.