For some reason, October was a weak reading month for me. It started with the double whammy of homecoming week and the end of the first grading period falling in the first 10 days of the month, and I struggled to get any reading done at all. I finished my first book of the month on October 20th, and I managed to squeeze in five more reads in the last ten days of the month. One of those was A Monster Calls, a reread and a book I read out loud with my English class.
The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar
Premise: Mr. Hancock is a merchant in 1785 London, and, when his ship’s captain arrives home from a two year journey without a ship but with a mermaid, Mr. Hancock is flummoxed. What to do in that situation? He’s determined to earn his money back, so he agrees to show his little mermaid in a well-known brothel. There, he meets Angelica Neal and his life changes.
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
Thoughts: This book was literary historical fiction, and it took me a while to get through, though that probably had more to do with my busy schedule than the book itself. It was very slow in the beginning, and it didn’t speed up much throughout, but once I was able to give it some attention, I ended up enjoying it. I had not known anything about sex work in the 1700s, and now I do know probably more than I would like to know.
Angelica was such an intriguing character to me… there were times that I hated her for her willful ignorance and determined ability to assume everything will just turn out ok. But there were also times that she was fiercely independent, standing up for what she thought was best for herself and her circumstances, and, by the end of the book, I admired her for everything she had done. The character development in this book was certainly the star, and their growth was what kept me reading.
Who Should Read It: Anyone who likes slow historical fiction. Anyone who enjoys reading about the underground world.
Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell
Premise: When Laurel’s daughter Ellie goes missing, Laurel’s life falls apart. 20 years later, she is still trying to put together the pieces when a man walks into a coffee shop and offers her some carrot cake. It’s a whirlwind romance for Laurel and Floyd, but the closer she gets to him, the more she discovers his connection to her past, and the more she is troubled by it.
My Rating: 4 Stars
Thoughts: I really wasn’t expecting to like this book. Maybe it’s all the hype? Maybe its the clichéd title and cover? Maybe it’s because I feel like I’ve read a million psychological thrillers this year and I’m just kind of over them? Either way, this book surprised me and kept me guessing the whole time.
I knew that Ellie was dead, but the hows and whys are what kept me coming back to this novel. There’s a trend in books right now to tell you the ending and keep you guessing about how we got to that point, and, I must say, I’m kind of digging it. I’m always more concerned about character motivation than I am about the end result, so maybe I need to keep an eye out for these types of thrillers.
Who Should Read It: Anyone who likes a good psychological thriller. Anyone who likes solving mysteries.
Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire
Premise: Abby moves away from her family to go to college and leave her past behind her. She’s succeeding at this until she meets Travis, the local bad boy.
My Rating: 2 Stars
Thoughts: I’ll be honest — I devoured this book. I read it in basically one (6 hour long) sitting on a Saturday afternoon. I usually give at least 3 stars to any book that can captivate me like that, but… not this book. I’m not sure why I was so sucked in. Maybe it was because it was like a bad car accident that I couldn’t look away from?
This is not a good book. It completely romanticizes a toxic, unhealthy relationship between 19 year olds, and the ending is just the cherry on an already awful sundae. Travis is a typical manipulative abuser: jealous, prone to rages, followed quickly by sorrowful apologies and I-can’t-live-without-yous. He literally gets her name tattooed on him a week after they started dating without even asking her if she’s cool with that, which she’s not… but then she gets over because she just can’t help but stay with him, despite the murderous rages and intimidation tactics. I just…. no. How this book has over 4 stars on Goodreads is beyond me.
Who Should Read It: Anyone who wants a quick read. Anyone looking for how a relationship should NOT be.
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
For a more in-depth review, check out this post.
Premise: Conor has been having nightmares, but one night, he has a different sort of nightmare — the yew tree outside of his window begins talking to him. He says he will tell him three tales, and after that, Conor must reveal his truth to the monstrous tree. But Conor is afraid and determined not to confront his truth — the source of his true nightmare.
My Rating: 5 Stars
Thoughts: When I found out I was teaching a Gothic Lit class to low achieving seniors, I was a bit stumped. I’m not generally a fan of gothic lit. BUT THEN THIS BOOK. It gave me the perfect opportunity to reread it and share it with kids who love it just as much as I do.
This book is gripping and sorrowful and honest and raw. It will force you to confront your secrets and fears in the same way that it forces Conor. It has beautiful illustrations and it is just… perfect.
Who Should Read It: Anyone who wants a good cry. Anyone who loves books that make them feel. Anyone interested in a beautiful illustrated novel.
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
Premise: In this anthology of short stories, Sedaris talks about everything from his childhood spent in a sleepy town in South Carolina to his drug addiction to his stint in France with his partner Hugh. The common thread is Sedaris’s humor and ability to make light of very real conversations.
My Rating: 3 Stars
Thoughts: This book was good. Not great, but funny and poignant and just the right type of humor for me to get. I generally don’t like humorous books, so maybe that’s where my reservation on this book is coming from. His dry wit and sarcasm translated to text well, but I kept feeling like I was missing out on the joke. Maybe I should have listened to this on audiobook?
Who Should Read It: Anyone looking for a funny story. Anyone who likes humorous memoirs and essays.
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
Premise: One day, while at the gym, Alice falls off of her bike and hits her head. When she wakes up, she has forgotten the last 10 years of her life. In 1998, she was a newlywed, fresh homeowner, and pregnant for her first child. In 2008, she was a mom of three who was separated from her husband. Alice has to find her way back to where she was… if that’s what she wants.
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
Thoughts: This was one of Moriarty’s first novels, and I have to say that I definitely enjoyed her more recent books more than this one. It was a bit predictable, especially with Elizabeth and Frannie’s characters, and the ending was… not disappointing, but not exciting either.
That being said, this book has made me think so much about my current life and my future. I’ll be honest.. one of my biggest fears is divorce, and this book reallllly played into that fear. Alice was flabbergasted because in 1998, she was blissfully happy with her husband, and, in 2008, she couldn’t fathom how they had gotten so far away from the happiness they shared. I found myself reflecting on my past hurts with my husband and thinking about how I could possibly avoid the situation that Alice and Nick found themselves in.
Who Should Read It: Anyone who loves reading multiple perspectives. Anyone who likes well-written chick lit.
What do you think? Did I miss the mark on any of these? Are there some that you are excited to read? Leave a comment below!
