So, it’s no secret I’m a fan of Thrillers, Serial Killers, Mysteries, Crime Fiction, etc. However, I also read according to my mood and often recognize when I need to let in the light, rainbows, and butterflies. October was a slower reading month for me because my “day-job” has A LOT of demands in a few particular months (October being one of them). In this post, I’ll share what I read, how I read it, and my basic star-rating (and why). I’ll also link to any in-depth reviews I’ve done. I’ve also linked each book to Amazon if you want to pick one of these up for yourself! Here we go — October Wrap-Up:
- Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Welden
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I got Winter Counts in my Book of the Month subscription box. I LOVE BOTM – more on that in a future post but if you are interested in Book of the Month for yourself, you can use this referral code for an amazing hardback book for only $5! I received Winter Counts in my September box and rated it 4 stars. I enjoyed the overall story-line and authentic descriptions of life on the modern reservations in South Dakota. Personally, Winter Counts began slowly and it took me several days to get through the first half but after that the action picks up and you can fly through the end. If you’re looking for a slow-burn and enjoy crime fiction – this one’s for you! You can read my full review here.
- A Woman Like Her by Marc Levy
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When I rediscovered my love for reading a few years ago, I discovered a few wonderful platforms. The first is Amazon Prime Reading – because I have Amazon Prime (is there a mother in the USA that doesn’t?) I can access thousands of titles for FREE and read them through my Kindle App – OR as I prefer – listen to them through my Audible App. Now, Audible and Kindle have their own separate services that you can pay for…I just like free 🙂 Anywhoooo…back to the book… I listened to A Woman Like Her through Audible (yes, it totally still counts as “reading”). I rated it three stars because it never really grabbed me. It was a more feel-good story that was nice…but not great. If you’re looking for a story with a happy ending that makes you feel good – this one’s for you!
- The Girl in the Mirror by Rose Carlyle
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This one was another BOTM pick for me! This was another 4 star rated read – it is fast-paced and full of twists and turns. If you are looking for an un-put-down-able thrill ride that keeps you guessing to the last line – this one’s for you! You can check out my full review here.
- Life and Other Near-Death Experiences by Camille Pagán
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Here was another Prime Reading book through Audible. This is the second book I’ve read by Camille Pagán and I really enjoy her ability to weave humor and true glimpses of humanity into realistic, every-day stories. I only rated it 3 stars because at points, the story did tip into “too-much” as far as believability goes (choose if you want realism or a perfect-ending). The basic plot follows a woman who has recently been dealt A LOT of bad news and her journey through coping to the other side. If you are looking for something that will make you chuckle (people still say that right?) and feel full of hope – this one’s for you!
- Cari Mora by Thomas Harris
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I actually gave this book to my Mother-in-Law a few years back and she lent it back to me to read. I had such high-hopes. Hannibal Lecter is an all-time great character in the world of fictional serial-killers (who can beat a psychiatrist turned cannibal?) ANYWAYS…When I saw Cari Mora was written by the same author…expectations were assumed. It’s not that it was bad…it’s just not quite what I was expecting. I wanted well-developed characters, I got a lot of people who lasted a couple of chapters. I wanted brutal descriptions of carefully-planned killings, I got a lot of random gun-fire. I gave it 2 stars after really wanting a 5 star read. Check out my more in-depth review and splatter-rating here. If you’re looking to read an action-filled gang-style crime fiction – this one’s for you.
So that was my October – how about you? What did you LOVE this month?
The Merry Murderino 