I had another good month of reading. It’s so relaxing to get lost in someone else’s story. I don’t watch much TV but books and audio books are my thing!
Here are the books I read in October.
The Woman in the Window- A.J. Finn
A twisty thriller that hooks your curiosity. It moved a little slow at times for me but I was intrigued enough to want to keep reading to figure out what was going on. Anna Fox suffers from agoraphobia and is completely afraid of going outside. She stays shut up in her home drinking wine, watching old movies and watching her neighbors through her telescoping camera lens. One day Anna witnesses what appears to be a murder in the Russell’s household. Or did she? I read a paperback copy and listened on Audible. 4 stars
A Merciful Fate (Mercy Kilpatrick #5) Kendra Elliot
This time Mercy Kilpatrick, an FBI agent with a prepper upbringing and background, is investigating an 30 year old armored car robbery. Skeletal remains are found and the case comes back to the surface. Her boyfriend, Eagles Nest Police Chief Truman Daly, is also investigating other things going on in town. This was one of the best of the series for me. Towards the end it became a page turner. All of the characters are likable and characters you get invested in. I love the development of the other characters in the story too as the series progresses. Read and listened on Kindle Unlimited 5 stars
A Merciful Promise (Mercy Kilpatrick #6) Kendra Elliot
I finished the series with this one and loved how the book and series ends. You could read any of the books as a stand alone, but if you want to be truly invested in the characters and the ending, read them in order and read this one last. In this book, Mercy is sent off on an undercover assignment. It is a little different take from the “somebody got killed, who did it? approach. On the other hand, Truman is investigating bodies and it’s pretty easy to figure out that the two investigations will be related this time. 4 stars
Hello, Summer Mary Kay Andrews
I saw a lot of good reviews and recommendations for this and I had an Audible credit to use so I chose this one. It took me a while to get through it. I kept thinking it was more like a soap opera than a good story, but it turned out to be fun. There is some truth to all the Southern antics and accents and I find them humorous (being a southerner myself). Conley Hawkins finds herself without a job and back home in Florida working for the small family owned newspaper. A far cry from her Atlanta job and Washington D.C. dreams. Shortly after arriving home she witnesses the death of a local congressman in a vehicle accident and starts digging into his story. It ultimately places her in danger. This is definitely chick lit but full of mystery and romance. Even though I wasn’t impressed with parts, I gave it 4 stars.
Before We Were Strangers Renee Carlino
Matt and Grace meet in college and fall in love but try to keep it casual because they have life choices and careers to pursue. The book starts 15 years later with a chance crossing of their paths and then carries you back through their history, most of which is their sex life. Usually Carlino redeems “too much sex” in a book with a really deep and raw story line but this one didn’t do it for me. The deep adult story line came a little late and was a little underdeveloped for me. More time could have been spent at the end. Grace was a frustrating character for me. The whole 15 years apart could have been prevented if she hadn’t made the assumption she did and if she had found a way to reach out before taking off or stayed put as she agreed. I read and listened on Scribd. Apparently readers on Goodreads disagree with me because this book gets an overwhelming 5 stars but I only give it 3 stars.
Beach House Memories (Beach House #3) by Mary Alice Monroe
I enjoyed The Beach House and decided to continue the series. I actually read #3 before #2 but in this case it doesn’t really matter. Beach House Memories is about Lovie’s affair with Russell, which is disclosed in the first book, but goes into greater detail about Lovie’s life as a young mother and wife, her relationship with her husband, the guilt and emotions she experienced, and her decision making process in all of this. Her children are young in this book, although it starts in present day with Cara as an adult and is told more from the standpoint of a flashback and memories of Lovie. 4 stars
Swimming Lessons (Beach House #2) by Mary Alice Monroe.
I listened to this one in the audio version on Scribd in its entirety. Back to present day in this series. It’s actually five years after Lovie’s death and her protégé, Toy, has taken over the turtle team and has become an accomplished young woman. She is doing a great job as a single mother and is actually beginning a new romance until the father of her child shows up. This one has some suspense and on the edge of your seat moments, unlike the slow pace of the other books. Cara and Brett are married and struggling to start a family and Cara’s friend, Emmaline, is back to rebuild her life after a divorce. 3 stars (maybe I should have given it 4, either way, these books have been solid, entertaining reads, nothing over the top, just solid.)
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
A fun, comical romance. Olive and Ethan start out at the opposite of romance, but when their siblings, who were married, have to miss their honeymoon due to a crazy illness from the wedding food, they find themselves on a trip together since the honeymoon could not be refunded. They intended to go their separate ways in Hawaii, but odd circumstances keep putting them together to support the front that they are the married couple. Upon their return, there are decisions to be made about the future and about secrets that need to be told. The book actually takes a serious turn for a bit, with characters dealing with real life issues and heartache, which makes it a more grounded story to me.
The Bull’s Eye: The Power of Focus by Brian Tracy
A short and concise book (112 pages) on how to create and know your focus in order to meet your goals. There isn’t any new information here that hasn’t been presented before, but it is a great reminder on what we should do and probably aren’t applying. 4 stars
Be sure to check out my gift guide for book lovers.
I can’t wait to hear about what you read. Linking up with Show Us Your Books.
