Hi book loving friends! We can't believe we missed sharing our reviews for November! We December'd too hard and the holidays really snuck up on us. So today, grab the larger glass of wine and get ready for a whole lot of book chatting.
We're sharing two months worth of book reviews, and then tomorrow we'll share our favorites for 2022!
WHAT WE READ...
CARRIE BETH
November and December were REALLY busy months for us and I had sort of gotten in a bad mood listening to books. I had high hopes and wasn't really loving anything, so I decided to take a little break. I did manage to finish a couple, but that was it for me!
First up was Just Haven't Met You Yet by Sophie Cousens. This cute story asks: What if you picked up the wrong suitcase at the airport, decide it must be fate, and end up falling head over heels in love with the real owner? That very thing happens to a lifestyle reporter who is on a work trip and her quest to be reunited with the suitcase owner takes her all over the small island. What she couldn't have imagined was how she would befriend her taxi driver and start to rethink the love she always thought she wanted. It was a heartwarming story that made me laugh and a good light read with some feeling to it!
The other title I finished was Beautiful Graves by L. J. Shen. A tragic family event leads Everlynne Lawson to move away from her family and friends, isolate herself in a city where she has no ties, and to not allow herself any joy. She meets a man who helps rescue her from her depression and decides he is her lifeline, although he could never compare to the one fling she had years ago who she felt was her true soulmate. This story took a really long time to develop and the first half felt very slow to me. However, once I had that "oh, that is what is happening here" realization I became so invested and couldn't wait to see how it would turn out. There were times I was so frustrated with the characters, but it was a very happy ending. Without giving away too much I was glad that Everlynne found true happiness in the end after all the heartache and tragedy she had experienced in her life.
JEN
The end of the year brought a variety of genres to my reading pile. I also abandoned quite a few books. By December I caught an awful case of the flu and ADD. Looking back though, November was a rockin' reading month!
I kicked it off with this thriller - The Housemaid. Talk about a twisty edge of your seat read. Millie is fresh out of incarceration and finds herself a job as a live-in maid to the wealthy Winchester family. The Winchesters seem like the perfect family: loving couple, adorable kid, gorgeous home. It seems like the perfect job. Soon after she starts her new position, secrets begin to unfold and you begin to wonder what exactly did everyone sign up for. This one gave me all the creepy vibes from start to finish. The ending though - perfection! I'm so tempted to read the sequel!
Next I picked up 11/22/63 by Stephen King. This is my first King novel, and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it! I've always shied away from his books because horror is not my thing. I'm still haunted by the sleepover where we watched Pet Sematary in elementary school. But 11/22/63 came highly recommended so I decided to step out of my reading comfort zone and give it a try. While it was a little daunting at 850 pages, it was an excellent story. A mix of historical fiction, sci-fi, thriller, and romance - even though it was lengthy it held my attention the whole time. It was a great story and one I highly recommend if you have been thinking about dipping into his books or want something unique to read in your TBR.
The Villa is a book that we were sent an early copy of. I was excited because I enjoyed The Wife Upstairs by the same author. This one though took me a little longer to get into. It goes back and forth between present day, and past events all tied together by one spectacular (and possibly cursed) Italian vacation mansion.
The story follows a group of rock musicians/artists who summer in the home during the '70's. Each person goes on to become famous for something in wake of a tragedy that happens by the end of the summer. One of the group dies, and throughout the book you are given clues as to what really happened that summer that lead up to the death.
Fast forward to present day, and two longtime best friends vacationing in the home for the summer while they each write their own novels. Secrets emerge, and the past and present collide in one crazy ending.
It was a quick read, and I enjoyed the back half of the book much more than the front end. I'm not sure why, but I think the pace was a little quicker or it spent more time tying it all together. I can't put my finger on it, but I would definitely consider this a "slow burn" suspense novel.
Deeply craving something lighter to read, I grabbed the latest novel in the Simple Wild Series. Running Wild follows Marie's story. Marie is Alaska's beloved vet, but she wonders if animals are the only love she will know in her life. After falling for someone unattainable, she vows to move on. Insert grumpy dog racer here, and Marie thinks she has found just the person to spend the rest of her life with. Until he lets her know his heart belongs elsewhere. Not wanting to venture down that path again, but somehow Marie still can't help herself.
In the first few books this was a character I disliked, but this novel made me see her side and I grew to like her. It was a quick and easy read with some fun moments and a few spicy scenes. Just what I needed to read going into the holiday season.
Now to choose my favorites books for 2022. This is going to be a tough one...
WHAT DID YOU READ AT THE END OF THE YEAR? ANYTHING WE MISSED THAT WE SHOULD PUT ON OUR READING LISTS FOR 2023? SHARE WITH US!
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