Autobiography of a Bibliophile: October

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Winter is a bookworm's dream because there is literally NO GOOD REASON not to be inside by a fire with a book or seven. Therefore, I will be thriving for the next four or five months. Without further ado, check out what stories caught my attention and which ones you should skip!

Sweet Little Lies by Caz Frear 

4 stars

This is Frear’s first novel and I’m certain it won’t be her last. I don’t know what it is about these suspense stories set in England that get my imagination going, but this one did not disappoint. A strong female lead with just enough foibles to make her human, Cat’s search to find the culprit of a murder had me making and rejecting my own hypotheses several times over. Personally, I needed just a little more wrap up at the end, which is why SLL fell just one star short of a perfect rating.

A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult

4 stars

This story is especially timely in the wake of the #MeToo movement and mass shootings sweeping the nation. I am always impressed by Picoult’s ability to flesh out completely opposing characters. She tackles the rights of the unborn and the rights of women and if it is even possible to balance the two. Word of warning: I had a hard time following the timeline initially because the story almost starts the end and works backward. But, if you loved Small Great Things as much as I did, you need to pick this one up!

A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner

5 stars

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, if an author can weave an intricate story of out historical moments, I will be her biggest fan. I was riveted by Meissner’s fictional assessment of Ellis Island, the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, 9/11, and the single scarf that held them together. Her book had me turning pages relentlessly and was just the perfect amount of heartwarming.

The Loving Husband by Christobel Kent

3 stars

Meh. It was fine. I’ve read worse and I’ve read better, so this one fell squarely in the middle for me. I was frustrated by the main character, Fran, and her apparent helplessness. The writing was rough and the sinister story would have been far more compelling if someone else had thought to write it. I only finished the book because I needed to see how the story wrapped up, but overall I would recommend at least 5 other books ahead of this one.

Tell Me Lies by Carola Lovering

4 stars

Stephen DeMarco is a psychopath and Lucy Albright thinks she can change him. I almost hate myself for how much I enjoyed this book. I despised Stephen for his repulsive behavior and Lucy for falling into the trap, but I still struggled to put the book down. A little more R rated than I usually read, but the overall story was worth it and I’m recommending this one to book club because it absolutely exists to be discussed.

Her by Harriet Lane

2 stars

I’m convinced that I read this book on accident. I think I was trying to find Her by Christa Parravani instead, and got mixed up and ended up with this dumpster fire of a novel by Harriet Lane. I audibly groaned at how terrible this was. The obvious suspense theme was the only thing that kept my attention, but in the end I didn’t feel like anything ever really happened. I compare it to a rollercoaster that creeps steeply to a high point and then just flattens out, instead of sending you hurtling down a vertical slope like you anticipated. The ending was not even an ending and I hope I save someone from making the same dumb mistake as picking up this book!

This is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett

4 stars

Patchett is a novelist in her own right, but this particular book is a collection of essays and articles that she wrote for various publications. It was not my usual cup of tea, but I was pleasantly surprised and completely enthralled by Ann’s talent for writing. Ann details her journey to authorhood, her marriage(s), and her relationship with her dog by being “willing to break our own hearts by trading in the living beauty of imagination for the stark disappointment of words.” 4 stars for Patchett and I’m ready to add some of her novels to my “To-Read” list.

The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian

4 stars

I read some mediocre suspense novels in October so this book definitely stood out above the rest. Cassandra Bowden spends her work days criss-crossing the globe as a flight attendant. When she lands she usually finds the nearest bar and occasionally some male company with which to spend the evening. But when she wakes up in Dubai next to a bloody corpse, she knows she had nothing to do with the crime. Or did she? She flees the scene and starts to lie. This book kept me guessing and I highly recommend for any other suspense junkies. It was my second Chris Bohjalian book so I guess I'm now a true fan (go read Midwives if you haven't yet!!).

Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark T. Sullivan

3 stars

World War II is arguably one of my favorite time periods to read about, fiction or not. But I struggled with this book. Set in Italy, it was refreshing to read about the impact of the war on a country other than Germany, France or Poland, but it had a slow start and, for me, the plot didn’t recover quickly enough to merit more than 3 stars. But just like in education where C’s get degrees, 3 star books still get read and it’s not the worst!

Rush by Lisa Patton

5 stars

If The Help was set on a college campus, it would be Rush. The story was fun and filled with several sorority stereotypes that I can attest to be true, but eye-opening in terms of the racism that still plagues our society. I fell in love with every single character and, truthfully, I’d really enjoy a series! What made this book even better for me is that it was written by a friend of my 3rd grade teacher, Mrs. Peabody. In fact, sweet Kathy Peabody is even mentioned in the acknowledgement section and I fangirled just a bit!

Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg

5 stars

After reading Option B, I knew Lean In had to be my next read. I was fired up to read about Sheryl’s opinion and ideas on women in the workplace. I recognized in myself the tendency to belittle my professional self, rather than sitting at the table when I deserve to. Though I’m not yet a working mother, I plan to be one in the future and I hope America will see some serious change when it comes to maternity leave law before that point (spoiler alert: it’s not looking likely). Sheryl charges organizations to consider challenging the status quo of gender roles and I devoured every word with “YAS QUEEN” reverberating in my head.

November has already been a banner month for books so far and I'm really looking forward to sharing what I've stumbled upon! In the meantime, pop on over to Goodreads and make sure cast your votes for the best books of 2018.