Monthly Wrap Up | October 2020


 
WHAT HAPPENED IN OCTOBER
  • The weather started acting fall-ish in October and there were fewer and fewer days that topped 90 degrees. Thank you, Mother Nature.
  • Mid-month my company announced a voluntary return to the office. I began working a hybrid schedule - a few days a week in the office, a few days working from home - and it went well. The office is still largely empty but it's nice to have a small bit of normalcy and routine back.
  • I took part in Maureen's Book Club for the third month in a row (since its inception, actually) and totally enjoyed the October pick, Gypsy King by Devney Perry. It's one that had been on my TBR for a while so bonus points there. 
  • I was able to see one of my sisters and that was a real treat. We text all the time, but due to COVID it had been months since I'd seen her in person. I drove to her house at the beach to deliver her birthday gift and we stood a safe distance apart on her driveway and talked and caught up. It was great. :)
  • I'm not a TV watcher, but October actually saw me tuning in to a couple Hallmark Christmas movies... and enjoying them. Under normal circumstances I would pay them no mind (like every other year), but the sweet escapism was a welcome distraction and I imagine I'll be watching more of them.

WHAT I READ IN OCTOBER


4.5 STARS
The Lies That Bind - Emily Giffin
Muses & Melodies - Rebecca Yarros

4 STARS
Irresistible - Melanie Harlow
Gypsy King - Devney Perry
The Roommate - Rosie Danan

3.5 STARS
Broken Outsider - Lora Richardson
Where Do I Begin? - Elvis Duran

3 STARS
Heartache and Hope - Jay McLean

FORMATS
Total Read: 9
1 physical book
3 Kindle/e-books
5 audiobooks
(2 ARCs: Muses & Melodies, Broken Outsider)

TOP OF THE HEAP
Muses & Melodies, The Two Lives of Lydia Bird
While I didn't have a five star read in October, I did have a couple that stood out above the rest. The Two Lives of Lydia Bird was beautiful and emotional and I cried all the tears for/with Lydia. Silver wrote about grief in a way that made me feel Lydia's loss like a physical blow. Lydia's journey throughout the book was filled with highs and lows and the feeling of coming full circle was completely satisfying.

Muses & Melodies was the perfect wrap-up to the Hush Note trilogy - and surprisingly emotional. I loved Zoe but it was Nixon that gave the story the rawness that had me hurting for him. I loved the relationship between him and Zoe and her selflessness was something special.   

THE ONE THAT WASN'T FOR ME
Heartache and Hope
This book has a lot of five star reviews so I guess this is another case of it's-not-you-it's-me. Too much drama, too much misery. The tagline should be: Girl has sad back story, boy has sad back story, much misery and teen angst ensues. I was just over it. By the halfway point I realized I didn't really care what happened. So yeah, it wasn't bad but it just wasn't for me. There's a second book but I don't care enough to go there.

WHAT HAPPENED ON THE BLOG

I had 12 blog posts in October and shared six reviews: 

WHAT I'M CURRENTLY READING

   

Preppy: The Life & Death of Samuel Clearwater (Part One) - T.M. Frazier

Listening To: I'm excited to be delving into Invisible Girl, another one of Lisa Jewell's combination mystery/thriller + domestic drama. As usual, she doles out bits of information slowly and the story builds so gradually. Already it's obvious that things are not what they seem and people are definitely not who they seem. As always, I have theories but I am fully prepared to have them blown to bit by unexpected twists.

Reading: I'm also delving back into the King series. I've missed this dark and twisted world and I'm excited to finally get Preppy's story. He is so deliciously messed up.   



WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE READ IN OCTOBER? 
WHAT ARE YOU READING NOW?

26 comments

  1. It sounds like you had a good month! Have you read any other books by Jay McLean? That duet is my least favorite of hers. I loved the More Than series.

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    1. I've heard good things about the More Than series but I honestly don't know that I'll ever get to it. The Heartache and Hope book was not for me at all and there are so many other books/authors that I really want to read.

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  2. That's nice that you were finally able to see your sister! Maureen's Book Club sounds really fun - I've always wanted to be in a book club!

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    1. I've never done an in-person book club but Maureen's online club is perfect for me. And I love the books that are chosen. :)

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  3. A fantastic month for you! Happy Novemebr!

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    1. Thanks... lots of good reading happened so that was a bonus.

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  4. I am crying just thinking about Lydia Bird. I cried so much as I listened to that book. The ending was beautiful though. Was this your first McLean book? I have to really be in the mood for books like that (same with Emma Scott, Colleen Hoover, and others like that). There is a certain level of angst and melodrama, which I sometimes crave, but not that often. Glad you got to see your sister.

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    1. Lydia Bird really did number on me. So much more depth and emotional than I expected. But I was so satisfied with how it ended. Yep, Heartache and Hope was my first by McLean. I don't mind angst (I mean, angsty books are kind of my go-to LOL) but this one just felt so over done and nothing positive was happening and all the two kids did was mope and go on and on and their lot in life... ugh. Maybe McLean just isn't for me.

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  5. It's the best feeling ever; catching up with people who you haven't seen due to COVID!!

    I remember going for a glass of water in the back yard with my grandma. I was so happy to see her in person and to talk to her. Sadly, this was one of the last times I spoke to her, because she died of cancer 2 months later.

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    1. Oh, Esther, I'm so sorry to hear about your grandmother. :(

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  6. Aww yay! I'm so glad you were able to see your sister. I've been going back and forth on whether to visit my parents for Christmas and how to do it safely. This year is the worst. :/ I definitely want to read Invisible Girl! I hope you have a great November!

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    1. We've basically nixed Thanksgiving. Everyone will be doing their own thing. Christmas is still up in the air. Thinking of ways to gather but keep our distance and be safe. It's hard. :( Hopefully we can both find ways to see family at Christmas.

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  7. Sounds like you had a good month. Yay for getting to see your sister (at a safe distance) it’s been a strange year but little things like that are the moments I am enjoying. I am jealous of your small element of normalcy with going to work again. You may not be back in the office every day but I am sort of missing my daily commute and it’s nice to have a change of scenery.

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    1. It's funny, but like you mentioned, even the commute brings back a small sense of normalcy. I still have a set routine for working from home but it's not the same as going into the office. And yes the change of scenery is a bonus! :)

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  8. I know what you mean about the Christmas shows. It’s too early for Christmas, but if they’re on, I’m going to watch them. I need the escape! I’m glad you got to see your sister. I hope you have a good November!

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

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    1. Yes! It's a bit early to go full-on Christmasy for me, too, but the escapism is much needed.

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  9. I have been back in the office for a while and it does make life feel more normal. I have a copy of The Two Lives of Lydia Byrd on my bookshelf - it sounds like I need to move it up on the tbr pile. I am glad you got the chance to catch up with your sister a bit. I hope you have a great November!

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    1. I hope you will move The Two Lives of Lydia Bird up your TBR, Carole! It was so good and I'd love to see your thoughts on it. :)

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  10. We're finally getting some cooler temps here as well, Tanya, and like you I'm so happy about it! Nice that you were able to catch up with your sister in person after months of not seeing each other. Texting isn't the same.

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    1. Nope, texting is great but definitely not the same as face to face. It was great to see her. We need to plan more driveway visits. LOL

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  11. You have me wanting to pick up Gypsy King soon. I have it on my kindle but haven't read it yet. So glad you got to see your sister face to face!!

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    1. I hope you'll love it if/when you decide to pick it up, Alison!

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  12. Yay for more Fall-ish weather. I'm glad you were able to see your sister and get caught up a bit! That had to have been nice. It's just not the same talking on the phone or texting.

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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    1. So true, Lauren. Texting is great but I sure missed seeing her face. :)

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  13. You had such a wonderful reading month! And yay for being able to see your sister! We just got a half a foot of snow last week so we kinda skipped fall and went straight to winter. Par for the course I guess for this year....
    Jen @ Star-Crossed Book Blog

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    1. Half a foot of snow?! Wow! But you're right... why expect any different from 2020 at this point!

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