August through December Reads 2023

So, I've been a bit busy. I started consulting work in March, and let me tell you I've never had less time for myself than any other time that I can remember. I'm so behind in basically every facet of life as I've been consumed with work for the most part of 2023. I'm not one for major New Year's Resolutions, but 2024 goals are for sure to get back here and keep up with it! I still have a few trips to catch you up to from 2023 before I even start talking about 2024! But for now, here's the wrap up of the last five months of reading in 2023. Way less reading than usual because, work. I'm going to list them in order from favorites to least favorites...here we go!

Five Stars

Iron Flame (Yarros)

I didn't want to read this book, like AT ALL. Fantasy and dragons? Nope. Well, my book club read it (shout out to Broad Talk Book Club) and loved it. I still didn't want to read it, but felt like I had to so I could see what the fuss was about. Well, lo and behold it shows up on my doorstep one day courtesy of my friend Erin Conlon (thank you, Erin!) - and if it weren't for that I probably wouldn't have read it. I read it and did so in record time. I devoured this book.

Yes, it's a fantasy. It's centered on a 'military college' but the fighters in this college ride...dragons. But it has adventure, deception, friendship, love, lust...it's gooood. It's so good that I ordered the next book in the series before I was halfway done with the first book.

Take My Hand (Perkins-Valdez)

Take My Hand was our book club pick for the end of 2023. It is inspired by the real events where women of color and poor women were forcibly sterilized via government programs without their agreement or knowledge.

It follows a new graduate from nursing school as she uncovers what is happening and her relationship with two poor Black girls which were in her care at that time. The story spans decades, starting with her as a young nurse in as a flashback story as she journeys to see the girls, now women much later in life.

This story is so expertly told and you will absolutely feel like you know these characters and will leave you wanting to hear more.

Shark Heart (Habeck)

I ADORED Shark Heart, it's lovely and weird, and probably not for everyone but I implore you to give it a try and have an open mind.

Lewis and Wren embark on their first year of marriage and Lewis is hit with an unimaginable diagnosis...he will slowly turn into a great white shark. Throughout the transformation Wren loves his fiercely and does everything in her power to stay with him through the worst of it all and find a way to make things work for them, grieving, and finally letting go.

I know, it's a weird concept, but replace 'shark' with cancer, Alzheimer's, or Parkinson's and you'll have a better understanding of what Shark Heart is really about. It's really a beautiful book.

Four Stars

My Dark Vanessa (Russell)

TRIGGER WARNING - statutory rape, manipulation.

My Dark Vanessa is an account of past and present like of the main character, Vanessa Wye. In her teen years. Vanessa was manipulated into a relationship by one of her teachers (Jacob Strane) and that manipulation continues through adulthood. This book is going to give you the ick, but there's something about it that kept me turning the pages to see what was going to happen. There's a lot of explicit description in the book, so that trigger warning is real.

Misery (King)

Do I need to write a review of Misery? If you haven't read it you should because it's a classic. We've been reading King as our book club book for October for the past couple of years, and he doesn't disappoint. I read Misery for the first time probably thirty years ago - definitely in my teen years, I loved it just as much this time.

If you're not familiar with the plot, a famous author crashes his car in a snow storm and is found unconscious by his 'number one fan'. She keeps him captive as she 'nurses him back to health' (I use that phrase very loosely) and, well, it's a King book so you can imagine how that goes.

The Housemaid (McFadden)

The Housemaid has been on my list for awhile - I was seeing people mention it on TikTok constantly as they went through lists of their favorite mystery/thrillers. This is a good and twisty one if you're into that! Millie is hired by the Winchesters to be their live in maid - cook and clean, help take care of their young daughter. It seems like a perfect job for Millie...of course it's not going to be. Mrs. (Nina) Winchester is a manipulative monster, making giant messes just for Millie to have to clean up, making up issues just to mess with Millie. Millie doesn't understand how or why kind, handsome Andrew Winchester deals with his wife. And it's too late when Millie realizes her bedroom door locks from the outside...

Three Stars

The Covenant of Water (Verghese)

I probably would have rated COV higher but it was just so unnecessarily long. The novel is set in India and spans three generations and almost 80 years of a family. The family dynamic, the love, the troubles - all of it is interesting and a great base to the book. I honestly don't know where it went wrong for me. I don't have issues with long books, but something about this just seemed...redundant? I read this back in August and should have done a write up then since my thoughts would have been fresh. I'm not saying don't read it, it just wasn't great for me. However, it's got 4.5 starts in Goodreads, so I'm in the minority on this one.

The Connellys of County Down (Lange)

I enjoyed this book about a woman (Tara) newly released from prison re-integrating back into her life with her dysfunctional American-Irish family. She moves back in with her brother and sister, both of whom have their own issues. Her brother struggles with getting through life in general after a brain injury from years ago, and her sister, while seemingly 'in charge' is hiding a lot of issues from her family. Tara has to navigate the family and start a new life since she can no longer be a school art teacher due to her conviction - and it doesn't help that the cop that arrested her keeps popping up in her life and the police think she's back in league with her shady ex-boyfriend who got her put in prison to begin with.

Two Stars

When I'm Dead (Morrissey)

Not worth my time or yours.

Girl Forgotten (Slaughter)

Ditto.