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November Wrap Up

 The Bodyguard - Katherine Center

I don’t read many RomCom’s but give me a Katherine Center book and I’ll dive in.  Characters and situations are believable, good writing and just a fun read.  


Harry’s Trees - Jon Cohen

This was a re-read for book club.  I first read it almost 5 years ago and I loved it.  As a second time through, I still like it but it lost a little something.  My advice, go in blind.  


Saving Emma - Allen Eskens

Allen Eskens is another author that I enjoy his stories.  This is not my favorite of his, but it is still a good one.  I don’t think the cover reflects the story, but that’s a small complaint.  


What Have We Done - Alex Finlay

The characters and the plot in this story are well developed.  The action is at a good pace and the writing is descriptive.   I haven’t read Alex Findlay before but will be adding some of his books to my Mount TBR. 


Happiness Falls - Angie Kim

I had heard a lot about this book and was looking forward to reading it.  The first line is a great opening line.  The problem with that though is it made me think the story’s main plot line was about one thing, when it really was about another.  This is a family drama more than a mystery.  A decent book that I would have enjoyed more of if I had known that. 


Birnam Wood - Eleanor Catton

I never really got into this book.  It was a s l o w read.  None of the characters have any redemptive qualities.  I am not a big Shakespeare fan and that may have made a difference.  If you are then you may love this. 


Deep Trouble - Nancy Dane

I won this book through Goodreads.  It caught my eye because of it being a story set in Arkansas.  The story of the coal mine and the prisoners was interesting, however the main story is more of a romance.  The writing style was a drawback to me.  There were several parts that were just short statements with no descriptives.  They seemed more like author notes to themselves than the actual manuscript.  Not a bad book but just not for me. 


The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle - Stuart Turton

This is an interesting concept for a story, but the execution left something to be desired. I was really confused at the first of the books, which I think was the authors desire.  It didn’t get better, then worse, then better but by then I didn’t care.  At the end I still had some confusion and felt as if there were plot holes.  This is a backlisted book that has over 47,000 Goodreads reviews, majority rated higher than me so it may be a book you’d love.  But another one that’s not for me. 


The Collected Regrets of Clover - Mikki Brammer

This is another book that I had heard a lot about, but this one didn’t disappoint.  The main protagonist is a death doula which makes it sound like it would be a depressing book.  Instead it is a book about life and living it.  This book had me hooked when I read the last line of the first chapter.  I knew then it was going to be a good one. One of my favorites this month. 


The Lost Man - Jane Harper

I’m late to the Jane Harper fan club but I am now a member.  She is a great storyteller and I’m here for it.  This is another one that follows her style of what I call a slow burn.  I was drawn in and wanted to know more about the Bright Family and what type of people they truly are.  Her style - not her stories, but her style- reminds me of William Kent Krueger so if you like his style, check a Jane Harper book out.  Another favorite of the month. 

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