October was a slow month of reading for me, comparatively speaking. Of course, one of the books I read was over 600 pages so that accounts for some of it. I blame the rest on an increased interest in knitting lately. In any event, it’s not a contest, I’m happy for all reading and knitting time, and here are the books I finished last month:
Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is a weird review to write because I enjoyed this book but also skimmed quite a bit because at times it just felt tedious. Still, it’s a fast paced story and easy read. I figured out some of the twists but not all and the ending shook me a bit and certainly gave me a lot to think about. In fact, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it and I don’t think I’ll ever look at the experience of deja vu the same!
Fairy Tale by Stephen King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoy today’s Stephen King. He’s still a master of horror but in a far more subtle way that I find engaging and fascinating. Fairy Tale feels like part Wizard of Oz, part Rumpelstiltskin, part Jack in the Beanstalk, all combined to create a creepy, magical, imaginary world. The hero is very much a typical teenage boy yet he rises to every challenge placed before him and becomes, quite literally, a prince of the people, seeking justice and a solution to the problems of the fantasy world he has entered. The book is long, incredibly well written, and utterly engrossing. Highly recommended.
The Midcoast by Adam White
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
What would you do if you saw someone living far above where you expected? Would you wonder (and then investigate) how they made their fortune? That’s the story behind The Midcoast, a novel about Damariscotta, Maine, and the native son who returns there to raise his family only to find that the uneducated lobsterman he knew years ago is now the richest guy in town and his teenage bride is now the mayor. There’s a dark underside to all of us and The Midcoast does an excellent job of exploring it.
Hallowed Out by Barbara Ross
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Really more of a short story, Hallowed Out is another installment in this cozy mystery series about a little town (Bar Harbor, I think) on the coast of Maine. With none of the details and side stories of a typical book in this series, this one gets right to the point and wastes no time in reaching a satisfying conclusion. Recommended for fans of the series.
And that’s a wrap on October’s reading.
Thank you for those reviews! I hope to pickup Fairy Tale at some point, but whoa, so many doorstop books are coming out lately!
I have seen so many great reviews on Fairy Tale, I think I need to put that on the list to read and soon!
Tom read Fairy Tale . . . I haven’t yet, but do plan to. I’m reading another door-stop book right now — The Love Songs of W.E.B. DuBois — which is great. But at 800 pages, it’s A Commitment. XO
I have been reading a lot, but all of them are unfinished as yet. I hate that I cannot find a book that really engages me, but I try to remember that the pursuit of literature is part of the fun. I have about 20 books on hold at my local library, but nothing coming to me soon. 🙁 Please continue with reviews, Carole, I appreciate them so much.
Have you read Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate? The follow-up book Before and After is very interesting. At the moment our book club is reading Facing the Mountain by Dan Brown and is very thought provoking.
I listened to Fairy Tale and it is probably the best audiobook I’ve ever listened to.
The Midcoast sounds right up my alley! I just put a hold on it; it will be about 14 weeks before I get it. And then I’ll wonder, “who recommended that to me?” Thanks in advance!
I just finished Fairy Tale. I liked it, but it took me a while to really get into it. I loved Billy Summers, and it took me a while to get into that one, too. But I loved it so much more…
I felt the same way about WPWT and loved Fairy Tale, but I think I might give The Midcoast a pass. Thanks for the reviews!
I think I really need to give Stephen King a try. Everyone I know who has read Fairy Tale has really enjoyed it, but I’ve never read his books because horror isn’t my thing. But Shawshank Redemption is one of my favorite movies, and I know he’s written non-horror.