For the Love of Reading: October 2024

It’s practically mid month and we are well past the point of talking about my October reading so let’s get to it.

September: a twentieth century classic from the beloved author of The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
All bedrooms were occupied, attics turned into temporary accommodation for gangs of grandchildren, and sparse bathrooms worked overtime. Huge quantities of food were produced, cooked, and eaten every day at dining-room tables elongated by extra leaves. And then, September.
I love a good family saga, and when you take that family and put them in Scotland, I’m going to love it even more. The setting – the Scottish highlands, the characters – real and flawed and funny and interesting, the plots – let’s plan a gigantic September party, and subplots – romance and boarding school and family drama, are all classic Rosamunde Pilcher and every bit of it is entertaining and lovely.

Colored Television by Danzy Senna
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
What is an author to do when her first book is such a raging success that anything that follows is surely not going to be as good? In the case of our main character, Jane, the answer appears to be writing for television. And in doing so betraying her best friend, her husband, and her own ideals. I found myself increasingly uncomfortable and anxious about the decisions Jane was making and the things she was doing and I think that’s exactly the point of this dark comedy. All of this to say that I appreciated the writing as fine contemporary fiction but I struggled with liking any of the characters and connecting with the story.

The Wedding People by Alison Espach
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
She is so good at predicting what will happen in books, so bad at predicting what will happen in life. That is why she has always preferred books—because to be alive is much harder.
This is an unexpectedly charming and satisfying story of a woman who sets out to do something drastic and winds up changing her entire world and outlook on life instead. It’s got a fun cast of characters, a great setting (who doesn’t love a wedding at a fancy place in Newport RI?), and a story that’s predictable but never boring. Definitely recommended.

The Rich People Have Gone Away by Regina Porter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A multi layered book that can be categorized in many ways: mystery, literary fiction, pandemic novel, contemporary fiction, this book has plenty of entry points for a reader. I was caught up in the main storyline, and enjoyed the backstory of one of the other characters, but also felt that some of the other storylines and characters were superfluous and served as a distraction rather than adding to the book over all. There is a plot twist I didn’t see coming (and this isn’t the sort of book where you’d really expect a plot twist) and (in the words of a good friend) it’s a story about the people you leave behind and who gets to do that and at what price. Recommended for contemporary fiction readers.

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Totally engaging from the onset, this literary thriller is worth your time. The camp setting is reminiscent of my own days at camp and Moore captures the drama of it all perfectly. The teenage angst, the tentative experimentation with boys, the sneaking out of the cabin all work to enhance the main storyline of a camper gone missing. Moore hands out the back story like little treats, showing us characters we love, we hate, we disdain and we pity, pushing us along until all is revealed in a dramatic conclusion. Highly recommended.

Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The novel begins with the brutal assault of a young Mexican-American girl and that becomes the catalyst for exploring the lives of several women in the tough and unforgiving landscape of Texas oil fields in the 1970s. The book is written from multiple points of view, each chapter presenting a different woman’s experience and perspective. The writing is spare and direct, and each character has a unique voice and personality, allowing us to see how they process the events and burdens they carry. Valentine explores themes of violence, racism, and sexism, paired with women’s resilience in the face of adversity and the sense of solidarity and tension among women who feel trapped by their circumstances. It’s an emotionally challenging read but also rewarding for it’s depictions of survival, loyalty, and the cost of justice. Highly recommended.

I’m not sure I’ve ever had a month with so many 4 star reviews. And when I tell you I thought about downgrading Valentine to 4 stars instead of 5 so that they would all match I’m not joking! Seriously, though, it was a good month with some challenging and thought provoking reading and I can’t be anything but happy about that.

I hope you’re reading something great right now!