October Books – What I read

This post “October Books” contains affiliate links.

I felt like October was a slow reading month but I am mistaken. Overall I finished 8 books and also completing my Goodreads challenge. That is definitely nice. And then I also managed to have a few 4* books. As you know they don’t happen to often as I am so very critical (unfortunately). Reading is just my favorite hobby as of now. I really don’t know how I have lost it during a phase in life. Anyways my October Books – What I Read: Let’s go:

The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolos | ★★★★☆

What it is about: Every love story has a beginning… Lucy and Gabe meet in New York on a day that will change their lives – and the world – forever. As the city burns behind them, they kiss for the very first time.
What I thought: When it started out I was a bit bored by the seemingly cliché teenage love. It took me a while to get into the book. But when it picked up I was enjoying it. I liked the mature love story with its ups and downs, fun and peaceful moments but also the doubt, the loneliness and the annoyance. I personally loved the book the most because of the end. I didn’t really expect it. I believe any other end would have a much lower star rating.

But best of all with this book was: It was a book club pick. And Tina and Kati dared to ask if Jill Santoplos would join us in our zoom meeting. And she did! For a whole hour Jill spend time with us, discussed and shared how the book came to be, how she writes her novels, how strict she is in her routine. We had some laughs, she shared the different covers of the books she had collected and we all enjoyed the company. It was a really great experience and I am very thankful.

Original Language and Title: English hardcover, paperback, eBook
Publications: German title “Was bleibt, sind wir” paperback, eBook and over 30 more translations
Recommend to: Everyone loving a good love story that isn’t flat and very real and mature.

The Broken Circle: A memoire of escaping Afghanistan by Enjeela Ahmadi-Miller & John DeSimon | ★★★★☆

What it is about: An emotional and sweeping memoir of love and survival—and of a committed and desperate family uprooted and divided by the violent, changing landscape of Afghanistan in the early 1980s.
What I thought: With everything going ons in Afghanistan I wanted to educate myself a bit more. I enjoyed reading it. It had a nice flow, sometimes a bit poetic and I found it described the life pretty well. However I wondered throughout the book why money never runs out, that small children can really survive that long on their own. And it sometimes felt like the really big struggles, dangers and heartaches were left out. I am not sure how much of a memoire it is. Maybe it is a good story with a lot of autobiography induced.
Original Language and Title: Englisch: hardcover, paperback, eBook
Publications: currently only available in English as it seems
Recommend to: Everyone loving a peak into a different lifestyle induced with historic events.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart | ★★★★☆

What it is about: A group of friends calls “The Liars” meets every summer on the family’s private island. Each family having their own house. Until one summer it all changes.
What I thought: I enjoyed this book. It was a good read, it kept me engaged and I wanted to know about the secret. In the middle of the book I had a feeling what might it be but I still found the end really good and I didn’t guess all of it. The characters were interesting. Some likable, some annoying other really awful. Overall a good read.
Original Language and Title: English: hardcover, paperback, eBook
Publications: German title “Solange wir lügen” hardcover, eBook
Recommend to: Liking a suspense mystery without much blood, stories set on islands. Good beach read.

Murderous Morning by Bernadette Calonego | ★★★★☆

What it is about: A remote farm in Canada’s wilderness. A man’s lifeless body in the grass. The rooms in the farm house splattered with blood. Three children, brutally murdered. No trace of their mother.
What I thought: As you may know by now I enjoy Bernadettes novels. They always deliver without scaring me. Some twist and turns, beautiful Canadian wilderness and interesting characters. My favorite of hers is still Stormy Cove though.
Original Language and Title: German “Mörderischer Morgen” paperback, eBook
Publications: English title “Murderous Morning” paperback, eBook
Recommend to: Everyone loving a good suspense story and has a thing for the rough outdoors and the people living inn it.

Confidence: How to Overcome Your Limiting Believes by Martin Meadows | ★★★⭑☆

What it is about: Unsure of Yourself? Learn How to Develop More Confidence in Your Abilities and Achieve Your Goals. Most of us have no problems identifying goals we want to accomplish. It’s putting these plans into action that is difficult.
What I thought: I find the title misleading. It isn’t so much about confidence but rather about self efficiency. While the book mentions a few interesting facts and gives guidance it is a rather short book. More a summery or a quick overview to get started with the topic.
Original Language and Title: hardcover, eBook
Publications: could’t find the German translation but his books are also available in many other languages
Recommend to: Getting started with personal development or needing a boost to things you already know and need to implement back into life.

Zikora by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie | ★★⭑☆☆

What it is about: Zikora, a lawyer from Nigera is about to give birth. The baby father has abandoned her and she relies on her mother for help now. But she is catapulted back to childhood feeling inadequate and small.
What I thought: This book was not for me but due to the strong topic of birth and motherhood. things I really don’t care much about or can identify with. However I enjoyed the writing style and also the glimpse into a different culture. I will definitely read something else of Adichie. I think this was just the wrong pick for me.
Original Language and Title: eBook
Publications: this short story seems to be only available in English
Recommend to: Everyone loving a good, deep and thoughtful short story and like glimpses in different cultures and the struggle to become a mother.

Der Junge, der auf einem Esel ritt by Nestor T. Kolee | ★★⭑☆☆

What it is about: What is the meaning of life? What happened to your dreams? Do you always need a plan for life or does life have its own plan that you can follow? These are the questions Tom encounters on the journey into his inner self.
What I thought: I am torn. The book had some good moments. But on the other hand it was very mellow. Like many others this reminded me a lot of the alchemist – being light years aways from the brilliance though. I didn’t enjoy the constant repetitions. Not only in sentences and describing the events but also the events and milestones. It was all.the.same.and.then.again. But I think my biggest struggle is, that I don’t totally agree on what is said and the conclusions. “Whoever starts a dream must also finish it. Those who cannot do that will inevitably fail.” I can not get behind it. Some dreams are dreams for a moment and you need to allow yourself to say good bye and follow a different one.
Original Language and Title: paperback, eBook
Publications: paperback, eBook and few more translations
Recommend to: If you enjoy spiritual books, the journey of personal development and have not read “The Alchemist“.

Schaumschwimmer by Andreas H. Drescher | ★⭑☆☆☆

What it is about: The book tells the story of Greta Grün, mirrored in the experience of her grandson Michael Velten. Greta, born in 1910 as the daughter of a coachman, lost her husband Albert only the day before in April 1990, when her life story, held back for years, bursts out of her so urgently that Michael finally begins to worry.
What I thought: Thank goodness I am done. Sorry but this really was not a fun reading experience. It sounded promising but it is (almost) unreadable. If the author wanted to describe the way the brain sums from one thought to next and the storytelling of a dement old lady he did a brilliant job. Unfortunately my mind wandered, read the words and I had no clue what was talked about. It was all over the place and nowhere. The entire story is completely trivial and boring.
Original Language and Title: hardcover
Publications: no translations available
Recommend to: I am not sure I want to recommend this book…
This book was send to me by the publisher my opinion is formed one my own.

So much for my October books. In November I think I read one about death and then I dive into fun wintery fantasies I have been saving up for this season. I am hoping they can deliver after such a high build up. Maybe I sneak in another suspense novel. We’ll see. As always way more books to read then time available.

Happy reading

Tobia