October Wrap-Up

Happy November everyone!

This was probably my craziest month so far this year. I spent a little time being sick and work was crazier than ever, so I really didn’t get to read that much. But hopefully November will be a better month! Also, what I did manage to read, I really enjoyed. So at least there’s that!

Without further ado, here is my wrap-up of all the books I read in October:

To learn more about a book, click on the photo to find the Goodreads synopsis.

Stats and Overall Thoughts:

Books read: 3
Physical books: 0
(Books that I physically own: 0)
Audiobooks: 3

Fiction: 3
(Historical fiction: 0)
Nonfiction: 0

Average monthly rating: 5.0
Top Book of October: The Road Trip

*To learn more about a book, click on the photo to find the Goodreads synopsis.

5-star books:

• The Road Trip by Beth O’Leary (Romance, Audiobook)
  • I enjoyed this one so much more than I thought I would! Although I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, considering when I read The Flatshare by the same author, I was also pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it! I think I may have enjoyed this one even more, though. I wanted something light and cute since I’ve been so busy with work lately, and it definitely delivered! However, there was also a lot more depth and substance to it than I anticipated. The characters were all fully developed and actually seemed like real people. I also appreciated the way the romance/relationship was portrayed because it felt realistic and imperfect, and the conflict wasn’t something that could be solved with one simple conversation (something that really irritates me in romance books as well as other genres). 5 stars seems like a high rating for something I initially thought would just be light and fluffy, but I honestly can’t think of anything I didn’t like about it! Definitely look up the trigger warnings first, but otherwise I would highly recommend this book!

• Normal People by Sally Rooney (Realistic Fiction, Audiobook)
  • I had heard mixed things about this one, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this one as well. It’s definitely character-driven rather than plot-driven, so if that’s not something you enjoy then this won’t be the best book for you. However, I really enjoy character-driven stories, so I loved seeing how the main characters and their relationship changed over time, as well as what stayed consistent. It felt raw and realistic, and I really liked how the characters seemed like they could actually be real people. Another aspect of this that could be polarizing is that it has a very open ending. I think it makes sense considering it’s meant to portray normal people in normal life, and normal life doesn’t really have a neat ending point unless you’re writing about someone’s entire life. Based on the rest of the story, you can definitely imagine what would happen next for the characters without needing the author to spell it out for you. I liked that I knew the characters well enough after reading it that I was able to imagine their futures for myself. In the end, it’s definitely not a book that would work for everyone, but I really enjoyed it!

• Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery (Literary Classic, Audiobook)
  • This is definitely a classic for a reason! I loved reading about the ever-optimistic and imaginative Anne and how she changed the people around her for the better. Seeing how her adoptive parents came to embrace her and love her over time even though she wasn’t what they expected was really heartwarming. It reminded me a lot of A Little Princess and The Secret Garden because of how well it captured the spirit and imagination of a child. I also liked how Anne wasn’t perfect and she made lots of mistakes, but the adults around her also made mistakes and everyone learned a lesson. Overall, it was a book that I looked forward to listening to every day because it’s just a joyful story!

How did your reading go in October? Any stand-out books to recommend?

Let me know in the comments! And thanks for reading (my blog, but also just in general)!