Reading Wrap Up II October 2018

Check out my reading wrap up for the month of October! I read a total of six books, which honestly - yes, any amount of books is great - but that aside, for some reason I had built this month up in my mind as one where I would have more books read - why? I have no idea. There is only one extra day, Katie, why did you think you would manage to fit in three more books this month- because you didn't! Anyway! While all of the books weren't winners, the ones that were great, were extra great. Check out the video up above and let me know the best (or worst) books you read in October! 

A Heart in a Body in the World by Deb Caletti - Book Review

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This book absolutely blew me away and I just can't help but to gush about it! "A Heart in a Body in the World" follows a main character named Annabelle, and at the start of the novel, Annabelle decides that she wants to run across the United States, something many people have done to draw attention their cause. At the start of the book, you aren't quite sure what happened to Annabelle, but one of the wonderful things about this novel, is the way the author, Deb Caletti, reveals this to the reader through PTSD episodes that are seemlessly woven into the narrative that felt incredibly natural to the plot and the experience of PTSD. And so Annabelle runs with the help of her family and friends, as well the people who she meets while she is running. Long story short, I love this book. There are so many amazing quotes in this novel and so many nuggets of wisdom about hypocrisy and the terrible lessons that we can be taught as young women. I did struggle a bit with this book plot wise, but I gave this book four stars and strongly recommend it. Have you read "A Heart in a Body in the World"? Comment down below and let me know what you thought of this book!

The Line That Held Us by David Joy - Book Review

The Line That Held Us

by David Joy

amazon // goodreads // library 

When Darl Moody went hunting after a monster buck he’s chased for years, he never expected he’d accidentally shoot a man digging ginseng. Worse yet, he’s killed a Brewer, a family notorious for vengeance and violence. With nowhere to turn, Darl calls on the help of the only man he knows will answer, his best friend, Calvin Hooper. But when Dwayne Brewer comes looking for his missing brother and stumbles onto a blood trail leading straight back to Darl and Calvin, a nightmare of revenge rips apart their world. The Line That Held Us is a story of friendship and family, a tale balanced between destruction and redemption where the only hope is to hold on tight, clenching to those you love. What will you do for the people who mean the most, and what will you grasp to when all that you have is gone? The only certainty in a place so shredded is that no one will get away unscathed ( from goodreads.com).

Book Review and Discussion of
"The Line That Held Us" by David Joy

"The Line That Held Us" by David Joy follows a man named Daryl - he needs food and so one day he decides to go hunting on another man's property. Shooting in the dark, he believes he has shot a pig, but is shocked to find instead that he killed another man. To make matters worse, the man that Daryl killed is a member of the Brewer family, and when his brother Dwayne find out - things to dark... very, very dark. Daryl desperately tries to cover up the crime, calling his best friend Calvin to help him to bury the body - my blood pressure is rising just thinking about this book! It was such an intense and quick read! I gave this book four stars, I loved the suspense in this book. The author told a story that was not just gripping, but also held some really important moral questions for the reader - what are you truly willing to do for another person, what lines do you hold? This book is a gritty page turner and perfect for this time of year. 

Have you read "The Line That Held Us"? Comment down below and let me know what you thought of it! If not, tell me your favorite thriller set in the woods. Thanks for reading, readers!

A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult - Book Review

"A Spark of Light" by Jodi Picoult has a very unique set up - the story is told in reverse order, starting with the "ending" and then filling us in on how the characters got there.  The setting is called "The Center" and it is the single women's clinic in the state of Mississippi that provides women with abortions. A gunman takes over this women's center, holding individuals hostage. The story is told from several perspectives, but the most highlighted it feels like is the hostage negotiator and his daughter, who is inside The Center as a hostage. This book felt like a very special episode of Grey's Anatomy, it's sweeps, they need to get the ratings up, and an original cast member is leaving, levels of drama. There are parts of "Spark of Light" that I really enjoyed, but it was impossible to ignore these twists ( even more than the one mentioned) that just felt incredibly unnecessary. Also, Jodi Picoult took a very didactic approach with this book, it's informative and interesting, but it also completely pulled me out of the narrative and because of these two issues I gave this book three stars. Have you read "A Spark of Light"? Let me know what you think of this book below in the comments!

Did You Ever Have A Family by Bill Clegg - Book Review

There are books and plots that are easy to explain, and then there's this book! "Did You Ever Have A Family" by Bill Clegg is told from half a dozen different perspectives, all of whom are involved in a tragedy that happened - a home explodes the night before a wedding, and in the home are the bride, and the groom, as well as the boyfriend of the mother of the bride. The perspective changes each chapter but they all come together to explore grief and blame and healing. One thing about this book is that it demands your full attention, there is no reading this with one eye on the other eye on the book and the other eye on your phone or a television screen. The writing in the book is beautiful and haunting and there are parts of this book that will cause me anxiety for years to come. I generally don't enjoy books with a bunch of different narrators, I think it gives it a very disjointed feel and that's definitely the case in this book, so for that reason I wouldn't recommend it. Have you read "Did You Ever Have A Family" by Bill Clegg? If so, comment down below and let me know what you thought of this book! If not, drop a recommendation below for a book with multiple narrators that you enjoyed!

The Rosie Project by Graeme Samisen - Book Review

"The Rosie Project" by Graeme Samisen follows main character Don, he is an autistic scientist starting something that calls "The Wife Project". Which is basically a questionnaire he has created, that if he can get any women to take, he is hoping, he will find his perfect match. Rosie is introduced to Don, and while she in absolutely no way passes this test, Don finds that having Rosie in his life is incredibly enriching. This was a five star book prediction for me, I really thought that I was going to enjoy it, and instead it was two stars, and that's okay. But this book wasn't just disappointing, it made me angry. "The Rosie Project" takes this laugh track approach to autism, that with this particular storyline felt especially cheap and especially frustrating. Have you read "the Rosie Project"? Comment below and let me know your thoughts on this book!

I'll Be Gone In The Dark by Michelle McNamara - Book Review

Wanna have nightmares and possible never feel safe in your own home ever again? " I'll Be Gone in the Dark" was a huge summer hit, which rarely happens, but once I read it - totally got why. It explores the crime sprees committed by the Golden State Killer. A man who thankfully, since the book was published, has been caught. But in the 1970's and 80's when he was active there were many families in the Sacramento Valley who were double checking their door locks and sleeping with the lights on. His crimes were notoriously brutal and he typically attacked couples who were in bed together. And the book is filled with facts from these crimes, but it is also a very personal story. It's about the victims of the crimes, it's about the investigative teams who have been obsessively trying to solve it from decades, and it is also about people like the author, off the clock sleuths who scour the internet late at night desperately trying to solve this crime. It's terrifying, and fascinating, and also inspiring. Have you read I'll Be Gone in the Dark? Let me know what you thought of it below! 

8 Thrilling Reads to Checkout in October

It's the time of the year, we all want a little spooky in our life. And there are a ton of spooky books out there. But I don't just want something scary, or potentially claiming to be scary, but not really at all scary and just a total let down. This is also the time of year for a good psychological thriller. So I have new book category, unsettling. Whether the reads are scary or twisty, that leave your stomach in knots. I have 8, yes it's awkward (BUT I didn't want to force the list to ten and books that I didn't feel strongly about) books that I recommend this time of year if you're looking for something a little unsettling. I have some backlist suggestions, newer thrillers, as well as some books that will stick with you for more than just the scares! Keep reading or watch the video above for the list!

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer - Book Review

I really enjoyed "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer - explores the life and death of a man named Christohper McCandless. A young man who in 1992 gave away all of his money, abandoned his car, changed his name to Alexander Supertramp, and ventured out into the Alaskan wilderness.  His body was found four months later in a bus he had taken shelter in,  and with his body they found an assortment of journals that gave some perspective on how Christopher came to be where he was found. I was familiar with the story before starting the book, but I had also made a lot of assumptions about Christopher that I shouldn't have. This was incredibly thought provoking because it's entire point it seemed was to challenge those assumptions that you might make about someone like Christopher. Krakauer did an amazing job mixing other related stories, with Christopher's story, including Krakauer's own adventures to really give perspective to Christophers decisions. Have you read "Into the Wild"? I'd love to chat with you about this book! Comment down below and share your thoughts on this book!