Hey everyone! Happy Sunday – hope you all had a wonderful weekend! We’ve been enjoying some much-needed low-key weekends after a few whirlwind months, and it’s been such a nice break before the holiday rush kicks in.
It’s wild to think there are only two months left in 2024! That also means we’re about to have a two-year-old! I can hardly believe how much Ava has grown – she’s not my tiny baby anymore. I’m sure a lot of parents get it; watching your kids grow and learn is so rewarding but bittersweet too. I’m grateful we still have some time before she’s a sassy teen!
Between busy weekends and the fact that we are now keeping up with both basketball and football, my October reading took a bit of a backseat. I try to aim to get through at least four books each month, but I only managed three this time. That said, all three were fantastic reads that I highly recommend!
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
First Lie Wins ended up being my least favorite read of the month, but it was still a fantastic book! The premise was so unique—unlike anything I’ve read before. The main character, Evie, works undercover, constantly changing her name and identity for a mysterious boss to earn her paycheck. The story follows her as she takes on different jobs for him, and the ending took me completely by surprise!
Long Time Gone by Charlie Donlea
Long Time Gone will likely end up as one of my favorite reads of the year! I might be a bit biased because one of the main themes involves the main character being adopted (revealed early on), which deeply influences the story’s twists and turns. The ending is incredibly suspenseful and will keep you on the edge of your seat. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I’ll leave it at that—but I can’t recommend this one enough!
Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell
I might be in the minority with my five-star rating for this one, but I genuinely loved it! While some reviews mentioned that the plot was predictable, I didn’t see it that way at all. Sure, a few things were foreseeable, but there were plenty of surprises I didn’t see coming. The ending is both heartbreaking and incredibly heartwarming, making for a perfect emotional balance. I definitely recommend giving this one a read!
While October was a lower volume of reading for me, it was full of quality reads and you truly cannot go wrong with any of these books. I’m hoping to get some good ones in for November!
As always, let me know if you decide to read any of these and what your thoughts are, and let me know if you have any recommendations from what you’ve been reading lately.
Stay hungry my friends!
