November reads

This month’s post is dedicated to DF, who is not a warrior as they are not losing – we just haven’t found the right medicine to save you in time. Readers, if you want to support a cancer survivor, please donate and keep the research coming. DF – I love you, I’m with you and you are one of my inspirations to keep going (but I will never agree with your clashy-bangy music choices).

Winter is coming, the nights are drawing in and it’s now far too expensive to put the heating on so it’s been a month of gigantic comfy clothes, Mum’s lovely home-knitted socks, copious amounts of tea and self-care reading choices. This month started out quite frustratingly with several books that are now started but not finished but I eventually settled into the comforting genre of thrillers.

I’m not sure what it is about thrillers that I love so much: whether it’s guessing how predictable and in-the-lines the narrative will follow the well-established rules of the genre, the fun of working out the whodunnit or just the pleasure of losing yourself in a sea of suspended disbelief. In any case, my reading choices this month have been a mixed bag but a fun thriller-filled one nonetheless!

Learning to love reading again was definitely my goal for this project, and actually doing more of what I love is next on my recovery list.  I am crocheting again, having taken a long hiatus due to soreness from cancer treatment and general lack of self belief and going out more, enjoying coffee, shopping and days out with friends (although a day in solitude with doggo walks, beach and good coffee is absolutely still a win for me).

This month’s books:

The Hunting Party – Lucy Foley

So after reading The Paris Apartment last month [October Reads], I could not wait to read another Lucy Foley book. This thriller is set in the Highlands where a group of couples, each individual highly unlikeable, find themselves in the middle of a murder scene.

This book sadly did not live up to the standard set by The Paris Apartment for me.  I found the plot really slow and by the end I actually was not invested in who had been murdered or the big whodunnit.  Unfortunately this means The Hunting Party receives the November Literary Raspberry from me.

I Found You – Lisa Jewell

A woman finds a homeless man washed up on a beach and decides to take him in as a lodger while he recovers his memory.

I’ve come to find comfort in a Lisa Jewell novel – this is my fifth one since my first read of hers back in July Reads and it did not disappoint. I loved the development of the characters and just as I though the narrative was horribly predictable there was the inevitable twist that turned the whole book on its head. Loved it.

The Bullet that Missed – Richard Osman

I held out for as absolutely long as I could to read this as I just knew it would serve well as a tonic for the inevitable slump that comes with long, dark days. This was so, so good. It’s the third in the Thursday Murder Club series and honestly my favourite one yet. I laughed, I cried and I shouted OOH. Read this.

The Couple at No. 9 – Claire Douglas

A granddaughter and her partner move into a wee cottage owned by her granny. When doing renovations, two bodies are found in the garden from a time when her gran lived there. Her granny is suffering from Dementia so it is up to Saffy to uncover the secrets buried there.

This was a really good book. It has a good mystery, great twists and fantastic character development. I have bought Claire Douglas’ newest novel which will likely be read very soon!

And Then There Were None – Agatha Christie

Ten people are separately invited to an island a mile from the coast, are each accused of a heinous crime then are killed off one by one. I didn’t even need to cite the author here, right?!

Ahh, good old Agatha.  Just as you think you have the mystery all worked out, BOOM comes the bit you overlooked/discounted. I read this in a day.

AND – because I am late with this month’s blog anyway and this book was SO STUPENDOUSLY GOOD I can’t wait until next month to talk about it –

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo – Taylor Jenkins Reid

This book gave me serious Sunset Boulevard vibes to begin with – there’s the 50s movie star, the mystery and the journalist. Actually, that’s where the similarities end. I cried and cried after reading this, partly because I was sad but mainly as it’s just been so long since I read something so good. Everyone, read this now! My book of 2022 so far.

That’s all from me! Happy reading, and thanks for sticking with me. ❤