October was a month full of historical fiction. I didn’t plan it that way, but looking back that’s mostly what I read. It was a good month for books with four that I loved and one that was good and maybe would have been rated higher if it wasn’t overshadowed by the other four.
A Well Behaved Woman: A Novel of the Vanderbilts by Therese Anne Fowler
Therese also wrote Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald which I loved. I was excited when I saw another book by her and added it to the top of my list A Well Behaved Woman did not disappoint! The book is mostly about Alva Vanderbilt who married William K Vanderbilt to save her sisters from starving or having to go to work. It is a well written book that kept me turning the pages. It reminded me a bit of Gossip Girl set in the 1800’s.
The Lost Carousel of Provence by Juliet Blackwell
I’m not always a fan of books that jump back and forth in history. I find it easy to get lost in the two time periods, but Juliet Blackwell did a great job of keeping them separate and interesting. I loved the idea of a book centered around the carousels in Paris and one particular carousel in rural France. I really liked both women that the story jumps between and wasn’t sure how it was going to end until the last few chapters.
City of Secrets (Counterfeit Lady #2) by Victoria Thompson
I liked the first book in this series and was excited to read the next one. These books are clean mysteries minus grisly murders or nightmares. Sometimes I just need a good old fashioned who done it that doesn’t keep me up at night. I highly recommend reading the first book in the series or you will be a little lost in this book.
Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone by Brene Brown
There were so many moments in this book that I literally said, “Wow” out loud. It brought me many epiphanies and moments that made me really think about our current cultural climate. I’ve loved Brene Brown for years and have read a couple of her other books and of course listened to her top rated Ted Talk. She never disappoints.
The Rules of Magic (Practical Magic #1) by Alice Hoffman
I’ve loved the Practical Magic movie for years. It’s on repeat for the month of October as part of my Halloween movie list, so I was super excited when Alice Hoffman wrote a prequel. It is so good! I truly hope there is a movie made of this book too. It is uplifting and heartbreaking all wrapped together. I loved learning the Owens sisters back story. My great grandma’s last name was Owens, so I always wonder if a bit of family history could be wrapped into these stories.
You can always find my reviews and TBR list on Goodreads.
