After taking a few weeks off of blogging to finish the semester, I am happy to be back! Today I am sharing what books I read in November even though I am a few weeks late. I am so happy that I was able to continue to find time to read throughout this semester, and I am hoping to keep it up during spring semester as well!
Once and For All- Sarah Dessen
“Is it really better to have loved and lost? Louna’s summer job is to help brides plan their perfect day, even though she stopped believing in happily-ever-after when her first love ended tragically. But charming girl-magnet Ambrose isn’t about to be discouraged now that he’s met the one he really wants. Maybe Louna’s second chance is standing right in front of her.”
Of course I had to read Sarah Dessen’s most recent book! I felt that Louna was very likable, which made this book better for me. I also loved the wedding planning aspect of it. This book also jumps back and forth between the present and the story of Louna’s first love. I’ve said it before, but I tend to like books that have multiple perspectives like this! Overall, this was one of my favorite Sarah Dessen books and it would make a great beach read if you are traveling to somewhere warm for Christmas!
That Night- Chevy Stevens
“As a teenager, Toni Murphy had a life full of typical adolescent complications: a boyfriend she adored, a younger sister she couldn’t relate to, a strained relationship with her parents, and classmates who seemed hell-bent on making her life miserable. Things weren’t easy, but Toni could never have predicted how horrific they would become until her younger sister was brutally murdered one summer night.
Toni and her boyfriend, Ryan, were convicted of the murder and sent to prison.
Now thirty-four, Toni, is out on parole and back in her hometown, struggling to adjust to a new life on the outside. Prison changed her, hardened her, and she’s doing everything in her power to avoid violating her parole and going back. This means having absolutely no contact with Ryan, avoiding fellow parolees looking to pick fights, and steering clear of trouble in all its forms. But nothing is making that easy―not Ryan, who is convinced he can figure out the truth; not her mother, who doubts Toni’s innocence; and certainly not the group of women who made Toni’s life hell in high school and may have darker secrets than anyone realizes. No matter how hard she tries, ignoring her old life to start a new one is impossible. Before Toni can truly move on, she must risk everything to find out what really happened that night.”
This is the second book I have read by Chevy Stevens and it definitely won’t be the last! This book had the perfect amount of tension and suspense to keep me hooked, and I definitely did not guess that ending. The author also did a great job of making me root for Toni and feel what she was feeling. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book if you love thrillers too!
How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True- Sarah Strohmeyer
“In YA novel How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True, Zoe learns there is a dark core under the glittering façade of the fairy-tale themed amusement park (cough, Disneyland, cough) where she’s a summer intern. For starters, her boss has a blacker heart than Snow White’s stepmother, and the other interns are worse backstabbers than Cinderella’s step-sisters.
On the upside, she has the chance of romance with a real-life Prince Charming, and a shot at winning a big heap of cash. If she can just live through a summer in the Fairyland Kingdom.”
Once I started reading this book, it seemed vaguely familiar. I could never remember whether I had read it (or part of it) before years ago or if it was just really similar to some other book. Regardless, it was a quick read, but not one that I necessarily loved. Most parts were very cheesy, and if I had been 14 I might have loved it. Overall, I would probably not recommend this book and would recommend reading any of the other books in this post instead!
Reconstructing Amelia- Kimberly McCreight
“Kate’s in the middle of the biggest meeting of her career when she gets the telephone call from Grace Hall, her daughter’s exclusive private school in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Amelia has been suspended, effective immediately, and Kate must come get her daughter—now. But Kate’s stress over leaving work quickly turns to panic when she arrives at the school and finds it surrounded by police officers, fire trucks, and an ambulance. By then it’s already too late for Amelia. And for Kate.
An academic overachiever despondent over getting caught cheating has jumped to her death. At least that’s the story Grace Hall tells Kate. And clouded as she is by her guilt and grief, it is the one she forces herself to believe. Until she gets an anonymous text: She didn’t jump.
Reconstructing Amelia is about secret first loves, old friendships, and an all-girls club steeped in tradition. But, most of all, it’s the story of how far a mother will go to vindicate the memory of a daughter whose life she couldn’t save.”
I had been waiting months to read this book, and I am happy to say it was worth the wait. This book had so many great aspects, and included so many secrets that were revealed throughout. Each chapter is narrated by Kate or Amelia, and I loved this choice because the story unfolded for us readers as it did for Kate. The characters were all multi-faceted too, and I found myself really feeling for Kate throughout the story.
What have you read in the past month and loved? Have you read any of these books? Share in the comments!
xo, Scarlett