What I Read in October 2024

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Hello everyone! Happy spooky season! This month seemed to be a lot better for me books-wise than September was, which is good. I ended up reading 9 books this month. Let's talk about them!

The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden: I rated this ebook 3/5 stars and finished it on October 8th. I was really excited about this release from her because I've been enjoying her books recently but for some reason, this one didn't hit for me. I felt like the first half was super slow and I spent it wondering if I should just DNF it or if it would actually get better. It did get better kind of, but not enough for me to give it more than three stars. I still plan on reading The Crash by her in January, but yeah, I wasn't a fan of this one.

"She's looking for the perfect man. He's looking for the perfect victim. Sydney Shaw, like every single woman in New York, has terrible luck with dating. She’s seen it men who lie in their dating profile, men who stick her with the dinner bill, and worst of all, men who can't shut up about their mothers. But finally, she hits the jackpot. Her new boyfriend is utterly perfect. He's charming, handsome, and works as a doctor at a local hospital. Sydney is swept off her feet. Then the brutal murder of a young woman―the latest in a string of deaths across the coast―confounds police. The primary suspect? A mystery man who dates his victims before he kills them. Sydney should feel safe. After all, she is dating the guy of her dreams. But she can’t shake her own suspicions that the perfect man may not be as perfect as he seems. Because someone is watching her every move, and if she doesn’t get to the truth, she’ll be the killer’s next victim..."

Daydream by Hannah Grace: I rated this ebook 2/5 stars and finished it on October 11th. This is the third book in the Maple Hills series and follows Halle and Henry. I'm not going to lie, this was easily one of my most anticipated releases for the second half of this year. I loved Icebreaker and Wildfire, and I was really looking forward to Henry's story. However, it ended up being such a letdown for me, which makes me sad considering how excited about it I was. I think the thing that pissed me off the most was that the author purposely mentioned in her note at the beginning that Henry wasn't meant to be "neurodivergent coded" because he doesn't get diagnosed in the book, and that that's because she didn't get diagnosed until later in life. I normally wouldn't have a problem with that, but as someone who is neurodivergent, I felt like every situation him and Halle were in that screamed neurodivergency was handled in not the best way. Like, I felt like every little conflict they had was the same, and it was solved the same way, so the entire story felt super repetitive. It also took me a long time (longer than I'd like to admit) to finish this because around the 20% mark, I got stuck. I felt like it was slumping me and I couldn't figure out why until I realized how long it was. I remember the main complaint about Icebreaker was how long it was, and that's a major issue for me with this one. I really wanted to like it and I'm sad that I didn't, but I'd still recommend it because I know a lot of people loved it.

"When his procrastination lands him in a difficult class with his least favorite professor, Henry Turner knows he’s going to have to work extra hard to survive his junior year of college. And now with his new title of captain for the hockey team—which he didn’t even want—Henry absolutely cannot fail. Enter Halle Jacobs, a fellow junior who finds herself befriended by Henry when he accidentally crashes her book club. Halle may not have the romantic pursuits of her favorite fictional leads, but she’s an academic superstar, and as soon as she hears about Henry’s problems with his class reading material, she offers to help. Too bad being a private tutor isn’t exactly ideal given her own studies, job, book club, and the novel she’s trying to write. But new experiences are the key to beating her writer’s block, and Henry’s promising to be the one to give them to her. They just need to stick to their rule book. Oh, and not fall in love."

Little Stranger by Leigh Rivers: I rated this ebook 4/5 stars and finished it on October 16th. This is the first book in the Web of Silence duet. Honestly, I wasn't really sure what to expect with this one, but it was surprisingly good. Forbidden for sure, and the kinks were a little out there, but the story/writing itself was good. Definitely not something I'd recommend though, just because of how dark it is. I plan on finishing the second book next month.

"Owning her is all he ever wanted. She betrayed him, and now he wants revenge against the foster sister who became his forbidden obsession the second he laid eyes on her. After she sends him to prison for years, he’s free and ready to haunt her. Everything about Olivia belongs to Malachi Vize. Her mind. Her body. Her soul. Her fear. Her pain. On Halloween night, he can no longer lurk in the shadows. All he has left to own is her heart, even if he needs to take it."

Keeping 13 by Chloe Walsh: I rated this book 5/5 stars and finished it on October 18th. This is the second book in the Boys of Tommen series and concludes Johnny and Shannon's story. I feel like, after the cliffhanger of the first book, this one was much more emotionally traumatic. Everything that Shannon goes through in her life is just insane. Obviously the story itself is amazing, and I'd definitely recommend it to people. Just know that they are quite chunky in length, but the story and the characters make it worth it.

"His first, last, and only true love has always been rugby. Until now. Following a devastating injury that has left him sidelined and stripped of his beloved number 13 jersey, Johnny is struggling to hold onto his dreams. Lost, insecure, and desperately seeking comfort, he sets his sights on unraveling the mystery of the girl with the midnight-blue eyes. With his best friend, Gibsie, by his side, Johnny embarks on his quest of exposing the secrets surrounding the girl who haunts his every waking hour. Keeping secrets has never been a problem for Shannon. The life she was born into demands nothing less. She knows that demons and evil men don't just exist in fairytales. They exist in her world, too. Traumatized beyond repair after her return from Dublin, and desperate to protect her little brothers, Shannon finds herself falling into the same old cover-up, barely keeping her head above water, as her future unravels before her eyes. Beaten and broken, her walls are up and her trust is shaken. Only one boy has the ability to climb those walls. The boy who owns her heart. Secrets are exposed and lives are changed forever in Keeping 13, the explosive sequel to the bestselling book, Binding 13. Follow Johnny and Shannon as they try to navigate their way through the aftermath of that fateful rugby match in Dublin. Falling in love was the easy part, what comes next is the test...Friendship, first love, rising fame, horrifying secrets, and pain all fuel together as two teenagers from the opposite side of the tracks collide in Keeping 13, the concluding story for Johnny and Shannon."

Just Dinner by Gemma Addison Dove: I rated these ebooks 4/5 stars and finished them on October 29th. I read part one and part two in the same day, so I just combined them into one review for my convenience. I thought they were cute! Super short and easy to get through, and the writing of them was decent too.

"College student Jenny has been invited to dinner at Senator Gloria Graham’s mansion. Jenny is on the autism spectrum and is nervous about the formal dinner, so her roommate Martina tags along. Jenny is unexpectedly outed as pansexual during the dinner, but Martina helps her cope; and tells Jenny that she’s pan, too. The roommates had no idea they had both been pining for each other, but now they’re ready to make up for lost time. Jenny and Martina first met Vera, the senator’s daughter, at an awkward dinner party. Vera goes to their college, and ever since the dinner, they keep bumping into her. The three girls decide it must be fate, especially since they’re all interested in being more than friends."

Nothing Like The Movies by Lynn Painter: I rated this ebook 5/5 stars and finished it on October 29th. This is the sequel to Better Than The Movies and follows Wes and Liz as they navigate college. I had been in a bad slump all month, but I had a strong feeling this would bring me out of it and I'm so glad I was right. This reminded me a lot of Past Present Future by Rachel Lynn Solomon, a sequel I didn't think I needed, but it turned out to be one I loved. Reading this made me remember why I loved the first one so much. You have to read both, but pleeeeease read this one. Easily one of my favorites of the year.

"For a few beautiful months, Wes had his dream girl: the strong-willed girl next door Liz. But right as the two were about to set off for college to start their freshman year together, tragedy struck. Wes was left dealing with the fallout, which ultimately meant losing Liz in the process. Flash forward months later, and Wes and Liz find themselves in college, together. In a healthier place now, Wes knows he broke Liz’s heart when he ended things, but he is determined to make her fall back in love with him. Wes knows Liz better than anyone, and he has a foolproof plan to win her back with rom-com-worthy grand gestures she loves. Only . . . Liz will have none of it! Wes has to scheme like a rom-com hero to figure out how to see her. Even worse, Liz has a new friend . . . a guy friend. Still, Wes won’t give up, adapting his clever plans and going hard to get Liz’s attention and win back her affection. But after his best efforts get him nowhere, Wes is left wondering if their relationship is really over for good."

Her Wild Roommate by Adele Knight: I rated this ebook 4/5 stars and finished it on October 29th. This is the first book in the Her Sweet Seduction series. I thought this was alright. It was everything I was looking for in the moment when I read this, so it met all my expectations. I wouldn't recommend it to everyone since the spice is kinda in your face, but the writing was good.

"If your roommate walks in on you in a risqué position, is he supposed to stand there and…watch? Mine did. And I think I liked it... Now I can't stop imagining him doing more than watching. But there's one problem. Liam isn't just my roommate...he's my best friend. I want Liam, but my last boyfriend cheated on me because he thought I was too boring in the bedroom. One night with a stranger is all I need to prove my ex wrong and show Liam it's more fun to play than watch. Except, Liam has other ideas. When he crashes my date and throws me over his shoulder, the night promises to be anything but boring."

The Exception to the Rule by Christina Lauren: I rated this ebook 5/5 stars and finished it on October 30th. This is the first ebook in The Improbable Meet-Cute series. I loved this! It was short and sweet, and overall very cute. I'd definitely recommend this to someone for sure. It's something straight out of a romcom.

"One typo, and a boy and girl connect by chance. Wishing each other a happy Valentine’s Day isn’t the end. In fact, it becomes a friendly annual tradition—with rules: no pics, no real names, nothing too personal. As years pass, the rules for their email “dates” are breaking, and they’re sharing more than they imagined—including the urge to ask…what if we actually met?"

Worst Wingman Ever by Abby Jiminez: I rated this ebook 4/5 stars and finished it on October 31st. This is the second ebook in The Improbable Meet-Cute series. I thought this was cute too! I love how short it is, and it felt very believable. I'd recommend it for sure.

"Holly is dealing with the impending death of her grandmother and still reeling from a bad breakup. One bright spot: a Valentine’s Day card on Holly’s windshield—even if it wasn’t meant for her. An amusing mistake soon turns into a lovely exchange of anonymous notes, little acts of kindness, and a growing affection between two strangers. What happens when one of them has to say goodbye?"

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That's it! Definitely more than last month which made me happy. Hopefully, I can keep it up and beat 200 by the end of the year! I will see y'all next month!

(Ps, sorry for putting this out a day late! It won't happen again, I just got busy toward the end of the month and kinda forgot about it, so now there's gonna be two posts in November.)