Once again, I finished eight books this month. I was about to say “only” eight books, because I wish I had read more, but life got in the way. Four were in print, three were on my Kindle, and one was an audiobook. Three of the eight books were outstanding.
Read on to find out what I thought of them all.

Sunlight Finds You by Laura Moriarty was so good! It is a coming-of-age story set in the 1950s. Seventeen-year-old Nora and shy, clever Leonard meet in high school and fall deeply in love. They are inseparable, but the social norms of the time quickly interfere with their love, forcing them to break things off. What follows is a series of actions and decisions Nora must make that permanently alter the course of their lives. The book is written from the point of view of a mature Nora looking back on her life, weaving in the era’s social norms, class and gender differences, parental expectations and demands, and a good dose of grief and forgiveness. The book is beautifully written, and I highly recommend it. This author wrote a book I read years ago called The Chaperone, which was also excellent. 5 stars.

Before the Rain Falls by Camille Di Maio. Let me start out by saying I am probably not the best reader for this book. It has a very high rating on Goodreads and is free right now on Kindle+, so I got it. The book opens with seventy-year-old Della Lee being released from a lifetime in prison for the murder of her sister Eula, and returning to her hometown in Puerto Pesar, Texas. Finally free, Della is ready to tell her secrets. I admit I was intrigued by this opening concept. The book, however, depicted one misery and injustice after another, which I grew weary of. There is also a side romance between a journalist and a visiting physician, which I found rushed, unbelievable, and sappy. I am an outlier here, so take my views with a grain of salt. Many of you will eat this book up! I listened to the audiobook. 3 stars.

Audition by Katie Kitamura. The author of this book is known for her experimental, high-concept, abstract writing. This book is a character study of two people who meet for lunch in Manhattan. One is an accomplished actress rehearsing for an upcoming premiere; the other is young (young enough to be her son), ambitious, and too obvious in wanting something from her. Two narratives unfold, exploring themes of identity, how we see ourselves, and how others perceive us. The story meandered, and I found myself wondering what the point was. It seemed like the author was trying too hard to be clever, and I finally lost interest. 2.5 stars

The Castle in the Glen by Rhys Bowen was wonderful. It is a new release by a terrific author, and for some reason, it is free right now on Kindle+. I highly recommend that you pick it up. Australian writer Emma Callander has been recruited as the ghostwriter for a famous author who is in declining health and has been tasked with completing the author’s last mystery novel. Emma is sent to Scotland to research the book, where she discovers the mystery isn’t fiction at all, but an unsolved case from fifty years earlier. The book is so entertaining, with great twists you won’t see coming, and even a touch of romance. This is the perfect book to lose yourself in this November! 4.75 stars.

Sourdough by Robin Sloan has been on my TBR for a few years now. I finally got around to reading it this month. Here’s the plot: Lois Clary is a software engineer for a robotics company in San Francisco. Her schedule is unbelievably demanding, leaving her no time for human interaction outside work except with the two brothers who own the takeout restaurant she orders from every night. The brothers are suddenly forced to close up shop, but make one last delivery to Lois: their sourdough starter for the incredible bread they make each day. Lois *must* have this divine bread, so she researches how to make the sourdough loaf herself. Soon, she is eating the bread, sharing it with neighbors and co-workers, and is encouraged to take it to the local farmer’s market. I loved the book’s devotion to good food and to the Bay Area locations, which were familiar to me. The book does take a turn into magical realism, which may not be for all readers. It’s short, though, and kind of a wild ride. 3.5 stars.

A Pair of Aces by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray. This is a novel based on real characters, set in the 1930’s during the heyday of mobster Lucky Luciano. Two unlikely partners join together to put a stop to this gangster’s hold on crime and vice in New York City. Two trailblazing women: high-class madam Polly Adler and first female Black assistant district attorney Eunice Carter are determined to bring Lucky Luciano down. This book fascinated me for a number of reasons. First, I had never imagined what it would be like to work and manage a high-end brothel, and second, the challenges an educated Black woman faced in a high-level government position in the 30s were eye-opening. This true story of two intelligent women bridging their differences and uniting for a common cause was gripping. 4 stars.

The Fortnight in September by R.C. Sherriff is a book that was published in 1931. Every now and then, I love to pick up an older book because I love the glimpse it gives me into a bygone era. The story is about a British family who returns each year for a two-week vacation at the beachside rooming house of Mrs. Hugget in Bogner Regis. The family’s three children are getting older and the parents worry about how much longer their grown children will want to continue to accompany the family on this annual trip. Mrs. Hugget’s rooming house has seen better days, and seems a bit shabbier each year. The story feels almost mundane at times as we follow the family through the anticipation of the trip, their travels to their destination, their vacation activities, and their fond remembrance of the cozy home they left behind. To put the story into perspective, this mundane, everyday recounting of the family’s activities is exactly what soldiers in WW1 dreamt of while in the dugouts. The author, R.C. Sherriff, experienced exactly that, and this novel is a tribute to his imaginings of an ordinary family doing ordinary things while he endured a terrible trial as a soldier. I quite liked this book, and found it very poignant. 4 stars.

I ended the month with a bang, reading this doorstop of a historical fiction book, The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon. This 500-page book is probably the reason I only got through eight books this month! Another historical fiction book, this one is about legendary historical Irish heroine Grace O’Malley, who fiercely defended her country and people by land and by sea. Born to a noble family, all Grace ever wanted was to captain a ship. However, expectations for noblewomen at the time did not allow women to pursue seafaring careers. She is married off against her will to a brutal man and eventually gains the loyalty of all his subjects. After she is widowed, she is ousted from her lands but regains them through a life of piracy. This was a sweeping adventure, and I loved it, but I did find it awfully long. The book also has an unusual format. The novel uses a nonlinear, three-part narrative structure. The chapters alternate among three stages of Grace O’Malley’s life: Maiden, Mother, and Matriarch, moving back and forth through different periods rather than following a chronological timeline. I was able to wrap my head around it, but it took a minute. If you want to start with an excellent, shorter novel by this author, try The Frozen River. 4.5 stars.

So, what do you think? Do any of these books sound like something you would like to read? Let me know in the comments! I love to know if my recommendations land with you.