My 2022 Goodreads Reading Challenge: September - October

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston

Florence is supposed to be penning swoon-worthy novels for a famous romance author. But after a bad break-up, she no longer believes in love. And when her strict but undeniably hot new editor, Benji, won’t give her an extension on her book deadline, she prepares to kiss her career goodbye. Although when tragedy strikes and Florence has to head home, the last thing she expects to see is a ghost at her front door. Not just any ghost but the stern form of her still very hot – yet now unquestionably dead – new editor. As sparks start to fly between them, Florence tells herself she can’t be falling for a ghost. But can Benji help Florence to realise love isn’t dead, after all?

I truly loved this book! I'm not normally a fan of ghost stories or anything too unbelievable but this was definitely the exception (as Florence would say). I loved everything about it. It was one of those rare books that I didn't want to end. Normally when I pick up a romance, I'm just counting down the pages until they get together. But with this, seeing the two get to know one another and ultimately fall for each other, with the unavoidable distance, was just so well done. I found myself hoping and praying that there would be some way for them to be together. It's easily one of the best romances that I've read this year.

November 9 by Colleen Hoover

Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day before her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon’s last day in L.A. together. And her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist. Can Ben’s relationship with Fallon - and simultaneously his novel - be considered a love story if it ends in heartbreak?

This reads like a YA/teen story, which I guess kind of makes sense with the two main characters being teenagers when it starts. But some of the dialogue is so cringe inducing, it's almost hard to read. And most of what Ben says is like that. The idea of them only seeing each other on November 9 was an interesting one. But what stops them from being together each year just felt like excuses for excuses sake. There were some nice scenes but I truly didn't care if the two main characters would eventually get together. I also don't get how Fallon can't see that Ben isn't her dream man, given what he has done (from the big twist to the omission of the truth to him getting together with his sister in law).

Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister

You’re waiting up for your seventeen-year-old son. As you watch from the window, he emerges and you realise he isn’t alone. You can’t believe it when you see him do it. Your funny, happy teenage son kills a stranger, right there on the street outside your house. You don’t know who. You don’t know why. That night you fall asleep in despair. Until you wake. And it is yesterday. Then you wake again. And it is the day before yesterday. Every morning you wake up a day earlier, another day before the murder. With another chance to stop it. Somewhere in the past lies an answer. The trigger for this crime. And you don’t have a choice but to find it.

The concept of this book was so unique and had me gripped from the very beginning. It was just so well executed. And then when you weave in the chapters from Ryan's perspective, everything ended up coming together in a truly surprising and original way. Very rarely am I completely shocked or shook by a twist in a book but that happened twice in this, with the second big reveal actually making me physically gasp, I was that stunned. I did guess the very final 'twist' or reveal, so I didn't feel too bad about not realising what had been going on. I was completely hooked and it was unlike anything that I've read before.

The Fine Print by Lauren Asher

Rowan is in the business of creating fairy tales. Theme parks. Production companies. Five-star hotels. His initial idea of hiring Zahra was good in theory, but then he kissed her. People like him don’t get happy endings. Not when they're destined to ruin them. After Zahra submitted a drunk proposal criticising Dreamland’s most expensive ride, she should have been fired. Instead, Rowan offered her her dream job. It was time to teach the billionaire that money couldn’t fix everything. Especially not them.

The whole idea of this series of books and them being set in Dreamland (basically Disney World) was one that had my attention. And those parts of the book were enjoyable, even if it would have been nice to have more description to actually make you feel like you were truly there. There were some nice moments between the couple. But I just didn't feel that chemistry. And as soon as the whole 'Scott' thing starts, you know it's just there to serve as a cause of conflict later in the book. Zahra also forgives him way too easily. But I did race through this and I am interested in seeing how the next two books in series go.

How To Kill Men And Get Away With It by Katy Brent

Have you ever walked home at night, keys in hand, ready to throw a punch in self-defence? That’s how it all started. The killing spree, I mean. I sort of tripped into this role. Literally. The first one was following me. That guy from the nightclub who wouldn’t leave me alone. I pushed him, he stumbled, and fell onto his own broken wine bottle. Oops. It was such a waste of a good house white. But now I can’t seem to stop and nor do I want to. I’ve got a taste for revenge and quite frankly, I’m killing it.

I was completely captivated when it came to this story. There's some great dark humour and I was certainly rooting for Kitty. Even though you can imagine that the next person on her hit list will be a horrible person who deserves everything that they get, you don't know exactly how everything will play out. I was a little bit concerned that once we found out who Kitty's stalker was and what started to transpire there, that it was going to ruin what had been such a great book. But thankfully everything is resolved in a very satisfying way. Even if I did think that Charlie surely couldn't have just been a nice guy all along.

Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. But it's the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute take a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans. The lonely, brilliant, Nobel-prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with - of all things - her mind. But like science, life is unpredictable. Which is why a few years later, she finds herself not only a single mother, but the reluctant star of America's most beloved cooking show Supper at Six. But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth isn't just teaching women to cook. She's daring them to change the status quo.

This has got to be one of the most unique and unusual books that I've read in some time. Much of what happens is obviously frustrating to read. But that didn't stop me from racing through it at some pace. There is dark humour but a lot of it is simply dark. From the sexual discrimination and misogyny that take many different forms throughout to many different tragedies and trauma, it is hard to read at times. I did, however, get joy anytime Six-Thirty and Mad appeared, as well as from the eventual ending.

The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman

It is an ordinary Thursday, and things should finally be returning to normal. Except trouble is never far away where the Thursday Murder Club are concerned. A local news legend is on the hunt for a sensational headline. And soon the gang are hot on the trail of two murders, ten years apart. To make matters worse, a new nemesis pays Elizabeth a visit, presenting her with a deadly mission: kill or be killed. While Elizabeth grapples with her conscience (and a gun), the gang and their unlikely new friends (including TV stars, money launderers and ex-KGB colonels) unravel a new mystery. But can they catch the culprit and save Elizabeth before the murderer strikes again? 

This was a real page turner and I always appreciate the short, snappy chapters. Joyce's diary chapters are always an absolute highlight for me. And Richard Osman just writes with such warmth, wit and believability. I liked seeing them tackle a cold case that then inevitably drew them in to current day goings on. I also enjoyed seeing Connie Johnston make a reappearance, as well as Ibrahim, Ron and Joyce playing a much bigger part in working out what was happening this time around. But I'm not entirely sure if the whole The Viking plot line worked as well as it could have. Even if I do get the purpose that it served. However, I can't wait until the fourth book in the series is released next year.

The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas

Rosie has a few problems. She just quit her well paid job to focus on her secret career as a romance writer. She hasn’t told her family and now has terrible writer’s block. Then, the ceiling of her apartment literally crumbles on her. Luckily she has her best friend Lina’s spare key while she’s out of town. But Rosie doesn’t know that she has already lent her apartment to her cousin Lucas, who Rosie has been stalking on Instagram for the last few months. Lucas offers to let Rosie stay with him. And then he proposes an experiment to bring back her literary muse and meet her deadline: he’ll take her on a series of experimental dates meant to jump-start her romantic inspiration.

There's slow paced and then there's literally nothing happening until about 130 pages in. I'd probably say that nothing of any real interest happens until the last 25% and when it does, it is good. But you just wait so long to get there. I also didn't feel like Rosie was the strongest of main characters. And for there being forced proximity, which I thought would have provided some great tension and longing, there was none at all. I did enjoy the last 25%. The rooftop date was cute. And I also felt the first bit of steam when they were in the bathroom at the masquerade ball. But I can't deny how lacklustre and way too slow most of it was.

Meet Me Under The Mistletoe by Jenny Bayliss

A winter wedding of school friends should be the highlight of Nory Noel's festive calendar. But Nory is dreading the lavish, week-long affair. As the champagne flows, the years roll back and soon the air is alive with old sparks and old tensions. Desperate for a moment of peace, Nory escapes and crashes into Isaac, the castle's gardener. And her former school rival. Nory and Isaac have more in common these days than they could ever have imagined. But as she steals more time away to spend with him, Isaac reveals an astonishing secret about his past. Nory is in a unique position to help right this wrong. But uncovering the truth might mean pushing Isaac away once more.

There are a lot of characters to get to grips with in this. But once you do, it's a lovely story. I adored all of the scenes in Nory's secondhand bookshop and seeing her genuine love for books. Even though this is technically an Insta-love style story, the connection of their past made this feel believable. We also get some tension and longing, with it feeling earned when they do finally get together. It also touches on bigger issues like depression, suicide, infidelity, misogyny and appropriation, in a sensitive manner. I did get a little bit bored of how often the 'us versus them' narrative comes up. But that was probably my only negative.

Publication date: 10th November 2022

I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

Jennette McCurdy was six years old when she had her first acting audition. Her mother’s dream was for her only daughter to become a star. And Jennette would do anything to make her mother happy. So she went along with what Mom called “calorie restriction”. She endured extensive at-home makeovers while Mom chided. She was even showered by Mom until age sixteen while sharing her diaries, email, and all her income. Jennette recounts all this in unflinching detail. Just as she chronicles what happens when the dream finally comes true.

Even though I was aware of who Jennette McCurdy was, I hadn't seen her Nickelodeon shows. But this is easily one of the best autobiographies that I have ever read. Jennette is unflinching in her honesty, both when it comes to the abuse that she experienced and the many hardships that she has overcome. But also in owning her actions. I think we all probably have a preconceived notion of what typically happens to a child star. And when you begin to comprehend what Jennette has been through simply as a child actor, it's easy to see why. Even though the subject matter is traumatic, because of the short, snappy chapters, this was so quick and easy to read. It really is completely engrossing and also incredibly well written.

The Twelve Dates Of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss

Kate is happily single. A bit too happily. Since returning to her hometown, the sleepy village of Blexford, love hasn’t really had a look in. But Kate does love Christmas. So when her best friend insists she signs up to the Twelve Dates of Christmas, a brand new dating app service, she doesn’t need too much persuading. Amongst the twinkling lights and falling snow, over hot chocolates and glasses of red wine, romance is easy to find. But with each date, Kate learns more about the men, and even more about herself. As the big day approaches, Kate’s left wondering - is it really the season for true love, or will this Christmas be the coldest yet?

I like how beautifully descriptive Jenny Bayliss writes and this gave me those Christmassy vibes. However, I had a few issues with it. I'm pretty sure out of twelve (or technically eleven dates) not every single one would be incredibly handsome and accomplished. They all almost merged into one apart from Richard and Drew. Kate wanting to move away because of her 'unrequited love' also felt really immature. Especially when you know that it is never going to happen. I actually did like the friends to lovers aspect of this, even if Matt seems to be using her for free labour most of the time. And I would have loved a slightly longer ending.

The Resort by Sarah Goodwin

Mila is on her way to sister’s wedding with her husband Ethan. But when their directions send them down a narrow, steep road, Mila begins to think something is wrong. Then the car engine stops and won’t start again. Stranded in the snowy mountains and with night closing in, they make their way back down the road to where they saw a sign to turn off to an abandoned ski resort, with windows boarded up and the eerie sense they shouldn’t be there. With few choices left, they break into an old cabin to spend the night out of the cold. In the morning when Mila wakes, Ethan is gone. She is all alone. Or is she?

I was hooked from the very beginning with this interesting take on a locked room mystery. You feel like you're there with her trying to work out what to do next and how to stay alive. And then there are all the grisly and eerie details that start to reveal themselves. Some of it did start to feel a bit repetitive. But I liked the flashbacks to Mila and Jess' childhoods. The only thing that let this down for me was the big twist in the end. The perpetrator's motives felt a little far fetched and unbelievable. But I did enjoy the creepy and isolated setting and goings on, as well as seeing Mila fight to stay alive, both in Germany and once she got back home.

Publication date: 5th January 2023

It Starts With Us by Colleen Hoover

Lily and her ex-husband, Ryle, have just settled into a civil co-parenting rhythm when she suddenly bumps into her first love, Atlas, again. After nearly two years separated, she is elated that for once, time is on their side. And she immediately says yes when Atlas asks her on a date. But her excitement is quickly hampered by the knowledge that, though they are no longer married, Ryle is still very much a part of her life. And Atlas is the one man he will hate being in his ex-wife and daughter’s life.

Was this book necessary? No. But even though it’s almost 300 pages, it went by incredibly quickly. Despite it not being as strong as It Ends With Us, I did enjoy the addition of Josh and Theo. Surprisingly, after all of the buildup of Lily and Atlas finally being able to be together, their romance/relationship was pretty bland. It also lacked the twist that most of Colleen Hoover's books have, whether you love them or hate them. Was there a plot? Not really. Other than the introduction of Josh, nothing else happened that we really needed to read about. And then there were the entire letters from Lily that were repeated word for word from the first book. Given the fact that almost everyone that reads this will have read that, it just felt so lazy.

Bad Girl Reputation by Elle Kennedy

When Genevieve returns home for her mother’s funeral, she’s prepared to keep her distance from her ex-boyfriend, Evan. But it’s impossible not to run into him in the small coastal town where they once ran wild. And the moment she sees her gorgeous ex again, it’s clear to Gen that Evan is still as unruly, sexy and irresistible as ever. This time around, however, she’s resolved to walk a new path. No more partying. No more foolish mistakes. Her plan is to temporarily remain in town to help her father run his business, but the second he finds somebody else, she’s out of there. Evan has other ideas. He knows they can be good together. But he just has to convince Genevieve of that, even if it means turning over a new leaf himself.

Now, I was not a fan of the first book in this series. But I'm glad that I gave the sequel a chance. I really enjoyed the chemistry between Gen and Evan. Is it mostly physical? Yes. But that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. You could understand why they were continually drawn back to one another. And the sex scenes were nicely distributed throughout the book and on the steamy side, which I liked. Seeing them both attempt to change, with Gen abstaining from drinking and Evan becoming a 'Big Brother' was nice. The slow progression of them attempting to shake off their teenage hell raising selves also felt realistic, as it wasn't a quick or overnight change.