October Reading Wrap Up

October brought some new adventures, a wonderful amount of reading, and a feeling of great success when it came to my goals. There’s something about these fall months that makes me feel like I’m walking on air. I’m not sure if it’s the cozy coffee house vibes, an addition of my new favorite fall scarf to my wardrobe, or finally feeling like I’m in the right place, but October was just a bundle of joy for me. I read A LOT this past month, so let’s get started with this October reading wrap up!

Books from my October TBR List

Image from Penguin Books Australia

1. Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
Salt to the Sea was such a fantastically written account of the sinking of the Wilhem Gustloff during World War II. The sinking of this ship was one of the most tragic events of the war, yet very few people (including myself) know about it. Sepetys writes the story from four different perspectives — a German sailor, a Polish escapee, a Prussian art restorer, and a Lithuania nurse. Their stories all intertwine at some point, and together they tell the tragic, yet forgotten, history of World War II. This book broke my heart in the best way possible. I gave this book 5/5 stars.

Image from Amazon

2. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
What a truly fantastic book! Little Fires Everywhere starts off with where the story actually ends and then goes back to fill in all the missing pieces. Personally, I’ve never cared about spoilers because I’m truly interested in the journey, so this book started in the best way possible for me. Ng’s book features single-mother Mia and her daughter Pearl, the Richardson family (whom Pearl befriends), and the McCullough’s, who are hoping to adopt a baby. These three families lives intertwine in unexpected ways, and the true mystery of the story — how Pearl and Mia became such a dynamic duo — is revealed. This book traps reader’s from the very first page. I gave this book 5/5 stars

Books I Read on a Whim

Image from Barnes and Noble

1. Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
If you know anything about me, you know I never like to have anything hyped up to me, and unfortunately, this book has been hyped up since its publication. While I loved some of the messages in Kaur’s poems, I found it all a little basic. It wasn’t super deep or complex poetry, which is why I’m sure it has appealed to a large amount of people. I loved the way Kaur separated her poetry collection into multiple sections showing growth, and I definitely bookmarked some of my favorites. It’s an incredibly easy read (I actually read this at about 1 a.m. when I couldn’t sleep), but it still packs a punch. I gave this book of poetry 4/5 stars.

Image from Amazon

2. You are a Badass by Jen Sincero
Unfortunately, this is another over-hyped book in my opinion. Sincero’s tries a little too hard to be relatable using unnecessary slang and suggests the reader rely a little too much on sending good vibes to the universe to achieve your goals for me to really drink the Kool-Aid she’s selling. I love her mantra of loving yourself through everything because I think that is so important, but I wish she had done a little more than just repeat the same sentiment that you’ve got to rely on trusting the universe to get you where you need to go. I gave this book 3/5 stars.

Image from MyComicShop

3. Stained by David Baron
So, I don’t normally read comic books, but I was gifted this when I went to my first comic con back in February by a wonderful artist, David Baron. He wrote this fantastic story, and I finally sat down and read it, and boy am I glad I did. This book follows Mia, a badass bounty hunter who finds herself tracking down her biggest bust yet. She helps end a massive human trafficking ring — all by herself. This is such a powerful comic with a badass, feminist message. I gave this comic book 4/5 stars.

Books from my October TBR List I Didn’t Get To

Image from Amazon

1. All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin
Unfortunately, I put a hold on this book at the library at the beginning of the month, and I’m still waiting on it. Hopefully I get to it in November! I was first introduced to Emily Giffin’s writing on a whim. I snagged a book off the shelf, First Comes Love, at the library and devoured it in about eight hours. All We Ever Wanted promises to be a little bit different, but it’s set here in Nashville, so I definitely have to read it. This book combines the complicated aspects of being a parent in the 21st century expertly with the hassle it is to be a kid during the exact same time. Small-town Nina has married into the Nashville elite. Single dad Tom has worked his whole life to make sure his daughter, Lyla, gets every opportunity possible. When an unfortunate photo of Lyla is snapped at a party, Lyla, Tom, and Nina’s lives intersect in unexpected ways.

Image from Amazon

2. The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America’s Wealthy by Thomas J. Stanely and William D. Danko
Again, I was borrowing this book from the library. It finally came up for me, so I’ll definitely finish it in November. If you didn’t know, one of my goals of 2018 was to become an expert on investing and personal finance. A handful of people have recommended this book to me on more than one occasion, and I think it’s finally time I pick it up. Basically, it’s about the habits of the wealthy and how the rest of the world can adopt those habits to increase their own net-worth. I really don’t know much else about it, but I’m excited for what it will teach me.

October was such a wonderful month of reading for me! I crossed a lot of books off my list and, of course, added a few, too.

Happy reading,
Kimberly