November & December Reads

I didn't post my November summary back in December because I only read 5 books which I figured didn't warrant a separate post. I decided instead to combine both months because I knew that my December reads wouldn't be all that great either :(

Here's what I read in November:

1. The Fourth Hand by John Irving


2. The Mosaic Crimes by Giulio Leoni


3. Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler


4. Tattoo Machine by Jeff Johnson


5. Nightwalker by Heather Graham


Audio Books

1. The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor


2. Willow by Julia Hoban

I was slightly disappointed with The Fourth Hand because Irving is one of my favorite authors of all time and this novel just missed the mark and didn't deliver the emotional punch I always expect from Irving's novels.

The best book of the month is The Looking Glass Wars. It's an absolutely wonderful and clever rendering of the known classic. Mr. Beddor managed to mix a new & refreshing outlook on what's really going on in the Wonderland with the absurd and bizarre atmosphere from Carroll's classic. And Gerard Doyle is officially on my list of favorite narrators, almost right up there with Jim Dale.

In December I read:


1. The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale

2. The Book Shopper by Murray Browne

3. The Elephant Keeper by Christopher Nicholson

4. Vital Signs by Robin Cook

5. The Devouring #2: Soulstice by Simon Holt

6. An Unsuitable Job for a Woman (Cordelia Gray Mysteries, No. 1) by P.D. James

7. The Trickster by Muriel Gray

8. A Matter of Roses (Faith Abbey Mystery Series, Book 1) by David Manuel

Audio Books:

1. Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith

2. Two for the dough by Janet Evanovich

The best read for December is hands down Soulstice. I am not a great fan of YA paranormal books but this series is awesome! Very scary with a smart plot and a great strong teenage girl for a heroine. Part one is The Devouring but if you happen to start with part two, it's okay. You won't get confused.

I was slightly let down by Child 44. It just didn't live up to my expectations of a fantastic thriller that were built upon the glowing reviews I read. It was okay but I feel I wouldn't have missed out on anything, had I not read it at all.