Five Star Friday is my version of the monthly wrap-up. On the first Friday of each month, I will share my five-star reads from the previous month. Fingers crossed, I have lots of books to tell you about.
This month, I was able to read 27 books, and I had 2 five-star reads.
Published by Berkley on October 3, 2023
Age/Genres: Adult, Romantic Suspense
Goodreads
An undercover CIA agent is sent home to investigate her sister's criminal fiancé but the last thing she expects is to fall in love with his bodyguard along the way in this sexy romantic comedy.
It’s been a long time since Sydney Swift has gone home. An unrelentingly successful CIA field officer, she has spent the last three years pretending to be someone — anyone — other than herself.
But this year, the festive season is coming with some added surprises. Sydney’s beloved little sister has just announced that she’s engaged to Johnny Jones, the heir of an organized crime dynasty. With her built-in cover and her best-in-class reputation, Sydney is approached by the FBI as their way to infiltrate the Jones family at last.
Sydney has until Christmas to gather enough evidence on Johnny to take him down before he pulls off his most dangerous heist yet, all without losing her sister forever. But she hasn’t counted on the challenge of pulling this off right under her family’s nose or the complications of a romantic entanglement with Johnny’s handsome friend and bodyguard, Nick. Sydney always gets her man — but this time love is a target she can’t afford to miss.
This was a wonderful surprise for me! I am not a huge suspense reader, but I gobbled this up whole. There was something perfect about the mix of romance, mystery, action, and holiday magic that kept me flipping the pages. Fast-paced and fun, I adored spending the Christmas season with Sydney, Nick, and the rest of the Swift clan, and I am left excited for more adult releases from Walker.
[review]
Published by William Morrow on June 28, 2023
Age/Genres: Adult, Fiction
Goodreads
Eight ordinary people. One extraordinary choice.
It seems like any other day. You wake up, pour a cup of coffee, and head out.
But today, when you open your front door, waiting for you is a small wooden box. This box holds your fate inside: the answer to the exact number of years you will live.
From suburban doorsteps to desert tents, every person on every continent receives the same box. In an instant, the world is thrust into a collective frenzy. Where did these boxes come from? What do they mean? Is there truth to what they promise?
As society comes together and pulls apart, everyone faces the same shocking choice: Do they wish to know how long they’ll live? And, if so, what will they do with that knowledge?
The Measure charts the dawn of this new world through an unforgettable cast of characters whose decisions and fates interweave with one another: best friends whose dreams are forever entwined, pen pals finding refuge in the unknown, a couple who thought they didn’t have to rush, a doctor who cannot save himself, and a politician whose box becomes the powder keg that ultimately changes everything.
I am not one for celebrity book club books, but the concept of this book was thought provoking, I could not resist. The idea of knowing your end date and how it would affect you was really something to ponder, but it was the connections and the way these people bonded and dealt with their humanity that made this a wonderful and uplifting read for me. I think of those last few chapters as "the ugly cry chapters", but as I shed those tears, I did so with a bit of a smile on my face. This is one of those books that left me with much food for thought and other things to ponder.
[review]
Honorable Mention
September was packed with great reading. I may not have had as many five-star books as I normally do, but there were many that were *this* close. Here are my honorable mention books. All earned 4.5 stars.
- The Museum of Ordinary People by Mike Gayle
- The Admissions by Meg Mitchell Moore
- A Winter in New York by Josie Silver
- The Burnout by Sophie Kinsella
- All the Lonely People by Mike Gayle
- Talulah's Back in Town by Brenda Novak
- Sweet Sorrow by David Nicholls
- A December to Remember by Jenny Bayliss
- How to Find Love in a Bookshop by Veronica Henry
- Evidence of the Affair by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Let us know in the comments!
I'm so glad you enjoyed The Measure. It was one of my top reads last year!
ReplyDeleteA most captivating read for me. Glad you liked it too
DeleteI love seeing Talulah get an honorable mention. I adored that book.
ReplyDeleteIt had a lot of great characters and a perfect balance of drama and romance.
DeleteI haven't read any of these. They do sound interesting.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteI have been hearing great things about The Takedown. I loved All the Lonely People.
ReplyDeleteThe Takedown wowed me more than I expected. So glad I read it
DeleteIt looks like you and me both had a lower five star count for the month! But glad you still had some memorable reads, Hope October kicks off to some great reading for you.
ReplyDeleteLower five star count, but many that were close. I think my enjoyment was affected by all the things my family is dealing with, but still, not a bad month
DeleteOoh, just got my copy of the new Josie Silver book, excited to read it!
ReplyDeleteI cannot wait to hear what you think!
DeleteOK so I am adding The Takedown to my TBR!
ReplyDeleteI liked it a lot. It was such a great mashup of romance, action, and humor. Hope you get a chance to check it out
DeleteOh good, I am glad that you at least had a lot of 4.5 star reads! I got nervous when I saw only 2 heh. I definitely want to read Evidence of the Affair, but there are a few others that piqued my interest too! Hope October is treating you well!
ReplyDeleteA LOT of solid books, just not as many that knocked me out. I was happy though. Evidence is super quick, but well done.
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