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I know November is long gone, but things have been a little hectic lately! I’d originally thought I’d do a combined post on my favorite November AND December books, but turns out my December reading has been mostly backlist or 2024 books. When I finally sat down to do this post, I realized the four recent books I wanted to share were all ones I read in November. Of those, only one was actually published in November, with the other three coming out earlier in the year. The four books also couldn’t be much different from each other, too. There’s a fun caper story, a day in the life of an angsty mom, a literary historical fiction, and even a spy thriller!
Stop back next week when I’ll be sharing my Favorite Debuts of 2023 and my Best Books of 2023! And, you can always follow me on Instagram @novelvisits, where I most often share books near their release date or at least nearer to me finishing them.
The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise by Colleen Oakley
Narrator: Hillary Huber
Publisher: Berkley (PRH Audio)
Release Date: March 28, 2023
Length: 337 pages. (9hrs. 59 min.)
Amazon Libro.fm
My Thoughts: As we near the end of the year when fewer books are released each month, I’ve been looking back toward books I missed along the way. One such book was 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗢𝗦𝗧𝗟𝗬 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗥 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗟𝗢𝗨𝗜𝗦𝗘 by Colleen Oakley. If I were to tell you only one thing about this book it would be that it was pure fun! But, no surprise…I can’t stop at just one thing.
A humorous take on the classic movie 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘮𝘢 & 𝘓𝘰𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘦, in this we have instead Tanner, a 21-year old college soccer star side-lined by an injury she blames herself for, and Louise, her 84-year old charge who’s recovering from a broken hip. As Tanner moves into Louise’s home neither is happy about it. They have nothing in common and the days ahead aren’t looking bright for either of them until a series of assumptions and misunderstandings has the two secretly headed out of town on a cross-country roadtrip.
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book even though I had a general idea of where it would be headed for much of the story. Narrator Hillary Huber did a wonderful job bringing both Louise, a sarcastic, snarky hoot, and Tanner, her reluctant, often timid sidekick to life. A few unlikely twists and turns only added to the caperish feel of this story. If you’re finding you need something light and fun during this busy holiday season, look no further. Take a road trip with 𝘛𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘳 & 𝘓𝘰𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘦! Grade: B
Amazing Grace Adams by Fran Littlewood
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
Release Date: September 5, 2023
Length: 272 pages.
Amazon Bookshop.org
My Thoughts: I was so pleased while reading 𝗔𝗠𝗔𝗭𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗘 𝗔𝗗𝗔𝗠𝗦 by debut author Fran Littlewood. Its story is from a micro-genre I’ve come to love. I call it “Angsty Motherhood.” And Grace Adams is full of angst, and confusion, and rage, and heartbreak. Her world is falling apart and on one special day, her daughter’s 16th birthday, Grace just wants to take one small step towards righting things. All she wants to do is deliver a special cake to her daughter’s birthday party, but everything seems to get in the way including Grace herself.
Though I’ve read that some found it choppy, I liked that the story was told in three timelines. The first was the day of the party, the second the evolution of her relationship with her husband, and finally the last few months when her fragile existence hit rock bottom. I empathized with Grace, cringed at some of her choices, hurt for her, and above all was rooting for her.
𝘈𝘮𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘈𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘴 is a story of motherhood at its most messy and it’s one I think many can sympathize with, as long as you stick with it. As a reader, you won’t fully understand Grace until the last quarter of the book. I enjoyed that journey and the bit of mystery surrounding it. If you liked 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘙𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘸𝘢𝘺 by Ilona Bannister or 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘦 by Susan Conley then this is a book you need to read! Grade: B
The Caretaker by Ron Rash
Publisher: Doubleday
Release Date: September 26, 2023
Length: 272 pages.
Amazon Bookshop.org
My Thoughts: Recently I was lucky enough to read a little gem of a novel, 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗧𝗔𝗞𝗘𝗥 by Ron Rash. Its title character, Blackburn, is caretaker of the cemetery in the small North Carolina town where he and his best friend Jacob grew up. Jacob came from money, while Blackburn’s father was a sharecropper. When Jacob is conscripted to fight in the Korean War, Blackburn agrees to also look after Jacob’s pregnant wife Naomi. Both Blackburn and Naomi are outcasts among many in the town. Blackburn because of some physical deformities and Naomi because many feel she stole Jacob from the bright future his parents had planned for him.
This is a quiet story, beautifully written. At its heart is a deep friendship that’s put to the test on all sides. It’s the story of a physically imperfect man with little going for him, but a man who at his core knows what’s right…and what isn’t. It’s a story of loss and grief and love; a story of cruel decisions and sudden reckonings.
I went into this book with absolutely no expectations and found it a genuine delight. If you’re a fan of literary historical fiction, or of stories that examine the thin line between right and wrong, I highly recommend you try 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘳. Grade: A
The Helsinki Affair by Anna Pitoniak
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Release Date: November 14, 2023
Length: 368 pages.
Amazon Bookshop.org
My Thoughts: With 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗞𝗜 𝗔𝗙𝗙𝗔𝗜𝗥, I am an Anna Pitoniak completist. I’ve read all 4 of her books, enjoying them each to varying degrees, and her latest falls near the top. This is the story of a CIA operative stationed in Rome who stumbles onto a Russian plot that leaves a U.S. senator dead, assassinated. When Amanda heads back to Langley to give her report, her father drops a file on her that leaves Amanda’s head spinning.
Just like Amanda, her father was once a CIA operative, but has worked a desk job in DC for the last 30 years. As Amanda digs deeper and deeper into the case the connections between it and her father’s last overseas posting in Helsinki become increasingly difficult to explain.
I’m not normally a huge fan of spy thrillers, but Pitoniak is an author I trust, and that’s a good thing because I really liked this book. It had a lot that worked for me: a dual timeline, believable twists, engaging characters, and family ties that really amped up my interest. The main character, Amanda Cole, was a spy that appealed to me because she felt real. So much so, that I wouldn’t mind reading another book featuring her and that is a rare compliment coming from me! Grade: B
Thanks to Simon & Schuster for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.
What were your favorite books of November OR December?
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I just finished Tanner and Louise and just adored it! The quirky story reminded me of J Ryan Stadal’s midwestern books. I had Grace in my to-read queue at the local library and let it go. I’ll add it back again!
Tanner and Louise was pure fun. Perfect for a busy time of year.
I’d like to get to The Caretaker and The Helsinki Affair — so thanks for these reviews that convinced me to get to them. I have read both authors before and have liked them in the past. Ron Rash with Serena and Pitoniak with The Futures.
I’ve read all of Pitoniak’s books and Necessary People is still my favorite!