October Book Review

Well I read 2 books this month, which is pretty good for me lately! 😜 Take a look!

In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson has been on my reading list for a couple years. This was my  4th Larson book to read, and the 2nd one this year. I just LOVE this author! This book recounted the story of William Dodd, the U.S. ambassador to Germany from 1933-1937, particularly focusing on the first year he and his family were in Germany. It narrates the Nazi's rise to power from the perspective of an American who was in the midst of it, and it was truly fascinating. Out of a morbid curiosity, I'm always drawn to things pertaining to Hitler/Nazi Germany/the Holocaust, so needless to say, I loved this book! I said it in a recap earlier this year, but it bears repeating; Larson is a brilliant author who writes non-fiction that reads like great fiction. His research is so thorough (this book has 57 pages of notes and bibliography!) that I always feel like I could have lived it based on how well I know the situation and the persons involved. :)  

My second book of the month was The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena. I read another Lapena book earlier this year and was not super impressed by it. I only picked this one up because it was a dollar at our library's bookstore and I thought I'd give it a chance. Well I have to say, I liked this story much better! It's about a couple who goes next door for a dinner party, leaving their 6 month old baby asleep at home. They check on her every 30 minutes, but when they return home at the end of the evening, she is missing. There are lots of plot twists, and I honestly wasn't sure how it was going to end or who exactly was responsible. The very end was a little cheesy to me, but overall I liked it a lot! 

There's a look at what I read this past month. I'm hoping to read a few more books before the end of the year, but with the busyness of the approaching holidays, I don't know if it will happen. Check back at the end of the month to find out! :)