November Book of the Month Unboxing
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Another month…another Book of the Month unboxing. I *may* have gone overboard again this month. Are we surprised? We aren’t surprised are we? The monthly selections were fantastic and thankfully I had some free credits again so I FILLED that box up. She was a big one. I am so excited to share them with you again. It is such a fun collection of books…we have Contemporary Fiction, Literary Fiction, Romance, Thriller, and a Young Adult book! Are you ready? Let’s chat!
What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez
I have to start with this gorgeous book because it is a highly anticipated read for me! What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez is the first book in a new historical fantasy series that is set in Egypt. I am a sucker for anything set in Egypt…just cannot get enough. I also absolutely ADORED her book Together We Burn…so I cannot wait to dive into this book. It promises to be full of magic, adventure, and romance! Here is a little synopsis!
Goodreads Synopsis
Bolivian-Argentinian Inez Olivera belongs to the glittering upper society of nineteenth century Buenos Aires, and like the rest of the world, the town is steeped in old world magic that’s been largely left behind or forgotten. Inez has everything a girl might want, except for the one thing she yearns the most: her globetrotting parents—who frequently leave her behind.
When she receives word of their tragic deaths, Inez inherits their massive fortune and a mysterious guardian, an archeologist in partnership with his Egyptian brother-in-law. Yearning for answers, Inez sails to Cairo, bringing her sketch pads and an ancient golden ring her father sent to her for safekeeping before he died. But upon her arrival, the old world magic tethered to the ring pulls her down a path where she soon discovers there’s more to her parent’s disappearance than what her guardian led her to believe.
With her guardian’s infuriatingly handsome assistant thwarting her at every turn, Inez must rely on ancient magic to uncover the truth about her parent’s disappearance—or risk becoming a pawn in a larger game that will kill her.
Again and Again by Jonathan Evison
I chose this next book for two reasons. The first reason was the cover. I have a terrible habit of selecting books based on their gorgeous covers…that will likely never change. The second reason is that I am a sucker for a book with curmudgeonly old people…or any old people really…but the cranky ones are my favorite! I was so intigued by the interesting premise of this book and I can’t wait to get started! I have also heard wonderful things about author Jonathan Evison’s other books! Here is a little synopsis for ya!
Goodreads Synopsis
From one of America’s greatest, most creative novelists comes Again and Again , a poignant and endlessly surprising story about love lost, found, and redeemed
Eugene “Geno” Miles is living out his final days in a nursing home, bored, curmudgeonly, and struggling to connect with his new nursing assistant, Angel, who is understandably skeptical of Geno’s insistence on having lived not just one life but many—all the way back to medieval Spain, where, as a petty thief, he first lucked upon true love only to lose it, and spend the next thousand years trying to recapture it.
Who is Geno? A lonely old man clinging to his delusions and rehearsing his fantasies, or a legitimate anomaly, a thousand-year-old man who continues to search for the love he lost so long ago?
As Angel comes to learn the truth about Geno, so, too, does the reader, and as his miraculous story comes to a head, so does the biggest truth of that love—timeless, often elusive—is sometimes right in front of us.
This Spells Love by Kate Robb
Once upon a time I started reading romance novels and now I can’t stop. Would you just look at the cuteness factor of this book…how could I NOT choose it? This book is also an early release to Book of the Month and I love the chance to get an early book…so adding This Spells Love was a no-brainer for this booknerd. Also…this line grabbed me…”A spell for you to forget your ex, but what else might you lose?” Right?? So good! Here is a little info…
Goodreads Synopsis
Reeling from a recent breakup, a young woman tries to heal heartbreak with a spell–only to wake up in an alternate reality where she’s lost more than she wished for–in this witty, whimsical friends-to-lovers debut rom-com.
“Once lovers, now enemies, soon to be strangers with some memories, this love cleanse will rid you of your woes.”
When Gemma Wilde gets dumped by her long-term boyfriend, she reacts the way any reasonable twenty-eight-year-old would: by getting drunk with her sister, kooky aunt, and best friend, Dax, and performing a love cleansing spell to forget all about her ex. Sure, it sounds a little crazy, but nothing else has worked, so why not try it? They follow the instructions, complete with an absolutely platonic kiss from Dax to seal the deal, and Gemma falls asleep in a margarita haze, thinking nothing of it.But when she wakes up, she realizes that this silly spell has worked. Not only has she never dated her ex; her life looks completely different –and spoiler alert, the grass is not greener in the alternate reality. The worst part of all: Dax has no idea who she is.
To get back to her old life, Gemma must reverse the spell before the next full moon. That means she has one month to convince a now near-stranger, Dax, to become friends with her in order to get his kiss. But as Gemma carries out her plans, she finds herself falling for him, and begins to wonder whether she even wants to go back to the way things were…
Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward
I hope you don’t get tired of hearing me say that I have chosen YET another book based on it’s cover. Would you look at this absolutely beautiful book? Don’t you hear it asking to come live with me? I hear it. But, not only is this cover beautiful…but it sounds like the story is going to be absolutely heartwrenchingly beautiful as well. This is the line that grabbed me…“Haunting and haunted, this is the powerful story of an enslaved girl seeking redemption with the help of her ancestors.” Say no more…I must read this book. I haven’t read anything by Jesmyn Ward yet…but I have heard her writing is impeccable. So excited to read Let Us Descend! Here is a synopsis.
Goodreads Synopsis
Let Us Descend is a reimagining of American slavery, as beautifully rendered as it is heart-wrenching. Searching, harrowing, replete with transcendent love, the novel is a journey from the rice fields of the Carolinas to the slave markets of New Orleans and into the fearsome heart of a Louisiana sugar plantation.
Annis, sold south by the white enslaver who fathered her, is the reader’s guide through this hellscape. As she struggles through the miles-long march, Annis turns inward, seeking comfort from memories of her mother and stories of her African warrior grandmother. Throughout, she opens herself to a world beyond this world, one teeming with of earth and water, of myth and history; spirits who nurture and give, and those who manipulate and take. While Ward leads readers through the descent, this, her fourth novel, is ultimately a story of rebirth and reclamation.
From one of the most singularly brilliant and beloved writers of her generation, this miracle of a novel inscribes Black American grief and joy into the very land—the rich but unforgiving forests, swamps, and rivers of the American South. Let Us Descend is Jesmyn Ward’s most magnificent novel yet, a masterwork for the ages.
My Darling Girl by Jennifer McMahon
Last, but certainly not least is My Darling Girl by Jennifer McMahon. I saved this one for last because it is the book I chose to read first. You knew I couldn’t have a BOTM box without adding in a thriller. Anyway…I just finished this book yesterday and it was fantastic. Super chilling, eerie, twisty, and bizarre at times. I absolutely loved it. I loved author Jennifer McMahon’s writing and look forward to seeking out her previous books. Just a word of caution…there are some content warnings for this book…it deals with topics of child abuse and suicide…so if that is a sensitive issue for you just know that it is present in the book. Here is a little about the book…
Goodreads Synopsis
A spine-tingling psychological thriller about a woman who, after taking in her dying, alcoholic mother, begins to suspect demonic possession is haunting her family.
Alison has never been a fan of Christmas. But with it right around the corner and her husband busily decorating their cozy Vermont home, she has no choice but to face it. Then she gets the call.
Mavis, Alison’s estranged mother, has been diagnosed with cancer and has only weeks to live. She wants to spend her remaining days with her daughter, son-in-law, and two granddaughters. But Alison grew up with her mother’s alcoholism and violent abuse and is reluctant to unearth these traumatic memories. Still, she eventually agrees to take in Mavis, hoping that she and her mother could finally heal and have the relationship she’s always dreamed of.
But when mysterious and otherworldly things start happening upon Mavis’s arrival, Alison begins to suspect her mother is not quite who she seems. And as the holiday festivities turn into a nightmare, she must confront just how far she is willing to go to protect her family.
Happy Reading!
What are you guys looking forward to reading this month? My TBR is out of control…as usual…but I have so many books I am excited to read! I just started a rom-com called…wait for it…Mom Com. Yup…Mom Com. I am super excited to read it…sounds like a great second chance romance!
If you have never tried out Book of the Month and want some more info you can check out my blog post here. This will answer some questions!
You can also give it a try for $5 with my referral link! Can’t go wrong with a $5 book!
As always, thank you so much for being here and for reading my rambles! Happy Reading!