Hello! Welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday. This is a time when I share something I'm thinking out loud about and invite you to link up and do the same. One the first Thursday of the month, I like to reflect back on the books I read the previous month. Let's look at the books I read in October ~
At their twenty-fifth high school reunion, four former best friends discover that growing up is way messier than anticipated—and the past isn’t nearly as finished as they thought.
Back in senior year, Audrey, Micah, Jasmine and Beck were the Core Four: the lucky one, the beautiful one, the smart one, the sporty one. They had color-coded dreams, inside jokes and a lifelong friendship they thought would last forever. But graduation night ended in a tragic accident, followed by the kind of silence that stretches for decades.
Now, they’ve returned for their reunion, each carrying a life that looks nothing like the glossy future they imagined. There are stalled careers, complicated marriages, outspoken adult children and secrets that never fit into holiday cards. For one of them, a diagnosis of early-onset dementia turns the weekend into a ticking clock.
Across one unforgettable weekend, the Core Four must decide if their past can still change their future together.
The Teacher by Freida McFadden
Oh my goodness - every book I've read by Freida McFadden is so twisty! The Teacher was no exception. There was only one little part that didn't tie together for me. If you've read it, do you know what I'm talking about? We read this in one of my book clubs and there was plenty to discuss! Another free one on Kindle Unlimited.
Lesson #1: Trust no one.
Eve has a good life. She wakes up each day, kisses her husband Nate, and heads off to teach math at the local high school. All is as it should be. Except…
Last year, Caseham High was rocked by a scandal involving a student-teacher affair, with one student, Addie, at its center. But Eve knows there is far more to these ugly rumors than meets the eye.
Addie can’t be trusted. She lies. She hurts people. She destroys lives. At least, that’s what everyone says.
But nobody knows the real Addie. Nobody knows the secrets that could destroy her. And Addie will do anything to keep it quiet…
The First Witch of Boston by Andrea Catalano
This was our library book club's October pick, and it was the perfect Halloweenish read for the month! It had just the right amount of spookiness and gave us plenty to talk about at our meeting. I always enjoy a book that sparks a good discussion! And here's a bonus — it's free with Kindle Unlimited, too!
A gripping and intimate novel based on the true story of Margaret Jones, the first woman to be found guilty of witchcraft in seventeenth-century Massachusetts.
Massachusetts Bay Colony, 1646. Thomas and Margaret Jones arrive from England to build a life in the New World. Though of differing temperaments, cautious Thomas and fiery Margaret, a healer, are bound by a love that has lasted decades. With a child on the way, their new beginning promises only blessings.
But in this austere Puritan community, comely faces hide malicious intent. Wrong moves or words are met with suspicion, and Margaret’s bold and unguarded nature draws scorn. Soon, Margaret is mistrusted as more cunning woman than kind caregiver. And when personal tragedies, religious hysteria, and wariness of the unknown turn most against her, even the devotion Margaret and her husband share is at risk.
Inspired by actual diary entries and court records, The First Witch of Boston is at once the riveting story of a woman unjustly accused and a love story set amid the political and social turmoil of both Old and New England. Harrowing, and with a deep understanding of the human heart, history is brilliantly imagined.
Book Club Confidential by Julie Hatcher
This was just a fun little read! It, too, is free with Kindle Unlimited. I think it was actually one of my Amazon Prime First Reads from a month or so ago. (Let this be your reminder to pick your free book for November!)Once upon a time, friends Tessa, Kate, and Hallie dreamed big. Now they’re all that’s left of a once-thriving book club, meeting weekly to drink wine, talk novels, and quietly wonder how their lives got so small.
Tessa, a lifelong people pleaser, excels at a corporate job she hates, while influencer Kate grows weary of chasing false perfection and true love. Meanwhile, independent Hallie drifts toward a wedding she never really wanted—nursing feelings she’s too afraid to name.
But out of their growing regret comes a decisive pact: For one month, they’ll make every choice boldly, like they’re the protagonists of their own stories. The results are immediate, transformative…and chaotic. Careers stumble. Relationships fumble. Carefully crafted images start to crack.
It turns out, having agency is easier said than done. But with their friendship intact, they each come to grips with their new character arc—and discover what they’ll risk to find their happy ending.
It was a great month of reading! What was your favorite read from last month?
Now it's your turn. Link up and share what you're thinking out loud about today!
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