OrderOfBooks November 2024 Newsletter
Welcome to November!
Of course, I have to start the newsletter with some promotion for Book Notification. Launched last year, it allows you to get notified of new books by your favourite authors, track your “want to read” list, rate and review books, see what books you are still to read by an author, and so much more.
We’re now at over 59,000 authors audited and listed, more than 11x the size of Order Of Books.
If you’re not registered yet – head over to Book Notification and start getting notified of new books by your favourite authors, as well as enjoying all of the other features.
My favourite feature is still the “What’s Next” feature in tribute to Fictfact, letting me know the next books I need to read in each series I have ongoing.
I started off October by finishing Edge of Darkness, the 4th story in the “Edge of Collapse” series by Kyla Stone. I enjoyed it, but it was the weakest of the series for me so far. To give an idea, my ratings for the books so far (and more on the topic of ratings in the mailbag section) are:
Chaos Rising: 8/10 (Shortish story)
Edge of Collapse: 8/10
Edge of Madness: 10/10
Edge of Darkness: 7/10
It’s interesting because it allows me to see what I really like about these types of books. They are survivalist books. The difference in those books is that Edge of Collapse was the story of two people together traveling. Edge of Madness was the story of a small town and how it dealt with the aftermath of the EMP attack. Then Edge of Darkness was a combination of the two.
It made me realize that what I really like about survivalist books is how a community reacts, more than the idea of people traveling and surviving within the elements. It’s pretty neat when you realize why you like a particular book within a series more than others.
I read the latest Freida McFadden novel, The Boyfriend. The synopsis behind this is that the protagonist is a woman who is dating a new man, but there is a serial killer on the loose – and he dates his victims before killing them.
To be completely honest, I hated this one right from the beginning. I’m a fan of Freida, but I felt this one had completely unrealistic characters, and downright stupid characters, and, yeah, this book was a swing and a miss for me.
I was in the mood for a spy thriller and remembered I was in the process of re-reading the “Gray Man” series by Mark Greaney. So I went back to that, and read Gunmetal Gray. Such a great series.
The Waiting by Michael Connelly was up next. Billed as a “Bosch and Ballard” novel, this felt a lot more like the transition from Harry to Maddie. It’s a slow transition – but it’s getting there.
Like all Connelly books, I loved this. I did have one issue – but this is more of a “me” issue. It involved solving a real case that has plagued LA for decades. I know there are many historical fiction fans out there – but I always struggle when fictional characters enter into real-life situations.
I’ve read several spy thrillers where the main character was involved in the Bin Laden raid. There was one in particular — though I can’t recall its name — where the author introduced a conspiracy theory regarding Princess Diana at the start. This plot twist led our “hero” to pursue her killer.
That sort of thing is just a turn off for me, and why I struggle with a lot of historical fiction. I can only enjoy that sort of story if it’s written under science fiction rules; The Rewind Files by Claire Willett is one example, which involves Watergate but is all based on time travel.
It’s interesting reading Bosch novels, having watched all of the TV show. I crafted my own Harry Bosch in my head years ago, so I don’t picture Harry as Titus Welliver. But I do picture Maddie exactly like Madison Lintz, who plays her in Bosch.
I finished off the month by reading In Too Deep by Andrew Child. This is the 29th novel in the Jack Reacher series, and the first written only by Andrew.
I liked it. It wasn’t the best Reacher, but I liked it better than The Secret. It felt like Reacher to me, so that’s a good sign going forward. I thought the story was good, and it had a solid twist that I never saw coming.
However, I wasn’t a fan of the combat scenes. I thought they were written a bit poorly, and Reacher kicking people while they were down in the head to make them stay unconscious a bit longer felt a bit preposterous. That’s not how the human body works! But it was a solid story, and I’ll read more by Andrew going forward.
I’ve started reading A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. This is the next entry in our book-to-movie adaptation book club.
I also finished listening to If Something Happens To Me by Alex Finlay, the story of a girl who disappeared five years ago, and then the car she was in was discovered at the bottom of a lake. She isn’t in it, but two unknown men are. I enjoyed this one overall, and I loved the three different narratives. There was also a jaw-dropping moment for me about halfway through the book.
The ending was a bit of a mess and quite disappointing, but the rest of the book made it worth it.
I listened to Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister. I’ve read two of her other books and thought they were average, but they were early books in her writing career, so I decided to give her another shot since this one had the sort of plot I enjoy.
First of all – if you both read and listen to books, LISTEN to this one. The narrator, Lesley Sharp, was SUPERB. I was hooked on the book from the beginning, primarily due to her narration of the opening scene.
The story of this one is about a woman who witnesses a murder involving her son one night. The next “day”, she wakes up to realize it’s the day prior to this. And she keeps jumping back in time, with the theory that she needs to stop the murder from happening.
I always love these concepts. I thought it was a great book. It lost me a bit in the middle but ended up winning me back, and it’s my highest-rated Gillian book to date.
I’ve started listening to The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, which has been frequently recommended by subscribers.
The concept is pretty simple and one I really enjoy. A woman isn’t too happy with her life and decides she wants to die. Then she “wakes up” in a library filled with books. Each book reflects a life she could have had if she made a different decision.
I’m about 70% of the way through and generally enjoying it, although I think I am enjoying the actual concept more than the book. I’m at the point where I’m ready for it to wrap up, and hope the final act is approaching.
I watched the adaptation of It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover. I thought it was a superb adaptation. I felt it really captured the core of all the characters and had some incredible, powerful scenes. With the topic of domestic violence, it’s a movie I’m very glad my teenage daughter watched as well.
Finally, I started watching the latest season of The Lincoln Lawyer. I loved the latest Connelly book, where Bosch mentioned he was binging that – a nice little wink to the audience.
Each month we give away 5 $25 Amazon gift certificates to random subscribers.
To win all you have to do is be a subscriber. Nothing more! When we go to hit “Publish” we take a list of all of our subscribers, throw them into a random draw and those are the winners.
Our winners this month are:
Deb from Peterborough, ON (email starts with ‘four’)
Helen K. from Naples, FL
Philip Fe. from Orlando, FL
Chryss from Colorado (email starts with ‘jedi’)
Lloyd H. from USA (email starts with lmha)
All of you have been e-mailed. If you don’t see anything, check your junk folder or contact me.
Graeme
OrderOfBooks.com
Quotes of the Month
“There is no friend as loyal as a book.”
“I cannot live without books.”
“Reading is a discount ticket to everywhere ”
“It is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.”
Submit your own quotes; just hit reply. Book-related is great but happy to share non-book related too! Love seeing quotes from books! Thanks to Philip, Cindy, and Diane for this months quotes.
Book Recommendations
In this section, I give 3-5 random book recommendations from readers of the newsletter. They can be old books, they can be new. Feel free to e-mail suggestions to me. Just hit reply. If you wish to add a description for the book around the same size as the ones below that’d be great too!
A Terrible Kidness by Jo Browning Wroe: A “Richard and Judy” Book Club Pick, this one is for historical fiction fans.
Doris wrote in to recommend it. She listened to it, and stated:
“Read by David Dawson, it is the story of William Lavery, a young embalmer who travels to Wales to help out at the tragic events in Aberfan in 1966.
It is the most moving book I have read/listened to in a long time. With audiobooks the characters become so much more to me, they are real 😊
I hope someone like Will Lavery will look after me when I leave this mortal coil.”
Riley Thorn Series by Lucy Score: There are four books in this series so far, which fall into various genres: romantic comedy, mystery, suspense, and just a lot of fun!
April wrote in to recommend it. She said:
“I just binged the Riley Thorn series and it was so fun and enjoyable. She lives with a cast of crazy old folks, teams up with a PI, and has a love-to-hate ex. Her family is a cast of characters and she has ESP. What’s not to love about a character like that – but the characters actually grow and learn and develop, which is why I so enjoy reading series, rather than standalones.”
I completely agree – I do love standalones, but that’s one of the reasons why I much prefer series.
Worst Case Scenario by T.J. Newman: Keith wrote in to recommend this standalone, which he listed to. It’s described as “the best thriller I’ve read all year” by James Patterson. Here’s what Keith wrote:
“One of the tenets of Design Engineering is to perform a risk analysis to determine what is likely to happen when everything goes against you. Complex designs that have potential for harm demand the closest scrutiny. In the recently released novel “Worst Case Scenario” author T.J. Newman speculates about an accident where a commercial airline pilot suffers a fatal heart attack and crashes his loaded passenger jet into a nuclear power plant!
The ensuing disaster and recovery are the core of this well researched thriller. Narrator Joe Morton believably conveyed the overall atmosphere of fear and uncertainty that affected the power plant technicians and everyone in the neighboring town, and eventually the whole country. I especially want to commend the author for being technically accurate but weaving an exciting story that anyone can easily understand (no Engineering Degree required!). I’m just relieved that this is a work of fiction, but one that is all too possible. Now I’ve got to go listen to T. J.’s other two novels post haste.”
DCI Warren James Series by Paul Gitsham: John wrote in to recommend this series, after having read the first book, “The Last Straw”. If you are a fun of British police procedurals, this is one series to check out.
Here’s what John wrote:
“I’d like to recommend a book I just finished called The Last Straw by Paul Gitsham. It’s the first in a series, and there are already several in the series. This was my first. It was a pleasant, non-challenging Brit Police procedural, that read like a script for a BBC weekly TV show. Every now and then, it’s nice to settle down with a mildly entertaining novel for a lazy mid-week afternoon. Easy lifting, but great with a quiet house and a cuppa tea.”
There are 9 books in the series, plus some novellas.
The Shootist by Glendon Swarthout: Clark is my “Western” go-to guy, and he has a long list of great Western books that I like to promote in here.
He recommended The Shootist by Glendon Swarthout. It’s an award winning novel, having won Best Western Novel at the Spur Awards in 1975.
It follows J.B. Books, an aging gunfighter diagnosed with terminal cancer, as he seeks to end his life on his own terms. Set in 1901, Books navigates a rapidly changing West, while confronting his past and planning a final showdown to leave behind a legacy of strength and dignity.
As a trivia note – this was adapted into a movie of the same name, starring John Wayne in his final film role.
October Book Of The Month
To Die For by David Baldacci: David Baldacci never fails to miss when it comes to new book series, and fans of him will be happy to hear that an addition to an existing series is coming out this month.
To Die For is the third novel in the Travis Devine series by David Baldacci, also known as the 6:20 Man series.
It releases November 12th and is a series about a young veteran drawn into a dangerous conspiracy involving his former military colleagues.
Travis Devine is sent to Seattle to escort orphaned Betsy Odom for the FBI. As he uncovers a conspiracy tied to her parents’ death, he must confront both enemies and allies, including the mysterious girl on the train.
10 More Notable Books Releasing in November
- The Neighbour’s Secret by Sharon Bolton
- The Party Line by Carolyn Brown
- Desolation Code by Graham Brown (Cussler – NUMA)
- Death by the Book by Lucy Connelly (Mercy McCarthy)
- Now or Never by Janet Evanovich (Stephanie Plum)
- Tooth and Claw by Craig Johnson (Walt Longmire)
- The Boundaries We Cross by Brad Parks
- The House of Cross by James Patterson (Alex Cross)
- The Mirror by Nora Roberts (Lost Bride Trilogy)
- Trial by Fire by Danielle Steel
Brought to you by BookNotification.com where you can get updated on all the upcoming books by your favourite authors with your own personalized calendar!
November Charities
While I appreciate all offers of donations to show your appreciation for the site and newsletter, I’d much rather you do that by supporting some great causes. Each month I pick a few select charities broken down by our most popular countries or topics that you can support instead. Thanks! Feel free to donate to a similar charity but in your own area.
Sarah Bellums Bakery
Toys for Tots
Trans Lifeline
Little Free Library
I rotate this list each month. Feel free to suggest a favourite charity – hit reply.
Pictures of the Month:
Mug submitted by Lynda. Love seeing the mugs!
Ice sculpture of someone reading a book on the back of a dragon. Why not! Submitted by Bob.
Submitted by Norma.
Submitted by Norma.
Send in your own to site@orderofbooks.com or by replying! Images, jokes, etc. We’ll take it all! Bit of a backlog but working my way through it.
Your Thoughts!
Last month I asked, you to write to an author and thank them for the entertainment they’ve provided you via their writing.
So no mailbag this month. Each month five random submitters win a $25 gift certificate for Amazon. Listed below.
This month’s question is: how do you rate books?
Do you have a strict rating scale? Is your 5/5 or 10/10 ratings list almost completely empty due to special rules being in place regarding what gives a book a perfect score? Do you rate them that high all willy-nilly? Or do you not even consider a rating at all?
For me – it’s the willy-nilly method. Of all the books I have read and rated, 55% of them are rated 10/10.
Does that mean they are the all-time perfect book, and each one is a guaranteed hit if I recommend it? It does not. It means I felt I got my money’s worth out of a book. It entertained me for hours, and there was nothing really negative about the book that stood out enough to take it down a notch.
It’s not going to go down in history or win a Booker Prize or anything – but it entertained me enough, and that’s how I flow with my ratings.
It’s why I never really give my ratings in the newsletter when writing about books that I read. I don’t have a serious rating scale, but I know that many of you out there do, and if I start saying a book is a 10/10, you may rush out to blindly buy it thinking that’s an all-time recommendation when that isn’t the case. I only provided the ratings in the introduction to give context to that series.
If I REALLY like a book and want to recommend it, then I’ll add it to the recommendations area.
I don’t have set rules for what determines whether a book is a 7/10 or 8/10. I do think about my rating as I near the end of the book, then I give a rating that I feel comfortable with. I generally go with the “average” line – was this book above or below average? And how far above or below?
I rarely have to think about it. By the end of a book I usually can say “This is an 8/10” and feel good about that. I could never sit down here and write “A book scores an 8/10 because of these factors” or anything like that.
How about you? How strict is your rating scale, or how do you decide how to rate a book?
E-mail us your feedback to site@OrderOfBooks.com or just reply to this e-mail, and we’ll pick the best comments and feature it in next month’s newsletter. Five people will also randomly win a $25 gift certificate to Amazon.
Thanks For Reading!
Thanks everyone for the feedback etc. Feel free to e-mail me about anything book related. I love chatting books with anyone and everyone!
So glad I read your notes on A Talent for Murder by Peter Swanson. I went and got the book and look forward to reading it, it sounds like something I would like to read.
I enjoyed the whole ‘newsletter’ and glad a friend recommended you to me.
Thank you!
Excellent I hope you enjoy 🙂 Although I would recommend reading the two books prior to it first. The Kind Worth Killing (Great book) and The Kind Worth Saving (I found it average). You will really get into the characters more that way due to their development over the course of the three novels.