I can’t believe 2024 is already almost over.

Yet, I find myself sitting here next to my Christmas tree and thinking about new year’s resolutions. I feel like this fall has been an absolute whirlwind and I’m not sure exactly why. Does anyone else feel this way or is this just a me thing?

Regardless of this weird time warp that I’m in, I continued to pick up books and made it through some long ones! One was 608 pages and another was 496.

The list included:

• Let It Go by Peter Walsh
• The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
• Don’t Let the Forest In by CG Drews
• Blight: Fungi and the Coming Pandemic by Emily Monosson
• All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

Let’s get into the reviews!

Let It Go by Peter Walsh

My recent decluttering books obsession continued this month!

While this wasn’t my favorite book in the decluttering universe, I find that every bit of motivation is helpful when it comes to getting rid of stuff. In this book, Peter Walsh focuses on downsizing, whether due to an upcoming move or just getting older and wanting to be prepared. Most of the ideas were more big picture, but I did appreciate his strategy of using a dining room table for determining what is truly special to you and what is nice, but replaceable.

Rating: 7/10

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

I thought I would like this book more than I did. It had a lot of my favorite elements- summer camp setting, a mystery, and multiple POVs- but it just didn’t deliver what I had been expecting. It’s definitely more literary fiction than true mystery.

13-year-old Barbara Van Laar is reported missing when camp counselors wake up to find her bed is empty and no one has seen her. This is a huge deal as her own brother went missing years ago on the property and was never found. As a search ensues, the story bounces between the past and the present. What happened to her brother and could that be related to Barbara’s disappearance?

Rating: 7/10

Don’t Let the Forest In by CG Drews

This was a very odd book. It was dark and creepy and had a certain vibe to it that’s hard to explain. Maybe, dread?

Andrew has returned to boarding school, but this school year feels different. His twin sister, Dove, seems to be avoiding him and their best friend, Thomas. Andrew doesn’t push the issue at first, but soon he realizes Thomas is acting strange as well. One day, he follows Thomas into the woods near the school and finds out the monsters that Thomas likes to draw have been coming to life. Andrew has no choice, but to fight back.

At times, it was hard to know what was real and what wasn’t. Be prepared!

Rating: 7/10

Blight: Fungi and the Coming Pandemic by Emily Monosson

Fungi are essential to our survival, but they can also pose a serious and life-threatening risk. And, unfortunately, this risk is only growing.

Emily Monosson takes a look at a range of fungal infections impacting humans, animals, and crops. From the extinction of some of the world’s frogs to Candida auris in hospitals, she covers it all. While this is a scary topic, I feel it’s covered in a knowledgeable and factual way. I found the chapters about bananas to be the most interesting.

Even if you’re not a big science reader, this is broken down in easy to understand terms.

Rating: 8/10

All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

The description of this book reads like a mystery/thriller, but, truly, this is more like literary fiction (similar to The God of the Woods above).

Saint and Patch are childhood best friends and are both very strange children. Patch is obsessed with pirates, while Saint seems to have an obsession with bees. One day, Patch gets kidnapped while protecting a girl in their small town. Saint is unable to move on and relentlessly searches for him. But the Patch she eventually finds isn’t the same boy she knew. Their lives are forever changed.. and not in a good way.

So, I can see why people liked this book, but I found it very frustrating! It felt like Patch (and Saint) both threw their lives away and nobody was really happy. I don’t want to say too much more, but just know it’s a long, and at times, slow read.

Rating: 7/10

Want more reviews? Check out what I read in September and October 2024!

As always, I want to hear from you. Leave your latest reads in the comments below.