October’s book(s) of the month were thanks to the two book clubs I’ve joined and the library getting in one of the books I’ve been waiting for.

Book #1 – Big Chicas Don’t Cry- by Annette Chavez Macias

Big Chicas Don’t Cry is 100% a feel-good, heartfelt, easy to embrace narrative that explores the transformative power of friendship, self-acceptance, and resilience.

The plot follows four cousins -Mari, Seleste, Gracie, and Erica – who grew up inseparable, but as life would have it, grew up and had their own things going on that sometimes put distance between them. We meet them in their late 20’s to find out that each of them is carrying their own emotional baggage and secrets that they’re trying to grapple with.

What unfolds is a heartwarming journey of self-discovery and empowerment as these characters navigate life’s challenges, insecurities, and societal expectations.

The characters are the true gems of this story. Each woman is intricately crafted with depth and complexity, making it easy for readers to connect with their personal struggles and triumphs. The camaraderie that develops among them is beautifully depicted, and it’s impossible not to root for each character as they face their demons and embrace their uniqueness. It’s a bit predictable and Annette Chavez Macias doesn’t leave much up to the imagination, but the real emotion is easy to grasp.

One thing I really loved about this narrative was the emphasis in embracing ourselves with all our differences. Each woman in the story was their own person trying to love themselves for who they’ve become, and who they’re becoming. They learned to accept themselves, their imperfections, and to become better at self-actualization.

If I were to pick out a few major themes of the book, they would be women’s empowerment, self-love, and family/tradition.

The main spoiler, and backbone of the whole book was the life and death of the girls abuela. So many of their happiest memories had been growing up around their abuela and listening to her wisdom. After growing apart while growing up, the girls were always reconnected at abuela’s house around the holidays to follow their tradition of making tamales on Christmas eve. She had always welcomed everyone into her home with love and open arms. When their abuela died, they all realized that no matter what they were going through, it was important to lean on each other, be honest with each other, and support each other because family is everything.

Overall, I think Big Chicas Don’t Cry was a great book club read because it was easy to read, easy to connect with the characters, and allowed for discuss on societal norms, having tough conversations, forgiveness, and acceptance.

Book #2 – The Last Thing He Told Me – by Laura Dave

“The Last Thing He Told Me” got my attention some time ago when it was topping the charts, but I never got around to reading it. I did, however, put my name on the waitlist for it at the library and it finally came in!

The book revolves around 3 main characters who develop along the way through discovery and the sharing of personal thoughts.

The main character introduced to us is Hannah Hall. She’s a woman who is unexpectedly thrown into turmoil when her husband, Owen, disappears without a trace. As she unravels the mystery behind his sudden disappearance, she discovers a trail of secrets and lies that shatter her understanding of the man she thought she knew.

While learning her husband wasn’t who she thought he was and trying to manage her own feelings about his disappearance, she is also doing her best to console her husband’s teenage daughter who is dealing with the same emotions in addition to being stuck with her stepmom whom she hasn’t had a great relationship with. I think Laura Dave’s could have done a better job at narrating their relationship as it began to improve. They grew closer while investigating Owen, but they never really reached a point of happiness. I felt like there was a lot more development that could have been done there.

None-the-less, Hannah’s character was caring, loyal, powerful, and determined to be a strong-independent woman. I couldn’t help but respect her in her decision to fully embrace Owen’s daughter as her own and move on with their lives instead of get more tangled up in the mess he seemed to have created.

I liked the book. It was a quick read and really delved into the complexities of human relationships and trust in a way that felt relatable and genuine.

Book #3 – The Surgeon – by Leslie Wolfe

“The Surgeon” by Leslie Wolfe kept me on my toes from start to finish.

Dr. Anne Wiley is a well regarded cardiothoracic surgeon, with a perfect surgery record, until she’s not. In the beginning of the book, Dr. Wiley loses her first patient, Caleb Donaghy, while operating. She’s pained with guilt for losing him and we’re taken on a mentally and emotionally destructive journey with her as she sorts through her feelings and tries to figure out how it happened in the first place. Dr. Wiley can’t seem to let the death of Mr. Donaghy go so she reviews every video recording, every procedure, every medication and check up and can’t seem to figure out where she went wrong.

The hospital does an internal review of all surgeries that end in death, and find Dr. Wiley not responsible for any disorderly conduct or wrongdoing. However, one woman, a State Attorney, involves herself in the case and starts stirring up all kinds of trouble for Dr. Wiley. Dealing with her first loss is hard enough but this investigation is throwing her into a mental and emotional spiral.

She confides in her husband Derreck, who is running for mayor and he convinces her it may have something to do with him running for office and tries to console her.

As Dr. Wiley grapples with her guilt and the frustration of being harassed by the State Attorney, she viciously investigates the cause of death for Mr Donaghy and whether or not she can live with herself for what’s happened.

Leslie Wolfe whips us around with a series of back to back twists and turns as Dr. Wiley figures out why everything is happening the way it is. Once I discovered the truth, I was shocked! I didn’t see it coming at all so that was a fun surprise after all the suspense.

Although I think the ending was really rushed and could have been better, I didn’t hate it. I would caution readers, after recommending the book, that it starts off pretty slow and builds momentum closer to the middle until you’re at a complete free fall to the end. I couldn’t put it down after it got started.

---

*You can check out my Book Reviews page or my goodreads page to see what else I’ve been reading this year if you missed any of my previous posts*