Five Star Friday: November 2020

Five Star Friday is my version of the monthly wrap-up. On the first Friday of each month, I will share my five-star reads from the previous month. Fingers crossed, I have lots of books to tell you about.

The highlight of November for me was the holiday, because it always brings my daughter home to me. I am grateful she was brave enough to fly. Another good thing was I applied for a new job, and am hoping I get an interview. It's a position with lots of growth possibilities, and a route I have been interested in for a while. Other than that, I read some books. I finished 40 books this month, and though only 3 earned 5-stars, I had many that were close. 

The Forever Girl
Jill Shalvis

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis does it once again with a heartfelt story of family, forgiveness, and secrets that have the power to change the course of more than one life.

When Maze returns to Wildstone for the wedding of her estranged bff and the sister of her heart, it’s also a reunion of a once ragtag team of teenagers who had only each other until a tragedy tore them apart and scattered them wide.

Now as adults together again in the lake house, there are secrets and resentments mixed up in all the amazing childhood memories. Unexpectedly, they instantly fall back into their roles: Maze their reckless leader, Cat the den mother, Heather the beloved baby sister, and Walker, a man of mystery.

Life has changed all four of them in immeasurable ways. Maze and Cat must decide if they can rebuild their friendship, and Maze discovers her long-held attraction to Walker hasn’t faded with the years but has only grown stronger.

When I first heart Shalvis was going to be doing a women's fiction series, I was worried, because her contemporary romances never fail to delight me. Little did I know, this would become my favorite of her series. Each book has a romantic sub-plot, but the focus seems to be family and finding oneself. Once again, she put together a stupendous cast for The Forever Girl.  She gave each of the four main characters something painful in their past, which was still playing a role in their present. I just loved seeing this "family" reunited and working their way back to each other. As with all Shalvis' novels, it was filled with lots of laughs and love, and it left me with a lot of joy in my heart. 

A List of Cages
Robin Roe

When Adam Blake lands the best elective ever in his senior year, serving as an aide to the school psychologist, he thinks he’s got it made. Sure, it means a lot of sitting around, which isn’t easy for a guy with ADHD, but he can’t complain, since he gets to spend the period texting all his friends. Then the doctor asks him to track down the troubled freshman who keeps dodging her, and Adam discovers that the boy is Julian—the foster brother he hasn’t seen in five years.

Adam is ecstatic to be reunited. At first, Julian seems like the boy he once knew. He’s still kindhearted. He still writes stories and loves picture books meant for little kids. But as they spend more time together, Adam realizes that Julian is keeping secrets, like where he hides during the middle of the day, and what’s really going on inside his house. Adam is determined to help him, but his involvement could cost both boys their lives…

I know the first thing everyone talks about when they discuss this book is how sad it is. Well, it's a story about an abused kid, so yes, it's sad, but it's also really touching and hopeful. The friendship between these two boys was so incredibly beautiful. There are some really harrowing scenes, but my reward was an outcome that was quite wonderful. This book made me cry, but also made my heart explode, and that much feeling deserves all the stars.  

Just Our Luck
Julia Walton

From the author of Words on Bathroom Walls--now a major motion picture--comes a romance in the spirit of Dear Evan Hansen about overcoming anxiety--and about finding love and friendship in unlikely places.

Bad luck follows lies. That was the first rule for life that Leo's Greek grandmother, Yia Yia, gave him before she died. But Leo's anxiety just caused a fight at school, and though he didn't lie, he wasn't exactly honest about how it all went down--how he went down. Now Leo's father thinks a self-defense class is exactly what his son needs to man up.

Leave the Paros family alone. That was Yia Yia's second rule for life. But who does Leo see sitting at the front desk of the local gym? Evey Paros, whose family supposedly cursed Leo's with bad luck. Seeing that Leo is desperate to enroll in anything but self-defense class, Evey cuts him a deal: she'll secretly enroll him in hot yoga instead--for a price. But what could the brilliant, ruthless, forbidden Evey Paros want from Leo?

Sharp, honest, and compulsively readable, Just Our Luck is as funny as it is heartwarming. Readers will root for Leo as he takes charge of his own destiny.

I fell in love with Leo on page one, and it just got better and better from there. I wanted to know this boy with the tender heart, who had so much love and respect for her grandmother. I delighted in every part of this story, which was about healing and self acceptance. Leo wasn't the only draw either. She crafted some wonderful and interesting friends for him, who I grew to love as well. This had the three Fs I always look for - friendship, fun, and feels.  

Did you have any five-star reads last month? 
Let us know in the comments!