Even though everyone expects spooky books to be read in October, I refrained from thrillers and just enjoyed my typical genres.
I’m not someone who enjoys getting scared in any way, shape, or form. Instead of succumbing to the “norm” and reading thrillers, horror, or even dark academia with scary undertones, I just continued tackling my TBR pile.
My favorites of the month were Early Departures and Daisy Jones & The Six. However, there were some surprising likes and dislikes among my monthly reads. Like last month, I outlined only what I read and how I rated them. Since reviews tend to make these posts much longer than they already are (oops), I’ve provided links to my Goodreads review pages if you’re curious why I rated something the way I did!
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The 11 Books I Read in October
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Early Departures by Justin A. Reynolds
Read my review | rating: ★★★★★
What if you could bring your best friend back to life—but only for a short time? Jamal’s best friend, Q, doesn’t know that he died, and that he’s about to die . . . again. He doesn’t know that Jamal tried to save him. And that the reason they haven’t been friends for two years is because Jamal blames Q for the accident that killed his parents. But what if Jamal could have a second chance? A new technology allows Q to be reanimated for a few weeks before he dies . . . permanently. And Q’s mom is not about to let anyone ruin this miracle by telling Q about his impending death. So how can Jamal fix everything if he can’t tell Q the truth? Early Departures weaves together loss, grief, friendship, and love to form a wholly unique homage to the bonds that bring people together for life—and beyond.
A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A Brown (A Song of Wraiths and Ruin #1)
Read my audiobook review | Rating: ★★★★☆
For Malik, the Solstasia festival is a chance to escape his war-stricken home and start a new life with his sisters in the prosperous desert city of Ziran. But when a vengeful spirit abducts his younger sister, Nadia, as payment to enter the city, Malik strikes a fatal deal – kill Karina, Crown Princess of Ziran, for Nadia’s freedom. But Karina has deadly aspirations of her own. Her mother, the Sultana, has been assassinated; her court threatens mutiny; and Solstasia looms like a knife over her neck. Grief-stricken, Karina decides to resurrect her mother through ancient magic…requiring the beating heart of a king. And she knows just how to obtain one: by offering her hand in marriage to the victor of the Solstasia competition. When Malik rigs his way into the contest, they are set on a heart-pounding course to destroy each other. But as attraction flares between them and ancient evils stir, will they be able to see their tasks to the death?
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Read my audiobook review | rating: ★★★★★
Everyone knows Daisy Jones & The Six, but nobody knows the reason behind their split at the absolute height of their popularity . . . until now. Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late sixties, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it’s the rock and roll she loves most. By the time she’s twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things. Also getting noticed is The Six, a band led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she’s pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road. Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes that the key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend. The making of that legend is chronicled in this riveting and unforgettable novel, written as an oral history of one of the biggest bands of the seventies. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a talented writer who takes her work to a new level with Daisy Jones & The Six, brilliantly capturing a place and time in an utterly distinctive voice.
Vicious by V.E. Schwab (Villains #1)
Read my review | Rating: ★★★☆☆
A masterful tale of ambition, jealousy, desire, and superpowers. Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong. Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end? In Vicious, V. E. Schwab brings to life a gritty comic-book-style world in vivid prose: a world where gaining superpowers doesn’t automatically lead to heroism, and a time when allegiances are called into question.
Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
Read my review | rating: ★★★★☆
Lara Lington has always had an overactive imagination, but suddenly that imagination seems to be in overdrive. Normal professional twenty-something young women don’t get visited by ghosts. Or do they? When the spirit of Lara’s great-aunt Sadie-a feisty, demanding girl with firm ideas about fashion, love, and the right way to dance-mysteriously appears, she has one request: Lara must find a missing necklace that had been in Sadie’s possession for more than seventy-five years, because Sadie cannot rest without it. Lara and Sadie make a hilarious sparring duo, and at first it seems as though they have nothing in common. But as the mission to find Sadie’s necklace leads to intrigue and a new romance for Lara, these very different “twenties” girls learn some surprising truths from and about each other. Written with all the irrepressible charm and humor that have made Sophie Kinsella’s books beloved by millions, Twenties Girl is also a deeply moving testament to the transcendent bonds of friendship and family.
The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong (Darkness Rising #1)
Read my review | Rating: ★★★★☆
Sixteen-year-old Maya is just an ordinary teen in an ordinary town. Sure, she doesn’t know much about her background – the only thing she really has to cling to is an odd paw-print birthmark on her hip – but she never really put much thought into who her parents were or how she ended up with her adopted parents in this tiny medical-research community on Vancouver Island. Until now. Strange things have been happening in this claustrophobic town – from the mountain lions that have been approaching Maya to her best friend’s hidden talent for “feeling” out people and situations, to the sexy new bad boy who makes Maya feel…different. Combine that with a few unexplained deaths and a mystery involving Maya’s biological parents and it’s easy to suspect that this town might have more than its share of skeletons in its closet.
Vicious Spirits by Kat Cho (Gumiho #2)
Read my audiobook review | rating: ★★☆☆☆
As Vicious Spirits begins, Miyoung and Jihoon are picking up the pieces of their broken lives following the deaths of Miyoung’s mother, Yena, and Jihoon’s grandmother. With the support of their friend Somin, and their frenemy, Junu, they might just have a shot at normalcy. But Miyoung is getting sicker and sicker by the day and her friends don’t know how to save her. With few options remaining, Junu has an idea but it might require the ultimate sacrifice and, let’s be honest, Junu isn’t known for his “generosity.” Meanwhile, the events at the end of Wicked Fox have upended the forces that govern life and death and there are supernatural entities lurking in the background that will stop at nothing to right their world.
How to Find Love in a Bookshop by Veronica Henry
Read my review | Rating: ★★★★★
The enchanting story of a bookshop, its grieving owner, a supportive literary community, and the extraordinary power of books to heal the heart Nightingale Books, nestled on the main street in an idyllic little village, is a dream come true for book lovers—a cozy haven and welcoming getaway for the literary-minded locals. But owner Emilia Nightingale is struggling to keep the shop open after her beloved father’s death, and the temptation to sell is getting stronger. The property developers are circling, yet Emilia’s loyal customers have become like family, and she can’t imagine breaking the promise she made to her father to keep the store alive. There’s Sarah, owner of the stately Peasebrook Manor, who has used the bookshop as an escape in the past few years, but it now seems there’s a very specific reason for all those frequent visits. Next is roguish Jackson, who, after making a complete mess of his marriage, now looks to Emilia for advice on books for the son he misses so much. And the forever shy Thomasina, who runs a pop-up restaurant for two in her tiny cottage—she has a crush on a man she met in the cookbook section, but can hardly dream of working up the courage to admit her true feelings. Enter the world of Nightingale Books for a serving of romance, long-held secrets, and unexpected hopes for the future—and not just within the pages on the shelves. How to Find Love in a Bookshop is the delightful story of Emilia, the unforgettable cast of customers whose lives she has touched, and the books they all cherish.
Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor (Daughter of Smoke & Bone #1)
Read my review | rating: ★★★★★
Around the world, black hand prints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky. In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grows dangerously low. And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherworldly war. Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real, she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious “errands”, she speaks many languages – not all of them human – and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out. When beautiful, haunted Akiva fixes fiery eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?
Fable by Adrienne Young (Fable #1)
Read my Audiobook review | Rating: ★★★☆☆
Welcome to a world made dangerous by the sea and by those who wish to profit from it. Where a young girl must find her place and her family while trying to survive in a world built for men. As the daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows, the sea is the only home seventeen-year-old Fable has ever known. It’s been four years since the night she watched her mother drown during an unforgiving storm. The next day her father abandoned her on a legendary island filled with thieves and little food. To survive she must keep to herself, learn to trust no one and rely on the unique skills her mother taught her. The only thing that keeps her going is the goal of getting off the island, finding her father and demanding her rightful place beside him and his crew. To do so Fable enlists the help of a young trader named West to get her off the island and across the Narrows to her father. But her father’s rivalries and the dangers of his trading enterprise have only multiplied since she last saw him and Fable soon finds that West isn’t who he seems. Together, they will have to survive more than the treacherous storms that haunt the Narrows if they’re going to stay alive.
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1)
Read my *spoiler review | rating: ★★★☆☆
Feyre’s survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill – the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price … Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jewelled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre’s presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever.
related posts
Early Departures Book Review // September Reading Wrap-Up // The Best Cozy Books for Fall
Have you read any of these books?
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Lee says
Aw I want to read how to find love in a bookshop. Also – I swear i love your reading posts so much because your photos are AMAZING!! You should be running social media for a bookstore!
Lee | LegalLee Blonde
Stephanie Whitman says
It’s such a precious book. I think you’d really enjoy it 🙂 Thank you for the love! I’m running my own social media for my bookstagram and that’s what I love to do! It’s fun to be creative.
Lee says
I didn’t know that, that’s so cool!
Karalee Shotola says
You read so many books in October! I haven’t read any of them, but A Song of Wraiths and Ruin is on my TBR so it’s good to know you rated it 4 stars! I’ll have to look into the other books you rated 4 & 5 stars!
Stephanie Whitman says
ASoWaR was really good! It was different than a lot of the other fantasy novels I’ve enjoyed in the past and I appreciated that about it!
Rach says
Haha I totally went the thriller route in the month of October. I think since it’s been awhile since I’ve read thrillers, it was the perfect excuse. But omg, now I want to read How to Find Love in a Bookshop. It sounds so heartwarming and just what I need to read after all the thrillers!
http://www.rdsobsessions.com
Stephanie Whitman says
I think most people did! I don’t enjoy being scared so I avoided it, but I know I’m in the minority with that. I hope you get a chance to read How to Find Love in a Bookshop. It was cute!
Venus says
You’ve picked some fascinating books to read. I was kind of surprised you didn’t pick any scary books until I read you weren’t a huge fan of scary things anyway.
Stephanie Whitman says
Yep! While most people seem to love all the scary things during October, I avoid it like the plague. In fact, it was rather difficult being a bookstagrammer during the month. I thought there would be a heavy emphasis on cozy autumn, but it was more on the horror side of things and it really bothered me :/
Merry Sari says
Always love to visit your blog! I love reading books but I never remember what book and how many books I read in a year. You’ve read so many books in a month! That’s really inspired me x
Stephanie Whitman says
Goodreads is an excellent way to track your progress with reading. I use it to mark which books I want to read, which ones I’m reading, what I’ve read, and my thoughts on the book in case I ever want to revisit the title. It’s been a really beneficial tool this year especially!
Lily says
I always get so jealous of the amount of books you manage to read! That’s awesome. The Gathering sounds like a good read…and something I might like.
Stephanie Whitman says
No need to be jealous! Anyone can read a lot if they make the time for it and prioritize it. It’s my biggest form of self care and my favorite hobby, so it’s something that I can’t go a day without! I hope you do read The Gathering. I just ordered the second book. I’m really looking forward to it!
Kileen says
So many awesome books here and such wonderful reviews! I just wish I had more time to read more books! Daughter of Smoke and Bone sounded like a great read.
Stephanie Whitman says
I think everyone has time for reading 🙂 You just gotta prioritize it. Start listening to audiobooks while you’re working out, driving, or cleaning the house. And pick up a paper copy at night rather than your phone before bed. Those two things have changed the way I read!
Kileen says
You’re so right! In the past I have really utilized audio books and they’re my savior on those long drives if I’m stuck in traffic! I do need to set aside more time to read.
Kelly Diane says
You’ve read so many great sounding books this month. I haven’t read any of these before but there are a couple I like the look of.
Stephanie Whitman says
I hope you get a chance to check some of those out then. I got to a lot of really wonderful titles this past month!
Jenny in Neverland says
How To Find Love In a Book Shop sounds exactly like the kind of book I need to read right now! Although I also like the sound of Early Departures. Thank you for these recommendations! xxx
Stephanie Whitman says
It’s such a sweet book. I enjoyed it a lot! But Early Departures takes the cake as far as books go. It’s one of my top three for the entire year! It’s absolutely phenomenal.
Anika says
So glad you enjoyed Daisy Jones, that’s one of my favourites. I can only imagine how good the audiobook is. I really want to read Early Departures as I liked Opposite of Always by Reynolds and the reviews look amazing. Great wrap-up!
Anika | chaptersofmay.com
Stephanie Whitman says
Oh my gosh, the audiobook was incredible! It’s definitely my favorite audiobook of the year (and I’ve listened to some *great* audiobooks). I can see why you love that book! I hope you get a chance to read Early Departures. I adored Opposite of Always, but I loved Early Departures even more!
Jennifer says
I always love reading books! These are some great recommendations! Lovely Post!
Allurerage
Thetrendybride
Stephanie Whitman says
I hope you get a chance to check out some of these then!
Shania says
11 books??? Wow. Did you read 3 books a week? 😮
Personally, I have not read any of these books but I’m so tempted to read The Gathering. It sounds like something I’ll be interested in. Thanks for sharing 😊
Stephanie Whitman says
I read at least two a week – one audiobook and one paper copy. I was able to squeak in one last title in the last 48 hours of the month, but I typically read 10 each month! I hope you get a chance to read The Gathering. It was really good!
Raji says
Sounds like you had a great reading month! Fable is next on my TBR. I wasn’t too fond of ACOTAR either, but I’m looking forward to your thoughts on the second book, A Court of Mist and Fury – it was my favourite in the series.
Stephanie Whitman says
I hope you enjoy Fable more than I did! I was so disappointed that it wasn’t as exciting as I’d hoped. But if you like the pace of Throne of Glass or Six of Crows, you might enjoy it. I know ACOMAF is everyone’s favorite, but so far I’ve heard that’s mostly because of the smut – which is *not* my thing. So I’m crossing my fingers that I like it anyways haha!
Rosie Ireland says
Wow you managed to read lots of amazing sounding books! In the first lockdown, I read lots but it kind of fell by the way side when things went back to semi normal. Now that the second lockdown is looming, I’m adding lists of books to my list! Yours will all go to the top!
Rosie
Stephanie Whitman says
I’m a bit of a crazy bookworm, so I tend to read at least 10 titles each month no matter what my life looks like – but lockdown is the best time to make the most of your bookshelf! I hope you get to enjoy some great stories during that time.
Lizzie says
Daisy Jones and the Six sounds like a good read (a lot of them do actually). The Rock n Roll time period is so fascinating! Will have to check it out!
Lizzie
http://www.lizzieinlace.com
Stephanie Whitman says
I think you’d really enjoy the audiobook for Daisy Jones & The Six. It’s really, really good (and has a couple of well-known actors in the cast)!
rebecca says
I am constantly amazed by your reading lists! I can’t believe you read and listened to all of these this month! I read Daisy Jones & The Six at the beginning of quarantine and LOVED it, too.
xx reb // thecrystalpress.com
Stephanie Whitman says
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Did you read the physical copy or listen to the audiobook? Now that I’ve listened, I can’t imagine reading it instead haha. It was so good though!
Ming Qian says
Hey Stephanie, I’ve read the court of thorns and roses series a long time, and I don’t remember much of it now. However, I remember enjoying the series, so I hope you do too. To me, the most interesting title on this list is Early Departures because of very personal reasons that I shall not get into here. Thanks for sharing this list of books, I wish I could set aside as much time as you do to read more.!
Stephanie Whitman says
From my time on bookstagram, I’ve discovered that ACOTAR is *the* most popular fantasy series for millennial readers. However, it’s my third time reading the first book – and I’ve also read the first book in her other series, Throne of Glass twice as well – and it just seems like her writing is not for me. However, I’ve heard that both series get better as they go, so I’m hopeful still! Also, Early Departures is *PHENOMENAL* so please, please if you get the chance, read it!
Amanda says
I heard Daisy Jones is really good, I enjoyed Seven Husbands and would love to read another book by Jenkins! How To Find Love in a Book Shop sounds so sweet, I definitely want to check that one out as well.
Stephanie Whitman says
I’m planning to check out Seven Husbands soon. I’ve heard that a lot of her work is really excellent so I’m excited to keep on reading!
Jennifer Prince says
How to Find Love in a Bookshop sounds like a fun read! I am super obsessed with bookstores, and I’m not sure why. They are just so fun and colorful to peruse. It would be the perfect place to find love – I just might pick that book up! 🙂
Stephanie Whitman says
Haha you don’t need a reason to be obsessed with bookstores. They’re heaven on earth, if you ask me!
Helena Marz says
Wow so many great books you have read in October and there’s some that I would love to check out! I’ve read Twenties Girl and really enjoyed it! 😊
Stephanie Whitman says
Twenties Girl was really cute. I definitely enjoy Sophie Kinsella’s work. She’s one of my favorite romcom authors!
Laura Leigh says
I have never read any of these books but upon reading your reviews I immediately want to read Daisy Jones & The Six as well as How to Find Love in a Book Shop – they both sound so amazing. Very intrigued by the story of Daisy Jones & The Six now!
xo Laura Leigh
https://louellareese.com
Stephanie Whitman says
I can definitely see you enjoying Daisy Jones & The Six! You should absolutely listen to the audiobook, as it was my favorite audiobook of the year – and I’ve listened to probably over 50 so far! It was excellent!
Alice Myles says
Ahhh so glad you loved Early Departures! Justin A Reynolds is my absolute fave I love both of his books so so much. Also Daisy Jones and the Six is one of my all-time favourite books. I’m hoping to pick up Daughter of Smoke and Bone soon because I absolutely adore strange the dreamer so I’m sure I’ll love it too.
Stephanie Whitman says
Justin is the BEST. Not only is he an incredible writer and story-teller, but he’s a wonderful human. I’ve actually become friends with him via Instagram and I just admire him so much! I hope you LOVE Daughter of Smoke & Bone. If you enjoyed Strange the Dreamer, I’m sure you will. Strange and Muse were two of my favorite books of the year, so I think I’m just a huge Laini Taylor fan now!
Deborah says
I scare easily so I’m not one for horror books so I think your picks were perfect! I also really loved Daisy Jones and the Six (LOVE that it was inspired by Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac!) and I have Early Departures on my reading list because I enjoyed The Opposite of Always!
Julia says
I loved Daisy Jones! I read the audiobook and it was just fantastic. I am currently reading A Song of Wraiths and Ruin. I’m only in the beginning but it is really good so far! Awesome wrap up 🙂
Helen says
What a great roundup! I’m still reading your last recommendation, Midnight Sun!! So good!
Erin @ Her Heartland Soul says
OMG so many good books! Perfect for cozy nights by the fire. Thank you!
Adaleta Avdic says
You would be so proud of me! I joined a book club, and I’m really excited for it because I think it will help me lower my stress and anxiety to read more and be on my devices less!