A detailed look at October’s reading habits: 24 books, no DNFs, four books knocked off my Up Next shelf, 12 new books at the top of my want to read list–two of which I’ve already purchased–and six new book reviews with the following themes: whodunnit mystery, classic romance tropes, challenging beauty ideals and meant to be (part two).
Overview
| October Blog Updates | October Bookish Posts |
|---|---|
| 📖 September 28th to October 4th 📖 October 5th to October 11th 📖 October 12th to October 18th 📖 October 19th to October 25th | 📚 October Book Haul |
Outline
October Reflection and Into November
Looking back at my September Wrap Up, I can’t believe I had so many plans for October, and yet none came to fruition 😅. I was really ambitious, thinking I would create themed recommendation posts (according to genre and author) and my purchasing methods (ebook vs. hardcopy vs. Kindle Unlimited). Despite the lack of those posts, I’m glad I remembered to post an October Book Haul (click here to read)! I also loved implementing an October Hopefuls List, and I’ve decided to use a Hopefuls List for November as well, in hopes of finishing books that have been on my to-be-read for ages (read the details here).
Reflecting on my reading habits this month, I’m happy the total number is once again above 20 books read (although it’s still a shock seeing such a low number since last year I was reading anywhere from 30-50 books a month–I’m 100% a stress reader). I also read so many great books this month. Not only were the books I read (and reviewed) poignant and reflective, but there were quite a few books that I found so fun–I was literally grinning ear to ear reading a few of these.
My last update for October is that I’ve finally found a UK site for purchase links–Bookshop.org has officially launched in the UK! I use Bookshop.org for my US links as well because I love their mission statement. It’s an online book retailer registered as a B-corp (a corporation dedicated to the public good). Bookshop.org’s mission is to financially support local, independent bookstores–the company gives away over 75% of its profits to stores, publishers and authors. I highly recommend checking them out if you’re in the US or UK (fingers crossed they come to Canada soon)!
*These buttons (🇨🇦 🇬🇧 🇺🇸) and the Kindle Embeds contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. You can read my full disclaimer here.
Books I Read This Month
Key: 🔁 re-read | 🤓 reviewed on this blog
• Faked by Karla Sorensen
• Gluttony (The Damning, #3) by Katie May
• Roaring (Prodigium Academy, #2) by Katie May
• The Kiss Quotient (The Kiss Quotient, #1) by Helen Hoang
• Anxious People by Fredrik Backman 🤓
• The Favor by Suzanne Wright 🤓
• Mine Till Midnight (The Hathaways, #1) by Lisa Kleypas
• It Happened One Autumn (Wallflowers, #2) by Lisa Kleypas 🔁
• Omens (Dark in You, #6) by Suzanne Wright 🔁
• The Bride Test (The Kiss Quotient, #2) by Helen Hoang
• The Nations (Their Champion, #4) by K.A. Knight
• Someone to Watch Over Me (Bow Street Runners, #1) by K.A. Knight
• Dear Emmie Blue by Lia Louis 🤓
• Captured for Love by Ella Goode
• If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha 🤓
• Mr and Mrs (Alexa Riley Promises, #1) by Alexa Riley 🔁
• Devil in Winter (Wallflowers, #3) by Lisa Kleypas 🔁
• The Cities (Their Champion, #3) by K.A. Knight 🔁
Book Types: Most books were from my Kindle this month.
Rating Distribution: There was an even split between 4-star and 3-star reads this month 🤯.
October Breakdown
Want to Read from this month
Most Favourite and Least Favourite*
*Can’t be a re-read
Most Favourite: Thin Girls by Diana Clarke. See why here.
Least Favourite: Officer Max by Abby Knox. See why here.
Longest and Shortest Books
Longest Book: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo ~ 479 pages
Shortest Book: Captured for Love by Ella Goode ~ 93 pages
Statistics
Most Read Genre: Historical Romance
Most Read Author: Lisa Kleypas with FIVE books!
19 New Reads; Five Re-reads; No DNFs
*Person of Colour includes non-white human characters in fantasy novels
Best Performing Bookstagram Posts
October Book Reviews
Theme of Week 4: Whodunnit Mystery
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
Single Sentence Review: While the beginning of the novel lagged a bit, the variety of strong personalities (and their quirks) as well as the unpredictable twists and turns made the not-a-bank-robbery mystery enjoyable and funny–I also appreciated how the reflections on loneliness and the emphasis on forgiveness made the book such a heartwarming read.
Theme of Week 3: Classic Romance Tropes
Dear Emmie Blue by Lia Louis
Single Sentence Review: An enjoyable slow-burn romance that explores unrequited love, deep friendship and the pain that can accompany long-kept secrets, yet the novel falls short with an unsatisfactory ending due to the unresolved problems of Emmie’s relationships with the Moreau brothers.
The Favor by Suzanne Wright
Get the book: 🇨🇦
Single Sentence Review: A steamy marriage-of-convenience, office romance that revitalizes the trope with a strong Heroine and relationship between the Heroine and Hero built on mutual respect–the constant drama makes for a riveting read, but the excessive ex-partner drama stops the book from being a 5-star read.
Theme of Week 2: Challenging Beauty Ideals
Thin Girls by Diana Clarke
Single Sentence Review: A heart-wrenchingly, beautiful story of Rose, an anorectic, who decides she must get better to help her identical twin sister, Lily, before she, too, falls into the abyss of an eating disorder––the novel is a superb exploration of queerness, the toxicity of diet culture and the unconditional love of twin sisters as it navigates the emotional and mental pitfalls of anorexia and the toll it takes on relationships.
If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha
Single Sentence Review: For a book that I was reluctant to pick up after putting it down, the character development and eventual interconnection between the main characters made for a riveting read that culminates in a surprisingly hopeful ending, contradicting the despairing realities of the main characters’ lives.
Theme of Week 1: Meant to Be
Heart Strings by Melanie Moreland
Single Sentence Review: A sweet romance, encompassing all the best parts of a swoon-worthy romance, a supportive Hero, capable Heroine and adorable meet-cute; despite the initial misunderstanding between the main characters, the family-oriented drama establishes a couple that stands by each other through everything.
Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Single Sentence Review: An enemies to lovers romance that encapsulates the nostalgia of ending a significant life chapter while navigating the nuances of friendship, attraction and life–and demonstrating the joy and happiness romance novels and a beloved home can bring to one’s life.
My November Hopefuls
I really enjoyed creating an October Hopefuls list for the last week of October. However, instead of the list only applying to the last week in the month, I’m going to create a list of books I want to read–at a minimum–sometime in November. Hopefully, by sticking to this flexible to-be-read list, I’ll be able to make a larger dent in my Up Next Shelf.
Unfortunately, I could not complete my October Hopefuls List, so you’ll see a few familiar titles. Below is a list of the books I want to–at a minimum–finish reading in November.
- How to Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi (40% complete)
- Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano
- How to Get Over A Boy by Chidera Eggerue (30% complete)
- Untamed by Glennon Doyle
- Blood Oath by Raye Wagner and Kelly St. Clare
- Heart of Mist by Helen Scheuerer
- The Marked and the Broken (The Lost Sentinel, #4) by Ivy Asher
- Waking the Gods (Their Dark Valkyrie, #4) by Eva Chase
- The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle Jensen
Anticipated November Releases
The Champion’s Ruin by Kristen Banet
Releasing November 24, 2020
See my Upcoming Release page for more of the books I’m looking forward to in November!
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