October was a very weird reading month for me. I managed to read a lot in
the first half of the month, but in the last week/week-and-a-half I caught
COVID from a friend and wasn't able to read for a pretty solid week while I
was recovering. I'm still not 100% better - very tired and coughing a lot -
but I'm managing to read more again, so fingers crossed I can get through my
November TBR! I had a hit and miss reading month, with some books being
amazing, and others very meh, as you'll see below. Without further ado
though, here are my reviews for the month!
1. La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman ★★★★
His Dark Materials is easily one of my favourite childhood
favourites. I read it at just the right time in my life and it holds so much
nostalgia for me. I'd heard very mixed things about this new series, but I
did enjoy this first book. This is actually a prequel to
The Northern Lights, and it follows Malcolm Polstead and his daemon, Asta, who help their family run an inn.
But during a winter of unceasing rain, Malcolm finds a mysterious
object. Inside the object is a cryptic message about something called Dust; and
it’s not long before Malcolm is approached by the spy for whom this message
was actually intended. He soon finds himself in the centre of a storm and everyone wants to find
out about the baby named Lyra.
As I said, I did enjoy this book. For the first 200 pages I thought this
would end up being a 5 star, but a few things pulled it down for me. I loved
how much Pullman's writing style brought me back into this world. It truly
felt like I'd never left and he captured the feel of the original trilogy
perfectly. I love the daemon's and how they reflect people's personalities -
it's probably my favourite aspect of this world. It was interesting to see
some of the backstory that led to Lyra being at Oxford and how the politics
was building behind the scenes. I liked Malcolm as a character; he was so
clever and his loyalty to people was amazing for an eleven-year-old boy.
Pullman writes very realistic and great children characters that are
simultaneously curious and brave. The other characters in this book were so
interesting and it was great seeing cameos of people we see in the original
trilogy. I didn't realise before I picked this up, but it's also illustrated
and the drawings work so well alongside Pullman's writing. As always, Pullman doesn't shy away from difficult topics despite this
being a YA book so I just wanted to add a trigger warning for sexual
assault.
There were two main things that pulled this down from a 5 star rating for
me. One, this was a very slow burn book, and while I didn't mind in
the first 200 pages or so, the latter half of the book seemed to follow the
same formula over and over again and ended up feeling very repetitive
(paddle, island, bad thing happens, paddle, island, bad thing happens,
etc.). The other was there were two things that occurred that felt out of
place with the magic in this world. Maybe it's just been too long since I
read the original trilogy, but the things they encounter on the river just
felt really odd and I wish they'd been explained more. Overall, a great
addition to this world and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.
2. Forever, Interrupted by Taylor Jenkins Reid ★★★.5
This book packed an emotional punch. This follows Elsie Porter, a woman in her mid-20s. On a rainy New Year’s Day, she
heads out to pick up a pizza for one. She isn’t expecting to see anyone
else in the shop, much less the adorable and charming Ben Ross. Their
chemistry is instant and electric. Ben cannot even wait twenty-four hours
before asking to see her again. Within weeks, the two are head over heels
in love. By May, they’ve eloped. Only nine days later, Ben is out riding his bike when he is hit by a truck
and killed on impact. Elsie hears the sirens outside her apartment, but by
the time she gets downstairs, he has already been whisked off to the
emergency room. At the hospital, she must face Susan, the mother-in-law she
has never met and who doesn’t even know Elsie exists.
Taylor Jenkins Reid is one of my favourite contemporary writers. Although
this book wasn't my favourite, I still enjoyed(?) reading this (can you say
enjoyed if you spent at least 30% of the book with tears in your eyes?). As
you can tell by the description alone, this was hard to read. The book
alternates between the past where Elsie and Ben develop their relationship,
and the present where both Elsie and Susan are dealing with their grief. The
entire book deals with the different forms grief can take, and how people
react to it. Everyone reacts so realistically and it can make you dislike
the characters at times because of it. I struggled with Susan until further
in the book and it was great seeing how different characters' relationships
developed. I loved Mr Callahan throughout though; his story was so sweet and
heartbreaking. I think I preferred the present day chapters, especially by
the end when we knew where the relationship was already heading. Honestly though, this was just a very raw and moving novel even though not
a whole lot of actual 'plot' happened. If you're looking for a contemporary
novel with a hard-hitting topic then this is worth picking up, but be aware
that you will probably cry reading this.
3. The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling ★★★★
This is an adult romance, but with witchy fantasy sprinkled throughout.
It's set in the modern-day world where witches exist and hide in plain sight
from the rest of the world. Nine years ago, Vivienne Jones nursed her broken heart like any young
witch would: vodka, weepy music, bubble baths... and a curse on the
horrible boyfriend. Sure, Vivi knows she shouldn’t use her magic this way,
but with only an “orchard hayride” scented candle on hand, she isn’t
worried it will cause him anything more than a bad hair day or
two. That is until Rhys Penhallow, descendent of the town’s ancestors, breaker
of hearts, and annoyingly just as gorgeous as he always was, returns to
Graves Glen, Georgia. What should be a quick trip to recharge the town’s ley
lines and make an appearance at the annual fall festival turns disastrously
wrong. With one calamity after another striking Rhys, Vivi realizes her
silly little Ex Hex may not have been so harmless after all.
This book was adorably funny and, simultaneously, had a very autumnal and
witchy vibe. It's set in the week leading up to Halloween and in a small
town in America (to be honest, I was picturing the Salem we see in Hocus
Pocus), and everything about the descriptions screamed autumn - the fall
colours, the witchy shop, the spooky houses. I loved everything about the
vibe of this book. The romance was cute and not too over the top. It also
didn't really have any of the miscommunication trope, which I really
appreciated. I loved Viv and her relationship with her family. Rhys was
witty and everything around him and Viv played out like a great romcom. I
could picture every hilarious moment perfectly. And what would a witchy book
be without a talking cat?
The only thing I wish we'd had more of in this book was the world and
politics of how witches lives alongside the world and what it means. I even
just wanted to see more of how the witches live their lives with their
mundane spells (like reheating their tea). Obviously, this is first and
foremost a romance so we were never going to get much more than that, but I
would've appreciated it all the same. I will definitely be picking up more
from this author, especially if she sets it in this world.
4. Fool's Assassin by Robin Hobb ★★★★★
This has been such a long journey. This is the fourteenth book overall, but
the first book in The Fitz and the Fool trilogy. I won't write what this
book is about here because it will spoil a lot of the books before this one.
However, I will say some of my spoiler-free thoughts instead. It's clear the
book wouldn't have been possible without all the books preceding it. Because
of this, so many moments had huge impacts. I think I liked Fitz in this
trilogy more than I've liked him in any of the previous books. I also even
found myself liking Molly, which is something I never thought would happen.
Assassin's Fate took a turn I absolutely did not expect, and it
even introduced a new perspective. Honestly, I wasn't sure I would enjoy
where the story was going at first, but I enjoyed the new perspective and
really enjoyed seeing Bee throughout the book. Revel was probably my
favourite character in the household though. I despised Shun and I even
struggled with Nettle at parts of the book. They were so frustrating.
The book itself is quite a slow build up, but so much happens towards the
end. I'm hoping the final two books will give us a lot of answers to
questions we've had for such a long time. I need more of Fitz and the Fool,
and I'm interested to see how Chade and some of the other Bastards fit into
all of this.
5. The Secret Commonwealth by Philip Pullman ★★
I'm sad to say that this book disappointed me. This is a sequel to
His Dark Materials series, set 7 years after those books. The second volume of Pullman's The Book of Dust sees Lyra, now
twenty years old, and her daemon Pantalaimon, forced to navigate their
relationship in a way they could never have imagined, and drawn into the
complex and dangerous factions of a world that they had no idea
existed. Pulled along on his own journey too is Malcolm; once a boy with a boat and
a mission to save a baby from the flood, now a man with a strong sense of
duty and a desire to do what is right.
While I love this world, this book just didn't have the same magic as
Pullman's previous books. I don't know if it's the change to the main
character being an adult rather than a child, but the entire atmosphere was
different (and, to be fair, that may have been very intentional given the
themes throughout the novel, but it wasn't what I was hoping for). Lyra's
estrangement from Pan was disappointing and hard to read. Lyra also seemed
to lack the same fire she had previously, which I understand because that's
a big source of conflict in the book, but it was kind of dull to read.
Another this is that people without daemons seemed to be everywhere in this
book and, while some people were shocked, so many others weren't. It felt so
odd compared to the first trilogy. I really disliked the romantic relationship that was hinted at as well; the
age difference and power dynamic made me very uncomfortable. But not as
uncomfortable as that scene; was it really necessary Pullman? What did it even add to the
story?
I enjoyed seeing the world following His Dark Materials and I will forever love the world of daemons, but I didn't really enjoy
this book and that makes me so sad.
6. Payback's a Witch by Lana Harper ★★★★
This is a Sapphic paranormal/fantasy romance following Emmy Harlow, a witch, but not a very powerful one - in part because she
hasn't been home to the magical town of Thistle Grove in years. Her
self-imposed exile has a lot to do with a complicated family history and a
desire to forge her own way in the world, and only the very tiniest bit to
do with Gareth Blackmoore, heir to the most powerful magical family in
town and casual breaker of hearts and destroyer of dreams. But when a spellcasting tournament that her family serves as arbiters for
approaches, it turns out the pull of tradition (or the truly impressive
parental guilt trip that comes with it) is strong enough to bring Emmy back.
She's determined to do her familial duty; spend some quality time with her
best friend, Linden Thorn; and get back to her real life in Chicago.
I had low expectations for this book, but I ended up finding it a very
enjoyable and quick read. The romance was sweet and nice, however, I wasn't
that invested in it overall. I did really like the worldbuilding and fantasy
aspect, even though it took a little time to get my head around the families
and dynamics between everyone that wasn't a main character. I wish we'd seen
more of the town and autumn atmosphere - I felt like we got moments, but
they were often overshadowed the worldbuilding.
I loved the tournament idea and a magical competition is exactly my kind of
thing. The only issue I had with that was each competition felt a little
lacklustre and quick; it also felt like there were quite a few time skips
that weren't explained (e.g. in one chapter, the next challenge would be a
week away, then the next chapter would start and they would be starting the
challenge). I really liked Talia, she was probably the most fleshed out and
interesting character, but I don't feel like we saw enough of everyone else
to get too attached. Overall, a sweet Halloween read and I recommend it if you want a quick,
light, enjoyable read.
7. The Skeleton Key by Erin Kelly ★★★★
To be honest, I only picked up this book because it was the choice for my
work's book club, but I'm really glad I read this. This is a
thriller/mystery and the summary alone gave me a contemporary
Ready Player One vibes, but with a darker twist. It's summer, 2021,
and Nell has come home at her family's insistence to celebrate an
anniversary. Fifty years ago, her father wrote The Golden Bones. Part
picture book, part treasure hunt, Sir Frank Churcher created a fairy story
about Elinore, a murdered woman whose skeleton was scattered all over
England. Clues and puzzles in the pages of The Golden Bones led readers to
seven sites where jewels were buried – gold and precious stones, each a
different part of a skeleton. One by one, the tiny golden bones were dug
up until only Elinore's pelvis remained hidden. The book was a sensation. A community of treasure hunters called the
Bonehunters formed, in frenzied competition, obsessed to a dangerous degree.
People sold their homes to travel to England and search for Elinore.
Marriages broke down as the quest consumed people. A man died. The book made
Frank a rich man. Stalked by fans who could not tell fantasy from reality,
his daughter, Nell, became a recluse. But now the Churchers must be reunited. The book is being reissued along
with a new treasure hunt and a documentary crew are charting everything that
follows. Nell is appalled, and terrified. During the filming, Frank finally
reveals the whereabouts of the missing golden bone. And then all hell breaks
loose.
To begin with, I will say that I struggled with who each member of the families were because I had to listen
to this on audiobook. I sometimes struggled to remember which characters
were related to each other and I couldn't just flip back and refer to the
book. It meant that one or two moments towards the start had less impact.
However, I soon got to grasp with the complicated family dynamics and this
book mostly focuses on that. Every member of Nell's family is so messed up
in some way (including herself), and the competition aspect is soon
overshadowed by a looming mystery. Erin Kelly's writing was also particularly beautiful and there were several
lines that just hit me very hard. One was 'That's what coming home means.
You're always going to be who you were then' to your family.
I loved the moments where the book switched back to the past when people
were explaining what happened. I was so immersed in these moments that I
couldn't stop reading. I don't think I actually saw a single twist coming,
which is not at all like me, and there was one reveal that I found particularly haunting. Honestly, once the
reveals started to come to light I pretty much read the rest in one sitting
because I had to know what happened next. I will say that I found Nell's
decisions frustrating a lot of the time, particularly towards the end, but I
also understand why she acted that way. Overall, I would say this is a
brilliantly written thriller and the premise of the competition in the
picture book was one I loved. The only things that brought it down for me
was Nell herself, and the difficulty I had understanding the family dynamics
in the first 30-40% of the book.
8. The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow ★★★★★
'I wonder sometimes where the first witch came from ... If behind every
witch is a woman wronged.'
I read The Ten Thousand Doors of January by this author several
years ago and it immediately became a favourite. When I heard of this book -
powerful witches, feminism, suffragists - I knew I had to pick it
up. In 1893, there's no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild,
dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy
charms and nursery rhymes. If the modern woman wants any measure of power,
she must find it at the ballot box. But when the Eastwood sisters - James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice
Belladonna - join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the
forgotten words and ways that might turn the women's movement into the
witch's movement. Stalked by shadows and sickness, hunted by forces who will
not suffer a witch to vote-and perhaps not even to live-the sisters will
need to delve into the oldest magics, draw new alliances, and heal the bond
between them if they want to survive. There's no such thing as witches. But there will be...
As always, Harrow's writing is beautifully lyrical and incredibly poignant.
So many lines stood out to me and so much of the feminist discussion spoke
to me. Reading this book felt like being understood. The magic system in
this book was unique and I loved that every spell came from the will, the
words, and the way. It really felt like it could be true; that mothers were
passing down the rhymes to hide. James Juniper is a new favourite character;
she's so incredibly passionate, never backing down, and always fighting for
what she believes in. While the other sisters occasionally bothered me with
their decisions, they were ultimately understandable. I also loved the
animal familiars, although I wish we'd seen a little more of them.
The atmosphere was so well done. Every time the tower appeared, I felt like
I was there. It felt like a magical fairytale, but it also felt incredibly
familiar, like I'd seen it before. Gideon Hill was a terrifying figure, but
not as scary as the mob culture that grew as the book continued. Hearing
about things like witch collars and burnings made me look up the witch
trials and it's heartbreaking to see how many people were killed for being
'witches' in the past. Honestly, this book did everything for me that I wanted it to. The
historical aspects were very well done, the characters were incredible, the
writing was stunning. If you're looking for a feminist, witchy read to make
you feel powerful, this is it.
9. I Left the House Today by Cassandra Calin ★★★
I picked this up as a light read. This is a collection of relatable comics
that you may have seen around online. Cassandra Calin’s ability to document the hilarity of relatable everyday
events in a series of webcomics has generated a huge following on social
media. This was a beautifully illustrated compendium of first-person comics
about the trials of the single life, school, stress, junk food, shaving, and
maintaining a healthy self-image. This was a cute, fun read and it only took
about half an hour to go through. Enjoyable, but I probably would've related
to it more when I was younger. Definitely more targeted at women, but if
you've seen Calin's drawings around on social media and liked them, then you
should pick this up!
10. Fool's Quest by Robin Hobb ★★★★.5
This is the penultimate book in Robin Hobb's 16 book series. Obviously, I
can't talk much about the plot because of spoilers, but I did really enjoy
this book: Fitz is still as daft and obtuse as ever; the Fool is so
different yet much the same as they ever were; Chade is still his
fascinating self; and so many old characters are revisited in this book.
Some wonderful and heartbreaking things happened in this book in equal
measure, and we finally got to see some more characters from the previous
Rainwild Chronicles. Lance was especially frustrating throughout the book
though and his and Perseverance's decision towards the end frustrated me so
much. I'm definitely intrigued to see where this will go in the next book,
and I have absolutely no idea how this final trilogy will end, but I hope it
doesn't break my heart.
11. Dreamcatcher by Stephen King ★★
Sadly, this is one of the Stephen King books I've enjoyed the
least. Twenty-five years after saving a Down's-syndrome child from bullies,
Beav, Henry, Pete, and Jonesy - now men with separate lives and separate
problems - reunite in the woods of Maine for their annual hunting trip.
But when a stranger stumbles into their camp, disoriented and mumbling
something about lights in the sky, chaos erupts. Soon, the four friends
are plunged into a horrifying struggle with a creature from another world
where their only chance of survival is locked in their shared past - and
in the Dreamcatcher.
This is a sci-fi, horror, alien invasion book. I knew that going in and was
really looking forward to seeing where King would take it. The first 200
pages or so were really intriguing - I loved seeing the four men's different
lives and the hints at what had happened in the past and how it related to
now. Unfortunately, it all went downhill from there for me. About 50% of
this book is vivid descriptions body horror and the rest is just very slow
pacing where not a lot happens. Even the last 50 pages of action could
barely hold my attention because I'd become so bored. The animal thing was
horrible too so I had to skip over that. I still didn't really get how all
the telepathy fit together with Duddits and some of the deaths of characters
felt incredibly underwhelming considering they were main characters. Kurtz
was also very weird and I still can't get my head around what his
motivations were. As always, there were some very problematic parts of
King's book (use of the n-word for one thing, and a line that basically said
men couldn't understand being raped - which was really strange and made me
pretty uncomfortable that King could think that). I know King wrote this
book while completely high on painkillers after his accident and he doesn't
like the book now, but that doesn't really excuse it for those
moments. Overall, a very meh book that seemed to rely on body horror for its impacts
on the reader.
So, those were all the books I read in October. I'm disappointed I didn't
read more, but considering I missed a week of reading because of COVID, I'm
still quite happy with what I read. What did you read in October? Have you
read any of these books before? Let me know!
