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!
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