Most of October was unseasonably hot where I live. Finally in the last week or so of the month we got some fall weather. Which is the perfect kind for curling up with a blanket, hot beverage, and a good book!
I read ten books this month, three more than September so my reading life is on an upswing. I embraced quite a bit of romance, a couple of mysteries, and a few holiday books. Perhaps I was trying to convince myself it was cold already with some winter settings.
There really is no method to my book choices this year. I’m turning to anything that sounds comforting or escapist. Here’s a glance into my reading life this October:
A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny
A Fatal Grace is the second book in Louise Penny’s Chief Inspector Gamache mystery series. After hearing the series highly recommended by many of my book resources, I gave the series a try. I read Still Life last month and loved it!
In A Fatal Grace Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is called back to Three Pines to investigate the murder of CC de Poitiers, a new resident who was despised by her own family members as well as the local townspeople. She was murdered in front of the entire village during a curling match and yet nobody saw a thing. The story takes place during the Christmas holiday, a little over a year after the events of the first book.
I have been passing these books along to my grandpa as I finish them. We both agreed this one started out slow. There is a lot of backstory before the actual murder takes place (although you know it’s coming from the opening line).
I was glad to stick with it though since once again I loved the setting of Three Pines and the winter atmosphere. It was lovely to revisit the characters who reside in the village. This book picks up some of the events of Gamache’s past and conflict within the Sûreté du Québec that I believe will be part of the next book. I can’t wait to continue the series!
One Snowy Night by Jill Shalvis
This Christmas novella delivers it’s promise of a short and sweet holiday romance. It’s been featured on a few holiday reading lists. I read it in an hour or two during the middle of the night when I couldn’t sleep.
It’s Christmas Eve in San Francisco and Rory needs to get home to her family for the first Christmas in years. Her ride to Lake Tahoe is Max, who is from the same town and works in her building, along with his huge 100 lb lap dog, Carl. The drive home is slow going due to a snow storm. Rory and Max find it harder and harder to ignore their attraction and past high school history.
One Snowy Night was my first book by Jill Shalvis, a huge romance author. I would check out more of her stories. Carl was probably my favorite part of this novella. He stole the show. I may look for more novellas for some quick enjoyment of the holidays.
How to Pass as Human by Nic Kelman
How to Pass as Human is written as a first hand account of Zach, an android. Zach doesn’t know why he was created but is offered the chance to meet his maker and gain answers if he can blend in with the human population of Las Vegas. He compiles tons of observations that may help future androids pass as human in case he fails. During his journey, Zach meets human female, Andrea, and they take an interest in one another. As Zach runs out of time and dangers develop, he turns to Andrea to work together to find his creator.
This book is described as a graphic novel but it’s mostly sections of story that are broken up by graphs, tables, and charts offering insights and observations on irrational human nature. It was difficult for me to get into at first. I felt the storyline did suffer with the choppy interruptions of graphs and data. The middle dragged and the ending seemed rushed.
The hilarious observations and possibly offensive to some people kept me reading. I especially enjoyed Zach’s findings on money, religion, and technology. Though not flattering or positive to humans, the insights in this book rang true for me.
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
The Hating Game seems to be popping up on every romance list out there and is highly recommended. When I began looking for more romance books, this seemed like a must read. However then I saw that a few of my IRL reading friends hadn’t loved it.
This book follows Lucy and Joshua, two assistants to co CEOs who are forced to share an office after their companies merge. Since the first day of the merger they have hated one another and play all sorts of games to pass their work days getting under each other’s skin. When a new position is created at the company, things get really heated as they compete with one another for the promotion.
I did enjoy this book especially more than I expected. I went into the story expecting steamy enemies to lovers. This is more of a cute and sweet romantic comedy although there is a lot of chemistry between Josh and Lucy. After I readjusted my expectations, I found their love story adorable.
I can see where some readers were frustrated by the lack of maturity from two supposed professionals. I was able to stay in the story and I found some of their quirks pretty relatable. Sally Thorne is Australian, something I wish I’d realized before reading. I don’t think the city or geographical area is ever identified, but I kept trying to place it in the U.S. and now I understand why that wouldn’t work.
Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak
I found this book recommended on a few holiday reading lists. It was referred to as a British version of The Family Stone, likely my favorite Christmas movie. Maybe that made my expectations too high.
Seven Days of Us tells the story of the Birch family who are forced to spend the week of Christmas together at their old family estate. Oldest daughter, Doctor Olivia is coming home for the holidays for the first time in years but since she’s been treating a Haag virus outbreak in Liberia, the family is forced to quarantine together for a week. Every member seems to be keeping a secret from the others. Forced togetherness and unlucky coincidence leads to chaos over the Christmas holiday.
It took me a little while to get into this book because I found all the characters to be so unlikable. The secrets unfold early though and each chapter is short making it easier to continue reading. From about a quarter of the way I was hooked. Some of the characters even began to grow on me and I was able to forgive all the unlikely coincidences fueling the drama.
Unfortunately I wish it had ended about 10% sooner. The reviews seem to be split over this book. But for me, an unnecessary twist at the end was unforgivable and ruined this “holiday” read.
Romancing the Beat: Story Structure for Romance Novels by Gwen Hayes
To prepare for NaNoWriMo and the possibility of writing a romance this November, I reread Gwen Hayes’ book, Romancing the Beat: Story Structure for Romance Novels.
This book offers a quick and easy read introducing you to the four phases of a romance. Hayes, a freelance editor, covers the 5 beats that need to be written within each phase to give the love story proper pacing and structure. It’s a short book with each beat described in detail over a few pages. These beats can be used to outline your story before you begin writing or as a check list in the editing process.
This writing guide is specific to the romance genre something Hayes makes clear in her introduction. I found Romancing the Beat to be simple and helpful when it comes to thinking about plot outline, scene ideas, and format.
The Tourist Attraction by Sarah Morgenthaler
I learned of The Tourist Attraction by Sarah Morgenthaler after hearing it recommended on What to Read Next, a romance recommendation podcast. I listened to this contemporary romance as an audiobook, my first audiobook experience this year. Lately I’ve gravitated to podcasts over audiobooks. I found Elise Arsenault’s narration really enjoyable.
Zoey has two weeks to explore Moose Springs, Alaska, a dream vacation she’s saved everything for. Local Graham runs a diner in town called The Tourist Trap, a popular eatery with visitors despite Graham’s sarcastic and grumpy demeanor. An act of kindness draws the two together.
This was a cute, sweet, and funny romance. I loved the dialogue, the small town setting in Alaska, and the local characters. I’m excited to check out the second book in this series, Mistletoe and Mr. Right, for a holiday read this winter season.
Heat of the Night by Elle Kennedy
I first heard of this erotic romance novella on the podcast, Shelf Love. Heat of the Night is book 5 of Elle Kennedy’s Out of Uniform series. It’s available in the 3 story collection, Hot & Heavy (currently on Kindle Unlimited).
After a bad break up, Annabelle takes off to recover in San Diego subletting a friend’s apartment. Her fiance accused her of being a prude so she decides to create a list of all her fantasies to prove him wrong. Navy SEAL Ryan has an “arrangement” with his sexy neighbor but when he tries to surprise her in bed one night, he finds Annabelle instead. Horrified he gathers his things to go including her secret list. Later delighted with his discovery, Ryan offers to help her check everything off it.
The plot sounded fun and sexy and it definitely was. The story was a little bit instalove because of the length but I was surprised how much Kennedy was able to develop the characters into people to root for. The series began as novellas and now features full length novels, which might allow for more relationship development. This was my first encounter with Elle Kennedy’s work but I’ll be checking out others.
If We Were Villians by M.L. Rio
This was the October pick for my IRL book club. If We Were Villians is told by Oliver Marks, who has just been released from prison after serving ten years for murders. The detective who put him there is about to retire but he would like to know the truth about what happened a decade ago. Oliver shares his story as a play. The events ten years before, when he was one of seven college senior studying Shakespeare at a small private arts school, unfold in acts and scenes.
I really enjoyed this story, although I couldn’t put my finger on what kept me reading. The structure was very original with different acts split up into scenes rather than chapters. The dialogue written sometimes switched to a play with character lines.
A magical atmosphere seemed to surround the school. I loved the descriptions of different sets. The holiday performances were so cool! Each person received a private letter with what part they would play. Everyone was kept in the dark about the other castings until the event so it was a surprise for all. About 50 pages from the end I got nervous the story wouldn’t tie up satisfactory but Rio delivered.
Halloween Boo by Sarah Spade
After hearing this novella mentioned on a couple of romance podcasts, I was happy to discover it was available on Kindle Unlimited. Just in time for Halloween! I read it Halloween night chuckling since similar to the book, this Halloween also falls on a Saturday with a full moon, but no parties for us.
I was delighted to realize the story drew inspiration from the movie, Hocus Pocus. Halloween Boo is set in Salem, Massachusetts with main characters Dani and Zach, her best friend, Allison, and mention of a brother named Max! Dani recently moved to Salem for work and she’s pretty sure her new apartment is haunted. Zack is indeed a ghost, trapped in the apartment, finding himself slowly falling in love with Dani but unable to act on it. Until Halloween night when he discovers he has the power to cross over into the human world.
This book was a fun treat to stay home with. It’s short, sweet, and steamy. I was worried a happily ever after wouldn’t be possible but Sarah Spade had it covered. I’m excited to check out the next novella in her Holiday Hunk series, This Christmas, as one of my December reads.
What did you read in October?
