While everyone has been wrapped up in Halloween this month, we decided that it’s time to move house. It’s a scary prospect when I realise just how much there is that needs to be done. In just one month moving day will be upon me.
I am proud to say that I have managed to keep reading this month, while still making time to start packing. Unfortunately, November will be a lot busier, and I am not going to have as much time for reading. I have however committed to four blog tours for November, so you will still be hearing from me, just not as much.
In case you missed any of my October posts, here is a recap of what we reviewed this month.
01 October – The Women of Blackmouth Street by Thea Sutton
Historical thriller fans prepare yourself for a gore-filled tale that will keep you reading late into the night. The Women of Blackmouth Street is a fast-paced period thriller that transports you to a world of psychological profiling, political unrest, and women on the brink of madness.
04 October – Liner by Chris Coppel
Liner is a creative look at the mysterious disappearance of a luxury ocean liner during the 1960s. The author tells an unusual gripping tale filled with unexplained events while an unlikely couple finds themselves developing a romance among ghastly events onboard the ship.
05 October – Her Perfect Twin by Sarah Bonner
Her Perfect Twin is a brilliantly twisty tale that will leave your jaw-dropping as you turn the pages. I could not drag myself away from this lockdown thriller. When the lockdown was first imposed, we all found ourselves sitting at home wondering how other people were coping. This book tells a lockdown story that will have you reeling.
06 October – Alicia reviewed It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
Okay, so I have been seeing people rave about Collen Hoover for years now. This is the first Collen Hoover book that I have ever read and I wish I had decided to read her sooner. Hoover is defiantly worth the hype. This book had me hooked, it was a whirlwind of emotions. This book somehow had me feeling happy, sad, angry and compassionate all at the same time.
07 October – Alicia reviewed Punk 57 by Penelope Douglas
This book is your typical teen book filled to the brim with cliques. The two main characters are your stereotypical “I’m not like other girls/boys” trope. However, at times it was almost what made the book a hundred times better. This book had a lot of popular (and in my opinion overused) tropes.
11 October – The Lighthouse Witches by CJ Cooke
A Lighthouse, witches, spells and curses, but if that does not have you intrigued this book highlights historic injustices against women. Set on a breathtakingly beautiful Scottish island, The Lighthouse Witches is guaranteed to keep you reading from start to finish.
12 October – Alicia reviewed Normal People by Sally Rooney
I decided to read this book after watching the TV series. And I must say, the book was great but the TV show was amazing. I found that the visuals helped a lot with this story. There were so many scenes that although they played out word for word the show did a better job at showing the emotions of both characters. I also liked the show better because the story plays out in chronological order where the book jumps between past and present a lot and I found that confusing at times.
13 October – The Lost Boy by Rachel Amphlett
If like me you haven’t been following the series, not to worry – this was my first encounter with Detective Mark Turpin and I enjoyed reading the book. This book can easily be read as a stand-alone novel. You do miss a little of the backstory but the missing bits are not big enough to affect your enjoyment of this book
14 October – The Guest List by Lucy Foley
This is one of those books that have been sitting my TBR for a while. I finally managed to get to it and wow what a read. When you reach for this book you can expect an edge of your seat, suspenseful read you will not want to put down before you reach the very last page.
15 October – This Much Huxley Knows by Gail Aldwin
This Much Huxley Knows is not my usual genre of choice but what a brilliant change. This book will touch every mother’s heart as the author allows you a glimpse into a seven-year-old little boys world. I was transported back to a time when I had small children, I loved it.
18 October – For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing
Welcome to a compelling tale that drops you into the world of teachers and students at an exclusive private school. Samantha Downing has blown me away with this dark, twisty tale. I read and loved My Lovely Wife during November last year, so my expectations were high when I reached for For You Own Good. This book had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish, I could not put it down.
20 October – The Killer Next Door by Alex Marwood
What a spine-chilling story. I cannot believe that this is my first encounter with Alex Marwood. The Killer Next Door will keep you reading into the early hours as the author keeps you intrigued with this dark, creepy story filled with horrible details you simply cannot drag yourself away from.
21 October – The Girl The Crow The Writer and The Fighter by George Paterson
Old meets new in this chaotic tale that is guaranteed to leave your head spinning. This book tells an intriguing tale that has you questioning every event as you flip from page to page. I found this to be a slow read, but one I could not walk away from. At first, you are left very unsure, but the more you read the more the pieces fit together and the more entertaining the read becomes.
21 October 2021
Let’s not forget that on the 21st of October we celebrated the blog’s 1st birthday! Wow, I cannot believe that I have been doing this full time for a year already. And a year later, my TBR has more than doubled. There are just so many books I want to read and so many wonderful authors out there – loads whom I have not even discovered yet.
27 October – The Image of Her by Sonia Velton
I loved this book. A true five-star read. The author tells a deeply moving story about two women, living separate lives in different countries, yet she manages to draw them together in the most unexpected way. This book overflows with emotion and leaves you feeling enriched with an awareness of two very different topics.
28 October – On The Edge by Jane Jesmond
This debut novel had me glued to the pages during an extremely hectic week. It drove me crazy that I could not sit down and simply keep reading. On The Edge is a nail-biting tale centred around rock climbing, drug smuggling and human trafficking set in Cornwall. There is not a single dull moment.
My Book of the Month:
It was extremely difficult to pick a book of the month this month, I loved This Much Huxley Knows by Gail Aldwin and the cover of The Image of Her stole my heart before I even opened the first page, not to mention that I am a huge fan of Samantha Downing’s writing – they all deserve to be book of the month. However, I decided to go with the debut novel from Jane Jesmond – ON THE EDGE – This is a brilliant read and I loved the characters so it made to the top of my list this month.
Well, that’s a wrap. Thank you for your continued support. The rest of the year will be quite a bit quieter here on the blog, but I will still be here from time to time and I promise to be back in full swing at the start of next year. So while I am off packing, keep reading, and feel free to drop me a line to share your latest great read. Until next time…. Happy Reading.
That was a busy month!
It’s becoming the norm….