At the end of each month, I post a list and a short summary of every single book I’ve read that month.
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Throughout October I read seven books, which isn’t bad going. Based on my previous end-of-the-month round-ups, this seems about as many as I can fit into a month.
In short: I’ve read some fantastic books this month with two of those I’ve reviewed so far have been five-star reads. There might also be a very controversial review depending on how much of a fan of the His Dark Materials trilogy you are.
So here are the seven books I read this month along with my review summary (where I’ve reviewed them already):
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
“The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is one of the best books I’ve read this year. The story has everything you could wish for including a sweeping plot, maturity and heart. The characters are admirable, and lovable and add layers to the plot. In an impressive feat, Taylor Jenkins Reid manages to tell the incredible life of a fascinating human being without writing a 600+ page book. And this is all tied up with a wonderful bow of a twist right at the end. Add The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo to your TBR if it isn’t already. If it’s already on there, move it right to the top. It’s that damn good.”
Pick up a copy of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo here.
The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman
“Unfortunately, The Amber Spyglass was bang average. A chance to round off one of the most imaginative series in literature is squandered by some odd character choices, a severe lack of plot ideas and a generally underwhelming affair all around. I’ll continue to read the other books set in this world but it’s such a shame this final book didn’t hit the climax that the previous two set it up to have.”
Pick up a copy of The Amber Spyglass here.
Someone’s Watching Me by Zoe Rosi
“Someone’s Watching Me is a solid debut from Zoe Rosi. I feel like Rosi has the potential to write a really good thriller in the future if she can find the winning formula. This debut of hers has all the right elements to be a good thriller but just falls short of some real tense moments and more likeable characters. I look forward to reading Rosi’s next outing and seeing how she improves.”
Pick up a copy of Someone’s Watching Me here.
The Spirit Engineer by A.J. West
“The Spirit Engineer is a phenomenal debut by A.J. West. It is creepy, eery and holds you by the collar throughout the whole book. You spend so much time trying to work out where everything is going and what is going to happen, you forget how much fun you’re having reading about all of it. The fact this is also based on a true story is fascinating – I can definitely see this being a Netflix series at some point. If you’re into supernatural books and historical fiction, you’ll do well to find a book better than this from my experience.”
Pick up a copy of The Spirit Engineer here.
It Starts With Us by Colleen Hoover
“It Starts With Us is a comfortable sequel to the previous book. It doesn’t feel quite as tense or engaging but still manages to tell an absolutely lovely story. If you’ve read It Ends With Us, I don’t think you’ll be too disappointed with It Starts With Us. Just don’t expect one of those sequels where it builds on everything from the first book and feels better than the first. It did just enough to warrant being a success. If you’re looking for a comforting love story to read that’s fairly quick to finish and you’ve read the first, you won’t find much to dislike here.”
Pick up a copy of It Starts With Us here.
Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss
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If you’re into grammar or want to improve upon your grammar, then Eats, Shoots & Leaves will likely be quite the enjoyable read for you. If you’re not into grammar or have no intention to improve your knowledge then Eats, Shoots & Leaves won’t be enjoyable for you. I think it’s as simple as that.
Obviously it’s written very well and there are a fair few humorous moments even for those who aren’t grammatically adept so you may enjoy these. Either way, Eats, Shoots & Leaves very much has a very specific audience in mind and it just so happens I’m in that bracket.”
Pick up a copy of Eats, Shoots & Leaves here.
A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
The second book in the Song of Ice and Fire series, A Clash of Kings is another absolutely incredible fantasy book. The series itself needs no introduction but I feel like many more people will have seen the TV series than have read the books.
Again, my review will be coming up next week.
Pick up a copy of A Clash of Kings here.
Quick Summary
I think my favourite book from this month has to be The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo – I absolutely adored this book. It told an incredible story with some genuinely believable and likeable characters and offered up some mature themes along the way. PLUS, there’s a great little twist at te end.
It’s been a good month of reading for me and I’m looking forward to seeing what the final two months hold for me before my big “Best Books of the Year” post at the end of the year.
What did you read this month? What was your favourite book?
Here are my previous book round-ups:
