October was the month for getting back to my love for reading. I definitely blame #BookTok for this renewed obsession, but I can’t be mad. My love for books has always been there. It was only a matter of time until I fell back into the groove.
For the last decade, I haven’t been actively reading despite being the same person who stayed up until 3 am in my teenage years due to a novel I couldn’t put down. That was my identity, I’m happy to have it back.
Now don’t get me wrong, while I was in hiatus, I was still consuming books. I was consuming books through audiobooks. Immersed in the beautiful voices and stories, but still able to do chores around the house. I do consider audiobooks a form of reading (maybe to make myself feel better, maybe because it still embodies the spirit of an author’s words).
There is something so magical about reading the words yourself. Developing the character’s voices in your mind and imagining how their relationships fostered.
I read 13 books in October. Thirteen!
I started using GoodReads as a way to track books. There is nothing more satisfying to me than marking a book read. It tickles the part of my brain that loves checklists and marking off tasks.
October Book Recap:
Frieda McFadden
If I could define the month of October with one author, it would definitely have to be Frieda McFadden. Something about a psychological thriller that brings me so much joy. The twists, the turns, the pace. Thrillers are definitely the easiest for me to read.
Before October, I found The Housemaid on Audible. I didn’t even realize that it was only the first book, but I was definitely happy to see more.
I started with The Housemaid’s Secret. I will say that it continues with the character’s story and I enjoyed seeing where she ended up and what decisions she has made since then. I can’t wait to get into the third book.
If I had to pick one of these books to start with, it would be Never Lie. Although the Housemaid’s Secret could stand on its own, I think that certain books are better with context and background.
I believe that I read all these books on Kindle Unlimited. I did skip a month of Kindle Unlimited for November, but if you don’t want to wait for books on Libby, I definitely recommend subscribing to Kindle Unlimited. If you’re a fan of thrillers, they have a great selection.
NICOLA SANDERS
When I posted on Threads about finishing a Frieda McFadden book, someone recommended Don’t Let Her Stay to me. I’m glad that she did end up recommending that book to me.
Don’t Let Her Stay was full of surprises, I was unsure of who to trust. I was constantly switching sides with who to trust. The best books want leave you wanting more and Nicola Sanders got me hooked and wanting more. I had to at least read another one of her books.
OTHER THRILLERS
Lucy Foley’s The Paris Apartment
Nita Prose’s The Maid
LOVE AND LIFE
- Curtis Sittenfeld’s Romantic Comedy
- Emma Rosenblum’s Summer People
- Melissa Broder’s Death Valley
If I had to pick one book from this list to recommend, it would be Melissa Broder’s Death Valley. I felt that I relate so much to Broder’s characters. The first book review that I did on the blog is Milk Fed.
In Death Valley, death and disability is discussed. The narrator is dealing with facing her reality, while wishing to get out of having to deal. This book convinced me that I had to read another Melissa Broder book. I just ordered So Sad Today, which I can almost guarantee I’ll love.
When I was trying to remember the premise behind Summer People, I was convinced that it was another book. Upon review, I realized that it was actually the one about a vacation town and the intricacies surrounding the relationships between the rich families that vacationed there.
Summer People reminded me a little bit of Desperate Housewives, something about the drama in an enclosed neighborhood of privileged families.
Romantic Comedy was good, but I had some issues with the way that the narrator thought about herself. That could definitely be a projection on my part, but it just felt like the love interest was put on a pedestal.
A bit of background on Romantic Comedy: Sally Milz, a woman with a respected career of her own, falls for Noah Brewster. Noah Brewster is a pop star, ala Justin Timberlake when he was in his prime. Sally deals with understanding her place in a life full of paparazzi. She doesn’t feel worthy of Noah.
I read Romantic Comedy because it was a Reese’s Book Club pick. I’m always interested in her picks. That’s how I discovered one of my favorite books, Untamed. This wasn’t a favorite, mostly because I wasn’t the biggest fan of how the Noah Brewster character was portrayed and revered.
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
I loved both the personal development books I read in October.
Atomic Habits: This is a re-read for me. It was the first time I read it instead of using an audiobook. I like reading growth books whenever I’m working out in the morning and Atomic Habits is a great one to read while walking on the treadmill.
Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement. The same way that money multiplies through compound interest, the effects of your habits multiply as you repeat them. They seem to make little difference on any given day and yet the impact they deliver over the months and years can be enormous. It is only when looking back two, five, or perhaps ten years later that the value of good habits and the cost of bad ones becomes strikingly apparent.
ATOMIC HABITS | JAMES CLEAR
I Will Teach You to Be Rich: I enjoyed this book. It’s very practical. The advice was straightforward. It gave practical advice on what to do in order to create wealth.
I didn’t even realize that Ramit Sethi was from the show How To Get Rich on Netflix. I watched the show and enjoyed it. If you haven’t seen it, Sethi gives practical advice for individuals and families, taking a look at their current finances.
What intrigued me about the show was that it involved an individual who was in an MLM. Sethi attempted to convince the individual to quit it, though she still was convinced it was a good move for her.
I definitely recommend the book though. I need to get a copy so I can write and annotate on it.
OVERALL
October was definitely a great month of reading for me. What books, if any, did you enjoy during the month? Are you reading anything right now?
