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Even though all of us have our favored genres, we are avid readers and read in genres all over the map. Every month we like to reflect back at the best book we read this month. The stuff that reminded us why we love to read.
There were so many books to pick from this October as we have been reading for the end-of-year book CHALLENGE.
I was feeling itchy this weekend and drove to the new-to-me independent bookstore, Bookbinder’s, in Basalt, CO. It is the first time since March that I have walked into a Bookshop, and I picked up a huge stack of books that I’m THRILLED to start reading for November. The shop was keeping the total number of customers at 4 at a time so I went first thing in the morning to hopefully have a little time to browse a bit. I didn’t realize how much I was craving some normalcy, until I spent an hour finding new titles with a big smile on my face. #BookBliss
Alice
Alix E. Harrow
Ten Thousand Doors of January is a stand-alone fantasy that at its heart is a love story to stories. Reminds me of The Starless Sea By Erin Morgenstern with slightly less lyrical writing but is no less as powerful.
In the early 1900s, January Scaller is a mixed-race young girl who feels like just another curiosity in a mansion filled with old artifacts and other curiosities that her wealthy white guardian collects. One day, she stumbles upon a strange Book in the mansion about Doors that lead to other worlds and proceed to tangle with her own. It’s hard to believe that this a debut book from Alix E. Harrow. Her next book Once and Future Witches just came out and it is on my list to read!
How fitting, that the most terrifying time in my life should require me to do what I do best: escape into a book.
Jane
Isabel Wilkerson
I didn’t read as much as I’d like to this month, mainly because I was so engrossed in this historical view of casteism in America. This is a tough read, and by that I do mean emotionally tough. Isabel Wilkerson explores the horrible past and present of racism in the United States and how it relates to Caste by comparing it to both the Caste system in India and that of Nazi Germany. I’ve learned a lot from this book, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. If you need any more persuasion, this was also one of Oprah’s Book Club recommendations.
Anne
Ilona Andrews
Okay, okay. This is the last and final book in a ten book series, but as I texted Alice after I finished it, it was so much better the second time around.
Kate Daniels is arguably one of my absolute favorite book series of all time. I’ve been reading these books for years, as is the case with the last and final books in a series, they don’t get re-read as often since I typically do a series re-read in order for every new book.
My first impression of the series finale was that it was slightly rushed and I thought some of the solutions to series long problems were a little too convenient. However, having just finished a series re-read I take that back. I think I just bombed through the book the first time around and it felt rushed. Reading all 10 books (plus side books and novellas) back to back just really truly makes me appreciate the set up. They clearly had a plan many books before and things truly came together.
Kate starts off as a loud mouthed merc hiding from her truly dangerous father. This series takes her on a journey to come into her own power and to build a life on her own terms. From her love affair with beast lord Curran to creating a family of her choosing, it is a wildly satisfying ride. If you haven’t done so, I encourage you to pick up book 1 – which is good. Then continue reading because book 2 and onward is a master class in urban fantasy.
What was the best book you read in October? Tell us in the comments!
-Alice, Anne & Jane
