The Basics #27: October Reading Ranked
Stats, Reflections, and Rankings
I’m long overdue for a report on a reading month. My podcast recording fell to the wayside during the summer months and then high school transitions for the boys through me through a loop.
I’ve decided to show up in whatever capacity I can and today that’s with something a little different.
“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” - L.M. Montgomery
October brought lots of sports games, a trip to Chicago, Scream movie rewatching, and plenty of reading.
Let’s take a look at my reading last month. Some statistics, reflections, and lastly how they all stacked up against one another.
I read 10 books in the month of October which puts me at 114 total books for the year. Ten felt like the right amount with life right now. There have been times in my life that I would never have imagined reading that many books in one month and other times when I thought that’s not enough. Honestly, right now I’m just happy that reading is bringing me joy, clarity and a little bit of escapism.
I continue to enjoy nonfiction as part of my regular reading life and not just in Nonfiction November. This month was on the lower side at 20% but I was thrilled with the nonfiction titles I picked up. That’s a win in my books.
An average star rating of 4.1 stars is above my year to date average of 3.98 stars so another good sign that it was a solid month of reading.
Let’s get to the books!
October Reading Ranked
10. Lord of the Flies by William Golding ⭐⭐⭐
When I found out that this was part of my boys ninth grade English reading curriculum, I jumped at the chance to read alongside them. Having read The Compound by Aisling Rawle this summer, I was curious to see if I would see the comparisons between the two novels. Many of you may be shocked that I didn’t read this growing up. I honestly don’t remember what I read in grade nine lit class but perhaps I’ve blocked it out. Math was more my strong suit.
I can’t say I loved this classic but I can certainly appreciate it and its intentions and messaging that still hold up to this day. I can recall most of the story and characters weeks later and that says something in and of itself.
My kids have since moved onto The Hunger Games. I decided I didn’t need a re-read of the series but next up will be another classic I haven’t yet read; Fahrenheit 451.
9. With Friends Like These by Alissa Lee ⭐⭐⭐💫
The advanced copy landed on my doorstop a few months ago (thank you Atria Books) and I quickly delighted in its slimness (under 300 pages) and tongue in cheek book title. The fact that it’s a debut novel is just a cherry on top as I can rarely resist one.
I rarely read a book synopsis beyond the first couple of sentences, if at all. I jumped right in and was introduced to a gaggle of “friends” and let’s just say they are quite possibly the worst friends ever. Do these girls EVEN KNOW HOW TO BE A FRIEND? What helped my enjoyment is that I was able to set aside my annoyances and focus on the intrigue of the game these girls had been playing for 20+ years. This game is insane and would absolutely under no circumstances work in the real world.
If you can roll with the punches and don’t need a realistic plotline to enjoy a quick entertaining read then may I recommend this debut?
8. The Wasp Trap by Mark Edwards ⭐⭐⭐💫
This was the kind of book I enjoyed at the time but won’t remember in time. I do however remember finding it clever and a tad surprising which is always a treat, especially when you read a lot of thrillers and suspense novels.
Told in now and then timelines (a favorite of mine), everyone’s secrets were slowly revealed. I enjoyed alternating between the audiobook narrated by John Hopkins and Anna Burnett and my physical copy.
If you are fond of a locked room mystery with a large cast of characters then perhaps give this a chance.
7. Now Departing: A small-town Mortician on Death, Life, and the Moments in Between by Victor M. Sweeney ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was a wild card for me and I LOVE an out of the box nonfiction read that delivers. I had absolutely NO idea that the author was known as “the internet’s favorite mortician”!
Death is a topic many run from but for some reason or another it intrigues me and especially those individuals that decide to face it every single day. It is such a beautiful gift of service to help others through one of the most difficult times in their lives.
Sweeney shares behind a behind the scenes look at his particular craft and brings warmth, wit and insight into coping with loss.
6. Lightbreakers by Aja Gabel ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was a book where a blurb convinced me to give it a go.
“You will love this genre-busting book…A cross of literary fiction and sci-fi, it’s also a beautiful meditation of grief, time, and love.” - Samin Nosrat
While I don’t particularly think this book will be a standout read for me this year, it was beautifully written. It reminded me of other stories I tend to gravitate to and hold close. Particularly stories that use time travel to explore grief.
An unconventional love story that is both heartfelt and complex. This character driven story is for the literary fiction fans. I highly recommend listening to the audiobook as the narrators added a layer of emotional depth to the story that I found quite lovely.
5. The Perfect Hosts by Heather Gudenkauf ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sometimes you just need a trusted author to deliver a solid thrill. Gudenkauf is the author of Everyone is Watching (LOVED and for fans of competitive reality tv shows), Before She Was Found (MY FAVE of hers), The Overnight Guest (enjoyed) and more.
This was an engaging and well layered mystery that kept me on my toes. I did not predict some of the twists and was pleasantly surprised by the direction the story took.
If you enjoy rich people behaving badly and plenty of suspects then perhaps pick this up.
4. 59 Minutes by Holly Seddon ⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Nuclear missile threat to South England. 59 minutes until impact. Seek immediate shelter. This is not a test.”
The story follows three women as they receive and process the news alert. Will they get to their loved ones in time?
I really enjoyed the formatting of the novel as it explores the story from multiple angles as well as throwing the reader through a loop with a big TWIST. I found it such a unique reading experience which is quite rare these days and especially with a thriller.
The chapters are VERY short, often 2-3 pages and at times I found this a hinderance to the flow of the story. Crazy for me to say because I typically love short chapters but even a page or two more would have satisfied.
Overall I was impressed by this page-turner and would love to chat about it with other readers.
3. A Guardian and a Thief by Megha Majumdar ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
As we approach year end, some of you may be wanting to hit a Goodreads reading goal. I urge you to keep Oprah’s latest book club selection in mind. At just 224 pages it is easily consumed over a day or two.
Faced with impossible decisions when trying to survive, this story just oozes desperation and humanity. My heart ached for them all. I desperately wanted to know they’d be okay but also knowing that real life can be incredibly cruel.
This story will hit you at your core and leave you breathless. It leaves the reader with some thought provoking questions as well.
2. Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention-and How to Think Deeply Again by Johann Hari ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
I’ve been eying this book for over a year and with my interest ever increasing over the topic of focus and our time spent online, I knew it was time to finally read it.
I alternated between listening to the audiobook and reading the physical book and would highly recommend having a physical book to annotate. I found myself not wanting to listen to the audiobook while on walks because I would have to run home and basically re-read the entire section so I could bookmark and take notes. I don’t always do this with my nonfiction reading but I found it useful to critically examine and reflect on what Hari was exploring. My only regret is that I didn’t use a color coding system with my page markers but it looks quite colorful!
I have so many take-aways from this book and while Hari would say this is not a self-help book I beg to differ. He has helped me acknowledge countless ways my focus is stolen in any given day. How many times a day do we reach for our phone when trying to get something done? He has also cemented so many of the reasons why I feel so compelled to take a break from social media.
Hari examines something so critical to all of us and reminds us this needs to be a collective effort.
Let’s think deeply again and continue the conversation!
1. Twice by Mitch Albom ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A GMA Book Club selection this was easily my favorite of the month.
“What if you got to do everything in your life - twice?”
I could not stop listening to this audiobook and bonus that it was narrated by the author himself.
A lovely, nostalgic, and touching tale. A reminder of how important life lessons are.
“I want. You want. God does what he wants.” (STORY OF MY LIFE!!!)
The story takes the reader back to childhood, and reflects on; loss, college mistakes, heartache, adulthood challenges, marriage trials and more.
If you aren’t afraid to get a little sentimental then consider this your next read.
That’s a wrap! I’d love to hear what some of your highs and lows were from October. Did anything surprise you? Drop them in the comments.
So many for and five stars! Adding the thrillers to my TBR
I also loved TWICE! It was one of those books that made me sob a bit more than necessary.
I just added NOW DEPARTING to my tbr! I have an odd fascination with funeral homes and those that work there. Thanks for the review!