Good Books For October

This year, for me, has felt like a year in which I really got back into reading and although I currently I don't have too much free time to read, I used to really love to read during this time of year - cozy nights snuggled up with a cup of hot chocolate and a good book!

The Shining - Stephen King

"Danny is only five years old but in the words of Mr Hallorann he is a 'shiner', aglow with psychic voltage. When his father becomes caretaker at the Overlook Hotel, Danny's visions grow out of control. As winter closes in and blizzards cut them off, the hotel seems to develop a life of its own. It is meant to be empty. So who is the lady in room 217 and who are the masked guests going up and down in the elevator? Somewhere, somehow, there is an evil force in the hotel - and that too is beginning to shine ... "

The Shining is probably my top favourite horror novel. I love Stephen King's writing and how it always draws you into the story, making everything feel creepily real. Normally I find it had to be spooked by books because I'm having to try and picture everything in my head, but with this book and the fantastic writing, I got fairly creeped out at some parts! I feel that this book, along with pretty much any other Stephen King novel, is perfect to read during this month as Halloween draws closer.

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Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - Ransom Riggs

"A mysterious island, an abandoned orphanage and a strange collection of very curious photographs. A horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children who once lived here - one of whom was his own grandfather - were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a desolate island for good reason. And somehow - impossible though it seems - they may still be alive." 

I really love the uniqueness of this book. The author had a collection of all the antique pictures used in the novel and had decided to build a narrative around the pictures which I thought was pretty cool. The story itself is captivating and interesting and I really enjoyed the storyline. My only criticism of this book was that I found it pretty slow moving but the plot managed to hold my attention and I'm so glad it did because the book does pick up as you continue through it.

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One of  Us is Lying - Karen M. McManus

"On a Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention. Bronwyn (the brain) is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule. Addy (the beauty) is the picture-perfect homecoming princess.  Nate (the criminal) is already on probation for drug dealing. Cooper (the athlete) is the all-star baseball pitcher. And Simon (the outcast) is the creator of  a notorious gossip app. Before the end of detention, Simon's dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn't an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he'd planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them."

I was first drawn to this book because I had seen it being described as "The Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars" - two things which I really enjoy watching. It's a murder mystery novel which is a genre I quite enjoy, even though I'm rubbish at solving the mysteries (this novel being no exception😄) but I still enjoyed reading it nonetheless. The story is told from the perspectives of each of the main characters which was a little confusing at first as I had to keep reminding myself who was who, but once I got used to the format of this book, it was a great read. 

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Ghost Flower - Michele Jaffe

"Eve, a runaway, finds a new job at a coffee shop. When she's approached by two wealthy teens who claim she bears an uncanny resemblance to their missing cousin Aurora, her life takes a turn for the dark and mysterious. Drawn into a scheme to win Aurora's inheritance, Eve finds herself impersonating the girl, who disappeared three years ago on the night her best friend Elizabeth died. But when Liza's ghost begins to haunt Eve, doing harm to the people close to her under the guise of "protecting" her, Eve finds herself in a nightmare maze of lies and deception that leads her to question even her own identity. She realizes her only chance is to uncover the truth about what happened the night Liza died, and to find Liza's killer - before she's next. 

This book was possibly the first thriller/mystery type novel I had read (the first time i read this book being in around 2013). Once I started this book, I kept wanting to read on to find out what was going to happen next. I kept trying to solve the mystery and think through all the possible scenarios but, again, I didn't work it out until all was revealed at the end😄.

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Coraline - Neil Gaiman

"There is something strange about Coraline's new home. It's not the mist, or the cat that always seems to be watching her, nor the signs of danger that Miss Spink and Miss Forcible, her new neighbours, read in the tea leaves. It's the other house - the one behind the old door in the drawing room. Another mother and father with black-button eyes and papery skin are waiting for Coraline to join them there. And they want her to stay with them. For ever. She knows that if she ventures through that door, she may never come back."

I watched the film before I even knew that it was first a book. I really enjoyed the film so of course I had to go and read the book too. The book differs from the movie in many ways, but the overall main story is the same and just as creepy - so perfect for this time of year.

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The Girl on the Train - Paula Hawkins

Rachael catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She's even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. Their life -as she sees it - is perfect. And then she sees something shocking, and in one moment everything changes. Now Rachael has a chance to become a part of the lives she's only watched from afar. Now they'll see: she's much more than just the girl on the train ... "

This thriller book is a great read for this time of year if you're looking for something which contains elements of mystery and creepiness, then this could be a good book for that. I like that you never really know who to trust or who's telling the truth and the main character is no better at helping you work out the mysteries which I loved. I'd quite like to watch the film now after reading this.

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Harry Potter - J.K Rowling

"A series of fantasy novels which follows the life of young wizard Harry Potter and his friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The main story arc concerns Harry's struggle against Lord Voldemort, a dark wizard who intends to become immortal, overthrow the wizard governing body known as the Ministry of Magic, and defeat all wizards and Muggles."

I feel like any of the Harry Potter books are a perfect choice to read at this time of year. There's just something so cozy about them that really embodies the feelings of this time of year.

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The Mortal Instruments - Cassandra Clare

 "Human-angel hybrids walk among us, unseen but ever-present, our invisible protectors. They call themselves Shadowhunters. The Shadowhunters protect the world of mundane people from dark forces beyond their world. The series follows Clary Fray, who, for years, lived a pretty mundane life with her mum Jocelyn. Until she met Jace, a shadowhunter, and her true life and secrets her mother kept from her revealed to her. After her mother disappears, Clary must venture into the dark world of demon hunting, and embrace her new role among the Shadowhunters.

I've yet to finish this book series but from the books I have read from it, I've really liked them. These too also make for good reading at this time of year especially as they contain vampires, werewolves, angels and demons. I've watched the movie and loved it also and I've got the TV show on my watchlist on Netflix that I hope to start soon.

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Do you have any particular books you like to read during this time of year?

Bye for now, xo