After only reading a handful of books during the summer, the autumn months definitely have enabled me to read a bit more. As with September, I read ten books throughout October 2021. I had a few festive reads in there (it’s never too early!) and a couple five-star reads, plus my first ever one star read!
Here are the books I read in October 2021.
The Editor’s Wife by Clare Chambers
Aspiring novelist Christopher Flinders drops out of university to write what he hopes is going to be a masterpiece. When editor Owen Goddard loves his book, Christopher is welcomed not only to Owen’s office but also to his family home. It is here that Christopher meets Diana, Owen’s charming and sophisticated wife. He is instantly drawn to the two of them and the life they lead that is so far removed from his own. After a situation causes massive repercussions for Christopher and the Goddards, he is devastated and moves away from London to a remote part of Yorkshire.
Twenty years on Christopher meets a woman who is researching Owen Goddard and he is forced to face his past and the consequences of his actions.
The book is undoubtedly beautifully written. The prose flows nicely and is peppered with subtle humour and acute observations. However, sadly, it just wasn’t for me. I can easily see why others loved it but personally, I prefer a little more story and depth.
Click here to read my full review of The Editor’s Wife by Clare Chambers.
Under The Whispering Door by T.J Klune
When Wallace finds himself attending his own funeral, he is perplexed, to say the least. He couldn’t possibly be dead. Wallace is an important man with a lot to get done. He simply doesn’t have time to be dead. Sadly for Wallace, death doesn’t care how busy he was or how important he thought he was. While attending his scarcely attended funeral, Wallace spots a woman he doesn’t recognise who seems to be able to see him while the rest of the funeral guests cannot. This woman is Mei and her job as a reaper is to collect Wallace and help him transition to “the next place”.
Wallace is furious and more than a little bit scared as he is brought to a bizarre teashop, which turns out to be a place from which he will “cross over”. Wallace soon learns to accept the truth and is faced with the fact he didn’t live his life in the way he should. He was often cruel and had nothing in his life outside of work. He simply didn’t have time for fun and frivolity. However, after spending time at the teashop with its eclectic inhabitants, Wallace soon realises his life was missing something.
It’s quite simply a beautiful read and I loved it.
Click here to read my full review of Under The Whispering Door by T.J Klune.
A Special Cornish Christmas by Phillipa Ashley
Bo Grayson has always loved Christmas until she had her heart broken in December. The summer after her heartbreak Bo and her friends meet a fortune teller – the mysterious Madame Odette. All three of them are given the same prediction: “You will meet the love of your life by Christmas day”. They dismiss these predictions and treat it all as a bit of fun. As the festive season approaches Bo is busy getting her cafe ready and preparing for her dance group’s Christmas show. Romance is the last thing on her mind, especially after last year, but fate might just have other ideas.
It was a gentle romantic story which is great for a festive novel. However, I did feel it lacked some of the charm of the other festive books I’ve read this year.
Click here to read my full review of A Special Cornish Christmas by Phillipa Ashley.
Underneath The Christmas Tree by Heidi Swain
Wynter’s Trees is where the people of Wynmouth get their family Christmas tree and get into the Christmas spirit. Liza Wynter knows it’s a local institution and was her father’s pride and joy but now he’s gone she wants nothing to do with the business. It holds sad memories and Wynmouth was never a happy place for her growing up. When her father’s business partner decides to retire and pass on his share of the business to his son Ned, Liza sees it as the perfect opportunity to offload her share of the business.
When she arrives back in Wynmouth she finds the welcome overwhelming and is happy to see the business flourishing under Ned’s stewardship. She offers to stay up until Christmas to help with the busy season but makes it clear she has plans for her future and they don’t involve Wynter’s Trees. However, can the people of Wynmouth convince her that this is where she belongs? And can Wynter’s Trees finally weave its Christmas magic and convince Liza to stay?
Underneath The Christmas Tree had all the Hallmark Christmas vibes which I love. Cheesy Hallmark Christmas movies are my not-so-guilty pleasure! It was delightfully festive and I could clearly visualise Wynter’s Trees and the lodge where Ned and Liza resided. Overall I found it to be a fun enjoyable festive read.
Click here to read my full review of Underneath The Christmas Tree by Heidi Swain.
12 Hours To Say I Love You by Olivia Poulet and Laurence Dobiesz
Pippa, after being in a car accident, is fighting for her life. She is unconscious in ICU and the doctors tell her husband, Steve, the next 12 hours are critical. Steve was away with work at the time of the accident and he has no idea why Pippa wasn’t at home, where she was going or why she became distracted behind the wheel. Desperate to keep her with him, and to give her something to fight for, Steve begins to talk to Pippa about their past and the many reasons why he loves her. He doesn’t know for certain if she can hear him but he talks about the day they met, the moment he knew he loved her and all their ups and downs over the years. Steve uses the critical 12 hours to show her how much she means to him. But is it too late?
I found it to be a beautiful and thought-provoking book and I really enjoyed it.
Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton
In rural Somerset, in the middle of a blizzard, a school is under siege. Teachers are desperately trying to protect their students while parents are frantically trying to contact their loved ones. Pupils and teachers are trapped in classrooms while their headmaster lies wounded in the library, unable to protect his beloved students. Meanwhile, a police psychiatrist must identify the gunmen. In three intense hours, they all must find the courage to stand up to evil and save the people they love.
There were so many brilliant things about the book but I did find it a bit slow in places. Having said that, it did keep me reading until the end and I did want to find out what happened to everyone. The pace picked up towards the end and all loose ends were tied up. Overall I’d say I liked it, but perhaps not as much as I’d hoped.
Click here to read my full review of Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton.
Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart
The book is set in Glasgow and follows the story of Shuggie Bain and his mother Agnes. We are introduced to Shuggie at the beginning of the book when he is 15 years old before we are taken back to the 1980s when Shuggie is just five years old. He is living in a flat with Agnes, his father Shug, his maternal grandparents and two half-siblings. Life is tough for Agnes and she wants more for herself and her children. She dreams of greater things and feels she deserves them. Shug abandons her after they move away from her parents’ flat and Agnes finds herself with only alcohol as a comfort. Her children do their best to save her but they too eventually have to abandon her to save themselves.
Shuggie, however, never gives up hope. Agnes is Shuggie’s whole world. He’s different from the children in his school and community and he is constantly told he is “no’ right”. Yet Shuggie believes if he is good and tries hard, his love alone might just save him and Agnes.
It’s a brutal portrayal of poverty and alcoholism but also a tale of love, hope and forgiveness. A beautiful yet heartbreaking book.
Click here to read my full review of Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart.
An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena
As the guests arrive at a remote, secluded inn deep in the forest, they’re all looking forward to a relaxing weekend. Miles from anywhere, they’re hoping it will be the perfect spot to destress and unwind. However when a violent rages, the guests find themselves completely cut off from the outside world. They can’t contact anybody and nobody can get in, or get out. When the first body is found, the guests realise a horrifying truth. There’s a killer amongst them, and they’re trapped.
This book had such a promising start and it felt Agatha Christie-esque with its locked-room whodunnit premise. However, I felt the story fizzled out and I found myself caring less about the characters. I finished the book not really caring who the culprit was and not really caring about who the next victim would be.
Not for me this one.
Click here to read my full review of An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena.
The Dilemma by B.A. Paris
To say Livia is excited about her 40th birthday would be a massive understatement. This party has been meticulously planned for years, to make up for the big wedding she never had. Her daughter, Marnie, can’t be there as she’s studying abroad. Although she loves her daughter, Livia is secretly pleased she won’t be at the party. She needs to tell Adam something about their daughter but she’s waiting until the party is over so they can have this last happy time together before everything changes.
Meanwhile, Adam has arranged for Marnie to come home for the party to surprise Livia. He is so desperate for her to have the party she always dreamed of. But when he receives some awful news, he doesn’t know what to do. He knows he needs to tell Livia but doesn’t want to ruin her day of happiness.
The Dilemma asks the question – how far would you go to give someone you love the last few hours of happiness?
I hate to say this, but I really did not enjoy this book. I found the whole thing absurd. It’s less of a thriller and more of a family drama, where sadly the family involved are all absolute morons!
Click here to read my full review of The Dilemma by B.A. Paris.
The Recovery of Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel
Rose Gold lived her life believing she was ill. She thought she needed a feeding tube, surgery and a wheelchair. However, it turns out that her mother was just a really good liar. Her mother, Patty, is sent to jail for the mistreatment of her daughter and she is now finally free. She has served her time and wants to leave the past behind her and make a new start, starting with making amends with her daughter. Rose Gold, who testified against her mother during the trial, is now a mother to a little boy and agrees to let Patty move in with them. Their relationship seems to finally be on the mend but are things really as they seem? Is Rose Gold the same pliable young girl she once was? And is Patty still keen to settle old scores?
This book has such an intriguing premise but I just felt it could have been so much better. I was hoping for a deeper exploration of Munchausen Syndrom by Proxy and mental health in general but I found it quite disappointing. It might just be a personal thing, as I just found the whole book so bleak and disturbing. It just wasn’t for me at all.
Click here to read my full review of The Recovery of Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel.
Some of these books were sent from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
You may also be interested in reading the books I read in September 2021 and my other previous monthly reads.