This month I chose to read a lot of thrillers and horrors because it’s spooky season! Also this month, I reached my Goodreads reading challenge of 100 books!
Stats:
- Read: 7 books
- One 5 star, three 4 stars, two 3 stars, one 2 star
- Favorite book of October: The Good Daughter
Recommended for You by Laura Silverman
Hundredth book of the year! I would definitely recommend reading this around the holidays, it was a cute and short read! The characters were so diverse, and I applaud the author for writing them like high schoolers and not trying to make them edgy and super mature. The romance was very wholesome and sweet. However, the writing was super cheesy and I found the main character to be a little annoying sometimes. Still, this book would make an awesome Hallmark Christmas special! Rating: 3 stars
Final Girls by Riley Sager
Like all of Riley Sager’s books, the plot in this story slowly built up to lead to a shocking plot twist and climax! I was not disappointed. The only thing I would say is that if you’re looking for a really fast-paced thriller, this may not be it. It was pretty mild and slow for 80 percent, and then became super fast-paced and thriller-esque at the end. Rating: 4 stars
Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks
I normally never pick up graphic novels, but I made an exception this time since it’s fall and Halloween was around the corner. This was cute and fun, but not much more than that. In fact, I’m not even sure if I like graphic novels. I didn’t really like the romantic turn the book took at the very end, it felt unnecessary. Rating: 3 stars
The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter
The first two chapters and the last 150 pages of this book were SO engaging and I couldn’t put the book down! This is a courtroom style thriller with lots of lawyer and trial mumbo jumbo, but I really enjoyed that aspect and it somehow never got boring. Another big part was the family dynamics, and I loved how the relationship between the two sisters and their father developed. There were a few good plot twists as well! This book is a lot to handle, though, so check out my Goodreads review for trigger warnings. Rating: 5 stars
A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi
I read this book for school and wasn’t planning on rating it, but I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would! I loved the exploration of Islamophobia and xenophobia in the US, and Shirin was a refreshing character who fought back against prejudiced people instead of being overly dramatic or a crybaby the whole time. I really liked learning about Persian culture, too. The romance was a big part of the story, and I loved it more than I expected to. I felt like Ocean and Shirin’s relationship is actually one of the few relationships in YA book that’s actually realistic and wholesome. The ending made me mad though! Rating: 4 stars
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
This was easily my most disappointing book of 2020! I thought I would love it, but sadly I didn’t. Check out my full semi-rant here. Rating: 2 stars
Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky
This was the scariest book I read this month! I took off a star because it was WAY too long, though. Along with the creepy vibes, I loved the addition of the mother-son relationship that was prominent in the book. Rating: 4 stars