10 Books to Read in October
October is finally upon us! Here’s a list of 10 books to read during the Halloween season!
The Monk: A Romance by Matthew Lewis
Why not start with a classic Gothic horror! The Monk was published in 1796 and details the sordid events of a monk named Ambrosio. Despite Ambrosio’s strict reputation, he struggles between his vows and an insatiable lust for women. Murder, sex, and scandal ensue with help from the supernatural, making the novel perfect for an October read. Lewis has written a sensational story that also explores temptation, sin, and corruption within the Catholic Church.
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
This Gothic novel follows a woman who falls in love with a wealthy, recently widowed man named Maxim de Winter. They marry, and the new Mrs. de Winter is whisked away to his estate in Cornwall, Manderley. At the estate, Mrs. de Winter finds her husband reserved, unloving, and must navigate her new life at Manderley alone. Isolated and largely unwelcome, Mrs. De Winter must also cope with Maxim’s late wife’s lingering presence. Rebecca is a novel difficult to forget, much like its namesake. With running themes of mental illness, mystery, and the supernatural, the story has become a favorite!
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
A group of four people stay in what is presumably a haunted mansion to study supernatural events. Dr. Montague, a scientist who hopes to collect evidence of the paranormal, leads the team. At the center of conflict is Eleanor, a young woman seeking freedom. She is presumed to have telekinetic powers, and the longer she stays in the house, the more she loses her grip on what’s real. The Haunting of Hill House is a classic Gothic novel that disrupts reality and navigates the boundaries between truth and fiction.
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
Michaelides’ novel definitely messed with my mind, and I loved it! The narrator is Theo Faber, a psychotherapist that becomes obsessed with a case involving Alice Berenson, a well-known painter who shoots her husband several times in the head without any explanation. Alice’s silence imbues Theo with a challenge and a chance to solve the mystery of her husband’s murder. The Silent Patient is a novel that questions how far someone will go to find the truth.
The Devil All the Time by Donald Ray Pollock
This is definitely a case where my knowledge of the film led me to the book. The Devil All the Time takes place in rural Ohio and West Virginia and follows a cast of desolate, sordid, and murderous characters. Ritualistic sacrifice, murder, and scandal become linked through a young boy’s ambition to enact justice against the despicable actions of his fellow townspeople. Pollock paints a violent depiction of rural living while infused with poverty, boredom, and sexual desire.
Under the Skin by Michel Faber
Isserley is a beautiful woman with a knack for seducing hitchhikers, but her actions call for a more sinister purpose. Isserley is part of a frightening network of killers and is forced to confront her identity after realizing her submissive roll for the broader system at play. Events that occur are both horrific and terrifying, but at the heart of the story lies questions concerning identity, capitalism, sexism, and factory farming.
I’m Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid
The story begins when a man and his girlfriend take a short trip to visit family. The couple travels to a dilapidated farmhouse only to end up at a high school in the middle of nowhere, and nothing is what it seems. A simple premise turns into a dark and intensely psychological journey of escape. I don’t want to give too much away, so all you need to know is that Reid’s novel is both philosophical and insanely unsettling. It’s a book that will stay with you whether or not you enjoy reading it.
My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
This was a fun and quick read that easily brought me back from a reading slump. Braithwaite’s novel follows a nurse named Korede as she navigates the tumultuous sea of sisterhood with her serial killer sister Ayoola. Korede and Ayoola must both negotiate the bonds and boundaries of a sibling relationship while faced against terrible odds. It’s funny, heartfelt, thrilling, and an overall fun read to dive into for October.
There are also two books I’ve been dying to read (hehe), and are on my list for this October!
Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell
THEN
She was fifteen, her mother's golden girl. She had her whole life ahead of her. And then, in the blink of an eye, Ellie was gone.
NOW
It’s been ten years since Ellie disappeared, but Laurel has never given up hope of finding her daughter.
And then one day a charming and charismatic stranger called Floyd walks into a café and sweeps Laurel off her feet. Before too long she’s staying the night at this house and being introduced to his nine year old daughter. Poppy is precocious and pretty - and meeting her completely takes Laurel's breath away. Because Poppy is the spitting image of Ellie when she was that age. And now all those unanswered questions that have haunted Laurel come flooding back.
What happened to Ellie? Where did she go?
Who still has secrets to hide?
Via Goodreads
The Guest List by Lucy Foley
On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate two people joining their lives together as one. The groom: handsome and charming, a rising television star. The bride: smart and ambitious, a magazine publisher. It’s a wedding for a magazine, or for a celebrity: the designer dress, the remote location, the luxe party favors, the boutique whiskey. The cell phone service may be spotty and the waves may be rough, but every detail has been expertly planned and will be expertly executed.
But perfection is for plans, and people are all too human. As the champagne is popped and the festivities begin, resentments and petty jealousies begin to mingle with the reminiscences and well wishes. The groomsmen begin the drinking game from their school days. The bridesmaid not-so-accidentally ruins her dress. The bride’s oldest (male) friend gives an uncomfortably caring toast.
And then someone turns up dead. Who didn’t wish the happy couple well? And perhaps more important, why?
Via Goodreads
What will you be reading October?