What I Read in October 2020

As is the nature of blogging, often you will read and schedule books long before the months the reviews of them are actually published. I like to think of myself as an organised kind of person (and seeing that creating and planning content is my day job, I just can’t help it) so I work a little in advance.

SO, if i’m actually being truthful about October, for about half the month, I just haven’t been able to read at all. Living through a worldwide pandemic that’s very much hitting second wave territory where I live (the UK) is really getting to me. When I’m worried or anxious, my mind is all over the place. I open books, only to close them five pages later. I know that’s no reflection of the content of the book – it is totally my mindspace at the moment.

When I first wrote a blog about reading during a pandemic it was March. Like so many people, I assumed this was very much a temporary situation. Yes, we’d have a hard couple of months, but by my birthday (which was in September) everything would be back to normal. As it turns out… Well, here we still are. I guess we’re all adjusting to living longer-term in a pandemic, I just hope my ability to read comes back very soon!

My October Book Reviews:

(Click on book title for my full review.)

/ Take Me Home by Alex Hart

/ Confessions on the 7:45 by Lisa Unger

/ Ghosts by Dolly Alderton

/ The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

/ Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

/ Ordinary People by Diana Evans

/ Pretending by Holly Bourne

/ The Chalet by Catherine Cooper

/ Wakenhyrst by Michelle Paver

I’ve just realised, I published quite a few reviews this month, for various reasons. Lots of excellent books too. If I had to choose my favourites, I’d go for Ghosts, The Vanishing Half and Where the Crawdads Sing. I think I’ll be gifting these as Christmas presents this year. All very different but unified in their power to tell a great story. And what more do you want from a book?

Until next month, Happy Reading!