“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers,” says L.M. Montgomery in Anne of Green Gables. It is a uniquely true statement. October is a month of beautiful leaves, abundant apple trees, and a feeling of delicious spooky anticipation for Halloween to come. This October was particularly poignant for me – I interviewed for a new job that I thought was out of my league, and I got it. My last day of work at my old company was on the penultimate day of October, with Halloween bringing sweet relief and creeping anxiety of big changes. All the while, I tried sticking to my reading goals for the month, knowing November was going to bring a hectic new pace and little time for my one true love. As such, I managed to read six books in October, less than predicted but still respectable and about half of my fantasy TBR They were as follows:

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1. The Inspector of Strange and Unexplained Deaths, by Olivier Barde-Cabuçon
   • Rating: Two Waves
   • ARC Yes (Netgalley)
   • Type: Kindle E-Book
   • On my October TBR? Yes
2. The Midnight Bargain, by C.L. Polk
   • Rating: Four Waves
   • ARC? Yes (Netgalley)
   • Type: Kindle E-Book
   • On my October TBR? No (late acceptance on the ARC)
3. One for the Books, by Jenn McKinlay
   • Rating: Four Waves
   • ARC? No
   • Type: Library E-Book
   • On my October TBR? Yes
4. The Left-Handed Booksellers of London, by Garth Nix
   • Rating: Five Waves
   • ARC? No
   • Type: Hardcover
   • On my October TBR? Yes
5. The Orphan of Cemetery Hill, by Hester Fox
   • Rating: Three Waves
   • ARC? Yes (Goodreads)
   • Type: Kindle E-Book
   • On my October TBR? Yes
6. Murder on Cold Street, by Sherry Thomas
   • Rating: Four (3.5) Waves
   • ARC? No
   • Type: Trade Paperback
   • On my October TBR? Yes

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Some were surprisingly good, some were immensely disappointing, and some were more “Meh” than “Marvelous!” However all in all, it was a pleasure to read. I am already nostalgic for the books I won’t finish this month, as I slowly read Dark Archives by Megan Rosenbloom in the late hours when I can catch the time and wish for a slower tomorrow. Thank you, October, for existing.