10 Great October Reads

I think we can all agree that October is one of the best months of the year. It's that time when the leaves have changed and are starting to fall but the sun still shines and the air is just the perfect temperature. As I write this, it's raining outside and all I want is to curl up with a good book and a warm drink (but first, homework...). I'm one to embrace gloomy days, and I can't help but feel that October is the perfect time to really appreciate life in New England. I think by now I've mentioned once or twice (okay, three times) how much I love Halloween, but really what I love about this time of year is that it inspires me to write. A good book can give you goosebumps, have you gasping in surprise, and even make you wonder if there really are monsters under the bed, and this is the perfect time of year to find one of those books. Now, I know that not everyone appreciates a scary story, so I've rounded up a list of books that, scary or not, have that perfect October vibe.

*****

The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo // You may recognize this from last month's currently coveting. I picked it up at the library recently and let me say...so good. Keep an eye out for a review soon, but for now, just know that it gave me the creepy-crawlies and had me totally intrigued from start to finish.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield // I cannot recommend this enough. It's on my list to re-read this month, and has the.best.ending.ever. Setterfield is just brilliant.

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness // I love this trilogy. You can read more about my obsession with it here.

The Quick by Lauren Owen // This was one of my summer reads this year, but it's certainly more suited for an October to-read list, considering it's a Victorian England novel with a rather macabre twist. You can read my review of it here.

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova // One year in high school we had a choice of books for a summer reading assignment and I picked this one, along with maybe seven other students. It certainly wasn't the most popular book that year (I have a feeling it's because of its 700 pages) but it's one that I would highly recommend for your to-read list this month. 

Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield // Another one by Diane Setterfield because, why not? Read my review of this book here.

The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg // I love a good book about magic at anytime during the year, and I know I recently raved about this one in a review but I just can't stop. Love, love, loved it. And for those who aren't into scary stories, this is the one for you. 

The Truth of All Things by Kieran Shields // This is a relatively new series that I started reading last year. It follows a detective in the late 1800s as he investigates a gruesome murder, the mystery behind which is wrapped up in magic rituals and the Salem Witch Trials. Definitely has that Halloween feel to it. 

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern // This book was a big deal when it came out in 2011, and when I read it last year I absolutely loved it. And, I mean, look at that cover art. Swoon.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn // Perfect timing to read this, especially with the movie coming out this month. But please, don't go see the movie before you've read it! I'm not usually such a stickler for the book-before-movie rule, but this has to be one that you read first. Also, it will make you question your own sanity and the sanity of everyone around you. So there's that. 

*****

Do you have a favorite thriller, mystery, or fantasy book?