Mini Reviews: October 2020 Reads

Here are some more short reviews and a delayed wrap up for October!

I thought I’d highlight a more amusing quote this time by a potential new favorite author. I’ve read two books by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and really enjoyed both. Keep an eye out for her the paperback release of Untamed Shore, coming early 2021.

“You are a funny thing,” he told her. “It’s like having a playful monkey.” It was not quite an insult. It sounded like an endearment, but she frowned all the same.

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

October Reading Stats!
2864 pages – 8 books finished – 60% monthly TBR met
1 reread – 3 owned TBR books read – 4 owned books read
4 comics/graphic novels – 2.5 audiobooks

Readathons: The stress the last few months has been real for me, so I’m trying not to give myself too many random deadlines. I feel like in October I finally got some breathing room and my body just sort of crashed a little bit. I finished Star Daughter for the OwlCrate Bookclub. I finished A Reaper at the Gates for the #emberreadalong as well as Tier 1, Stablehand, for the #PhoenixRidersReadathon. I also completed all but one prompt for Vin in the #Shardathon!

2864 pages: My social media activity has been way low this month. I’ve been having a bit of wrist pain and it just makes things like Instagram not so enticing. Since I started counting, and really for this entire year, this month sets a new low in total pages read for the month. That being said, I still finished 8 books and 2.8k pages is still a lot of pages, but it was a slow reading month for me.

60% TBR: This seems to be my pattern these days so I’m not making much of a TBR for November aside from read as much of the Stormlight Archive as possible. And maybe the Owlcrate monthly book. Maybe. Even with another month at 60%, I’m at 87% for all the books I wrote on my monthly TBR page this year, so I’m pretty happy with it. This is my first year setting regular monthly TBR’s as I’m a bit of a mood reader, but I can also be a completionist, so finding a balance in this regard is tricky!

I wrote most of the above end of October/early November, but am compiling everything together now later November, so without further delay, here’s some info about the 8 books I finished in October!

A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
So much happens in this book. We get a 4th POV and 4th audio narrator. The US audio is amazing with Fiona Hardingham as Laia, Steve West as Elias, Katharine Lee McEwan as Helene and, new with this book, Maxwell Caulfield as the Nightbringer. As this is the 3rd book in the series, I recommend starting with the first 2 books before this one. It’s the darkest book in the series, but definitely sets the stage for the finale. Lots of things are revealed, including a truth I didn’t see coming but feel like I should have, and also a bit of heartbreak as was expected. I love learning more about the lore in this world and the history and can’t wait to see how it all ends in A Sky Beyond the Storm, releasing December 1st 2020!
YA – Fantasy – Quartet

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia –
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ever wonder what would happen if you accidentally freed the Mayan god of death? Here’s your chance to see how that would play out and at the same time go on an adventure across México during the Jazz age, specifically 1927. Full of Mexican folklore, I sincerely enjoyed this adventure and look forward to more books by the author.
Adult – Historical Fiction, Mythology, Magical Realism – Stand Alone

Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett –
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I’ve yet to be disappointed by a Jenn Bennett book. They’re the perfect romantic comedy for me, often full of relatable characters that I can’t help but like. There’s camping, maps, and a character who likes to plan everything as a way to counter her anxiety. The story addresses a lot of real issues such as fitting in with friends, growing out of friends, peer pressure, and sex all in a very approachable manner without being overly dramatic. Not to say there isn’t a little drama in this book, but of the more every day variety. Strongly recommend!
YA – Contemporary, Romance – Stand Alone

Dewdrop by Katie O’Neill – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Nothing makes your heart happier than a graphic novel by Katie O’Neill. Her art is like a warm hug and her characters are trying to do good by one another and make the world a better place. In Dewdrop, our main character Dewdrop is an adorable axolotl who cheers on his friends who are preparing for the yearly sports festival.
Ages 4-8 (All Ages) – Fantasy, Graphic Novel – Stand Alone

Aquicorn Cove by Katie O’Neill – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Another inspiring (and super adorable) graphic novel by Katie O’Neill, Aquicorn Cove presents a story about a family who comes home to help after a big storm. While visiting their hometown, they more about what it means to protect and how their actions impact the ocean and those around them. The end of the book has some additional information about coral reefs and what you can do to help protect them and help be a guardian of the sea.
MG – Fantasy, Graphic Novel, LGBT – Stand Alone

Princess Princess Ever After by Katie O’Neill – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Princess Sadie is rescued by Princess Amira and set out on a journey to find happily ever after, but on their own terms. The story was shorter than I anticipated but uses it’s page count wisely making some great points in a short period of time. It’s a charming story and a quick but memorable read.
MG – Fantasy, Graphic Novel, LGBT – Stand Alone

Star Daughter
by Shveta Thakrar– ⭐⭐⭐
Sheetal is half star, half human, trying to live her life on earth, but also going through puberty. This is a tad hard considering she can’t talk to any full stars and feels like she might burn up, literally. The story was quite enjoyable and I may reread it, but I felt there was some missed potential in truly fleshing out the story. The world of the stars was so well done and full of Indian mythology which I am not very familiar with, but enjoyed getting some exposure to via this story.
YA – Urban Fantasy, Mythology – Stand Alone – Owlcrate

Pandora Hearts vol 15 by Jun Mochizuki– ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pandora Hearts is a 24-volume series, completed in 2015. The English volumes were released from 2009-2016. The name is a play on Pandora’s box and Alice in Wonderland, whose themes are laced throughout this dark story. It starts with a coming of age ceremony gone wrong as some dark secrets of the past come to life. It’s a clever story with mystery and good characters, but definitely dark and a bit bloody. Vol 15 starts to answer some questions that have come up throughout the book, but also creates more as well. Full Review
Adult – Fantasy, Manga, Shonen – Series

Thanks for reading this far!

Please note:
Cover images are from goodreads/library catalogs/my own collection.
Books listed as Stand Alone were not considered part of a series at time of writing this post.