Books To Read This October

It’s October, a.k.a. one of my favorite months in any given year. And, typically, I put together a short list of recommendations, comprised of books that I’ve read throughout the year that are perfect for the Halloween season too.

• The first one is Breakup From Hell by Anna Dàvila Cardinal. Technically I read this book last year, but, since the HarperCollins union strike was happening, my review was posted later in 2023 instead. There is a strong religious element in the story, since it deals specifically with demons, as the title pretty much suggests. But Breakup From Hell was still a good story with a few scares. (To read my review click HERE)

• Up next is Bittersweet in the Hollow by Kate Pearsall. I’ll have a review for this one later in the month, but I’m choosing to mention it here as well. I won’t say too much about it right now, but just know that it has magic, mystery, plenty of folklore-like aspects, and a strong witchy vibe to it.

• My next recommendation is Michelle Jabès Corpora’s Holly Horror. It’s an eerie and incredibly atmospheric story. And while it’s setting—including Hobbie House—wasn’t isolated, there was an insular and solitary note to the story that’s due to how the perspective of the main character was written. If you’re looking for a creepy ghost story, then Holly Horror is one I would definitely recommend. (To read my review click HERE) 

• Another ghost story is the middle grade novel: Field of Screams by Wendy Parris. There were plenty of frightening moments in this story, which was balanced with the personal journey for the main character, Rebecca, as well. (To read my review click HERE)

• Ninth House and Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo were a surprise for me. They’re dark, but I really like how Bardugo does the mysteries alongside the supernatural and secret society aspects. But, while I loved them, this recommendation comes with a slight warning. These are very dark novels, and I’d keep that in mind. (To read my review click HERE and HERE) 

• A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid had gothic trappings in a fantasy setting combined with myths, academic rivals, and a sense of dread and isolation. It’s one of the most atmospheric novels I’ve read this year and, with everything mentioned above, it would make for a perfect read this October. (To read my review click HERE)

• My next one is The God of Endings by Jacqueline Holland. This is one of my top favorite books of the year so far because of its take on vampires. It’s essentially a character study, for a vampire grappling with what it means to be a vampire and live that long of a life through the many horrors of history. It’s also a dual timeline novel, set throughout history and to the present of the character’s life.(To read my review click HERE) 

• Last but certainly not least is Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia! This is another good one. Films and occultism in 90s Mexico, delivered with Moreno-Garcia’s usual flare for vibrant characterization and a thrilling page-turning adventure. (To read my review click HERE)

So those are my recommendations. If you have your own, feel free to leave them in the comments. Thanks for reading!   

The God of Endings by Jacqueline Holland

Title: The God of Endings
Series: n/a
Author: Jacqueline Holland
Source/Format: Publisher; Paperback ARC
More Details: Fantasy; Historical Fiction; Horror
Publisher/Publication Date: Flatiron Books; March 7, 2023

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

By turns suspenseful and enchanting, this breathtaking first novel weaves a story of love, family, history, and myth as seen through the eyes of one immortal woman

Collette LeSange is a lonely artist who heads an elite fine arts school for children in upstate New York. Her youthful beauty masks the dark truth of her life: she has endured centuries of turmoil and heartache in the wake of her grandfather’s long-ago decision to make her immortal like himself. Now in 1984, Collette finds her life upended by the arrival of a gifted child from a troubled home, the return of a stalking presence from her past, and her own mysteriously growing hunger.

Combining brilliant prose with breathtaking suspense, The God of Endings serves as a larger exploration of the human condition in all its complexity, asking us the most fundamental question: is life in this world a gift or a curse?

One of the books I had my eye on this year was Jacqueline Holland’s The God of Endings. It’s few and far in between that a vampire book catches my attention in the way this one did, but I was intrigued by everything I’d seen about. The synopsis reminded me of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue—a book I’ve still yet to read—with dual timelines and the exploration of character through the eyes of an immortal across a long period time. Rather than a Faustian bargain like Addie LaRue, The God of Endings has vampires.

This book is a blend of horror, fantasy, and historical fiction. There were many dark aspects of the story, including animal death. It also doesn’t shy from the darkness of history. It's main focus though was the myriad of struggles and all too brief moments of comfort/joy so closely tied into the life of Collette. As a vampire, she lived with the constant turmoil between what she’d been made into—contending with the hunger that comes with it—and her own sense of right and wrong in a reality that was difficult and full of tragedy. The story begins in much of the same manner, joy and sorrow, beginnings and endings. But, that was tied into the themes of the book, which played out in Collette’s present of 1984—as the owner and teacher of an art school for children—and her history beginning in the 1830s as the daughter of a gravestone carver. She didn’t always make the best decisions, reacted with her emotions or on assumptions, but that was the point of the story (where the best/logical/correct action isn't alway the one that's taken). Collette was fallible, but that added another layer of complexity. So, I appreciated the way Holland gradually built the story toward its inevitable conclusion. 

The God of Endings is a slow, contemplative, and meticulously detailed story. As a character study and exploration of the question posed by the synopsis, it worked. And, more often than not, I was anticipating the realizations long before Collette eventually made them. Her story was so haunting, and I was invested from the first page to the very last.

About the author....

Jacqueline Holland holds an MFA from the University of Kansas. Her work has appeared in Hotel Amerika and Big Fiction magazine, among others. She lives in the Twin Cities with her husband and two sons. The God of Endings is her first novel.

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Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Flatiron Books) in exchange for an honest review, thank you!