October Books | What I’ve been reading this month 2020
There’s new progress in the book reading department of my life. I finally invested in a kindle! I know Amazon isn’t the most ethical company on the planet, but their Prime Day Deal on their Kindle was so good and it’s been a life saver for night feeds when I don’t want to watch a programme on my phone. I also managed to get the Kindle Unlimited package for 3 months for free too which means a bunch of free books until Christmas, and this includes all the Harry Potter books so I’ve been able to get through the books that little bit faster considering they’re big ol’ books towards the end.
Also, although I have bought a kindle and am using Amazon for ebooks – specifically a free trial of Kindle Unlimited – but I’ve decided to switch my links to Hive links to help independent bookstores.
1 | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
4/5 stars | Fun fact, I actually started this book the day before my daughter was born, and was reading it in early labour as a distraction whilst tracking contractions and bouncing on my ball. I think I only managed a chapter or two but I think that makes this a pretty historic book for me now!
2 | Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
5/5 stars | I actually like this book far more than I like the film. I love Harry and Ginny together although it is only a small part of the book. But this book gets 5 stars because it never fails to make me cry. Dumbledore may be problematic at times, but his death and funeral slay me every time. The film just doesn’t do it justice.
3 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
5/5 Stars | My favourite of the films, and probably my favourite of the books if I’m honest. I just really love a conclusion to a story (although I dislike the flash forward at the end of the film if I’m totally honest).
I, by far, enjoyed the ending fight scene in the book over the film. It explains more thoroughly and to be honest is more climatic. I’m not sure why they felt the need to change it. Especially as so much of the rest of the book is represented so closely in the two films. However I did think the Orders arrival to Hogwarts is better in the film than the book.
Again I just wish we had more Ginny and Harry, but I think I’m just a hopeless romantic at this point.
5 stars awarded because it will make you laugh (the twins) and cry (the twins again, and Lupin and Tonks) and it’s just a great ending to the story.
4 | The Midnight Library | Matt Haig
5/5 stars | I got this as part of the Green Book Shops #BuyAStrangerABook day which they do weekly. It’s great for supporting an independent book shop, and the chance to get a free book which is obviously a big bonus!
Anyway I’ve seen a lot of good things about the Midnight Library…. and it did not disappoint. It was a beautiful, profound, thought provoking and enjoyable read. It will make you well up but also gives so much to digest and apply to your own life.
It’s a fictional story following Nora as she goes through the Midnight Library trying out her alternative lives that she could have lived if she’d decided something different in her root life. It is perhaps slightly predictable but also such a fabulous read. I really liked Nora and definitely rooted for some of her alternative lives and sympathised with her regrets. Matt as always deals so carefully with mental health and depression, giving the dealings thought and respect but also teaching so much. It’s a highly quotable book. Despite it being fiction it gives off some nonfiction vibes with how it makes you apply Nora’s circumstances to your own and how you live your life and the regrets you may have.
I really thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it for anyone’s reading pile.
5 | The City of Brass | S.A.Chakraborty
4.5/5 stars | Kindle Unlimited | My first proper Kindle only read and I loved it. I actually knew very little about the book prior to reading knowing only that it was fantasy. It follows Nahri and Ali, in alternating viewpoints in their world of Daevas and Djinn, finding out who they are and their long history. The story follows Arabic and Islamic folklore and mythology with a twisting plot and lots of magic. It kind of reminds me of a more diverse Throne of Glass series book, the closest being Tower of Dawn.
I loved the history and different tribes, though they can be hard to keep up with (this might be purely because I tend to skim read more when using a device over a physical copy of a book) but interesting. I enjoyed the characters and their relationships a lot and the intrigue behind each of them. Even at the end of the book you still have about 100 questions about each of them.
Would highly recommend for a diverse fantasy novel.
And that’s October done, and I’m on 45/50 books for the year! With lockdown coming back, I’m hopeful to complete my challenge!
Read my previous reading lists for 2020 here: