October 2025 Reads
Oh hello.
I don’t usually post over the weekend, but I’m a couple days late with this monthly post.
I was secretly hoping to have finished our book club book before this post went out, but I’m only halfway through it. Not because it’s not good. But because I have children, y’know?
Children who like to wake up at 5:30am. Thank you Daylight Savings. I did not get an extra hour of sleep. I got an extra hour of, “MAMA LOOK AT THIS! YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS!” And, “MAMAAAAAA, I NEED A SNAAAAACK.”
Anyway, I’ve copied/pasted my ratings and reviews from GoodReads!
Tell me in the comments – have you read any of them?! What’d you think?
4 out of 5 stars
The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton:
One summer afternoon changes everything. Fifty years later, Laurel is still searching for the truth about her mother’s secret life.
This book takes you on a JOURNEY. Weaving between two timelines, two versions of the same family, and one life-altering secret.
In the present day, Laurel and her brother are trying to understand why their mother (now on her deathbed) made a shocking choice all those years ago. And why she spent the rest of her life hiding it.
Fifty years earlier, Morton slowly unravels that mystery, taking us deep into her characters’ lives, dreams, and mistakes.
It’s beautifully written but definitely a slow burn, and the story doesn’t really pick up until about halfway through.
Still, when it all comes together, it’s deeply satisfying.
5 out of 5 stars
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid:
Wow, what a book. At first, I was like, “Okay, TJR, this is a LOT of astronaut stuff and I can’t seem to follow along.” But then I found myself wanting to look things up and THAT’S the sign of a good book. When you’re finished and you want more more more. Needless to say, I went down the Google rabbit hole of all things NASA-related.
Also, who would have thought that TJR would be an excellent physics teacher. The pea, the quarters, the earth’s gravitational pull?! Why has nobody explained it to me like this before? GENIUS.
Okay, this may be my favorite TJR book. I was just so invested in the storyline, in the program, in the mission, all of it.
Hope they make this into a movie 🙂
“The trees need our breath, and our breath needs the trees,” she continued. “As scientists we call that symbiosis, and it is a consequence of evolution. But the natural consequences of our connections to each other—that’s God, to me. I believe in it because I can see it with my own eyes. I know it exists. But I also believe in it because I want to believe in it. I want to spend my energy thinking not of how my actions might be frowned upon by a man in the sky, but how my actions affect every living and non-living thing around me. Life is God.”
4 out of 5 stars
A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna:
This was a cute, cozy October read. A witch loses her magic after using it all to resurrect her grandmother. She must carry on running her inn and caring for all the guests. Turns out, running a dilapidated inn without magic is a whole lotta work. Sera has a second chance at getting her magic back (and maybe a whole lot more).
I love a cute story that incorporates all these fun magical elements. This was a perfect fall read.
4 out of 5 stars
All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker:
This book has been everywhere. On my bookstagram feed. In my library recs. So I finally picked it up. And wow, it was long (ha), but the short chapters kept it moving. The writing is beautiful and vivid, and the last quarter of the book delivers all the “aha” moments that make it worth it.
Spanning from 1976 to 2001, it follows Saint and Patch from adolescence to adulthood in a small town. More character-driven than plot-heavy, it’s not quite a thriller but a quiet “whodunit.” Layered, surprising, and deeply satisfying if you stick with it ’til the end.
That’s it!
Can’t believe we’re already in November. Soaking up all the cozy fall reads (okay, okay, and this most recent book about a haunted, bleeding house).
Hope you’re having a great weekend!
