October's Best Reads

October can be a big book month as authors and publishers are trying to get books published in time for book award deadlines. It is also when Christmas books starting hitting shelves and so many favorite authors are publishing them these days that you have to start before Halloween to get them all read by the Christmas holidays. We read a bunch of different genres this month, everything from our go-to genres like cozy mysteries, women's fiction, and historical fiction to holiday reads, both for Halloween and Christmas. Here is our attempt to name the one book we read this month that is our favorite.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site.

Donna's Pick

Of the 13 books I read this month, 3 books received 5 stars. One, The Calculating Stars, was a re-listen so I'm not considering it for my favorite book this month. So it is between Let It Snow by Nancy Thayer (read my review) and What the Dog Knows by Cat Warren (read my review). They are such different books but both so very worth the read. If you are going to make me choose just one, I think I will go with Let It Snow as I love Christmas books. But really you can't go wrong with either book. You can also check out everything I read in the October wrap-up post.

Buy Let It Snow at Amazon

Susan's Pick

The Bright Unknown by Elizabeth Byler Younts is a beautifully written book about a young girl who is raised in an insane asylum in the 1930s.  Even though Brighton has nothing mentally wrong with her, she was born at the hospital to a patient and has no one else to take care of her.  The hospital is her home and the patients are her friends and teachers until she realizes that there is a whole new world beyond the hospital grounds and longs to live in the real world.  It's a story about love and friendship and forgiveness of those who have treated you badly.  Brighton had angels in her path that helped her survive the trauma of the hospital and her difficulties after she escapes.

Buy The Bright Unknown at Amazon

MK's Pick

My favorite book in October is Descendant of the Crane by Joan He (read my review). It's intricately plotted, has the feel of those complicated fairy tales that I grew up with and adored. There is also a lot of intrigue and twists and turns throughout the book. What I thought I knew was inverted along the way, leading to a conclusion that was stunning in every sense of the word.

Buy Descendant of the Crane at Amazon


What was your favorite book you read in October?


Get even more book news in your inbox, sign up today! Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small commission is earned when purchases are made at Amazon using any Amazon links on this site. Thank you for supporting Girl Who Reads.