Spooky season is one of my favourite reading times. Generally, I’m not a mood reader until October hits. It’s the perfect time to read spooky stories that have been sat on my shelf for a while.

Unfortunately, this year, my reading has slowed down. I’m not entirely sure why, although I fear it may be to do with my current mental state. Either way, I haven’t read a lot and my spooky stories are still waiting for me.

Regardless, I thought it’s still worth sharing the books that I’ve read in October. There have been a number of new releases (which is also adding to the overwhelm of my TBR list). October may in fact be my slowest reading month this year with only three books read!

Hollywood Ending – John Green

John Green became my favourite author very quickly in my teenage years and remained so into my adult life. I was thrilled when his first book in ten years was going to be released so I pre-ordered it and read it as soon as I could.

The story follows Juniper and Kai, two young actors, as they navigate the film industry, starting from the production of a film, all the way through to the press tour. It’s a tale involving a lot of past trauma, corruption, and secrets but it also is a tale of love and friendship.

It’s from a dual POV, and the book is split into parts, reflecting the different stages of their journey. There is a little bit of romance, but in typical John Green fashion, it is more a reflection on interpersonal relationships. I really loved it and I am so glad that he remains one of my favourite authors!

You Killed Me First – John Marrs

This book was a book club pick for this month but I have read works by John Marrs before and enjoyed it. The first time I had heard of him was Keep It In The Family which was an interesting ride and I was excited to read this one too.

This story follows a group of neighbours in a suburban setting (think Desperate Housewives) who each have their own secrets and we are on the journey to find out how someone ends up trapped and about to die…

There’s four points of view; you have the three main characters and then a mystery narrative of the killer. We learn the inner workings of each mind and try to piece together what is happening.

It was an enjoyable read. Not one of the most engaging thrillers I’ve read as there isn’t much tension or clarity in the build up to the climax. I didn’t particularly love any of the characters and some of the humour didn’t land with me. I will say that I enjoyed the constant misdirects and plot twists towards the end of the novel as it encouraged me to keep reading. I just wasn’t a huge fan of the ending but at least it was unexpected.

Remain – Nicholas Sparks & M. Night Shyamalan

As soon as I saw that these two collaborated on a story, I knew I had to read it. Nicholas Sparks creates the most wonderful stories and Dear John will forever have a special place in my heart. As for M. Night Shyamalan, he’s a powerhouse in spooky films with a strong message.

The book (which is being released as a film in February 2027) follows an architect who is beginning to rebuild his life after the loss of his sister, and recovering from depression. He stays in a house whilst helping a friend with a project, which is where he meets Wren. But she is not living…

Honestly, I struggled with the start of this book. It’s very clear what it’s going to be about, and in some ways, it takes a while to get there. There are touching scenes to do with the grief of losing a loved one, but there was a lot of time spent establishing for the character, what we already know. Wren is a ghost.

However, once we get past that, the real story starts and it’s very intriguing. There are some pretty scary scenes which I imagine will cause a few jump scares in the movie. There’s a lot of mystery and intrigue. There’s also romance. It’s got a lot going on but it works.

I would say that the ending or perhaps the epilogue felt a little unfinished in regards to certain characters. But generally speaking, it was an enjoyable spooky read with a touch of romance. Everything was easy to imagine, and I should think that this story will stay with me for a little while.

Well that’s it for my October round-up! I do hope that I’ll manage to read more next month. I went from reading eleven books a month, to only three. But I also think it’s good to accept that certain things change.

I know I’m guilty of constantly trying to compete with myself. I set a target and if I achieve it (or even beat it), then I have to do that the next time, and the next. It became exhausting.

This month, I’ve had some exciting projects that I’ve been working on – the latest is pages and prints. Finally, it’s a place I can share my photography and books, in a creative space that is my own.

I am also working on my next book which is exciting. In order to make time for new ventures, I have to sacrifice a bit of reading time. It’s all about finding balance for all of the things I love. It’s one of the reasons I started this blog. A place where we can share creativity with no pressure!