Books to Check Out: October 2021 Reads

It was a spooky month! That means it’s been a month of thrilling and spooky reads that kept me up and reading feverishly through the night. I have a little extra “treat” for Halloween, so stick around for an extra fourth recommendation on this one!

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

I’m totally reading more of Hendrix’s spooky books after this one, because what a ride. This book follows a woman’s book club, and what they do when confronted with the supernatural. As usual, I won’t give much plot detail, because it’s better if you experience it for yourself.

This was such a fun take on a vampire. He has some of the usual elements like having to be invited in, being charming, etc. However, there’s enough new little twists that our vampire is quite the interesting character, and he frightened me a bit as well. What really made this book stand out is that it’s not just a story about a vampire terrorizing a neighborhood. It’s about the social fears and stigmas around people of different backgrounds, gender power dynamics, and economic struggles. I love how the “real world” issues played into this. It wasn’t “oh no, the vampire will eat me,” it’s “oh no, the vampire will tear my family apart limb by psychological limb”. It was so smart, and I breezed through this book relatively quickly.

If you’re a sucker (haha) for vampire books like me, take a bite (ahahahaha) out of this book.

In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

About a year ago, I recommended Ware’s The Woman in Cabin 10, for being a psychological thriller book that kept me enthralled. I think that goes double for this one. Ruth Ware is clearly an author who gets me, because her books are stunning in how claustrophobic and dire the conflicts feel.

In this book, an odd mix of old friends and new acquaintances come together for a fun bachelorette weekend, only for things to take a sinister and deadly turn. There are long lost friendships, mysterious connections, and of course a good ole murder (or is it an accident?!) that just propelled me right through this one. I was guessing right up until the end. Even when I’d figure something out, I was surprised by a reveal. You’ll start this book and feel the need to finish it quick. It’s so hard to put down.

Strange Weather by Joe Hill

Another author I’m a huge fan of, Joe Hill is known for his horror and thrilling books as well. I have a few of his on my future reading list, and some that I’ve already gone through. This is by far my favorite.

Strange Weather is a book made up of four short novellas, all of them packing a punch. They have their own brand of horror in their own ways, from nails raining from the sky to a Polaroid that takes a bit of your essence when your picture is taken. Above all, I think it’s Hill’s ability to create terrifying characters and nightmare scenarios that make him so great at what he does. I was always afraid for the protagonists, hoping they would escape their predicaments unscathed.

However, the testament to Hill’s writing ability lies in the fact that the story that I found most terrifying is the only one with no supernatural elements. It’s a story about gun violence and gun laws that could happen tomorrow in America, and no one could stop it. I think it’s the realism that made Loaded so terrifying, and it’s one he did research on to get things right as well. This one stuck with me, especially that ending. I haven’t been so devastated by an ending in a long time.

Look at Me by Jennifer Egan

Another repeat author for me, and an extra treat for everyone! This isn’t quite a horror story, but an amazing tale of self-image and identity that only Egan can manage. It follows many different characters on their own paths, yet somehow, they’re tangled together. We have a model recovering and finding herself after a car crash completely alters her face, a man fallen from grace after his golden high school years, a teenager caught up in the life of an older man, and so many more.

Egan can write long books and keep me gripped on every single page. The characters are so fully realized. You love them and hate them, but always understand at least a bit of where they’re coming from. You want to see the conclusions they’ll all meet, whether they’re fitting or not. Look at Me is simply a triumph of great writing, and if you love characters, you’ll love this one.

Well, I think that’s certainly more than enough for you to try out. I was super happy with my reading this month. These four were all engaging, character driven, and remarkably well written. Definitely check them out!