What I Read in October
I cannot believe how fast this year has gone by. October is typically one of my favorite reading months, as I get to lean into anything with a spooky vibe in the spirit of Halloween. Because it’s getting close to the end of the year with just a few more weeks to hit my reading goals, I pretty much cut out all screen time and scrolling and fully dedicated myself to reading instead. At the risk of sounding annoying, I loved it. Not only did I get back on track with my goal, I noticed that it also helped quite a bit with my focus and attention span, so it’s something I’ll try to continue in November and beyond. I read 18 books this month, and generally liked most of them! Keep reading for my full round-up and reviews.
what i read in october
you must be new here by katie sise
4.5/5 stars
I loved this. It’s easy to follow even with the switching timelines and multiple POVs, and a few of the twists genuinely surprised me. I think it’s really easy for neighborhood thrillers to seem super Lifetime-y, but this one was more authentic and understated, yet still brought the drama and tension.
That being said, there are a few aspects of this plot that are predictable, especially if you read a lot of thrillers. Nevertheless, I appreciated the complete ending and found it entertaining. If you are a fan of Shari LaPena or want to spend a cozy weekend reading, I highly recommend this book.
It made me want to read more from this author (keep reading for my mini review of her older novel, The Break), and I will definitely keep my eye out for whatever she releases next.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
token black girl: a memoir by danielle prescod
4/5 stars
It never feels right to rate or review a memoir, because it’s someone’s personal story. This was a really candid, thought-provoking book. It’s brutally honest, even to the author’s disadvantage at times, and I think she deserves a lot of credit for how vulnerable and forthright she is throughout the book.
The later chapters were especially interesting, and I really appreciated the author’s insight into media and racism, both as someone who experiences and as someone who has worked in the industry.
Favorite quotes:
“Being one of us, by definition, means that you are excluding others. Not everyone can be an us. There has to be a them.” (p. 146)
“As the Token Black Girl in any situation, but especially a professional one, it's often difficult to shoulder the burden of positively representing your community within an institution in whatever outward-facing ways are required. This can make Black girls sacrificial lambs, as many people lack sympathy for Black girls, who, for whatever reason, choose to work or socialize with a lot of white people.” (p. 173)
“That is the scrappiness of the Black community, finding opportunity where there is denial, opening doors for ourselves and building the best possible product no matter what.” (p. 206)
“All these things make me who I am. We are all a mess of contradictions, and we feel them crashing together as we move through the world. It is not enough to simply declare insecurities without trying to figure out their source because - I promise you - they will keep coming back up. We have to learn to live with them, and to make space for others to do the same.” (p. 229)
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
the intruder by freida mcfadden
4/5 stars
It wouldn’t be fall without a new Freida McFadden release. Her books are very hit or miss for me, so I had no idea what to expect with this one. You can count on her signatures (short chapters, multi-POV), but I find the stories to be really good or really bad.
The isolated cabin in the woods setting with this book isn’t new, but the psychological themes make it feel fresh. There are a few clever twists, but others are predictable.
Overall, this is definitely one of her darker novels. It focuses more on emotional gut punches than jump scares and I’d say it’s more sad than suspenseful. I wanted a little more from this (it was definitely a straight-shot type of plot), but with how quick her books are, it was to be expected.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
it’s better to be feared: the new england patriots dynasty and the pursuit of greatness by seth wickersham
5/5 stars
Truth be told, I did not think my most time-intensive read of 2025 would be a sports book but this was 100% worth it. Most books take me around 2 to 2.5 hours to read; this took almost 7 but I really enjoyed it.
This is a true behind-the-scenes book that balances rich character studies with vivid sports telling. You don’t have to know football to follow along with the game recaps, and it’s cool how you feel the tension and pressure of those big sports moments as the stories unfold, even though they’ve already played out in real life.
The book focuses primarily on Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and Robert Kraft; I do think outside characters could have been featured more, but it would have possibly made the book too long. Still, it gives you a lot to think about, especially as the legacies of TB, Belichick, and Kraft continue to evolve today (particularly Belichick at UNC).
At just around 500 pages, it’s insightful yet entertaining, with lots of fun facts sprinkled throughout. For example, “The Patriots had learned from the Panthers Super Bowl a year earlier, when the defense ran out of gas in the fourth quarter, how the game saps energy like no other, how precious it is to hold as much in reserve as possible. Belichick not only corrected his mistake from the prior year by carrying extra defensive linemen for this game, ensuring the pass rush would be fresh late in the fourth quarter.” (p. 156)
Favorite quotes and takeaways:
“There was always more work to do. That was one thing you learned at the feet of Bill Belichick. Like all the greats, he created work. ‘It's not do this or do that,’ he once said. ‘It's ultimately do everything.’” (p. 125)
“Dynasties are fleeting for a reason. There are strong forces set in motion to destroy them, immutable laws of the sporting universe, and especially in the NFL, where careers are short and parity is almost mandated. For most of New England's run, both men had sought immunity from those laws by returning to a shared belief system.” (p. 265)
“It might not be enough to just love your job. You had to want to live in the world the job created. Working with people you like, a tribe with a common goal, would make your professional life far happier than any accolade, salary, or a company's prestige could. You need to do the work you love, at a place and with people you love. You have to feel - Brady repeatedly returned to this word - ‘appreciated.’” (p. 436)
Read it here.
simple and free: 7 experiments against excess by jen hatchmaker
3/5 stars
This is the updated version of a book that was previously released with the title 7. I appreciate that the updated version allowed the author to add in her updated perspectives, correct some wording that she is no longer aligned with, and share what aspects of the experiment ultimately stuck years later.
Just a side note: I will say that this updated version was hard to read on the Kindle app (on my phone) as the text was pretty thin.
As far as the book goes, I generally enjoyed it and always find these types of social experiment-based books to be interesting. My favorite fasts to read about were on spending, stress, and waste, but each of the 7 challenges made me think about my own life, choices, and consumption in a new way.
The author writes in a conversational tone, and yet some of the humor reads a bit immature at times. She’s corrected some of it in the postscript, but even then, it cheapens some of the messages she’s trying to convey.
Favorite quotes and takeaways:
“Would Jesus overindulge on garbage food while climbing out of a debt hole from buying things He couldn't afford to keep up with neighbors He couldn't impress? In so many ways I am the opposite of Jesus' lifestyle. This keeps me up at night. I can't have authentic communion with Him while mired in the trappings He begged me to avoid.” (p. 26)
“The average human gets around twenty-five thousand days on this earth, and most of us in the United States of America will get a few more. That's it. This life is a breath. Heaven is coming fast, and we live in that thin space where faith and obedience have relevance. We have this one life to offer; there is no second chance, no Plan B for the good news. We get one shot at living to expand the kingdom, fighting for justice. We'll stand before Jesus once, and none of our luxuries will accompany us. We'll have one moment to say, ‘This is how I lived.’” (p. 76)
“We will never experience a reversal in technology, so our only hope is to manage our consumption in a world shrunk and sped up by automation.” (p. 146)
“Just because I can have it doesn’t mean I should.” (p. 200)
“Perhaps this is why Scripture calls us to the practice of fasting - from food, from greed, from selfishness, from luxuries. It isn't just the experience; it's the discipline. It changes us. Fasting helps us develop mastery over the competing voices in our heads that urge us toward more, toward indulgence, toward emotional volatility. Like consistent discipline eventually shapes our children's behavior, so it is with us. Believe it or not, God can still change us. Not just our habits but our hearts. Say ‘no’ for a year and see for yourself.” (p. 281)
Read it here.
don’t forget me by rea frey
3.5/5 stars
This thriller started out strong, but faltered a bit at the end for me. It’s twisty and fast-paced, and skillfully uses an unreliable narrator to shape the plot. That said, the layered plot is a bit unrealistic and that cheapened the book for me as the story unfolded.
I will definitely read more from this author, but I found that this particular book could have been a little stronger. Some twists (including the main culprit) were predictable and I wish there had been more character development or more suspects to keep things suspenseful.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
the art of winning: lessons from my life in football by bill belichick
5/5 stars
This is my second Patriots-themed book of the month, but after reading the first, I wanted to read something straight from the source and was excited to see that Bill Belichick had recently released this. It’s a of book true, old-school grit and leadership advice.
Surprisingly candid and down-to-earth, so many great stories are included, especially from the beginning of his career and childhood. It was nice to see Belichick open up, and this read like a conversation with a mentor over coffee.
What I most appreciate is that while the principles mentioned can be applied to any aspect of life, Belichick uses football to make his points rather than trying to preach business tips. It felt more authentic, and even though I’m not a football expert, I really appreciated the analogies and correlations. It was the perfect balance of self-improvement and sport, in my opinion.
As I mentioned, this is a newer release that was written post-Patriots and pre-UNC, so I’d be curious for an update after this new phase of his career.
Favorite quotes and takeaways:
“Never waste an opportunity to make sure your team knows that you see them as human beings. Winning requires hard choices, but hard choices do not require cruelty.” (p. 66)
“This is why I make it my duty to tell young people that the time is now to start thinking about tomorrow. That was the advice that was given to me - not in so many words, but in the expectations of the people around me, especially those who had the power to make or break my career. Not everyone has that. College is done. Campus life is over. Pat O'Brien's is closed (metaphorically). There's nothing wrong with savoring life and seeking out good times with the boys. But to bank those days, to provide for them, to ever have a chance of throwing down your card and picking up the tab, you need to start producing at your job. For me, that meant taking advantage of every opportunity. Whatever your work is, you learn from the bottom up, not the top down.” (p. 167)
Instinctive goal orientation: “Fixation on the ‘next play’ is a way of forcing yourself into a goal-oriented stance, and this, in turn, should naturally limit your focus.” (p. 171)
“Confidence is an epiphenomenon. It doesn't exist in a vacuum or independently of everything else. It's relational. And yet these days confidence has become a product people think they can pick up off a shelf. I've heard it all over the years: confidence at work, confidence in dating, confidence in everything. Come on down and pick up your confidence, no strings attached. Here's the truth: You cannot buy confidence. You cannot learn it, you cannot teach it, and you sure as hell won't get it from reading this chapter or this book. As far as I'm concerned, confidence isn't even something to strive for; it's something that you exhibit when you strive for something in the right way.” (p. 225)
Read it here.
the good girl by mary kubica
3/5 stars
This author is really popular within the thriller genre, but I wasn’t familiar with much of her work prior to reading this, aside from Local Woman Missing (which I didn’t love, but don’t remember why).
The premise of this book grabbed my attention, and I immediately liked the combination of multi-POV and switching timelines, but it ultimately fell flat for me. It was slow, not suspenseful, and told more than it showed. I honestly wouldn’t classify this as a thriller or suspense novel; it was psychologically complex in some ways, but overall wasn’t the page-turner I thought it would be. The author did a better job handling the emotional elements of the book, and I could see myself really liking something more along the lines of contemporary fiction if she ever changes genres.
Read it here.
what she saw by mary burton
4/5 stars
This was one of my two Amazon First Reads picks of the month. I’ve loved a few books by this author, and I was really excited for this new release. I find that First Reads books are hit or miss, especially within the thriller genre, but this was a genuine home run.
It’s a slow burn with lots of red herrings and side characters. I like that this keeps you guessing, but can see how others might think it weighs the story down. I did find the romance subplot to be unnecessary; I know that this author tends to include romance in her thrillers (based on the others I’ve read), but cutting it would’ve improved the pacing.
No spoilers, but I enjoyed the uniqueness of the main character, too. This author always leaves me wishing we got another book with her characters.
Available to read starting November 1st!
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited)..
This month I also read…
The Break by Katie Sise - 3/5 stars, free to read with Kindle Unlimited.
I loved You Must Be New Here by this author, and wanted to read something else she had written. This is an older release, and not that amazing to me. The ending saved it, but the middle was slow.
His First Wife by Jack Dane - 3/5 stars, free to read with Kindle Unlimited.
Saw a bunch of high reviews for this, and I would definitely read something else by this author, but this book was predictable, a little too dramatic, and ultimately fell flat for me.
Both Things are True by Kathleen Barber - 3/5 stars, free to read with Kindle Unlimited.
Cute, but it felt like the plot revolved too much around characters running in circles and miscommunication, so it ultimately was a flat read for me. I think the author could had added flashbacks or the other main character’s point of view to draw readers in and create a stronger emotional pull.
An Equal Justice by Chad Zunker - 3.5/5 stars, free to read with Kindle Unlimited.
I really like this author; his books are more action-packed than suspenseful and lean more masculine. They’re fast-paced and less focused on the details, but great when I want to break out of a slump or engross myself in a book for a few hours. This book wasn’t his strongest, but I really like how it all played out. I do wish there was a little more characterization, but it was still well-written and fun to read.
I also read the second two books in this trilogy, An Unequal Defense (4/5 stars) and Runaway Justice (4.5/5 stars), and thought they were excellent. Short and sweet with good balance of action and heartfelt moments, I think it’s one of the better Kindle Unlimited series that I’ve read. Highly recommend for a long weekend or vacation, and you don’t have to worry about being kept up at night since they’re not super thriller-y.
My Best Friend’s Wife by Dina Santorelli - 4/5 stars, free to read with Kindle Unlimited.
Super twisty, parts of this were predictable but I most enjoyed how the author explored the relationship between the two female characters. Not my favorite, but still a good Kindle Unlimited thriller gem.
Wanting Daisy Dead by Sue Watson - 2/5 stars, free to read with Kindle Unlimited.
This had potential, but was mediocre. There were a few twists but I found it to be a very blah “whodunit” thriller.
