What I’ve Been Reading Lately: October 2017
This month is full of cozy, heartwarming reads, perfect for October. I only finished 4 books this month. But they were all simply amazing.
The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery
*Contented Sigh*
This book is definitely going to make my top ten list for the year. I felt so sad when it was over. A tad predictable? Yes. But also lovely and sweet and romantic. I loved it. Valancy, a quiet, retiring girl who has always done what was expected wakes up on her 29th birthday knowing she is terminally ill. She’s dying and she has never really lived. The Blue Castle is the story of her creating the life she’s always dreamed of before she loses the chance. L.M. Montgomery is one of my most beloved authors and this book is just one of the many reasons why that is true.
All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot
I’m slightly ashamed to admit that this is the first time I’ve read Herriot, other than his Children’s Treasury (which is absolutely delightful; please read it with your children asap). This memoir is engrossing from beginning to end. It’s one of those books (like Seabiscuit or Boys in the Boat) that you don’t have to be interested in what the book is actually about (veterinary medicine) (or in the case of Seabiscut: horse racing, and Boys in the Boat: skulling) in order to love the book. I’m not really an animal person, but I fell head over heels for the people and the relationships of the charming Yorkshire Dales. Funny, sad and heartwarming tales are intermingled beautifully in Herriot’s masterful voice.
I’m making myself wait to move onto the next book so I don’t have to leave his world too soon.
If you are an animal lover, this book is even more for you.
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
It’s probably hard to find someone who is unfamiliar with this story. I was certainly aware of it, but my knowledge of it comes from the incredible musical. I realized recently that I’d never actually read the book. It’s short and not nearly creepy by today’s standards (which is good for me), and possibly because I already know the big twist. The book is much more simple than the musical, but still very good. It holds up through the years for a reason.
