Working in a bookshop means that I seem to read a ridiculous amount of books a month for no reason than they are too pretty to leave on the shelves. October was a busy month of train journeys and travelling, which meant that I had the perfect chance to get my nose stuck into a few books on the way.

I've gone through a phase of reading a lot of teen fiction and thrillers. There's nothing wrong with that of course but I felt that I was getting bogged down with heavy emotions so I managed to sneak in a few uplifting ones too!

• As I Descended - Robin Talley.
  I absolutely loved reading Robin's first book "The Lies We Tell Ourselves" so I couldn't wait to get stuck into this one. It's a completely different read, but kept me hooked all the same. It's very spooky and tells the tale of a curse placed upon a school. The writing was fantastic and I absolutely couldn't put it down.
• 13 Minutes - Sarah Pinborough.
  This one definitely sent chills up my spine. It tells the tale of a young girl who is pronounced dead for 13 minutes but doesn't recall how she got there and what happened. All she knows is that her friends were somehow involved. This was very much a Pretty Little Liars meets Mean Girls book and I've been recommending it ever since I finished. Netflix have also grabbed the rights to it too!
• The Girl Who Saved Christmas - Matt Haig.
  Last Christmas my favourite book was Matt's previous one about a boy called Christmas. When this proof dropped into work for me I literally couldn't wait until Christmas to read it. It's a gorgeous tale about a girl called Amelia who helps Santa save Christmas. It's one that I know is going to become a classic tale that will be loved by all. It's so magical and will definitely get you in the Christmas spirit.
• The Christmasaurus - Tom Fletcher.
  I'm cheating with this one. Last month was probably my 6th or 7th read of the book, but it's just that good that I need to shout about it from the rooftops. It's hilarious and heartwarming and combines mine and Max's love of Christmas and dinosaurs! I don't think I need to explain how popular this one is going to be, it's one that we are going to read again and again (and again).
• The Special Ones - Em Bailey.
  This book is a creepy one. Based around a cult on a secluded farm, the special ones are chosen and kept until they are renewed. when Esther realises that her time is nearly up, she decides to take action and change her course. It definitely had a mixed pace and it took me a while to get into. But I really enjoyed that there were some massive turns that I didn't expect at all.
• Missing Presumed - Susie Steiner.
  I really wanted to love this one. I had heard so many good things about it and after being on a thriller binge I wanted to read something fantastic. Unfortunately it took me too long to get into the story and by the time I did, it was too late. I think my main problem was the fact that there were so many characters leading the story that it was hard to keep on track with who was who and what was going on. It's a story of a girl who disappears one day without a trace, leaving nothing but a trail of blood and some broken glasses. It's just it didn't hit the spot for me.
• The Girls - Emma Cline.
  This book was sublime. I read it as the last of the sunshine faded into autumn and I felt transported into 1969 California. Based loosely around the Manson cult, this book follows a young and impressionable girl as she spends a summer submerged in the folds of a cult. It's a coming of age tale mixed with love, heartbreak and unexpected killings.
• Behind Her Eyes - Sarah Pinborough.
  A second Pinborough novel in one month but a completely different tone and style of book. This adult thiller is not to be trusted! The story was constantly changing and I didn't know who to believe until the final twist at the end. Which let me tell you left me gobsmacked!This one isn't out until next year but it's perfect for all those Girl On The Train shaped holes in our hearts.
• A Monster Calls - Patrick Ness.
  This one was another re-read. I read this heartbreaking tale about love and loss a few years ago. But with a film on the horizon I was prompted to re-read this one when a gorgeous illustrated copy arrived in the post. This book is such a fantastic and important one that it will make you smile, cry and look at your own grief process. A beautiful book. 

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