October 2015 Wrap Up

This month started out much better than last month. I finished a book by 10/02! Then I'd managed to read three more before the middle of the month. I might actually read a good number of books this month. I did actually manage to finish a book on 10/31.

For the month of October, I read 7 books.

Book #1: Over the Ivy Wall by Rosa Sophia

I got this in return for a review.

Clara Pendleton is a prisoner in her home. Always searching for new places to hide from her uncle, whose drunken attention terrifies and confuses her, she finds a tiny clearing in the back of the property near a disintegrating section of the ivy-covered wall that surrounds the estate. Gaven Bridge has been sent to Clearwater to live with his Uncle Daniel. Never fitting in, he doesn’t believe he’ll ever meet anyone who understands him. But when he goes out for a walk in the woods, he happens upon a young lady sleeping soundly on a patch of moss. A deep bond is fostered between them, helping Clara find the courage to change her life. When she finally decides to climb over the ivy wall and out into the world, there is no going back. Will Clara escape her horrible past, or will it destroy the love she and Gaven share?

Book #2: A Tale of Three Cities by Alexander McCabe

I also received this book in return for a review.

There's nothing up for it yet on Goodreads, so I don't actually have a description for you, but I can put what I remember. Melissa Chisholm gets herself involved in something that is much bigger than she realized. Setting out to help someone turns into an international scheme she wants no part of. Michael Bradley is looking for his wife, believing she has been kidnapped from their home in New York. Has she? This novel is definitely fast paced and has a lot of twists and turns one would not see coming.


Book #3: Bridge Over Bethlehem by Rosa Sophia

Sorry there is no image, this was a manuscript I was given to read for content and flow. It was very good, but there's not much to say about it at the time. I really enjoyed it and I can't wait to see what happens with it during editing and then if it's published, what it looks like published. I might even add the cover image here!

Book #4: The Pagan Book of Halloween by Gerina Dunwich

I got this book months ago from a friend of mine. I had completely forgot I even owned it until I was looking for something else that shares a cabinet with some of my other related books, and it flopped out on to the floor!

For Pagans and witches, Halloween, or Samhain, is the most important and sacred holiday--a day to honor the dead and to celebrate the birth of a new year. The number of Wicca practitioners is rapidly growing--especially among young women--and popular media has embraced Paganism on television, in movies, and on the internet. This book guides Wiccans, Pagans, and curious non-Wiccans alike in incorporating some of the original meanings and rituals into their Halloween festivities. It explains the rich Pagan/Irish roots of the holiday and includes ancient legends, divinations for telling the future, spells for finding a mate, and potions for gaining knowledge--not to mention detailed instructions for performing the traditional Halloween ritual and delicious Halloween recipes! Written by a woman who has devoted her life to educating the public about the Old Religion, this handbook reveals the uplifting spiritual energy that people can experience by celebrating a traditional Pagan Halloween.

Book #5: A Siren for the Dead by Rosa Sophia

I received a copy of this book in return for a review, then I lost that copy and bought myself another ebook version to read. I think this book is pretty good and I do have a full review up on it if you'd like to know more.

Aldon never got anywhere on his good looks, at least not according to his late wife. At forty-two, his only companion is a cat named Tilly, and he’s turned to drinking in his off-hours to quiet the discontent in his head. As a city cop, he carries a heavy weight on his shoulders. Though he’s troubled by his own problems, he never lets them get in the way of helping people. Now he’s needed more than ever. When the daughter of a nobleman goes missing, Aldon is sent to an alien planet to retrieve her. But there’s one catch. The woman he seeks is unique. She is a siren, and she can raise the dead.

Book #6: My Dear Watson by Margaret Park Bridges

When I saw the cover of this book, and read the synopsis...how could I not read it? It's brilliantly written and I just cannot believe all of the twists that I did not see coming. I gave this one a 5/5 stars because holy crap.

This and a few others (another My Dear Watson, The Danish Girl, and the Miss Peregrine's series) were ordered online because why the hell not?

The greatest mystery surrounding Sherlock Holmes comes to light - he was actually a woman! The master - or rather, mistress - of disguise finally puts pen to paper to reveal this decades-long deception and, in so doing, discovers another fact she kept secret even from herself.

Book #7: Order of the Dimensions by Irene Helenowski

I received this book in return for an honest review. In all reality I have a hard time giving it more than a 2-2.5 star rating. You'll see more when you read the review I posted about it. There were a lot of mistakes and continuity errors that made me wonder if the author had any editors or proofreaders at all.

When Jane Kremowski first began her graduate studies in physics at Madison State University in Wisconsin, little did she know where her work would take her. Now, she is embroiled in a multitude of dimensions all leading to different outcomes. She and her colleagues therefore must act wisely in order to take and keep away the Order of Dimension from falling into the wrong hands for the sake of her loved ones.