I’m not exaggerating once I say that this was a phenomenal month of studying. Among the finest months of books shortly. I learn three A+ books proper in a row: The Secret Historical past, Coronary heart the Lover, Workhorse – when does that ever occur? In the meantime, on audio, I had sturdy ladies (Bobbi Brown and Diane Keaton) maintaining me firm. It doesn’t get higher than that. I favored however didn’t love the 2 thrillers I learn, however every thing else was so nice that I didn’t even thoughts.
What I learn in October 2025
Inform me what you learn and beloved within the feedback part: I at all times store your recs. And for much more books, take a look at The Library: a catalog of each single ebook I’ve learn over the previous ten+ years; you possibly can even filter by style and kind by greatest/worst.
PS – Final month’s record! Additionally, take a look at my record of good books for fall! The turtleneck I’m carrying within the picture above is from Jenni Kayne.
Up to date Fiction
Coronary heart the Lover, by Lily King
This is perhaps the most effective books I’ve learn in 2025. It’s stunning. It’s humorous, it’s unhappy, it’s great. It’s additionally a reasonably fast learn. It’s the fall of our narrator’s senior yr of school when she meets two sensible boys: Sam and Yash. They’re stellar college students, dwelling off-campus in a good looking home of a professor on sabbatical. They provide her the nickname of Jordan, and she or he finds herself swept up into their world of witty banter and secret language. By the top of senior yr, she finds herself in a little bit of a love triangle. When she graduates from school, every of them makes troublesome choices that may form the course of the remainder of their lives. I’m being imprecise so that you simply get all the pretty surprises I received. Then we meet Jordan many years later, now a profitable writer. The glory days of her youth appear far behind her, besides they aren’t. I’ll say no extra however simply learn this ebook. It’s superbly written, and whereas it is vitally unhappy, it moved me—a wholehearted A+ ebook. Total Rating A+ // Order on Bookshop or Amazon
Workhorse, by Caroline Palmer
I can’t start to inform you how a lot I loved this ebook. It’s fairly lengthy (round 550 pages, I believe?) however I learn it in a single weekend, as I couldn’t put it down. Our protagonist, Clo, begins out very relatable. On the (thinly-veiled Vogue) journal she works at, she is a “workhorse.” One of many women who isn’t a rich, stunning, well-connected society lady. These women are the showhorses. Clo won’t ever be a showhorse however she can work her strategy to the highest. The ebook transpires over a number of years as Clo works her means up on the journal. We meet her workplace bestie Davis Lawrence (the privileged daughter of the well-known actress Barbara Lawrence). We meet Davis’s bestie Harry, who Clo acknowledges qualities inside herself (a ruthless ambition to make it on this glitteringly cutthroat media world). The ebook could be very darkish at occasions. Clo makes horrible choices. I discovered myself desirous to yell, “NO! Don’t do it!!!!” However I additionally favored her, and associated to her in plenty of methods. The ebook is unputdownable. For those who labored in media/magnificence/vogue in the course of the time it’s set (the early 2000’s), you’ll gobble this up. However even should you didn’t, I believe you’ll actually take pleasure in it. Undoubtedly one in all my favorites of the yr thus far. Total Rating // Order on Bookshop or Amazon
Literary Fiction
The Secret Historical past, by Donna Tartt
This got here out in 1992, however had been on my TBR record for ages, as I beloved The Goldfinch a lot. Donna Tartt is an unbelievable author; I nonetheless can’t imagine that this was her debut! I really like that it appears to take her ten years between books–are you able to think about!? I made a decision to lastly sort out it this month because it felt like the proper fall learn: darkish and tutorial, cozy in all the proper methods. Richard Papen transfers to an elite liberal arts school in Vermont. It’s the eighties, and Richard comes from a poor background. He’s there on scholarship, simply scrapping by. He’s drawn right into a small group of 5 college students and their enigmatic professor when he decides to main in Greek. The opposite college students are worldly and are available from privileged backgrounds. At first, he simply needs to be included, to be a good friend. However as he will get nearer to the opposite college students, darkish secrets and techniques come up. He learns that the others have dedicated a violent crime and really feel they should homicide their fifth classmate and good friend, and he turns into an confederate. (This isn’t a spoiler; the ebook opens with the homicide.) The ebook offers with the lead-up to the homicide after which the aftermath. It’s darkish and propulsive, I couldn’t put it down (but additionally wished to savor the writing, it’s extremely properly carried out!). Total Rating A+ // Order on Bookshop or Amazon.
Thriller
El Dorado Drive, by Megan Abbott
The three Bishop sisters grew up privileged, in a rich suburb exterior of Detroit. However because the auto trade declined, so did their means. Nowadays, the sisters are middle-aged, struggling to supply for his or her households, barely making ends meet. Harper, the youngest daughter, is struggling when her charismatic and well-liked (center) sister Pam invitations her to hitch an excluswive membership: The Wheel. Pam is in the midst of a contentious divorce along with her ex and swears that The Wheel has modified every thing for her. All it requires is a $5,000 buy-in. Harper will be a part of, repay her money owed, and get out. Proper? Does anybody ever depart? Issues are going properly for all three sisters, when a horrible crime occurs, threatening to take the entire thing down. I’ll say no extra! This one was solely medium for me. An gratifying learn that I devoured in a pair sittings, however left me type of similar to, “that’s all!” with the top? Don’t get me incorrect, it was gratifying (and I really like studying something with MLM-y vibes, however I suppose elements simply fell a little bit bit flat for me. That being stated, I beloved the sister dynamic. This one had nice characters.Total Rating B // Order on Bookshop or Amazon
Gone Earlier than Goodbye, by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben
This ebook was enjoyable. That being stated, inside the world of thrillers, I’m coming to be taught that my favorites are of the home selection, often a wedding gone incorrect or somebody going lacking from a neighborhood. Some of these thrillers really feel extra life like to me and are perhaps scarier? This one was action-packed . . . like studying a James Bond film! Maggie McCabe is a disgraced physician. After a collection of devastating occasions, she commits malpractice and loses her license. When an outdated colleague (an elite plastic surgeon with an nameless clientele) reaches out to her with an attractive supply, she finds herself in Russia, working on a billionaire oligarch. However when stated oligarch goes lacking, Maggie’s life is on the road, and she or he finds herself changing into a fugitive as she races to determine what occurred. This can be a complete pageturner and utterly unputdownable, however I’ll say that a number of elements felt very implausible to me, which is why it solely will get a B+. Very a lot price studying, simply be warned about that! Total Rating B+ // Order on Bookshop or Amazon
Non-Fiction
Nonetheless Bobbi, by Bobbi Brown
I completely beloved this. It’s half private memoir, half enterprise ebook, and such a pleasure to learn. It’s additionally fairly fast, clocking in at below six hours. I realized a lot from it, each. What I beloved most about it’s how regular she appears. She shares he story of her life and profession with the identical grounded authenticity that defines her magnificence philosophy. From her childhood and early years in New York to launching her namesake model with simply ten lipsticks, promoting it to Estée Lauder,and later founding Jones Highway, Brown gives an insider’s take a look at how instinct, perseverance, and staying true to herself formed her success. It’s an interesting business trip that at occasions appears like a fairy story at occasions, nevertheless it’s additionally in regards to the private values that guided her: household first, studying by doing, and embracing simplicity over flash. Brown’s refusal to chase traits or abandon her instincts made her an icon, but she stays refreshingly down-to-earth. By means of anecdotes of creativity, enterprise classes, and homebody knowledge, Nonetheless Bobbi emerges as each an inspiring entrepreneurial story and a reminder that success doesn’t require compromise—it comes from trusting your “you-ness.” Total Rating A // Order on Bookshop or Amazon
Then Once more, by Diane Keaton
After I realized about Diane Keaton’s passing, one of many first issues I did was obtain Diane Keaton’s memoir from 2011. It’s a bit older, however an absolute delight to hearken to. This can be a memoir about each Diane Keaton’s mom and herself. To be completely trustworthy, a few of the elements about her mom have been a little bit bit uninteresting to me (I simply didn’t actually care, I wished extra about Diane!) however I beloved the ebook all the identical. She talks candidly in regards to the beginnings of her profession, about her struggles with bulimia in her youthful years, her many romances (Woody! Warren! Al!), and naturally a great deal of tales from her totally different movie initiatives. She’s open and trustworthy, but additionally very humorous and charming (true Diane Keaton vogue). I significantly beloved the half about filming One thing’s Gotta Give with Jack Nicholson (and the way he gave her a backend share level) as it’s one in all my favourite motion pictures of all time . . . however the entire thing was tremendous attention-grabbing. It’s a fast pay attention, I completely suggest it! Total Rating A // Order on Bookshop or Amazon
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