October 2026 reading is a wrap! Did you have a favorite October read?

But FIRST,
a brief UPDATE. Thanks for sticking with me during my short hiatus. Hip replacement surgery went very well, and I’ve experienced a fast and easy recovery. So thankful and thrilled to be pain free! This is a picture taken at my two-week post-op appointment.

October 2026 Reading Wrap Up

October Summary: Out of 11 books completed, I had four 4-star reads, six 3-3.5-star reads, and one 2-star read.

I think Lonesome Dove at 960 pages should count as THREE books! LOL

My favorite read this month is Cleared For Takeoff by Captain Nia Gilliam (Nonfiction Memoir). Fans of inspiring and against-the-odds memoirs will appreciate this one. Nia is my October Captivating Character of the month. My blog feature, Captivating Characters of the Month, is hosted by yours truly (details in the linked post). Check it out and link up (blog post, goodreads reviews, etc.) with me!

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***This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

ARC=Advanced Readers Copy (complimentary copy for review before pub date)

Cleared For Takeoff: A Pilot’s Memoir of Purpose and Resilience After 9/11 by Captain Nia Gilliam

4 Stars. Nonfiction. Memoir. Against-the-Odds. Aviation. Women of Color. Recommended reading for #NonfictionNovember. My full review of Cleared For Takeoff here.

Miss Wilcott’s Ghost by Louise Penny

4 Stars. (ARC) Contemporary Fiction. #21 in a loosely connected series. Mystery. Slow-paced but a welcome return to Three Pines and classic Louise Penny. (no international terrorism!). Not reviewed.

Loyalty and Lies on Dressmakers’ Alley by Rosie Clark (ARC)

4 Stars. (ARC) Historical Fiction. Friendship and women supporting women with a side of thriller. Goodreads review here.

The Widow of Woodlark Cottage by Julie Klassen (ARC)

4 Stars. (ARC) Historical Fiction. Christian Fiction. Family Drama. Romance. Reivew on Pub Date: 12/1/2026

Why You Should Read Children’s Books by Katherine Rundell

3.5 Stars. Nonfiction. Essays. Books About Books. Children’s Literature. More academic and historical than I expected. Not reviewed.

Somewhere, Something Incredible by Susan Meissner (ARC)

3.5 Stars. (ARC) Historical Fiction (late 1960s). Family Drama. Mother/Daughter. Review on Pub Date: 2/9/2027)

Autumn at Flora’s House by Freya North

3 stars. Contemporary Fiction. Novella. Strong sense of place. $4 in a loosely connected novella series. Not reviewed.

We Wish You Messy Christmas by Melody Carlson (ARC)

3 Stars. (ARC) Contemporary Fiction. Christian Fiction. Complicated Family Drama. Goodreads review here.

Every Day I Read a Book by Hwang Bo-Reum

3 Stars. Nonfiction. Essay. Books About Books. Recommended for a nonreader who wants to be a reader. Not much here for people who are already readers (preaching to the choir). Not reviewed.

Receipts From the Bookshop by Katie Clapham

3 Stars. Nonfiction. Jottings (no plot, minimal reflections). Slice of life. A year in the life of a bookshop. Audio format is recommended. Not reviewed.

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

2 Stars. Classic. Character-driven Western (R rated). I fail to appreciate what many, many other readers love about this book. Too depressing for me. At 960 pages, can’t this count as three books?! #Outlier Not reviewed.

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QOTD:

Did we read any of the same books?
Did you have a favorite October read?

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October Blog Posts

(Because of my hiatus, I published minimal blog content this month)

Nia Gilliam: Captivating Character of October
The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife Review
The Connection in Everything Review

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Happy Reading Book Friends!

“Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.”
~Rainer Maria Rilke

“I love the world of words, where life and literature connect.”
~Denise J Hughes

“Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad ones.”
~Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

“I read because books are a form of transportation, of teaching, and of connection! Books take us to places we’ve never been, they teach us about our world, and they help us to understand human experience.”
~Madeleine Riley, Top Shelf Text

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Books I review are purchased by me or borrowed from the library unless explicitly stated that they are free (arcs).

Amazon or publisher websites receive all credit for author and book cover images.

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