Autumn Reading List Review: Part 1

Wow it’s been a while since I last did book reviews on here hasn’t it? Almost a year actually. I stopped doing my monthly reading reviews because they took a lot up a lot of my time and I really didn’t enjoy writing them anymore. But I just couldn’t resist sharing what I’ve been reading lately because I’ve made an autumn reading list and I’ve been reading A LOT for me!

If you do enjoy bookish content then you might want to give me a follow on Instagram, I always share mini book reviews on my stories and monthly wrap-ups of what I’ve read. It’s just a much more enjoyable way to share my love of books and reading.

At the end of August I decided to create an autumn reading list for myself. There’s nothing better in my opinion then snuggling down with a blanket, a big cup of coffee and good book in autumn. I love horrors, thrillers and crime and this time of year and last year I found I didn’t really get through many autumn and Halloween books so I decided to start a little earlier this year. I have been absolutely loving my autumn reading list and I’ve been flying through books, well for me anyway. I’m a pretty slow reader and usually average 2-3 books in a month. I read 6 books in September!

So here’s part one of my autumn reading list reviews, everything I read in September. There’ll be one or two more parts to come in this little mini series I think so I hope it gives you some reading inspiration along the way! So grab a cuppa, get comfy and lets delve into part one of my autumn reading list!

The Book of Cold Cases

Author: Simon St James | Genre: Mystery | Length: 352 pages

I’m a big fan of Simon St James and I always find that her books are a wonderful mix of the supernatural and real life crime. The Book of Cold Cases in St James’s latest novel and I knew it would be the perfect choice to kick off my autumn reading list.

In 1977 the small town of Claire Lake was rocked with the murders of two men. The seemingly random killings were accompanied by strange notes left at the scenes. Beth Greer – a rich, beautiful, eccentric young woman who lives all alone in a mansion is seen fleeing the scene of the second murder. But Beth is acquitted of the murders and retreats to the isolation of her mansion never speaking about the case again.

In 2017 Shea Collins in a doctors receptionist by day but by night she runs the Book of Cold Cases – a true crime website. It a dark passion fuelled by the attempted kidnapping she escaped from as a child. When Beth Greer walks into the doctors where Shea works she can’t resist asking Beth for an interview.

They meet regularly at Greer Mansion but Shea can’t help sensing there’s more to the house and the Lady Killer murders than Beth is letting on. Items move around the house and Shea is sure she’s seen a girl standing at the edge of the cliff. Shea has to decide if she’s making friends with a manipulative murderer or if other dangers are at play.

The Book of Cold Cases in suitably creepy for this time of year. The Greer Mansion provides the perfect ominous setting and both Shea and Beth are easy characters to become invested in. Much like St James’s other novels that I’ve read so far it mixes crime and paranormal activity perfectly to weave a story that’s truly believable.

If you’ve never read a Simone St James book then I highly recommend giving them a go!

Penpal

Author: Dathan Auerbach | Genre: Horror | Length: 243 pages

I found out about Penpal on a Halloween books blog post when I was looking for spooky reads to add to my autumn reading list. I was immediately drawn in by how the novel came about and knew that if I found the backstory to the book that interesting that I just had to give it a read.

In 2011 Dathan Auerbach began posting on the NoSleep subreddit. Footsteps started as a single story and soon grew into a series on the forum. It gained so much attention that a Kickstarter was set up and over 1000% of its goal was raised. The series was revised and expanded and became Penpal.

Penpal explores how much you really remember about your childhood. In an attempt to understand the few unsettling memories he has, a man begins to reconstruct his childhood. You follow the narrator as he attempts to make sense of his youth and order the events that happened alongside things he realised or being told as an adult. As the memories of adventures and childish games come flooding back the man realises the memories he has aren’t single events but rather fragments of a very disturbing story that engulfed his childhood and the lives of those around him. By the end of the story both you and the narrator will have pieced together the whole puzzle leaving you wishing you could forget what the man never knew.

Penpal is such a creepy and clever book. I think if I’d have had the time I would have finished the whole thing in a day because I just couldn’t put it down. The book isn’t always in chronological order, it’s told in the order the man remembers things or is told new information so you’re literally piecing together the puzzle alongside the narrator. This book genuinely left me feeling creeped out and I think what makes this book even better is the real life horror of it. It’s something that could happen. There’s no supernatural elements at play here, just the horror of the real world.

I urge anyone who likes horror books to give this one a go, I promise you won’t be disappointed. It’s easily one of the best horror books I’ve ever read.

Coraline

Author: Neil Gaiman | Genre: Fantasy | Length: 176 pages

Can you believe I’ve never read Coraline before? Or watched the movie for that matter! I personally find Neil Gaiman books to be quite hit and miss which is why I’ve put this one off before I think. Anyway I’ve read it now so I suppose I can say I’m a true autumn/Halloween book fan now!

Coraline loves to explore and her new home certainly provides plenty of opportunity to do just that. With her mum and dad always busy with work and no friends her own age to play with Coraline makes up her own adventures. There’s afternoon tea with the two old ladies downstairs, Miss Spink and Miss Forcible, the old man and his mouse circus upstairs and the black cat that’s always watching. Then of course there’s all windows and doors in the new flat to count. Twenty one windows and fourteen doors. But only thirteen of the doors are unlocked. Behind the fourteenth door is a brick wall. That is until the day Coraline unlocks the door and finds a passage to another flat that looks just like hers. And another mother and father. Ones with black button eyes. And they want Coraline to stay with them forever. Things seem perfect in the other flat but is it all too good to be true? A grand illusion designed to make sure Coraline never leaves her other mother?

What a deliciously creepy novel! I will say that this book is actually aimed at children 9+ but it’s very dark in places for kids book. I’d love to get the illustrated version of this book as I feel it would really add to the story.

The Retreat

Author: Sarah Pearse | Genre: Mystery | Length: 400 pages

This is the second book in the Detective Elin Warner series and after reading the first one last year I was really looking forward to this and to hopefully getting answers to some of the questions from the first book. I actually found this book quite difficult to rate as I did enjoy it but once I’d finished it I found there were a few holes I could pick in it.

A wellness retreat opens on a remote island off the coast of England, promising luxurious rest and relaxation. But the island has anything but a calm past. Known locally as Reaper’s Rock, it was once the playground of a serial killer and a school with with dark secrets. The island is rumoured to be cursed.

When a young woman’s body is found on the rocks below the yoga pavilion, detective Elin Warner is called to the retreat to investigate what seems to be a tragic accident. But the victim isn’t a guest and she was never meant to be on the island.

When another guest drowns it becomes clear that these deaths aren’t accidental. But who is targeting the guests and why?

So the story itself was good, fast-paced and gripping. I also really liked the setting of the retreat and the island and was really easy to picture the luxurious wellness retreat against the backdrop of a dark, mysterious island. However I found the story to be very similar to the first book which is also set in a remote hotel. I was left disappointed by the lack of answers in this book to questions that had arisen in the first story and the familiar setting and style left it feeling a bit samey. It’s also worth mentioning that there is a lot going on in this book, probably too much. It started to feel chaotic at times which I really didn’t like.

I’m not sure how I feel about the same storylines spilling over into a third book. It would have been nice to wrap everything up in this one and do something completely different with the third book. I just hope the next one isn’t also set in a remote resort as well.

Shattered

Author: Dean Koontz | Genre: Horror | Length: 289

This was another book I found on a Halloween books blog post. It sounded like a quick, fast-paced read that I’d be able to get through quickly due to the short length. I’ve never read a Dean Koontz novel before but I knew he was regarded as a popular suspense novelist. However I’m not sure I’ll be in a rush to read another one of his books.

It started as a game. Alex and Colin are driving across the country to their new home in San Francisco. Courtney is waiting for them there. Ready to start their new life. When Colin spots a van behind the car, the boy invents tall tales of the FBI trailing them. It’s a way to pass the time. But it soon becomes clear that it’s not a coincidence and the van is actually following them. But why?

Someone else is travelling to San Francisco to see Courtney. Someone who knows every stop Alex and Colin will make. Their route and even their final destination. Someone whose mind drives them to do unspeakable things. Someone who can’t let Courtney go. And he needs to stop Alex and Colin to live the life he dream off with Courtney.

OK, credit where credit is due, this book is super fast-paced and the idea of the story is pretty decent. However there are soooo many holes in the story, zero character development and no backstory. I’m not sure if this is the usual style of a Dean Koontz book but it really wasn’t for me. I like some character development and a bit of backstory. This was literally just man and boy get chased by mad man. That’s it. I also didn’t understand why all the other minor characters in the book were such assholes, it didn’t add anything to the story. I usually don’t rate books anything below 3 stars because I DNF books I’m not enjoying. However the fast pace was enough to keep me reading this one so the rating is purely for the suspense and pace.

The Wayward Girls

Author: Amanda Mason | Genre: Horror | Length: 429 pages

This book kept popping up as the perfect read for dark nights so of course I was intrigued and had to give it a read. The book is set between two time frames then (1976) and now to tell the story of the Corvino family and their time at Iron Sike Farm.

Then: The Corvino family move to Iron Sike farm in the summer of 1976. It’s supposed to be a place where the parents can let their artistic talents free and where the kids can run wild. A simpler life. But when unexplained noises and occurrences disturb the family a small group comprised of a photographer and two paranormal investigators begin to investigate Lou and Bee, the two older sisters. The case is famous and even makes it into a book. But what’s published may not be entirely accurate.

Now: Loo, now Lucy has to return to her childhood home. A new group of investigators are looking to find out what really happened that summer. They want the truth about the house and the family and they won’t stop digging. But is Lucy finally prepared to share what really happened at the cottage?

The main problem I had with this book is that the idea just wasn’t original, it’s a story we’ve all heard numerous times whether it’s in other books, films or even real life cases. Sure it was a decent enough read and well themed for the time of year bit it was just a bit middle of the road for me due to the familiarity to other things. If you’re not really into the horror genre and therefore aren’t familiar with the theme it may be a decent enough read but for a horror fan like me there’s nothing new or fresh about it.

Well that was part one of my autumn reading list. There’ll definitely be a part two and maybe even a part 3 depending on how many I read.

Have you read any of these books? Do you like autumn and Halloween themed books? Let me know in the comments!