My Year in Books 2023: October

Okay, so it's a very short post today. 31 Days of Halloween doesn't always leave much time for reading. That said, I did read one book, and it was a very good one!

In case you're curious, here are the rest of my reviews for the year so far: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September

Ghostwritten by Ronald Malfi (2022)

There was a lot going on this month, so I knew I wouldn’t get chance to do a lot of reading. But I was keen that any reading I did was right for the season. And I think I made a very good choice! I got Ghostwritten in one of my Abominable Books boxes, and it’s been sitting on my to-read pile since then, just waiting for the right time! It’s a collection of four (almost) standalone novellas, each focused on a book or story that is cursed in some way: an unpublished manuscript, an old book that needs to be delivered to a new owner, a book created by a lonely child, and a choose-your-own-adventure game. I knew that the subject matter would be to my taste, but I was really taken with Malfi’s writing. Although the novellas differ a little in terms of their tone, there’s a distinct style and voice that I found really enjoyable. I was completely immersed in each one, and so I couldn’t pick a favourite (though some of the descriptions of places in The Dark Brothers’ Last Ride were just perfect). I say these are ‘almost’ standalone, as they are set in the same ‘universe’. There’s a very subtle overarching narrative that links them, and I really enjoyed the light touch Malfi uses to create this. There are tiny hints to another story that isn’t told in any of the novellas that was beautifully intriguing and sinister. Overall, this is perfect Halloween reading!