The days are getting shorter, the nights colder, and the leaves are all shades of yellow, orange, and brown. It’s the perfect reading time for me, which is probably why I managed to read a book per week this month. This might be standard for some, but I often find that one book every two weeks works better for me, so I’m quite happy with this pace. I seem to have misplaced my TBR list, though, and went a bit off-script. I won’t complain too much, especially since I found a new favorite this month.
The books I read were The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst, Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher, When Among Crows by Veronica Roth, and The Will of the Many by James Islington.
The Enchanted Greenhouse – Sarah Beth Durst
The Enchanted Greenhouse is a cozy fantasy novel by Sarah Beth Durst. While it’s technically a sequel to The Spellshop, I’d say it can easily be read as a standalone, as everything you need to know from the first book is explained here.
However, I found The Spellshop more interesting than The Enchanted Greenhouse. I liked the relationship between the main characters and the characters themselves, for the most part, and I loved the descriptions of the greenhouses. That said, the overall plot didn’t catch my interest, and it lacked the charm the previous book in the series had to make up for it. The themes didn’t resonate with me as much as I would’ve liked either. I did find the connection with the previous book at the end very, very cute, though.
Hemlock & Silver – T. Kingfisher
Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher is a fantasy retelling of Snow White. I have to say, this book was more of a letdown than I was expecting from Kingfisher. It’s worth a read, but it isn’t a must-read. I wrote a full review for it, so you can check that out for more of my thoughts.
When Among Crows – Veronica Roth
At this point, I had read two books from my October TBR and wasn’t necessarily planning to read more. But then I found some extra time, and a novella that caught my eye basically fell into my lap—When Among Crows by Veronica Roth.
This novella was so good. I’d almost forgotten how much I enjoy urban fantasy until this story reminded me. I think it’s that sprinkle of the fantastical in an ordinary world that hooks me every time. Like the author, I also love The Witcher III and Polish folklore, so the themes were perfect for me.
I also enjoyed the pacing. I wasn’t sure what to expect from such a short story, but this novella packs in as much plot as some full-length standalones. It’s succinct but very rich. Overall, I can’t wait to get my hands on the sequel as this novella is easily one of my favorite recent reads.
The Will of the Many – James Islington
I really wanted to start on the sequel to When Among Crows, but I couldn’t find it anywhere near me, so I decided to revisit my TBR. Around the same time, I kept hearing about James Islington’s upcoming release, so the decision was made.
The Will of the Many is the first book in what’s anticipated to be a trilogy, with the second installment expected in November 2025. I’d heard about it enough times to be curious but after reading it, I’m not really sure if I’ll reach for the sequel. I had a feeling this book might not be for me, and unfortunately, I was right.
While the Ancient Roman-inspired setting is a solid foundation, it doesn’t hold my interest as much as other historical periods. The author did a good job of using it for rich worldbuilding and an interesting magical system, but as the story went on, it started to feel less developed than I’d hoped. For example, we spend a lot of the time away from being able to use the magic system and the “real” world, isolated at the Academy.
My biggest issue, though, was the main character. He reads much older than he is and feels overly competent despite having almost no training. The author tried to justify this through his backstory, but it didn’t quite work for me. I also don’t understand why this wasn’t categorized as a young adult novel. It feels like YA, and I think I would’ve enjoyed it more had I approached it with that expectation. As it stands, I was anticipating more political intrigue and real consequences than we actually got.
That said, the ending was intriguing enough that I might pick up the sequel just to see where it goes.
All in all, it was a very good reading month for me. I can only hope November is just as kind—and that the books I pick up are as interesting.
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