For 2021, I set monthly categories to read from, in an effort to feel less constrained by reading challenges that I’d participated in previously, while continuing to work through the massive collection of books that I already own or have borrowed from friends and family. Each month I’ll include the books that I finished within the month’s category reading, books finished outside of the category reading, books in progress, and books abandoned. And I’ll tell you where the book was sourced from. For October 2021, my reading list is from the category of Witch Books!

Witch Books Finished:

Spellbreaker by Charlie N. Holmberg

Already owned Kindle e-book.

This was a Kindle First book that I saved for “witch” reading month. It was about a woman who is able to break spells in a world where those who do magic have to register their talents. and there is a mystery afoot with magicians ending up dead, and a shadowy organization involved. This was quite good. There is a second book that I plan to read as well.

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

Already owned Kindle e-book and physical book.

I’d been looking forward to this book for quite some time. It was very different than what I expected, so I had to adjust my expectations a bit. Once I did, I enjoyed the story. It is a story of female family love and protection, while also having an insightful view into human nature. I liked it.

The Witch’s Daughter by Paula Brackston

Already owned physical book.

Ooh, I really liked this book. I almost quit at one point when Satanism and demons made an appearance, which makes me super uncomfortable. I pushed through that section to see how the author was going to ultimately deal with the topic, and I’m glad that I did, as the main character ended up being a force for good against those things. This was a great book, set in a time period (at least the first time period) about which very little fiction seems to be set.

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

Borrowed Kindle e-book from library using Libby.

This is also the first book in a series. It was pitched as ‘Harry Potter for grownups’ which I don’t necessarily agree with, although I understand why it would be pitched that way. At times the book is a little bit depressing, but I think this was a stylistic choice by the author to demonstrate how basically unlimited power doesn’t do great things for a person’s mental health. The story was powerful and engaging, and I’ll definitely continue reading the series.

 

Other Books Finished:

The Ghost Fields by Elly Griffiths

Borrowed Kindle e-book from library using Libby.

A body in a WWII plane is unearthed, but things aren’t quite as they seem. Ruth Galloway is brought in to consult. And the family who owns the land where the plane is found are all a bit odd. Mystery and action ensue. I really love the Ruth Galloway mysteries and recommend them for a quick and exciting read.

The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury

Borrowed audiobook from library using Libby.

This has been on my TBR for awhile, as I’m trying to work through all of Ray Bradbury’s works, but reading any other time of year seemed wrong somehow. If you’re a fan of Bradbury, you will like this one. But if you’ve not read his works before, and are expecting a light-hearted read, this isn’t for you. The story follows a group of boys on Halloween, who are trying to save their friend. The setting or structure of the book reminded me of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. I enjoyed the book.

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

New physical book.

I started this book just a couple of days before Halloween and finished it Halloween night. This book is fairly short, and makes for a quick read. It is spooky, and a perfect demonstration of gothic horror. It’s not like the Netflix series, so you could watch that and still read the book and be surprised by the ending. I really liked it.

Restoring the Shattered: Illustrating Christ’s Love Through the Church in One Accord by Nancy E. Head

New physical book.

If you’re looking for a book that will make you stop and think about the relationships between the Catholic, Protestant, and Eastern Orthodox churches (and what they should look like), this book is for you. The fundamentals of these churches are the same, and where we differ is quite small in the scheme of things. The author believes that we can attract more people into the Christian churhch and to Christ’s word by working together, rather than by trying to sway believers away from each other’s churches, and I agree with that perspective. A thought-provoking book.

You Are Your Best Thing: Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black Experience edited by Tarana Burke and Brene Brown

Borrowed Kindle e-book from library using Libby app.

This book is a collection of essays from other writers. Tarana Burke and Brene Brown wrote the introduction and ending. I really liked some of the essays, while others didn’t speak to me in quite the same way. I am glad I read this book, but I’m also not sure that it’s the type of book that a person “enjoys”, if that makes sense.

Four Seasons in Rome: On Twins, Insomnia, and the Biggest Funeral in the History of the World by Anthony Doerr

New Kindle e-book.

Anthony Doerr is an amazing writer. This is his memoir of living in Rome for one year with infant twins and his wife, while writing All the Light We Cannot See. It captured beautifully the scenery and setting, as well as the exhaustion of early parenthood, and the fear and the fun and the bewilderment of living abroad. It was wonderful.

The Master Plan: My Journey from Life in Prison to a Life of Purpose by Chris Wilson

New Kindle e-book.

The Master Plan is a memoir of Chris Wilson’s life in poverty and in a dangerous neighborhood, then to prison, and his fight to develop a life of purpose, and then how he carried that journey on outside of prison. It’s such a powerful book. I recommend it.

How Can I Be Blessed? by R.C. Sproul

Already owned Kindle e-book.

This book examines the Beatitudes and looking at the Bible’s view of blessings. Really good food for thought, as have all of the other short books in this series.

How Can I Be Right with God? by R.C. Sproul

Already owned Kindle e-book.

This short book looks at the doctrines of justification (by faith alone, or by faith and works) and examines them biblically to determine which is the more accurate perspective.

Originals: How Non-Conformists Change the World by Adam Grant

Borrowed audiobook from library using Libby.

Adam Grant is a genius, and I don’t mean that as an exaggeration. I truly think that he thinks of things in novel ways that can really make me think through them. This book gives real information and examples about how we can best champion new ideas and see them through to fruition. Good stuff.

The Heart of the 5 Love Languages by Gary D. Chapman

Borrowed e-book from library using Libby.

Like most other people, I’d heard about the five love languages over time, and really wanted to learn a little more about them. This was a pretty short book that described them well but also concisely.

Books in Progress:

Year of Wonder: Classical Music to Enjoy Day by Day by Clemency Burton-Hill (Already owned physical book.)

The Stand by Stephen King (Already owned Audible audiobook.)

Influence by Robert B. Cialdini (New Audible audiobook.)

An Instance of the Fingerpost by Iain Pears (Already owned physical book.)

The Great Pretender: The Undercover Mission That Changed Our Understanding of Madness by Susannah Cahalan (Borrowed Kindle e-book from library using Libby.)

 

Abandoned Books:

Spell Booked by Joyce and Jim Lavene (Borrowed Kindle e-book from library using Libby.)

The Winter Witch by Paula Brackston (Already owned physical book.)

Why We Dream: The Transformative Power of Our Nightly Journey by Alice Robb (Borrowed Kindle e-book from library using Libby.)

The Intentional Entrepreneur: How to Be a Noisebreaker, Not a Noisemaker by Jen Dalton (Already owned Kindle e-book.)

10 Things You Might Not Know About Nearly Everything: A Collection of Fascinating Historical, Scientific and Cultural Trivia about People, Places and Things by Mark Jacob (Already owned Kindle e-book.)

Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycleby Emily Nagoski (Borrowed audiobook from library using Libby.)

What’s It Like to Be Married to Me?: And Other Dangerous Questions by Linda Dillow (Already owned Kindle e-book.)

Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goldman (Borrowed audiobook from library using Libby.)

Success Is Not an Accident: Change Your Choices; Change Your Life by Tommy Newberry (Already owned Kindle e-book.)

The Juggling Act: Bringing Balance to Your Faith, Family, and Work by Pat Gelsinger (Already owned Kindle e-book.)

Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman (Already owned Kindle e-book.)