For the Love of Reading, October 2025

Let’s take a look at my reviews for the books I read this October.

The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I read this book because, with my job as a librarian, I like to stay current with the popular titles and bestsellers. Also, I thought, maybe it’s time for something exciting and fast paced and thrilling. For me, this book was none of those things. The pacing was slow, the plot points felt recycled from previous Robert Langdon stories, and the thrill just wasn’t there. I did enjoy the setting of Prague and I think Brown did a good job of capturing it’s eerie history and culture but the rest of it felt tedious and it probably could have been about 300 pages shorter.

The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Girls Who Grew Big centers on three teenage mothers in a Florida beach town, each fighting to build a life the world insists they don’t deserve. Mottely writes with compassion and the voices of these young women feel raw, distinct, and vital. Rather than reduce them to stereotypes, she instead shows their strength, vulnerability, and the fierce community they form together. At times, the novel leans toward melodrama and there were a few plot turns that felt unbelievable, but I was able to overlook those flaws because the writing is quite good. This is a bold, compassionate book about girlhood, motherhood, and finding power when everyone expects you to stay small.

The First Witch of Boston by Andrea Catalano
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
The First Witch of Boston tells the story of Maggie Jones and her husband Thomas, who have left England for reasons unknown, to settle in Massachusetts in the 1640s. Maggie is a healer and midwife, unusually independent and outspoken, all of which makes her immediately under suspicious. The story is told first from the perspective of Thomas and then switches to Maggie’s point of view. Catalano does a great job capturing the puritan mindset and the harsh judgement of that culture. Some of this is a bit melodramatic, and knowing her fate from the start doesn’t help with building the tension, but overall, this is a fine addition to the historical fiction genre.

The Book of Lost Hours by Hayley Gelfuso
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
The Book of Lost Hours is a beautifully imagined story that moves between 1938 Germany and 1960s Boston, exploring memory, loss, and the way history lingers in what we choose to remember. I loved the originality of the concept, what librarian doesn’t think about a secret library of memories and a book that can alter time? Hayley Gelfuso’s writing has an almost dreamlike quality and her imagination is undeniable. There were times when the plot felt overly complex and some threads didn’t fully connect, but I still enjoyed the beautiful way memories are cataloged and described. Overall, it’s an inventive and thought-provoking debut that will be appreciated by readers who enjoy expansive, idea-driven historical fantasy.

The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I picked this up because I needed a fun, seasonal read to get me out of a reading slump, and it did the trick. It’s a cozy, witchy rom-com set in the small town of Graves Glen, where Vivi accidentally cursed her ex boyfriend Rhys after one too many drinks—and now, years later, he’s back and the town’s magic has gone haywire. The banter is sharp, the setting is charming and seasonally appropriate, and there’s plenty of sexual tension and chemistry, and of course it’s utterly predictable. It’s not a book that asks much of you, and that’s part of its charm. The plot is light and the stakes are pretty low, but sometimes that’s exactly what you want in October. If you’re looking for a rom-com with witches, small-town charm, and a seasonal flair, this is a fine pick.

Overall, not a great reading month, with nothing really standing out. I still hope you found something there to add to your own TBR, though.