October = Longest Month Ever
(As always, covers link to Goodreads pages.)

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke – My favorite element of this 2013 debut is its atmospheric setting. The town of Echo and The Citizen, the house protagonist Violet and her brother live in, are seriously creepy. I enjoyed this unique and twisty mystery, and the story’s romantic subplot kept me guessing. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is a great novel to pick up if you’re having trouble leaving Halloween behind.

Dead Silence by Kimberly Derting – Another creepy book! I’ve loved The Body Finder novels since I read the first a few years ago, and this latest installment is no exception. Kimberly Derting writes fantastically sinister murder mysteries and love interest Jay is adorable. With the exception of The Body Finder, the first book in this series, Dead Silence is my favorite. I love how empowered and headstrong main character Violet has grown to be, and I’m becoming more and more intrigued with Rafe and his backstory. Definite recommend!

Invisibility by Andrea Cremer and David Levithan – This novel requires major suspension of disbelief (spellseekers and cursecasters!), but for the first half, I was totally invested in Stephen and Elizabeth’s plight. The second half of the story, however, took a hard left into urban fantasy territory, which just isn’t my genre of choice. That said, I suspect that if you like books about magic, evil, and curses set in a big city, you’ll like Invisibility. Who else has read it? Thoughts?

Just One Year by Gayle Forman – There are so many things to love about Just One Year. Willem is everything I adore in a male character:  damaged, sensitive, passionate, searching, adventurous — perfectly imperfect. And the story’s varying cultures as described in Gayle Forman’s beautiful, evocative prose become supporting characters that gave me an epic case of wanderlust. A 2013 favorite. My full Bookanista recommendation is HERE.

Shine by Lauren Myracle – I found this novel to be gripping, beautifully written, and incredibly unique. Main character Cat felt so real and relatable, and the many supporting characters were well-developed and layered. Despite solving the story’s big mystery fairly early on, I still loved this book. It was the first I’ve read by Lauren Myracle, and I can’t wait to get my hands on more of her work.

Fault Line by Christa Desir – This isn’t the sort of book that sweeps you off your feet with romance and exoticism, nor is it the sort of book you’ll fall traditionally head-over-heels in love with — in fact, a good deal of this story is downright painful. But it is an affecting read and, I think, an incredibly important novel. It’s going to start conversations about rape, victim blaming, and the “right” way to cope, and it’s remarkably relevant. My full DAC review is HERE.

Just as Long as We’re Together by Judy Blume – My very favorite childhood book. Fun fact: I read my paperback so many times I split its spine — literally, right in half. Recently, I spotted a copy in a used bookstore and had to have it. I spent a few days joyfully rereading (and adding tons of giddy status updates to my Goodreads profile HERE). Grown up Katy found this story to be just as moving and fantastic as Preteen Katy did. Five stars for Judy Blume!

Allegiant by Veronica Roth – This book crushed me with feels. I’ve been so invested in Tris and Four and their supporting cast for the last few years, and the end of their story truly did a number on me. That conclusion… It hurt my heart. I had a few minor issues with parts Allegiant (I’ll save them for YA Book Club) but overall, I thought it was a courageous and fitting conclusion to a fantastic trilogy.

How to Love by Katie Cotugno – I can already say with certainty that this debut novel will be among my top-five favorite books of 2013. Guys… It is perfection. If you’re into books about romance and heartache and family, books with stellar voice and steamy kisses and emotion so thick it  drips off the page, you will adore How to Love. I’m going to rave about it in greater detail in a Bookanista rec next week, but for now I’ll just say: Buy this book. You won’t regret it!

So… What’s the best book you read in October?