🎧📚October 2024 Ranked Reading Recap

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit fictionmatters.substack.comHey, readers!Today I’m sharing my October Ranked Reading Recap. In these monthly episodes, I walk you through every book I read in the month prior, ranking every read from least to most favorite. My October books were really solid. They include two backlist Booker nominees that are new favorites, two 2025 releases I have mixed feelings about, a nonfiction title that got me thinking, and a utilitarian how-to book that significantly improved my day-to-day.A few reminders: * If you are a FictionMatters Patreon member, you can find this same episode in your Patreon feed.* If you are a paid newsletter subscriber, you can get a personalized RSS feed or listen to this episode in a variety of podcast players or connect your Spotify to listen there.* You can access an AI generated transcript of this episode by visiting this post in a web browser.If you are a free subscriber to this newsletter, you can listen to a 10 minute preview of today’s episode. If you like what you hear, upgrade your subscription to get Ranked Reading Recap and This Month in Books podcasts delivered to you monthly!#11 Three Days in June by Anne Tyler (2:25). A slim novel that displays Tyler’s gift for voice, but ultimately let me down.Read this if:* You like snarky first person narrators.* You want a quick, surface-level family story.#10 The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate (7:29). A lovely story about found family that encourages young readers to consider humanity and the natural world.Read this if:* You want something heartfelt with a happy ending.* You’re looking for a great, tender readaloud for your middle grader.#9 The Favorites by Layne Fargo (10:45). A truly wacky mashup of ice dancing and Wuthering Heights. Read this if:* You’re obsessed with ice dance and/or Wuthering Heights.* You like novels with an oral history format.