10 Books To Read This October

It might feel like fall is only just beginning, but before you know it the holidays will be in full swing! Before you're tied up with travel plans and turkey, you should really make some time for yourself to kick back and read a great book.

And if you're looking for more book recommendations, we've got you covered. This month's reading list — a mix of picks from Patch staffers and Amazon editors — has fiction, nonfiction, memoirs, mystery and everything in between.

For those of you with packed fall schedules, listening to your favorite books might be easier than reading them. And you're in luck, because now is the perfect time to sign up for Audible. Right now you can sign up for a free 30-day Audible trial that includes two free audiobooks and two Audible Originals to get you started. "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up," "The Silent Corner" and "The Hobbit" will be added to your Audible library for free.

But without further ado, here are the page turners you should be reading this month:

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#1 "The Guardians: A Novel" by John Grisham

In the small town of Seabook, Florida, a young lawyer named Kevin Russo is shot dead at his desk after hours at the office. The killer leaves no clues behind, but the police quickly come to suspect Quincy Miller, a young black man and former client of Russo's. Miller is tried, convicted and sent to prison. For 22 years, he's maintained his innocence behind bars, but without an attorney or an advocate on the outside, his pleas for justice go unheard. In desperation, Miller sends a letter to Guardian Ministries, a nonprofit run by Cullen Post, a lawyer who is also an Episcopal minister. Post takes on Miller's case, but he quickly discovers he's in over his head. Russo was murdered by ruthless, powerful people who do not want Miller exonerated for the crime he didn't commit. These individuals killed one lawyer 22 years ago, and they won't hesitate to do it again.

Buy It Here

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#2 "Unfollow: A Memoir Of Loving And Leaving The Westboro Baptist Church" by Megan Phelps-Roper

As the granddaughter of Westboro Baptist Church founder Fred Phelps, Megan Phelps-Roper grew up protesting homosexuality, picketing military funerals and preaching hateful, anti-semitic rhetoric she'd been brainwashed to believe. She watched as members of her family twisted language from the King James Bible to argue their points, and she eventually learned how to do the same. It was only when Megan became the church's Twitter spokeswoman and started a dialogue with people outside of the group that she began to question everything she'd been taught. She started exchanging messages with critics — including one man who would help to save her life. With his support, Meghan escaped Westboro Baptist Church, fell in love and found a new and fulfilling purpose.

Buy It Here

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#3 "The Deserter: A Novel" by Nelson DeMille and Alex DeMille

When Army Capt. Kyle Mercer disappears from his post in Afghanistan, a video released by his Taliban captors makes headlines around the world. But the circumstances are unclear: Did Mercer desert before he was captured? In a second video released to Army commanders, the answer is clear: Mercer willfully disappeared. When he's spotted a year later in Venezuela by an old friend from the Army, top military officials task Scott Brodie and Maggie Taylor of the Criminal Investigation Division to find Mercer and bring him back to America. It's a difficult mission made all the more complicated by the distrust and undeniable chemistry between these two partners.

Buy It Here

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#4 "The Institute: A Novel" by Stephen King

In the middle of the night in a house in suburban Minneapolis, intruders silently murder Luke Ellis' parents and force him into a black SUV. Luke wakes up at The Institute, in a room that looks just like his own, only it doesn't have a window. Outside his room there are more doors behind which other kids with special talents arrived the same way he did. The director, Mrs. Sigsby, and her staff are ruthlessly dedicated to extracting the gifts these children possess. As Luke sees more victims disappear, he becomes increasingly desperate to escape at any cost.

Buy It Here

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#5 "Face It: A Memoir" by Debbie Harry

Fans know Debbie Harry as the front woman of Blondie, but this musician, actor and activist is so much more. In her highly-anticipated memoir, Harry looks back at her journey from stardom to heroin addiction and back again. In addition to raw, honest storytelling, this book includes never-before-seen photos, illustrations and fan art installations.

Buy It Here

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#6 "Ninth House" by Leigh Bardugo

Galaxy "Alex" Stern is an unlikely member of Yale's freshman class. She dropped out of school early and got caught up in a world of drugs, dead-end jobs and much worse. By age 20, she is the only survivor of an unsolved multiple homicide. On her hospital bed, Alex is offered a chance to attend Yale on a full ride — but there's a catch. When she arrives at Yale, Alex is tasked by her mysterious benefactors with monitoring the activities of Yale's secret societies. What she discovers goes beyond anything she could've imagined. These secret society members are involved in occult activities that tamper with forbidden magic. They raise the dead, and in some instances, they prey on the living, too.

Buy It Here

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#7 "Scars Like Wings" by Erin Stewart

A year after a fire destroyed Ava Lee's entire world, her aunt and uncle decide she should return to high school. Ava's face was severely burned, and the last thing she wants is to deal with her classmates staring at her. But then Ava meets Piper, a fellow survivor, and she begins to think she doesn't have to face this nightmare all alone. Ava soon learns Piper is fighting a battle of her own, and she has to decide if she can continue to thrive outside her comfort zone.

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#8 "Running with Sherman: The Donkey with the Heart of a Hero" by Christopher McDougall

When Chris McDougall agreed to take in a donkey from an animal hoarder, he had no idea what he was in for. Sherman, the donkey, was in terrible shape and could barely move, but McDougall had a plan. He decided to undertake a radical rehabilitation program designed to heal Sherman's body and his mind. As it turns out, the best way to soothe a donkey is to give it a job, so McDougall decided to teach Sherman how to run. McDougall had heard of burro racing, a type of race where humans and donkeys run together, and decided he and Sherman would enter the World Championship in Colorado. This heartfelt, humorous book details their journey to the competition.

Buy It Here

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#9 "Inside Out: A Memoir" by Demi Moore

Demi Moore has been synonymous with celebrity for decades, but her life certainly hasn't been all glitz and glamour. In this highly emotional, surprisingly candid memoir, the actress opens up about battling addiction, body-image issues, self-doubt and her struggles in and out of the spotlight. "Inside Out" is a compelling, eye-opening look into Hollywood, motherhood and one woman's story of resilience.

Buy It Here

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#10 "The Water Dancer: A Novel" by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Young Hiram Walker is born in the era of slavery. When his mother is sold, he's robbed of his memories of her but gifted with a mysterious power. Years later, this same power saves his life when he nearly drowns in a river. This brush with death ignites a fire for Hiram, and he's determined to escape the only home he's ever known. He's enlisted in the underground war between slavers and the enslaved, but he won't give up on using his powers to rescue the family he left behind. This beautifully written, dramatic novel is an Oprah's Book Club pick that will stay with you long after the final page.

Buy It Here

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Looking for more great reads? Check out Amazon's Best Books of 2019 (So Far)!

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