The October Round-Up!

Happy Halloween, folks! I'm writing my October Round-Up a little early this month, if only to get it out of the way to leave more room for NaNo'ing come November! And here are the books I read and reviewed over the last 31 days:

The Light Between Oceans, by M.L. Stedman. Fiction, Historical. A
Pros: Absorbing moral debate, well-developed characters, magical setting. Cons: Slow pacing.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There, by Cathrynne M. Valente. Middle Grade, Fantasy. A
Pros: Endlessly creative setting, excellent characterization, gorgeous wordplay. Cons: Uneven pacing, occasionally cluttered language.

Zombies Vs. Unicorns. Anthology Review. YA, Fantasy, Horror. A-
Pros: The zombie stories. Cons: The unicorn stories. And Justine Larbalestier's commentary.

Cold Magic, by Kate Elliott. Fantasy, YA. B-
Pros: Intricate alternate world, gripping actual plot. Cons: Infodumps out the whazoo, irritating characters.

I Kissed an Earl, by Julie Anne Long. Romance, Historical. B-
Pros: Self-aware heroine, intriguingly complex financial storyline, strong writing. Cons: Heroine is a loathsomely spoiled idiot for the majority of the book.

*October Dud* Seize the Fire, by Laura Kinsale. Romance, Historical. D+
Pros: Conflicted hero, some serious dramas. Cons: Boring, sluggish pacing, and the most stupid, useless, crybaby heroine in existence.

Who knew a Laura Kinsale book would wind up a dud? How was your month, reading-wise?