October begins...

It's already October, I can hardly believe how time has been flying! Time to review my various challenges and see how I'm doing (among other things). October is one of my favourite months: fall weather, pumpkin scones, cocoa, chrysanthemums and opals as the month's symbols, oh, and my birthday :)

To begin:

The Canadian Book Challenge 3. Well, somehow in September I didn't finish a single Canadian novel for this challenge. I did read a few Canadian YA novels that I've yet to review, but in October I am planning on finishing and reviewing the 3 Canadian novels set on the Prairies which I've already begun reading. These three are:

Holding my breath / Sidura Ludwig

- set in Winnipeg amongst the Jewish community in the 50's & 60's; narrator is first person, a young woman named Beth Levy (it is pretty interesting already, two chapters in)

Under this Unbroken Sky / Shandi Mitchell

- set on the Prairies in general, this is a historical novel, a tale of a Ukrainian family of settlers who seem to go through unremittingly gloomy days. We will see.

The Niceman Cometh / David Carpenter

- set in Saskatoon, this novel by the fiction editor of Grain magazine promises to be somewhat humorous and hopeful even though it is about a young boy's experiences of the losers his single mother gravitates toward. Promises to end well.

And now, for the 4th Annual RIP Challenge -- luckily I was able to finish and review two great books for this challenge in September, leaving me only two which I must finish this month (although there are many more which I want to finish!) I've begun Daphne DuMaurier's Rebecca and just want to keep reading it; wow, it's good!

And speaking of the RIP Challenge, now that it is October there is another site to explore that is rather ghastly and ghoulish - the Halloween Studio Trick or Treat online tour. This is set up by the artist at Scratching at the Window and features a whole group of artists & crafters to explore. There is also a link to our favourite challenge: try to find it!

And in other October news, if you'd like to find something Magical, Mysterious or Musical to read this month, pop over to Chumley & Pepys Books where we are having an October MAGIC, MYSTERY & MUSIC SALE. New items added every week so check back!