“If this is going to be my last Halloween, I’m not going out without a fight”.

Set in Maplewood, NH in the 1970’s, October follows four adolescent boys on their adventure to figure out the disappearance of several local children.

I received an October arc from NetGalley/Flame Tree Press/Gregory Bastianelli and was SO excited because it was giving Losers Club vibes from Stephen King’s “IT”.

A spooky coming of age thriller, October is compared to Ray Bradbury’s “something wicked this way comes” and “All Hallows” by Christopher Golden. If your vibe is pulpy horror that focuses on world building and atmosphere rather than jump scares, I highly recommend!

October by Gregory Bastianelli is a book that serves as a perfect love letter to the Halloween season. It wraps nostalgia and terror beautifully within its crisp fall pages.

Let’s dive in!

My Thoughts on October by Gregory Bastianelli –
When an odd man steps off a train, something strange begins to spread like ink spilled on the map of this small town. Following the perspectives of various characters, readers follow this tale of horror through the month of October.

When things start getting spooky, the terror is sprinkled into the story in quick little bursts. So small that each character tries to convince themselves they’re seeing or hearing things at first. But they all soon learn it wasn’t just their imaginations.

My goodness! What starts as a quiet and creepy tale quickly ramps up to some seriously terrifying bloodshed! Some of these scenes are branded in my brain…

This would make a killer horror film or series! I’m so grateful I was able to give this an early read as it really helped me get into gear for fall!

AND THAT ENDING!

My Favorite Passages from October –
His heart felt like ice in his chest, as if he sucked in a great gulp of the fall air.

Time had no meaning here. There was no light, no days, only darkness blurring into more darkness as the house floated on a sea of black.

Eddie’s heart leapt into his throat so he couldn’t scream. He jumped up and raced across the bridge, not caring that the boards rattled beneath his pounding feet and felt like they were going to collapse and pitch him down into the grasp of whatever crawled along the underside.

He began to pant as his chest heaved up and down, air sucking in and out of his open mouth. He spun around looking for anyone. The plaza was empty. No one around except for the library gargoyles, but they didn’t see him, their lifeless eyes focused on the books held in stone hands.

My Final Thoughts on October –
What a perfect read for the ‘ber months! This one will have you reaching for your favorite fall beverage and perhaps an extra light to light up that darkened corner of your room.

Preorder your copy today! October releases on October 8th, 2024!

October is reminiscent of Stephen king classics in its vibe of small town America gone wrong, kids as central characters not willing to tell the adults what’s happening and a few older outsiders with secrets. Atmospheric rather than full on horrific, albeit with an undercutting inventive darkness. The mix of supernatural magic and common or garden bad people is enjoyable, and the mounting evidence of something going completely awry doesn’t prevent the full on experience once Halloween itself is reached. My only criticism is that the end felt a little rushed - a November epilogue wouldn’t have gone amiss to wrap the story up.

Four boys attempt to piece together the reason behind the disappearance of several children from their small-town during the Halloween of 1970 in this fun pulpy tale that mixes magicians, magic and old evils.
The book is a coming-of-age thriller in the vein of Christopher Golden's All Hallows and Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes and fondly captures the spirit of stories from that era.
A good choice for those in the mood for a fun, pulpy horror for the Halloween season.

3.5⭐

Set in 1970s Maplewood, NH, this tale follows four boys on the verge of adolescence as they uncover a chilling mystery brimming with magic and eerie happenings. The town's unsettling events lead them into a suspenseful adventure that blends nostalgic elements with thrilling twists. Though not overwhelmingly dark, the story manages to deliver a satisfying level of spookiness, making it a fun read for fans of magical mysteries and coming-of-age stories.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Flame Tree Press, and Gregory Bastianelli for the opportunity to read and review “October” prior to its publication date.

I love halloween so this was obviously a book I had to go for. I also wanted to add an orange cover book to a readathon i was doing. This book is perfections I love magic and spooky themes mixed together it always ends up being a good time and I also love being scared. It was a 4,7 star read for me.

DNF - this one just didn't hit for me. While I've enjoyed the author in the past, the style of this one just didn't work for me. I think I prefer something a little more modern in context. Will definitely work for others.

This was an excellent story. It had magic, which I love. It wasn't at all gore and blood. Perfect book to read this fall. I will definitely be buying a copy.

This is a different kind of Halloween story and the inclusion of magic really sets it apart. While the limax takes place on Halloween, this is just a really good horror novel which you can enjoy anytime of the year.

A magician with actual magical abilities performs a trick with his son. His son disappears (that was the trick) but never returns (as he should have). The magician spends the next forty years seeking out people with magical knowledge all over the world to help him get his son back.

And he does but things don't go as planned. Some other things have also come back to our world and they are hungry and vengeful.

A group of pre-teen friends start to realise something is very wrong with their town, and it started with the arrival of the old magician. Children start disappearing, they see and experience things which are terrifying and impossible. Of course, nobody will believe them so they must figure it out together and discover what's wrong and how to stop it. But they'll be in over their heads and they might not survive to tell the tale.

This novel covers small town horror, supernatural terrors, and some magic realism to tell this twisty turny story. It's full of surprises and various characters and most have some dark secrets of their own.

It's a creepy novel which doesn't rely on gratuitous blood and gore but rather world building to tell. And it's very effective.

I highly recommend this one.