That’s A Bookish Wrap! – October 2026

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Reading update

I read eight books in October, the same as last month. I still have one ARC with a September publication date outstanding (I’m currently reading it) but I did finish all the ARCs I had that published in October.

Here are the books I read, with links to my reviews (where I’ve got round to writing them):

  • A Monster in the Ash by Susie Gordon
  • Doom Painting by A. K. Blakemore
  • Head of a Traveller by Nicholas Blake #1949Club
  • The Farther Shore by Seth Fleisher
  • The Wolf’s Oath by Tim Hodkinson
  • Three Summers by Karen Swan
  • The Taper Man by Nick Harkaway
  • May We Feed the King by Rebecca Perry

My favourite book last month was The Taper Man with Doom Painting a close second.

Blog update

I published 28 blog posts in October:

Book reviews/author features – 9
Memes – 10
Reading updates – 9

For those who like stats, my blog received 9.9k views in October, down 4% on the previous month. All-time views now stand at 558,046. Thanks to everyone who took the time to read my reviews and/or leave comments last month.

Reading goals update

  • Goodreads – 81/104, 5 books behind schedule
  • Read 20 books that have been in my TBR for over 2 years – 5/20, one more than last month
  • When Are You Reading? Challenge – 10/12, same as last month
  • Historical Fiction Reading Challenge – 39/50, 3 more than last month
  • Classics Club List 2 – 6/50, 1 more than last month
  • Read all the books on the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction 2026 longlist – 9/12, same as last month
  • NetGalley feedback ratio – 97%, 1% lower than last month (because I am behind with reviewing books I’ve read and have added new ones to my shelf)
  • Audiobooks – 7/12, 1 more than last month

Plans for November…

  • Get up-to-date with reviews. Yes, I know that appeared in last month’s list and the month before that
  • Read my two ARCs with November publication dates – The Bohemian Queen by Jean Findlay and Adder Stone by Clare Clark, both for blog tours
  • Read my book club’s November pick – The Finest Hotel in Kabul by Lyse Doucet – which also qualifies for NonFiction November
  • Read a book for Reading Scotland Month – possibly Shannon’s Way by A. J. Cronin which is also on my Classics Club list
  • Read a book for Novellas in November – possibly Quartet by Jean Rhys which is another one on my Classics Club list

A bookish chat with Itay Koh, author of Ernest and Samuel

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I’m delighted to welcome author Itay Koh to What Cathy Read Next today to chat about his historical novel Ernest and Samuel which was published on 13th October 2025. Itay describes Ernest and Samuel as ‘both a timeless adventure and a meditation on faith, friendship, and the enduring power of story’.

Ernest and Samuel is available to purchase in paperback from Amazon or for readers in the US from Bookshop.org. The book is also available in Hebrew.

Drawings of all the characters appear at the end of the book.

About the Book

At the dawn of the twentieth century, two men set out across the Holy Land. From Haifa’s bustling port to the sacred stones of Jerusalem, Ernest and Samuel encounter rabbis, priests, Bedouins, and travelers – each voice drawn from real history.

What makes this novel unique is the way it fuses true events, places, and cultures with the intimacy of storytelling. The result is more than a novel: it is a vivid travel experience, carrying readers into the deserts, rivers, and cities of Ottoman Palestine as if they were walking there themselves.

Rich in detail yet full of heart, Ernest and Samuel will appeal to lovers of history, travel, and literature alike.

Find Ernest and Samuel on Goodreads

Q&A with Itay Koh, author of Ernest and Samuel

What was your motivation for embarking on the novel?

I’ve always written, mainly to my wife and daughters. Back in the day I found an outstanding manager for my businesses and suddenly I had time and began working on the book. I thought it would be fast but it took me five years to complete!

Can you give us a brief description of the novel’s two main characters, Ernest and Samuel?

Ernest Way is a British scholar, curious, sharp-minded and rather proud of his ability to read people. He has come to the Holy Land for an archaeological expedition, though there is more to his journey than he initially admits. He serves as the book’s narrator.

Samuel J. Horn is a wealthy Jewish American, an experienced traveller with a commanding presence, a generous spirit and a private sadness that he rarely shows.

How do the two men meet?

At a railway station, Ernest notices Samuel in a heated argument with a young woman. He cannot understand why the scene affects him so much. Later, while Ernest is waiting for the border inspection, Samuel approaches and asks to sit beside him. A conversation begins, and two strangers who might never otherwise have met find they have rather a
lot to say to one another.

How did you go about your research for the book?

I love history and reading. The research was the most interesting and challenging part. I used countless accounts from historians, universities and archives. My knowledge of the area helped as I spent most of my childhood there. I’m proud to say the research and the writing was done before AI and is genuinely my own work.

Were there any parts of the book that were particularly challenging to write. If so, why?

Oh yes, there were many challenges but the main one was Jerusalem. The amount of sites, history and events are overwhelming and I literally had to go through a process of deduction and focus to get it right.

What was your favourite and least favourite part of the writing process?

To put yourself through such an immense effort, to stay true to yourself and to the facts was a long and rewarding journey. The part I haven’t enjoyed was editing but I also learned a lot from this and I believe being meticulous about this process polished the book.

If you had to sum up Ernest and Samuel in three words, what would they be?

A unique journey.

About the Author

Itay Koh is an Israeli-Hungarian author and entrepreneur based in Amsterdam. The author of Ernest and Samuel, he has a lifelong interest in history and enjoys travelling and surfing. He lives with his wife and their four daughters.

Connect with Itay
Goodreads