Hey there, book lovers!

October was an amazing month for reading — I finished 19 books, setting a brand-new personal best!  From haunting horror stories to epic fantasy adventures, this month’s lineup was stacked with emotional highs, eerie twists, and some truly unforgettable characters.I can’t wait to share which titles stood out, which ones surprised me, and which completely stole my heart. Here’s to keeping that spooky-season reading energy going strong into November! ✨

I can’t wait to share which titles stood out, which ones surprised me, and which completely stole my heart. Here’s to keeping that spooky-season reading energy going strong into November! ✨

The Merciless Quartet

I love Danielle Vega, but I do have mixed feelings about this series. I loved books 1 & 3. They were great & had great characterization. Brooke is a great “villain.” I liked the idea behind the novel as a whole. However, Book 2 felt lacking in substance. Everything just happened too fast. Don’t get me wrong, the series as a whole moved really fast. I blew through the books one after another. I think the series as a whole was excellent & book 2 is probably my least favorite. The last book was also a great way to end the series. I’m honestly still reeling & thinking, “Is she dead or alive?”

Deadly Ever After

I liked this book, but it was predictable at times. I feel like this book was really Amala’s story, & Kha’dasia was just a player in it. Now, that’s not to say she doesn’t have character development, but it pales in comparison to Amala’s. It’s a quick, light read. I really enjoy ending it, & I like that both girls read at home now, even though I saw that coming a mile away.

The Dark Forest

This book fell into the trap of the trilogy. Where book one was so well done, this one left me wanting more. It wasn’t as accessible as the first novel. This one really requires slow, careful reading for the majority of the novel. As I was reading, some parts hooked me, but for the most part, I couldn’t find myself caring enough. I knew that ending was coming, though. I’m not saying it was, but while it dealt with all the moral & ethical dilemmas humans face in their desire to survive & defeat the trisolarans, it felt like a lot of verbiage. In the middle of Death’s End, & I like it more already.

Hour of the Pumpkin Queen

I love Sally. I love how Megan Shepherd is continuing to explore more realms in the Nightmare Universe. It was a lot of fun to read. I’m curious about who The Prince is, so I need book three. Here I am manifesting that Share Eunshaw & Megan Shepherd co-write book three. Now, this novel was a lot of fun & I continue to enjoy seeing Sally save the day once again. But more than that, she is continuing the Journey to find herself after all the shocking revelations of the previous novel. We go to Time Town & Fable Town. We get Luna, another ragdoll who looks up to Sally, & we meet a dragon who wants to be a hero. This novel has a lot of heart & a great story.

The Burning God

What the fuck! Seriously! Okay, I loved this book, but the emotional toll it took on me was high. It was a whirlwind & I could not put this book down. The pacing was relentless, and the tone and the characterization were so well done. Kitay! Ugh, just the way it ended—I was so frustrated—but most of the time, even with all the fantasy, it was realistic & I was like, “yes, that would happen that way.” It made sense—honestly, such a good book & series.

If Looks Could Kill

This was such an interesting & cool novel. I love the idea that Media is created not as a punishment but rather as a weapon to use against men. That’s what is going on here. Jack the Ripper has killed his victims & Medusa in the hunt for him… except he kills her. What happens next is that any woman he comes into contact with becomes a Medusa bent on killing him. Enter Pearl, a Salvation Army girl with her own past and possible history of assault. 2 Tabitha, her new sister, a girl she chose, a friend, two comrades who decide to help her & care for her. I like the plot, the true crime element & the sisterhood in the story.

Alchemised

Okay, I know there is a lot of controversy about this book because its origins are Manacled, a dark, alternate Harry Potter story. I’ve never read Manacled & I don’t intend to. I’ve kinda left my fan fiction years behind me. Is it a good story? I do think the Author did a good job of separating this from her fanfiction & the Harry Potter universe. You do see some elements of HP in there, its kinda obvious for anyone who has seen I read HP. There were moments when the story was a little dense, and the study of Alchemy got a little repetitive, so the pacing lagged. And the ending would have been split into two chapters, then an epilogue, just to let the reader breathe.

How To Sell A Haunted House

I hate dolls. But I loved this book. Hendrix has such an insightful way of writing women & mothers. His stuff is a little campy, but it’s insightful & thoughtful. I love how he writes Moms & women with such respect. Also, this book gave me nightmares.

The Devils

So I knew the moment I finished this book that this was either going to be a love or late book. Personally, I loved this book, but I also get it. It was very verbose & unnecessarily so. The book may have been just as impactful, if not more so, if Abercrombie had cut three words from each sentence. Otherwise, I loved the characters & the humor was top-tier. It was basically a DnD campaign where they continuously rolled a nat 1.  It was hilarious.

The Hollow Places

Woo! I finally read T. Kingfisher! In this book, once again, it did not disappoint! Kingfisher continues to impress me with her storytelling. They are experts at generating that eerie, unsettling atmosphere with their storytelling. I absolutely loved this book. It was creepy, unsettling, & perfect for a few spooky seasons.

The Halloween Moon

I loved reading this book to my son every night this past month. It was definitely a vibe. MY son loved it, and it was just the right amount of spooky for a young kid (he’s six). It had fantastic characters, and it’s about growing up and how scary it can be. Change is scary, but that doesn’t mean we should avoid change altogether. It really was a thoughtful story.

Sky on Fire

This was a sequel I didn’t know was happening. Not that I’m mad about it. It was honestly so great. I loved that we had a different protagonist with her own history, personality, and perspective. She balanced out Pendt really well, and the way this story connected to the original was very well done. There are quite a few years between this book and its predecessor; however, Johnston did a great job of recapping throughout the story to ground the reader and keep me from getting lost. That ending though. I wonder if we’re gonna get a third book now.

Shadows of Perl

You know, I liked this novel more than House of Marionne. That revelation at the end with Red—I didn’t see that coming. The pacing was so fast, I was hooked, and I liked that we had more POVs to follow in this novel. I think it gave the story a better arc and deeper rising tension. There was definitely significant character growth, especially with Jordan, as he began to see just how corrupt the organization is. I loved that, and I’m excited to see what happens next.

The Twisted Ones

Another creepy one from T. Kingfisher. This was definitely changling/fae inspired. I loved the protagonist. I think that is such a great thing that Kingfisher does: creating her characters. This one was less eerie than The Hollow Places, but it was still creepy, especially with the dolls. Remember, I hate dolls. But the camaraderie and storytelling in the novel were well done, and I loved the pacing. I loved the changeling/fae aspect; it was unique and different and definitely stands out. And, as always, I love the humor Kingfisher slips in there.

What stalks the Deep

I wanted to read as many Kingfisher books as possible this month. Why? Because they are perfect for the spooky season. This is the third novel in the Sworn Soldier series, and it’s a novella. So it’s a quick read. I love that the MC is non-binary. That has always been a significant part of their characterization. I also love their internal voice. The humor there is priceless. This one was more memorable than book 2, I think, and it was very reminiscent of Annihilation—definitely a great book.

Cardcaptor Sakura Vol. 1

I love that I’m finally reading this series. I love the anime (still waiting on Clear Card season two…), and for someone who is a doom and gloom girl, it surprises everyone when they see my pink Cardcaptor Sakura purse. Honestly, this was a lot of fun to read. Definitely some questionable cultural differences in there, but I’m not going to critique that. I love the story, I love Sakura, and the way it naturally just evolved. I’m excited to keep reading it.

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