Hey, everyone! October was an interesting month. I had big goals to read all the SPOOKY books, but I didn't stick to that theme. I'm not good at sticking to themes are TBRs. I'm a mood reader and I either binge a book or reading it over a period of months. So, I should've known I wouldn't stick to my goals. Anyway, let's dive into the books!
THE BOOKS:
The New Girl by R.L. Stine- 3.5 stars (reread) I read this back in the day. Fear Street was what got me into reading, but I remembered not loving this and being super disappointed in it. I was really impressed this one this time around though. The ending sucks, but the setup and the introduction to Fear Street is so haunting and creepy. I really enjoyed this one! A fun and quick read.
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo- 5 stars I loved this one! Xiomara's story and journey with grappling with her identity in the world was so striking and I related to her so much. I was raised Catholic and had many of the same questions that Xiomara did. I appreciated this story so much and the audiobook was FANTASTIC.
Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass by Lana Del Rey- 4 stars These poems are 100% Lana Del Rey poems and at times they feel more like lyrics to a song. I listened to the collection and I enjoyed the experience, but these poems are forgettable and nothing greatly impacted me or stuck with me.
Moon Lake Volume 1 by Dan Folger and a bunch of other people- 2.5 stars This graphic novel collection was huge letdown. I love horror graphic novels, but this was so short and not one story fully fleshed out and my highest rated one was 3.5 stars, so overall just skip this one.
The Surprise Party by R.L. Stine- 4 stars (reread) I rated this a 2 stars back in the day and I don't get why because this story stuck with me. I remembered the plot and the twist. The main character is the worst part of this book, but this story is just so much fun and the suspense was killing me.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins- 3 stars I wanted to love this one. I did for a long time and then I read the ending and it made absolutely no sense with Snow's character development for the entirety of the novel. Disappointing, but it was fun until the ending ruined it.
One by One by Ruth Ware- 4.25 stars This was exactly what I wanted and expected. I know a lot of people are saying it's predictable, but there are only so many characters that it could be and I personally didn't guess it until it was about to be revealed. I enjoyed it. I thought it was like And Then There Were None in a snowstorm.
Miao Dao by Joyce Carol Oates- 3 stars I didn't hate this short story, but I was unimpressed with it. It follows a teen girl who finds a cat that may be supernatural. (Spoiler, it's not, but it is sinister and predictable.)
It Came from the Multiplex: 80s Midnight Chillers by a bunch of authors- 4 stars for the entire collection This one was so much fun and I gave five stories in the collection 5 stars. One of the stories also gave me a nightmare which rarely happens with books I read, so props to that story. I showed up for the Stephen Graham Jones story and I wasn't disappointed and I found some great horror stories. Definitely recommend this collection!
There's a Giant Trapdoor Spider Under Your Bed by Edgar Cantero- 1 star I hated this haha It was some weird Harry Potter fanfiction about kids playing make believe. I am unimpressed.
The Walking Dead Volume 1: Days Gone Bye by Robert Kirkman & Tony Moore- 4.25 stars I used to love The Walking Dead, but I fell out of love with the TV show. I've always wanted to read the comics and I'm glad I finally got around to reading the first volume. It was super enjoyable and nostalgic because I love the opening story of TWD.
The Overnight by R.L. Stine- 4 stars (reread) This is my favorite of the first four original Fear Street books. I love the setting, the characters are fun, and the plot is suspenseful and gripping. This one was a delight, but the crazy thing is I don't remember reading it, but I randomly remembered where the plot would go. It's crazy how I remembered the plot, but had no recollection of my original thoughts or feelings toward the book.
Missing by R.L. Stine- 2 stars (reread) This was a hot mess express. I was intrigued by the concept, but the characters are horrible and then the reveal happened. Y'all this book makes no sense and the plot was incongruent. Not a fan and one of the weaker of the Fear Street original series.
Fear Street: The Beginning by R.L. Stine- 3.25 stars for the overall collection The Overnight was my favorite of the four and Missing was trash. I love this edition and I'm obsessed with the cover. Y'all go get yourself a copy!
Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo" by Zora Neale Hurston- 4 stars This is a nonfiction account of the last survivor of the Black Cargo- slaves who were stolen from Africa and transported as cargo to America. His story was so sad and I enjoyed learning so much. Sad that it took so long for this one to be published, but glad that it's out in the world.
Mapping the Interior by Stephen Graham Jones- 5 stars I love Stephen Graham Jones. He has been one of my favorite finds this year. This book was so haunting and spectacular. You don't need to know what it's about, but you do need to know it's indigenous horror and it's creepy.
Warfare Prayers for Women: Securing God's Victory in Your Life by Quin Sherer & Ruthanne Garlock- 4 stars This is a prayer devotional book and I really enjoyed the collection. Check out my review here.
Their Eyes Are Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston- 5 stars Wow! I loved this one. It tore out my heart and left me feeling breathless and depressed. The writing was beautiful, but it had so much heart. This story has so much heart and pain. I can't believe I didn't think this would be one I loved, but I fell in love with these characters.
The Elite by Kierra Cass- 3.75 stars This is my favorite of the trilogy because it was the juiciest. I lived for the drama and the plot intrigue and the silliness of the Bachelor, I mean The Selection, games. It felt as outlandish and ridiculous as The Bachelor and The Bachelorette often do and it was so much fun.
The One by Kierra Cass- 3.25 stars I dove into this immediately after finishing The Elite and I was disappointed. Mainly because my favorite was murdered for no purpose to the plot and I'm still bitter about it. The ending was just absolutely ridiculous and the plot took too many sharp turns. I kid you not, America and Aspen literally go meet the Rebels and she gets shot and she has to cover up her bullet wound recover while still competing LIKE WHAT? You can't make this drama up anywhere else than in a Kierra Cass novel.
Monster, She Wrote: The Women Who Pioneered Horror and Speculative Fiction by Lisa Kroger & Melanie R. Anderson- 4.25 stars This was so much fun and a completely last minute purchase because I saw jobis89 recommend it on Instagram. I really enjoyed this nonfiction exploration into women in horror and speculative fiction. I wanted the novel to go a lot deeper and explore more, but I really enjoyed it and I got so many book recommendations.When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole- 5 stars This thriller novel was full of history, shocking suspense, and a wild ending. I loved where this novel went and was absolutely captivated by the story and its exploration of gentrification and the horror of it.
In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado- 4 stars I picked this up after Kat from Paperbackdreamsbooks recommended this one (and her sister did, too!) and I was disappointed because I thought there would be more exploration of the concept of the Dream House and different houses of abuse and while that was there the chapters were so short that I didn't get to fully dive into each dream house. I appreciated what this story does for lesbian women who experience abuse and I was fascinated to learn that abusive lesbian murders in court usually only favor the victim killing the abuser if the abuser is more butch. This is something I didn't know and I also enjoyed the exploration of fairy tales with feminism and abuse. I just wanted a lot more from what was offered. I enjoyed it, but I didn't love it.
Hannah-Beast by Jennifer McMahon- 5 stars This short story made me cry like a baby. It was beautiful and heartbreaking. I felt all the emotions and I loved where this one went. Highly recommend since it's free for Amazon Prime members!
Mary: The Adventures of Mary Shelley's Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Granddaughter by Brea Grant & Yishan Li- 4 stars This was a really fun graphic novel with a cute concept of Mary Shelley's lineage being healers for monsters and I loved that!
Oak Avenue by Brandi Reeds- 2 stars This only gets 2 stars for being readable and not a slog, but my rating may drop once I properly review it because the plot sucked, the characters were ridiculous, and the trop reliance was disappointing and unimaginative.
Flowers on the Moon by Billy Chapata- 1.5 stars Not a fan of this poetry collection at all. I didn't hate it, but it was so repetitive and all about self-love and blah blah blah.
The Sleep Tight Motel by Lisa Unger- 4.25 stars This is a lot like The Sun Down Motel, so I would recommend it for fans of that one! I really enjoyed it even though I saw the twist coming.
The Remedy by Adam Haslett- 3 stars This was a fun short story, but I won't lie rich white peoples' mental issues are not really my jam because it's all been done before.
The Tangled Woods by Emily Raboteau- 2 stars I feel like I'm going to drop the rating on this one because I really didn't like it and the more I think about it, the less I like it.
The Ersatz Elevator by Lemony Snicket- 4 stars This one has a really interesting setting, but I was kind of mildly bored for most of it and it wasn't until we got to the reveal of why the elevator's broken that I was interested and invested in the story again.
Paperbacks from Hell: The Twisted History of '70s and '80s Horror Fiction by Grady Hendrix- 4.25 stars I am a huge horror fan if you didn't already gather that before and this was SO MUCH FUN!! I can't recommend this enough for horror fans and readers. (Yes, I bought the entire Paperbacks from Hell collection published by Valencourt. NO REGRETS)
The Girl on the Porch by Richard Chizmar- 3 stars I wanted to love this so much and thought it would be a favorite. The premise is right up my alley. A family wakes up one morning to find that a woman was trying receive help and is covered in blood and chains. The ending was anticlimactic and disappointing.
Final Girls by Riley Sager- 5 stars This was my final book for October and it was the perfect way to wrap it up. I love Riley Sager and this was my last unread book by him. I didn't guess the ending at all and I thought I did, so color me shocked.
Overall Thoughts:
I read 35 books in October! Granted a lot of them were short stories, but they count anyway! I only had 6 five star reads, but I read a ton of great short stories in It Came from the Multiplex! Here are my 5 stars:
6. Hannah-Beast
5. The Poet X
4. Their Eyes Are Watching God
3. No One is Watching
2. Final Girls
1. Mapping the Interior
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Challenge Tracker:
*2020 52 Owned Books TBR:
5/5 A Lineage of Grace books
Binti: Home
The Most Important Women of the Bible
Hidden Bodies
Binti: Home
The Most Important Women of the Bible
Hidden Bodies
Elevation
Bonhoeffer Abridged
Four Past Midnight
Bonhoeffer Abridged
Four Past Midnight
Parable of the Talents
Tuck Everlasting
*none this month
9/52
*Books That I Owned Before 2020 That I Read:
Binti: The Night Masquerade
The Beauty of the Cross
Twenty-Two
Uglies
Carrie
This is Not a Test
Becoming a Next-Level Prophet
*The Illustrated Man
Total Combined with 52 Books: 17/52
*Audiobook TBR:
We Are All Good People Here
Uglies
Uglies
Tuck Everlasting
My Dark Vanessa
4/20
*5-star Predictions Tracking Progress:
Stop Calling Me Beautiful: 5 stars (reread)
The Wives: 1.5 stars
The Return: 4.5 stars
The Only Good Indians: 5 stars
The Return: 4.5 stars
The Only Good Indians: 5 stars
*none this month
4/20
*Series I Want to Read:
Binti: Home
Beneath the Sugar Sky
Binti: Home
Beneath the Sugar Sky
Binti: The Night Masquerade
Authority
Hidden Bodies
DEV1AT3
In An Absent Dream
Hidden Bodies
DEV1AT3
In An Absent Dream
Parable of the Talents
Juice Like Wounds
Please Remain Calm
Acceptance
The Wide Window
The Miserable Mill
The Austere Academy
Killer's Kiss
You May Now Kill the Bride
The Wrong Girl
The Lost Girl
Can You Keep a Secret?
The New Girl
The Surprise Party
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
The Overnight
Missing
The Elite
The One
The Ersatz Elevator
28/10
28/10
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Currently Reading / Want to Finish in November:
Already Finished: Culture of Revival, The Insanity of Sacrifice, September Love, Exquisite Corpse, Treasure, Teen Killers Club
Netgalley eARCs: September Love, The Girl Who Wasn't There, Kingdom Come, The Hidden Girl and Other Stories, Some Kind of Animal, The Borden Murders, Until the Mountains Fall, Jesus of the East, Love to Eat, Hate to Eat, Women in a Patriarchal World, 7 Feasts, Conjure Women, TRUEL1F3
Netgalley Audiobook: Teen Killers Club
Sent by Publisher: For All Who Wander Journey Guide
Audiobooks: Treasure, Malorie, A Gathering of Shadows, Conjure Women, Children of Vice & Virtue, A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World
Books I Own/Gifted: Culture of Revival, The Insanity of Sacrifice, Exquisite Corpse, Sex, Jesus, and Conversations the Church Forgot, Fahrenheit 451, The Elijah Task, The Stranger Beside Me, Delilah: Treacherous Beauty, Samson, The Harp of Kings, Biblical Deliverance and Healing, The Spiritual Gifts Handbook, Celebration of Discipline, The Purple Book, East of Eden, Moments of Grace
Ebook: Treasure, Bind, Torture, Kill, The Good Nurse
ARCs That Come Out in November:
Audiobooks:
Ebook:
I want to dedicate the next two months to reading and finishing ARCs from 2020!
Books I Own:
I have tons of books I want to read right now, but I'm not putting any pressure on myself to pick them up.
Have you read any of these books? What was your favorite book in the month of October? Let me know down below in the comments below!
