October Reads + Currently Reading | 2019

Hi everyone! How are you?

If I get this up on the last day of October, Happy Halloween! And if you don’t like Halloween happy October 31st.

*Edit I put off uploading this as I ended up finishing a book yesterday and added that to my list.

It started off as a slow reading month and I blame Serpent and Dove as once I finished that I struggled to pick up another book. But seems as though once I started it really picked up and turned to be quite a good reading month.

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Love, Simon (Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens) by Becky Albertalli

Rating: 3.75/5

This was my first book I read in the Gilmore Girls Readathon and the prompt was a school setting (in honour of Chilton and Yale).

As I said on Goodreads I liked this book. It was an enjoyable read and I understand why people love it. However, sadly it took me about 100 pages before I started getting into the story. With the hype I was kinda going in with high expectations and was ready to immediately fall in over by the first chapter. There were times when I was annoyed with the characters at least once (except Simon and Blue) which put a downer to it. My favourite sections were the emails exchanged by Simon and Blue and could have read a whole book of their adorable emails. Overal, it was a cute story and I’m happy to have finally read it.

Now I definitely want to see the movie.

The Darkest Pleasure (Lords of the Underworld #3) by Gena Showalter

Rating: 4/5

This was the second book I completed in the readathon for the prompt of complicated love interests. Reyes is the demon of pain and the demon is only sated if Reyes is in pain whether that is self-inflicted or by another. Danika is a mortal and on the run as the gods and hunters are after her. She doesn’t know why they are after her but Reyes will make sure he protects her at all costs.

CW (Trigger Warning): Self-harm, violence, lots of talk and scenes with blood

Once Upon a Winter’s Eve (Spindle Cove Novella #1.5) by Tessa Dare

Rating: 3.5/5

This novella filled the prompt of reading a cosy book set in the fall/winter. This was a fast read as it was a novella and was a nice introduction to the Spindle Cove series even though it’s not the first book.

Violet is a quiet girl and is known as a wallflower but at a Christmas ball, where a strangers crashes it and collapses at her feet, it’s her time to shine and help try to work out who the mysterious man is.

Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls (and Everything in Between) by Lauren Graham

Rating: 3/5

This was the group book for the readathon and I was excited to start it. Originally, I wanted to listen to the audiobook as Lauren, herself, narrated it. Sadly, I couldn’t find it on the platforms I have so I opted for it on kindle. I gave it a 3 star rating as although I loved all her stories about her time filming Gilmore Girls with her co-stars and her life before landing the role, however, I admit I skimmed some parts if I felt like sections were dragged out on parts of other stories. It is a nice read for fans of Lauren Graham or Gilmore Girls.

A Night to Surrender (Spindle Cove #1) by Tessa Dare

Rating: 4/5

Like always I end up gravitating towards a Tessa Dare books. I just always know I’ll finish her books quickly and to me they’re like rom-coms.

A Night to Surrender is the first book in the Spindle Cove series. Susanna Finch lives in Spindle Cove and helps the ladies feel welcome and takes them under her wing. It’s a peaceful place and Susanna Finch likes it that way until Victor Bramwell arrives and has orders to gather a militia, disrupting the routine of Susanna Finch.

I really enjoyed this book and felt it was a great opening to the Spindle Cove series. I feel like Tessa Dare always creates strong characters and interesting story lines. She’s great at comic moments, smutty moments as well as talking about topics you don’t read about often. She touches a lot of bases in such an easy way.

CW: blood

A Week to be Wicked (Spindle Cove #2) by Tessa Dare

Rating: 4.5/5

This is the continuation of the Spindle Cove series but can be read as a stand alone. A Week to be Wicked is about Minerva a strong woman who is determined to get to Scotland to attend a Geological symposium no matter the cost, even if it ruins her image in society. Colin, Lord Payne, wants to get out of Spindle Cove and one night Minerva comes and offers him to accompany her to Scotland under the circumstance of faking an elopement.

This would have to be favourite out of the Spindle Cove series so far. It was such a fun read! I read in only a couple of days. It had wit and banter, teasing and fiery scenes. I found myself smiling and laughing. Minerva and Colin are so far one of my favourite couples in Tessa Dare’s stories.

CW: death of parents

Little Witch Academia Vol. 1 by

Rating: 4/5

For those who love the Netflix series, you’ll adore the manga. It follows a very similar story line of Akko’s time at Luna Nova. Akko has always dreamed of becoming a witch and be like Chariot (her idol) but the problem is that she has no powers. So incredibly cute and had me smiling.

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell, Faith Erin Hicks

Rating: 5/5

This was such an adorable graphic novel and the illustrations were gorgeous! I easily gave this five stars as it make me feel so warm and read this in one sitting. This gave all the cosy vibes of having fun and visiting a Pumpkin Patch. Finished it in an afternoon easy.

A Lady by Midnight (Spindle Cove #3) by Tessa Dare

Rating: 3/5

Kate Taylor had settled well into Spindle Cove calling it her home however she was always interested in trying to find out the truth of her life before. Corporal Thorne is cold and rarely talks to Miss Taylor and if do it always ends up in an argument. One day strangers turn up to the town asking for her and it was Corporal who steps up as her fiance to protect her.

I wasn’t as sucked into the plot as other Tessa Dare’s stories I’ve read. It definitely took me longer to get some interest into the actual plot and connection with the characters. It was about halfway when I felt it pick up more.

CW: scene with blood

Death Note: Black Edition by Tsugumi Ohba

Rating: 4/5

I’m thinking of possibly bumping it up to 4.5/5. I thought I’d just give a chapter a go one afternoon and ended up finishing it that night. The story plot is so clever and the detail is so intricately done. This is a story-line that sticks with you and makes you think.

CW: suicide, murder

Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco

Rating: 4/5

Finally after a couple of months I have finally finished this book. It was worth it. I found it to be an enjoyable read. I don’t read many mysteries but it’s one like these that I fall in love with. You’re a part of the investigation and feel like you are right there with them. I love all the scientific talk and the language used. I probably mentioned this for my Stalking Jack the Ripper review but the format and use of pictures and notes add so many to the context of the story. Audrey Rose and Thomas Creswell always manage to capture my heart. I can totally imagine these books as a TV series. I would so watch it!

CW: Autopsy,blood, scene with spiders

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What I’m Currently Reading…

• Escaping from Houdidni by Kerri Maniscalco (Stalking Jack the Ripper #3)
• The Devouring Gray by Chrisitne Lynn Herman – audiobook
• Romancing the Duke by Tessa Dare (Castle Ever After #1)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K Rowling – audiobook

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For more detail about Lauren Graham’s books and Tessa Dare’s books in my October Book Haul which you can have a read if you like!

This month was fun with the Gilmore Girl’s readathon (definitely will be doing it again if they do it next year) and managed to read 4 books for it and a total of 11 books for the month. I think that’s my best reading month yet! This month I plan on joining the Triwizard Tournament Readathon (inspiration from the Goblet of Fire) from 11th of November to mid December. I will be talking more about it as well as my TBR for it in an upcoming post.

Also, this month I was so happy to be notified that I have reached 100 followers on my blog! Ah that’s incredible, thank you so much!

Thanks for reading!

Until next time…

xx

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