Books To Read This October

It’s October, a.k.a. one of my favorite months in any given year. And, typically, I put together a short list of recommendations, comprised of books that I’ve read throughout the year that are perfect for the Halloween season too.

• The first one is Breakup From Hell by Anna Dàvila Cardinal. Technically I read this book last year, but, since the HarperCollins union strike was happening, my review was posted later in 2023 instead. There is a strong religious element in the story, since it deals specifically with demons, as the title pretty much suggests. But Breakup From Hell was still a good story with a few scares. (To read my review click HERE)

• Up next is Bittersweet in the Hollow by Kate Pearsall. I’ll have a review for this one later in the month, but I’m choosing to mention it here as well. I won’t say too much about it right now, but just know that it has magic, mystery, plenty of folklore-like aspects, and a strong witchy vibe to it.

• My next recommendation is Michelle Jabès Corpora’s Holly Horror. It’s an eerie and incredibly atmospheric story. And while it’s setting—including Hobbie House—wasn’t isolated, there was an insular and solitary note to the story that’s due to how the perspective of the main character was written. If you’re looking for a creepy ghost story, then Holly Horror is one I would definitely recommend. (To read my review click HERE) 

• Another ghost story is the middle grade novel: Field of Screams by Wendy Parris. There were plenty of frightening moments in this story, which was balanced with the personal journey for the main character, Rebecca, as well. (To read my review click HERE)

• Ninth House and Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo were a surprise for me. They’re dark, but I really like how Bardugo does the mysteries alongside the supernatural and secret society aspects. But, while I loved them, this recommendation comes with a slight warning. These are very dark novels, and I’d keep that in mind. (To read my review click HERE and HERE) 

• A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid had gothic trappings in a fantasy setting combined with myths, academic rivals, and a sense of dread and isolation. It’s one of the most atmospheric novels I’ve read this year and, with everything mentioned above, it would make for a perfect read this October. (To read my review click HERE)

• My next one is The God of Endings by Jacqueline Holland. This is one of my top favorite books of the year so far because of its take on vampires. It’s essentially a character study, for a vampire grappling with what it means to be a vampire and live that long of a life through the many horrors of history. It’s also a dual timeline novel, set throughout history and to the present of the character’s life.(To read my review click HERE) 

• Last but certainly not least is Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia! This is another good one. Films and occultism in 90s Mexico, delivered with Moreno-Garcia’s usual flare for vibrant characterization and a thrilling page-turning adventure. (To read my review click HERE)

So those are my recommendations. If you have your own, feel free to leave them in the comments. Thanks for reading!   

Quarterly Recap: July-September

I can hardly believe it’s already ten months into 2023, but the calendar doesn’t lie. And, since it is October, it’s also time for another quarterly recap. As always, I’m starting with reviews.

July, August, and September reviews...

• A Study In Drowning by Ava Reid
• The Woman in the Castello by Kelsey James
• Adia Kelbara and the Circle of Shamans by Isi Hendrix
• Mammoths at the Gates by Nghi Vo
• Holly Horror by Michelle Jabès Corpora 
• Totally Psychic by Brigid Martin
• Field of Screams by Wendy Parris
• What Never Happened by Rachel Howzell Hall
• The Only Harmless Great Thing by Brooke Bolander
• Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno Garcia
• The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett

Other July, August, and September posts...

• What I've Been Listening To Lately
• Short Stories I Read in August
• Short Stories I Read In July
• Short Stories I Read In June
• Quarterly Recap: April-June

Looking ahead…as we enter this holiday season, I’m just going to enjoy the rest of the year without really making any specific plans. My annual (and extended) break from the blog is coming up. But this is also brought to you in part by the fact that two of my most highly anticipated games released in September. I only have Fae Farm so far, and it's proving to be very fun but also distracting. I'm also looking to get Mineko's Night Market eventually.

For TV shows...I'm looking forward to the second season of Surrealestate, which premiers on SyFy tonight at ten p.m.. Who else is going to be watching?

In terms of books, this month I’m going to be reviewing Bittersweet in the Hollow by Kate Pearsall, and the third installment of one of my favorite cozy mysteries series as well. It’s called The Fatal Folio by Elizabeth Penney, so keep an eye out for that too.

 

Music Monday (257): Hemlocke Springs, Eddy Grant

Rules:

• Music Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren Stoolfire at Always Me that asks you to share one or two songs that you've recently enjoyed. For the rules, visit the page HERE 

Breana: My pick comes from Hemlocke Springs' new EP Going...Going...GONE!. It's called The Train To Nowhere, and I love it!

Andrea: Hi all. This week I'm listening to Electric Avenue by Eddy Grant. Have an amazing week!

What are you listening to this week?

Short Stories I Read In August

It’s the twenty-ninth of September. So it’s time to write about the short stories, miscellaneous posts, and podcast episodes I read or listened to in August.

The Magazine of Horror by Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki [Apex Magazine; August 15, 2023]

The Magazine of Horror is an unusual little story, but it’s one of the best that I read in August. A series of correspondences—structured as emails—revealed the interaction between editors of a magazine and a writer submitting a story (who also shared a name with Ekpeki). But there were some unusual terms revealed about the way the magazine operated, which culminated in some creative speculative aspects. All-in-all, I liked this one.

The Discarded Ones by Linda Niehoff (Apex Magazine; August 8, 2023)

The Discarded Ones is a ghost story to put on your October reading list. It’s not a scary one, but was instead thoughtful and thought-provoking. There was a well-meaning and lonely narrator who believed the rosy-hued account sold by a commercial. And there were ghosts that couldn’t move on, in a situation that read like a pet adoption from a local shelter. It was an interesting idea and a little eerie, but it was also the kind of story that was very melancholic but ended on a more hopeful note. Overall, The Discarded Ones was very good.

**Starting this month, I’m including stories I’ve read from an anthology called The Book of Witches edited by Jonathan Strahan. I’m reading the book in no particular order. And for context and as a disclaimer: I won a hardcover copy from Harper Voyager; thank you!**

What I Remember of Oresha Moon Dragon Devshrata by P. Djèlí Clark (The Book of Witches edited by Jonathan Strahan and illustrated by Alyssa Winans)

Clark is an author who is familiar to me, since I read and loved The Haunting of Tram Car 015. So, when I saw What I Remember of Oresha Moon Dragon Devshrata, it was one of the first stories in The Book of Witches that I wanted to read. I enjoyed this story so much! Set in Mara’s Bay, the coastal town receives a victor who offers a cryptic warning and a solution, for a price. The rest of it unfolds from there, following a trajectory toward broken promises and near tragedy. And, in a way, it can feel very familiar. That’s especially the case when it comes to fiction stories about witches: how determination and welcome, turns to doubts and rumors, and that inevitably is a pot waiting to boil over into violence. What I Remember of Oresha Moon Dragon Devshrata is another good story by P. Djèlí Clark.

From around the web…

• Monarchy, Power, and the Stories We Tell [Nghi Vo; Tor.com; August 16, 2023]
• The Matter of King Arthur on the Screen [Natania Barron; Uncanny Magazine; Issue Fifty-Three]
• Print Run Podcast Episode 164: Level Drain
• The Last Voyage of the Demeter Tackles the Deeper Themes of Stoker’s Dracula [Tyler Dean; Tor.com; August 23, 2023]
• Walking, Reading, and the Rhythms of the Mind [Molly Templeton; Tor.com; August 24, 2023]

Music Monday (256): Caroline Polachek, Ananda Project ft. Marta Gazman, Bobby McFerrin

Rules:

• Music Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren Stoolfire at Always Me that asks you to share one or two songs that you've recently enjoyed. For the rules, visit the page HERE 

Breana: For my pick this week, I'm sharing one of my favorite songs by Caroline Polachek. It's called Bunny Is A Rider.

Adri: This week I'm listening to Secrets (Relight Mix) by Ananda Project featuring Marta Gazman.

Andrea: Hi all! This week I'm listening to Don't Worry Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin. Have an amazing week everybody!

What are you listening to this week?