October Reads and November Hopefuls

October was a fairly good reading month, but I really hope to up my reading in November. I am part the Cybil Award selection committee for Young Adult Speculative Fiction and so I really should be reading quite a bit!

Here’s what I read in October with reviews (they are short and sweet!) beneath the pictures.

Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A really interesting book about mental health and relationships.

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The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Really loved the “death” humor and all the puns. Also a cute little romance-even if slightly predictable.

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Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book took me longer to read, but it really was a beautifully written book. It’s definitely not fast-paced, but Fawcett’s writing is so vivid and full of detail, it is so wonderful to savor. I look forward to the sequel.

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If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’m not obsessed with this book like others seem to be, but it was an engaging story. I liked the different characters and how everything unfolded. I also enjoyed the way the layout of the book-it was set up like a play with acts and scenes. This was perfect as it was centered around theater – especially Shakespeare. The ending was the saving Grace for this book for me-it’s a great conversation starter!

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The Body by Stephen King
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It wasn’t exactly what I was looking for (labeled as horror and was not horror imo) but King has a great way of writing and storytelling. It felt very realistic, like he was talking to me and I had me these characters.

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The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fun romance! Books with celebrities is kinda fun-like Happy Ever Playlist. The ending was ridiculous but…that’s what makes a good romance right? Cheesy and a tad over the top. I liked the heart and the message at the center of the book-sending the love you want.

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How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Grady Hendrix writes great horror and I thought this one was very spooky! Puppets? So terrifying. I also liked the overall plot and how the relationship between the brother and the sister evolved and changed. It was a little long and I did find myself just wanting to end it, but overall a good scary read.

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Wrath Becomes Her by Aden Polydoros
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Inglorious Bastards plus Frankenstein? That sold it to me and I was not disappointed. It’s definitely a book of wrath and angst-and quite a bit of gore. It’s a great way to turn the tables of the Nazi party and the horrors the Jewish faced and give more light on Jews fighting back-even in a fantastical way.

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Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book had so much packed into it! I absolutely loved the romance and the journey towards it. It was so stinking cute. It also had a powerful portrayal of gender identity and identity in general. This was all done in such a positive light too. There is quite a bit of pot, drinking, and sexual references so it’s a little on the mature side of young adult.

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Wild Is the Witch by Rachel Griffin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A really fun nature, witchy book. Slight romance and the stakes were really high, so the pages were turning!

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Into the Wild by Erin Hunter
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Read with my daughter and she loves this series! I enjoyed it and am looking forward to learning more about the characters in the future books.

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Nothing Else But Miracles by Kate Albus
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love how Kate Albus brings history to life! Her characters are so well-developed and I really like how she told this story of a girl waiting for her dad to come home from World War II. It’s a point of view not explored often-or at least that I haven’t read often.

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November Hopefuls

My goal for the next two months is really to read as many Cybil books as I can (stay tuned for a post soon!), but I also have a couple series that have books being released. So, those are priority too!

What have you been reading and what would you like to read?