Monthly Wrap-Up: October 2024

This month I didn't read as many books as last month, but last month was a weird one where I read 17 books. That's never happened before, and I honestly don't think it will ever happen again 😂 But I'm fine with that because this month I read 8 books, which is still on the higher side of what I normally read in a month. That's a total of 2264 pages, which is about 1900 pages less than in September.

• 5 were full-length novels and 3 were manga
• 6 were part of a series, and 2 were a standalones
• I started 1 series but didn't finish any this month 😅
• 7 were finished copies and 1 ARC
• 6 were physical books and 1 was an ebook
• 4 were 5-star books, 3 were 4-star books, and 1 was a 3-star read
• All 8 were traditionally published
• 3 were by a new-to-me author and 5 were by authors I've previously read
• 1 was an adult book, 5 YA, and 2 middle grade books
• 7 were fiction books and 1 nonfiction
• 1 was supernatural horror, 1 urban fantasy, 3 action adventure, 1 historical fantasy, 1 mystery thriller, and 1 was a book about books lol

Review: One of Us is Next (One of Us is Lying #2) by Karen M. McManus

Title: One of Us is Next

Series: One of Us is Lying #2

Previous book in this series: One of Us is Lying

Author: Karen M. McManus

Genre: YA, mystery thriller

Publication date: January 2020

Published by: Delacorte Press

Source: Borrowed from library

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it: Amazon | Thrift Books | Book Outlet | B&N

Synopsis: Come on, Bayview, you know you've missed this.

A ton of copycat gossip apps have popped up since Simon died, but in the year since the Bayview four were cleared of his shocking death, no one's been able to fill the gossip void quite like he could. The problem is no one has the facts.

Until now.

This time it's not an app, though—it's a game.

Truth or Dare.

Phoebe's the first target. If you choose not to play, it's a truth. And hers is dark.

Then comes Maeve and she should know better—always choose the dare.

But by the time Knox is about to be tagged, things have gotten dangerous. The dares have become deadly, and if Maeve learned anything from Bronwyn last year, it's that they can't count on the police for help. Or protection.

Simon's gone, but someone's determined to keep his legacy at Bayview High alive. And this time, there's a whole new set of rules.

My rating: ★★★★★

This book takes place about a year after the first book and follows different characters, but it was just as good as One of Us is Lying!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #391: Dark Archives Indeed

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Date and Unleashing Reads.

Sunday Post #425: Preparing For All the Spookiness

Welcome to The Sunday Post hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer, where I talk about what is going on in life and the blog, and show you all the bookish things I got that week!

TV Show Review: One of Us is Lying (Season 1)

Title: One of Us is Lying

Based on One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

Rating: TV-MA

First episode release date: October 7th 2021

Number of episodes: 8

Genre: Teen drama, mystery thriller

Production companies: 5MM, Universal Content Productions

Showrunners: Darío Madrona, Erica Saleh

Stars: Annalisa Cochrane, Marianly Tejada, Chibuikem Uche, Cooper van Grootel

Watch it: Peacock

Synopsis: A brain, an athlete, a princess, a criminal and a "basket case" walk into detention—but only the first four make it out alive.

My rating: ★★★★☆

I loved the One of Us is Lying book so I was very excited to watch the TV show inspired by the book, and I liked it overall! Not as much as the book, but it was a pretty solid first season.

Review: One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

Title: One of Us is Lying

Series: One of Us is Lying #1

Author: Karen M. McManus

Genre: YA, mystery thriller

Publication date: May 2017

Published by: Delacorte Press

Source: Borrowed from library

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it: Amazon | Thrift Books | Book Outlet | B&N

Synopsis: On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.

Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule.
Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess.
Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing.
Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher.
And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High's notorious gossip app.

Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention, Simon's dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn't an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he'd planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who's still on the loose?

Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them.

My rating: ★★★★★

I loved this book so much! The premise alone had me hooked! All you need to know is that 5 kids walked into detention one afternoon, and only 4 walked out alive.

Review: Sea Sick (Ravaged World Trilogy #1) by Iain Rob Wright

Title: Sea Sick

Series: Ravaged World Trilogy #1

Author: Iain Rob Wright

Genre: Adult, horror, mystery

Publication date: December 2019

Published by: SalGad Publishing Group

Source: Gift card purchase

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it: Amazon | B&N

Synopsis: A deadly virus has been unleashed aboard a passenger ship.
Soon the ship will be overrun with blood and death.
There's nowhere to escape.
But there are heroes onboard too.

Heroes like Jack Wardsley, a disgraced police officer with nothing left to lose, or the mysterious 'Pathwalker,' a stranger with the power to see the the future and alter the passage of time. Saving the passengers onboard will be next to impossible, but they will have no choice but to try. Failure might mean the end of the world.

My rating: ★★★☆☆

I was really looking forward to reading this book—I mean, a time loop during a zombie outbreak on a cruise??

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #390: Creepy Books... In More Ways Than One

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Date and Unleashing Reads.

Sunday Post #424: I Went to Halloweentown, Scarywood, and the Largest Indie Bookstore in the World!

Welcome to The Sunday Post hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer, where I talk about what is going on in life and the blog, and show you all the bookish things I got that week!

My First DNF of 2024... Dead Space by Kali Wallace

Title: Dead Space

Author: Kali Wallace

Genre: Adult, sci-fi, mystery thriller

Publication date: March 2021

Published by: Berkley

Source: Purchased paperback

Find it on Goodreads

Synopsis: Hester Marley used to have a plan for her life. But when a catastrophic attack left her injured, indebted, and stranded far from home, she was forced to take a dead-end security job with a powerful mining company in the asteroid belt. Now she spends her days investigating petty crimes to help her employer maximize its profits. She's surprised to hear from an old friend and fellow victim of the terrorist attack that ruined her life—and that surprise quickly turns to suspicion when he claims to have discovered something shocking about their shared history and the tragedy that neither of them can leave behind.

Before Hester can learn more, her friend is violently murdered at a remote asteroid mine. Hester joins the investigation to find the truth, both about her friend's death and the information he believed he had uncovered. But catching a killer is only the beginning of Hester's worries, and she soon realizes that everything she learns about her friend, his fellow miners, and the outpost they call home brings her closer to revealing secrets that very powerful and very dangerous people would rather keep hidden in the depths of space.

My rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

I have been in a sci-fi horror kind of mood lately, and I thought this book would be a good one to read! Yes, this is more on the thriller side than horror, but I like thrillers! This, however, was not thrilling at all. I read 76 pages (about 23%) before I called it quits.

Review: Forbidden Secrets (Fear Street Sagas #3) by R.L. Stine

Title: Forbidden Secrets

Series: Fear Street Sagas #3 (can be read as a standalone)

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, horror, mystery thriller

Publication date: September 1996

Published by: Archway Paperback

Source: Purchased paperback

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it: Amazon | B&N | Thrift Books

Synopsis: The dark power of the Fear family consumes all those connected with it. No one can escape the evil of the family's curse—not even the Fears themselves.

Savannah Madison doesn't believe that. She marries Tyler Fear. But then she goes with him to Blackrose Manor. That's when the deaths begin. That's when she learns his terrible secret.

My rating: ★★★☆☆

I have been reading Fear Street books since I was in middle school and I remember that this was one of the first books I ever read. I didn’t remember any of the story when I read this now, but I distinctly remembered that cover.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #389: Find Him Where You Left Him Dead

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Date and Unleashing Reads.

Sunday Post #423: Cute Plays and Intimidating Owls

Welcome to The Sunday Post hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer, where I talk about what is going on in life and the blog, and show you all the bookish things I got that week!

Finish the Series #35: Finishing Some Spooky Series

I finished another series and have officially completed my series challenge for the year! Yay! My goal was to finish at least 9 series this year and I just completed my 9th!

Review: House of Whispers (Fear Street Sagas #2) by R.L. Stine

Title: House of Whispers

Series: Fear Street Sagas #2 (Can be read as a standalone)

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, horror, mystery thriller

Publication date: June 1996

Published by: Archway Paperback

Source: Purchased paperback

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it: Amazon | B&N | Thrift Books

Synopsis: Welcome to the house of Fear.

The dark power of the Fear family consumes all those connected with it, The Fears. Those they love—and hate. The entire town of Shadyside. All are tainted forever by the evil of the family’s curse. No one can escape.

Amy Pierce knows nothing of the terrifying Fear history when she arrives for a visit with Simon and Angelica Fear. Their New Orleans mansion is beautiful—but Amy senses something evil there. Something that watches her. Waits for her.

My rating: ★★★★☆

It would not matter to Angelica that Amy was part of her own family. If Angelica found out the truth about Amy, she would kill her.
Because Angelica was evil. Pure evil.

I love the Fear family lore. It’s so interesting and often evil. One of my favorite families to follow has always been Simon and Angelica Fear, so I was very happy to see that Angelica played a big role in this book! We first met Angelica in the Fear Street Saga trilogy where we saw that even before she married into the Fear family, she herself had a little bit of magic at her hands. Well, in this book we meet her cousin Amy who may or may not have an an affinity for magic as well. I thought this aspect of the book was SO interesting! When I first read about Angelica in the trilogy, I was a little surprised to learn that she already possessed magic, so it was nice to learn a little more about the Pierce family.

Review: Parasite by Darcy Coates

Title: Parasite

Author: Darcy Coates

Genre: Adult, sci-fi, horror

Publication date: August 2016

Published by: Black Owl Books

Source: Borrowed from library

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it: Amazon | B&N

Synopsis: They're closer than you think...

A guard discovers an unusual lifeform on her remote moon outpost. She disregards protocol to investigate it, with catastrophic consequences.

The parasitic alien wears its victims' skins and adopts their personalities. It's a perfect disguise, and allows the creature to spread without being detected. By the time humanity realises it's facing extinction, a third of its six hundred space stations have already gone dark.

As the alien's ruthless progress collapses communication networks, wipes out defences, and leaves hundreds of stations to fend for themselves, a handful of remarkable individuals must find a way to battle the greatest threat the universe has ever encountered.

My rating: ★★★☆☆

...it looks like your roommate, your best friend, or even your child. It is a parasite; it doesn't kill its hosts—not completely, at least—but it absorbs them and becomes them. It can mimic their face, their speech, their expressions, and mannerisms. It even takes their memories. There could be one standing beside you this minute, and you wouldn't know...

This is my second book by Darcy Coates and I gotta say, I’m enjoying her books! I do wish this book was a little scarier than it was, but overall it satisfied my craving for sci-fi horror.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #388: More Horror, More Greek Mythology, More Spies

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Date and Unleashing Reads.

Sunday Post #422: Uneventful, Just How I Like It

Welcome to The Sunday Post hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer, where I talk about what is going on in life and the blog, and show you all the bookish things I got that week!

Literary Nails: Spellcaster Wild Card by Nikki Jefford

Omg look at me with another nail art post this year 😏 I do my nails A LOT, like, every week. I just don't do a lot of bookish nail art. But I did some this past week for a book I was highly anticipating and I love how they turned out! And the book itself (I actually just started it this week! I'm only like 100 pages in or so, but I'm liking it!) is very magical with a lot of supernatural beings, so it is perfect for this time of year!

October 2024 Howl-o-ween Giveaway Hop

I have the perfect book to giveaway this month! It's not horror, it's a YA fantasy that sounds very witchy and magical!

Book Recommendations for Spooky Season

I was unsure whether I was going to do this post this year because I just didn't feel like I've read enough 'spooky' books, but I think I have enough to put something together. These are all books I've read in the last year or so (you can see more spooky book recommendations here: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.) Shockingly though, no mystery thrillers this time! I mean, I have read mystery thrillers in the last year, but not any I was wowed by. I have lots of horror though! And some toward the end that are not scary, but the vibes fit for this time of year. Lol.

Spellcaster Wild Card Blitz + Giveaway

Omg it has been SOOO long since I've participated in a Blitz, so let's see if I remember how 😅 But I wanted to participate in this one because it's a book by Nikki Jefford, an author I love! Unfortunately, I am terribly behind on reading her books, but I am officially on a quest to catch up on everything I missed... starting with Spellcaster Wild Card!

Monthly Wrap-Up: September 2024

I don't know how this happened, especially with the borderline reading slump I was in for most of the summer, but I read SO much this month. I read a total of 17 books in September (not all of them were full-length novels though), which comes to around 4185 pages read 😯 Previously, May had been my most read month with about 3100 pages... this month I read 1000 pages (aka 10 books) more than that!

• 9 were full-length novels (!), 5 short stories/novellas, and 3 were manga
• 12 were part of a series, and 5 were a standalones
• I started 2 series but finished 2 as well!
• 16 were finished copies and 1 ARC
• 11 were physical books, 5 ebooks, and 1 was an audio/ebook combo
• 7 were 5-star books, 9 were 4-star books, and 1 was a 3-star book
• 2 were indie-published, and 15 were traditionally published
• 3 were by a new-to-me author and 14 were by authors I've previously read
• 8 were adult books, 5 YA, and 4 middle grade books
• 16 were fiction books and 1 nonfiction
• 5 were sci-fi horror, 3 contemporary romance, 1 urban fantasy, 1 medical science, 2 action adventure, 1 historical fantasy, 3 adventure mystery, 1 horror comedy