Bet you didn’t expect to ever see this post again. I think the last time I did this post was at the end of January this year. I did say I was going to discontinue it because it was becoming too much after all. But I’ve been giving it some thought for the past couple of months, and I’ve decided that I’d like to try keeping up with this post again.
I’ve been doing pretty well with my posting lately. At the very least, I’m happy with the last few weeks on the blog, which is honestly what I want the most out of this blog.
Anyway, let’s get on with the post! Here’s to the furry weekly wrap-up in almost a year! 🥂🍻
Monday 10/28: Fall 2024 Book Recs
Last Monday, I finally got around to posting my Fall Book Recommendations for 2024. Basically, it was a list post that consisted of books I liked that I thought had autumn and/or spooky vibes. I had about seven of them this time. Check out the full post if you’re interested in which books made the cut this year.
On Tuesday, I participated in Top Ten Tuesday. The topic of last week was Halloween Freebie, and I went with a bit of a medley – a Creature Feature or monster mashup if you will.
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly post currently hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. It celebrates lovely lists, wonderful books and the bookish community.
This past Wednesday, I participated in Can’t-Wait Wednesday again. It was the first time I’d done so in the past couple of weeks.
Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme currently hosted by Tressa @ Wishful Endings. It focuses on books you’re looking forward to reading, usually new releases.
And last Thursday was Halloween. Again, I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Halloween!! 🎃👻🐈⬛🧹🦇🕸️ I hope that everyone enjoyed theirs.
Sunday 11/3: Sheets Series Review
Yesterday, I finally posted my review for the Sheets series. I had wanted to post it on Halloween, but it just didn’t work out, unfortunately. Oh well.
Sheets and its sequels, are a trilogy of cute graphic novels that feature ghosts that wear actual bedsheets. Yes, really. I enjoyed the series and ended up giving it a median rating of ★★★★☆.
So yeah, it’s been awhile. I wasn’t ever sure if I ever planned on starting up this series of posts again, but I guess I have. We’ll see how long this lasts this time, haha. Hopefully I’ll keep it up? 🤞🍀
(Also, last week I officially crested 400 blog posts on the Blog That Nobody Knows! Yay! 🎉💖)
I’m generally pretty happy with what I ended up posting last week. Regarding this coming week, I’m planning on finally getting out my Monthly Reading Wrap-Up for October 2024, probably (hopefully) tomorrow. I also have another couple of posts I’m planning on doing, and am of course hoping to get another book review out.
As always, thank you to everyone for reading, and I hope you all have a great day/night!
It’s that time of year again – the time of year where I recommend books for the season! My recommendations of autumn books of 2024!
It’s unfortunately a bit later than I had intended it to be this year (I had planned to get this post out yesterday or the day before), but it’s still October so it’s not too late. (Though it’s definitely later than when I did this post last year.) Also, because it’s spooky month I might also recommend some spookier books and not just books with that are autumn themed or have fall vibes in general.
I usually try to make this a list of five, but we all know how that goes. Especially since I’ve read such perfect books for this list in the past year or so!
A curmudgeonly professor journeys to a small town in the far north to study faerie folklore and discovers dark fae magic, friendship, and love, in this heartwarming and enchanting fantasy.
Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world’s first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party—or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, Shadow, and the Fair Folk to other people.
So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, get in the middle of Emily’s research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.
But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones—the most elusive of all faeries—lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she’ll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all—her own heart.
When I read this book last November (and its sequel in January when it came out), I was immediately drawn to the impeccable autumn vibes that it had. Like, they were absolutely perfect – everything felt so cozy. I loved it.
It also helps that Encyclopaedia also takes place in the fall – that’s right everyone, this book’s got a fall setting as well! The epistolary nature of the novel also brings out the cozier vibes even more. Not to mention just about everything about this book is perfect on its own. Just. Read it.
When Alex Easton, a retired soldier, receives word that their childhood friend Madeline Usher is dying, they race to the ancestral home of the Ushers in the remote countryside of Ruritania.
What they find there is a nightmare of fungal growths and possessed wildlife, surrounding a dark, pulsing lake. Madeline sleepwalks and speaks in strange voices at night, and her brother Roderick is consumed with a mysterious malady of the nerves.
Aided by a redoubtable British mycologist and a baffled American doctor, Alex must unravel the secret of the House of Usher before it consumes them all.
This one’s gonna be one of my spookier recs on the list. I really enjoyed how unsettling What Moves the Dead ended up being. Not to mention, it was an excellent retelling.
I should probably note that its sequel, What Feasts at Night, also has a few of the same vibes, but I ultimately preferred book one. It just does everything better.
Perfect for fans of everything from Lockwood & Co. to The Haunting of Hill House, this gothic graphic novel follows a young medium with the gift—or curse, as some might say—to communicate with the dead. This ghost story “powerfully, tenderly, and empathetically examines death, grief, and the afterlife” raved Kirkus in a starred review!
Dorian Leith can see ghosts. Not only that, he listens to their problems and tries to help them move on to the afterlife. It’s a gift that’s made him an outcast to everyone in town. That is except for his dearly departed grandmother, who he’s partnered with to turn this paranormal ability into an honest living, and the local bookshop owner, who seems to be the only non-deceased person willing to give him a chance. But it’s all worth it to Dorian, who feels like he’s been given a bigger purpose. A chance to save those who cannot save themselves.
Then one day, the key to Death’s Door is stolen, trapping all the ghosts in the land of the living. Since he’s only one who can see them, the spirits rely on Dorian to retrieve the key before it is too late. If they can’t move on, they’ll soon be consumed by a ghostly rot that has begun to plague them.
As it continues to fester and spread, and the ghosts become desperate for relief, Dorian must do whatever it takes to find a way to bring peace to the restless dead—even if that peace comes at the cost of his own….
I feel like I’m cheating a bit with this one, because it’s also gonna go on the next list that I do, but I can’t not put it here either. Ever since I read it this past summer, I’ve known that The Ghostkeeper absolutely belonged on my Fall Recs List for 2024. The autumnal vibes are just too perfect.
It also works as a spooky recommendation as well. There’s just so much ghostly activity going on here, not to mention the gothic and gaslamp fantasy aesthetic it has going on. Like it said – it’s too perfect not to include here.
High Fantasy with a double-shot of self-reinvention
Worn out after decades of packing steel and raising hell, Viv the orc barbarian cashes out of the warrior’s life with one final score. A forgotten legend, a fabled artifact, and an unreasonable amount of hope lead her to the streets of Thune, where she plans to open the first coffee shop the city has ever seen.
However, her dreams of a fresh start pulling shots instead of swinging swords are hardly a sure bet. Old frenemies and Thune’s shady underbelly may just upset her plans. To finally build something that will last, Viv will need some new partners and a different kind of resolve.
A hot cup of fantasy slice-of-life with a dollop of romantic froth.
Including Legends & Lattes here also feels like cheating, but for a different reason than above. Confession: I actually DNF-ed this book. Yep. That’s why it feels kinda disingenuous to me.
BUT! But, but, but – even though I stopped at 20% I’d read enough of it to know that it has the right kind of vibes for this season. Like, it totally already felt like a Fantasy Coffee Shop AU, and there’s really no better fall feeling than that. And honestly, I adored this aspect of the book. (It was the pacing that was the problem for me, and only the pacin. So freaking slow, ugh!)
A family flees the crime-ridden city—and finds something worse—in “a brilliantly imagined horror story” by the New York Times–bestselling author (The Boston Globe).
After watching his asthmatic daughter suffer in the foul city air, Theodore Constantine decides to get back to the land. When he and his wife search New England for the perfect nineteenth-century home, they find no township more charming, no countryside more idyllic than the farming village of Cornwall Coombe. Here they begin a new life: simple, pure, close to nature—and ultimately more terrifying than Manhattan’s darkest alley.
When the Constantines win the friendship of the town matriarch, the mysterious Widow Fortune, they are invited to join the ancient festival of Harvest Home, a ceremony whose quaintness disguises dark intentions. In this bucolic hamlet, where bootleggers work by moonlight and all of the villagers seem to share the same last name, the past is more present than outsiders can fathom—and something far more sinister than the annual harvest is about to rise out of the earth.
Credited as the inspiration for Stephen King’s Children of the Corn, Thomas Tryon’s chilling novel was ahead of its time when first published, and continues to provoke abject terror in readers.
Everything about Harvest Home screams fall. The setting, the corn festival, the vaguely unsettling atmosphere in the background. Everything.
I really can’t say anything else because I don’t want to spoil anything about this book (because I like it so much), but just know that it has both the fall vibes and the spooky vibes. (Also, it inspired Stephen King to write Children of the Corn guys. Come on.)
France, 1714: In a moment of desperation, a young woman named Adeline meets a dangerous stranger and makes a terrible mistake.
As she realizes the limitations of her Faustian bargain-being able to live forever, without being able to be remembered by anyone she sees- Addie chooses to flee her small village, as everything she once held dear is torn away.
But there are still dreams to be had, and a life to live, and she is determined to find excitement and satisfaction in the wide, beckoning world-even if she will be doomed to be alone forever.
Or not quite alone-as every year, on her birth-day, the alluring Luc comes to visit, checking to see if she is ready to give up her soul. Their darkly thrilling game stretches through the ages, seeing Addie witness history and fight to regain herself as she crosses oceans and tries on various lives.
It will be three hundred years before she stumbles into a hidden bookstore and discovers someone who can remember her name-and suddenly, everything changes again.
In the vein of The Time Traveler’s Wife and Life After Life, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is by a New York Times bestselling author
V. E. Schwab’s genre-defying tour de force.
Addie LaRue has it all guys. Demons, magic, curses, and cozy Bookshop AU vibes. It is yet another book perfect for fall reading. And just a good book in general.
Of course the vibes are there, but it’s also just all in the novel’s atmosphere as well. Just. Yeah.
#1 New York Times best seller Booklist Editors’ Choice 2015 – Youth Named a Best Book of 2015 by Time Magazine, School Library Journal, Barnes & Noble, NPR, PopSugar, The Millions, and The News & Observer
Simon Snow is the worst Chosen One who’s ever been chosen.
That’s what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he’s probably right.
Half the time, Simon can’t even make his wand work, and the other half, he starts something on fire. His mentor’s avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there’s a magic-eating monster running around, wearing Simon’s face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here–it’s their last year at the Watford School of Magicks, and Simon’s infuriating nemesis didn’t even bother to show up.
Carry On is a ghost story, a love story and a mystery. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell story – but far, far more monsters.
Honestly, dark academia in general always feels right to read in the fall. And Carry On is certainly no different in that regard. It helps that at least half of the novel takes place in autumn.
It also helps that there are quite a few supernatural goings on. ‘Cause not only does it feature witches in the form of mages, but ghosts show up too. And we can’t forget about the vampires too, of course. So, once again, we don’t just have autumnal vibes here, but spooky ones, too.
What books have you been reading this fall? Have any of them had any autumn or spooky vibes? Do we share any of the same favorites?
And if course, thank you to everyone so much for reading, and I hope that you have an wonderful day/night!
GENRES: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, YA, LGBT+, Graphic Novel, Fiction
PUBLISHER: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
RELEASE DATE: 24 September 2024
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
The second book in the YA graphic novel series about star-crossed lovers and misunderstood monsters, which is already a webcomic phenomenon!
All Dr. Henry Jekyll wanted to do was make London a safe place for rogue scientists. That’s why he and his best friend Robert created the Society for Arcane Sciences in the first place, and why their upcoming exhibition to show the public all the incredible things they can do for the world is so important. But ever since Frankenstein arrived, nothing has gone according to plan….
And now Jekyll’s dirty little secret is about to become a huge problem. Hyde, his devilishly devious alter-ego, is fed up with being jerked around and Jekyll not letting him out to play. And he’s just discovered a new trick that will allow him to take the driver’s seat of their shared body. With Hyde behind the wheel, it’s not just the impeding exhibition and the future of the society in jeopardy. The ruffian threatens to destroy something that’s even more dear to Jekyll: his relationship with Robert. Will Jekyll be able to regain control of his mind, body, and life, or will he lose everything he has been fighting for?
Volume Two collects Chapters 8-12 of this beloved webcomic, which is available in print for the first time ever. It also features loads of exclusive bonus content including a brand-new prequel story (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Meet Dracula!!!), a behind-the-scenes look at the comic’s origins, and more!
My Review
“Who are you, Mr. Hyde?”
As I mentioned in my review for volume one, I absolutely love this comic. And that hasn’t changed at all with the second one. The Glass Scientists is still amazing. Sage is still going incredibly strong with their retelling of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Everything I said in my previous review for this graphic novel still stands, so I’m not going to talk much about the story and the characters, as I feel it’s a little redundant. But! The way that the story and characters evolve during this installment is sooo good. And the angst begins here – though it hasn’t even gotten close to the way it is currently in the original webcomic. (It’s getting real, guys. These last few weeks – oh boy.)
There’s also a bit of a slow-burn starting to happen between Jekyll and Lanyon at the point of the comic that volume two covers, and it’s wonderfully written. (And it’s gonna make the angst coming up so much sweeter.) We also learn a lot of interesting things about several characters, and Jekyll and Hyde’s relationship is currently deteriorating beautifully. I can’t get enough of this world.
And of course, the art is still gorgeous. S.H. Cotugno is a fantastic artist with a lot of experience and it definitely shows. I enjoy their art style quite a bit. Oh! And I almost forgot, I loved the little extra added here (that being the little prequel story). I loved the one added to the last installment too, but in a different way.
So yeah, I realize that I didn’t really have as much to say about The Glass Scientists this time around, but I both didn’t want to spoil anything nor be redundant. Rest assured, I still super enjoyed this volume and definitely recommend it to fans of volume one, gaslamp fantasy, comics and graphic novels and the original Strange Case novel.
This book is also perfect for the upcoming spooky season, so if it sounds intriguing to you, I’d give it a shot. The vibes are excellent for October.
And, as always, thank you to everyone so much for reading, and I hope you have an awesome day/night!
Guys. Last week I read so much. So much bookage. I can’t remember the last time I read so many books during one week. Sure, most of them were graphic novels – but it still totally counts! And I had a 9 day reading streak on The StoryGraph. Oh, and I brought back Weekly Wrap-Ups last Monday, too!
I really don’t have too much to say in my little makeshift intro this time. So let’s get on with the post!
Tuesday 10/17: The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch Review
Last Tuesday, I reviewed a great October read – one that’s a new release to boot. It was The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch by Melinda Taub. Perfect for Jane Austen (as it’s a reimagining of Pride and Prejudice), as well as fans of historical fantasy and retellings. I gave it ★★★★☆.
Wednesday 10/18: 1st Year Blogging Birthday / Can’t-Wait Wednesday
On Wednesday I ended up doing a rare double post, but it was a very special occasion. October 18th of 2022 is the day that I posted my first post on this blog, so it was my first blogging anniversary.
I also participated in Can’t-Wait Wednesday. Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Tressa @ Wishful Endings, and is where the books we’re all excited to read are spotlighted and discussed. The book I focused on was A Curse for True Love by Stephanie Garber.
A few days ago on Friday, I finally, finally posted my book recommendations for fall. There are so many spooky novels that I’ve had the pleasure of reading, as well as a ton of books that just have great autumn vibes that I love.
I didn’t even mean to post it on the year anniversary of my Fall Book Recommendations from 2022, but sometimes these weird coincidences just happen. (I had actually hoped to get it posted earlier.)
Yesterday, I reviewed the absolute cutest graphic novel – and one that has some of the most fall of fall vibes to boot! I really, really enjoyed it. Hooky by Miriam Bonastre Tur is a treasure. I gave it a median rating ★★★★✯.
So I did the posts that I’d hoped to do this past week, which makes me really happy. I feel like I’m starting to get back into the groove of things. I also did a ton of stuff outside of the blog that I’d wanted to get done as well, which made me feel great too.
Still reading One Piece 👒🏴☠️🌊🗺️, and I’m planning to for the foreseeable future. (It’s long AF, after all.) I finished the first arc – the East Blue arc – though. I’m planning on starting the next arc in November.
Regarding the books on my TBR that I’m gonna read next, well, A Curse for True Love 🦊🃏🏹💘 is coming out tomorrow, so that is definitely next next. After that, I’m planning on starting the Iron Druid Chronicles. 🪄🗡️ Ever since it caught my eye a couple months ago (the series has bright and beautiful eye-catching colors!), it’s been on my radar. The books totally look right up my alley, and I’ve finally decided to start the series. I hope that I like it! 🤞🍀
LOOK AT THEM – SO BRIGHT!!
Concerning non-book stuff that I did last week… there’s honestly not really anything. I just spent so much of it reading. I’ve been watching YouTube in some of my spare time not spent time reading or hanging with my spouse, and I mostly watched creepy videogames or continued with my Twilight Saga 🩸🧛🐺🌚 deep dives/roasts/in-depth plot summaries. I just finished the Eclipse one and am planning on moving to The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, before Breaking Dawn. It’s been a little thing I’ve been doing throughout the month of October to celebrate Halloween. 🎃🕸️ I’ve been watching one Twilight book analysis a week.
Other than all that… Hmmm, I haven’t been doing a ton else aside from the usual life stuff. Oh! My spouse and I picked up Super Mario Bros. Wonder 🐘🌈 yesterday to play, and have been enjoying it! It’s a lot of trippy fun, and is has some unique ideas. Other than that though, not a lot went on. I mean my spouse and I hit a relationship milestone, but that’s super personal so I’m not gonna be talking about it.
Anyway, what books did you read last week? What did you think of them? Have we been reading any of the same stuff lately?
As always, thanks to everyone so much for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful day/night! ☀️🌙
