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Was October my slowest reading month in years? I think so. I only read four books. Four! My parents came to visit and we did a southern California/Arizona road trip for like two weeks.
Guess how many books I read on that trip? One. ONE! I had a stack to read so I could send them home and I only read one.
And it was one they brought out with them and I technically finished it in November. So it’s safe to say October was a fun travel month but an underwhelming reading one.
And of the four I did read, I only gave one four stars. ONE. The rest were three or less. Yikes. November is already better though so it’s ok. I think it’s because pressure to finish them to send home is gone.
- If you want to listen to some of these, consider trying Audible! You can get your first month free (one free book) plus tons of others they have for free. Get that Audible deal here.
- If you’re on more of a budget, try Scribd! You can get your first month free there. You can read books and listen to audiobooks. It is unlimited (especially the reading) but if you listen to tons of new audiobooks you may be restricted after a few. I don’t listen to enough to confirm this, but I do use Scribd myself and like it a lot. Sign up for Scribd here!
- Shop my collection of bookish goodies on Etsy! These aren’t my shop items, but other shops I’ve curated into a book-themed collection. Shop my Etsy bookish goodies here!
- If you want to read more on your Kindle but don’t want to buy books, Kindle Unlimited is a wonderful option. It’s $9.99 a month but if you read a lot and like to read more than just new releases, it could be worth it. Get Kindle Unlimited here!
- Get $5 off of $25 from BookOutlet! This is a great place to find new books for pretty cheap. They also have sales quite a bit, so keep an eye out for those. I tend to check here for books I want if they’re more expensive other places. They don’t have everything but they do have a lot. Shop BookOutlet here!
- Thrift Books has become my go-to when I’m looking for a book and want it cheap. It’s great if you like buying used books. With this you can get a free book after spending $30!
- Shop my book lists here! You can find every book list I have on Bookshop.org (except my monthly round-ups) and I add everything I can but they occasionally won’t have some. I do occasionally add extras though. If any lists are empty, they’ll be filled in shortly! Shop my bookshop.org book lists here.
Slasher Girls & Monster Boys
Author: A collection of authors
Genre: YA horror anthology
Rating: 2/5
About the book: This YA horror anthology comes from some of the best YA authors. Each story draws from a classic tale or two (not always horror) to inspire something new and terrifying. You’ll be on the edge of your seat with these stories that make you think. You’ll find bloody horror, supernatural creatures, and a little bit of all-too-possible realism.
Final thoughts: From GoodReads: Not a fan. I liked the Jay Kristoff story the most and kind of liked the last one but most just didn’t do it for me
2084
Author: Mason Engel
Genre: YA dystopian
Rating: generous 2.5/5
About the book: It’s 2084 and everyone wears Lenses, computerized glass contacts made by a company called Newsight. Breaches in privacy aren’t a concern since they’re regulated by the Senate. But Vincent, the son of a Senator, feels quite different.
He learns the CEO of Newsight wants to use data collected to fight the Order, a terrorist organization mounting more frequent attacks but their motives aren’t entirely clear until he meets a girl at school whose father is a Newsight developer.
Newsight is closer to the Order than anyone expects. Vincent finally finds the truth but it may be too late.
Final thoughts: From GoodReads: This is a generous 2.5. The last 25% was a blur that I barely remember. I really don’t like books that are near(ish) future, and 63 years is near enough, where the world doesn’t resemble the current world in any way whatsoever and this is that. And seeing other comparisons with 1984 makes me like it less because I actually liked 1984
The Hiding Place
Author: C.J. Tudor
Genre: Thriller
Rating: 3.5/5
About the book: Joe never wanted to come back to Arnhill after the way things ended with his old gang and what happened to his younger sister. But he has no choice after a chilling email lands in his inbox.
He lies his way into a teaching job at his former high school and is facing off with old friends and enemies that aren’t happy he’s back. But the hardest part is going back to the old mine where his life changed forever.
Final thoughts: I had no recollection of this one when I first started writing this, so that’s a great sign, right?
Here’s from GoodReads: Probably 3.5 but I liked it more than I didn’t
Sorcery of Thorns
Author: Margaret Rogerson
Genre: YA fantasy
Rating: 4/5
About the book: Elisabeth has always known that all sorcerers are evil. She was raised as a foundling in a Great Library of Austermeer among the magical tools of sorcery: grimoires whispering on shelves and rattling in chains.
She hopes to become a warden charged with protecting the kingdom from their power but an act of sabotage releases the most dangerous grimoire and her desperate intervention implicates her in the crime.
She is left to face justice in the capital and the only person she can turn to is Nathaniel Thron, her sworn enemy, and his demonic servant. As their alliance grows stronger, she starts to question everything she was taught.
Final thoughts: I liked this one a lot, especially everything library about it. All the little book/library-related critter and magic, big fan. I did like An Enchantment of Ravens more, but I still really enjoyed this one.
Have you read any of these? Which ones? What did you read in October?
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