Happy Halloween! What's up? Not much has been happening in my life ... which is a good thing, lol! Here are a few things that made me happy recently:
1. I went for a hike last week! The picture above was taken from the boardwalk where my husband proposed to me on the same weekend four years ago. It was so sweet to revisit this favorite spot!
2. My husband and I watched the first two Spider-Man movies with Tobey Maguire last weekend, and we're planning to watch the third one this evening. I've been enjoying my education in superhero movies!
3. Fun fact: I'm a certified health coach, but I've never used my certification. This past week, I decided to get my personal training certification as well. My textbook came in the mail yesterday, and I started working on it today! I'm very excited.
All right, on to the books! All covers are linked to The Storygraph.
The Escape Game, by Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss
★★★★.5
Genre: YA Mystery/Thriller
Release Year: 2026
Okay, I loved this. The characters were entertaining, the plot kept me turning the pages, and that ending! I was delighted to find that, just as I had hoped, I was not expecting it at all.
The Rose Crown, by Catharine Glen
Genre: Fantasy
Release Year: 2016
For once, I was actually all ready to go find the sequel and buy it right after I finished this ... only to discover that it's a standalone. 😠I would have liked the magic and worldbuilding to be fleshed out a little more, and I wouldn't say there was huge character development, but the subtle romance and slow reveal of more and more evil was just enough to keep me invested in the story.
Miss Buncle's Book, by D.E. Stevenson
Genre: Fiction
Release Year: 1934
This was a very fun read! I'd recommend it if you're looking for something light to read this autumn.
Golden: A Retelling of Rapunzel, by Cameron Dokey
Genre: Fantasy
Release Year: 2006
Cameron Dokey writes the best darn fairytale retellings I ever did read. This one was no exception!
Bridge of Spies: A True Story of the Cold War, by Giles Whittell
Genre: Nonfiction/History
Release Year: 2010
I found this a little confusing; there were a lot of characters and the narrative seemed to jump around a lot, although all the threads came together at the end. It definitely was informational, and I feel like I have a slightly better grasp of the Cold War now, although I'd definitely need more than one book to fully understand it!
Arsenic and Adobo, by Mia P. Manansala
★★★
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release Year: 2021
While this was a quick and entertaining read, there were a few things that bothered me:
1) Ma'am, you just ate a whole meal between three lines of dialogue.
2) Lila is lactose intolerant but she eats cheese??
3) Why were Cate and Nancy bonding over coffee as kids??
Mistletoe & Movie Nights, by P Kettleburn*
Genre: Romance
Release Year: 2026
This was just the pick-me-up I needed after deciding to read way more horror/thriller/mystery than usual for spooky season! It was lovely to fast-forward to Christmas and get lost in a sweet double romance. P Kettleburn's humor really shines in this one, and I chuckled out loud multiple times while reading. If you're looking for a quick, funny, all-around delightful holiday romance, I'd recommend Mistletoe & Movie Nights!
*I received this as an ARC copy and this in no way influences my rating or review of this book. Mistletoe & Movie Nights releases on November 9–go snag yourself a copy!
A New Lease on Death, by Olivia Blacke
★★★.5
Genre: Mystery
Release Year: 2024
This was entertaining. I do like that the mystery for the next book was set up at the end, but I'm not sure if I'll continue with the series.
The Everlasting, by Alix E. Harrow
★★★★★
Genre: Fantasy
Release Year: 2025
This is the kind of book that breaks you and then puts you back together again and leaves you feeling a tiny bit awed.
Princesses Behaving Badly: Real Stories from History–without the Fairy-Tale Endings, by Linda Rodriguez McRobbie
★★★★
Genre: Nonfiction/History
Release Year: 2013
Very interesting read!
The Fox Wife, by Yangsze Choo (Audio)
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Release Year: 2024
This one has been on my TBR for quite some time, so I'm glad I finally got around to it! I enjoyed the setting, the characters, and the story. I also loved Yangsze Choo's voice!
Reading Goals/Challenges
Goodreads Challenge: 102 / 120 (11 in October)
Paper TBR: 16 / 12 (1 in October)
Nonfiction: 23 / 12 (2 in October)
National Month Challenge: 10 / 12 (1 in October)
Cover Lovers Reading Challenge: 39 / 50 (4 in October)
New Release Challenge: 18 / 12 (2 in October)
Rereads: 7 / 5 (0 in October)
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