In October I read eight books and watched one movie.

Books:

The first book I read was Food to Die For: Recipes and Stories from America’s Most Legendary Haunted Places by Amy Bruni. This is a cookbook written by paranormal investigator Amy Bruni. She takes recipes that are connected to haunted places and uses this to tell the story of these places. A cool concept and I liked the stories but some of the recipes are out there and I’m not sure many people would make them.

Next I read Queen Demon by Martha Wells and I have a full review posted as well. This is the second book in the Rising World series and we follow Kai and his companions after the event of Witch King. The story focuses on the fact that Dahin believes that he knows the location of the Hierarchs well of power and the possibility of a new Hierarch rising. I greatly enjoy this series and based on the ending I do expect that there will be at least one more book in the series.

Ahsoka by E.K. Johnston is a Star Wars canon novel following Ahsoka after the end of the Clone Wars and surviving Order 66. She is traveling to different planets and working odd jobs while hiding that she used to be a Jedi. To save the people she has grown to care about Ahsoka realizes that she never really stopped being a Jedi and starts to work with the Rebellion.

A Dead Djinn in Cairo by P. Djeli Clark is a short story set before A Master of Djinn. In an alternate Cairo where magic and supernatural entities exist, when an odd suicide happens investigator Fatima must find out the truth and stop a plot that could unravel time itself. While connected to A Master of Djinn it doesn’t require you to have read any part of the series before this short story. I enjoyed this and plan to read more of the series in the future.

Sister Wife: A Memoir of Faith, Family, and Finding Freedom by Christine Brown Woolley is Christine’s story from the show Sister Wives. This book starts with her childhood, follows into her early marriage with Cody, then starting the show to eventually leaving both the Church and Cody. It’s nice to see this story told by one of the wives. Though I do feel like this is Christine’s truth which might be different for other members of the family.

The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher follows a young woman, Mouse, who agrees to clean out her grandmothers horded house but there are things in the woods. A creepy horror story but does tell you that everything will be fine at the beginning. The ending is fairly cathartic for the characters. This was a reread for me as my book club was reading it and I still really liked it.

Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire is the seventh book in the Wayward Children series and I have a full review posted as well. After having been to the Moors Cora is having nightmares and decides to transfer to the Whitethorn Institute the “sister” school to Eleanor West’s but this school focuses on making the students forget about their door and reinter society. However, it’s clear that something not quite right is happening at the Whitethorn Institute. I didn’t like this one as much as others in the series but I think some of the information introduced will come back in future stories.

The last book I read was I Will Judge You By Your Bookshelf by Grant Snider. An illustrated book/comic about books, book lovers, and writers. Cute but doesn’t have much substance though I would recommend to big book lovers.

Movies:

The only movie I watched this month was 28 Days Later. I’ve never watched 28 Days Later before but since 28 Years Later is now on Netflix I decided it was time to watch it. Overall, I enjoyed this zombie movie and can see why it was so popular.

 In August I only finished one TV show and one movie so I decided to combine the August and September Wrap Ups. In September I read five books, watched two movies, and played the demo for a new video game.

Books:

The Unwanted Guest by Tamsyn Muir is a short story in the Locked Tomb series. Palamades Sextus and Ianthe Tridentarius match wits on a dreamlike battlefield. Mostly a discussion between these two characters which I don’t feel like I understood but I liked it. Honestly, most Locked Tomb things leave me confused.

The Cautious Traveler’s Guide to the Wastelands by Sarah Brooks is a historical fantasy where the Trans-Siberian Express train travels the wastelands to connect Russia and China. We follow different passengers on the train and learn how the wastelands are changing and how that impacts the passengers.

Mistress of Lies by K.M. Enright is a dark fantasy set in a world where society is divided by between those who are blood workers and those who are not. Blood workers use blood to do different magic and is vampiric in nature. We follow Shan who is trying to protect her brother and Samuel who has a terrible gift as they have been tasked to find out who has been committing murders in the city. I liked the story overall and was not expecting how it ended. I look forward to continuing this series.

Manga Classics: Dracula is a manga retelling of Dracula by Bram Stoker and I have a full review posted. While it is a retelling based on changing the medium the story is told in it is using the original text of the novel and is fairly accurate to the novel. I enjoyed this take on Dracula and would recommend this as a way to get in to the story if you didn’t enjoy the reading experience of the original novel.

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Mass is the first book in this romantasy series inspired by Beauty and the Beast. We follow Feyre who kills a wolf in the woods to use the pelt for money to feed her family. However, it turns out that the wolf was a fae and now Feyre must go to the fae realm and live there for the rest of her days. This is a reread for me as I intend to continue on with the series but I didn’t remember much from the first time I read it. While I understand that not everyone will like Mass’s world and stories I enjoyed it and would recommend it as an intro to romantasy.

TV:

The only TV show I finished was season one of The Terror. The Terror is a drama/supernatural anthology series where each season is a contained and unconnected story, the first season is based on a book by the same name. Season one follows the events of the Franklin expedition to find the North West Passage through the Arctic Ocean and was supposed to be a sea lane connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The expedition gets stuck in the ice and after an encounter with some of the natives a something starts terrorizing them. This is an interesting take on a historical event and while I enjoyed it, it’s a very slow start. I do intend to watch the next season which is set during World War II at a Japanese internment camp.

Movies:

The first movie I watched was A Quite Place Day One. Which heads up the cat survives because I did look that up before watching. This is the third A Quite Place movie but is a prequel to the other two as it follows the events of what happened when everything fell apart and the aliens appear. We are in New York City following Sam, a hospice patient, and Eric, a law student, who end up helping each other.

Next I watched Annabelle Creation which is the second Annabell movie and part of the Conjuring Universe. I’m slowly making my way through the Conjuring movies and trying to watch them in release order. Annabelle Creation focuses on how the Annabelle doll became possessed and what happened before the Warrens obtain it. While I’ve enjoyed all of the Conjuring movies so far I didn’t like this one as much and didn’t really care about most of the characters.

Last I watched The Nun. This is the first Nun movie in the Conjuring Universe and tells us some of the story about the Nun demon Valak before the Warrens become involved. We follow Sister Victoria and Father Burke as they investigate the suicide of a Nun at a remote monastery in Romania. I enjoyed this Conjuring Universe movie and expect that some of the characters will return from how the movie ends.

Game:

The only game I played was the demo for Draculesti which is a romantic horror visual novel where you play a Tans Renfield who is working for Dracula and might find romance along the way. Currently a Demo on Steam and has had a successful Kickstarter to finish the game. I enjoyed the demo and can’t wait to play the full game when it’s released. While not accurate to the original Dracula story I would recommend it to fans of vampires and visual novels.

In March I read three books and watched a movie. All the books I read this month also have full reviews already posted.

Books:

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells is the second book in the Murderbot Diaries. We follow Murderbot after he has left the group from book one to try and find out why and how he was involved in a massacre at a mining facility before the start of the series. I loved seeing how Murderbot is trying to blend in and the relationship with the ship ART.

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers is the first book in the Monk and Robot series. We follow Dex a tea monk that travels and helps people by listing to problems kind of like a therapist. While stuck in a rut Dex decides to travel into the wilderness and ends up meeting the robot Mosscap. Mosscap has been sent on a journey by other robots to try and find out what humans need. They end up helping and learning from each other on their travels.

The last book I read this month was Overgrowth by Mira Grant. We follow Stasia who has always said that she is an alien disguised as a human and that the alien armada is coming. When a alien signal is broadcast people start realizing that maybe she wasn’t lying and it may be too late to change anything. This is a creepy and thought provoking read.

Movies:

The only movie I watched this month was the 2022 Hellraiser movie. This horror movie I felt was okay but I don’t think it compares to the original Hellraiser movie. However, if you are looking for a movie to watch with friends I think you would have a good time.

In September I read five books and watched two movies.

Books:

Egypt’s Second Born by Lauren Lee Merewether is the fifth novella in the Lost Pharaoh Chronicles Prequel series. We follow young prince Amenhotep in the events before Salvation in the Sun. The main focus is on the relationship between Amenhotep and his brother and how their individual relationships with their father are so different. This also gives insight into Amenhotep’s insecurities and where he is emotionally at the start of Salvation in the Sun. This was well written and a very good character study.

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster which was a selection for the book club I’m in. This is a children’s fantasy story that follows Milo who thinks everything is boring but a mysterious tollbooth shows up in his room. He ends up traveling to the Lands Beyond and having an adventure. A cute story that would be great for kids.

Black Talon by Jaime Castle is the start of an Adult fantasy series set in a world where some of the elites have soul bonds with dragons which gives them access to power and magic. The story is told from two perspectives, Kullen who is the emperor’s assassin, and Natisse who is part of the rebellion. Interesting concepts but I don’t plan to continue with the rest of the series. I would have preferred the story to be just from Kullen’s perspective.

The Mitanni Princess by Lauren Lee Merewether is the last novella in the Lost Pharaoh Chronicles Prequel series. We follow the Mitanni Princess Tadukhipu who just wants to paint and love the servant she has fallen for. However she is forbidden to do this and is eventually married off to the Pharaoh. While I don’t understand why she is band from painting I liked Tadukhipu as a character and look forward to seeing her again the Lost Pharaoh Chronicles.

Crape Jugulum by Terry Pratchett is the last book I read this month and another book cub pick. This is one of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld book. An interesting take on vampires and I loved how they tried to acclimate themselves to their weakness. My first Discworld book but while I liked some of the ideas I don’t think Discworld is for me as I don’t read much comedy and very pick with it.

Movies:

The first movie I watched was Annabell. Being spooky season and close to Halloween I intended to watch more horror movies but didn’t get around to many. Annabell is one of the Conjuring Universe movies focusing on the haunted doll Annabell and what happen before the Warren took her. Fairly good haunted doll movie but what I don’t get is why to doll even before its supposed to be haunted is so creepy looking. I would never let that doll into my house.

The only other movie I watched this month was Bettlejuice Bettlejuice which is the sequel to the 1988 film Bettlejuice. While I like the movie, it is a weird movie, there were some plot elements that felt a little rushed to me mostly all the stuff with Bettlejuice’s ex-wife. I loved that most of the original cast was able to return and it didn’t feel like just a cash grab to me.

In August I read four books and watched two movies. I’m currently catching up on all the post that didn’t get published in 2024.

Books:

The first book I read was Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett. This is a historic fantasy following Emily Wilde as she researches fairies and folklore. She arrives at a remote village where she discovers some darker magic and unexpected friendships. When her academic rival Wendell arrives love starts to brew. Emily is a research rat who seems to care more about learning then people but she ends up connecting with the villagers.

The next book I read was Cabinet of Curiosities: A Historical Tour of the Unbelievable, the Unsettling, and the Bizarre by Aaron Mahnke. This is a collection of historical stores and anecdotes about weird things throughout history. The title is accurate as this truly is a cabinet of curiosities through stories. However, at times if felt like we were just scratching the surface of these stories.

Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree is the prequel to Legends & Lattes. We follow Viv when she is working for the mercenary company Rackam’s Ravens when she gets injured and is forced to stay in the town of Murk. She ends up meeting and helping the owner of a bookstore and fighting the villain the mercenary group was after. Bookshops & Bonedust shows us who Viv was before she opened the coffee shop and how what you want and need changes over time.

Lucy Undying by Kiersten White is a young adult vampire story following Lucy from Dracula who did not dye and her connection present day with Iris, a woman who is trying to escapes her family and their evil vampire MLM. I have a full review posted and would recommend reading that for more information.

Movies:

The first movie that I watched was Urban Myths from 2022 which is a Korean horror anthology movie. There are ten different parts with each being about 20 minutes long. The focus of each one is a different myth about familiar things such as school, mannequins, social media, and unexplained noises. While I didn’t like all of them I found it an interesting watch that felt different than American horror movies.

The next movie I watched was The Conjuring. I haven’t seen all of the Conjuring movie yet but wanted to re-watch the first before continuing on. The Conjuring follows the paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren during the Perron family case where they believe that their house is haunted. While I like the Conjuring movies I would say to take the based on a true story bit with a grain of salt.

In June I read seven books and watched two movies. Mostly fantasy and science fiction but some nonfiction as well.

Books:

The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War by Erik Larson is a historic nonfiction about what happened in the five months between Abraham Lincolns’ election and the start of the Civil War. Civil War history is generally not something I’m interested in but Erik Larson makes history very readable. I would recommend this book if you are a fan of Erik Larson or are interested in the history of the Civil War.

The next book I read was The Fifth Prophet by Lauren Lee Merewether which is the fourth novella in the Lost Pharaoh Chronicles Prequel series. This one follows Pawah as he becomes a scribe at the temple of Anum and everything he will do to become more powerful. As this follows the villain of the Last Pharaoh Chronicles I didn’t enjoy this one as much as the others in the series but I wonder if I would have liked it more if I had read the Lost Pharaoh Chronicles first as I’m reading in chronological order of events not the publication order.

A Darker Shade of Magic by Victoria Schwab is the first book in the Shades of Magic series. In this world there are multiple universes and those with specific magic can travel between different London’s. We follow Kell who is being framed and Lilah a thief who is helping him. I should have liked this but while I liked the magic and Kell I hated Lilah and didn’t feel much of a connection to this story.

Saiyuki Resurrected Edition volume 4 by Kazuya Minekura is the last volume of these editions of Saiyuki and I have a full review posted for the series. Overall I still love this series.

World War Z by Max Brooks is a zombie story told as an oral history through interviews with different characters explaining what they did and how the world survived the zombies. This is a different take on zombies and how the world would cope in this situation then most stories and is very different than the movie adaptation. I would hope that humanity would ban together if something like this were to happen but after Covid I’m less optimistic.

Buried Deep and Other Stories by Naomi Novik is a collection of short stories including a look at the world her next novel is set in and one of the first stories that became Spinning Silver. I received a review copy of this from Netgalley and have a full review going through each of the stories. Overall I would recommend this if you are a fan of Novik’s work.

Queen’s Hope by E.K. Johnston is the last book in the Star Wars Padme trilogy. We follow Padme Amidala as a senator at the beginning of the Clone Wars. This focuses on what Padme’s role is now after her marriage to Anakin and the start of the war. We also see how her relationships with the handmaidens has changed over the years specifically with Sabe and what she is doing on Tatooine.

Movies:

I also watched two movies this month both Japanese. The first was One Cut of the Dead which is a zombie comedy movie similar to Shaun of the Dead in the humor. At first it seem like we are seeing a zombie outbreak on the set of a movie shoot but its much more than that.

The next movie I watched was Godzilla Minus One which is a Godzilla movie set after World War II following a Kamikaze pilot who survived the war and saw Godzilla at the end of the war. He now feels like he needs to be part of the group that kills Godzilla. I’m not the biggest Godzilla fan but this movie was very good.