💀 October Reviews 🎃
October 1st-31st
Another great reading month for me with 20 reads.
Book 101: The Raven Remix: A Mashup of Poe Titles
By Carolee Dean
Read October 3rd
Pages: 116
Release Year: 2024
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The Raven Remix is a clever parody of "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe. It is told in the style of the original, with the same rhythm and rhyme pattern. The story focuses on a young man who goes to a shop where creatures from Poe's works are escaping. I love that it is even interactive with a puzzle for the reader to solve with a cipher.
This would be a great piece to use in the classroom when teaching parody to your students, especially if they know Poe's works already. Also, there is supplemental material in the back of the book. Carolee Dean gives the reader information about Poe's life, stories, and poetry. There are brief descriptions about each that is referenced in the parody poem.
It would be a new and interesting way to introduce younger readers to Poe. I highly recommend this for middle-grade readers.
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*
Book 102: In the Garden of Monsters
By Crystal King
Read October 4th-7th
Pages: 336
Release Year: 2024
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An eerie historical fiction retelling of the Persephone (Proserpina) and Hades (Pluto) myth. This was a unique twist on the original story filled with a gothic atmosphere which pulled me in from the first page until the last. It is filled with over the top personalities such as Salvador Dalí and his wife, Gala Dalí, delicious descriptions of food, and art. The Sacro Bosco, Italy’s Garden of Monsters is an intriguing setting for such a story, which adds to the thrilling and mysterious mood of the tale. A perfectly haunting novel, for this time of year. I highly recommend it.
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC of the book. All opinions are my own.*
Book 103: The Canterville Ghost
By Oscar Wilde
Read October 7th
Pages: 126
Release Year: 1887
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I loved this “spooky” tale so much. It is about an American family moving into an old English mansion, which is being haunted by Sir Simon, The Canterville Ghost. The family is originally warned about moving into the house because of everyone getting scared. They at first do not believe in what they think is just nonsense, but soon realize that ghosts are real. It was so funny seeing how the family interacted with Sir Simon’s antics to try and scare them out of the house. One of my favorite parts deals with the bloodstain. This is definitely a story I will pick up again.
Book 104: Wizkit: An Adventure Overdue
By Tanya J. Scott
Read October 7th
Pages: 144
Release Year: 2023
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Such an adorable little story with beautiful illustrations. I loved how wholesome this tale was following Wizkit, as she goes on her first adventure into the world with her new friend Book. It has a lot of great messages for children and was reminiscent of many stories I’ve read/watched over the years, particularly The Pagemaster. I’d love to go to the library in this book too.
Book 105: The House with a Clock in Its Walls
By John Bellairs
Read October 7th-9th
Pages: 180
Release Year: 1973
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Such a great middle-grade horror. I watched the movie version of this a couple of years ago and have been wanting to read this ever since. John Bellairs balanced the creepy mood along with so many heartfelt scenes. Lewis’s relationship with his Uncle Jonathan and Mrs. Zimmerman was one I highly enjoyed and I cannot wait to see more of it in future books. A perfect book for October.
Book 106: The Figure in the Shadows
By John Bellairs
Read October 10th-11th
Pages: 155
Release Year: 1975
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I am loving this series so far and following Lewis, his Uncle Jonathan, Mrs. Zimmerman, and now Lewis’s new friend Rose Rita. It is great to have a story like this for younger readers where the main character is making mistakes and learning from them. Many times when magic is brought into books for this age range, it is made the solution to every problem that the children are in. This story is showing that it might not be.
The Figure in the Shadows has a sinister and creepy figure come into play, that adds to the spooky feeling of the novel. I love how Lewis is not only dealing with this aspect but also realistic elements such as bullying and self-esteem. Hopefully, the other novels will continue with Lewis’s growth as a character. Rose Rita was also a great addition to this story.
Book 107: Charmed Life
By Diana Wynne Jones
Read October 12th-13th
Pages: 272
Release Year: 1977
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What a charming start to this series. I loved this world especially as all the pieces started to come together in the later half of the book. Diana Wynne Jones is a master at creating a fantasy world that feels alive and real from the very first page. It surprised me how dark this book became and I look forward to seeing where the series will go from here. Chrestomanci is such an intriguing character and I’m interested in learning more about him. Also, in seeing Cat grow.
Book 108: The Letter, the Witch, and the Ring
By John Bellairs
Read October 12th-14th
Pages: 208
Release Year: 1976
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This is an entertaining continuation of the Lewis Barnavelt series, focusing mostly on Mrs. Zimmerman and Rose Rita. I was surprised how little Lewis and Uncle Jonathan were in the book, but it was just as enjoyable as the last. This was the creepiest book out of the series yet. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next.
Book 109: The Dragon’s Apprentice
By James A. Owen
Read October 14th
Pages: 376
Release Year: 2010
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Another great book in the series. I love the time travel adventures throughout each book and this one had a lot of them. It also has been great to see Rose, Burton, Houdini, Doyle, and Madoc grow as characters throughout the series along with our caretakers. I’m looking forward to seeing what will happen next. There are so many thought-provoking aspects in the story especially about the nature of good vs. evil and how this can change based on your actions.
Book 110: The Halloween Tree
By Ray Bradbury
Read October 17th-18th
Pages: 145
Release Year: 1972
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A pretty good Halloween story. It focuses on eight friends who are trying to find their friend Pipkin, who is taken early in the plot. They go to an old haunted mansion and meet a man named Moundshroud, who offers to help them find Pipkin. He takes them on a journey from Ancient Egypt to modern-day Mexico, to learn the truth about Halloween.
Bradbury has an interesting way of telling a story, but I will say some of it is a bit too wordy in parts. I did have a good time reading this though.
Book 111: A Fine and Private Place
By Peter S. Beagle
Read October 19th-20th
Pages: 320
Release Year: 1960
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A Fine and Private Place is about a man named Jonathan, who has lived in a cemetery for the last 19 years and how he was changed by two ghosts and a widower. Jonathan is a man who has forgotten how to live after being alone for so long and never leaving the cemetery. His only companionship is the ghosts of the people buried there and also a sarcastic talking raven. I loved this raven so much. He had many great lines throughout.
Jonathan’s lonely life changes after a university professor, Michael Morgan, gets buried there. They become friends, spend many days discussing life, death, and relationships, and also play games of chess. As time moves on, a woman named Laura is buried there too. She builds a friendship and later, a relationship with Michael. I loved how they all learned from each other.
Jonathan tries to avoid anyone else alive who comes to the cemetery. One day when he is walking with Michael, he cannot avoid a woman named Gertrude Klapper. She is a widower who comes to visit the grave of her deceased husband. They build a friendship, which helps Jonathan get over his issues with human interaction and also gives Gertrude the companionship she has been lacking since her husband passed away.
This book was funny, sad, and quite insightful. It is a story about learning how to live even with many of the characters being deceased. I love philosophical books that get you thinking, and this one was a great example. It is not a plot heavy book. Many scenes focus on discussions, but there is so much beauty in these conversations. The heart of the story is about the relationships you build in life and how important they are. It’s my favorite type of ghost story, and I could not get enough of Peter S. Beagle’s writing style. I cannot believe he wrote this book at 19. Every time I read one of his books, I come to realize what a one of a kind style he has.
I highly recommend this book.
*Thank you to Netgalley for my ARC of this edition of the book. All opinions are my own.*
Book 112: The Girl From the Other Side (Volume 1)
By Nagabe
Read October 21st
Pages: 177
Release Year: 2016
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A beautifully creepy fairytale that I had such a great time reading. I highly recommend picking this one up.
Book 113: The Girl from the Other Side (Volume 2)
By Nagabe
Read October 21st-22nd
Pages: 174
Release Year: 2016
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Love this creepy fairy tale so much.
Book 114: The Girl from the Other Side (Volume 3)
By Nagabe
Read October 22nd
Pages: 180
Release Year: 2017
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This has added so much more to the story that was definitely needed, though I’m hoping we learn more soon about what is going on with the Outsiders.
Book 115: The Girl from the Other Side (Volume 4)
By Nagabe
Read October 22nd
Pages: 180
Release Year: 2017
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I liked seeing Shiva’s aunt, Teacher, and Shiva trying to live together. There were many great scenes in this though it wasn’t my favorite from the series. The implications of the ending are probably going to make the next volume sad.
Book 116: The Girl from the Other Side (Volume 5)
By Nagabe
Read October 22nd
Pages: 180
Release Year: 2018
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I was right about this volume. These last couple volumes are making me hope we get to learn more about what is going on with the Outsiders and “mother soon.”
Book 117: The Ghost in the Mirror
By John Bellairs (finished by Brad Strickland)
Read October 22nd-23d
Pages: 176
Release Year: 1993
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The Ghost in the Mirror is definitely one of my favorite books so far in the series. I loved this adventure with Rose Rita and Mrs. Zimmerman, most of it taking place in the past. A great read for October.
Book 118: The Crimson Crown
By Heather Walter
Read October 23rd-25th
Pages: 544
Release Year: 2024
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A highly imaginative, twisted, and dark retelling of one of the most famous fairy tales there is. I love villain origin stories and Heather has created such a clever one with Ayleth’s story. I’ve been looking forward to picking this up ever since she first talked about it years ago and I’m very happy I did.
It was interesting to see how she took so many elements of the original story and used them within her own. The Crimson Crown focuses on Ayleth leaving her witch coven to go to court in hopes of finding what she needs there and to prove herself. She has never been respected by her mother, the head of the coven, and wants to prove that she is worthy of being her mother’s second. Though she does not feel like she ever could be. Out in the mortal world, she encounters, Jacquetta, the woman who betrayed her and broke her heart so many years before.
When she eventually finds herself at the White Palace, she starts having to spend time around the royals. Some who will accept her with open arms and others who want to use her for their own needs. I loved the queen, Sybil and the princess, Blodwyn. They were so different than expected and were such enjoyable characters to follow throughout the novel. I loved every scene with Blodwyn, who was my favorite character in the novel. We also get the White King, Callen, who is despicable and uses the women around him for his own needs. Callen was balanced between his charismatic scenes and then the ones when we saw his true nature.
This was one of the best retellings I have ever read for “Snow White,” even if it was just the origin of the Evil Queen. It was very dark throughout, with the evil forces seeming to be following Ayleth around everywhere. I love where this story went and cannot wait to read the next book in this duology.
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*
Book 119: Inkheart
By Cornelia Funke
Read October 28th-30th
Pages: 536
Release Year: 2003
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It will always be a joy to revisit Inkheart. I decided to do so this time to catch up with the series again before reading the fourth book The Colour of Revenge. Such a wonderful world and story.
January 17th-19th, 2021 reread:
The first time I picked up Inkheart was probably thirteen or fourteen years ago. I can vividly remember my excitement with this story. It was my first "book lovers'" book or book dealing with the love of reading and I was hooked.
I remember relating to Meggie and wanting to have a house where you were surrounded by books. Little did I know, how many books I would attain over the years. Also, when I originally read the book, I adored Elinor's character. I was distraught with what Capricorn's men do to her and rooted the entire time for her and the rest of the family. This time around I loved her just as much as the first time and am looking forward to seeing her more in the following books. She is literally what I wanted to be like as an older woman (still is...lol).
When I first read this book, I read it through the reader's perspective and loved the idea of being able to read your favorite characters out of books. It's funny, I was thinking about the characters that I would want to read out of books then and now. One of them would definitely be Sirius Black, which was one from back then too. I read this book from the reader's perspective again but I also read it from the writer's perspective too. I cannot imagine how surreal it would be to be in Fenoglio's place and meeting your own characters. It would be thrilling.
This book was one of my absolute favorites when I was younger and this time around it was just as great for me. I don't know why I waited this long to finish the series but I will be this year. It's kind of funny though because I heard that Cornelia is planning on continuing the series this year with a short book. So I picked the right time to do this.
Book 120: Inkspell
By Cornelia Funke
Read October 30th-31st
Pages: 655
Release Year: 2005
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2024 reread:
The Inkworld series showcases the beauty of the written word through its characters and world. I adored traveling through this story again as Meggie and her family all try to survive in Inkheart. The idea with the bound book is so clever.
2021 read:
I have loved Inkheart for a very long time, having read it over thirteen years ago and I have got to say this book is just as good as the first. It was interesting to go into the Inkworld and follow Meggie as she realizes that it is not as good as it seems. Truthfully, it's a dream for many readers to go into their favorite books but it sure would not be a good thing in some of them, especially Inkheart (the one in this book series). Next month, I will be finishing up the series and I cannot wait to see what happens next.