As autumn is nearing its end, I want to discuss the books I have read during this season and provide my thoughts on each of them (without spoiling too much of course). I thoroughly enjoyed diving into the world of spooky books this fall and I am mournful to see this season come to an end. While writing these reviews, I will be savoring the final moments of fall.
Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks (5 stars)
This graphic novel was a perfect first dive into the fall season for me. This book depicts the most picturesque pumpkin patch that I would spend the whole season in if it were real. The graphic novel aspect made it so I could almost smell/hear the setting because there is so much detail in the pages. The "romance drama" takes away from the light and fluffy experience a bit, but there is a happy ending that makes up for it all. Next year, I will definitely be rereading this and including all of the food/drink that is mentioned so I will be fully immersed in the story.
Amazon Affiliate Link to Book: https://amzn.to/3AeiVT3
The Mystery at Lilac Inn by Carolyn Keene (4 stars)
This Nancy Drew classic did not disappoint. If you are looking for a mid-grade mystery to cozy up with for a night or two, this is a perfect book for you to read during the fall season. I have to compare Nancy Drew to Scooby Doo since I have been watching lots of Scooby Doo this season too. Mystery always seems to find Nancy Drew, just like the Mystery Inc. Gang, and the mystery is solved by the end of every story without getting too much into the weeds. Also, I never realized that she is a young adult which made the story more relatable than I thought it was going to be. Love the vintage vibes as well. Can't go wrong!
Amazon Affiliate Link to Book: https://amzn.to/40NbwoH
The Saturday Night Ghost Club by Craig Davidson (3 stars)
The Satruday Night Ghost Club dives into an Uncle-Nephew relationship. The uncle is a bit strange, but the nephew finds him intriguing and mysterious. They live in Niagara Falls during the 1980s (great setting) and go out "ghost-hunting" during the summer nights as the Saturday Night Ghost Club. The club activities seem to be more personal to the uncle than meets the eye and a dark past is revealed. This was a great base for a story, but I was left wanting more. This book is relatively short (206 pages) and I think there could've been another 200 pages added to enhance the story.
Amazon Affiliate Link to Book: https://amzn.to/3Ae7xXl
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (4 stars)
Let me just say Bod has my heart. This is a typical coming-of-age story with a twist of danger set in a graveyard (so maybe not so typical). It is Bod against the world of the living and Bod is having trouble figuring out where he belongs. Throughout his journey, he meets ghosts, ghouls, girls, spirits, werewolves, witches, and Jacks. All of whom make an impression on the young boy as he grows up (and me as the reader). This is a true modern-day classic fairy tale that is worth the read and a perfect read for the Halloween season.
Amazon Affiliate Link to Book: https://amzn.to/4hwVLbi
Pumpkin Spice & Poltergeist by Ali K. Mulford and K. Elle Morrison (5 stars)
Pumpkin Spice & Poltergeist had me from Page 1. The magical feeling of Maple Hollow and everyone who resides there filled me up with Autumnal Spirit. I want to find this place on a map and go there immediately (if I am welcome of course) and it fuels my dream to have a storefront in a small town. The main character has her hands full throughout the entire book but manages to keep it together to find a whimsical ending. This story is bound to put a spell on you during the fall season.
Amazon Affiliate Link to Book: https://amzn.to/4ftFnq3
The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin (2 stars)
The Immortalists follows a set of siblings through their lives as they carry a fate they were given by a psychic when they were children. It shows how everyone deals with their prophecies differently, fighting destiny and choice as they play the game of life. It is a family saga filled with family drama. This book did not give the fall vibes I was hoping for and was a little too deep for my liking.
Amazon Affiliate Link to Book: https://amzn.to/4fwDOb5
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (5 stars)
Ninth House is a beautiful mix of magical fantasy and brutal reality that almost feels like a real story. Set at one of the most renowned universities in the world and involving real-life secret societies, this story has my conspiracy theory-loving mind turning ever since I put this book down. The world is a dark place. The more elite you are, the more secrets you have to hide.
Amazon Affiliate Link to Book: https://amzn.to/4hx1uOo
A Discover of Witches by Deborah Harkness (5 stars)
I have to say this book took the cake this year. A Discovery of Witches is the most enchanting book I have ever put my hands on. The passion. The tension. The setting. The history. The whole thing is absolutely mesmerizing. The forbidden love between a witch and a vampire is bound to shed blood, but on top of that, Diana is the key to something big. Can they outrun tradition? The show adaptation is currently on Netflix and the first season tracks with the book very well (which you can not say about most shows that are based on books). I can not wait to get my hands on the rest of the trilogy.
Amazon Affiliate Link to Book: https://amzn.to/3UzOGNd
A Dark and Secret Magic by Wallis Kinney (5 stars)
A Dark and Secret Magic greatly exceeded my expectations. This story had me feeling every emotion as I walked through Hacate's journey of self-discovery. Everything that I love about the Halloween season is in this book and there were many times while I was reading, I found myself saying "This reminds me of something that happened in Insert a Favorite Halloween Movie Here!". But don't let me fool you, there is quite a plotline that should not be slept on. And there are even a few of the recipes mentioned in the back of the book?! Absolute perfection. The beauty of October shines bright in this story and it is an absolutely perfect read for the Halloween season.
Amazon Affiliate Link to Book: https://amzn.to/3YND8sh
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