Ah yes, it is finally that time of year. The time of year where I can fill my entire life with anything and everything spooky. And with all that spooky, I of course have to include all the spooky books I can find. I don’t think I ever get as excited to create a TBR as I do during October. I spend all year finding and shelving spooky books just so I can pull them out in October.
Another thing that comes in October is the Hocus Pocus Readathon, a month-long readathon that I work on each year with a group of amazing bookworms. It is officially year 3 of this readathon, and I couldn’t be more excited. It definitely gets better and better each year, and I love seeing how the community has grown over time! For more information, and to see all the rules and prompts, visit this page.
And with no surprise to anyone reading this, I am also very very behind on reading my list of 21 books to read in 2021, and my Goodreads challenge. So I am trying to fit as many books as I can into the next three months. Just like every other year. So, not all of these books will be spooky, because I need to get through some of the books I already planned on reading this year. But enough of them will be that I will still enjoy my October reading.
But anyway, here are all the spooky books on my spooky TBR for this season.
Hocus Pocus Readathon TBR (Team Trick or Treaters)
Group Book
I don’t have a lot of choice with this one, since it’s the group book, but I’m not mad about it. I have been meaning to read The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman for two years now, so what better time to read it than now. Having read the first couple of chapters, I am excited to keep going. I love a good atmospheric read this time of year, and by those first pages, I can tell it will be exactly that.
Well, it says to form a circle of salt to protect from zombies, witches, and old boyfriends: Read a romance book
American Royals by Katherine McGree has been on my TBR for a while. It definitely has some mixed reviews on Goodreads, but I was so intrigued by the premise, that America was being ruled by a royal family, I knew I was going to need to read it at some point. And I don’t read a lot of romance, so I thought I would throw it in with this prompt.
Couldn’t you forget about being a cool teenager just for one night? Max is brave: Read a book featuring brave characters
With the number of positive reviews I have heard about Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko, I knew I needed to get my hands on a copy of this book. I first heard of this book while listening to the author talk about it during a panel for YallWest, and I was hooked. With the premise being about someone who needs to protect someone they thought they were supposed to destroy, I am sure to find some brave characters in this book.
It’s all just a bunch of hocus pocus: Read a book about witches
I had Witches of Ash & Ruin by E. Latimer on my TBR last year and I wasn’t able to finish it. But a wonderful bookworm over on bookstagram gifted me a copy and I really want to read it. I love dark, creepy, and witchy books, so I am sure to love this one. I will say, there are some mixed reviews of this one on Goodreads as well, but hey, maybe I will be on the positive side of the mix.
It’s a full moon tonight, that’s why all the weirdos are out: Dress up in a Halloween costume and read a scary book
I have this cozy onesie that looks like a black cat that I wear very often during the month of October, and I feel like that is an appropriate Halloween costume to wear as I read Horrid by Katrina Leno for this prompt. I adore the cover of this book, and I have been wanting to read it ever since I received it in an OwlCrate box last year.
Welcome to Highschool Hell: Read a book set in high school, or that featured high school students
Not only does this book feature high school students, but it also features DANCERS, my favorite subject to read about! I have been meaning to read this since I bought it nearly 5 years ago, and I definitely wanted to read it before the Netflix series came out. I still haven’t seen the series because I wanted to read the book first, so now’s the time. Also, I am pretty sure that this book has some mystery to it, so it’s perfect for October!
Everyone here knows that Halloween was invented by the candy companies. It’s a conspiracy: Read a book set during the month of October
As I have said in previous blog posts, I am trying to expand my reading horizons. I am trying to read more than just current fiction and young adult novels. So why not start with one of my favorite genres. Of course, Ray Bradbury is revered for Something Wicked this way Comes. October is the perfect month to read it considering the book occurs the week before Halloween. Perfect!
Extra Books of my TBR
Because I have no self-control… or should I say shelf-control… I have a lot more books I am planning on reading during the month of October.
My goal was to read Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo before the release of the Netflix series. Clearly, I did not accomplish that… That seems to be a trend with me, doesn’t it? But never late than ever, I am planning on reading this in October so I can finally watch the series.
The amount of times this book has been recommended to me is wild! Everyone who knows my reading taste knows I will enjoy the atmospheric quality of Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I don’t know a lot about the plot of this book, but that is my favorite way to go into a book, especially in this genre.
Another book I have been recommended a ton is The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd- Jones. It has also been on the top of my TBR for some time now. I bought it back in March and have been biding my time until October so I can read it during the spooky season.
With all my love for morally gray characters, I have never actually read Vicious by V.E. Schwab. I am really hoping I enjoy this book, but I don’t have a lot of hope. The past two Schwab books I have read have certainly disappointed me. Here is hoping this one is a hit, so I don’t have to give up on Victoria Schwab.
Can’t go wrong with some feminist short stories for October reads! The patriarchy can be scary! This collection features horror, humor, fantasy, and more, all interwoven throughout the stories. I received this book in the October Literati box, and I am excited by the idea of reading a short story collection. I have never read one, and I can’t wait to expand my horizons even more.
Honestly, I want to start reading all the spooky books already. However, I am beginning my month reading American Royals so I can get the non-spooky book out of the way first. That way I can fill the rest of the month with all the spooky and mysterious books.
What books do you have planned for October? Let me know in the comments below!
Thanks for reading!
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