October just wasn’t a great month for me which was such a bummer since it’s one of my favorite months because of Halloween. Crossing my fingers that November is better. I’m kind of just ready to move on from this month and am just really sad I wasn’t able to enjoy the Halloween season as much as I wanted to. I read seven books this month. Less than I have been used to this year, but considering all the ups and downs I had, this feels like a huge accomplishment. Technically I have already reached my Goodreads goal of 50 books this year, but I’m lowkey aiming for 100 books. I am currently at 84, so I think I have a pretty good chance. I am planning to take two or three weeks away from the blog in November. I love my blog, but the holiday season can be truly exhausting and if I can give myself a little break, I will.
Favorite Book in October:
I absolutely loved Isabel Cañas’s The Hacienda. It was the perfect book for October. If you are looking for a good atmospheric gothic horror novel, this debut has to be on your must read list. Cover linked to Goodreads.
Least Favorite Book This Month:
No book received less than three stars from me.
Other Books I read in October:
(Covers linked to Goodreads.)
✿ A Proposal They Can’t Refuse by Natalie Caña
✿ The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward
✿ Tiny Nightmares: Very Short Stories of Horror edited by Lincoln Michel and Nadxieli Nieto
✿ Tomie by Junji Ito
✿ The Between by Tananarive Due
✿ Bad Witch Burning by Jessica Lewis
Reviews Posted:
(Covers linked to reviews)
Notable Blog Posts:
Talk Chisme to Me: SFF Middle Grade Books by Latinx Authors – Loved making this list of SFF middle grade books by Latine authors for Latinx Heritage Month. I highly recommend checking them all out!
Talk Chisme to Me: Latinx Romance Authors on My Radar – I want to try to pick up more romance books by Latine authors, so I made this list of writers on my radar.
Talk Chisme to Me: 2023 Releases by Latine Authors I’m Excited For – For my final Talk Chisme to Me post for Latine Heritage Month I highlighted my most anticipated reads for the new year. There are so many amazing sounding books by Latine authors coming our way.
Top Ten Tuesday: Latinx-Owned Bookstores – Consider supporting these Latine-owned independent bookstores!
Top Ten Tuesday: Last Ten Horror Books Added to My TBR – Sharing the last ten horror books I added to my TBR for Halloween freebie week!
The Horror Movie Book Tag – I didn’t have time to do my usual October Fright posts this year, but I had fun doing a couple of tags including this one where I recommend both books and horror movies.
Halloween Book Covers Tag – Another Halloween-themed book tag I enjoyed putting together!
What I Watched/Am Watching:
Hellraiser (2022) – I watched the second original Hellraiser and actually enjoyed it more than the first. I wanted to get to the third movie before the new one came out since that was the one that terrified me as a kid, but wasn’t able to. I ended up watching the new one and thought it was just okay. I feel like it lacked urgency and wanted more from the sister-brother relationship supposedly at its center.
Terrifier – I was curious and I wish I hadn’t been. This is definitely not my kind of horror movie. It was gory for gory’s sake without much substance. I’m kind of disappointed I didn’t watch more horror this month because what I did watch was kind of a letdown.
November Releases I’m Excited For:
(Covers linked to Goodreads.)
How was your October? Did you read any scary books or watch any scary movies? Which November release are you most looking forward to? Let me know in the comments and be sure to leave a link to your own wrap-up post, so I can visit!
A Kernel of Nonsense 
I’m sorry October wasn’t such a great month for you. I hope things pick up in November for you 💜💜
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Thank you 💕
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Great post!
I didn’t read anything last month, but hopefully this month I get around to reading the last book in The Summer I Turned Pretty series.
Last month, I watched the film adaptation of My Best Friend’s Exorcism. I try to read a book before I watch its adaptation, but the cover to the book scared me a bit, lol, so I decided to just watch the film instead. It was good, and not too scary, thankfully.
A November book release I’m looking forward to is Good Rich People. It’s not a new release, but in November it’s coming out in paperback. I don’t know much about the story, but I’ve heard it’s a really good thriller.
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I meant to watch My Best Friend’s Exorcism. I’m glad you liked, I will have to check it out. I don’t think I’ve heard of Good Rich People. I just checked out the synopsis and I am intrigued.
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I’m sorry October wasn’t a great month for you, especially with it usually being you favorite month. I really hope november is better! ❤️ Definitely take some time off from your blog if you need it. I just came back from a veeeery long hiatus. Sometimes you just need to put yourself first, blogging is hard work.
From this list I’ve read “The House on Needless Street”. How did you feel about that one? It definitely subverted my expectations.
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Thank you so much. Yes, breaks are so necessary. I really enjoyed Needless Street. It was so unpredictable and I found the audiobook to be particularly compelling. It was my first Catriona Ward novel, but won’t be my last.
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I felt the same way about Needless Street! At first I was a bit thrown off by the twist, but I ended up thinking it was handled quite well. It was definitely unlike anything I’ve read before. I also listened to the audiobook and thought it was performed well.
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I’ve only ever seen the first Hellraiser and that was maybe last year. I don’t know how I missed it, but I don’t know if I’m interested enough to continue the movies. The practical effects in the first one were cool though.
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Well, if you ever decide to continue, I personally think the second movie is better than the first.
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I hope you have a better month in November. I felt like I had a week in October that was a slump but maybe a much needed break from reading. I agree the end of the year gets so hectic – I’ll probably read less for the last 2 months of this year – just got too much to do! Only movie I watched was with my daughter (she’s 5) and she finally watched Nightmare Before Christmas and loved it.
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Thank you. I was also a little slumpy in October. It must have been something in the air. I love The Nightmare Before Christmas! I’m so glad she enjoyed it.
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Oh, I definitely want to read The Hacienda! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it.
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Glad to hear it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
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Ugh, I’m sorry October was kind of a bummer! Seems to be common among other bloggers, I’m seeing, too. I hope November picks up for you!
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Maybe there was something in the air with the season changing, but it sucked. Thank you!
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Sorry to hear that October wasn’t good for you, I hope November is much better! 🧡 I’m finally reading Witchlings this month!!
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Oh yay, I hope you enjoy!
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Sorry to hear October wasn’t great. It’s often been my experience as well that it’s a tricky month of the year. I know what you mean about being sad about not enjoying Halloween as much as you’d like. Hope you find your November break rejuvenating!
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Thank you!
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Sorry to hear October wasn’t so great. Mine wasn’t either. I hope November is better for both of us. What did you think of Bad Witch Burning.
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