Hello, reader!

Now that we’re firmly into October, I figured it was time to wrap up my reading from last month. After a particularly epic amount of books that I read in August, my September reading was noticeably less epic. I feel like my poor brain was recovering! It didn’t help that I contracted a head cold that put me into a fog for a good portion of the month. And that was before I contracted Covid 😅 It was a fun month with ups (I turned 40!) and downs (aforementioned head cold…) and it flew by way too fast.

Now, let’s wrap up what I managed to read in my favorite month of the year!

Books Read

• Spy x Family Vol 5 by Tatsuya Endo: I started the month continuing my Spy x Family obsession. This volume of the manga was a lot of fun, as always, though Yor’s brother creeps me out 😂 He is way too obsessed with his sister… Still, I loved seeing more of the Forger family and the art, as always, was a delight. This did just remind me that I need to catch up with the anime now that the second season is out! ★★★★
• Spy x Family Vol 6 by Tatsuya Endo: This was most definitely my favorite volume of the manga so far! We got to go along with Loid on one of his missions, there were so many cute moments between him and Yor, and Anya was, as ever, adorable. There was something about this volume that made me love the series even more. It was also the last one my library had so I’ve been in withdrawal ever since, haha. ★★★★★
• With Fire In Their Blood by Kat Delacorte: I read this book for a tour hosted by The Write Reads. This YA dark fantasy was a wild ride that was incredibly gripping, I loved the strange town of Castello and all the horrifying religious overtones that flow throughout the book were certainly eerie. The atmosphere and tone were expertly done and were probably my favorite part of the story. You can read my full review here. ★★★★

• Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine: Y’all. I’ve been a fan of Rachel Caine’s for a long time, ever since I picked up the Great Library series. So, when I picked up the first book in her thriller series, I was expecting to enjoy it. I was not, however, expecting to become so completely ensnared in the story that I wanted to abandon all my other reading goals for the month so I could binge the entire series! This book was so good! It was dark and tense and frightening, with several moments that had me on the edge of my seat. I want to fight the world for Gwen, our main character, and her kids. Rachel Caine has always been good at writing compelling characters and she definitely brought that skill into this book, as well. ★★★★★
• Chef’s Kiss by Jarrett Melendez: Ahhhhhh, this was so stinkin’ CUTE! I had heard Dini @ Dini Panda Reads talk about how much she enjoyed this graphic novel, which is what originally piqued my interest. Then, I spotted it at my local library and figured, why not? I borrowed it, sat down to read, and immediately became smitten. The art style! The characters! The FOOD! This story about a young college graduate just trying to find his true passion in this life (and maybe another kind of passion…) was so beautifully told and beautifully drawn that I was invested in his story from beginning to end. Add to that all the inclusiveness littered throughout this tale and I was hooked! ★★★★
• It Looks Like Us by Alison Ames: Talk about a perfect read for spooky season! Though a bit predictable, this novel was a thrill ride from beginning to end. If you enjoyed the movie The Thing and aren’t easily grossed out, I would definitely suggest giving this one a go! I read it for a TBR & Beyond Tours book tour and I’m so glad that I did. It was intense and messy and I enjoyed my time sunk within its pages. You can read my full review here. ★★★★