Spooky season is here! Well, if we are being honest, I have been celebrating spooky season for the past three weeks now.
It is October — one of the best months of the year. Leaves are changing, the weather is getting crisp, and fall cardigans are getting pulled out of the storage bins (*sneezes*).
And, spooky books are being read! I am excited to share my October hopefuls this year. Naturally, they are very witch-oriented, and I wouldn’t have it any other way! I love reading witchy books in the fall.
Here are the books I want to read in October:
The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin
I started this book the other day and I am already enjoying it. It’s a new take on witchcraft and magic. I respect the author’s not-so-subtle nod towards climate change and how the witches must try to protect the world from our ever-changing climate. There is also LGBTQ representation and diversity, which I appreciate. I love the atmospheric language associated with each season, and the idea that individuals are stronger and more “themselves” in the seasons when they are born. As a November baby, I can relate to that.
A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee
This seems to be a dark, academic, witchy book that I can’t wait to pick up. I plan on reading this one next and I have a feeling it’s going to be good. I also heard it’s more of a thriller than a witchy book, so we will see! Also, the cover is really cool. I did judge the book by its cover for this one.
The Age of Witches by Louisa Morgan
A Secret History of Witches was one of my favorite books last year, so I really look forward to this one! Morgan’s books are all about sisterhood and feature strong, powerful women. I can guess that this one will be much of the same.
Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian
This one seems to be less magical and whimsical and more like historical fiction, but hey, I love historical fiction. It’s about a young puritan woman escaping a violent marriage in 17th century Boston.
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
This will be a reread with a buddy read group I am a part of on Bookstagram. For those who don’t know, Coraline is one of my favorite books and I reread it quite often! It’s frightening, eerie, empowering, and plain ol’ fantastic. I almost wrote my master’s thesis on Coraline, but I had to cut her from my list. I’m sure I will write more about her one day.
What are you reading this month? Share in the comments below!
And, check out these posts to see what I’ve read this year:
This next highlight features the wonderful Holly, who is known as @_hodpatchreads_ on Instagram. Holly and I became friends this past year and let me tell ya – she’s one of the good ones. Learn more about Holly below!
Why did you start a book blog?
I am an avid reader who needs more of me in my life! I love connecting with new people and getting new book ideas. My TBR will never end at this point! HA!
What is your go-to genre?
Historical fiction is where it’s at for me. Lilac Girls is *chefs kiss*
If you could interview any author, who would it be?
Stephen King. I would love to get inside that man’s head. The ideas he has are just truly terrifying and amazing at the same time. And I want to know where he comes up with all of it.
What is your favorite thing about the book community?
The people! Connecting with people is one of the best things about this place. I have made so many amazing friendships through this community.
Tell me one trend that you just can’t get behind.
Reels. Too much like TikTok for me. And if I want to make those, I’ll just make a Book Tok. Which I won’t.
What are 5 books on your TBR?
Oh man, where do I start? Grown by Tiffany D Jackson, The Lost Queen by Signe Pike, The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer, The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones, and Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth.
Tell me something about yourself that a lot of people don’t know about.
In addition to reading like a fiend, I also am a HUGE World of Warcraft nerd. I have been playing since 2007 and can’t imagine not playing this game.
If you could choose 3 characters to have over for dinner and drinks, who would you choose, and why?
Rachel Morgan because she is absolutely amazing. Benji from Beartown cause how could you not? Jack Torrance because why not? Let’s make this interesting.
What makes a 5-star read?
The ones that I can’t put down. The ones that hit me right in the feels. The ones that make me contemplate what I just read. The ones that make me think about it long after I have finished. Those are the 5 stars for me.
Can you list any movies that are better than the book?
Not better but I think Crazy Rich Asians was just as good as the book!
Want the opportunity to be featured on my blog? You don’t have to be a bookstagrammer. If you have a small business, podcast, or something creative that you want to share, please email me at kass.readsbooks@gmail.com!
Welcome to the inaugural “highlight” series, where I will feature bookstagrammers, influencers, and just really cool people who are doing cool things.
If there’s anything I’ve learned about myself in the past year, it’s that I love to meet new people and learn about them. It must be the journalism major in me. I am interested in people and their stories — why they do what they do and why they love what they do!
I joined Bookstagram in July 2019, and it was the best decision I have ever made. I have read so many incredible books and met some awesome people.
Including Allie!
Allie was one of my first friends on Bookstagram, and she is also a budding blogger building her brand (alliteration!). You can learn more about Allie below and through this link to her “Meet the Bookstagrammer” post!
Why did you start a book blog?
I started my bookstagram back in August of 2019 because I had been mostly posting books to my personal Instagram for a while. I had been following a few bookstagrammers and I just felt very drawn to the book community and realized it was the section of Instagram that brought me the most joy. Then I met some amazing bookstagrammers in my local community and made the switch to a book account for good. I have always been a writer and I used to write for an online magazine. I stepped back for personal reasons a few years ago, but I was missing that outlet for writing about lifestyle-type content. So, at the start of 2020, I built out my blog and decided to give a blog of my own a whirl! It’s still very much in the early stages but I’m excited to dedicate more time to it this year.
What is your go-to genre when you pick up a book to read?
If you’d asked me this two years ago, I’d have said young adult fiction. But lately, I’ve been really drawn to contemporary romance and young adult fantasy.
Do you have any childhood books that you have kept all of these years? What about favorite editions? Can you share a photo if possible?
I’m a very sentimental person, so I do read a lot of books from my childhood, but sadly, I didn’t have the foresight to keep my original copies. I did hunt down a copy of my favorite picture book, Two Cool Cows. I also collect editions of Alice in Wonderland and have since high school. This post has the spines of my favorite copies!
If you could choose 3 characters to have over for dinner and drinks, who would you choose, and why?
Ooh, this is a tough question for me. Rhysand from A Court of Mist and Fury mostly so I could look at him, but I would prefer to be invited to his place for dinner because Velaris sounds so stunning. I’d also say Alex and Henry from Red, White, and Royal Blue because I loved their banter in that book, and I think they’d make for really fun dinner party guests.
What can people expect when they visit your page?
On my blog, they’ll find a mix of book reviews, book-themed gift guides, bookstagram tips, and assorted lifestyle content — hiking, crafting, and more. On Instagram, I try to keep a bright, clean feed but I like my photos to still look pretty real life. I take them all on my phone, and I do a little minor editing, but don’t really use filters or presets that drastically change the look. Although some of my favorite accounts have more themed aesthetics! I post about current reads, reviews, and usually host a few fun book photo challenges with friends throughout the year.
What is your favorite thing about the book community?
Honestly, the friendships! I have met so many cool people, thanks to bookstagram. The book community helped me reconnect with an elementary school friend I hadn’t talked to much since moving away when I was 13, which was so neat. I found a lot of other Iowa bookstagrammers when I first decided to switch to a book-only account. I really connected with a group of them, and that group has become some of my closest in-real-life friends over the last year. We used to meet up in person pre-COVID, but we’ve stayed connected through virtual book club chats. They’re all some of the most genuine, nice, and supportive people and of course, I love having people in my life who share my love of books.
Tell me one trend that you just can’t get behind.
So I enjoy watching Tik Toks, but you will not find me appearing in one. I am trying to learn to embrace Reels this year, but I don’t love showing my face or talking on camera, so I am definitely very late to the party and still figuring out what will work for me. Maybe that means I’m officially not “hip with the teens” (I don’t know that I ever was though).
Tell me something about yourself that a lot of people don’t know about.
I have two different colored eyebrows and always have – one is brown and the other is very blonde/ has no pigment. Once you notice you can’t unsee it! I’m too lazy to pencil it in ever so I just embrace it. I also enjoy writing in my spare time but don’t talk a lot about it on Bookstagram. I used to write a lot of poetry and have a couple published poems in small/ local publications. I also have planned out a romance novel that I’m currently neglecting writing.
What makes a book a 5-star read?
I’m a pretty generous reviewer — I give most books I read 3-5 stars, but that’s also because I know what I like and don’t really spend time reading books I don’t think I will enjoy unless it’s a book club pick. And even then, I’m notorious for not finishing the ones that aren’t working for me. I usually save five stars for books that I think will be “forever favorites” of mine. These are typically books I’ll read again in the future and would recommend to most readers.
What are your other hobbies or passions?
This year, I have recently discovered a love of a new hobby – making miniatures! I bought a kit to make a miniature model house. It brings me so much joy to make all these tiny books and plants and accessories. It’s also been a great stress relief during the pandemic this year. As soon as I finish, I’m branching out to redo a dollhouse from scratch. I’m also making a miniature model bookshelf and, as I finish books this year, making miniature versions of them. I think that may be cool to see at the end of the year! I may have to add a mini-book cart too if my reading pace keeps up!
I’ve decided to dedicate an entire blog post to the art of writing a blog post. Now, before you exit out of this website, hear me out.
As I said in my last post: writing isn’t easy. I’ve been scratching my head for the last two days thinking about what I should write about for my second post, and I realized that my lack of decision should be my topic. As writers we are always thinking: What are people interested in? What do they want to read? I just want to give the people what they want!
This is a common dilemma most writers face. Most of the time we have no idea what to write about, and what we do write about is usually a shot in the dark. So, the next time you are struggling to come up with ideas, try some of these practices that have worked for me:
1. Read: Literally gorge yourself with text. Spend your day reading as much as you can with whatever you can get your hands on. Take time to read news articles, op-eds, opinion pieces, books, articles, and blogs. The more you read, the more you’ll learn, and the more you learn, the more you will realize that you have an opinion on just about everything. You’ll become inspired, and the words will flow naturally.
I read a lot. I spend my entire day (when I am not diligently working, of course) reading as much as I can. I read articles on women’s issues ( a particular favorite topic of mine), local, national, and global news, and more. I spend my evenings pouring over Jane Austen novels, diving into the mind of Edgar Allan Poe, and even drive home listening to audiobooks. By the end of my day, you would think that I am sick of reading, but hey, I have plenty of ideas I can’t wait to put down on paper.
2. Keep a notebook: If you’re anything like me, you have a notebook for just about everything. A notebook for recipes, a notebook for daily thoughts, a notebook for anxious thoughts, a notebook filled with favorite literary quotes, a notebook filled with sporadic anecdotes about my life, and so on. So, why not add to your myriad of stationary with a notebook filled with blog ideas?
Get a notebook and write down everything and anything you can think of. If you don’t enjoy manually writing things down, type it into your phone. There’s an app for that. Even if it’s a few words, you’ll be glad you got it down, and could probably make sense of it later.
3. Talk to other bloggers/writers: Seriously. It helps. Not only do you feel better when you have someone to complain about writing with, but you can also help each other come up with ideas. Heck, that’s how I got the idea to come up with this blog post.
Writers need each other. I don’t play into the whole “all writers are constantly competing with one another” bit. Not my thing. We all have our own style, and we all have our own goals to worry about. I couldn’t care less if you are further than me in completing your first book. Good for you. Do you have any tips? Working off of one another is one of the best things writers can do.
4. Be a social media guru:Don’t let the title scare you, it’s really not that hard. If you want to come up with blog ideas, you should always, always, always check social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and keep up on the latest trends. Follow what’s trending and use those trends to your advantage. You will find that plenty of ideas will stem up from what you see on there.
5. Go with your gut:I’ll paint the picture for you: You’re walking down the street holding a snow cone, and all of a sudden you think, “I want to write about unicorns and how they really do exist!” You then stop yourself and think that writing about unicorns is the wackiest, most outrageous thing you could ever do. You tell yourself that readers are going to think that you are out of your mind, and perhaps unfollow you after they read your infamous unicorn post.
Stop that right now. No matter what the idea is, go with it. You will find that sometimes even the wackiest ideas can help shed light on other issues and be connected with the world around you.
Side note: I tried to come up with a way to make unicorns relative for five minutes. If any of you came up with something, please share in the comments below.
I hope these tips are useful, and, if fellow bloggers have any other ideas, please share! I’d love to add it to my list!
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