Towering TBR (Part: October)

Already 10 months down of 2024! So many books have been read, so many have been DNF'd, and we are nearing the conclusion of this blog post series. But never fear! It's not over yet ;) Now have a munch on your leftover Halloween candy and let's take a look at the next edition of Towering TBR together!

Starting TBR Count: 21

TBR Reads: 2

TBR DNFs: 0

Rereads: 0

Library Reads: 2

Books Purchased: 2

Books Gifted: 0

Final TBR Count: 19

Total TBR Books Checked Off This Year: 47

TBR Reads

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare - 3 stars

A solid his-fic middle grade, I really enjoyed the ending but probably won't think back to the story often.

Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson - 5 stars

A soft DNF in 2021 evolved into a fiver in 2024 and I think that is beautiful. This book is dark, but grew on me steadily throughout the story and made me want to reread it as soon as I hit the last page. 

New Reads

Callie and the Pumpkin Seed by Sarah Beran - 3.5 stars

Super fun and sweet! This is very Hallmark-inspired and felt like cuddling up with freshly baked goods. (And of course, I can never say no to the Cinderella retellings.)

Hamlet by William Shakespeare - 5 stars

I saw this play done by a local troupe twice and completely fell in love with it. I knew I just had to have my own copy and annotate it. I didn't think I'd ever be a Shakespeare girly, but here we are! I think about Hamlet on a daily basis now.

Rereads

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell - 5 stars

This is one of the only books I will reread EVERY YEAR. It doesn't feel like fall if I haven't read Pumpkinheads and for some reason, this year hit different. Man, I didn't think I could love this book more than I already did, but I do <3

Purchased Books

Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice by Katie Cicatelli-Kuc - 5 stars

This was an unashamed title buy and I was not disappointed. Clean, fun, and really truly a YA book, I devoured this delicious story like the world's best pumpkin spice latte. It was so cozy and I can see myself rereading this story in the future!

Some of the Kinder Planets by Tim Wynne-Jones - TBR

A writer friend recommended this collection of quirky space short stories to me and I can't wait to give them a go!

Library Reads

Fairy Haven and the Quest for the Wand by Gail Carson Levine - 3 stars

Although the art is beautiful and my favorite fairy (Rani) was at the helm of the story, I felt a little betrayed by the dark and off-putting vibes this book gave me. If book 1 showed the bravery and goodness of the fairies, book 2 showed the opposite.

Fairies and the Quest for Never Land by Gail Carson Levine - 3 stars

If I was disappointed by book 2, I was even more so with book 3. It felt so un-Pixie Hollow and didn't really accomplish anything. Stick with book 1 and the fairy chapter books instead!

October Thoughts

What a fantastic reading month! Three new to me 5 stars is HUGE! And we are now officially under 20 book on my physical TBR!! I can definitely feel my reading slow down as the weather gets colder and the holidays kick up, however, I so enjoyed reading both seasonally spooky and cozy stories for this month. Only 2 more installments on Towering TBR to go... will I get crushed? Or only stub my toe on the pile?? ;)

Until next time!

~K.J. Haakenson