I’m trying to post a wrap up for the end of each month, mainly to help me to keep track of my reading and at the same time look at what I’m intending to read during the month ahead (inspired by Books Bones and Buffy’s What’s on My Plate.

I’ve missed one of my monthly wrap up posts so I’m going to try and give a quick update for October and November and what I’m planning to read in December.

My Monthly Wrap Up: October

The following is the list of books I posted in September that I was hoping to complete in October.  Lets take a look:

1. Cinder House by Freya Marske
2. Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber
3. The Cold House by A.G. Slatter
4. House of Splinters by Laura Purcell
5. Ring the Bells by CK McDonnell
6. The Last Witch by C.J. Cooke
7. The Possession of Alba Dias by Isabel Cañas
8. Murder Most Haunted by Emma Mason
9. King Sorrow by Joe Hill
10. The Last Death of the Year by Sophie Hannah
11. The Everlasting by Alix E Harrow

I’ve linked the books with reviews.  The Possession of Alba Dias I set aside because it was a period when my reading mood wasn’t good and so I shall be going back and picking that one up.  Murder Most Haunted I also made a start with – I’m not totally sure this one is going to work for me but I’d like to give it another shot.  The Last Death of the Year I’ve not picked up yet but I am excited to do so.

My Monthly Wrap Up: November

The following is the list of books I was hoping to complete in November.  Lets take a look:

1. The Blackfire Blade by James Logan
2. The Place Where They Buried Your Heart by Christina Henry
3. I’ll Make A Spectacle of You by Beatrice Winifred Iker
4. Outlaw Planet by MR Carey

I have read The Place Where They Buried Your Heart – which I loved and already reviewed.  I’m currently reading The Blackfire Blade and Outlaw Planet is my next planned read.  It doesn’t look as though I read many books in November but I think some of my October reads were actually read in November but because I wasn’t posting weekly wraps it’s difficult to place everything!  This is why I need to be more organised.  Anyway.  It is what it is.

What’s On My Plate: December:

I’m hoping to catch up with review books that I’ve carried forward from October and also complete my last books from November (plus a late addition that went onto my September shelf:

1. What Stalks the Deep by T Kingfisher
2. The Possession of Alba Dias by Isabel Cañas (Carried over from October)
3. Murder Most Haunted by Emma Mason (Carried over from October)
4. The Last Death of the Year by Sophie Hannah (Carried over from October)
5. The Blackfire Blade by James Logan
6. I’ll Make A Spectacle of You by Beatrice Winifred Iker
7. Outlaw Planet by MR Carey

If possible I’d love to complete these by the end of December but I recognise that I’m not reading quite as much at the moment as there are too many other distractions at the moment.  We’ll see.  Maybe I’ll have a strange burst of reading.  Never say never.

I’ve been terrible with this challenge this year – I think I’ll just declare this year a failure and start again next year with a proper list to try and get myself into gear.

Bookforager‘s Picture Prompt book bingo.

and the text version:

PICTURE PROMPT BOOK BINGO 2025 (TEXT VERSION)

Today, I’m ticking off: No. 7 A Stag – which I’m using Clockwork Boys by T Kingfisher for (you’ll know why if you’ve read it).  I’ve also gone back through my list and I’m using The Vipers by Katy Hays for No.15 – A stylized sun with a human face – because the setting is the beautiful and dazzling island of Capri and the season is Summer – so plenty of sunshine and sparkling seas.  For No.4 – the Archery Target with Arrows in it – I’ve chosen the Bone Raiders by Jackson Ford because one of the female raiders is an expert shot with bow and arrow.

So, three more prompts left – not sure I’m going to make it this year, these last three are tricksy, a flint knife, a lighthouse and a telescope.  I might have to do some creative thinking.

The prompts I’ve crossed off so far:

No. 16 – A Roman helmet – and I’m using This Monster of Mine by Shalini Abeysekara.

No. 3 – an apple on a leafy branch – Hemlock and Silver by T Kingfisther

No.10 – A Sheaf of Wheat – The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst –

No. 11 – An Old Mechanical Typewriter – The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno Garcia

No.8 – The ruins of a temple-like structure – I’m using Daughter of Chaos by A S Webb

No. 12 – A cluster of four mushrooms – I’m using Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett

No. 13 – A fringed umbrella/parasol – I’m using A Fortune Most Fatal by Jessica Bull

No.14 – A chemistry set-up of bottles and tubes – I’m using Wooing the Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis

No.9 – A Crab – I’m using The Devils by Joe Abercrombie – if you’ve read this already you’ll be able to guess why.  There are some very unusual creatures in this story.

No.6 – A Human Skull – I’m using The Man Made of Smoke by Alex North – because this is about a serial killer and there are definite human remains included in this one.

Number of books read this year: 78 (well below target – boo!)