Monthly Round Up/What’s on My Plate: September/October

Here’s my round up post for September combined with my ‘what’s on my plate’ books for October. My reading has really picked up this month and whilst I didn’t manage to read everything on my shelves I feel like I made good progress. I can’t believe we’re into October already, for a strange moment I felt like I’d made a mistake and I really had to think about it – and yes, we really are in October already – spooky season is officially upon us. Without further ado lets take a look at what I read last month and what I’m planning on reading this one:

These were the books I read in September:

  1. Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel by Lucy Foley
  2. Our Noble Selves by Kate Atkinson
  3. Serenity Falls by C. J. Tudor
  4. Exit Party by Emily St John Mandel
  5. Pride, Prejudice and Peril by Jessica Bull
  6. Worry Box by Chris Panatier
  7. Carry Me to My Grave by Christopher Golden
  8. Bodies of Magic by Freya Marske – DNF
  9. The Faerie Handmaid by Louisa Morgan
  10. A Waltz of Sinister Import by Stephanie Burgis – review yet to be posted

I had 14 books on my line up for September so realistically I didn’t think I’d be able to read them all. But, I’m quite happy with the progress made and hoping to return to pick up some of the others in the last two months of the year when my shelves are looking quite achievable at the moment. I do also have some outstanding books for August that I’m also looking to try and cram in if possible. My real aim is to read as many of the review books I’ve been given this year as possible so lets see how that goes. The best laid plans, etc, etc.

What’s On My Plate: October

  1. Sleepers in the Snow by Joanne Harris – read
  2. A Scholar’s Guide to Demonology & Other Dark Arts by Genevieve Cogman – currently reading
  3. The Thrice Bound Fool by Christopher Buehlman
  4. Royal Witch by Philippa Gregory
  5. The House of Cursed Daughters by C.J. Cooke
  6. The Bookshop Book by Mark Lawrence
  7. The Porcelain Sisters by Daryl Gregory

I’m hoping that I can settle down again to some solid reading like I managed to do last month. It would be great if I could squeeze in all 7 and maybe even a couple of extra books. One can but hope.

Backlist Book

For the moment I’m not tackling the list I created at the start of the year as I’d like to catch up with my review books from the last few months to get back on track.

Bookforager‘s Picture Prompt Book Bingo

And the ‘wordy’ version:

Picture Prompt Book Bingo 2026 (text version)

1. A teacup and saucer  2. A set of weighing scales  3. A moth  4. A hand holding some fanned out playing cards
5. A hot air balloon  6. An acorn  7. A human eye  8. A cooking pot hanging over a campfire
9. A griffin  10. A large, old key  11. A hand holding a threaded needle12. An octopus  
13. A plant being repotted  14. A skull and crossbones  15. A decorative water fountain16. A pinch-clip purse  

This month I’m crossing off No.16 a pinch-clip purse which I actually have two perfect books for. Both Pride, Prejudice and Peril by Jessica Bull and A Waltz of Sinister Import by Stephanie Burgis would fit this given they’re both period pieces. I’ve gone with A Waltz of Sinister Import as it has such a lovely cover. I’m also crossing off No.5 A Hot Air Balloon using a very cheeky book to fit the theme. Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel by Lucy Foley – my thoughts are that this is a story based up in the Alps where people come to ski and use a gondola lift to take them up to the best spots to ski downhill – a gondola lift is a means of travelling through the air so I think it loosely fits. At least that’s my logic, take a look at the cover – there is my evidence! Now, what can I possibly read before the end of the year that has an octopus!

Booking Ahead/Weekly Wrap Up

Sunday Post

Weekly Update

Hey everyone.  Hope you’re all doing well.  I’m starting to tentatively ease back into blogging and I’ve started to catch up with reviews although I still have a few to post.  My reading is good though and I’m enjoying the books I’m picking up very much.  This week I have been busy with lots of going out and socialising – it’s that time of year – so slightly less reading than normal but I read The Austen Christmas Murders by Jessica Bull, I’m enjoying this series of books very much and this was a very intriguing read.  I’ve also started Too Old For This by Samantha Downing which I’m really enjoying – oddly enough as it’s about a retired serial killer – the dark humour is very good (thanks Tammy).

Next Week’s reads

I’d like to finish reading Too Old for This and then my next read will be The Blackfire Blade by James Logan.  I’ll also be posting on Monday about my ‘Countdown to Christmas’ which I will be once again hosting if you care to join in – there’s a list of prompts and no rules!

Reviews Posted:

The Everlasting by Alix E Harrow

Outstanding Reviews

Monthly/Weekly Wrap Up/What’s On My Plate August/September

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.

This month’s wrap up post will be a bit messy again like last month’s because I’m combining it with my weekly wrap up.

Weekly Update

Well, I’ve had my six week check up and my hip is progressing well.  I’ve not been using any walking aids for about three weeks and I’ve been keeping up with the exercises and so far so good.  In the past week I continued with some of my September reads and completed  No Friend to This House by Natalie Haynes which started a little slow and then won me over, The Ghosts of Merry Hall by Heather Davey which I did have a few issues with and I also read A Honeymoon of Grave Consequence by Stephanie Burgis – which I really enjoyed and crammed into one delicious sitting.

Next Week’s reads

I shall be continuing with my September review books so will be picking up The Faerie Morgana by Louisa Morgan, No Women Were Harmed by Heather Mottershead and maybe I’ll have time for a third and check out The Naked Light by Bridget Collins.

Reviews Posted:

  1. Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito
  2. A Tangle of Time (The Hexologists #2) by Josiah Bancroft

Outstanding Reviews

My Monthly Wrap Up:

Books read in August:

  1. The Dead Husband Cookbook by Danielle Valentine
  2. Hemlock and Silver  by T Kingfisher
  3. Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham
  4. Damned by Genevieve Cogman
  5. This Vicious Hunger by Francesca May
  6. Play Nice by Rachel Harrison
  7.  The Hexologists: A Tangle of Time by Josiah Bancroft
  8. This Monster of Mine by Shalini Abeysekara
  9. No Friend to This House by Natalie Haynes
  10. The Ghosts of Merry Hall by Heather Davey
  11. A Honeymoon of Grave Consequence by Stephanie Burgis

I’ve had a very good reading month reading 11 books, I completed all my August review books and even made a dent in some of my September reads.  No DNFs this month fortunately.

Here’s what I’m hoping to read in September (and I’ve already read three so should be able to tuck into my October books all going well – good thing too as I have quite a few books that month):

  1. No Friend to this House by Natalie Haynes – read rtf
  2. The Ghosts of Merry Hall by Heather Davey – read rtf
  3. The Faerie Morgana by Louisa Morgan
  4. No Women Were Harmed by Heather Mottershead
  5. The Naked Light by Bridget Collins
  6. A Honeymoon of Grave Consequence by Stephanie Burgis – read rtf

BTB

Lets just be honest – I’m not doing well so far – I need to give my head a big 0wobble.

Bookforager‘s Picture Prompt book bingo.

and the text version:

PICTURE PROMPT BOOK BINGO 2025 (TEXT VERSION)

1. A prehistoric flint knapped stone knife 2. A lighthouse 3. An apple on a leafy branch 4. An archery target with three arrows in it
5. A very large mechanical telescope 6. A human skull 7. A stag 8. The ruins of a temple-like structure
9. A crab 10. A sheaf of wheat 11. An old mechanical typewriter 12. A cluster of four mushrooms
13. A fringed umbrella / parasol 14. A chemistry set-up of bottles and tubes 15. A stylized sun with a human face 16. A Roman helmet

Today, I’m ticking off another prompt.  No. 16 – A Roman helmet – and I’m using This Monster of Mine by Shalini Abeysekara.

The prompts I’ve crossed off so far:

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: 63

Booking Ahead/Weekly Wrap Up

Sunday Post

Books read this week:

Another week of lovely weather.  Time spent with friends.  And, some good reading.  I read The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst – this is a very cosy, sweet read.  I maybe didn’t enjoy it quite as much as The Spellshop but it was still a warm hug.  I also started to listen to The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig which I’m really enjoying so far.  Next I picked up It Was Her House First by Cherie Priest – this is really good so far and it’s proving to be a quick read, I’m already halfway through.    So, what have you been reading??

Next Week’s Reads:

Hopefully complete The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig, I think I’ll probably complete the Cherie Priest book this evening and next on my shelves I’m thinking to read My Ex, the AntiChrist by Craig DiLouie – I’m really excited to read this one.  I then need to decide between either Another Fine Mess by Lindy Ryan or The Library at Hellebore by Cassandra Khaw.

Reviews Posted:

  1. Paved with Good Intentions by Peter McLean
  2. The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Outstanding Reviews

Booking Ahead/Weekly Wrap Up (slightly late!)

Sunday Post

Books read this week:

Being late seems to be a theme for me at the moment!  I’m still reading and catching up but still keeping busy in other news and that’s set to continue for this week.  So, hopefully, next week, maybe things will be a bit calmer, I’ll catch up with absolutely everything and live happily ever after – it could happen.  I did manage to complete Grave Empire by Richard Swan and in fact already reviewed it.  Spoiler alert – I loved it.  In an attempt to get ahead a little with my SPFBO books I’ve already read another finalist which I enjoyed and I’m almost through the fourth one I picked up.  I need to start writing some reviews for these in the forthcoming week.  Once I complete this fourth finalist I’m going to be picking up some February review books.  Definitely Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett and The Crimson Road by AG Slatter.  I’m really looking forward to both of these and so I have no doubt they’ll be quick reads.  Lets see if I can finish my current SPFBO book and the above two.  Stranger things have happened.

Hopefully I will have finished my fourth finalist which means I can pick up one of the two books mentioned above.  So excited!

Reviews Posted:

Grave Empire by Richard Swan

Outstanding Reviews

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