October was a slower reading month for me as things started to get busier with the holidays approaching. I still had some great reads (and some not so great reads) and was able to enjoy a lot of atmospheric books for fall and Halloween.
I read 15 books in October and 4,311 pages for an average of 287 pages per book. I read 10 books by female authors and 5 by male authors. I borrowed 8 of the books I read and owned 7 of them. I read 3 physical books, 4 eBooks, and 8 audiobooks. I read no new releases. 7 books were part of a series (starting no new series and finishing 1) and 7 stand alone books. I read 4 middle grade, 3 YA, and 8 adult books, sharing 4 read alouds with my kids. I reread 1 book and had 14 new reads. Of the books I read, 7 were by “new to me” authors” and 7 were by authors I’ve previously read. I read 4 books from my 2025 TBR list, bringing the total read or DNF’d to 29/33, leaving 4 to be read. I had 6 five star reads, 4 four star reads, 4 three star reads, 1 two star read, and 0 one star reads.
Here are my five favorite five star reads from last month!
A Murder Most French by Colleen Cambridge
A Murder Most French is the second in a series following a friend of Julia Child, the famous chef, as she solves murder mysteries. It is a fun series and I liked this second book more than I did the first (though her Phyllida Bright books are still my favorite!). I’m excited to continue on with the series.
Three Act Tragedy by Agatha Christie
Three Act Tragedy is a Poirot book that actually follows a few other characters trying to solve the mystery before Poirot gets very involved. Despite this, I really enjoyed the mystery and did not see the solution coming. I always love Agatha Christie’s characters and this book was no exception to that.
Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon
Mother-Daughter Murder Night was just exactly what I wanted to read for October–it was a more serious murder mystery thriller but still a clean read. I really loved the grandmother-mother-daughter relationship and how that grew and changed throughout the story. I wish this was a series and I could read more!
Palmyra by Susan Evans McCloud
Palmyra is a thriftstore find that I found quite awhile ago and since I love Susan Evans McCloud, I finally got around to reading it. This story is set in Palmyra during the time that Joseph Smith was translating the Book of Mormon and setting up The Church of Jesus Christ. It takes place in Palmyra during that time, but those events are mostly background setting for the main character’s friendships and relationships. It was a little hard to really get into, but by the last quarter of the book, I had a hard time putting it down and it became one of my favorite reads of the month.
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Volume 6 by Beth Brower
The Unselected Journals has become one of my favorite series–I just love Emma and the escapades she gets up to and the quandries she puts herself into and especially the friendships she forms. They are all so fun to read about. I am highly invested in her life. I had other reads I wanted to get to for October, so I only read the sixth, but I am already reading the seventh now and plan to finish the eight as well in November.
Those were my favorite books of October! What were your favorite books last month? Is there a book you recently read and just loved? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
When I get out our Halloween decorations, I also haul up our big pile of seasonal books to read throughout the month together. It’s both my favorite thing and my kids’ favorite thing! We love our “Halloween” books–some are actually about Halloween, some are a little creepy or about Halloween related things like monsters, and some are simply books perfect for fall.
Today I am sharing some of our FAVORITE books to read at Halloween time!
Goodnight Goon by Michael Rex
We love Goodnight Moon at our house and Goodnight Goon is a fun and hilarious Halloween take of the original. It includes all things Halloween–monsters and witches and a werewolf–but all in the same cutsie art style. The changes that are made are clever and fun to read.
Little Blue Truck’s Halloween by Alice Shertle
We are also huge fans of Little Blue Truck at our house! I am usually not very impressed with spin offs of favorite books (for example, I will sometimes read Pout Pout Fish holiday books, but I don’t love them, and we don’t even own any other Tacky the Penguin books, despite the fact that I love the originals of both), but I have loved every Little Blue Truck book that we’ve read. Little Blue Truck’s Halloween is no exception! It’s a flap book (and the flaps are very durable) showcasing all the animals’ and truck’s Halloween costume.
Monster Mash by David Catrow
I have a daughter who simply loves Halloween and always has, and the Monster Mash is one of her favorite songs. This book has some creepy or weird looking pictures in it, but that’s part of the appeal to her and doesn’t have anything gory. It’s a fun book that follows the song.
Pumpkins, Pumpkins Everywhere by Smriti Prasadam-Halls
Pumpkins, Pumpkins Everywhere is a cute picture book looking at different jack o’lanterns and following a group of people who have a pumpkin festival. It’s perfect for Halloween time!
Sheep Trick or Treat by Nancy Shaw
Sheep in Jeep is another of my very favorite children’s books. Sheep Trick or Treat is a fun spinoff following the sheep as they make Halloween costumes and go trick or treating–but on the way home, some wolves start to follow them. It’s clever and well done, just like the original.
Ollie’s Halloween by Olivier Dunrea
I love all of the Gossie and Friends books and so do my kids. Ollie is our favorite. Ollie’s Halloween follows the goslings on Halloween night, talking about how it’s a night to scare. At the very end, Ollie hasn’t had any treats and they share with him, and the book ends by saying it’s a night to share. It’s a cute little story.
Go Away Big Green Monster by Ed Emberly
Go Away, Big Green Monster! has been a Halloween book I’ve had in my house since my youngest was a toddler and the kids all want to read it every single year. We love the clever way it’s set up to first show the Big Green Monster appearing and then disappearing. We also Nighty Night Little Green Monster, which is set up in the same way, and If You’re a Monster and You Know It, which is just a monster version of If You’re Happy and You Know It with pictures to go along with it, by the same author. I love reading all of them at this time of year!
Mercy Watson, Princess in Disguise by Kate DiCamillo
Princess in Disguise is technically a chapter book, but it has lot of illustrations and is a fun read for younger and older kids alike (it’s my four-year-old’s favorite right now). It’s short enough that we’ve read it one sitting before. Mercy Watson is a fun series about a couple who have adopted a pig named Mercy, and Princess in Disguise follows their adventures as they try to take her trick-or-treating.
A Super Scary Narwhalloween by Ben Clanton
A Super Scary Narwhalloween is another short chapter book, and is in graphic novel format. My kids love for me to read them the Narwhal and Jelly books and this one is perfect for Halloween time.
There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat! by Lucille Colandro
Ah yes, the classic Old Lady Who Swallows books. We love seeing all the variations on this story and There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat is great for this time of year.
Dem Bones by Bob Barner
Dem Bones is another song that my younger kids love (my older kids groan every time I turn it on). This version of the book is fun because it teaches about the different bones with facts on each page rather than just being the song in book form. It was a great one to use when I did a unit study on bones at Halloween time one year.
T. Rex Trick or Treats by Lois G. Grambling
T. Rex Trick or Treats follows a T Rex who wants to dress up as something really scary for Halloween but isn’t sure what to be. His friends help him find the best costume–himself with a really big frown–and they have fun together trick or treating. It’s a cute story for Halloween time and perfect for any kid who loves dinosaurs!
Halloween Hustle by Charlotte Gunnufson
Halloween Hustle is in the top 5 of my favorite Halloween books to read! I love the rhythm that naturally comes out as I’m reading the book and the story and illustrations are both super cute. Even though it has Halloween characters, the book is about dancing and friendship rather than anything scary.
There’s a Witch in Your Book by Greg Abbott
There’s a Witch in Your Book is an interactive book about trying to “clean up” the mess a naughty little witch makes. It has you block spells with your hand, clean things up by wiping them away, and point your finger to say some spells. My kids love reading this together!
Stumpkin by Lucy Ruth Cummins
I think Stumpkin has the number one spot for my favorite Halloween books. It follows a pumpkin who is perfectly round and orange, but no one picks him for a jack o’lantern because he doesn’t have a stump. In the end, he realizes he doesn’t need a new home because he already has one–with the shopkeeper, who makes him into a jack o’lantern for the shop. The story telling and illustrations are so well done, I love reading it every year.
Ten Timid Ghosts by Jennifer O’Connel
Ten Timid Ghosts is another of my top 5 favorite Halloween books. It follows a group of ghosts who live in a haunted house when a witch comes and starts to scare them into leaving so she can the house for herself–but one ghost is paying attention and helps the ghosts all get their house back. The rhyming is fun to read and it’s fun to catch the little ghost paying attention in the illustrations.
Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson
Room on the Broom is a book we read throughout the year, but because it’s about a witch, I love pulling it out each Halloween time. It follows a witch who keeps dropping things. Each time she stops to find her things, she meets another animal who asks if there is room on the broom for them. In the end, all her new friends are able to help her when a dragon shows up. I love the book and I also love 30 minute animated movie they’ve made of the book. Both are super cute, with super cute rhymes, story, and illustrations.
Sherlock Chick and the Case of the Night Noises by Robert Quackenbush
Sherlock Chick is not actually a Halloween book, but I love reading mystery books at this time of year–both in my personal reading and out loud to the kids. The Case of the Night Noises is such a fun picture book mystery, it is a great introduction for kids to the mystery genre. I grew up reading this one and loving it. I also noticed while writing this post that there are other Sherlock Chick books and now I am going to go check those ones out with my kids!
Little Witch’s Big Night by Deborah Hautzig
Little Witch’s Big Night is a fun Halloween book. It follows a young witch who is accidentally “too good” so she has to stay home from the Halloween fun with her mom and aunts. While at home, she makes friends with some trick or treater kids. In the end, she and her mom make up and there’s a cute ending.
The Monster’s Monster by Patrick McDonnell
The Monsters’ Monster is a cute story about monsters who have a lot to learn–I love that the story is about gratitude, even while following monsters. I like to read it at Halloween because monsters are Halloween-y to me but it’s a fun one that isn’t about “being scary”.
Little Ghost Makes a Friend by Maggie Edkins Willis
Little Ghost Makes a Friend has super cute illustrations and a really fun story. It follows a ghost who is nervous about making friends. When he gets a new neighbor, he decides to be brave and invite her to a Halloween party, where he finds out that she sometimes feels nervous about making new friends too. He has the best Halloween ever with his new friend. My favorite part of this book are the illustrations, but the story and character are also fun to read about.
At the Old Haunted House by Helen Ketteman
At the Old Haunted House is probably my kids’ favorite Halloween book. It’s always the first one they pick out for me to read and we often read it several times throughout the month. I also love it. The rhythm of the book makes it a really fun read aloud and the illustrations aren’t scary or weird as the book introduces each Halloween character.
Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds
Creepy Carrots and the entire series (Creepy Crayon and Creepy Pair of Underwear) are some of our favorite books to read year round, but I especially love them at Halloween. They play on the horror genre, but because it’s about carrots–or crayons, or underwear–it’s silly instead of scary for kids. The story and illustrations are so well done, both the kids and I love reading these together.
How Spider Saved Halloween by Robert Kraus
How Spider Saved Halloween is my favorite Halloween book from my own childhood. The story follows spider and the way he and his friends handle a group of bullies at Halloween time. It’s a cute story that my kids love every time we read it.
The Spooky Old Tree by Stan and Jan Berenstain
The Spooky Old Tree and the similar book, Bears in the Night, are books we love reading all year, but especially at Halloween. This is such a classic book with an atmosphere that is perfect for Halloween time without being too scary for kids.
The Pumpkin Patch by Elizabeth King
The Pumpkin Patch is a picture book of photographs that chronicles how pumpkins are grown for pumpkin patches. I love photo books like this, especially holiday ones.
Leaf Man by Lois Elhert
Leaf Man is such a unique and fun book–it depicts leaves in different shapes, like a man, cows, or an orchard. Each page has new shapes to discover and my kids love it. It’s also fun as a book to read before going out and gathering leaves together).
Those are our family’s favorite picture book reads at Halloween time each year! What are some of your favorite holiday reads? Do you lean into the scarier or more fun Halloween vibe? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
There is nothing I love more than reading holiday-themed books with my kids! Especially as fall comes and it means the start of the holiday season, there is something about pulling out holiday themed books and snuggling up on the couch together. It’s especially fun with young toddlers and preschoolers, who are so excited about the upcoming holiday.
Here is a list of my favorite Halloween and fall themed books that are perfect for toddlers and preschoolers!
The Spooky Wheels on the Bus
This Halloween variation on the Wheels on the Bus has been my kids’ favorite for years. It’s a fun one because even young toddlers are familar with the original song and love books that have songs in them. It’s also so inexpensive!
Are You My Monster? by Amanda Noll
We love the entire I Need My Monster series about a boy who can’t sleep unless his monster is under his bed. Rather than being scary, they are cute and fun. Are You My Monster is perfect for toddlers, as it is a board book that identifies aspects of monsters to see which one is the boy’s monster.
Nighty Night Little Green Monster by Ed Emberly
My kids have always loved Go Away Big Green Monster from a young age, and Nighty Night Little Green Monster is such a cute addition. I love that it is about bedtime, which kids can relate to. The whole setup of both books is clever and I always enjoy reading them with my kids as much as they enjoy me reading it to them.
Where’s the Witch? by Ingela P. Arrhenius
Where’s the Witch is an adorable Halloween book with such cute illustrations! It goes through different Halloween characters and has felt flaps, which I love more than the paper flaps (they rip so easily) and a mirror at the end. This is one of my favorite interactive books for toddlers, Halloween or not.
Where is Baby’s Pumpkin? by Karen Katz
I love Karen Katz books (despite the paper flaps sometimes getting ripped) and Where is Baby’s Pumpkin is such a cute Halloween one! Baby is looking for her pumpkin so she can go trick-or-treating and on each page, the child can lift the flap to see if her pumpkin is there–and when it’s not, something else “Halloween-y” will be there!
Trick or Treat, Pout Pout Fish by Deborah Deisen
We really like the original Pout Pout Fish book and had one child in particular who loved it for awhile. Trick or Treat Pout-Pout Fish is a short board book that shows each of Pout-Pout Fish’s friends all dressed up for Halloween!
Boo! Baa, La La La! by Sandra Boynton
Sandra Boynton is one of my top three authors for board books–I always love reading them aloud (which is very important when you have to read a book over and over again). Boo! Baa, La La La is a Halloween play on her book Moo! Baa La La La (a favorite in our house) and is so fun! It’s not interactive in the same way the flap books are, but my kids love “guessing” who is making the noises.
Spooky Pookie by Sandra Boynton
I love Pooky! In Spooky Pookie, we get to see Pooky trying on different costumes as he tries to decide what to dress up as for Halloween. It’s a short but fun story, perfect for young kids to follow along with.
Eek! Halloween! by Sandra Boynton
Another Sandra Boynton–because we really love her books! Eek! Halloween! is a silly book about chickens experiencing the weird things around this holiday and not knowing what to make of it. My kids always laugh when we read it together.
Ollie’s Halloween by Olivier Dunrea
I love all of the Gossie and Friends books and so do my kids. When I got Ollie’s Halloween out this year, my four-year-old was very excited to read a Halloween book about Ollie. I also love the ending of this book–throughout it says that Halloween is a time to scare, and at the very end, it plays on that and says that Halloween is a time to share. It’s a cute little story about the goslings that younger and older kids can enjoy.
Max’s Halloween by Rosemary Wells
Max and Ruby are another of my favorite books for young kids–I remember my mom reading them to me when I was growing up. In Max’s Halloween, we get to see Ruby trying to be in charge as the older sister and Max just doing his own thing. It’s a fun story about siblings trick or treating together.
It’s Pumpkin Day, Mouse! by Laura Numeroff
It’s Pumpkin Day, Mouse is perfect for parents who want to avoid monsters and anything scary on Halloween–it’s a cute story about Mouse and Dog painting their pumpkins together. We have the board book, making it perfect for little toddler fingers.
The Itsy Bitsy Pumpkin by Sanoli Fry
Another song book! Again, even the youngest toddlers will be familar with the original Itsy Bitsy Spider song. The Itsy Bitsy Pumpkin has been a favorite with all my kids at the toddler age. The book is cute, because it has a little story in the song about the pumpkin finding it’s way back home.
Sheep Trick or Treat by Nancy Shaw
I don’t know if there is a toddler/preschooler book out there that I love more than Sheep in a Jeep. This Halloween spin off Sheep Trick or Treat is not as good as the original, but is still super fun and has a cute story. The sheep get dressed up and go trick or treating, but there are wolves on the prowl! My four-year-old loves it this year and was very invested in seeing what would happen the first time we read it.
Duck and Goose Find a Pumpkin by Tad Hills
Duck and Goose Find a Pumpkin is another great one for parents who want to avoid monsters or magic for Halloween. It follows Duck and Goose as they search for a pumpkin in all the fall places–like an apple tree and a leaf pile. It’s a cute one for young kids!
Those are some of our favorite read alouds for young toddlers and preschoolers! What are some of your favorite books to read with young kids for Halloween? Let me know in the comments below!
Wow, September was a great reading month for me! I participated in both 30 Books in 30 Days and in Series September (two different reading challenges I love). With so many books, I didn’t love all of them, but so many of them were such fun reads!
I read 33 books (including some novellas/short stories) in September and 6,720 pages, for an average of 203 pages per book. I read 27 books by female authors and 6 by male authors. I borrowed 20 of the books and owned 13. I read 11 physical books, 14 eBooks, and 9 audiobooks. 19 were part of a series, and I started 4 new series and finished 6 series I am currently in the middle of. I had 8 stand alone reads. I read 7 middle grade, 3 YA, and 20 adult books. I read 3 new releases. I shared 8 read alouds with my kids. I read 2 books from my 2025 TBR list and DNF’d one, bringing the total read/DNF’d to 25/33, with 8 remaining to read. I read 12 five star reads, 13 four star reads, 6 three star reads, 1 two star read, and 1 one star read.
It was hard to narrow down my favorites to just 5 this month, but here they are!
The Unselected Journals of Emma M Lion by Beth Brower
This is maybe cheating just a little, because I read volumes 2-5 in September and just loved them all–each one got better. If I had to pick just one, I’d pick volume 5. These books take a little bit to get into, in my opinion, but the characters are so well done and the feel of the books is so fun, even while they handle deeper issues of grief.
What Does it Feel Like by Sophie Kinsella
I bawled (like I do anytime there is a mom with cancer, it’s hard for me to contemplate a mom leaving behind children). I loved the way this was formatted and was riveted the entire time. It’s short and sweet and based on the author’s real experience, which only made it better.
The Song of David by Amy Harmon
Another book I bawled through. I listened to this one and couldn’t put the audiobook down. I love the narrator and the characters. The ending drove me crazy (there’s a question throughout much of the book that gets left open to interpretation at the end, which is not my kind of ending) but I loved the rest of the book enough that it was still a favorite read.
I Think He Knows by Katie Bailey
Katie Bailey is one of my favorite clean rom com authors and this book was super fun! I love “friends with a famous actor” plotlines and I also fell in love with the main character’s daughter Legs (and her extended family) in the previous book. I highly recommend any of Katie Bailey’s books for no or low spice rom com lovers!
Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Casimino
This is the newest release in the series (and is book 5). I have to admit that I really loved book 4 and thought the series should have wrapped up there, so I was hesitant in reading this one. I was pleasantly surprised in how much I loved it! It felt like it pulled back and slowed down a little again, and while what happened in past books didn’t disappear, it was almost a fresh start for the plot, which I really liked. Their neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, was the best part of the book, she is a riot!
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Those were my favorite books of the month of September! What did you read last month? What is a book you read and loved recently? I’d love to chat books with you.
August was quite the month. Trying to juggle a baby with older kids (summer activities, home school, extra curriculars, friends, all of it) is exhausting. I did get some good reading in though and really enjoyed a lot of the books I read!
In August, I read 17 books and 4,737 pages in August, for an average of 278 pages per book. I read 15 books by female authors and 2 by male authors. I borrowed 6 and owned 11 of the books I read. I read 4 physical books, 5 eBooks, and 8 audiobooks. I read 7 middle grade, 1 YA, and 6 adult books. I shared 6 read aloud books with my kids and read 5 new releases. I had 5 rereads and 12 new reads. I read 2 “new to me authors” and 10 previously read authors (not including rereads). I read 1 book from my 2026 TBR, bringing the total read or DNF’d to 23 of 33. I read 4 books in a series, finishing 2 series and starting 0. I read 10 five star reads, 2 four star reads, 4 three star reads, 1 two star read, and 0 one star reads.
The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties by Jesse Q Sutanto
I have loved the few books I’ve read by Jesse Q. Sutanto so far! I started with Vera Wong (my favorite so far) and this series is my second by her. I really loved the first book, but the second was just okay. I was very happy to find that I once again loved this third and final book in the series! It is wacky, but in the best way.
The Blackbird Girls by Annie Blankman
This middle grade historical fiction was different than I was expecting, but in a way that I loved. I was totally gripped by the characters and by the two main characters’ friendship. I learned about history and really enjoyed the “overcoming abuse” plotline. This would be a really good read for slightly older middle grade readers.
Rebel Summer by Cindy Steel
Cindy Steel is one of my favorite clean rom com authors and this book did not disappoint. It had a fun premise, a great “hate to love” romance, and characters that I loved reading about. I liked the way the author incorporated some of the heavier topics like emotional abuse into the light hearted romance.
These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder
This was technically a reread for me, but I haven’t read it since I was a young girl, so a lot of it felt new to me. This has been my favorite of the series so far. I love Laura and Almonzo and seeing their relationship develop throughout the book is swoony in the best way.
One Wrong Step by Jennifer A. Nielsen
This was my final read of the month and I listened to it with my family in the car on a roadtrip (we listened to it in one day, there and back) and everyone loved it. The kids were begging to keep listening anytime we had to stop it and laughing at all the right spots and even my husband had us pause it when he ran in to grab some food somewhere because he didn’t want to miss it. It was educational, fun, and moving. I loved the theme of being able to let go of the past so you can move forward in your life and felt it was very well done. It got us through a long day of driving in the best way possible.
What did you read in September? What book have you read and loved recently? I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
One of my favorite readathons to participate in each year is Series September hosted by one of my favorite BookTubers BooksandJams! It’s a way to focus on some books in series before the end of the year. I always love doing the 30 Books in 30 Days challenge as well, so I try to find books that will fit in both readathon challenges.
They do different prompts each year (you can find the prompts and their bingo boards in their announcement video). This year, their prompts have to do with the aesthetic of the books covers themselves, which is fun and unique.
I’m excited to get some series books read this month!
Prompt 1: Moody and Dark
My Book Choice: Perelandera by CS Lewis
This Space Trilogy is one that I’ve been wanting to read for a long time and I’m excited to finally be starting it. This is the second book in the series (the first book is one of my choices for a later prompt). I picked it for this prompt because the atmosphere on the cover seems to fit to me.
Prompt 2: Illustrated Cover
My Book Choice: The Genius File by Dan Gutman
This is a middle grade book by an author I like. I’m planning on reading this with my kids during the month. The cover is a cartoon-ish illustration.
Prompt 3: Fall Colors on Cover
My Book Choice: Spectacular by Stephanie Garber
Spectacular is a spinoff of the Caraval series, which I read a year or two ago. The red on the cover makes me think of fall colors (though I think it’s a more Christmas-y story).
Prompt 4: Blue Tones
My Book Choice: Kung Pow Chicken by Cyndi Marko
This is a chapter book series that my kids really like that I’ve never read. I’m planning on reading it aloud with them in the mornings during our reading time. The cover of the first book is a nice bright blue.
Prompt 5: Bold Type
My Book Choice: I Think He Knows by Katie Bailey
This is the sequel to a fun romcom I read last year that I really liked and I’m excited to finally be reading it. The words on the cover are nice and bold, fitting nicely with this prompt.
Prompt 6: Light Acadamia Vibes
My Book Choice: The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower
I read the first book of this hyped up series a couple months ago and am very excited to be finishing it. I picked this series for this prompt because both the title and the cover somehow feel “academic” to me.
Prompt 7: Forest or Nature
My Book Choice: Out of the Silent Planet by CS Lewis
This is the first in the Space Trilogy that I’m reading this month and I picked it because of the “alien planet” nature–the mountains and oceans and trees–on the cover. There are other cover designs that are even more so than this one.
Prompt 8: Beautiful Cover
My Book Choice: Louisiana Longshot Jana Deleon
This is a short mystery book that I’ve heard really good things about. If I like it, then I’ll have a new mystery series I can read through. I picked it for this prompt because of the flowers and butterfly on the cover.
Prompt 9: Cozy Vibes Only
My Book Choice: Stranded Ranch by Cindy Steel
Cindy Steel is one of my favorite clean rom com authors and this is the last book by her that I haven’t read. It’s also part of my favorite series by her–Pride and Pranks. This is a very “cozy vibes” book, taking place at a ranch during the holidays. I thought it was perfect for this prompt.
What books are you reading in September? Are you taking part in this reading challenge? What series are you in the middle of? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
Each September, one of my favorite BookTube channels Luminous Libro hosts a readathon called 30 Books in 30 Days. The idea is to read 30 books (or stories or poems, etc) in 30 days, or to read for 30 minutes day. I haven’t done it every year she’s hosted it, but the years that I have, I’ve always had a lot of fun! I wanted to try it again this year–the worst that can happen is I don’t hit 30 reads but read more than I would have otherwise!
I picked some short stories and shorter novels knowing that it will probably stretch me quite a bit to get that much reading in this month. We’ll see how it goes with 5 kids, a 4 month old, and homeschooling!
1 The Answer is No by Fredrik Backman
I have read one book by this author and want to read more. This short story was on sale earlier this year for Kindle, so I own the ebook. I thought this month was the perfect time to enjoy this short story.
2 The Lamp by Agatha Christie
I recently bought this short story for Kindle when it was on sale as well. I’ve been working my way through all of Agatha Christie’s works and am excited to read this one this month.
3 Rebel Summer Bonus Scene: Dax’s Perspective by Cindy Steel
Another short story! These will really help me reach 30 this month. I read the novel Rebel Summer in August and decided to save this short story for September.
4 Spectacular by Stephanie Garber
This is a novella in the Caraval series, which I completed a year or two ago. The audiobook is about 3 hours long, which feels like a perfect length for my reading goals in September.
5 The Four Loves by CS Lewis
CS Lewis is another author I’m slowly working my way through. This nonfiction book is short and I am planning on reading a little bit in it each day until I finish it (hopefully in the month of September).
6 and 7 Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandra (Space trilogy 1-2) by CS Lewis
This space trilogy is one I’ve been wanting to read for years. I own the second and just got the first from the library. It is short enough that I feel it’s reasonable to read it this month and am excited to finally jump into it!
9 Louisiana Longshot by Jana DeLeon
This is a short middle grade mystery book that I recently bought the ebook for. I have heard so many good things about it and am really excited to try it!
10 Okay for Now by Gary D Schmidt
Gary D Schmidt is such a great author! I am planning on listening to this with my kids during the month (I just got the audiobook from the library).
11 The Genius Files by Dan Gutman
Dan Gutman is another author I really love. I am planning on reading this aloud to my kids at bedtime once I finish up our other current reads.
12 Babysitter’s Club 4: Mary Anne Saves the Day Ann M. Martin
The kids and I have been reading the Babysitters Club series together and just started book four. We’re all loving it and they are such short reads, it’s perfect for September.
13 Babysitter’s Club 5: Dawn and the Impossible Three by Ann M. Martin
I originally had told the kids I would read the first 4 books aloud to them. They’ve been begging for the fifth one as well and I decided to go ahead and read it with them. We own it and it is from Dawn’s perspective, I feel like it’s a good place for me to stop with them (and they can continue on their own after if they want).
14-18 Kung Pow Chicken (books 1-5) by Cyndi Marko
Every time I do this challenge, I love to pick a new chapter book series that my kids either love or that I think they’ll love. This year I picked Kung Pow Chicken. My kids have gotten it from the library before and Rylee especially loves it, but I’ve never read it. I am planning on reading it aloud to them during homeschool (we have a time set aside each day for me to read to them). They are such short books, I know we can get through them all during the month and I think we’ll all have fun with them.
19 Stranded Ranch by Cindy Steel
I’ve also been reading through all of Cindy Steel’s books. She writes clean rom coms that I just love. This is the final book by her that I haven’t read and it’s short enough I felt I could include it in my September reading. I always fly through her books.
20 The First Four Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder
I’ve been rereading all the Little House books this year and just loving it. They are all pretty quick reads and this one is one of the shorter ones. I don’t remember if I’ve actually read it as a child or not, but I’m really excited to read it after how much I’ve loved revisiting all the others.
21- 27 The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower (books 2-8)
This is a series that has gotten so much hype, I’m excited to get into it. I read the first one a few months back and decided to save the rest for September (knowing they would make great short reads for this challenge).
28 Parker Pyne Investigates by Agatha Christie
This is my main Agatha Christie read for the month. It’s not shorter than normal, but it’s one of the only full-length books I’m planning to read and I usually get through her books fairly quickly.
29 I Think He Knows by Katie Bailey
This is also not a particularly short read, but I got the audiobook from the library in August without ever actually getting to it. I want to listen to it before my hold ends, so that means it has to be in September. Katie Bailey is another of my favorite clean rom com authors, so I think it is one I will get through quickly!
30 Behind Enemy Lines by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Jennifer A. Nielsen is one of my favorite authors (we listened to One Wrong Step by her as a family and all loved it). This one is a little different–she normally writes realistic middle grade historical fiction (though she has some fun fantasy books) and this one is a time travel historical fiction. It’s only about 4 hours long, so it feels perfect to squeeze in this month. It’s part of a series by various authors and I haven’t read the others, but it sounds as if this can be read independently, so I guess we’ll see.
What books are you reading in September? Are you joining this reading challenge? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
Man, hasn’t the summer just flown by? I feel like the more kids I have (and the older they get), the faster time flies. I don’t know if I have ever had a summer go by so quickly as this one has. It was a lot of fun though and I had some great reads!
In July, I read 18 books and 5,627 pages, for an average of 312 pages per book. It wasn’t my highest reading month, but it was close to the highest month for pages read. I read 16 books by female authors and 2 by male authors. I borrowed 9 books and owned 9 of the books I read. I read 6 middle grade, 2 YA, and 10 adult books. I read 8 eBooks, 7 audiobooks, and 2 physical books. I had 5 rereads and 13 new reads. I read 1 new release and shared 5 read aloud books with my kids. I read 5 stand alone books and 5 books from a series, starting 3 and finishing 0. I had 11 five star reads, 4 four star reads, 2 three star reads, and 0 two and one star reads. I DNF’d 1 book.
Today I am sharing my five favorite 5 star reads from July! What books did you read in July? What is a favorite book you’ve read recently?
The One with the Kiss Cam by Cindy Steel
I love Cindy Steel–she writes sweet rom coms that I always binge read. This one has a super fun premise and fantastic characters!
What Happened to Rachel Riley? by Claire Swinarski
I was surprised by how much I loved this one. It’s a middle grade/YA book about friendships and some heavier topics, all wrapped up in a mystery of what happened. I loved the mystery aspect of it and the way the heavier themes were handled.
Corsair’s Curse by Shari L. Tapscott
This underrated YA fantasy book was fantastic! It has dragons, a love triangle, and interesting magic. I really loved reading about the characters and their adventures.
Why Does He Do That? by Lundy Bancroft
This nonfiction book looks at abusive relationships, exploring why abusive men act the way they do and what you can do if you find yourself in a relationship in one, as well as red flags to look out for before getting into a relationship. He dispels different myths and lays out behavior you can expect to see, with lots of real-life examples. I found it fascinating. My husband also read it and it’s going to be required reading for our daughters when they reach dating age.
A Different Blue by Amy Harmon
Amy Harmon always writes such emotionally deep books. This was one of her earlier works, but I really loved it. There were aspects that I had to get over (the love interest starts off as her teacher, and nothing happens while he is teaching her, but it still felt a little weird), but there were other aspects of motherhood and childbearing that I just loved and bawled through. I could hardly put this one down.
Bonus: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
I know I’ve already shared five, but I couldn’t not talk about this reread–I read Anne of Green Gables aloud to my girls for the first time and it was a delight. They loved it and were laughing at Anne, my middle child related with Anne’s character, and I remembered why I love this book so much. Then we were able to watch the movie together, which they loved as well (and I havne’t seen it for so long, it was so fun to rewatch it and fall in love with Gilbert all over again). Sharing these things with my kids is such a fun part of parenting older kids!
Those were my favorite 5 star reads in July! What were some of your favorite books from last month? What is a book you’ve recently read that you just loved? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear from you and chat about books!
I have loved fairy tale retellings as long as I can remember. The first “real” novel I read was Harry Potter, but the second was Ella Enchanted. I was off track from school and walked through the snow to a daycare everyday instead of school while my mom was at work. One day, I got there and couldn’t find the book anywhere! I was devestated, because it meant I couldn’t finish the book, and I was right at the part with the balls. The next day as I was walking, I found the book sticking out of a snowbank! The cover was ruined, but the book itself was just fine and I was able to finish the story–which I loved. Char was my first “book crush” and I’ve reread Ella Enchanted more than probably any other book.
Today I wanted to share some of my favorite fairy tale retellings! Let me know some of your favorites–I’m always on the lookout for some new fun ones!
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Ella Enchanted is a book most people have heard of, but it is my most favorite retelling (and the first I ever read!), so it had to be included. It is a Cinderella retelling. One of its biggest strengths is the way it goes deeper on some superifical aspects–like the relationship between the prince and Cinderella before the ball–in a way that makes it feel very real. I highly prefer the book over the movie and will always be in love with Char.
Fairest by Gail Carson Levine
Fairest takes place in the same world as Ella Enchanted, though it follows comlpetely different characters (and actually takes place in a different country). I love the themes of beauty and self confidence in this Snow White retelling.
Just Ella by Maragaret Peterson Haddix
Just Ella is a sort of retelling of Cinderella–I say sort of because it picks up after the original story and explores what it might be like for Ella as she moves to the castle for her “happily ever after”. Needless to say, things aren’t all as they appear or as she expected. I love the way it plays on the original story and the love story in this one.
Palace of Mirrors by Maragaret Peterson Haddix
Palace of Mirrors is the companion novel to Just Ella and while it isn’t a direct fairy tale retelling, it’s very fairy tale-esque with the princesses and plot. Haddix’s writing style is fun and easy to read, making these fairy tale books very enjoyable.
Cinder by Mariss Meyer
Cinder is a science fiction retelling of Cinderella and it is so fun! It is a great read even if you don’t normally enjoy science fiction. There are four books in the series and each is a fairy tale retelling that follows a new character, but that builds on the book and plot before it. After Cinder comes Scarlet–a Little Red Riding Hood retelling, Cress–a Rapuinzel retelling, and Winter–a Snow White retelling. It’s such a fun series with a lot of tie ins with the original fairy tales but enough uniqueness to really bring the story and characters to life.
Princess of Shadows by A.G. Marshall
Princess of Shadows is a fantasy Princess and the Pea retelling that was really fun to read! I really enjoyed the characters, the romance, and the world building. It was also fun to read a retelling of a less commonly found retelling.
Bookish and the Beast by Ashley Poston
Bookish and the Beast is also part of a YA retelling series that each follow a different character (and different fairy tale) in the same world. This is the third and my personal favorite, as it is a beauty and the beast retelling and focuses heavily on books–both things I love. The first is Geekerella–a Cinderella retelling, and the second is The Princess and the Fangirl–a Prince and the Pauper retelling. This series is clean when it comes to sexual content, but does have more language in it.
Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
Princess of the Midnight Ball is a sweet retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses, great for younger readers as well. While it has romance in it, it has more of a “middle grade” feel to it than YA. The characters and plot are really fun and because I’m a dancer, I always love retellings of The Twelve Dancing Princesses.
Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George
Princess of Glass is the sequel to Princess of the Midnight Ball and is a loose Cinderella retelling. I loved seeing the ways this one differed from the traditional Cinderella story and all the shenanigans that take place alongside the romance.
The Stolen Kingdom by Bethany Atazadeh
The Stolen Kingdom is an Aladdin retelling with a really fun twist on the Jinni. The main character was especially fun to follow as she was proactive and strong, and I fell in love with Caden, or “Aladdin”, but my favorite character was the Jinni. This is the first of a series of retellings that are all fun, and it has a spinoff series that follows the negative arc of the main antagonist.
The Thirteenth Princess by Diana Zahler
The Thirteenth Princess is a Twelve Dancing Princesses middle grade retelling with a fun twist–the main character is the “thirteenth” princess. It is a fun, fast read that has particularly fun twists on the original fairy tale.
The Otherworld by Abbie Emmons
The Other World has loose Little Mermaid retelling vibes. This YA book has a love triangle and explores family relationships versus independence. I loved characters, the way the plot went, and the way everything resolved.
The Sweetest Spell by Suzanne Selfors
The Sweetest Spell is a very loose retelling of the Ugly Duckling. This middle grade book is so sweet and so enjoyable. I fell in love with all the characters, especially the main character Emmeline–she is so resilient, works through her doubts, and stands strong in the midst of terrible circumstances. The plot is really fun too, with great twists that I didn’t see coming.
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
The Goose Girl is one of my very favorite retellings, of a less-well known fairy tale also titled The Goose Girl. I absolutely love the world, the characters, and the character arcs of this story. The magic in it is very unique and fun and Shannon Hale’s writing style is captivating. This book is great for both middle grade and YA.
Rapunzel Untangled by Cindy C. Bennett
Rapunzel Untangled is obviously a Rapunzel retelling. It has a fun premise that the author does a great job delivering on. The retelling aspect of it is unique and the story is charming, great for a younger audience.
Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon Hale
Rapunzel’s Revenge is a fun graphic novel retelling! This book has a unique take on Rapunzel–rather than the typical protagonist, you get to read about a proactive, cowgirl-style Rapunzel going on an adventure to escape her tower. There is a sequel–Calamity Jack–that is a retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk and finishes off the story. Both are really fun reads.
Mighty Jack by Ben Hatke
Mighty Jack is another fun graphic novel retelling, also retelling Jack and the Beanstalk. It ties in with Zita the Spacegirl (not a fairy tale retelling, but an awesome graphic novel series). My kids love this series and I, as an adult, also loved reading it with them.
Seeking Persephone by Sarah M. Eden
I don’t know if the regency romance Seeking Persephone is meant to be a retelling, but my favorite part of it was the “Beauty and the Beast” vibes throughout. It also has tie-ins with Greek mythology. The romance is so sweet, I loved how their relationship developed and the slow burn of it. It’s one of my favorite regency romances, especially with the fairy tale retelling vibes.
Tress of the Emerald Sea by Gail Carson Levine
This is not necessarily a “fairy tale retelling” but it has fairy tale vibes and is based off of The Princess Bride, if Buttercup went out to serach for Wesley on her own after he left. I love the fairy tale vibes of this fantasy book, the sweet romance, and the plot twists along the way!
These are some of my favorite fairy tale retellings! What are you favorite retellings? I’m always on the lookout for some new good ones and would love to hear from you!
June was a busy month, with five kids and Leah getting older! We’ve had a lot of summer fun outside in the hot weather and we’ve been inching our way back to “normal life” as Leah’s naps have started getting more consistent. I was still able to read quite a bit, but with all that going on, I did have my lowest reading month of the year so far. I also had more books that I didn’t love as much, though some were really fun to read.
I read 13 books in June and 4,033 pages, for an average of 310 pages per book (this is my lowest reading month book and page-wise this year so far). I owned 8 books and borrowed 5 of the books I read. 11 were by female authors and 2 by male authors. I read 1 physical book, 8 ebooks, and 4 audiobooks. I read 2 middle grade, 0 YA, and 11 adult. I had 2 read alouds with my kids and read 0 new releases. I read 6 stand alones and 5 books from series (starting 3 and finishing 0). I had 4 five star reads, 6 four star reads, 2 three star reads, and 1 two star read.
The Hypnotist’s Love Story by Liane Moriarty
I’ve been reading through all of Liane Moriarty’s books lately and I’ve loved them. She writes Chick Lit, often with a bit of thriller/mystery thrown in. The Hypnotist’s Love Story falls more on the Chick Lit end of things, but was still really fun to read. I loved the characters and was very invested in the story–a hypnotist starts dating a guy who is being stalked by his ex.
Courting Miss Lancaster by Sarah M. Eden
Courting Miss Lancaster is the sequel to Seeking Persephone, which is still my favorite in the series so far. I really enjoyed this sequel, though. The love interest, Harry, is adorable and I loved the chemistry between the two main characters.
The Coddling of American Mind by Greg Lukianoff/Jonathan Haidt
The Coddling of the American Mind was my main nonfiction read of the month and I was surprised by how much I loved it. I thought it was going to be hard to get through, but it was very engaging and I took a lot away from the book (I know because I keep referencing things the book talked about in conversations!).
Mastering the Art of French Murder by Colleen Cambridge
For a few years now, I’ve been reading Colleen Cambridge’s Phyllida Bright mysteries, which follow the fictional maid of Agatha Christie solving mysteires. They are so fun, I love them! I decided to try some of her other books and started with this one. I didn’t love Mastering the Art of French Murder as much as Phyllida Bright (part of that may simply be how much I love Agatha Christie), but I still really enjoyed it! It follows a fictional friend of the French cook Julia Child, solving a mystery in France post-WWII. It took me a little longer to really get into it, but once I did, it was so fun. I can’t wait to continue the series.
The Law of Moses by Amy Harmon
I tend to put off reading Amy Harmon books because they are never light, easy reads, but I pretty much always love them once I read them. The Law of Moses was a little bit of a different book–a contemprary with magical realism/paranormal and a dash of msytery/thriller. The characters were, of course, very real and well written, and the ending was very satisfying.
Those were some of my favorite books from last month! How was your reading month in June? What is a book you’ve read recently and just loved? I’d love to hear from you!
