Happy Halloween, everyone! I often feel as though October should last longer. But this time it seemed to go by more quickly than usual. It started off great and ended not so great. I feel all over the place lately and I get into that a little bit at the end of this post. Despite it all, though, I still managed to read nine books and ~300 pages of Crescent City 1 and write six book reviews. When I take a step back and see these accomplishments, it makes me happy. Anyway, let me get on with my October book blog wrap-up.
Book Reviews
I posted six reviews on October. From earliest to latest they are:
- Shield Maiden by Sharon Emmerichs
- Wrath Becomes Her by Aden Polydoros
- A Necromancer Called Gam Gam by Adam Holcombe
- Kissing Kosher by Jean Meltzer
- A Season of Monstrous Conceptions by Lina Rather
- A Prelude to Ashes by Thiago Abdalla
Blog Statistics
Every month I share some statistics from Google Analytics because I think it helps put expectations into perspective for other micro-bloggers like me who are out there. These statistics are from Google Analytics 4.
As of the evening of October 30, my top five posts for total page views are:
- Arthurian Retellings Reading List: 493 views
- Book Review: Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Maehrer: 419 views
- Book Review: Fall of Ruin and Wrath by Jennifer Armentrout: 295 views
- Book Review: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros: 284 views
- ARC Book Review Etiquette: 196 views
I also surpassed 4,000 views this month, which is another blog record. Honestly, I didn’t think I’d surpass September’s numbers because I didn’t do as much blog hopping. But SEO once again proves its importance to visibility.
A few more people chose to follow my blog and I now have 153 blog followers. Thank you for your support!
#BeatTheBacklog
I finished one book I had on my TBR prior to 2023: LADY JUSTICE: WOMEN, THE LAW, AND THE BATTLE TO SAVE AMERICA by Dahlia Lithwick. I also started HOUSE OF EARTH AND BLOOD by Sarah J. Maas. It’s a huge book, so I haven’t finished it yet. But I’m 34% through.
Other Bookish Items
I read nine books in October. A good portion of them are novellas this time around, some for the SFINCS competition and others for my own reading pleasure. I feel like my reading was quite varied this month. Even though the majority genre was still fantasy, those books were all quite different. Additionally, my reading was diverse in terms of author backgrounds.
- LIQUID SNAKES by Stephen Kearse
- KISSING KOSHER by Jean Meltzer
- A NECROMANCER CALLED GAM GAM by Adam Holcombe (SFINCS)
- LADY JUSTICE by Dahlia Lithwick (audiobook)
- A SEASON OF MONSTROUS CONCEPTIONS by Lina Rather (ARC)
- THE HEN WHO DREAMED SHE COULD FLY by Sun-mi Hwang (audiobook)
- A PRELUDE TO ASHES by Thiago Abdalla (SFINCS)
- SPELLSWEPT by Sephanie Burgis (SFINCS)
- IN VITRO by Isabel Zapata
I don’t really have much else to share with regards to bookish things. My SFINCS reading is going well (I read 3 this month). My goal is to read as many as possible of the ones assigned to my team.
I’m also considering not requesting anything else from NetGalley for the rest of the year. I fell behind in October, so I want to catch up. But I also want more time to read my own physical backlist.
Non-Bookish Items
I’m doing much better about my work out goals outlined in my non-bookish goals here. I did some form of exercise 3-4 times per week for the past four weeks. So I’m happy about that. I think part of the reason I succeeded is because I stopped devoting time to participating in book blog memes. Now I use that time to read or work out.
I hit a really rough spot emotionally at the end of the month. I don’t think I’ve cried this much in over a decade. I know that what I’m going through is nothing to be ashamed of and that it’s not my fault. But it is deeply personal. And it became more of a gut punch when I received some family news. I now have a treatment plan and my insurance will start covering it in January, if needed. (That latter part is a silver lining because for years many have lobbied for my employee insurance to cover this particular care.) I don’t know if I’ll ever move beyond speaking in generalizations here because I’m not big on sharing personal things publicly for a variety of reasons. I really wrestle with how much society shares online, almost like it’s a compulsion, with how I truly want to share personal things or seek community. But I don’t mind DMs (thank you to those that reached out) because those aren’t for public consumption. And I know that I don’t even have to share on my blog space. But it does help to share a little bit, even though I keep it more abstract.
And that’s it for my monthly book blog wrap-up! How was your October?
Looks like you had a really good month. And whatever struggles you are going through, you’re not alone. Sometimes just mentioning something vaguely is a way to release some of that pressure. I hope November is a good reading month as well!
4000 views in a month is brilliant! I totally get the not requesting from Net Galley to devote more time to reading other things. I’ve now got my shelf under control but it did seem to be taking over my reading life at one point earlier this year.
I’m so glad that you’ve got your treatment covered by insurance. That must be a real relief to you,
I am both puzzle and amaze at you getting hundreds of views on your blog post.
Have a great November reading month.
Thanks!