Happy Halloween, everyone! I’ve got my bag of candy ready for the kids who show up later today in their costumes. I definitely forgot to carve the big pumpkin we bought, but oh well! It still looks nice as a seasonal decoration, carved or not. Anyway, not only is it Halloween, but it’s also time for my October 2024 book blog wrap-up.
As usual, this is a summary of reviews I posted, blog stats, and other book-ish and non-bookish shenanigans. If you’re ready for it, then dive right into my October 2024 book blog wrap-up.
Book Reviews
I posted four book reviews in October. From earliest to latest they are:
- Odd Spirits by S.T. Gibson
- The Book of Purrs by Luis Coelho
- The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers
- The Inside Story of the British Bureau for the Arcane by Phil Parker
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.
My top five posts for total page views, as of Wednesday (October 30) evening, are:
- Book Review: Assistant to the Villain by Heather Maehrer: 836 views
- Arthurian Retellings Reading List: 746 views
- Book Review: Fall of Ruin and Wrath by Jennifer Armentrout: 519 views
- Book Review: Gild by Raven Kennedy: 352 views
- ARC Review: Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig: 306 views
Like last month, October was not a new personal best with stats. In fact, despite receiving more likes and comments compared to September, visitation lagged. I even updated some old posts for SEO. So I’m not sure why October was relatively slow. I suspect it has something to do with Google’s last algorithm update in mid August. Luckily, I do this as a hobby, so it doesn’t matter. Regardless, I still gained a few more followers and sit happily at 213.
#BeattheBacklog
I finished three books that had been on my TBR prior to 2024: HOMEGOING by Yaa Gyasi, THE AMBER SPYGLASS by Philip Pullman, and THE HURRICANE WARS by Thea Gaunzon.
Other Bookish Items
I finished 11 books in October:
- HOMEGOING by Yaa Gyasi (audiobook)
- CALL OF THE HUNTRESS by Jessica McMinn (SFINCS)
- THE CITY OF STARDUST by Georgia Summers (ARC)
- TO TRICK A TRICKSTER by Susana ImaginƔrio (SFINCS)
- THE AMBER SPYGLASS by Philip Pullman (audiobook)
- ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE NORTH by Philip Pullman (audiobook)
- OATH KEEPER by Ellie Lieberman (SFINCS)
- THE HURRICANE WARS by Thea Guanzon
- BOSSYPANTS by Tina Fey (audiobook)
I had a very slow start to my reading this month. So slow, in fact, that I didn’t think I’d have a busy reading month. Looks like I was mistaken! I can thank the SFINCS novellas for helping me pad my October reading stats.
I finally read THE HURRICANE WARS is preparation for the sequel that comes out in December. I was a little nervous it wouldn’t live up to the pre-publication hype. But I loved it and I can’t wait to read what’s next. My understanding is it’s inspired by Reylo and I could totally see that inspiration in some scenes. Overall, though, it definitely stands strong on its own. Hopefully I’ll find some time to write an actual review.
Non-Bookish Items
We threw an end-of-summer/beginning-of-fall firepit party a couple of weeks ago. We hadn’t done anything like that in a while for a variety of reasons. But it went really well and I’m glad we did it.
To my delight, our garden is still going, albeit rather slowly. I’m waiting for the rest of our green tomatoes to ripen before I pull them up. Our swiss chard plants continue to thrive. And the arugula did so well last season that I planted more and they’re popping up now. The squirrels keep digging in our raised beds and disturbing the seeds I planted. So I decided to sow seeds for root vegetables in little trays; daikon radish was the first to pop up!
And that’s it for my October 2024 book blog wrap-up! Did we read any of the same things? Let me know how your October was!
Looks like it was a pretty good month. It’s weird to think we’re heading into a new season, but how fun that you celebrated the end of summer. I hope November is a good month too!
It looks like you’ve had a great month! I only managed to write one review this month… I think that is a first for my blog. lol. I usually try to do at least one per week, but I just wasn’t feeling it this month. I hope you have a fun Halloween evening and get to pass out lots of candy. š
Well, you’re busy with lots of non-reading things, so that’s to be expected! I’m sure you’ll be back in full force one you’re all settled. I did get to pass out lots of candy…it seems we get more trick or treaters every year. I think we got close to 80? It helped that it was a very warm Halloween, which probably encouraged more kids and their parents to come out.
Seems like you had a pretty great October! š I can’t believe it’s already November now… Time flies! I haven’t been writing as many reviews or reading as many books in the past few months but I hope that picks up in the final two months of 2024. I hope November is a great month for you overall!
I know, why is it November already?! I hope you have a great November, too, and that you’re able to find more time to read!
Oh, I love Homegoing. Iāll try the audiobook if I ever reread it.
It’s good! There are different narrators for each main character’s chapter.
Well done on getting to three backlist books. I’m not sure if I’ve heard of Once Upon A Time In The North or not š¤ I’ll have go check it out when I get around to doing my His Dark Materials reread. I’m glad Hurricane Wars lived up to the hype for you too, that’s wonderful yay.
I also feel your frustration with squirrels stealing your seeds. I don’t have any vegetables but I’m sure they’re the reason all my daffodils disappeared this year and one of the dahlias I had š
I hope you have a wonderful November.
I hadn’t heard of ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE NORTH, either, until on a whim I clicked on the author’s name on Libby. I’m not really familiar with the spin offs from the original HDM trilogy.
I just put a physical barrier up to deter the squirrels haha. They’ve recently been digging up when I planted arugula seeds and oh no, that is not ok. Sorry about your daffodils!!! š They do dig up bulbs.
I know of a few (I read Lyras Oxford and remember seeing Serpetine being advertised) but I’m sure that ones new to me. Lucky you found it.
I hope the barrier works š¤ it’s so frustrating when they decide to dig like that.
We totally forgot to carve our big pumpkin too!! HAHA! Oops, but they still had a blast. You had an awesome month!! I hope November is just as good, if not better.