October Wrap Up!

My favorite month has come and gone! October was a whirlwind this year. Between adding an extra day to my work week, wedding planning, and getting a cold that knocked me on my butt for about 2 weeks, I feel like I hardly had time to appreciate my favorite parts (hot apple cider, pumpkin patch, foliage, etc.). Despite the hectic nature of the month, I got a good amount of reading done and declare myself slump-free!

Books Read in October

The Last Boy and Girl in the World - Siobhan Vivian
In a Dark, Dark Wood - Ruth Ware
Lumberjanes, Vol. 4: Out of Time - Noelle Stevenson et al.
Bitter of Tongue (Tales From the Shadowhunter Academy) - Cassandra Clare & Sarah Rees Brennan
Better Off Friends - Elizabeth Eulberg
I Let You Go - Clare Mackintosh
Highly Illogical Behavior - John Corey Whaley (Review)
Swear on This Life - Renee Carlino

After a couple of months of boring books and slumpy moods, I feel like I've finally busted out of the rut! That's not to say I loved each of these books (Check previous post for reviews!), but I enjoyed reading most of them and they were fast-paced or interesting enough to keep me from falling behind.

Books I Bought

Replica - Lauren Oliver
Gemina (The Illuminae Files) - Amy Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
Our Chemical Hearts - Krystal Sutherland

Just like last month, 2 of the 3 books I bought were preorders from months ago. I purchased a used copy of Our Chemical Hearts on a whim (through my favorite online bookshop via Amazon - excellent service and quality and I highly recommend it if you're looking for a used book!) because I've been seeing it everywhere and hearing great things. 

eBooks I Bought

The Memory Book - Lara Avery

I am pretty proud of myself and my book-buying cutbacks. I mean, there are still plenty of books I'm curious about, but I'm more likely to pick up something I already have or utilize the library. I originally checked The Memory Book out from the library, but when I saw that it was $3 for the Kindle, I figured I'd just buy it instead of keeping it for too long and feeling guilty if I don't get around to it right away.

Challenge Updates

Goodreads Challenge: 83/100
TBR Tackle: 0
Read Harder Challenge: 10/26

The Read Harder Challenge has not been a large focus for me. There are still a bunch of books on the list that I have TBRs for and I want to get as many done as possible, but it's taken the backseat as I continue to try and prevent reading from feeling like a chore. I love how the challenge forces readers to branch out and expand their minds, but there are several tasks (biographies, non-fiction science, horror books, etc.) that I know will be difficult for me. 

I'm happy to be back on track with my GR, though! I was behind a book or two for a bit this past month and now I'm back at a good pace. If I don't hit the number, I won't beat myself up, but I know that a large part of it would have to deal with reading the wrong books at the wrong time. 

I'm always learning that it's okay to put a book down if I don't like it, to come back to it at another time or maybe never pick it up again. This sounds easier than it is, especially for a curious and avid reader like me!