**I sit elbow-deep in pumpkin guts as I scoop out the insides of the pumpkin I hope to carve. I sit outside since the weather is still warm enough, and watch as crows circle in the late twilit sky. A gentle breeze whistles through and knocks a few leaves off the trees, creating a twister of color. Once I finish with my pumpkin, I begin to carve. I make mischievous eyes and pointy teeth, opting to add a witch hat to the top from an old Halloween costume. I leave my little pumpkin on the front porch for anyone that walks by, hoping he lasts until Halloween.**

I have a tendency to . . . not stick to my TBRs, so instead of setting a TBR for October, I’m just going to mood read throughout the month. However, I am still going to list a few books that I may pick up through the month. These are only ones that I would either want to read in October, or are ones I am interested in at the moment.

• The Party by Natasha Preston

October is the perfect time for thrillers and even though I don’t read many anymore, I love Natasha Preston. This one is a thriller set at a party where the guests start dying. This is the latest book from her and the only one I haven’t read yet, so I feel like next month is a great time to get to it.

• A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal

This seems like a good pick for the month because it deals with vampires and a tea house acting as a front for a blood bank. Plus, this one is on the shorter side which is always nice to have. This one is perfect for the fall months, so if not October, definitely November.

• The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo

I have been making my way through Leigh Bardugo’s books the past few years, and this is one I really need to get to. I have no clue what it’s about and plan to leave it like that until I read it. I believe it is a gothic sort of fantasy though. I tend to enjoy Leigh Bardugo’s books, so I am intrigued to see how this one is.

• A Queen of Ice by Elise Kova

This one is the last book in the A Trial of Sorcerers series which has elemental magic and trials. I have been making my way through this series for the past two years and have come so close to finishing. I really want to get to this soon to close out the series and have another one completed.

• Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

I have been wanting to get to this book for months now but haven’t been in the mood for it. This is book three in the Empyrean series, which is set at a war college with dragons. I have really been enjoying my time with this series and hope that October is the month I read it.

• Nothing Like the Movies by Lynn Painter

This one has been on many a TBR post. It’s the sequel to Better Than the Movies but follows the characters in college. I loved the first one and have no excuses for not reading this yet. I really want to see what happens to the characters. Plus, I love Lynn Painter’s writing and can’t wait to get to another book.

• Nine Liars by Maureen Johnson

Last, but not least, we have a book that has been on my physical TBR for probably two years now. Again, no excuses for why I haven’t read it. Just like I said with The Party, October is a great time to pull out the thrillers. I haven’t continued this series since about 2022, so I really need to get to this one.

I’m not really sure what books I will read in October since I plan to mood read, but these are a few that are calling to me at the moment that may find their way on to my October wrap-up. Hope you are all having a great September with great reads, and transition into a great October with even better reads.

xoxo,

Just another reader