Kickin’ It is a feature at The Bucket List where I round-up the whole month in one post, bringing you reviews you may have missed, other awesome bookish things, and even what I’m currently obsessed with in other media besides books. October, reading-wise, was a good month. I was even able to finish my longest book of the year, totaling at 732 pages. Plus, there were quite a few 5-star reads which is unusual for me. I even participated in Spookathon which got me in the mood to read all the scary books that have been sitting on my shelves waiting for October to come. Overall, I got 13 books done this month! Here’s my October recap:



The Darkdeep by Ally Condie and Brendan Reichs (3 stars): I’ve been trying to read a bit more middle grade books so when I heard about a book with major Stranger Things vibes, I definitely wanted to give it a go. This seems like one of those books that will continue to get better as the series goes on. Right now, this first book in the series is the initial introduction of a world, that if developed more, could be an awesome series!

Sadie by Courtney Summers (4 stars): If you love thrillers or podcasts, definitely give this one a go. Better yet, read Sadie via audiobook. It has a full cast: told half in podcast and half in narrative. It’s intense, dark, and bone-chilling.

The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory (4 stars): Another book I really enjoyed! It wasn’t exactly what I was expecting when I started it. This book tackles a long-distance relationship and communication problems. The story was a bit repetitive, flying back and forth from each other’s residences. Overall, it was super cute. I may even pick up Guillory’s latest, The Proposal.


Jealousy by Lili St. Crow (3 stars): I’ve been working on reading the Strange Angels series; this is the third book. I don’t particularly like the repetitive language but the plot is quite entertaining. I’m planning on reading the fourth book next month.

Dark Visions by L.J. Smith (4 stars): If I had read this in high school, I would have probably given it a 5 star. The story was interesting and with non-stop action, I was always on the edge of my seat. It was a cliché-ridden plot with X-Men vibes but it was fun.

Angel by James Patterson (3 stars): To be honest, I don’t even know what book this is up to in the series. But I remember now why I haven’t continued the Maximum Ride series in such a long time. Not to spoil it, but my reason for not continuing was still not resolved in this one. Also, I’m not a big fan of Angel. She’s a bit of a know-it-all. Let’s hope the next one will be put in a better direction.


Ghost Town by Rachel Caine (4 stars): What a throwback! This is the 9th book in the Morganville Vampires series. As much as there were a few problems with this book, it was entertaining and I was happy to say hello to all my favorite characters.

3:59 by Gretchen McNeil (2 stars): My second—and most likely last book—of Gretchen McNeil that I’ll try. I wanted to love this one: there’s alternate universes, a cute romance, and mysterious monsters in the night. It just wasn’t for me. The romance fell flat. The alternate universes could have been developed a bit more. And the book focused on high school drama rather than saving the world.

Tales of the Peculiar by Ransom Riggs (3 stars): This anthology turned out to be much more… peculiar than I was expecting. It had the whimsy that I adore from Riggs but some of the stories were just too out there for me.


Deadly Little Games by Laurie Faria Stolarz (5 stars): It seems this was the month of reading sequels. Stolarz has been one of my favorite authors since high school. Her writing is superb and her stories always keep you guessing. I loved this one. It made me curious how the series will continue, what with both characters slowly figuring out their powers with each book.

And the Trees Crept In by Dawn Kurtagich (5 stars): So amazing! If you are ever looking for a creepy book to read, this one should be on the top of that list. The imagery alone will give you nightmares.

Awakened by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast (3 stars): Last month, I mentioned how I’m over the House of Night series. And I still am. It’s getting old—the same enemy, the same issues. I’m really just here for my favorite characters. The ending of Awakened was surprising and hopefully, will change things up for the next book.

The Wren Hunt by Mary Watson (5 stars): NEW FAVORITE! I was a bit hesitant about this one because I don’t really read books about witches anymore. But this was so much more than a witch book. It has masterful world building and amazing, developed characters.


Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan: This one sounds like something I’m definitely going to love. A fantasy where every year, girls are chosen to serve the king—and this year, Lei is chosen. A lot of people are already hyping this one up so I hope it surpasses expectations.

The Reckoning of Noah Shaw by Michelle Hodkin: I am sorely not caught up in the first series to go on to the spin-off yet. However, I loved reading about Noah and can’t wait to read his books after finishing Mara Dyer’s.