Mini Spooktober Wrap Up and Book Reviews

*This post might include Amazon Affiliate links. 

Last week (April 3-9), I hosted a week-long readathon that stems from Spooktober, a month-long spooky readathon that I've been hosting since October 2020. I am personally a huge fan of all things spooky 365-days a year, but I wanted to place an emphasis on these genres for a week during the half-way point between Octobers, so I started hosting Mini Spooktober as well!

It was a very productive week for me personally; I read 5 books, all of which I also had the audiobooks for, as I listened to them as I did school, packed up our apartment, etc. I found a new favorite, read an Agatha Christie mystery, and knocked out several books on my NetGalley shelf, which I always appreciate!

Below are reviews for every book I read (& which prompt I read it for), as well as trigger warnings, my ratings, and links to each book on Amazon.

For an adaptation: Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie

Official blurb: "Beloved detective Hercule Poirot embarks on a journey to Egypt in one of Agatha Christie’s most famous mysteries, Death on the Nile.

The tranquility of a cruise along the Nile was shattered by the discovery that Linnet Ridgeway had been shot through the head. She was young, stylish, and beautiful. A girl who had everything . . . until she lost her life.

Hercule Poirot recalled an earlier outburst by a fellow passenger: 'I'd like to put my dear little pistol against her head and just press the trigger.' Yet in this exotic setting nothing is ever quite what it seems."

Death on the Nile

I've read several books by Agatha Christie, and this one just wasn't my favorite. I read it in one sitting, but I kind of guessed the plot twist before it happened, so I wasn't really surprised by anything, as I have been with many of the author's other books. This isn't one that I will remember in a few weeks, but I do love this new cover for the book!

TW for death, murder, blood.

My Rating: Two and a Half Stars

Shortest on your TBR: I Am Margaret Moore by Hannah Capin

A lyrical, atmospheric paranormal YA thriller, I Am Margaret Moore follows a girl and everything she went through during this summer and last, seeking answers about the love she lost and learning how the secrets she kept affected those around her. 

I Am Margaret Moore

When I first started reading this book, I honestly had no idea what to expect. I love a good spooky book, and I thought this one would deliver just that. What I was not expecting, however, was to tear up and cry MULTIPLE times while reading it. The writing was so, so beautiful, and I think that played a big part in my emotions bubbling up so strongly. I physically felt Margaret's emotions at the time; I could relate to much of what she went through on a deep level. This book isn't going to be for everyone - I totally understand that - but it hit me so hard, and I will be recommending it to everyone I can.

TW for death, poisoning.

My Rating: Five Stars

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC of I Am Margaret Moore by Hannah Capin.

Been putting off: The Resting Place by Camilla Sten

After witnessing the death of her grandmother but having no knowledge of who the killer is, Eleanor must visit a house that has been in her family for over fifty years, a place with a shady past and secrets kept inside. As Eleanor struggles with guilt and anxiety over her grandmother's murder, she must figure out mysteries within her family and a presence at the house that she knows is not supposed to be there.

The Resting Place

Overall, I thought this was an engaging read that kept me hooked throughout it. I really enjoyed the dual timelines from different character perspectives. I love a good slow burn with a creepy atmosphere, and I thought that The Resting Place delivered on that quite well. However, the plot twists were a little bit . . . lackluster to me, and there were moments when I had to go back and reread sections or refer to previous pages in the book to make connections to what was happening. Because of that, I was a little bit confused at times. Although this isn't a new favorite of mine, I thought it was a quick read, and I would recommend it to people who enjoy thrillers about family secrets.

TW for death, violence, blood, mention of miscarriage, suicide in the past.

My Rating: Three Star

Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for the ARC of The Resting Place by Camilla Sten. 

 

Randomized: The Missing Hours by Julia Dahl

In this thriller about revenge and justice, Claudia Castro wakes up one night with no memory of the hours before and cuts and bruises all over. She soon begins to suspect that she was assaulted, and when a video gets sent of her being raped by two guys, Claudia decides to take matters into her own hands and deal with the problem herself. But when two weeks pass without contact with her family, friends, or any posts on social media, people begin to fear that Claudia is in danger and fight to find her before people with bad motives do.

The Missing Hours

This book is not at all what I was expecting it to be, but overall, this was an interesting one to work my way through. I liked that we got to see a couple of different POVs from vital characters, and I feel like Trevor was my favorite to read about; he was definitely a bit odd to me, and his thoughts made me feel uncomfortable at times. But, I like seeing that in thrillers, so I had a good time with it. There is just something about this one that didn't completely click with me, so it's not a new favorite. This book is certainly not for everyone, and some of the characters are absolutely awful to read about (for a reason), but I thought it was intriguing and would be interested in picking up other books by the author.

TW for rape, assault, violence, mentions of abortion, revenge porn.

My Rating: Three Stars

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Minotaur Books/St. Martin's Press for the ARC of The Missing Hours by Julia Dahl.

 

Favorite spooky author: The Night Shift by Alex Finlay 

On New Year's Eve, 1999, three teenage girls are murdered while one survives. 15 years later, another massacre happens with connections to the murder that took place years before.

Every Last Fear

 I read Every Last Fear last year, and I really enjoyed it! So, when I saw the author was coming out with a new book, I obviously needed to request it. This was a fun one! I really enjoyed the rotating POVs and the glimpses back to 1999. There was a plot twist that made my jaw actually drop; it was so good! This book was full of mystery and action, and I was intrigued from the beginning of it. I'm excited to see what Alex Finlay writes next!

TW for death, murder, violence, abuse. 

My Rating: Four Stars

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Minotaur Books/St. Martin's Press for the ARC of The Night Shift by Alex Finlay!

 

I had a great reading week, and I had a fun time with several of these! I love Spooktober and cannot wait for the month-long readathon to happen again in October. For more information on Spooktober or to join us, you can find the Instagram, Twitter, and Discord here.