That’s a Wrap! The Best and Worst of my 2020 Reading

Hello Lovely Readers! I hope your week has been treating you well. My day job has been ridiculously busy and stressful this month and I have barely done any reading. Unless something drastic changes this week, my January wrap up is going to be short… unless we can count hours played in Stardew valley?

Now that we are over halfway through January, I figured that I should get around to doing a 2020 reading wrap up. Despite everything negative about 2020, I had a successful reading year. I read over 100 books and, though most of those books were within my comfort genres, I did stretch myself a bit to read outside my comfort zone. I hope to continue stretching myself in 2021.

I wasn’t sure where to focus this wrap up or how to wrap up an entire years worth of books in one post, so I picked just a few categories to discuss. I decided to share my favourite reads, my least favourite reads, and my favourite series’ from this past year. I picked 5 entries for each category, and the lists below are in no particular order. It is hard enough to pick only 5 for each category without also trying to rank them.

Top 5 Reads of 2020

5 Favourite Reads in 2020

1. In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren

This book managed to sneak in at the end of the year to become a top read. I had so much fun reading this book, and it was exactly what I wanted in a Christmas romance. If you haven’t read this one yet, I would highly recommend it even though we have passed the holiday season. This feel good romance is perfect if you need something to take your mind of the current situation or any other stresses in your life.

2. Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

This is without a doubt my favourite Riley Sager novel so far. I think this one is listed as horror, but in my opinion it is mid level horror. It is definitely spooky (it’s dealing with a haunted house) but it’s not gory or overly terrifying. I wouldn’t recommend it if you scare easily, but if you are okay with a bit of spookiness, then I would highly recommend you pick this one up.

3. Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny

I think this might be my favourite Louise Penny so far. I love how her stories are intricate and woven together slowly; almost to the point of being meandering. I have learned that like a good dessert, you cannot rush through a Louise Penny novel. The mystery is well worth it and the way that she writes atmosphere and place is amazing. I have a note that I could literally feel the cold while reading.

4. A Rogue of One’s Own by Evie Dunmore

If you have been reading this blog for awhile you will know that I fell down an historical romance hole in the spring that continued off and for the rest of the year. This is book 2 in the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen series, and though I enjoyed the first book, this is the one that convinced me to continue in the series. I loved both of the main characters and I enjoy how the author incorporates humour into her romances. I look forward to the third book in this series.

5. The Governess Game by Tessa Dare

I was surprised to find two historical romances on this list, but this one definitely deserves its place in my top 5. Strangely enough, this is also book 2 in a series. I picked up Tessa Dare on the recommendation of a BookTuber that I enjoy and I am so happy that I did because I love her writing. I probably wouldn’t have picked up this series based solely on the covers, but I am glad that I did. I guess that reinforces the sentiment that you shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover… (We all do it. Don’t pretend that you don’t)

Honourable Mention: I was surprised to find that I didn’t pick any Dresden Files books for this list. In many ways my enjoyment of these books is a series level enjoyment. Though there have been books that are more enjoyable than others, I have read so many of them this year that based solely on my star reviews alone, I could not pick one to include in the top 5.

5 Least Favourite Reads in 2020

5 Least favourite reads in 2020

1. On What Grounds by Cleo Coyle

I discussed this book in more detail here, and I won’t go into the details of why I didn’t enjoy it in this post. Suffice it to say I was very disappointed with this read. I had memories of reading and enjoying a book or two in this series in the past, and so I had high hopes going into this one that were not realized. I don’t think I’ll be reading any more books in this series.

2. 1st to Die by James Patterson

I debated including this one here because I still think that the series has potential, and I may still give it a second shot. But this book was not high on my list of reads this year. While I didn’t actively dislike this one in the way I did others in this category, it also did not hit the mark. And, considering the high expectations I had for such a high profile author, even a mediocre enjoyment of this one was bound to be disappointing. I may try book 2 in this series if it comes available while I’m in the right reading mood.

3. Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie

If you read my wrap up of this one, you will know that I was incredibly disappointed with this read. As it is written by Agatha Christie, I had a certain level of expectation going into it and those expectations were not met. This book wasn’t terrible by any means, but it also wasn’t to the level I would have expected and there were more many aspects of the story that grated on my nerves. If you are looking to get into Christie I would recommend that you do not start with this one.

4. Visions of Sugar Plums by Janet Evanovich and Promise of Love by Tamie Dearn

So I am cheating with this entry by listing two books, but I wanted to include both of them without removing any of the others. I started to put this list together early in December, so one book was already given a reprieve after I read these two. I won’t go into details of why I didn’t like these books, because I discussed them both in my last post, but I actively did not enjoy either of these books.

5. He Started it by Samantha Downing

With two books in the previous entry, this book shouldn’t be on this list. And in many ways, this book doesn’t really belong in this category since I didn’t dislike it that much. But I wanted to leave it here because I know that I have an unpopular opinion when it comes to Samantha Downing. I have now read both of her books, and I have not enjoyed either of them. The writing, in my opinion, is just okay and I found myself having to force my way through both of them. It’s never good to be bored while reading, and it’s even worse when the book is supposed to be a thriller. Many people have enjoyed this book, so I think it just may not be the style for me. I don’t think that I’ll be reading any more books by this author.

5 Favourite Series I read in 2020

5 Favourite Series read in 2020

1. The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher

I imagine that you are tired of hearing me talk about the Dresden Files series, but if we’re talking about the series’ I read in 2020, this one needs to be on the list. After picking up book early in the year, I made it a good way through the series by the end of December. Though there are aspects of the series that I haven’t loved, I am so glad that I picked it up and I think that there is a lot to love about this paranormal/fantasy mystery series. I particularly enjoy the combination of fantasy with mystery and, despite his numerous faults, I like Harry Dresden. This is a series I will definitely be continuing in 2021.

2. The Paranormal Investigation Bureau by Dionne Lister

I came across this series by accident as a daily deal on Amazon. I had the first three books in the series in a bind up, and since they were short, easy to read, and immensely enjoyable, I quickly found myself hooked. I blew through the first few books in the series in a matter of weeks and then took a break to prolong the enjoyment. I am more than overdue to pick the series back up again. If you enjoy cozy mysteries with a fantasy or supernatural twist, then I would highly recommend picking up this series.

3. Band on the Run by Samantha Chase

It is hard to believe I first picked up this series just over a year ago, but January 2020 really does feel like such a long time ago. Over the past year, Samantha Chase has become one of my favourite romance authors. Though this is the only fully series I have read so far, I enjoyed each of them. Chase always leaves me wanting more with her books and I look forward to reading more in the upcoming year.

4. Girl Meets Duke by Tessa Dare

As I mentioned earlier, I never would have expected to enjoy this series so much if I was going solely based on the covers. But I loved the first two books of this series this year, and I can’t wait to read the next books. I think it is amazing how Dare combines humour with romance, and I love that her characters have depth and exhibit growth over the course of the book. This series definitely caused me to reconsider how I view the romance genre.

5. League of Extraordinary Women by Evie Dunmore

When everyone was raving about this series early in 2020, even those who don’t normally read historical fiction, I knew that I had to pick it up. While I didn’t love the first book as much as some, it was a really fun read and I enjoyed it more than enough to know I wanted to read book 2. And book 2 was what landed this series on this list. I loved the characters in book 2 and I found that I resonated more with the story. Dunmore is also able to combine humour and romance in a wonderful way and I look forward to book 3.


I read so many great books in 2020 and I escaped to so many amazing worlds. I wish that I had the space, and the time, to look back on the year in more detail, but I think that these lists do a decent job of summarizing the year’s reading. I had initially intended to include some reading goals in this post, but I think that this post is more than long enough for one week, so the look ahead to 2021 can wait until next week.

Until next time,

Meaghan Signature

December 2020 Reading Wrap Up

Hello Lovely Readers! It has been awhile. I hope, despite everything that was different about this year, that your holidays were good and that you were able to find some bright spots. My Christmas was definitely different, but there were still bright spots and happy memories that will come out of it. In some ways it was also nice to have a more relaxed season and to have a few days that were genuinely “off” time to recuperate a bit from how busy December was for me work wise.

Early in the month my reading got a major kick start when In A Holidaze came available from the library. I was on the wait list since the release date and was certain that it would come available in time for Christmas in July if I was lucky, so I was beyond excited when I got it in perfect time to read for this Christmas. As you will see below, it was exactly what I needed to get me into the reading mood.

If you can think way back to the beginning of December, you might recall that I am testing out the idea of setting myself both seasonal and monthly reading Bingos. We are currently in the middle of the first seasonal Bingo, so I’m not going to talk about that one, but I have completed the first of the monthly Bingos, and I am going to incorporate the results into the wrap ups below and then at the very end we can take a look at the finished product and see how I did with my board.

1. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson (3 Stars)
Family and Friends

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

I originally added this to my TBR back in October with the intention to read it for one of my spooky or atmospheric reads. I didn’t have any trouble getting it from the library, but I had real trouble actually picking it up, and then even when I finally started it, I could not get past the first chapter. I wish that I could say that it was worth pushing through and finishing, but I found it to be an average read. I gave it a 3 stars because I didn’t dislike it in anyway, and there were aspects of the main character that I really enjoyed, but overall I found it just okay. I used this book for the “Family and Friends” prompt, and if you have read this book you will know that it’s a bit tongue in cheek but also very fitting.

2. In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren (5 Stars)
A Book Published in 2020

In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren

This is the latest Christina Lauren romance, and this time there is a bit of a time travel twist mixed in that I was 100% there for. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and though I have only read 3 Christina Lauren novels so far, this one may have pushed The Unhoneymooners out of it’s place as my favourite, though only time will tell. I loved the groundhog day/time travel aspect and I loved how the romance developed between the main characters. I also really enjoyed seeing the main character’s growth and the way she came into herself over the course of the book. Overall, this was the perfect holiday romance for this year and it was exactly what I needed to get me into the reading mood.

3. Visions of Sugar Plums by Janet Evanovich (1 Star)
A Christmas Mystery

Visions of Sugar Plums by Janet Evanovich

This is the first Janet Evanovich book I have read and, based on her popularity I expected so much more. I may still give her another try since I have since discovered that Goodreads has very mixed reviews for this particular novella – people either love it or they absolutely hate it as compared to her other works. The only thing I enjoyed about this novella was that there was occasionally a great line of dialogue or thought from the main character that makes me think she may be enjoyable in a different story. Not only was this story too short and underdeveloped, but some of it was borderline, if not outright offensive. I don’t give 1 star ratings very often, because I think that sometimes it is just that a book was not right for me, but in this case I would actively recommend that you do not pick this book up.

4. Americanos, Apple Pies, and Art Thieves by Harper Lin (4 Stars)
Many Happy Returns

Americanos, Apple Pie and Art Thieves by Harper Lin

This is book 5 in the Cape Bay Cafe mystery series, and like the others in this series, I really enjoyed it. I have found this to be a solid cozy mystery series and I don’t know why I’m not making my way through it quicker. I like the main characters and all the secondary characters, and I really like the relationships that the characters have with each other. I am also a sucker for a cozy series set in a cafe, so there is that. The only thing that could have made this better was if I was on the “Christmas” book of the series instead of the Thanksgiving book.

5. The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams (4 Stars)
A Book with Green on the Cover

The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams

This book technically could have counted for one of the free spaces, but it felt a bit cheaty to me to count a book as both “free” and something else. So here we are. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this one, but I had a lot of fun with it. I like the concept of a group of guys reading romance novels and banding together to help each other fix their relationships. I also liked the commentary about romance novels that appeared throughout the story. If you enjoy romance novels, this is one that I would recommend, and I look forward to picking up the second book in the series.

6. Snowy Nights at the Loney Hearts by Karen King (3.5 Stars)
A Christmas Romance

Snowy Nights at the Lonely Hearts Hotel by Karen King

This book was a pleasant surprise. It was one that I picked up on a deal on Kindle, and since I have mixed success with those picks, I am always happy when I find a winner. I liked that the Christmas theme was prevalent throughout the story instead of just being a thin backdrop to an otherwise normal romance story. In this case, the main character is tasked with taking over and running an annual Christmas dinner at her sister’s Bed and Breakfast while her sister is unable to get home from her vacation in time. Overall, this was an enjoyable seasonal read and I am glad that I picked it up. I would read more from this author.

7. Christmas Cupcake Murder by Joanne Fluke (3.5 Stars)
A book that includes Baking

Christmas Cupcake Murder by Joanne Fluke

After the disaster that was Visions of Sugar Plums, and my mixed enjoyment of the Leslie Meier seasonal mysteries, I was happy to find myself thoroughly enjoying this book. I liked all of the characters, and I liked that the main character has a bakery. I read this as an audiobook, so the recipes included at the end of each chapter were a bit distracting, but once I realized they were always at the end of the chapter, they became easy to skip. Even after discovering that, I found myself listening to them on more than one occasion – who would have thought that listening to someone read a recipe aloud could be so enjoyable. This is book 26 in the Hannah Swensen series, but it is the first one that I read and I had no trouble understanding what was going on. I will be adding more in this series to my TBR over the upcoming year.

8. Promise of Love by Tamie Dearen (2 Stars)
A Book with Red on the cover

Promis of Love by Tamie Dearen

After being pleasantly surprised with the last two books on this list, this one was a let down. I wanted another fun Christmas romance, and though this one fit the category, I did not enjoy it. I didn’t like the main character, I didn’t like her love interests, and there was something off about the pacing. I wrote in my Goodreads review that the book felt like it was trying too hard and I stand by that still. I don’t think I will be picking up anything else from this author.

9. Small Favor by Jim Butcher (4 Stars)
A fantasy Read

Small Favor by Jim Butcher

I don’t really have anything to say about this one other than that it was another solid, and enjoyable entry in the Dresden files series. I am still enjoying this series, though I am starting to get concerned because I know that there is a book coming up shortly that takes the series in a different direction that people either love or hate. I am both looking forward to that book and dreading it.

Other Completed Squares

  • Read 5 Books
  • Snuggle up by the Tree or Fire
  • 2 Audiobooks
  • Hit 100 Books in 2020

Missed Squares

  • A Book Under 100 pages or a Short Story
  • Both Free Spaces

I didn’t think it was going to be possible, but I managed to complete all but 3 squares on my Bingo this month – and two of those were free spaces! I am also didn’t need to use any book for more than one square – not counting the “other” category. I would say December Bingo was a success, though honestly I’m not sure how much it shaped my reading. I can’t tell if I picked books to fit the squares or if I got lucky, so I think it’ll take a few more months to determine if this is a good tool to help me meet my reading goals.

And along those lines… you may have already guessed this, but there is not going to be a Bingo for January. It’s only the second month in and I’ve already missed it. I am going to try for February, because I did enjoy the process, but I may end up abandoning the monthly Bingos and focus on the seasonal ones only. I love the idea of Bingo, but I can’t help feeling there has to be some other, more original, game idea that would work for me.

How did your reading go in December? Has your January reading game started out strong or, like me, are you struggling to actually pick up a book and read? Let me know your favourite read from December in the comments.

Until Next Time,

Meaghan Signature

Fall 2020 Reading Wrap Up – How Did I Do?

Hi Friends, as I was working on my new post for this week, I discovered that this post somehow got stuck as a scheduled post and never went live. Since I spent the time working on it, I decided to post it even though it’s late. I hope you enjoy this bonus, very late, fall wrap up. I will see you with my December wrap up on Thursday!

Hello Lovely Readers! I am a bit behind with this post (can you believe next week is Christmas?!), but I still wanted to take the time to review my fall reading. For those of you that are new, I am terrible at following reading lists and reading goals, but I still like to set myself seasonal challenges and goals to work towards. I try to keep them broad and include many categories so that I don’t get bored or discouraged.

This Fall, I set myself a number of reading goals that I shared with you all here, and now it is time to see how I did. I decided that the easiest way to review my goals was to list them below alongside the discussion of whether I met the goal or not. I set myself 4 main goals each of which had either specific books listed along with them or sub-goals.

I read a total of 23 books, 9 of which were audiobooks. I DNF’d 2 books and my average rating was 3.5 Stars.

Goal #1: Fantasy

My focus for this goal was to read more fantasy overall and focus on those that were atmospheric or had “fall vibes.” Of the specific books that I listed for this category, I read only one – Tunnel of Bones by Victoria Schwab. Though I didn’t do well with reading the specific books that I chose, I am going to mark this goal as successful. Overall this Fall I read 8 Fantasy novels and 5 or 6 of them were atmospheric. My fantasy game was on point this season.

Dead Beat by Jim Butcher
I honestly cannot get enough of The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher right now

My favourite book from this goal was probably Dead Beat by Jim butcher, but almost any of the books I read from the Dresden Files would fit.

Goal # 2: Fright

This category included more than just your typical scary books; it also included some mysteries and thrillers and some fantasy. When I first reviewed this goal, I thought that I was unsuccessful, but when I looked a bit further, I did not too bad. I would say that I had mid-level success in this category.

I read Home Before Dark by Riley Sager and The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw, which were both on the list. I did not read We Have Always Lived in the Castle but I started it and, hopefully, I can finish it this month. If I didn’t slip into a bit of a reading slump, I would have finished it since it is short. I also read a couple of miscellaneous thrillers, with mixed success, as I didn’t love any of them.

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager
I loved this book. Definitely my favourite Riley Sager so far

My favourite book from this goal was definitely Home Before Dark, which I think was also my only 5 Star read this season. If you have not picked this one up yet, and enjoy books that are ghostly and creepy but not too scary, then I would highly recommend this one.

Goal #3: Cozy and Chic

This goal was intended to be a mixture of cozy, and less intense, mysteries as well as chick-lit. It’s an odd combination, but it worked for me. There was one sub-goal in this category that I did not meet (reading a Murder She Wrote novel), but overall I did very well. It was probably the most successful category this season. In addition to the specific sub-goals below, I also read 3 additional books in this category.

I) Read at least 2 Leslie Meier books – I read all 3 of Meier’s Halloween themed mysteries. I still have mixed opinions about this series, but I don’t regret reading any of them, so that is a bonus. I am going to continue reading this series.

II) At least 1 Agatha Christie – Though I successfully met this goal, the book I chose was my most disappointing read this season. I read Hallowe’en Party and I did not enjoy it. You can see more of my thoughts here, but I would not recommend this one if you are looking to get into Agatha Christie.

III) Start a new series by Samantha Chase – I started the Shaugnessy Brothers series this fall, and I am really excited to continue reading it. The book I read, Made for Us, wasn’t my favourite by Chase, but it was a solid read and exactly what I was looking for out of this type of romance novel.

A Rogue of One's Own by Evie Dunmore

My favourite book from this goal was A Rogue of One’s Own by Evie Dunmore, which I talked about last week.

Goal #4: Miscellaneous

I had a few more general reading goals for the fall and a few books that didn’t fit into the other categories that I wanted to share as well. When I set these goals, I suspected that they would be the ones I was least likely to accomplish, and I was only partially correct in that prediction.

I) Make some progress on my “Book Lists” – I didn’t do all that well with this category, though I did read one book off my “must reads list” for this year. After putting it off for so long, I finally picked up An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green, and I am so glad that I did.

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green
I ended up enjoying this book more than I anticipated. An excellent intro Sci-Fi read in my opinion

II) One or Two Non-fiction books – I actually managed to read one non-fiction book this season. I wasn’t going to count it, because it was a book I had to read as part of a weekly Bible study I joined. But then I decided that I chose to join the study, and I chose to read the book each week, so it should count. Baby steps.

III) Graphic Novels – I read one book for this category, and though I really enjoyed it, I would say that I was not successful in meeting this goal. The primary reason for setting this goal was to read The Lumberjanes and I did not do that. This goal will continue into the winter season.

IV) Something Mermaid – I am so disappointed that I did not accomplish this goal. I had a book for this category out from the e-library for at least a month, maybe two, and I just never picked it up. Perhaps I’ll read it in the next few months.

V) Start a ‘Walking Book’– I did not meet this goal even a little bit. Though I was doing well at walking most days during the week during September, I didn’t manage to keep up with that habit, and when I did walk, I was either with someone or listening to music. I do still want to work towards walking more, so maybe this will be a goal I revisit next year, but we shall see.


Though there were a few sub-goals and books on this list that I did not read or accomplish, I think that overall I had a successful reading season. I met many of my goals, and though I didn’t read as many books as I would have liked in November, I read a lot of books this fall that I really enjoyed. Depending on how you do with goals, you may think that my results are disappointing, but knowing me as I do, I would say this is a resounding success. I am looking forward to seeing how I do with my Winter Reading Goals that I shared last week.

How would you rate your fall reading? Did you accomplish your reading goals or read all the books you hoped to read? What was your favourite book that you read this fall? Let me know in the comments!

Until Next Time,

Meaghan Signature

Winter Reading Goals Bingo (December to February)

Hello Lovely Readers! Though the calendar doesn’t yet say so, we are now unofficially into the winter season, which means that it is past time for another set of seasonal reading goals. As I teased in last week’s November Reading Wrap up post, I am testing out a seasonal reading Bingo to help me focus on meeting my goals and to direct my reading while still remaining flexible.

You may be wondering how I am going to accomplish working towards both monthly reading Bingos and a seasonal one, and my answer is that the two are not exclusive. If I read a book for the December Bingo, for example, it can also count towards the seasonal Bingo. The monthly Bingos are intended to challenge and direct my reading on a monthly basis, and also move me closer to completing my seasonal goals. Books can count for multiple prompts on a single card or, if I feel the need for a greater challenge, they can be one book per prompt.

Based on how my reading has gone the past couple of months, I need all the help I can get with directing my reading and encouraging me to actually pick up a book. I know that my reading typically slows down at the end of the year, but if possible I would love to turn that around this month and then also get off to a strong start in January. I hope that the below prompts, as well as those in my December Bingo, can help me accomplish that.

  1. A Book with Snow on the Cover
  2. A Book with 500 or more Pages – Even though I love them, I have been having a hard time getting into big books lately. I have so many on my list that my goal is to read at least one of them in the next few months.
  3. Somewhere on a Beach – We may not be able to travel this year, but we can still travel through books. This prompt is to read a book that is either set in the summer or has those vacation/beach vibes.
  4. Blast from the Past – Re-read a Book
  5. Graphic Novel or Comic Bind up
  6. A Seasonal Mystery — This category is open to interpretation. It can be holiday-themed, or winter-themed or even Valentine’s day themed. Whatever you would consider “seasonal” between now and the end of February.
  7. Love, Love, Love – This prompt is inspired by Valentine’s day, but can be any book that features love in any way. For me, this will probably be a romance of some form.
  8. Read 20 Books
  9. Book from your physical bookshelf – I am going to try to read a physical book that I own, but this can also be an e-book that you already own.
  10. Non-Fiction Read – I didn’t do well with reading non-fiction in 2020, but I am carrying that goal over to 2021.
  11. A Book 100 pages or less
  12. Middle-Grade Read
  13. Free! Any book of your choosing
  14. A Book set in the Winter – You can either choose a book that is entirely set in the winter or that is partially set in winter.
  15. A Book that’s been turned into a Movie
  16. Set in Another World – For me, this prompt is to read a Terry Pratchett book, but I wanted to make it more general for people to join in.
  17. A 1920s Read – Since I didn’t make much progress with my 1920’s reading list this past year, I want to continue trying to work my way through it in 2021.
  18. It’s in the Stars – Though I intend to read a science fiction book for this prompt, it could also mean a book with stars on the cover, or in the title.
  19. A Year in the Life – As I continue to try and read a book from each year of my life, this prompt is to help me accomplish that. But this could also be a book that focuses on everyday things, or maybe you choose to read a book published in 2021.
  20. It’s Magical – Read a book that feels magical to you, or includes magic in some way.
  21. A Book out of Your Comfort Zone
  22. A new to you Author
  23. Off to a Good Start… Read Book 1 of a series
  24. May I Suggest… Read a book that was recommended to you, either by someone in your life or by an external source.
  25. A Book with Blue on the Cover

Do you set seasonal reading goals for yourself? What books are high on your list to read in the upcoming months? Let me know in the comments if you are planning to participate in Winter Reading Bingo with me, or if you are going to take a couple of prompts from this list to shape your reading.

Until Next Time,

Meaghan Signature

November Reading Wrap Up & December Reading Bingo

Hello Lovely Readers! It has been a couple weeks since my last post. Work has been kicking my butt for the last couple weeks, and then I caught a cold that added it’s two cents into the butt kicking. But I am back and ready to jump back in, and what better way than with a look at how my reading went in November.

Despite my best intentions, November was another mediocre reading month for me. It is not uncommon for my reading to slow down at the end of the year, and then when you add in the extra life stress that I experienced this month, it’s not entirely surprising that I didn’t read as much as I wanted. It also didn’t help that the first two books I picked up in November were disappointing.

I finished a total of 6 books in November. I read 2 audiobooks, 2 e-books, and 2 physical books. My favourite read of the month was A Rogue of One’s Own and my least favourite was Hallowe’en Party. While you will see a non-fiction book on this wrap up, I can’t count it for Non-fiction November since I’ve been reading it in weekly portions since September.

1. Slayer by Kiersten White (3 Stars)

Slayer by Kiersten White

I had a really difficult time getting through Slayer. I enjoyed it while I was listening to it, but as soon as I turned it off, I didn’t feel any pull to pick it back up. Many evenings I didn’t listen to anything before bed because I just didn’t care. This book had a lot of potential, and all of the elements of a book that I should have enjoyed. I can also see the potential for the rest of the series (that ending, though!). But unfortunately, overall it fell flat. I will most likely pick up book 2, but if I feel the same way about it that I did about this one, I don’t think I’ll force my way through it.

2. Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie (3 Stars… maybe 2.5?)

Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie

I hate to say it, but this book was so disappointing, and I had such high hopes. A Halloween themed Agatha Christie? How was it possible I had never heard of that before. But it did not live up to expectations. It wasn’t terrible by any means, but it was long and it was tedious. I had the motive figured out pretty early, but it was a long process to get to the final reveal and the culprit.

I also had a hard time with the amount of time spent on the possibility that the murder was likely to have been committed by someone who had recently been let out of a psychiatric institution. I don’t know if this was an issue relevant to Christie at the time, but it was overdone and unnecessary. Even as a misdirect for the murder, it was such an obvious misdirect. While I am glad to have read this one, it will not be one that I recommend to those looking to pick up Agatha Christie.

3. The Girls Weekend by Jody Gehrman (3.5 Stars)

The Girls Weekend by Jody Gehrman

I considered giving The Girls Weekend 4 stars, but I settled on 3.5 because I had mixed feelings. I enjoyed it more than I have enjoyed some other thrillers lately, but there was just something about it that didn’t quite hit the spot. I was drawn right into the story at the beginning, but by the time it reached the middle, my interest began to wane, and then the ending was just okay. Based on the build up throughout, I wanted more intrigue and spice from the ending. In the end, it wasn’t my favourite, but I would pick up another book by this author.

4. A Rogue of One’s Own by Evie Dunmore (4 Stars)

A Rogue of One's Own by Evie Dunmore

This is the second book in the A League of Extraordinary Women series. I really enjoyed the first book, but I liked this one even more. This series is historical romance with a humorous side, and it completely hit the spot for me. I consistently enjoy all of the characters in this series, and I loved the interactions and the romantic build up between our two main characters. Though I loved the humour in Book one, I liked the relationship better in this one.

5. White Night by Jim Butcher (4 Stars)

White Night by Jim Butcher

I’m not going to say too much about this, other than to say that I am still really enjoying this series. If you are new to this series, it definitely takes a few books before it hits it’s stride, but I have been consistently giving 4 star ratings to the past few books I’ve read in the series. Though the main draw is definitely the fantasy world and the humour, I also love the characters and the way they interact with each other. Looking back, one of my criticisms of the first few books is that I didn’t always believe the relationships, and I am so glad that aspect has improved and settled in.

6. None Like Him: 10 Ways God is Different from Us by Jen Wilkin (4.5 Stars)

None Like him by Jen Wilkin

This book is different from what you normally see on this blog, and I think this is the first non-fiction that I have completed this year. I read this book over the past couple months as part of a weekly virtual Bible study that I participated in, and I really enjoyed it. The author challenged me, and made me think, and she presented the concepts and attributes of God in ways that I had never considered before while remaining very accessible. If this is something that you are interested in, I would highly recommend this book.


Last month I introduced a new feature where I look at some of the books or goals that I anticipate reading in the upcoming month. Looking back on last month’s preview, I did a mediocre job of predicting my November reading. I predicted I would need to read like it was my full time job in November to meet all my goals, and you already know I didn’t do that.

While I did continue reading some of the spookier, thriller type books, I didn’t read all that many of them. And I certainly didn’t read a big fantasy book. I picked one up and got about 50 pages at the most into it. Suffice it to say, I didn’t do all that well at meeting my November goals.

December Preview

This month’s preview looks a bit different yet again. I am testing out the idea of a monthly Reading Bingo to help guide and direct my reading for the month. I’ve tried to keep the prompts general so that they fit my goals for the month, but aren’t too specific that they won’t work for others, because I would love for you to join in!

In addition to the picture below, I have attached the PDF file. Feel free to download it and join me this month in working towards a BINGO or two! And let me know in the comments if you’re going to participate, or what you think of the prompts, because I’m thinking of continuing these monthly boards in 2021 and would love the feedback. (Spoiler Alert There may also be a seasonal board coming in the next couple weeks.)

Here are the prompts for December, and a bit of explanation where necessary. Depending on how much of a challenge you want, you can either use one book to fulfill multiple prompts, or use only one book per square.

  1. A Christmas Romance
  2. A Fantasy Read
  3. Christmas Cookies – Read a book that includes baking
  4. Family and Friends – Read a book that features family and/or friends. This one is open to your interpretation.
  5. Listen to 2 Audiobooks – If you don’t read audiobooks regularly, feel free to challenge yourself to read one instead of two.
  6. A Book with Red on the Cover
  7. Many Happy Returns – A Book you were meaning to Read this Year. If you’re like me, you have a list of books you intended to read this year, now is the time to pick one and cross it off your list.
  8. Read 5 Books
  9. Snuggle up – Read a Book in front of the Tree or Fire. It is completely acceptable for this to be the fire on your television.
  10. A Book Published in 2020
  11. Free Space! Use this for any book of your choosing.
  12. Hit 100 Books read in 2020. Okay, so this one is specific to me. Whatever your goal is for books read this year, insert that in this prompt.
  13. Presents! This is a bonus free space that you can use for any book of your choosing.
  14. A Christmas or Seasonal Mystery
  15. A Book with Green on the Cover
  16. A Book under 100 Pages or a Short Story

Until Next Time,

Meaghan Signature

To All the Books I’ve Loved Before Book Tag

Hello lovely readers! Today I am doing a type of post that I don’t think I’ve ever done before – a book tag! Not only am I doing a tag, but I was actually tagged to do it by another blogger. Thank you so much @whisperingstories for tagging me! I was very excited to receive my first tag.

As you have seen from the title, today I am doing the “To All the books I’ve Loved Before Book Tag.” I did a bit of research and it looks like this tag was initially created by a YouTuber whose channel is called Franky Days. The tag was created a few years ago now, and unfortunately it doesn’t look like she’s still creating videos, but you can check out her introduction to the tag video here.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before

This tag is based on the book “To all the Boys I’ve Loved Before” by Jenny Han, which was also made into a movie within the last couple years. Moment of truth? I have not yet read the book or seen the movie… I know! I know! It’s scandalous. I have been trying to read the book recently. The audiobook became available from my library recently, but I had so many other books come available at the same time that the loan expired… it is now back on hold and hopefully I’ll be able to read it by the end of the year *fingers crossed*.

Despite not yet having read the book, I still thought that this tag looked fun, and the prompts are general enough that I can answer them without any knowledge of the book. I had the most difficult time picking books for each category (how do you choose between all the books you’ve ever read?!) But I think I am satisfied with my choices.

1. Kenny from Camp – Your first book love

I have two answers for this question (look at me breaking rules right out of the gate). The first is one of the first novels that I remember loving as a very small child and that is Brown Ears at Sea by Stephen R. Lawhead. I absolutely loved it. I don’t think that many people have actually heard of this book, so let me know in the comments if you’ve read it.

Brown Ears at Sea by Stephen R Lawhead

My second answer is Nancy Drew. I have gone back to this series over and over again since I read my first book and I think that I will always love it.

Nancy Drew and The Secret of the Old Clock

The other reason I want to put this one here is that Ned Nickerson was my first real book crush (at least the first one I can still remember). To this day I have refused to read any of the series’ where Ned and Nancy are not together. Because I am weird that way. (Don’t even ask me about my feelings regarding Nancy’s love life in the new CW show… I am a hot mess of contradictions about that)

2. John Ambrose McClaren – The book that got away
(a book that may not be your all time favourite now, but you’ll always love it)

I had a really difficult time with this answer (something that was a recurring theme for this list). I have a difficult time picking favourites at the best of times, and there are so many books that I wouldn’t consider to be my favourites but will still always have a special place in my heart.

I decided to go with the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. I have not read all of the books in this series, I haven’t even read most of the books in this series. But I did start the series (and read the first 3 or 4 I think) back when they initially came out. And I enjoyed reading them – they were such a roller coaster ride of emotions!

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

After my first initial wave of reading, I kind of just stopped and never went back. I have toyed with the idea of picking up the series again, especially when I hear some of the reviews for the more recent books, but I also worry that they won’t live up to my expectations. In some ways I would rather just enjoy the memory of that first experience.

An honourable mention for this category would be The Little House on the Prairie series. Though it is a series that I hope to revisit with my own children or nieces sometime in the future, I don’t think it’s a book series I would go back to on my own. Even though I loved it when I was young (and am toying with the idea of rewatching the show soon…)

3. Lucas from Homecoming – Your favourite LGBTQ+ character or book

I had a few choices for this category that I went back and forth between, but I ended up going with one of my more recent reads. I loved Calamity Jane from My Calamity Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows. This is book 3 in the the Lady Janies series. I had so much fun reading it and I loved Jane as a character.

My Calamity Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

An honorable mention for this category would be The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee. I thought Monty was such a great (and also at times terrible) character and I had lots of fun with that book, even though I have yet to pick up the later books in the series.

4. Josh Sanderson – the book book next door
(a book that you’ll love no matter how many times you read it)

Even just looking through this list here, there are so many books that I have read that could be put into this category, but in the end, there was only one that really called out to me, and that’s Going Postal by Terry Pratchett.

Going Postal by Terry Pratchett

This was the first Pratchett that I read, and I think it will always be my favourite. It doesn’t matter how many times I read it, it is always laugh out loud funny and it always makes me happy. I also just couldn’t go this whole list without including a Pratchett title somewhere.

4. Peter Kavinsky – your one true book love

Is it even fair to ask a book lover to name their one true book love? Isn’t that like asking a parent to choose between their children?

That being said, I picked The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I can’t decide if it’s truly “my one true book love” but the Narnia series is probably the one I have re-read the most of all the books I’ve read in my lifetime, and it never fails to disappoint. I will forever wish to find a secret world in the back of a wardrobe… actually, let’s be real. I will forever hope to stumble upon Narnia itself in the back of a wardrobe. Even though I know that Tumnus couldn’t possibly be there to greet me.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

I want to include an honourable mention for this category as well since it seemed wrong to only include one… The other series I considered for this category was Anne of Green Gables. I will always have a soft spot for the Anne series, and it has had such an impact on my life. Also – Gilbert Blythe may be my one true love book boyfriend… just saying.


I completed a book tag! While I was working on it, I felt sure that I wouldn’t be able to come up with any books to fit into the categories, but I did it, and I had a lot of fun doing it. As much as I don’t like being forced to make choices about the books in my life, it is also good to stretch out of my comfort zone from time to time. I may just seek out some more tags to do in the upcoming months.

Now, onto the people I tag! I am still fairly new to the Book blogging world, but these are just a few of the blogs I’ve been enjoying lately.
1) Elaine Howlin
2) Cherelle the bibiophile
3) Soph’s Book World
4) You! If you are reading this post and think that it would be fun to participate, then consider yourself tagged! And let me know if you’ve done it in the comments so I can check out your picks!

Until Next Time,

Meaghan Signature

October 2020 Reading Wrap Up

Hello Lovely Readers! It is that time of month again already. The time when we look at all the books I managed to read in October.

Can I tell you a secret? I had this entire post written and ready to be edited and then my computer crashed. And somehow I lost the entire thing… So now I am going to attempt to recreate what I had written in time to still go live on Thursday. If you’re seeing this, you’ll know if I succeeded, and I hope the future is treating you well.

Overall, October was a mediocre reading month for me. I managed to make progress on my fall goals, and I read a number of Halloween themed books, but even though I enjoyed most of what I read, and nothing was really terrible (with the possible exception of one DNF), the whole month just felt a bit “meh.” I’ll have to see if there’s anything I can change up to make November feel more successful.

Speaking of changes… When I started these posts back in the spring, I mentioned that I wasn’t sure how long I would continue with this format of posts. In that time, I have found that, while I enjoy writing wrap ups, I also am not completely sure if I love the format for me.

Personally, I enjoy reading and watching other people’s wrap ups. But while I enjoy traditional wrap ups from some of my favourite creators, I also love ones that twist up the format. Some of my favourite wrap ups are the “Balancing the Books” videos Emma from @drinkingbymyshelf. Just the slight twist of needing to see how many books went on and off her TBR makes the videos unique and interesting, even if she doesn’t do a full wrap up for each book. I am also a fan of other TBRs or Wrap ups that incorporate some form of game.

All that to say that I am considering a change. And while I am thinking about what I want to do going forward, I am curious about what types of posts you prefer. Do you enjoy reading wrap up posts – either traditional or with a twist? Or would you prefer more in depth book talks instead of the short blurbs I give in wrap ups? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

Now, on to this month’s books! I read a total of 6 books in October, I got part way through one other, and I DNF’d 1. I read 3 audiobooks and 3 e-books. The DNF was the only physical book I picked up. My favourite read of the month was Dead Beat and my least favourite was Candy Corn Murder. Now on to the blurbs.

1. Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett – 3.5 stars

This is a YA contemporary, and it is the second Jenn Bennett novel that I have read. Though I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as Alex, Approximately, I did have a lot of fun reading it. In particular, I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the story. I liked how the main character was a mystery aficionado, and how her love interest worked with that to spend time with her. As someone who also loves mysteries, I thought it added a fun twist to the typical romance plot line.

2. Dead Beat by Jim Butcher – 4 stars

This was the next book in line as I work my way through the Dresden Files series, and I could not have planned the timing better if I tried. This book took place at Halloween, and the main case involved necromancers and Zombies. It was the perfect read at this time of month and I think that the atmosphere added to my enjoyment of the story. That and all the parts that made me literally laugh out loud.

3. The Spook in the Stacks by Eva Gates 3.5 stars

This is the first book I have read in the Lighthouse Library series, though it is not the first book in the series. Though there is a good amount of suspended disbelief required for the premise (there is no way that you can fit a library, a rare book room, and a small apartment into a library), I really loved it and am excited to read more in this series. I know that it’s not possible, but I want a small apartment in a lighthouse library, doesn’t that sound perfect? I Will definitely be picking up more in this series.

4. Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher 4 stars

Since I enjoyed reading Dead Beat so much this month, I jumped right into the next book in the series, so it was a two Dresden Files month. This book also ended up being perfect for October, as it featured supernatural monsters disguised as horror movie monsters. I didn’t enjoy this one quite as much as Dead Beat but I still had a lot of fun reading it. I especially liked how this book integrated a number of the recurring characters from previous books and I am excited to see how some of the new developments unfold in the upcoming books.

5. Made for Us by Samantha Chase 3.5 stars

This is the first book in The Shaughnessy Brothers contemporary romance series. This wasn’t my favourite book by Samantha Chase, but it was a solid and enjoyable read. I really liked both the main characters as well as the side characters, who I know will get their own books as the series progresses. This book was exactly what I was looking for when I picked it up. One of the things that I love about Chase’s romances is how she develops the relationship between the main characters and how there’s the perfect amount of tension and steaminess for me. Not too hot, not too cold.

6. Candy Corn Murder by Leslie Meier – 3 stars

I think that this completes my reading of Meier’s Halloween themed Lucy Stone novels. Chronologically, this one falls between the previous two that I read, and I would say that my overall enjoyment of it fits right in between those two as well. Particularly my enjoyment of Lucy. This book supports my theory that Lucy gets less irritating as the series goes on. My main complaint was that there was too much lead up to the murder and then not enough tension or intricacy between the discovery of the body and the revelation of the murderer. The way that Meiers went back and forth between the past and the present had such potential, but in my opinion it didn’t tie together as well as it could have. Will I continue reading this series? Probably. But if you know of another author that writes seasonally themed mysteries, I would love to check out your recommendations.

DNF The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh

I wanted so badly to enjoy this book, but I just couldn’t get into it. On the surface, it had everything I was looking for. Vampires. Murder. Atmosphere. Romance (I’m assuming?). But it was so boring. I read about the first 130 pages and I just kept wondering when I would get drawn in, and that’s not because there was no action. There were 2 or maybe 3 murders in that time, and we were introduced to what I am fairly certain is a secret society of supernatural or magic beings. All of this should be highly engaging! And yet, I had no problem returning the book to the library when my loan expired. So what I would like to know from you is this. If I am feeling this way 130 pages in, is it worth it for me to borrow it again and push through? Does it get better? If you have read this book, let me know your opinions – either yes it’s worth it, or no let it go – in the comments.

And now for a new feature… the November Preview!

You might have noticed that I don’t post TBRS unless it’s for a specific read-a-thon or challenge. I am the worst at sticking to them, and I don’t see the point in posting something that is at best a rough guideline of what I think I might read that month. BUT I am tossing around the idea of including a preview of what I’m thinking of reading in the next month. So, here we go.

In November I am continuing to try and make progress on my fall reading goals since it is the last month to accomplish them. I want to continue to read thriller and/or spooky books but I am also feeling that Fantasy feeling and would love to pick up one of the big fantasy novels I talked about last week. Add to that a non-fiction book for “Non-fiction November”… and it looks like I need to read like it’s my full time job this month. Obviously that’s not going to happen, but it will be fun to see where I end up. Perhaps I’ll abandon it all and read nothing but romance. But you will need to come back next month to see 🙂


What kind of a reading month was October for you? Did you read everything that you were hoping to read? What was your favourite book of the month? What are you looking forward to reading most in November? Let me know in the comments!

Until Next Time,

Meaghan Signature

Big Fantasy Reads for November

Hello lovely readers! Can you believe that it’s almost November? I don’t know about you, but October practically flew by for me. With all that this year has brought(and there has been a lot), I am both more than ready for 2020 to be over, and still a bit surprised to find that there are only two months left.

This week I want to talk about some BIG fantasy novels. I often find myself drawn to longer fantasy novels this time of year. I’m not always successful in reading the books in November, but I find myself thinking about them all the same. Perhaps it’s because the days are getting shorter and the nights longer so there’s seemingly more time to cozy up and read.

Whatever the reason, as my thoughts have turned to the longer books, I thought I would share some long fantasy recommendations. This list is in no way intended to be exhaustive, or definitive. I have picked 5 long novels that I enjoy and then an additional 5 that I have not yet read but that are on my TBR to possibly read at some point. There are a couple that I hope to pick up in the next month, and I’ll note those below.

Note: The one condition that I have tried to stick to is that the length should be 500 pages or more, though I have made a couple exceptions to that rule, as you will soon see.

Books I’ve Read or am Reading

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

1. A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy) by Deborah Harkness
I only read the third book in this series earlier this year, but I have read the first two books twice. I find this series to be wonderfully atmospheric, and I am currently trying to convince myself not to pick it up for a re-read this month. An important thing to note is that this is a Vampire series, and though it plays with the tropes, it also embraces them. If you don’t like vampire tropes, then as much as I love this series, it’s not going to be for you. I love the combination of magic, vampires, and history. And I love that our main character is a historian. I think I might satisfy my craving for this series by reading the companion novel soon.

Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger

2. Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger
I discovered this middle grade series just over a year ago, and it fast became a favourite. We follow a young girl who discovers early on that she is not a human, as she has previously believed, but an elf with magical abilities. She is whisked away to a new world and a new family and sent to a new school where she can learn about and refine her abilities. I love the world building, and the characters. The friendships are well developed and I love that, in contrast to many other middle grade series, there is a strong emphasis on family. I have read the first three books, and hope to pick the next book up soon. Book 1 is just under the 500 page mark, but as the later books are much chunkier, I decided it still fits.

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

3. The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
This book is unique on this list in that it is the only stand alone. In my experience most long fantasies are part of series, so it is rare to find a stand alone. This book is almost 900 pages long and I for one, loved pretty much every minute of it. The cast of characters is deep and well developed, as is the world building. In a world deeply divided by religion, this book is full of political intrigue, friendship, romance, and dragons. Be prepared to have a lot of information dropped on you at the beginning, but if you can push by that, it is well worth the read. And there’s only one book to commit to if you’re not ready for another long fantasy series.

Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett

4. Foundryside (The Founders Trilogy) by Robert Jackson Bennett
One of my favourite things about this series so far is the magic system. Practitioners use coded commands to imbue inanimate objects with sentience. The magic is complex and its use creates deep class divisions in the world. Thrown into this mix is our main character who has a unique talent. She is able to hear, or feel, the codes in the world and this ability allows her to get past security systems… making her an excellent thief. When she steals an artifact of immeasurable value, she soon finds her life in danger as others try to take it from her. I have had book two, Shorefall, on my TBR since it came out earlier this year.

5. The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell
I found this book while browsing my library a few years ago and absolutely loved it. Because it’s been so long since I read the first book, I’m worried that I don’t remember enough of it to continue, so a re-read is definitely in order. This is a time travel fantasy series set in New York, with a main character whose ability to manipulate time allows her to travel to the past to steal artifacts that are important in the present. The only problem is, Old New York is a dangerous place filled with more magic than the current day and our main character has to make choices to protect herself in the past while also ensuring she still has a future.

Books I haven’t Read

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

1. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
I don’t want to admit how long I have been “in progress” reading this book. And it’s not because I’m not enjoying it. I have heard great things about Brandon Sanderson’s writing, and I am determined to get into his books. I don’t know much about the series, other than that it is the very definition of epic fantasy. One of these days I will succeed in making it all the way through.

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

2. The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastard series) by Scott Lynch
This series has been out for some time now, though I only heard about it earlier this year. This book follows a main character who is, once again, a thief. He eventually becomes the infamous leader of a band of thieves and when he is faced with a coup, he is forced to either defeat his enemy or die trying. I honestly don’t know too much more about the story than that, but I have heard enough praise for this series that it is one I would really like to try out. I’m not sure if I’ll get to this one this year, but it is on the horizon.

The Black Prism by Brent Weeks

3. The Black Prism (Lightbringer Series) by Brent Weeks
Once again, I don’t know much about this series, other than that it has a unique magic system. Even the description doesn’t give too much information. I have heard just enough about this series to be intrigued, but not enough to know whether I would enjoy it. If you’ve read it, I’d love to hear your thoughts on it in the comments!

4. The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle series) by Patrick Rothfuss
I’m not going to lie… I have intentionally avoided this series because it has almost been 10 years since book two came out and there is still no reliable release date for Book three… I don’t know if I want to commit to a series that may never get finished. So why does it still appear on this list? Because I have heard such good things about it that I can’t help but want to read it. So I sit here, trying to decide if now is the time to pick up this series in the hopes that 2021 is the year when the final book in the trilogy is released. If you have any advice as to whether I should dive in or not, I would love to hear it!

Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb

5. Assassin’s Apprentice (Realm of the Elderlings/The Farseer Trilogy) by Robin Hobb
This book also doesn’t fulfill the requirement of being 500 or more pages, but the series itself is long, and many of the later books meet the criteria, so I decided to sneak it in. I’ve had this series on my TBR for years, and then recently I have heard many positive comments about the series so I decided to put it higher up on the list. I picked up the e-book at a good deal earlier this year, so I am hoping to pick it up soon – if not this year, then next year.


I know, I know. I can hear you all now telling me that your favourite series or book is not on this list. No need to shout, as I mentioned in the introduction, this list is not meant to be complete or “definitive”. To list all of the books in this category that I’ve read or would like to read would make a post way too long for anyone to actually want to read. So I limited myself to 10 books total. The 10 I’ve included here doesn’t even necessarily reflect my “favourites” (for me such a list would at least include The Lord of the Rings).

I hope that you have found something here that you haven’t read to add to your TBR. If your favourite isn’t on this list, I would love to hear it in the comments so that I can check it out if I haven’t already!

Until Next Time,

Meaghan Signature

Ghostly Reads for Fall (Or anytime)

Hello Lovely Readers!

While I was putting together my list of cozy and atmospheric mysteries for last week’s post, I came across a number of mysteries that included ghosts in some way or another. Some I included in last week’s post, but I found that I had a few that seemed just that wee bit more “ghostly” than the others, and I decided that they deserved their own post.

As I have previously mentioned, I can be a bit of a wimp when it comes to spooky or scary stories. I fall somewhere between completely wimpy (no scary at all) and horror aficionado. If my fright tolerance level was on the spiciness scale, it would be medium. Over the years, I have found that I enjoy stories that feature ghosts as long as they aren’t overly scary or gory. I also enjoy series with friendly ghosts.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I’ve enjoyed ghostly stories for quite some time. I used to love the children’s TV show Ghostwriter and then when I got a bit older, I enjoyed Ghost Whisperer (I am still bitter that the show got canceled when it did). And these are just a couple examples. But let’s move on to the books that this post is about. And don’t be put off if you are also a bit of a wimp when it comes to scary, because this list includes a range of fright levels.

1. The Lockwood & Co Series by Jonathan Stroud

In my opinion, this series does not get nearly enough visibility or recognition. I think I discovered it initially while browsing my library Overdrive and it quickly became one of my favourites. It is a YA series about a small group of teenagers that make up the smallest “Psychic Investigation agency” in London. Essentially, in an England that is in the midst of a ghost epidemic, Psychic Investigators are young people who hunt and dispel ghosts. The characters are amazing, and the stories and world are so well developed. At some point in the first book, they are joined by a talking skull that may or may not be friendly, and he is great. Overall, this series is amazing and I would highly recommend it. There are a total of 5 books, all of which have already been released – so it is the perfect binge series.

2. The Shades of London series by Maureen Johnson

*Disclaimer: this series was set to include 4 books, but it has started to seem as if the 4th book is never going to come out, and book 3 ends on a major cliff hanger from what I can remember… so if that is something that is going to bother you to no end, maybe hold on this series. BUT all that being said, I do still highly recommend this series if you enjoy ghostly books.
This YA series is, once again, set in London. The first book has a “Jack the Ripper” storyline, but after that, it moves away from the “known” stories and focuses more generally on ghostiness. Also, just because of the Jack the Ripper aspect, don’t assume that this is historical fiction because it’s not. In this series, we once again follow a group of teenagers that hunt ghosts. On the scariness scale, I would say that this one is a bit scarier/tenser than Lockwood & Co. Romance also plays a bigger part in this series if that is a factor in whether you pick up this series.

3. The Cassidy Blake series by Victoria Schwab

If you have been around for my last couple of posts, you’ll have seen me mention this series already. This is a relatively new middle-grade series featuring ghosts. Though this would definitely be spooky and a little scary for the target age range, I would say that this is the least scary series in this list so far. We follow a young girl (I think she’s 12), and her ghost best friend around the UK and Europe with her parents, who have a paranormal investigation television series. Cassidy discovers an ability or calling to send ghosts on beyond the veil and she gets into any number of scrapes doing it. There are two books in this series so far, with a third scheduled for Spring 2021.

4. Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Depending on how much time you spend in the YA fantasy genre, you may be familiar with Kendare Blake from her Three Dark Crowns series. The Anna duology came out before that series began. I debated including this book here since it has been so long since I read it, and I’m not sure if I even read the second book. In the end, I included it because it has stuck with me all these years, and is one of the reasons I am always on the lookout for more ghostly reads. I don’t know how this book/series would hold up over the years, but I remember it being very creepy. It is probably on the mid to high level of the scariness scale. This book features a main character ghost hunter who is facing the dangerous ghost of a young woman who has killed everyone that stepped into her house… at least until she allows our main character to live. I really enjoyed this one, and would recommend it… I think. Perhaps it is time for a re-read to determine whether it holds up and, if it does, to finally pick up book 2.

A few Honourable mentions
The next few books didn’t really fit the direction this list ended up taking, but they are books I enjoyed that are ghostly in one way or the other, so I wanted to give them a mention. (Note that this list is in no way exhaustive.)

  • Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella (great if you want a ghostly book that is not at all scary and more contemporary)
  • Home Before Dark by Riley Sager (This one is more haunted house than ghost hunter, and one of the few Adult reads I came up with)
  • The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (This one is ghostly in a completely different way than the others… and it’s not really the ghosts that contribute to the scary factor)

Writing this list has made me want to pick another ghostly series, or maybe re-read one from this list, so don’t be surprised if you see that on an upcoming wrap-up! How about you? Do you enjoy ghostly stories? If so, do you have any you could recommend? I would love to find some adult stories that fit with this vibe. Let me know in the comments!

Until Next Time,

Meaghan Signature

Cozy and Atmospheric Fall Mysteries

Hello Lovely Readers!

A couple weeks ago I outlined my fall reading goals, and in that post I mentioned that I enjoy reading books, across genres, that fit within a seasonal theme. I am always on the lookout for seasonal reads, or for books that feel like a particular season to me. I am hoping to share my favourite seasonal reads here regularly, beginning this week with mystery.

Mystery is one of my favourite genres to read in year round and I am always on the lookout for seasonal mysteries. I especially love mysteries that have a deeply developed setting and that are heavy with atmosphere. Of course, when I started putting this list together, I was promptly struck with an inability to come up with the types of books I wanted to include… I really need to start a few running lists of this type so that I am better prepared next season.

Before we get to the list, I wanted to make a note about the word “atmospheric.” According to the dear dictionary, atmospheric means “creating a distinctive mood, typically of romance, mystery or nostalgia.” In this sense, saying that a book is atmospheric means very little outside of context. Despite this, it has become a frequently used description word, particularly for describing “fall” books. So, for the purposes of this list, atmospheric means invoking a sense or feeling of fall and all that encompasses. In many ways this list is completely subjective, but I hope you find something that will work for your definition of atmospheric.

1. The Truly Devious series by Maureen Johnson

This YA mystery/thriller trilogy is the perfect read for this time of year. This series is set in a remote, exclusive and prestigious (as well as quirky) boarding school. In addition to being an unconventional school, the estate has a mysterious history with the death of the founders wife, and the disappearance of his young daughter. The history of the estate soon collides with the present – becoming sinister after the suspicious death of a student. This series combines a true crime style mystery with traditional mystery/thriller aspects, along with humour and quirky characters to make for a delightful, suspense filled, sometimes scary read. As a note, this trilogy may be getting a fourth book in 2021, but I think it will be a companion novel, so you can easily read this trilogy now and feel like it is complete.

2. The Stalking Jack the Ripper Series by Kerri Maniscalco

I won’t go into too much detail about this series today, because I’ve mentioned it here before. If you’re interested in my series wrap up, you can find that here. This is a four book YA thriller/mystery/historical fiction series that has excellent fall atmospheric vibes. Each book is based around a different setting, though we follow the same characters throughout. The main character does get on my nerves on occasion, but I really enjoyed this series – so much so that I am considering starting a re-read – if not this year, then next year. If you enjoy mystery/thrillers with a historical twist, then I would highly recommend this series.

3. The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher

If you’ve been around awhile, you’ll know that I have been working my way through this series over the past year. I’ve been listening to the audiobooks and I’ve averaged about 1 book a month. From looking at the reviews, I know that people have very mixed opinions on this series. I am in the camp of those that enjoy it, at least so far. This series combines mystery and fantasy elements. If it were a television series, I would say that it mixes recurring storylines with “monster of the week” stories. The series is set in Chicago and I find that the combination of supernatural/paranormal elements gives the series a bit of a darker, more atmospheric feel. There’s magic, and vampires and werewolves (oh my!) and a good dash of humour. Overall this series is a whole lot of fun!

4. Phantom Evil by Heather Graham

I have only recently discovered Heather Graham, and I think this is the first one I’ve read. Because of that, The verdict is still out as to what I think of her as an author, and what I think of her books in general. But I did enjoy this first one I picked up. I enjoyed how Graham combines a typical “FBI” special investigation type premise with supernatural elements. The supernatural elements aren’t as prevalent or apparent as they are in the Dresden files, but the balance is effective. Throughout the book, you’re often stuck between trying to decide if there’s something supernatural at work or if there’s a rational explanation – right along with the characters. This book definitely has atmospheric vibes, and I look forward to picking up more in this series.

5. Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie

This is an Agatha Christie that I have not yet read, nor had I heard of it before I stumbled across it on a list of fall mysteries. I am looking forward to picking this one up, and may read it as the Christie book I pick to fill my Fall reading goal. In this book, Poirot and Ariadne Oliver (who I am not familiar with), work to solve the murder of a young girl found drowned in an apple-bobbing tub after a Halloween party. This sounds pretty much perfect for this time of year.

6. The Spook in the Stacks by Eva Gates

As you can see, the cover for this book has pumpkins and a cat reading “Sleepy Hallow”… if that doesn’t scream fall vibes, I don’t know what does. This one just became available off my library hold list, so I will hopefully pick it up shortly. This is book 4 in the Lighthouse Library mystery series, but I think like many cozies, it will be fine to read as a standalone. The cover description mentioned the possibility that the library might be haunted… and whether it is or isn’t in the end, that is a premise that I am fully on-board with.

7. Death Overdue by Allison Brook (Marilyn Levinson)

This is the first book in the Haunted Library Mysteries series and, unlike the previous entry, this one I have read. I remember enjoying this one, though I don’t remember too much about it. In this one, the library is haunted, but in a good way. Our main character works with a friendly library ghost to solve a recent murder with historical importance.

8. The Inspector Gamache Series by Louise Penny

Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to put my finger on a selection from this series that is set in Autumn, but I am certain there must be one. In any case, Penny’s beautiful setting descriptions ensure that each and every book (at least those I’ve read so far) are suitably atmospheric. They just may or may not be “fall” atmospheric. If you can think of one that is set in the fall, let me know in the comments! Personally, I am hoping to pick up the most recent entry in this series – “All the Devil’s are Here,” this fall.

9. The Paranormal Investigation Bureau series by Dionne Lister

This series is not strictly “fall” themed, and of the ones I’ve read so far, I can’t even remember if any of them are specifically set in the fall, but I think they still have a place on this list due to the theme. As I’m sure you can tell from the series title, this is a cozy mystery series with a paranormal twist. I would say that the paranormal portion is more on the “light” side, so if you’re not sure you’ll like the paranormal/fantasy element, but want to give it a shot, this might be a good gateway series.

10. The Lucy Stone series seasonal offerings by Leslie Meiers

As I’ve mentioned in a couple of my more recent posts, I’m still not completely convinced that I enjoy the Lucy Stone series. Of the ones I’ve read, I’ve had about a 50% success rate. I think the trend seems to be that I enjoy the later books more than the earlier ones. What I can say, though, is Meiers is great if you are looking for seasonally themed mysteries. She has written quite a number of them. So far, I’ve read Trick or Treat Murder and Wicked Witch Murder this year, and I am also hoping to pick up Candy Corn Murder this fall.

I know that this list doesn’t come close to all of the great seasonal or atmospheric mysteries out there, and I am always on the lookout for more. What is your favourite seasonal read? Have you read any good ones yet this year? Let me know in the comments!

Until Next Time,

Meaghan Signature