Seasonal Reads – Maps and Meanderings

Fall 2020 Reading Wrap Up – How Did I Do?

Published on January 12, 2021 by Meaghan Elizabeth

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.

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.

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.

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,

Winter Reading Goals Bingo (December to February)

Published on December 10, 2020December 5, 2020 by Meaghan Elizabeth

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.

A Book with Snow on the Cover
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.
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.
Blast from the Past – Re-read a Book
Graphic Novel or Comic Bind up
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.
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.
Read 20 Books
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.
Non-Fiction Read – I didn’t do well with reading non-fiction in 2020, but I am carrying that goal over to 2021.
A Book 100 pages or less
Middle-Grade Read
Free! Any book of your choosing
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.
A Book that’s been turned into a Movie
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.
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.
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.
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.
It’s Magical – Read a book that feels magical to you, or includes magic in some way.
A Book out of Your Comfort Zone
A new to you Author
Off to a Good Start… Read Book 1 of a series
May I Suggest… Read a book that was recommended to you, either by someone in your life or by an external source.
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.

Winter Reading Bingo (Download)

Until Next Time,

November Reading Wrap Up & December Reading Bingo

Published on December 3, 2020December 2, 2020 by Meaghan Elizabeth1 Comment

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)

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?)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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.

A Christmas Romance
A Fantasy Read
Christmas Cookies – Read a book that includes baking
Family and Friends – Read a book that features family and/or friends. This one is open to your interpretation.
Listen to 2 Audiobooks – If you don’t read audiobooks regularly, feel free to challenge yourself to read one instead of two.
A Book with Red on the Cover
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.
Read 5 Books
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.
A Book Published in 2020
Free Space! Use this for any book of your choosing.
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.
Presents! This is a bonus free space that you can use for any book of your choosing.
A Christmas or Seasonal Mystery
A Book with Green on the Cover
A Book under 100 Pages or a Short Story

December Reading Bingo

Until Next Time,

Big Fantasy Reads for November

Published on October 29, 2020November 16, 2020 by Meaghan Elizabeth

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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!

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,

Ghostly Reads for Fall (Or anytime)

Published on October 22, 2020November 16, 2020 by Meaghan Elizabeth

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,

Cozy and Atmospheric Fall Mysteries

Published on October 15, 2020November 16, 2020 by Meaghan Elizabeth

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,