Mid (Ish) Month Readathon Check In

Spooktober Readathon

Poll Pick: Kill Creek by Scott Thomas
Final Girl Trope: Final Girls by Riley Sager
Dystopian/Paramoral Elements: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead *Done*
Published Before 2010: Dreamcatcher by Stephen King *In Progress*
Haunted House Trope: White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson
Multiple POVs: 1st To Die by James Patterson

Birthday Reading Challenge

Read A Spooky Book: Hollow Anthology
Read a book recommended to you: Escaping Demons by Killian Wolf
Read a book outside of your favorite Genre: Played by Rebecca Barber *Done*
Listen to an audiobook: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead *Done*
Read a book and watch its adaptation: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Read a book by an author with your initials: Plum Island by Nelson Demille
Read a Book based on your favorite Holiday: Forever Charmed by Rose Pressey
Read an Ebook: Gypsy by Roux Cantrell *Done*
Read a book that has been on your TBR since before your last birthday: Pretty Killer by Truant & King
Buddy Read a book with someone: Dreamcatcher by Stephen King *In Progress*

Hocus Pocus Readathon

Halloween night is full of spooky and eerie vibes! Read a book with an atmospheric setting! (15 points) Hocus Pocus & The All-New Sequel *Done*
Max started this whole mess when he lit the black flame candle! Read the first book in a series! (15 points) Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead *Done*
Trick-or-treating is all about the candy! Read a short and sweet book, less than 300 pages! (15 points) Marked by PC and Kristin Cast *Done*
Halloween is such a fun and colorful holiday! Read a book with Halloween colors on the cover (orange, black, purple, or green)! (15 points) Betrayed by PC and Kristin Cast *Done*
Max, Allison, and Dani have to stay up all night to defeat the witches! Read a book that is so scary that it would keep you up at night! (horror, mystery, thriller, etc.) (15 points) Dreamcatcher by Stephen King *In Progress*
Team trick-or-treaters need to come together to survive the night! Read a book with multiple POVs! (15 points) 1st To Die by James Patterson
Watch the movie! Watch Hocus Pocus or Hocus Pocus 2! (25 points)
Reading the group book will earn 25 points for your team! City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

Audiobook Review: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Title: Vampire Academy

Author: Richelle Mead

Release Date: August 16th, 2007

Page Count: 354

Start Date: November 29th, 2016 and October 3rd, 2022

Finish Date: December 13th, 2016 and October 6th, 2022

Review:

Story: Per Goodreads, I’ve read this book twice. Once in 2016 and once now. The truth is, I know I’ve read it at least three times now. Once sometime before 2013 and then the two times listed. This story never gets old for me. It’s one of my favorite series of all times. It has one of my favorite characters of all time. Rose Hathaway. This is actually my first time listening to the story in audiobook. It was a different experience, but in a good way. I also kind of want to go grab my copy of the 10th anniversary edition and read the short stories!

Characters: Rose is one of my favorite characters. Hands down. She’s constantly being misunderstood. She takes the high road and doesn’t really correct people. She lets them draw their own conclusions. Then there’s Dimitri. He’s tough, but he’s fair. You have Christian who’s just such a snarky being. I know we’re supposed to like Lissa. Sometimes I do, but there are times she just kind of shows behaviors that I don’t care for.

Critiques: As if!

Narration: It was really great. It put me right into the world and made me not want to leave it.

Final Thoughts: I picked this book up for a challenge for a readathon I’m participating in. I’m really glad I did it. It was so great to step into the world again. It makes me want to disappear from the world and devour the rest of the series now. Maybe soon. Maybe I’ll have to work on getting the rest of the series in audiobook when I get more credits in. I have all of the Bloodlines series in audiobook. I need to read those as well. This is one of my favorite series of all time.

Audiobook Review: Hocus Pocus & The All New Sequel by A.W. Jantha

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Title: Hocus Pocus & The All-New Sequel

Author: A.W. Jantha

Release Date: July 10th, 2018

Page Count: 395

Start Date: September 27th, 2022

Finish Date: October 2nd, 2022

Review:

Story: This is basically two books in one. Well officially it’s two parts, but still. One takes place in 1993. The other takes place in 2018. Or I believe it was 2018. Anyway. The first one is basically the movie in written form with just a few tweaks and add-ons. The second part takes place 25 years later. The main characters were Poppy, the daughter, and her friends and classmates. There are a few reviews that say that part two is too mature for the target audience or too liberal. In my opinion, it was just like the first part. The only difference I saw was that there was no younger sibling and the daughter had a crush on a girl. That’s it. Actually, the first part pushes more in the too mature than the second one does. I’m just going to leave it at that. I really enjoyed both parts very much.

Characters: There’s too many characters in both parts to give my opinions on both. Poppy was my favorite character of all. She was just this healthy mixture of Max, Allison, and Danni. It was very obvious that she was love and cared for by all three of them. I’d of liked to see how Danni fared 25 years later. She was referenced in part two and in it a little, but it doesn’t really talk about how her life is.

Critiques: None at all.

Narration: I really loved the narration over all. However, there were parts that were just kind of flat to me. Some popular phrases from the movie. I think that’s only because of how they are said in the movie. It’s not that the narrator did it wrong. It was just I heard it in a certain way so much that hearing it a different way threw me.

Final Thoughts: I really enjoyed both parts of the book. I mean the second part wasn’t as thrilling as the first one, but it was good in its own way. I really loved the story development of both and the characters. I’m looking forward to watching the sequel to Hocus Pocus, but I’m not sure it really follows this sequel. We will see. Either way, I recommend this book. It’s worth the read.

Hocus Pocus Readathon TBR! Team Trick or Treaters!

I’m participating in the Hocus Pocus Readathon for the second year in a row. Last year, I was Team Sanderson Sisters. This year, I’m Team Trick or Treaters. Next year, I may go Undead. We shall see! Either way, I want to share my TBR for this year! Especially since I can start tomorrow!

Info for readathon can be found here and here.

Team Trick or Treaters

  1. Halloween night is full of spooky and eerie vibes! Read a book with an atmospheric setting! (15 points) Hocus Pocus
  2. Max started this whole mess when he lit the black flame candle! Read the first book in a series! (15 points) Vampire Academy
  3. Trick-or-treating is all about the candy! Read a short and sweet book, less than 300 pages! (15 points) Marked
  4. Halloween is such a fun and colorful holiday! Read a book with Halloween colors on the cover (orange, black, purple, or green)! (15 points) Betrayed
  5. Max, Allison, and Dani have to stay up all night to defeat the witches! Read a book that is so scary that it would keep you up at night! (horror, mystery, thriller, etc.) (15 points) Scary Stories
  6. Team trick-or-treaters need to come together to survive the night! Read a book with multiple POVs! (15 points) Nature’s Strike
  7. Watch the movie! Watch Hocus Pocus or Hocus Pocus 2! (25 points)

Team Trick-or-Treaters

Strength: There are only so many hours of Halloween night! You can have a head start, and begin reading your Hocus Pocus Readathon TBR 4 days early (starting September 27th!)

Weakness: Team Trick-or-Treaters are young, so they must deal with parents and rules! You have to abide by the rules and read each book on your TBR in the order of the prompts. You can’t move on to the following prompt until you finish the last!

If you’re participating, I’d love to see your TBR! And what team you’re in!!!