Monthly Round Up/What’s on My Plate: October/November
2 November 2026
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Bones & Buffy, book-blog, Books, fiction, Monthly Round Up, October/November, reading, TBR, What's on my Plate
Here’s my round up post for October combined with my ‘what’s on my plate’ (created by Books, Bones & Buffy) books for November. My reading was pretty good this month, I didn’t make as much progress as I hoped but I had some amazing books so its an absolute win, plus, I managed to read all my books for October and read my first book for November already. I still have two reviews outstanding from the list below which should be posted this week, plus I need to do some catching up with comments and blog hopping. Without further ado lets take a look at what I read last month and what I’m planning on reading this one:
These were the books I read in September:
- Sleepers in the Snow by Joanne Harris
- A Scholar’s Guide to Demonology & Other Dark Arts by Genevieve Cogman – currently reading
- The Thrice Bound Fool by Christopher Buehlman
- Royal Witch by Philippa Gregory
- The House of Cursed Daughters by C.J. Cooke
- The Bookshop Book by Mark Lawrence
- The Porcelain Sisters by Daryl Gregory
- The Wolves of War by John Grwynne








I had 7 books on my line up for October so I was hopeful to be able to fit in at least one extra. I read all my October books and am hoping to do the same in November – plus maybe backtrack to some of the titles I missed earlier in the year. But, the best laid plans, etc, etc.
What’s On My Plate: November
I’m so excited for all of these books. I’ve started Mazywood and loving it already so fingers crossed that these are all fantastic reads.
- The Wolves of War by John Gwynne – already read (spoiler alert – brilliant)
- Mazywood by Tananarive Due – current read
- The Last Star in the Void by Melissa Caruso
- Pinfeathers by Christina Henry
- The Yule Day Slaughter by Craig DiLouie
- Thorns in the Hollow by Laura Purcell






Hopefully I can get to all these and maybe backtrack to some of the books that I didn’t manage to fit in earlier this year. Then December is another catch up month – that being said my reading always slows during the month of December because there’s so much going on.
Backlist Book
For the moment I’m not tackling the list I created at the start of the year as I’d like to catch up with my review books from the last few months to get back on track.
Bookforager‘s Picture Prompt Book Bingo

And the ‘wordy’ version:
Picture Prompt Book Bingo 2026 (text version)
| 1. | 2. A set of weighing scales | 3. | 4. |
| 5. | 7. | 8. | |
| 9. | 10. | 11. | 12. |
| 13. | 15. A decorative water fountain | 16. |
This month I’m crossing off two prompts, No.8 A Cooking pot hanging over a campire. The book I’m using is The Wolves of War by John Gwynne as this is definitely a very good fit. My next book is a prompt I was worried about filling and yet this book really pulls it out of the bag. No.12 An Octopus – for which I’m using The Thrice Bound Fool by Christopher Buehlman – if you’ve read the book you’ll know why (if you haven’t – please do so because its such a great read). Two prompts left to go – not sure if I’ll find prompts for a fountain and a set of Scales but you never know, I never expected to find a fit for No.12 so I’m keeping everything crossed.


Booking Ahead/Weekly Wrap Up
1 November 2026
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Booking Ahead, Caffeinated Book Reviewer, Sunday Post, The Weekly Wrap Up

Today I’m posting my Weekly Wrap Up and I’m linking up to The Sunday Post over at Kimberly’s Caffeinated Reviewer. Without further ado:
Weekly Update
Hey everyone. How’s your week been? I don’t know what happened to this week, I took my eye off the ball for a minute and the entire week had escaped me, with very little to show for it – not even a single review posted and no blogs visited. So now I’m due for a catch up I did manage to complete Royal Witch by Philippa Gregory which was an intriguing historic read focusing on three female characters who lived during a turbulent period, and I also read The Wolves of War by John Grwynne which was excellent.


Next Week’s Reads
Next week I shall be picking up Mazywood by Tananarive Due and also hoping to make a start on The Last Star in the Void by Melissa Caruso. But, you know what they say about the best laid plans.


Reviews Posted:
None this week.
Outstanding Reviews
- The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson
- This Blade of Ours by Shalini Abeysekara
- Royal Witch by Philippa Gregory
- The Wolves of War by John Grwynne
Hoping to see you round the blogosphere this forthcoming week
Friday Face Off: Monthly Round Up of Covers
30 October 2026
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Review, Books, fiction, Firday Face Off, Monthly Round Up of Covers, reading

Today is another opportunity to play along at the Friday Face Off where you choose a book and compare the covers. Originally created by Books by Proxy). If you’re taking part I would love you to drop me a link so I can check out your cover choices. .
I’ve decided to make a couple of changes to my weekly Friday Face Off – nothing too drastic – at the start of the month, the first Friday Face Off of the month, I’m aiming to take a look at joining in with the Birthstone Book Covers meme created by Leslie @ Books Are The New Black so for the first FFO every month I will search for covers that match that month’s birthstone (from books that I’ve read) and compare them and choose a favourite. For the last Friday of every month I’m going to look at the books I’ve read that month and do the same.
Today is the final Friday of the month so today I shall be looking at the covers for the books I have read this month:
One of these I’m still reading however I have absolutely no doubt that it will be finished by the end of the month, because it’s brilliant so far, so I’m including it here:








- Sleepers in the Snow by Joanne Harris – read
- A Scholar’s Guide to Demonology & Other Dark Arts by Genevieve Cogman – currently reading
- The Thrice Bound Fool by Christopher Buehlman
- Royal Witch by Philippa Gregory
- The House of Cursed Daughters by C.J. Cooke
- The Bookshop Book by Mark Lawrence
- The Porcelain Sisters by Daryl Gregory
- The Wolves of War by John Grwynne
I mean, what can I say, look at this line up of fantastic reads that I’ve been lucky enough to experience this month. Two reviews yet to follow, There is a little bit of everything here, witches, warriors and wolves, books inside books inside bookshops and libraries, fantastically fun fantasy, downright good fun in a school with demons, a porcelain doll (for goodness sake) and a haunting with a difference. Are you not intrigued???
So, to my favourite cover (which was so difficult to choose!)
Okay, I’m going with this bad boy:
Which is your favourite this week?
Can’t Wait Wednesday: Famous Last Lies by Jenny Hollander
28 October 2026
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Can't wait Wednesday, Famous Last Lies, Jenny Hollander, Wishful Endings
“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that was originally created by Breaking the Spine. Unfortunately Breaking the Spine are no longer hosting so I’m now linking my posts up to Wishful Endings Can’t Wait Wednesday. Don’t forget to stop over, link up and check out what books everyone else is waiting for. If you want to take part, basically, every Wednesday, we highlight a book that we’re really looking forward to. This week my book is: Famous Last Lies by Jenny Hollander. Here~s the description and cover:
From bestselling author Jenny Hollander comes a star-studded thriller about the complex nature of sisterhood, and the glitz and gore of showbiz.
Eight years ago, Hayley was a nobody. A teenager in suburban England. One-half of a little-known singing duo with her sister Anna. Now Hayley Sharp is a global sensation, famous for her platinum albums, sold-out arenas, and fairytale origin story: discovered by chance by legendary producer Julian Reeves and whisked away to glittering Los Angeles.
But the truth behind Hayley’s rise to fame is darker than anyone imagined.
When Julian Reeves’s skeletal remains are found in the California desert, the investigation into his death threatens to shatter the narrative that made Hayley a global icon. As old secrets claw their way to the surface, pop music’s golden girl must confront the devastating cost of her success—and just how far she’ll go to keep the past buried.
Expected publication: February 2027
Top Ten Tuesday: Halloween Freebie
27 October 2026
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Halloween Freebie, That Artsy Reader Girl, Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme where every Tuesday we look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) bookish examples to demonstrate that particular topic. Top Ten Tuesday (created and hosted by The Broke and Bookish) is now being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and future week’s topics can be found here. This week’s prompt is:
A Halloween Freebie
Check out these covers and very brief descriptions and links below:










Play Nice by Rachel Harrison – A cult of the unexpected
The Porcelain Sisters by Daryl Gregory – An Absolute Blast With Dolls
Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton – World End Scenario with Animals
The Corset by Laura Purcell – Stitch in Time Gothic(y) Goodness
The Last Witch by CJ Cooke – Fantastic Historic Fiction With Witches
Small Miracles by Olivia Atwater – Good vs Evil, Highly Entertaining
So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison – Vampires doing what they do
Wolf Worm by T Kingfisher – Insect Horror with a Twist
You Let Me In by Camilla Bruce – Tricksy Fae or Maybe Not
Run by Blake Crouch – Very Entertaining Race to Survive
I had so many books for this that I feel like I should do a few different horror style posts. I tried to find a selection that all had slightly different feels. So, vampires, zombie feel, fae, insect, angels and demons, Witches, Animals, dolls, cults and gothic horror.







