The lovely ladies, who organise Wyrd & Wonder Month every March, are also hosting an event to celebrate all kinds of spooky reads during October. This year, they came up with a bingo-type readathon for Spooktastic Reads 2025, and you know what? I’m totally game! For the first time in years, I finally have the time and space to actually immerse myself in these thematic book festivities. Luckily for me, I also have plenty of books on my shortened TBR that I wanted to get to this year and fit nicely into the theme. So here is my bingo card and what I’m planning to read for these spooktastic prompts!
First things first, if you’d like to know more about the Spooktastic Reads Readathon event, please check out Annemieke’s post HERE. It includes all the rules and prompts, and also the graphics, so you can put together your own bingo card. That’s right, we’ve got a list of prompts and a 3×3 square we can fill with our own choices! I love a good bingo card, and even better if I can put it together myself, while someone else provides me with choices. Look, I know how hard it is to put together a prompt list, I’m doing it every year for the Sound of Madness Reading Challenge (yes, I totally needed a shameless self-promo here, shut up).
Anyway, here is my bingo card, and below I’ll list the books that I’m planning to read for each prompt. Side-note: I absolutely don’t expect to be able to finish off the board – 9 books are just way too many for me in a month, especially as I have some traveling coming up at the end of October – but I think I can manage two rows. So when I put together my card, I took that into account and placed the prompts accordingly.
I’m planning to come back to this post in early November (once I recover from World FantasyCon) and make an update about what I managed to achieve. I might change out prompts on the go or books, for that matter. Who knows? I HAVE ALL THE FREEDOM! And look, I know we are supposed to read fantasy books, but I have a mix of genres in here that I think all fit. And also, I’m taking as many breaks from fantasy as I can, because the last few years have been a LOT.
Cozy Mystery
The Cornish Village Murder by Fiona Leitch is the second novel in the Nosey Parker Mysteries, and as the title indicates, it’s a murder mystery. I really enjoyed book one in the summer, and I already have this one lined up on audiobook, so I’m ready to go!
Paranormal
Jack of Thorns by A.K. Faulkner is the first book in the Inheritance series. I was lucky to be gifted a paperback copy at Glasgow Worldcon, and I’m sorry it’s taking me so long, but I definitely wanted to get to it this year, and the Spooktastic Reads 2025 is the perfect excuse to do it!
Mythical Creatures
The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen is the second book in the Hart and Mercy series. I kept hearing about this series, and I just finished book 1 on audiobook, and I’m not sorry to jump on book 2. I mean, it was always my intention, because I need this book for a different challenge as well. Multitasking for the win!
(Gothic) Horror
Disappearance at Devil’s Rock by Paul Tremblay has been on my TBR for so long that it started growing roots. I was gifted a paperback copy last Christmas and was planning to read it this year for sure. Not fantasy, but definitely a good fit for the theme!
Nightmares
The Faerie Hounds of York by Arden Powell is another one that has been on my TBR for a while. I also added it to my shortened TBR for 2025, in hopes I’d get to it. It has the added bonus of being short, too!
Slayers
Broken Angels by Gwyn Bennett is the first book in the Dr. Harrison Lane series, and it’s a fairly recent addition to my audiobook library, and was planning to get to it soon anyway. I’m not 100% sure if it’ll fit the prompt, but we shall see.
Haunted House
The House of Shattered Wings by Aliette de Bodard is one of those books that “I’ll get to soon, for real!” and then somehow I never do. The chances of me getting to it in October are slim, but I’M NOT GIVING UP! Eventually I’ll read it, because it absolutely sounds like it’ll be up my alley.
Ghostbusters
The Library of the Dead by T. L. Huchu is the first book in the Edinburgh Nights series. Another one I’ve been waiting to get to *sigh* I have a paperback patiently waiting for me, so ONE OF THESE DAYS, I SWEAR!
Pantheon
London Falling by Paul Cornell is the first book in the Shadow Police series, and one that came highly recommended. I’ve been putting it off for a while now, but the audiobook is sitting patiently in my library, so I’m sure I’ll get there. I’m not sure if it fits this prompt, but since it’s pretty unlikely I’ll get to this point, I’m not super bothered.
Right, so that’s me settled for the Spooktastic Reads 2025. If you are also taking part, let me know! It’s more fun with other people 🙂
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Welcome aboard!
I really enjoyed that series by Aliette de Bodard.
Thank you! It really seems like something that’s totally up my alley, so definitely looking forward to get to that one sometime soon! I somehow missed that it was a series, too… Geez. You’d think as a blogger I pay attention to details like that, lol.
Oooh, great TBR! I haven’t made time for that Aliette de Bodard series yet either, but I’ll get there one of these days. If you read it this coming month, I hope you enjoy it!
Thank you! I’m not sure yet how this challenge will go yet 😅 But definitely would like to read all 9 this year.