October Wrap Up - 2025

October went by in a blur. Admittedly, I lost just over two weeks of the month to an intense sinus infection that knocked me off my feet. So perhaps the month wouldn't have gone by so quickly, if I wasn't fighting for my life. I was certain I accomplished little to no reading during the month, but the numbers tell us otherwise.

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Reading Stats

Overall Stats

Total Books Read: 12

Total Pages Read: 5,439

Average Book Length: 453

Total DNFs: 1

Star Ratings

No Rating: 2

1 Star: 0

2 Stars: 0 

3 Stars: 5

4 Stars: 4

5 Stars: 1

Average Star Rating: 3.6

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Books Finished

• Four Past Midnight - Stephen King

• Mate - Ali Hazelwood

• Phantasma - Kaylie Smith

• Dolores Claiborne - Stephen King

• Lady Macbeth - Ava Reid

• Nightmares and Dreamscapes - Stephen King

• The Scorpion Queen - Mina Fears

• Gerald's Game - Stephen King

• Needful Things - Stephen King

• The Poisoned King - Katherine Rundell

• The Tommyknockers - Stephen King

• Nightmares in the Sky - Stephen King

So we can all see the trend here. I hit the Stephen King backlist pretty hard. I'm now 43% through his works and back on track to finish all of his published works by my 30th birthday. I may or may not have skipped Misery so I'm technically no longer reading them in publication order... but I'll circle back to it I swear! I have a tummy feeling that it is going to be a favorite, so naturally I'm terrified to read it and find out I'm wrong.

If you've visited recent posts, you will know I was pretty nervous Mate was going to be a tremendous flop for me. I actually had a really fun time with it! Though word on the street is Ms. Hazelwood is planning to write a bunch of Omegaverse stuff next... and I'm nervous all over again. I really don't want to part ways with her work, but I do also support artists exploring new spaces. What a conundrum.

I read two books that should have knocked my socks off... but didn't quite claw their ways past 3 stars. Phantasma and Lady Macbeth just didn't quite earn high ratings like I thought they would, despite having plenty of tropes I typically love.

The Poisoned King by Katherine Rundell was the easiest 5 star rating I've ever given. This sequel somehow beat out Impossible Creatures, which I frankly did not think was possible. I'm desperate for book 3 to come out.

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Other than aforementioned plague, I had a really solid month on top of all the reading. I returned to my classic red-headed look. It's been a surprising amount of time since the last time I've dyed my hair. I was long overdue for a date with the hair dye aisle of the grocery store. (Hairstylists screech in the distance).

I met up with my pal Katie, and we had a little book bedazzling party. Naturally, she is by far smarter and artsier (yes Carolyn, I know this is not a real word) than I am, so she went into the project with a more fleshed-out plan for her copy of Fourth Wing. I bought diamonds all in the same size for The Ex Hex, but I'll be damned if I let geometry win this battle. The project is yet unfinished, but it's the perfect little mindless craft with my downtime. If you aren't opposed to a little bit of cheeky book defacing, I'd recommend trying it out yourself for a cozy good time.

I also had some top-tier kitchen adventures. The last pepper harvest stolen (given willingly) from my neighbors were pickled with some cucumbers. I then had the wonderful idea to make a spicy pickle pizza, which in turn inspired the kimchi pizza I made the very next day. My pizza inspiration quickly perished with my health, as I fell to the plague (sinus infection) the following day. It was good while it lasted. Honestly if I'm going to die, let it happen as my body digests kimchi.

And of course the furballs are all thriving. Sadie also had a bout with sickness for about a week with an upset tummy, but she's back to her usual mischief again. The pups got a serving of chicken rice porridge each day to soothe Sadie's belly. Honestly, I think the porridge has done more for Drax's energy and spirits than the $80 per month joint supplements ever have. Maybe he just needed some rice for his depression? Either way the old man is acting like a puppy again, and I am quite pleased with this development. Schrödinger and Stella are snoozy babies per usual. What I'd give to be a cat in a childless home...