Fall into Fear: My October Plans for Spooky Reads and Cringe-Worthy Horror Flicks!

Happy Sunday, everyone! 

How are all my fellow book bloggers doing on this beautiful Sunday? 

I have a packed reading agenda lined up! Let’s kick things off with the book I’m currently reading: The Unseen by Ania Ahlborn, an ARC horror novel that just hit the shelves last week. I expected a haunted house story based on the cover, but I couldn’t have been more mistaken! I’m aiming to finish it tonight or perhaps Monday, with a review planned for Tuesday. 

In addition, I’m reading After Midnight by Daphne Du Maurier, a new collection featuring thirteen previously released tales perfect for the dark hours. It even has an introduction by none other than Stephen King! I’ve managed to read one story so far, and I plan to squeeze in more as I juggle my other reads—although I’ll hold off on a full review until closer to the release date.

Looking ahead to my upcoming reads and reviews for September, there will be Iron Storm by Jack Du Brul, The Girl with Ice in Her Veins by Karin Smirnoff, The Christmas House by Beverly Lewis, and The Macabre by Kosoko Jackson.

Once upon a time, during my early blogging days, I hosted monthly Halloween events. Over time, those events evolved into a full-blown festival after attracting some sponsors. Now, I've decided to not only bring back the event but to double its size!

Kicking off on October 1st at midnight, I'll bring back a series titled "The Midnight Horror," where I’ll be posting reviews of 31 horror movies—most of which are bound to be campy and, quite frankly, a little cringeworthy. In a way, this feels like a form of self-punishment, though I can't quite figure out why. I’ve got a heap of DVDs collected from the good old $1 days at Dollar Tree, and it's high time I watched them and cleared some space. Honestly, I don't even remember why I bought some of them; a few were gifts, I suppose.

In addition to this late-night movie marathon, starting October 1st—though not at midnight, but later in the day—I’ll launch "31 Reads of Terror." This will be my chance to dive into my book collection and make some tough decisions, as I only plan to keep two or three titles for my shelves. Expect a mix of horror, mystery, thriller, and even a couple of kids' books along the way. This reading spree will wrap up with a classic: The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson, a book I doubt I’ll ever part with.

Just to clarify, there are no sponsors involved in this year’s events—at least not yet. I'm not actively seeking sponsorship, but if something interesting pops up, I might squeeze in an extra post or two. We'll just have to wait and see how it unfolds. Also, regular ARC reviews will still be on the table throughout October, should they arise.

⁓B.J. Burgess