I stuck closely with fall vibes for my October reads, and found so many fantastic ones.

Stats

Total books read: 7

Physical books: 3

Ali Hazelwood: 2

Novellas: 3

Fall Vibes: 6

Thirst by Marina Yuszczuk (5 stars) – Is anyone shocked that this literary Sapphic vampire horror novel was a 5-star read for me? Probably not. Am I still going to recommend the crap out of it? Naturally. Thirst by Marina Yuszczuk is a translated novel set in Buenos Aires and focusing on two distinct characters in two different, but overlapping, parts: an unnamed vampire born centuries ago in Eastern Europe who immigrates to Argentina to flee persecution and continue her violent existence, and a modern woman dealing with her mother’s terminal illness. The author’s incredible prose is what immediately stood out for me in this one, as were the meditations on its themes of death, grief, and the mundanity of horror. It’s a book that forces you to meditate on these topics while also painting a portrait of Buenos Aires through the centuries, while its characters appear both monstrous and also very human.

Wasteland: The Secret World of Waste and the Urgent Search for a Cleaner Future by Oliver Franklin-Wallis (4.5 stars) – I learned SO much from this book, and talked about it nonstop to friends and family. It even made me take a closer look at our recycling program at work. I definitely recommend checking this one out; it covers so many different topics in very informative ways, and with a good narrative voice.

Julie Chan is Dead by Liann Zhang (4.5 stars) – I thought this would be a fun read for fall vibesk but it was even better than I was expecting. It’s a contemporary horror novel set in the world of social media influencers, with an excellently drawn main character, crazy plot, and fantastic writing. I’ll be looking for anything this author comes out with next!

First by Ali Hazelwood (4.5 stars) – I’m always an Ali Hazelwood girl, but I wasn’t expected this novella to be as great as it was. In a short number of pages, she manages to worldbuild and create tons of dramatic tension and chemistry. It’s a different genre for her (post-apocalyptic), and I’d pick up anything else set in this world if she ever chooses to revisit it.

The Hacienda by Isabel Canas (4 stars) – This historical horror has been on my radar for awhile, and I got it as a gift from my brother and sister-in-law last year. I listened to the audiobook as well, and really liked the narrators; I also thought that Canas’s writing was extremely strong. I did feel the plot dragged somewhat, but I really liked the main characters and the Gothic vibes.

Hot for Slayer by Ali Hazelwood (4 stars) – This was a fun Amazon exclusive novella from Ali, who is really crushing it with her 2025 releases. It’s difficult to create a centuries-long relationship in such a short period of time, but it was done well, and the romance between vampire and vampire slayer worked for me. A perfect seasonal read.

Falling by Christina Lauren (2.5 stars) – This Halloween Amazon novella didn’t really work for me. The instalove was far too instalove, the characters didn’t have any depth, and it just really didn’t have anything going for it as far as my taste is concerned.