Nightmare Before BPR : an Update of Monster Proportions

It’s 18 days into Nightmare Before BPR aka Spooky September, and YA GIRL IS GOING STRONG. Well, as strong as I can be. We can pretend, right? I’ve been feeling all the spooky vibes, and I’m afraid I might thrill and chill myself out before Halloween happens. Might that be possible???

Let’s refresh what this readathon is all about with the prompts below!

The Prompts

👻 Zero – A Book with Ghosts
👻 Doctor Finklestein – A Spooky Book with an Eccentric Character i.e. like a Mad Scientist
👻 Lock, Shock, and Barrel – A Spooky Book with a Gang/Crew
👻 The Citizens: A Book with Any of the Following – deformed monsters, ghosts, ghouls, goblins, zombies, demons, mummies, vampires, werewolves, and witches
👻 This Is Halloween: Spookiest Book on your TBR
👻 What’s This: A Book with a Mystery
👻 Halloween Town: A book with a spooky town
👻 Sally: A Spooky Book with a Voice of Reason Character
👻 Mayor of Halloween Town: A Book that Has Two Faces – either two main characters, two separate plots, or one big plot twist
👻 Jack, the Pumpkin King: A Book Where a Character Has Skeletons
👻 Jack’s Lament: A Book with Sad Overtones
👻 Oogie Boogie: A Spooky Book You’re Taking a Gamble On
👻 Sally’s Song: A Spooky Book with a Love Story Featured
👻 Kidnap The Sandy Claws: A Book with a Disastrous Plan
👻 Santa Claus: A Non-Spooky Book for a Palette Cleanser

Books Devoured Whole

Spectacle Vol. 1 by Megan Rose Gedris
Prompt: Lock, Shock, and Barrel – A Spooky Book with a Gang/Crew
Spooky September Meter: 🎃
This was one of the best graphic novels I’ve read in a while. The art was quirky, but it was vibrant and fun. The storyline was interesting, and I’m invested in finding out more and who the murderer is. There was still some detachment from it, but it was a fun graphic novel!

Ghosted in L.A. by Sina Grace, Siobhan Keenan, Cathy Le
Prompt: Kidnap The Sandy Claws: A Book with a Disastrous Plan
Spooky September Meter: 🎃
This was totally meh. The art was pretty nice, and I mean, this was just the first comic in the series, but I felt like reading it was a chore. I definitely recommend skipping – especially since there was a lot of disastrous plans in this one.

The Doll: The Lost Short Stories by Daphne du Maurier
Prompt: Doctor Finklestein – A Spooky Book with an Eccentric Character i.e. like a Mad Scientist
Spooky September Meter: 🎃
After reading Monster, She Wrote and being reminded of the epic psychological horror maven du Maurier was, I decided to give this audiobook a try. Only really enjoyed 3 stories, and meh for the rest.

House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig
Prompt: Jack’s Lament: A Book with Sad Overtones
Spooky September Meter: 🎃🎃🎃
Atmospheric, lush, and far more spooky than I originally thought. The mood was alllllllllllll the vibes, and this was such an unique spin on a underappreciated fairytale. I recommend this wholeheartedly. Few minor issues, but overall, a contender for best read of the month.

Currently Bringing Spooky Vibes

Here There Are Monsters by Amelinda Bérubé
Prompt: What’s This: A Book with a Mystery
Spooky September Meter: 🎃
Despite its spooky cover, it really isn’t bringing the creeps. It’s just okay? I am not really feeling connection to much, and some things are just very overdramatic. I’m going to finish it, but it’s definitely slow going. Ugh, and this cover was what spooky dreams were made of.

Contagion by Erin Bowman
Prompt: This Is Halloween: Spookiest Book on your TBR
Spooky September Meter: ??
I’ve just started this one as this post is posting, so I don’t know too much about it. I’m super excited about it, though, since this has been my hyped book for a while, and I love a good scary space novel – especially when sickness comes into play.

The Best Lies by Sarah Lyu
Prompt: Mayor of Halloween Town: A Book that Has Two Faces – either two main characters, two separate plots, or one big plot twist
Spooky September Meter: 🎃
I was craving a good murder mystery, and add in an obsessive friendship? I’m so intrigued. It’s been so long since I read a solid contemporary mystery, and so far, it’s not so bad. 

The Ghosts of Spooktember Future (aka Books on Deck)

Capturing the Devil by Kerri Maniscalco
Prompt: Sally: A Spooky Book with a Voice of Reason Character
Spooky September Meter: ??
Even though I wasn’t the biggest fan of the third book in this installment and swore I was going to even read this one, I caved. I really kind of want to see how it ends, since I’m feeling incomplete. Plus, I live for the atmosphere in this series.

The Raven’s Tale by Cat Winters
Prompt: Jack, the Pumpkin King: A Book Where a Character Has Skeletons
Spooky September Meter: ??
I’ve been so pumped for this one, since it’s been out – yet I haven’t read it yet?? Now is the perfect time to read a wonderfully atmospheric book on king of spooky: Edgar Allen Poe.

New Books to the Mash (aka the Monster Kind)

Our Bloody Pearl by D. N. Bryn
Prompt: Sally’s Song: A Spooky Book with a Love Story Featured
Spooky September Meter: ??
I hadn’t heard anything about this book until Bryn approached BPR for a review request. I’m always down with some carnivorous sirens, and the rep in this book (non-binary disabled protag) sounds AMAZING. That cover – while not spooky – is pretty amazing.

The Canterville Ghost and Other Stories by Oscar Wilde
Prompt: Zero – A Book with Ghosts
Spooky September Meter: ??
I bought this after spotting this amazing cover on Book Outlet and figured this was far more manageable than carrying around my giant Complete Works, since YA GIRL IS NEVER FINISHING IT. This features ghosties, so I’m all for it – and will have no excuse for not finishing.

And the Spooky September Fun Lives on! Check out some other bloggers participating! 

Xandra @ Starry Sky Books / Tyr @ The Perks of Being a Nerd / Moira @ For the Lover of Books / & you ??? Wasn’t sure if I missed anyone (since I did go on an accidental hiatus)! Please comment below in case I did.

What do you think? What are some spooky books you recommend? How is your September reading going? Let’s discuss in the comments below!