Celebrating Spookiness All Year Round
Cup of Tea's Substack #7
I did expect to write the newsletter on time, but a week after Halloween is just as good! Surprisingly, October was a busy month, full of events and book reviews. It was jampacked with the things that bring joy and fun to my life, which was much needed with the ongoing stress that life, particularly my job, brings. But October not only got me purpose but fun as well. The Halloween season has arrived, and if you are a regular follower of this blog, you know that Halloween is one of my favourite times. I managed to visit one of my favorite places during this time, Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow, New York. I went to a haunted house (the first one since 2019) and an illusionist show. Not bad for a spooky lover.
Although Halloween "officially" is over (and the retail stores were just anxious to begin the Christmas/Holiday Season), the spookiness that October brought us is not exclusive to just one month. Just like with months that celebrate cultural heritages, horror and terror are things that can be celebrated all year long. Reading mysteries and horror stories in the fall or the balmy heat is an exciting reading experience. You don't know where the story is going to take you or what puzzle you are going to unravel. I think that is why I love reading mysteries all the time. You, as the reader, are involved in the puzzle, and you are trying to figure out what the solution is before the ending.
That's why horror and mysteries can be and should be read all year long. It's good for your well-being and perfect for your entertainment.
Just make sure to have the lights on…with that, your heart will thank you.
Featured Book of the Month
Sisters of Sword and Shadow by Laura Bates
The first in a breathtakingly book in this rich and sweeping fantasy duology that explores questions about power, courage and the stories we tell about the past.
Spooky Reads All Year Long
20 Underrated Mysteries That Are Worth Trying
Are you looking to try a new mystery and thriller? Here are some underrated and compelling mysteries that you should consider giving a try!
Spooky Reads Returns!
Spooky Reads returns for the Halloween Season where I recommend haunting and sppok book recommendations that will make your weekend reading more fulfilling…and scary 🎃. Check out these haunting book recs…if you dare…
Mysteries & Thrillers Inspired By True Crime
I saw a lot of this while reading the many mysteries of 2023. Through thought-provoking and compelling fiction, some writers display the pros and cons of the true crime genre, which provides a scintillating and exciting reading experience.
So, if you are looking for mysteries and thrillers inspired by true crime, here are some highlighted books you should check out.
Recent Book News
Books To Read This Month: October Edition
Check out this list of new releases that should definitely be on your bookshelf and leave you entertained for the whole month!
Books To Get Out Of The UK & Ireland: October Edition
Are you a fan of British and Irish books like I am? Here, I list exciting new releases that are coming across the pond that I definitely feel that should be on the top of your TBR pile!
The Diverse Book Awards: 2023 Winners
Congratulations to all the winners and runner-ups of The Diverse Book Awards 2023! Check out the winners below!
View this email in your browser
Monthly Newsletter
Spilling the Tea...and the Books
I did expect to write the newsletter on time, but a week after Halloween is just as good! Surprisingly, October was a busy month, full of events and book reviews. It was jampacked with the things that bring joy and fun to my life, which was much needed with the ongoing stress that life, particularly my job, brings. But October not only got me purpose but fun as well. The Halloween season has arrived, and if you are a regular follower of this blog, you know that Halloween is one of my favourite times. I managed to visit one of my favorite places during this time, Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow, New York. I went to a haunted house (the first one since 2019) and an illusionist show. Not bad for a spooky lover.
Although Halloween "officially" is over (and the retail stores were just anxious to begin the Christmas/Holiday Season), the spookiness that October brought us is not exclusive to just one month. Just like with months that celebrate cultural heritages, horror and terror are things that can be celebrated all year long. Reading mysteries and horror stories in the fall or the balmy heat is an exciting reading experience. You don't know where the story is going to take you or what puzzle you are going to unravel. I think that is why I love reading mysteries all the time. You, as the reader, are involved in the puzzle, and you are trying to figure out what the solution is before the ending.
That's why horror and mysteries can be and should be read all year long. It's good for your well-being and perfect for your entertainment.
Just make sure to have the lights on…with that, your heart will thank you.
Featured Book of the Month
Sisters of Sword and Shadow by Laura Bates
The first in a breathtakingly book in this rich and sweeping fantasy duology that explores questions about power, courage and the stories we tell about the past.
Spooky Reads All Year Long
20 Underrated Mysteries That Are Worth Trying
Are you looking to try a new mystery and thriller? Here are some underrated and compelling mysteries that you should consider giving a try!
Spooky Reads Returns!
Spooky Reads returns for the Halloween Season where I recommend haunting and sppok book recommendations that will make your weekend reading more fulfilling…and scary 🎃. Check out these haunting book recs…if you dare…
Mysteries & Thrillers Inspired By True Crime
I saw a lot of this while reading the many mysteries of 2023. Through thought-provoking and compelling fiction, some writers display the pros and cons of the true crime genre, which provides a scintillating and exciting reading experience.
So, if you are looking for mysteries and thrillers inspired by true crime, here are some highlighted books you should check out.
Recent Book News
Books To Read This Month: October Edition
Check out this list of new releases that should definitely be on your bookshelf and leave you entertained for the whole month!
Books To Get Out Of The UK & Ireland: October Edition
Are you a fan of British and Irish books like I am? Here, I list exciting new releases that are coming across the pond that I definitely feel that should be on the top of your TBR pile!
The Diverse Book Awards: 2023 Winners
Congratulations to all the winners and runner ups of The Diverse Book Awards 2023! Check out the winners below!
Waterstones Book of the Year 2023 Shortlist
Check out the books that made the 2023 Shortlist for the Waterstones Book of the Year Prize!
The Jane Austen Book Box
I'm so excited to be part of this project and help bring this to fruition. If you are an Educator in the NY area, this is a beautiful opportunity!
The Jane Austen Society of North America-NY Metro are very excited to share a new project they've been working on! Introducing a new Jane Austen book box program!
The Jane Austen Book Box program is designed to support schools, libraries and community groups that serve children in grades K-12 by introducing the genius of Jane Austen to those unfamiliar with her novels. Using age-appropriate versions of her books, the goal is to help foster an appreciation of Austen's work among new generations and diverse readers.
This grant allows you to select Jane Austen books that will be given to students for them to permanently keep for their personal libraries. The Jane Austen Book Box will be shipped directly to you.
Book Reviews
The Last One by Will Dean - This book is a mind-bender and shocking thriller to read. I had no idea where this story was going, but I couldn't stop myself at just one page. The twists and turns that hit you are brilliantly done, and you wonder how Dean creates such a creative and suspenseful thriller.
The less I say about the book, the better. Just trust me when I say that if you are a fan of twisty and psychological thrillers, then this latest by Dean is a book you need to go and pick up. Especially if you want to read that shocking ending, where my heart still hasn't recovered. 😲
Win Lose Kill Die by Cynthia Murphy Reading Win Lose Kill Die brought memories of watching High School Slashers as a teenager, but this one throws different red herrings and misdirection that you are left shocked and chilled when you reach the end. You have secret societies, secluded schools, twisted ambition and of course, teen drama...everything you need in a dark academia. You want to get your hands on this dark and creepy thriller that will take you on one horrific ride ☠️.
Wearing My Mother’s Heart by Sophia Thakur - I fell in love with Thakur’s debut poetry collection, Somebody Give This Heart a Pen and it was exciting to see she was coming out with another poetry collection. This latest one is just as powerful as the first one. Wearing My Mother’s Heart is a heartfelt collection of poems full of self-love, healing and the importance of inter-generational relationships. If you are a fan of poetry, you definitely want to pick this one up.
The Society For Soulless Girls by Laura Steven - Dark and insightful, just like The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Hyde, Steven brings a compelling retelling that is perfect and relevant for the 21st century. Steven has created a haunting, dark academia that is a great page-turner. You have everything you need for this to be a wonderful read: paranormal events, suspenseful mystery and a lovely LGBTQ romance. This feminist twist of Jekyll and Hyde is a story that will stay with readers for a long time and share an important message that begins with the epitaph:
For the girls who were born angry
What I’ve Been Reading Lately
Outcasts by Claire McFall - In the much-anticipated finale of the Ferryman trilogy, Dylan and Tristan's epic love story reaches its final crossroads when they must choose to condemn innocent souls to death--or lose each other forever.
Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent - The internationally bestselling author of Lying in Wait returns with a wickedly dark, twisted, and brilliantly observed new novel about an enigmatic woman confronting her unknown past.
The Home by Sally-Anne Martyn - Discover an absolutely gripping psychological suspense with a massive twist.
The Last Murder At The End Of The World by Stuart Turton - From the bestselling author of The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and The Devil and the Dark Water comes an inventive, high-concept murder mystery: an ingenious puzzle, an extraordinary backdrop, and an audacious solution.
Next Author Talks!
Check out these upcoming discussions with your favorite authors!
Claire McFall - Tuesday, November 7 at 3 PM
Wes Craig - Wednesday, November 8 at 3 PM
Cynthia Murphy - Tuesday, November 28 at 3:30 PM
Abiola Bello - Tuesday, December 5 at 3:30 PM
