Mackenzie K. Writes

Good morning, cyberspace! Whether or not you believe that fall starts promptly on September 1st or the 21st, the weather has officially dipped below 65 degrees for a full day; to me, this means we’ve officially entered spooky season!

I’m a huge fanatic for fall. I love all things pumpkin-y and apple-y and cinnamon-y. I love soup and warm bread and chili and crisp nights and falling leaves and sweaters. Fall is my favorite season of all, by far, and I’m so excited to finally bust out the spooky books on my TBR pile! These books are books that I currently own, yet haven’t gotten around to reading yet. Some have been on my shelf for a short while, and some have been there for… er… well, they’ve been there for a long time.

Before we take a look at the Autumn TBR, let’s take a peak at the books we’ve been reading lately!

---

WHAT YA READING?

THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH by Norton Juster

This book was recommended to me by my friend, and goodness gracious, does this girl know my reading taste. Equal parts comedy, wit, and innocence, this story captured my heart completely.

I haven’t read many good books this year, so this one is easy to claim as a 5 star read!

TALES OF HP LOVECRAFT by HP Lovecraft

This book is a monster. (aheh. get it? a monster? yeah, okay, nvm.) No, seriously, this book is HUGE. Apparently H.P. Lovecraft wrote a lot, because quite frankly this book could probably murder a small man if you threw it just right.

I haven’t read all of the stories in this book yet–let’s be honest. I probably won’t read all of the stories in this book–but I’ve started “The Call Of Cthulhu” and read “The Hound”. Unfortunately I decided to read both of these before bed one night, and that was… not the best decision I’ve made in a while. Just flipping through, I definitely see some stories that I want to read before taking this one back to the library (“Rats In The Walls” and “The Book” just to name a couple), but I know my coworker is waiting on me for this one, so I’ve gotta get cracking on it!

Though I suppose reading H.P. Lovecraft counts towards my spooky season stories, right?

---

ON THE TBR PILE – AUTUMN, 2024

As I write this, I’m drinking a cinnamon tea with pumpkin spice cream and watching Durachi preen his feathers right over my cup… ’tis a dangerous life I live here in northwest Ohio…

Okay so! Books, books, books. There are so many books I want to read this season, and–if I plan on making any sort of headway towards my goal of reading 30 books this year–I better get cracking now. (This also means I’m going to be leaning more towards my short books for the time being. Gotta get back into the swing of reading nightly!)

First up on the TBR is a book whose name definitely sets a tone… though what tone that is, I’m not entirely sure.

HOBGOBLIN by Kyle Sullivan

I’ll be honest, I’m really not sure what to expect of this one, other than the fact that it is SO STINKIN’ ADORABLE. I mean, just look at that cover! If that doesn’t say that this book is filled with whimsy and wonder, then I don’t know what does. All I want in my reading life right now are sweet, innocent books about weird characters and found families. I feel like “Hobgoblin” definitely hits that mark, and if it doesn’t… well, rest assured you’ll hear about it.

A PINCH OF MAGIC by Michelle Harrison

This is one of the books that’s been on my shelf for wayyyyy too long. And I don’t even know why! It looks so cute and magical and spooky… definitely the sort of book I want to be reading right now.

I might try to read this one slightly closer to October, but I’ve definitely got my eye on it for when I need a sisterhood book filled with whimsy and magic.

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS by Agatha Christie

The fact that I have yet to read this book is one of the greater tragedies of my life. (second only to my inability to make my own bread). I’ve had a copy of this book for years. YEARS. And yet have I picked it up and read it?

Nope.

I really have no one to blame but myself–as is the case with most misfortunes. However, I figure a good murder mystery is needed now that we’re entering the world of all things spoopy, and what better gateway book into the realm of murder and mayhem than Agatha Christie’s classic?

THE ORB AND THE AIRSHIP by Jenelle Schmidt

I’m obsessed with Jenelle’s books. Seriously. “Echo Of The Fae” was ridiculously adorable and sweet, and I’m so excited to see what she does with flying pirate ships.

I’m not sure if this book is technically a fall-ish read, but the cover looks fall-y, and the vibe of the book definitely feels like one I could sink into with a good cup of tea, a cozy sweater, and a blanket, so I’m putting it on this list and making the dedication to reading it this season!

---

I have so many more books that I’ve had my eye on for a while now, but we’re going to keep this list short and sweet and only mention four of them. I’m unfortunately an incredibly slow reader–though I’m trying my best to boost my reading speed!–and I want to make sure that this TBR is something even slightly manageable for me as I go into my first autumn of working full-time, doing college part-time, and blogging and writing on the side!

(shhhh, I’ve definitely not overfilled my plate. not at all…)

TALK TO ME, PEASANTS!

What books are you reading this season? Any new releases you’re particularly excited about? Give me all of the books to add to my ever-expanding list!