Tag: spookyseason

The Companion by Katie Alender

I read The Companion by Katie Alender as part of my TBR and because it was one of my most anticipated reads.

We follow Margot whose entire family died in an accident and everyone tells her how lucky she is. But then Margot gets taken in by a wealthy family and finds out the true reason for their kindness: to be a Companion for their daughter with a strange illness. When Margot discovers the secrets lurking in the Copeland Hall estate, she can’t help but wonder: is she lucky?

I had really hyped this book and I’d heard such good things about this. Going into this book, I was expecting a creepy read. However, I didn’t really get creepy vibes while reading. In fact, I was pretty disappointed. Maybe I’ve watched too much ID channel or too many lifetime movies.

So the whole premise of this story is that Margot is always told how lucky she is. When she moves in with the Sutton’s at the Copeland Hall estate, she soon finds out that the house is full of mystery and secrets. Once strange things start happening, Margot is left questioning her luck. I had read an excerpt of this book and was so excited to find out what happens. It seemed so promising and like the perfectly spooky story to get me ready for Halloween. Unfortunately, the execution did not pan out.

The Companion: My Verdict

Described in some parts almost as a living thing, we’re supposed to think of Copeland Hall as a haunted house with untold secrets and overall a spooky vibe. In some aspects of the book this worked well, but for the most part I just didn’t get a general haunted-house-spooky vibe at all. I think that is one of the biggest problems with this book. We’re supposed to be thinking that part of the reason Agatha gets sick is from something in the house. Nothing made me connect the house with her illness or even creeped me out.

There were a lot of things that didn’t have any backstory or “tied ends.” I wanted more on Laura. She made comments and then that would be it. I wanted more information or context; why did she hate the phrase “right as rain?” I understand wanting a complex character but it just felt forced to make for an unstable character. I also didn’t understand Margot in the fact that she questioned things and acted like she knew what was going on but still went along with what was happening. Why make her wary and naive at the same time? I wasn’t exactly sure what Alender was trying to do.

Probably one of the biggest issues I personally had was that it was too predictable. There were no twists in it that I did not see coming. This felt like a lifetime movie I’ve seen more than once.

While I wasn’t a fan of it, it has a high rating on Goodreads. Many do enjoy it and think it is creepy enough and has enough twists and turns for their liking. If you’re into mysterious estates and dysfunctional families with secrets, definitely check it out. Maybe you’ll enjoy it more than I did!

The Companion by Katie Alender

October TBR

Happy Fall, y’all! 🍁🍂🎃 Well, y’all, another month has come and gone, which means it’s time for my October TBR! I completed my entire TBR for September, which means it’s a fresh slate this month. I have yet another ambitious TBR for this month, but it’s a bit different because I chose books that will help me get in the mood for Halloween and the Fall season. I’ll be doing some buddy reading, as well as reading a few ARCs. So, let’s get into it!

I just finished The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. I read this for my participation in Banned Books Week. This book takes place in Afghanistan and follows a friendship between a boy and the son of his father’s servant. It covers love, betrayal, family, redemption, sacrifice, and loyalty. This book caused so many emotions, y’all. I’ll get more into my reaction in my review!

Another book I’m going to read this month to spooky things up a bit is The Companion by Katie Alender. I’ve already mentioned this as one of my anticipated reads from a few months ago, but I’ve been dying to read this, and this month is perfect for it. This is about a girl, Margot, whose entire family dies in an accident and everyone keeps telling her she’s lucky. But when Margot gets taken in by a wealthy family and finds out the true reason for their kindness, Margot is left wondering whether she really is lucky. I can’t wait to dive into this, it sounds like such a perfectly spooky read for Halloween-time!

October Buddy Reads

I’ll be reading Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo as a buddy read. Sure to start getting me in the Halloween mood, this book is about Alex, a freshman at Yale with a dark past. It’s her job to keep an eye on the secret societies of the rich and powerful of Yale, but what she finds just might be worse than can be imagined. This is one of my most anticipated books and I just haven’t gotten around to reading it (shocker). I’m glad I’m finally sitting down to do it!

Another book I’ll be tackling this month is Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. This is a classic that I’ll be reading as a buddy read. A classic I’ve never read, this book is about scientist Victor Frankenstein who creates a creature out of body parts and uses an electrical charge to start it. The monster demands a partner, as his only request is friendship, but when Frankenstein fails to complete the female counterpart, the monster promises revenge. I’m glad to finally read it!

The last buddy read I’ll be doing this month is The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White. This is a retelling of Frankenstein. This is about a girl named Elizabeth who doesn’t have much, but luck finds her when she’s taken in by Victor Frankenstein. She’s given shelter, food, a warm bed, everything she could want–and he finally has a friend, and the two become close. But not everything is always as it seems, and sometimes keeping the peace can come at a great cost. This book sounds so good. I love books where the main character may be on the fringe of sanity. I can’t wait to read it!

October TBR ARCs

One of the ARCs I’ll be reading is Tsarina by Ellen Alpsten. I was fortunate to receive a copy of this from St. Martin’s Press. In this story we follow Catherine Alexeyevna, Peter the Great’s second wife. The year is 1725 and Russia risks mayhem as Peter left the empire without an heir and is dying. Can Catherine manage to take the throne? I’m so excited for this one. I love a good historical fiction novel, and strong females throughout history are always so great to read about. This will be publishing in November.

The other ARC I’ll be reading is These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong. I won this in a giveaway during SDCC by Simon Pulse. This is a retelling of Romeo and Juliet but set in Shanghai in 1926. Um, yes please! We’re following two gangs–the Scarlet Gang and the White Flowers. Juliette Cai is the heir to the Scarlet Gang and Roma Montagov is the heir to the White Flowers. When strange things start happening to members of the gangs on both sides, Juliette and Roma must set aside their differences and come together to save their city. Y’all I can’t wait to read this one either. I love retellings, I love Romeo & Juliet, and I love the premise of this book. This book is expected to be published in November.

So, that’s it for my October TBR. What’s on your shelf this month? Any other spooky recommendations?

October TBR