👻October Comedy Reads Roundup
Because Halloween is about laughing too
I don’t know about all of you, but I absolutely need comedy in my life with the way everything is in the world right now. Hence, I’ve put together this fun selection of my favorite humorous books I’m reading now (or just about to read), and as a bonus, a fun film, AND recommendations of other great Substacks that make me chuckle. These selections include all sorts of humor, including (but not only) the macabre. 😈
We’ll do another round of 3-book battles in the first week of November, so please pop back in for that!
(Footnote: If you happen to want more recommendations with the traditional horror-Halloween vibes this month, then have a look at:)
My review of Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (seriously scary)
My recap of Triflers Need Not Apply (based on a true story of a widow-serial-killer)
A study of Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas (the opposite of Twilight vampires)
Books on my shelves
1. “Finding Your Choux” by Erin Vere
This one came out last month, and I got to read an ARC of it that I devoured: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️! It’s great for fans of Discworld that reimagines Cinderella amidst a baking contest, where the kitchen becomes a truly magical place. The whole thing made me laugh, and at the same time, I loved the discussions it brought up around mental health and feeding the homeless.
Here’s more about Finding Your Choux on GoodReads.
2. “Tiffany Aching’s Guide To Being a Witch” by Rhianna Pratchett & Gabrielle Kent
It came out last year, but I only recently heard of it and can’t wait to dive in because Tiffany Aching is my favorite Discworld character (second only to Granny Weatherwax). Now is the perfect season for it! I have longed for Rhianna to continue the Discworld legacy, even though I understand it would be difficult to follow up with a tale that builds on your father’s work, but she is a talented writer in her own right also, so the release of this book makes me very happy.
See Tiffany Aching’s Guide To Being a Witch here on GoodReads.
3. “Over London” by George Penney & Tony Johnson
This one I have newly added to my TBR pile because I adore the pure quirkiness of it. This one is a Steampunk Fantasy/Mystery that plays with historical events delightfully. On page one, I read this line:
Mist sharpens the voices of the touts flogging overpriced tickets to drunken tourists, now destined to see a show about dancing cats that they’d otherwise avoid like gonorrhoea.
…and I had to read it. 😂
Read more about “Over London” by George Penney & Tony Johnson on GoodReads.
4. “Strong Female Character” by Fern Brady
Now this one is a memoir, not a fantasy tale, but Fern Brady made it onto my list because she is absolutely one of the funniest stand-up comedians I have ever seen – a pure riot. Fern is Scottish, proudly bisexual, and she writes about her unique perspectives growing up with autism amidst many who couldn’t understand it. If you ever get a chance to see Fern Brady live, GO! She got a well-deserved “Nominee for Best Humor (2023)” with this book.
More on “Strong Female Character” by Fern Brady is here on GoodReads.
5. “The Fairy Tale Fan Club” by Richard Ayoade
Richard Ayoade has a new book out!!! Why did no one tell me!? This one just came out on October. 1st.
The pitch reads, “What if you could send fan mail to your fairy tale idols? And what if they wrote back?”…In this series of letters organized by C. C. Cecily, Senior Secretary of the Fairy Tale Fan Club, the fairest of them all (and a few bitter foes) correspond with curious—and opinionated—fans.”
It’s technically a middle grade book, but come on, this book is for ALL of us. Especially considering how many times we’ve looked at a fairy tale and gone, “That story certainly didn’t age well, now did it?”
Read about “The Fairy Tale Fan Club” by Richard Ayoade on GoodReads here.
What I’m Watching
Rewatching, actually. This is the best time of year, being Halloween and all…because if we’re going to talk about macabre humor, then the film “Death At A Funeral” is absolutely IT. This movie is dark U.K. humor at its peak, and for that, it is perfection. The script is perhaps the best I’ve ever seen for a comedy ever. I can’t say enough good things about it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
See more about “Death At A Funeral” on Imdb.
Funny Substacks that made me laugh
writes an exceptionally funny SubStack, and this post had me in stitches:
does a hysterically fun and all-too-relatable Substack on life after moving from Ireland to Italy during a midlife crisis to take advantage of the low housing prices…with a catch.
For even more fun with Sci-Fi short stories and unexpected surprises, check out
on Substack:
That’s all for now, and thank you to everyone for reading!
Psst…If this is your 1st visit, I've written an unhinged Cozy Sci-Fi Comedy Series that will fill that “Dirk Gently” shaped hole in your life:
Thank you for the shoutout.