🦛 Welcome to the Herd! Let's Talk Books

Hello, members of the herd!

One slightly chaotic hippo wandered off in search of the perfect muddy puddle, settled in with a book, then another book, then several more books, and somehow forgot that blogging was a thing. But fear not, I've finally emerged from the mud!

While I was away conducting highly important puddle-based research, both the blog and I were taking an extended nap. Now that I've resurfaced and returned to social media, I'm excited to dust things off, reconnect with fellow readers, and get the bookish conversations flowing again.

I'm Neats, the book-loving human behind the blog. This little corner of the internet is where I chat about books, share reviews, recommend reads, and occasionally wonder how my TBR became a full-time commitment. As the blog name suggests, I have a slight fondness for hippos and a tendency to approach both reading and blogging with a little bit of happy chaos. 

 

As I find my blogging feet again, one of the things I'm most excited about is connecting with fellow book lovers and building a more interactive, chatty community. Reading may be a solo hobby, but I'd love for The Haphazardous Hippo to feel like a place where we can share recommendations, discuss our latest reads, celebrate our favourites, and generally encourage each other's ever-growing book collections.

One of the best things about being back is the chance to reconnect with other readers. Because while I could happily ramble about books all day, it's far more fun when someone rambles back.

So I'd love to get to know you!

 What's the last book you couldn't stop thinking about?

 What's your favourite genre?

 Are you a one-book-at-a-time reader or a chaotic multi-book juggler?

 And, most importantly, am I the only one who thinks hippos are adorable?

Whether you've just discovered the blog or have been around for a while, thank you for being here. 😘 I'm looking forward to getting to know you all, having more bookish conversations, and sharing plenty of reading adventures together.


P.S. My TBR is already wildly out of control, but please feel free to make it worse with your recommendations. 😄

🎃 Books, Blankets and Bumps in the Night: Why Halloween Is Perfect for Reading

 

There's a certain magic that arrives with Halloween.

The nights grow longer, the air turns crisp, and suddenly the world feels a little cosier. Pumpkins appear on doorsteps, fairy lights twinkle in windows, and darkness settles a little earlier each day.

For book lovers, this is our season.

As autumn takes hold, there's something irresistible about settling down with a good story while the wind rattles the windows outside. If ever there was a time to get lost in a book, this is it.

 

 

For me, Halloween isn't really about costumes or parties. It's about atmosphere. It's fairy lights glowing in the corner, candles flickering on the coffee table, rain tapping against the window, and just one more chapter before bed... which somehow turns into five.

Of course, this is also the time of year when my reading habits lean heavily towards thrillers and darker stories. There's nothing quite like reading a psychological thriller while the house creaks around you at night. Every unexpected noise becomes suspicious, every shadow seems a little darker, and suddenly you're convinced the author is personally trying to keep you awake.

And while psychological thrillers will always be my first love, Halloween feels like the perfect excuse to reach for a horror novel. I do read horror from time to time, just not often enough to know whether I'm brave enough for some of the truly terrifying ones. If I suddenly go very quiet, assume I've either been completely hooked... or I'm hiding under a blanket pretending every strange noise in the house is perfectly normal.

 

 

Halloween reading doesn't have to be scary, though. Autumn is perfect for all kinds of books. Cosy mysteries, gothic romances, fantasy adventures, and emotional contemporary novels somehow feel even more immersive when paired with a stormy evening and your favourite blanket.

One of my favourite things about reading during October is creating a little reading ritual. Lighting a candle, grabbing a hot chocolate, switching on some fairy lights, and settling down with a book turns reading from a hobby into an experience. It's a simple pleasure, but it's one I look forward to every year.

As someone who believes there's no such thing as too many books, Halloween feels like the perfect reminder to embrace stories that make us feel something, whether that's fear, excitement, comfort, or wonder. After all, books have their own kind of magic.

So if you're looking for me this Halloween, chances are I'll be tucked away in a cosy corner with a thriller in one hand, a cup of coffee in the other, and a towering TBR pile nearby pretending not to judge me.

And if I do manage to pick up that horror novel? Well, I'll let you know whether I finished it bravely or spent the next few nights wondering what every mysterious creak in the house was.

Whatever you're reading this Halloween, I hope it's a book that keeps you turning pages long past your bedtime. Whether you're diving into a chilling horror, racing through a twisty thriller, solving a cosy mystery, or escaping into a fantasy world, there's no better time of year to get lost in a story.

Happy Halloween and happy reading!

 

 

Now tell me, what's on your Halloween reading list this year? Do you save horror for October, read thrillers all year round, or reach for something completely different? Have you got a favourite spooky-season read that you return to every year? Let me know in the comments, I'd love to add a few more books to my ever-growing TBR!

Every Page for Penny: My Read Every Day in November Challenge

 

If you know me, you'll know there's usually a book close by. Reading has always been one of my favourite ways to relax, escape and recharge.

This November, though, my reading has a much deeper purpose.

I'm taking part in Read Every Day in November to raise money for Cancer Research UK, and I'm doing it in loving memory of my wonderful mother-in-law, Penny.

 In August 2024, Penny was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer and, heartbreakingly, she passed away just a month later. Losing her so quickly was devastating, and seeing firsthand how cruel and aggressive this disease can be showed our family just how important cancer research truly is.

That's why I'm taking on this 30-day reading challenge.

Throughout November, I'll be making sure I read every single day, whether that's a chapter before bed, a few pages with a cup of tea, or getting completely lost in a story for an afternoon. Every page I turn will be in memory of Penny and in support of the incredible work Cancer Research UK does to improve prevention, detection and treatment.

 

 

For someone who is rarely far from a book, this might seem like an easy challenge. But this isn't really about the reading.

It's about remembering someone we love.

It's about helping fund research that could give other families more time with the people they cherish.

And it's about hope.

If you'd like to support me, any donation, no matter how small, would mean so much. Every pound raised helps support life-saving research and brings us one step closer to a future where fewer families have to face the heartbreak that cancer causes.

But please don't feel any pressure to donate. I know times are difficult for many people, and simply taking the time to read this post means a lot. If you're unable to contribute financially, a share, like or comment would be amazing and can make a real difference by helping more people see my fundraiser. Every bit of support, in whatever form it comes, is genuinely appreciated.💕💕

Thank you for supporting me, following my reading journey and helping me honour Penny's memory in such a meaningful way.

Throughout November, I'll be sharing my reading progress, the books I'm enjoying and updates on the challenge along the way.

You can find my giving page here. 

Every page I read this November is for Penny. 💞

 

 

Sh*tshow - Brian O'Sullivan

 

 Sh*tshow is exactly what it promises: a gloriously messy, emotionally unhinged sprint through life when everything is held together with caffeine, spite, and whatever cosmic prankster is running the simulation this week. It’s sharp, self aware, and weirdly comforting — an end to end WTF ride that feels like being dragged through your own chaos by a gremlin wearing your favourite hoodie.

If Clusterf*ck was a glitter covered tornado that hurls you face first into the brambles while giggling, Sh*tshow is its feral cousin who kicks down your door at 3 a.m., hands you a shovel, and says, “dig — we’re finding the feelings you buried.” Where Clusterf*ck spirals in chaotic loops, Sh*tshow goes straight for the jugular, rooting around in your emotional soft spots like it’s searching for snacks.

And it carries the same chaotic heart energy as Brian O’Sullivan’s running gag of a dedication — the one where he insists he absolutely cannot dedicate another book to the Psychological Thriller Readers Facebook page… before immediately doing it again anyway. As a proud member of that wonderfully unhinged corner of the internet, I’ll happily take the shout out. Thanks, Brian — we see you, we appreciate the chaos, and we’re absolutely claiming it.

Dark, twisted, and delightfully feral, Sh*tshow leaves you laughing, wincing, and wondering why the universe just roasted you harder than your group chat ever could and if you enjoy chaos, this is absolutely the book for you - I genuinely can't recommend it highly enough.   

The Girlfriend's Secret - Daniel Hurst

 

The Girlfriend’s Secret is a tightly wound domestic thriller that pulls you straight into the chaos from page one. Hurst builds tension with that delicious slow‑burn precision — every chapter adds another crack in the façade, another secret slipping through the seams, another reason to doubt absolutely everyone. The relationship at the centre of the story feels like a pressure cooker ready to blow, and watching it unravel is half the fun. The pacing is quick, the twists land with satisfying force, and the final reveal ties the whole messy web together in a way that makes you grin at how neatly you were played.

This was my first book by Daniel Hurst, and it was such an addictive introduction to his style — sharp, twisty, and wonderfully bingeable. I’m genuinely excited to pick up more of his thrillers and see what other secrets he’s hiding in the next one.

 

With kind thanks to NetGalley for the review copy.