Oct 31, 2021

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

 
 
 
 
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

 

However you're spending the day or night today, I hope you all have a GREAT time! It's the most wonderful day of the year after all, so have fun!!








Stacking the Shelves--a REALLY GREAT week!

 

Stacking the Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts, and of course ebooks! The meme is now hosted by Reading Reality.

 

This was a pretty good week for books! I mean, I didn't add a whole lot to my TBR, which was good, but I got some pretty great stuff! Also, I had been sitting on this for awhile but thought I'd share it now...I got a new job!!! I don't start until the 15th, I was grateful they were willing to push my start date back a bit since I've my YALLFest trip planned and didn't want to interrupt my first week there with that. Luckily, that's all I had planned for this year. So yay!


Here's what I got this week:


Archangel's Light by Nalini Singh--still massively behind in this series but I still buy the books as they release because I can't help myself. Lol
Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer--Book Beacon Box edition! It's SIGNED and has gorgeous sparkly pink sprayed edges! This picture really doesn't do it justice! It also came with an alternative cover, but I decided to keep that secret in case others are still waiting on theirs.


Then I received my Fairy Loot box (no spoilers) but you all might have guessed what book it was like I did and OMG I was SOOOOO thrilled with this box! The book was everything I had hoped for and MORE!


 

Then for review from the publisher I received:

Book of Night by Holly Black (ARC)--I screeched when this arrived in my mail!


THANK YOU Tor Books!!!


Then I bought a few more things from A Touch of Magic:

a gorgeous Caraval print--I'm trying to acquire more Caraval art that speaks to me!
Monthly cupcake pin--The Cruel Prince!



Then I received some of my preorder goodies:

bookmark and tattoo for A Shadow in the Ember!


THANK YOU Blue Box Press!


Kingdom of the Wicked goodies: a signed bookplate
art card
enamel pin


THANK YOU Jimmy Patterson Books!


Then one last Etsy purchase I acquired this week is from The Strawberry Shark:

It's a handmade bat plushie! He's so cute!! I couldn't resist when Caro shared them on Twitter! I once again had Etsy issues in the app and the browser, it was nothing short of amazing that I finally got the item to appear in the shop.



And that was it for me this week! What all did you get? Hope you all have a Happy Halloween too!!


 



Oct 30, 2021

Challenges Monthly Wrap-up: October

CHALLENGE 1: 2021 New Release Challenge

Kingdom of the Cursed by Kerri Maniscalco (10/5/21)
Gods & Monsters by Shelby Mahurin (7/27/21)
Go the Distance by Jen Calonita (4/6/21)


I've doubled my intended goal! I've read 40 new releases out of my goal of 20! Woohoo!



CHALLENGE 2: Beat the Backlist 2021 Reading Challenge

War Storm by Victoria Aveyard (5/15/18)
So This is Love by Elizabeth Lim (4/7/20)
Conceal, Don't Feel by Jen Calonita (10/1/19)
Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman (1/9/18)
The Toll by Neal Shusterman (11/5/19)
The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu (3/3/20)
Return to the Isle of the Lost by Melissa de la Cruz (5/24/16)


I've read 35 TBR books and my goal was 20! I think I might be able to double this one too! Fingers crossed!



CHALLENGE 3: 2021 Series Enders Reading Challenge

Gods & Monsters by Shelby Mahurin (Serpent & Dove)
War Storm by Victoria Aveyard (Red Queen)
The Toll by Neal Shusterman (Scythe)


Good ol 14/10!



CHALLENGE 4: 2021 Discussion Challenge

Morally Gray Villains vs Villains
Ouija Boards


I finally completed my goal of 25 discussions!! What a year this has been!







Let's Discuss: Ouija Boards

 

In the spirit of Halloween, I thought I would sneak in one last discussion this month that is somewhat spooky related! And that topic is Ouija boards!


Ouija Boards


So I was on twitter and slid by a post that basically asked the reader, do you believe in the power of Ouija boards...or if they used them. I suppose I should call them spirit boards since Ouija is more the "game" name. But you all know what I'm taking about this way! Lol.

I have personally never used one myself. I do believe in the spirit world, so does my mom. My mom always thought, and I in turn began to believe, because it seemed logical, that they weren't a good idea to use for childish entertainment. We thought that your communicating with the spirit world...who's to say you're reaching the spirit you want to talk to? Or that you're not reaching out to a demon or evil spirit? What if then that entity does not want to leave your house. Oh sure, you think they left because they said "goodbye" on the board...but if people can lie, why can't spirits?

So yes, I have never wanted to use a Ouija board. You'd think I would being me...but I feel like I know better! I've read enough books, watched enough Haunted History episodes to know not all spirits are Casper.

What about you? What are your thoughts on Ouija boards? Have you ever used one?






Oct 29, 2021

Review--Return to the Isle of the Lost by Melissa de la Cruz

 

Mal's an expert at intimidating her enemies, but she's broken the habit since leaving her villainous roots behind. So when she and her friends, Evie, Carlos, and Jay all received threatening messages demanding they return home, Mal can't believe it. Sure, she's King Ben's girlfriend now, and she's usually nice to her classmates, but she still didn't think anyone would be silly enough to try to push her around.

The thing is, it kind of worked. Especially since she and her friends have a sneaking suspicion that their villainous parents are behind the messages. And when Evie looks into her Magic Mirror, what she sees only confirms their fears. Maleficent's just a tiny lizard after her run-in with Mal at Ben's Coronation, but she's the worst villain in the land for a reason. Could she have found a way to escape? Whatever's going on, Male, Evie, Carlos, and Jay know they have to sneak back to the Isle and get to the bottom of it.

Without its infamous leader, the island's even worse than when they left it, but the comforts of home--even a home as gloomy as the Isle of the Lost--can be hard to resist for recently reformed villains. Will the kids be able to beat the evil bubbling at the Isle's wicked core, or will the plot to destroy Auradon succeed?



I've had Melissa de la Cruz's Descendants series on my TBR for a few years now. I read the first book when it came out, then as usual fell behind when the rest made their way to the stacks! I dove into Return to the Isle of the Lost somewhat blind. I vaguely recalled a few things from the first book and blips of what happened in the Disney Channel movie, and that luckily was enough! There was even a helpful recap in the beginning that set the story up for the current time which was SUPER nice!

Mal, Evie, Carlos, and Jay have all been adapting to Auradon life rather well. They defeated Maleficent, who is now a lizard locked away in a secret room in Ben's palace. Mal and her friends are accepted by the other students...and life is just peachy almost. Then one day Mal and her friends all receive secret messages that tell them to go back to the Isle of Lost. The notes are vague on details and there's not much of a clue to go on, until Carlos does some hacking and uncovers a website of an Anti-Heroes group that has pictures of their faces with X's on them. It becomes clear that Mal and her friends must return to their old stomping ground to see what the villains might be brewing.

Meanwhile, Ben is trying to find his groove into being the king. His first problem is a heck of a predicament when the neighboring kingdom of Camelot has reports of their citizens being terrorized by a large purple dragon! Ben is quick to get on the case since Maleficent is still one his #1 prisoner.

This story was definitely entertaining! I forgot how cute this series was when I read the first book. It has the ultra Disney-ified world to it! You hear mentions of all the famous villains we know and maybe love, we hear the names of all our favorite heroes. What I still want to know is who are the "other" parents of all these villain kids? I can't remember if that was ever mentioned before. But it just seems weird that you have an island full of single parents who somehow metamorphosed a child. On a sci-fi level I could believe it, but not so much on the Disney magical level. Lol.

It kind of amazes me how Mal and her friends are all actually rather good people. I can't remember well enough from the first book how villainous they were. I mean, they were probably somewhat bad, but not up to their parents' level of course. Mal and her friends really have turned a corner and become so good. It's a little too perfect at times, but then you remember this is Disney, things are usually simplified, so really any issues I might have had were brushed away with this thought.

This book definitely focuses on friendship and I like that! Romance isn't really playing a role too much despite the fact that both Mal and Evie have boyfriends. I guess because the book is marketed more on the middle grade level than YA despite the characters being teenagers. It's definitely a book that works for that crossover blend when you're nearing the end of the MG reads and moving into the YA ones. Plus this is still a totally enjoyable read for the Disney fan of any age!

The ending of this story was pure reminiscent of another Disney movie and though it's not one I watched a lot, I still remembered this particular scene and I loved that it happened again, you could say, in this book! While things were wrapped up nicely, there's still a thread or two left hanging that I am sure will play a role in the next installment which I plan to start next! 

Return to the Isle of the Lost was an enchanting and delightful read filled with pure Disney magic! If you were a fan of the Descendants movies, then you have to read these books as I think it will appeal to the fans as well! I also say this is a great read for the Disney fans as well, even if you know nothing about the Descendants movies, this series will get you up to speed nice and quick! 


Overall Rating 4/5 stars







Book Blogger Hop


 This meme is hosted by Billy at Ramblings of a Coffee Addict!

 

This week's question is: Have you ever read a book on Halloween? If so, what was the title? (submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer

 

MY ANSWER: Oh I'm sure I have! I can't think of a specific title. It just depends on whatever I'm reading at the moment. It's rarely a "Halloween" read. I somehow find myself prepping for fall events by reading those authors' books around this time of year or I'm reading my review books. So yeah...I can't think of a specific title. 

Looks like last year around this time I was reading The Ravenous by Amy Lukavics, so an oddly appropriate title! Lol.







Oct 28, 2021

Review--The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu

 

Two siblings. Two brilliant talents. But only one Mozart.

Born with a gift for music, Nannerl Mozart has just one wish--to be remembered forever. But even as she delights audiences with her masterful playing, she has little hope she'll ever become the acclaimed composer she longs to be. She is a young woman in 18th century Europe, and that means composing is forbidden to her. She will perform only until she reaches a marriageable age--her tyrannical father has made that much clear.

And as Nannerl's hope grows dimmer with each passing year, the talents of her beloved younger brother, Wolfgang, only seem to shine brighter. His brilliance begins to eclipse her own, until one day a mysterious stranger from a magical land appears with an irresistible offer. He has the power to make her wish come true--but his help may cost her everything.

 

 

Next up in my TBR kick, is Marie Lu's The Kingdom of Back, a historical fiction fantasy kind of read that explores the little known sister of Mozart, Nannerl. I admit to having reservations about this book, mostly because it seemed like it would be more of a historical fiction read with light fantasy elements, and sadly that was the case. But once I was halfway in, I couldn't bring myself to DNF after all that time.

This is the story of the great Mozart's older sister, Nannerl. Before reading this book I didn't know much about the history around Mozart. I vaguely recall watching the movie Amadeus once, but that was years ago, and if The Simpsons are to be believed, was historically inaccurate on many points. Lol. So I don't even recall if that mentioned his sister or not. My knowledge of remembered history facts usually surround haunted history locations, lol. But anyway, this story focuses on Nanerl from a young age and we watch her grow into a young woman as the story moves on.

Nannerl has always had a talent for music and she strives to make her father proud of her. She knows a day will come when she will have to give up the music life in order to be a wife and a mother. For it's in this time of history where women had no say in their own lives and must marry at a young age, have lots of children, and so on and so on. So Nannerl is trying to make something of herself in the time she has left. Then, her younger brother whom she affectionately calls Woferl, sits at the clavier and just starts playing beautiful music, having listened to his sister play it enough. This feat blows his father's mind enough that he has him practice alongside Nannerl so that the two may tour the country and play for all the important people to gain fame and fortune for the family.

To pass the time when traveling from place to place, Nannerl and Woferl tell stories to one another and create a magical world of their own that they name the Kingdom of Back. It isn't long until they begin to dream of this place and are guided by a mysterious boy who calls himself Hyacinth. He needs their help in order to get his kingdom back which had been barred from him by evil entities. It's all very faery world like what with the magical creatures and all. Nannerl grew up on her mother's stories which she in turn told to Woferl.

As time moves on and the children grow, Nannerl is forced to watch her brother prosper while she remains in the shadow. Nothing she does is ever good enough for her father. It was saddening to watch, but at the same time you realize this is how history was back then for women, especially young women who dare to have dreams.

My problems with the story started when the times the children traveled to the Kingdom of Back happened few and far between. Most of it was everyday life occurrences for children of their age in the mid 1700s of Austria. So if you're a fan of historical fiction, you will positively love this one! If you were like me and hoping for more of the fantasy elements, you might be disappointed. 

According to Marie's author note, there was very little to be found on Nannerl in the history books. She sadly didn't leave much of a mark in history, but Marie did discover that she and Woferl did have a good sibling relationship. They wrote letters often with each other and Nannerl did possibly help to compose some of her own musical work. Other aspects I wondered at with their validity, just because I'm not a history buff, I've no clue where to start to see if Nannerl and Woferl really did cross paths with a Grimm brother and Marie Antoinette. It was fun to see historical figures I actually recognize in passing!

For me, the pacing to this one was rather slow, but again, I'm not a contemporary reader. While this is a historical fiction book, much of what happens is what I call "the everyday life." Nothing exciting happens beyond normal happenstances. That's just not my kind of read, what I longed for were the trips to the faery world of the Kingdom of Back. That was where the mystery and magic of the story lied! I found these moments fascinating and entertaining.

But sadly, in the end, this book just wasn't for me. I still gave it the college try and all. I was close to DNFing it the first day, but I surprised myself by reading over half the book. Sometimes I just don't know when to quit even if I am not fully enjoying myself. While this wasn't the read for me, I still strongly urge anyone who loves a good historical fiction read a try! It was still interesting enough to read about a sibling of a famous composer from the 1700s, when you get to read about the unknown sibling, the creativity knows no bounds and Marie did it splendidly!


Overall Rating 2.5/5 stars





Random Thursday

 

We are nearly finished with the pop culture chapter in True Facts That Sound Like Bull$#*t by Shane Carley. There's two more weeks after this week and then we'll move into sports, my least favorite subject. Lol.


(image borrowed from Wikipedia)

Did you know the theme music of The X-Files was created by accident? One of the producers accidentally hit the "echo" button on the control pad. Everyone liked it so much they went with it.


I love hearing stories like this!



(image borrowed from Wikipedia)

Did you know Kramer's first name was Cosmo?


I did not!



(image borrowed from Wikipedia)

Did you know that the transporter was "invented" on Star Trek to help save costs on filming the Enterprise taking off and landing every time?


Another thing I never knew about!



(image borrowed from Biography)

Did you know that John Wayne was offered the lead role in Blazing Saddles, but he turned it down? However, he did tell Mel Brooks how excited he was to see the movie!


I wonder what was going on at the time for him. The book didn't really say why he turned the role down.



(image borrowed from Wikipedia)

Did you know the show, Curb Your Enthusiasm helped free a man from prison? An accused murderer was seen in the background of an episode and due to the show's filming time, it proved his innocence.


I have no clue what this one was about, but whoa!






Oct 27, 2021

Review--Go the Distance by Jen Calonita

 

What if Meg had to become a Greek god?

After Hercules proves he's a true hero and regains his godhood, all seems right in the world. That is, until Zeus tells Megara that she can't be with Hercules because she's, well, mortal. Luckily, Hera has a solution, offering Meg a chance to prove herself worthy of a spot on Mt. Olympus--as a god. All Meg has to do is complete a mysterious quest.

Thequestn? Oh, just to rescue her ex-boyfriend's wife from the Underworld. The ex-boyfriend she saved by selling her soul to Hades. The ex-boyfriend who immediately moved on to someone else while she was stuck in the Underworld. Can Meg put her past behind her and use her quick wit to defeat monsters and gods alike, including the nefarious Hades? Will she finally figure out where she belongs and what she has to offer? Or will her fear of commitment have her running away from an eternity of godhood with Herc?

 

 

Go the Distance by Jen Calonita takes an interesting twist on the Disney movie Hercules. What if Zeus wasn't so open to the idea of his son shunning a life on Mt. Olympus to stay a mortal and be with Meg? What if he expressly forbid them to be together because Meg was mortal? What if then Hera was a sweet and caring goddess who offered Meg an opportunity to prove herself worthy of godhood? Well, we're about to find out.

When Meg and Hercules ascend to Mt. Olympus after Hercules risked his life to save Meg's soul, they are greeted merrily by the gods and when Hercules expressed his desire to stay on earth to be with Meg, Zeus forbade him. Apparently even the Disney version of Zeus doesn't believe in true love. But then Hera offers Meg a chance to prove her worth of being turned into a god. If she were to complete the tasks she sets forth in 10 days, Meg can become a goddess and stay on Mt. Olympus with Hercules. Meg agrees because she does love the guy.

Meg's first task is to find and retrieve Athena's missing flute. With some help from Pegasus they manage to track it down, but that's only her first part of the quest. She then learns she has to save her ex-boyfriend's wife from the Underworld. The ex-boyfriend she traded her soul to save, who left her while she was in the Underworld fulfilling her end of the bargain for Hades. Naturally, Meg has mixed feelings about this task and cannot understand why Hera would ask this of her.

This book explores Meg's history, as we didn't really get to know Meg all that well beyond how she came to work for Hades. There's more to her story than meets the eye, the struggles she endure and how she became the young woman she was when Hercules meets her.

What I really enjoyed about this book was seeing some of the same characters again, true, Hercules isn't really there since he's being kept on Mt. Olympus to learn how to be a "proper god" and such. But Meg works with Pegasus and Phil again in order to complete her quest. Then when she travels to the Underworld, we naturally see Hades again, and even Pain and Panic!

Hercules was always one of those Disney movies I enjoyed, yet abhorred due to the gross inaccuracies of the gods' portrayals. I mean Zeus as a devoted husband and loving father? Come on! But I mean, Baby Pegasus!! So cute! Lol.

Another thing I really enjoyed about this story was how Calonita brings in some of the Greek mythology lore and introduces Persephone! I mean, these days we have quite the abundance of Hades and Persephone retellings, so we know that they have a true romance going on. If I recall, their getting together in the myths wasn't quite ideal nor as romantic as modern fiction leads us to believe. But let's ignore that factor and just bask in the fact that Persephone lives in the Disney Hercules in some way! I did always wonder where she was, because even when I was younger I knew of some of my myths and that they were married. 

The ending to the story was quite satisfying. Things were wrapped up nicely and if you read the B&N edition, you get a bonus scene of how Persephone and Hades met. It was rather cute too. The Twisted Tales series is one that continues to delight me. I love seeing these Disney stories get told in a different way if one thing were to change. They are quite entertaining and perfect for the Disney fan of any age!


Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars







Can't Wait Wednesday

 

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.

 

Hard on the heels of trouble in Zirdai city, Shyla Sun-Kissed and Rendor are ordered to report to the King of Koraha - a summons that is deadly to ignore. The King holds the key to Koraha's existence, but a formidable new enemy threatens Koraha's very survival and the King desperately needs Shyla and Rendor's help.

Wielding a terrifying and unknown magical power that can convert opponents into devoted soldiers, the mysterious army is hellbent on usurping the crown. Shyla and Rendor are tasked with discovering who in the seven hells these insurgents are. And what their real endgame is.

Trekking through the punishing conditions across the searing surface of Koraha, and facing numerous unseen foes and untold danger, they must follow the clues to uncover the truth before it's too late. The fate of the King and all the citizens of Koraha rests in their hands...

 

You all know I'm a huge fan of Maria's books! I am sooo looking forward to this one since it seemed things were mostly resolved at the end of the second book. But I knew a third book was coming, so some chaos is going to ensue in this one and I can't wait!!

 

TITLE: The King of Koraha
AUTHOR: Maria V. Snyder

PUBLISHER: HQ Young Adult
GENRE: YA Fantasy
RELEASE DATE: December 1, 2021

 

 

 


 

Oct 26, 2021

Review--The Toll by Neal Shusterman

 

I DO NOT SPEAK WITH THE VOICE OF THE THUNDER.

BUT THE THUNDER DOES SPEAK THROUGH ME.


Citra and Rowan have disappeared. Endura is gone. It seems like nothing stands between Scythe Goddard and absolute dominion over the world scythedom. With the silence of the Thunderhead and the reverberations of the Great Resonance still shaking the earth to its core, the question remains: Is there anyone left who can stop him?

The answer lies in the Tone, the Toll, and the Thunder.

In the highly anticipated finale to the New York Times bestselling trilogy, dictators, prophets, and tensions rise. In a world that's conquered death, will humanity finally be torn asunder by the immortal beings it created?


The Toll is Neal Shusterman's grand finale to the Arc of a Scythe trilogy! The book will bring about a conclusion to the series at large and while you can say things leave off with a nice sense of finality, I couldn't help but have a question or two at the end that was left unanswered. All in all, the book was an entertaining read, but it wasn't without flaws.

When we last left things, Endura was in peril. Scythes and citizens were dying, all while Goddard laughed from above. Citra and Rowan were sealed in a vault by Scythe Curie to save them, and they were frozen inside as the city went under the sea. What now begins is something of a timewarp trip, as we kind of get scattered about over the next three years going to the third year, to back to the first, to the second...it was quite puzzling and had me scratching my head a few times before realizing the chapters weren't quite in sync with one another and the timeline. 

Throughout this mess of time, we learn that Goddard has spewed his lies to make himself supreme overlord of everything basically. While Scythe Farday and Munira continue to search for the not-so mythical Land of Nod, we also see an excursion being planned with a salvage team to go under the sea to where Endura sank to rescue the treasures within the Scythe vault. Naturally, they find something far more surprising than Scythe treasures.

This book was truly a whirlwind of action! I mean, yes, most of it was puzzling in the beginning as time has no meaning, in one moment we're days after the sinking of Endura, the next we're three years into the future then go backwards to a year ago. It was nuts. It was hard to keep up with things honestly with all this happening as there were times I was thinking something that was happening now was contradictory to what happened in the last chapter. Needless to say, we were never given an idea of what time we were in when we started a chapter. Honestly, that could've helped clear a lot of the confusion I had, of course it would have to be said "2 years after Endura" for it to have any meaning since years have obscure names instead of numbers.

Upon waking Citra and Rowan learn most of what has been happening in the time that they were gone, and once again they are separated. While Rowan struggles to get back to Citra's side, Citra is trying to stay ahead of Goddard's quest to find and kill her. Goddard now has nearly everything he's ever wanted, but Citra and Rowan are a threat to that and must be eliminated.

This book was kind of all over the place what with the differences in time, plus the continuous multiple points of view. It's kind of hard to tell another person what all was happening without getting insanely lost, but as you read along, you can pretty much follow what is happening in the moment. The matter as to when it's happening will take some extra thinking though.

I was once again saddened by the separation of Rowan and Citra. These two can't catch a break. The longest amount of time they spent together was the three years they were frozen. That just seems cruel. But there have been instances of crueler things happening to the "couple," so I guess being separated for 90% of the book is the lesser of two evils.

The ending was quite eye-opening too. Though I can't help but wonder just what happened to one of the characters. I mean, in a sense, I get it, but also, I don't. Lol. Since I'm trying to avoid spoilers needless to say what gets explained for one character's fate just left me scratching my head a bit as to how that was possible and what not. As far as endings go overall, it wasn't too bad. It's the way I like my series to end, one with hope, so that was a nice aspect.

The Toll was a rather decent ending to the Arc of a Scythe trilogy. It was a dystopian series that presented quite the conundrum of what society would be like if death wasn't inevitable and what people would decide to do with all their time and the choices they make. It's a series to get you thinking, while also presenting an entertaining story and some mysterious vibes as well.


Overall Rating 4/5 stars






Teaser & Top Ten Tuesdays

 

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by Purple Princess of The Purple Booker



Here are the rules:

1. Grab your current read
2. Open to a page
3. Pick out 2 lines that are SPOILER FREE
4. Name the title, author, etc.

 

When I read this line I knew it had to be in my teaser!!

 

"'Which means we have to bring up the entire vault.'

To which Jeri raised an eyebrow and said, 'We're going to need a bigger boat.'" p 76


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TITLE: The Toll
AUTHOR: Neal Shusterman

PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
GENRE: YA Dystopian
RELEASE DATE: November 5, 2019


Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and The Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

 

This week's topic is: HALLOWEEN FREEBIE: Top Ten Favorite Spooky Reads


*in no particular order


10. HARROW LAKE by Kat Ellis--this one was super twisty and freaky. It was hard to figure out what was real and what wasn't!
9. WHITE SMOKE by Tiffany D. Jackson--classic haunted house story with a twist!
8. DOOMED by Tracy Deebs--not your traditional horror, but imagine the collapse of society due to the removal of the internet and all other working technology. Yeah, we'd be screwed!



7. SWERVE by Vicki Pettersson--never stop at empty rest stops off the highway.
6. SERVANTS OF THE STORM by Delilah S. Dawson--when the storm brings something besides just high winds and rain!
5. THE WICKED DEEP by Shea Ernshaw--a chilling tale of witches!



4. BURDEN FALLS by Kat Ellis--a mystery, a spooky house, ghosts...downright terrifying!
3. NIGHTSTRUCK by Jenna Black--nightmares come to life, the world in peril...the series canceled...we're all DOOMED!
2. NEAR THE BONE by Christina Henry--a downright bone chilling read on sooo many levels!!



1. RULES FOR VANISHING by Kate Alice Marshall--a spooky ghost story, I mean this cover!!