I’m quite the chicken when it comes to horror and other spooky ghosty supernatural things, so it’s really no surprise that I’m not all that fussed with the spooky season. I tend to stay away from the majority of spooky/horror books but there are a few I keep seeing since last year that piqued my curiosity. Pretty much all of these are very hyped and they’re a good mix of MG, YA and Adult. I’m curious enough that I’ve even added quite a few of these to my TBR so only time will tell if I ever decide to pick any of these up! 😂
Welcome back to another Top 5 Saturday! Just in case you don’t know Top 5 Saturday is a weekly meme created by Mandy @ Devouring Books and it’s where we list the top five books (they can be books on your TBR, favourite books, books you loved/hated) based on the week’s topic. You can see the upcoming schedule at the end of my post 🙂 This week’s topic is actually: Bones on the Cover
It’s been a hot minute since I did a Top 5 Saturday post but of course I had to come back on the day when the topic is a toughie (for me!) LOL. 😂 It took a little bit of digging on Goodreads but I managed to find 5 books that are on my TBR that have bones on the cover and that I can’t wait to read! ☠️
Oliver Marks has just served ten years in jail – for a murder he may or may not have committed. On the day he’s released, he’s greeted by the man who put him in prison. Detective Colborne is retiring, but before he does, he wants to know what really happened a decade ago.
As one of seven young actors studying Shakespeare at an elite arts college, Oliver and his friends play the same roles onstage and off: hero, villain, tyrant, temptress, ingenue, extra. But when the casting changes, and the secondary characters usurp the stars, the plays spill dangerously over into life, and one of them is found dead. The rest face their greatest acting challenge yet: convincing the police, and themselves, that they are blameless.
Happy Friday book lovers! We’re back with another First Lines Friday, a weekly featurefor book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?Here are the rules:
Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
Finally… reveal the book!
First lines:
“After they found the third body that year, Justin Hawthorne knelt in his backyard and prepared to hear his future.”
Do you recognize the book these first lines come from?
I was looking for a fun and easy tag to do for today and then I remembered that Leah @ Leah’s Books recently tagged me to do The Hallotober Tag, and with Halloween just around the corner it’s the perfect time to do this! If y’all haven’t already, you should check out Leah’s blog! She’s not only sweet and wonderful, but she also writes some great reviews that have resulted in me adding even more books to my TBR on a regular basis. Plus, she’s like my bookish twin so it’s almost a guaranteed win for me if it’s a win for her! Thanks for the tag, Leah 🎃
THE Rules
Thank the person who tagged you and link to their post
Put the rules at the beginning or after introduction
Answer the 13 questions
Tag 13 people to do the tag
Delete Question 13, add a new number one question of your own
You are free to use the tag image somewhere in the post
LEAH’S QUESTIONS
What is your favourite horror novel or short story?
Seeing as how I don’t really read horror, I’m not sure that I have a favourite. I did read Rules for Vanishing last year though and it was hella scary but I would definitely recommend it! I’m honestly surprised that I managed to read it because it’s everything I would normally run away from, and that cover still gives me major creeps, but I’m so glad that I ticked it off my list! Check out my review.
what was the last halloween costume you wore?
Hmm… I think the last costume I wore was a mix-n-match panda costume (ha, surprise) that I pulled together at the last minute. It was when I was living in the UK, I was going to a Halloween party at a club with my then partner, and we only decided to go at the last minute. It was a proper messy night 😂
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FALL SNACK?
Fall isn’t a thing in the tropics, but I also can’t remember indulging in any particular ‘fall snacks’ when I lived in Australia or the UK. I will say that my favourite fall treat is a Pumpkin Spice Latte and I mean, the drink itself is quite rich and could be considered a snack, right? It’s my favourite! I wish they had it year round LOL
do you carve pumpkins?
My last memory of carving pumpkins was also probably the first time I ever carved pumpkins… In Kindergarten 😂 It’s funny how I don’t remember so much but I do recall that memory well. It was definitely a fun time!
Do you prefer horror movies or stories?
Being The Ultimate(st of) Chicken(s), I would say neither. But if I had to force myself I’d probably choose a horror story. My imagination might run wild but at least I can try to control it? 😅
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE HALLOWEEN MEMORY?
Hmm… I don’t know if I really have a favourite memory. When I think of Halloween I always think of those fun times when I was still in school and used to go trick-or-treating around my neighbourhood in the Philippines. It was a surprisingly big thing! I always loved dressing up and coming home with lots of candy and seeing how crazy people went with decorations and costumes! 🍭
DO YOU PREFER TO GIVE OUT CANDY OR GET CANDY?
I mean, who’s gonna say they don’t prefer to get candy?! LOL kidding… 👀 I mean, obviously, I love to get candy but I also enjoy giving them out because I know the joy of receiving it!
DO YOU DECORATE FOR HALLOWEEN OR FALL?
I don’t! Like I said, it’s not really a big holiday here in Asia and although we did use to decorate when I was a kid, the most decorative Halloween props that I have now are fake fall leaves, a black pumpkin and a cute ceramic ghost + sign that says Happy Halloween! 🎃 I also only have these props because of bookstagram 😂
DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE URBAN LEGEND? IF SO, WHAT IS IT?
Wow, I’m gonna be really boring (again) here and say that I don’t? I mean… Not really? That stuff scares the crap out of me and I tend to stay away from listening to them as much as possible. That said, I wasn’t immune to hearing about them, and although they’re not favourites, the most popular ones I heard about growing up were: Bloody Mary, Hanako, and the Candy Man. I shudder at the thought of them.
WOULD YOU RATHER SPEND THE NIGHT IN A GRAVE YARD OR A HAUNTED HOUSE?
Again, why would I wanna be doing either of those things?! 🙃 I mean, hard pass for sure, but if I was forced to choose, I would mos def go grave yard over a haunted house. At least a grave yard is open space, right? I also don’t think that they’re half as scary as haunted houses, although that doesn’t mean I’d want to be hanging around one for shits and giggles! 😂
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE SPOOKY MOVIE?
Well… Corpse Bride and The Nightmare Before Christmasare spooky and they are favourites! 👻
Who is your favourite character from a horror movie or book?
Um… I’m actually drawing a blank for this one… 😅 I’m sorry, I can’t think of anyone because I can’t think of a book or movie!
WHAT KIND OF BOOKS ALWAYS PUT YOU IN THE AUTUMN/HALLOWEEN MOOD?
While I don’t read the traditional horror or scary books, I do like a book that can set a good creepy and mysterious atmosphere that send chills down your spine and the hairs on the back of your neck prickle. The kind of books that make me want to burrow even deeper under my duvet to keep me safe from all the scary! Those definitely put me in the Halloween mood!
~I tag whoever wants to do this!~
MY QUESTIONS
What book would you recommend to someone who doesn’t normally read spooky/scary books?
What is your favorite horror novel or short story?
What was the last Halloween costume you wore?
What is your favorite fall snack?
Do you carve pumpkins?
Do you prefer horror movies or stories?
What is your favorite Halloween memory?
Do you prefer to give out candy or get candy?
Do you decorate for Halloween or fall?
Do you have a favorite urban legend? If so what is it?
Would you rather spend a night in a grave yard or a haunted house?
What is your favorite spooky movie?
Who is your favorite character from a horror movie or book?
I’ve never been a big proponent of Halloween mostly because I don’t really read “traditionally scary” books or watch scary movies. I am the Ultimate Chicken™️ after all. I was a bit stumped on what to focus on for this week’s Halloween freebie but I wanted to keep it short and simple, so I’m sharing ten books that were a little spooky or creepy, but were just the right amount for those like me who don’t really handle scary things well. Some of these lean more towards thriller creepy but it definitely still counts, right?! While these might give you a spook, they’re more on the level of “just keep a night-light on” kind of scary, so if you are curious or would like to step out of your comfort zone, I’d definitely give these a go! 😂
Hello Mondays, welcome back to #5OnMyTBR, a meme created by the wonderful E @ The Local Bee Hunter’s Nook. This bookish meme gets us to dig even further into our TBRs by simply posting about five books on our TBR! You can learn more about it here or in the post announcing it. You can find the full list of prompts (past and future) at the end of this post!
Friends! Can you believe? Two months until 2019 is over and I honestly still can’t believe it. I have no idea where this year has gone but it’s definitely gone in a blink! October was such a hectic month that I don’t even know where the days went because time moved so quickly. That said, I’m surprised that I managed to read 19 books this month, which brings my Goodreads reading challenge up to 175/90.
Thinking about it again, I’m not surprised I read 19 books this month because I read a ton of romances which I always speed through (at most it takes me 2 days to read one). While I took a little step outside of my comfort zone this month with Rules for Vanishing, I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t read any other spooky read, although being a mood reader I know that forcing myself to read something I’m not feeling just wouldn’t work.
I’m clearly still very much on that romance vibe, although I can also start to feel myself becoming a little jaded with some of these romances (maybe as evidenced by the lower ratings because I just wanted to roll-my-eyes-so-hard). But I think I’ve been hitting the romance so hard because my brain is just… TIRED? Like… I have no mental energy left on most days and that means I love reading romances that not only give me swoony feelings but I also don’t have to think very hard about. Let’s see if the romancing mood will continue in November!
Just like last time, you can find all my weekly memes in my menu bar since I’ve organized that a bit more. You can find the rest of the posts that I’ve made this month below. I actually didn’t write a whole lot of reviews this month, I’ve just been ‘too busy reading’ and that’s okay because I know I’m not obligated to write a review for every book I read (unless it’s an eARC) but I’ve come to realize just how much writing reviews really helps my memory! So… I’m on a mission (maybe tomorrow) to sit down and write some reviews before I forget even more than I already have!
ALSO I’ve been toying with the idea of giving my blog a bit of revamped look but I don’t know if I should do it right now (it’s not even been a year but playing with blog layouts has always been a fun time for me! LOL 😅). Might give it a go this weekend but will play it by ear! What do you think?Do you like changing up your (blog) look or is that just confusing?
I hope you all had a great reading month in October and I hope that November continues to be awesome! What was your favorite read this month? Come let me know in the comments & let’s chat!
It’s that time of the week again, friends! We’re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s prompt is:Halloween freebie! Since this week is a freebie, I’ve decided to go with the first topic that came to mind: the spooky books I’d read if I wasn’t such an epic chicken/if I only had the guts. I don’t think it would surprise anyone to know that 90% of this list consists of King books!Is it kind of ridiculous that I don’t want to include these book covers in this post because that means I’ll have to actually look at them up close and I’m frankly terrified? 🙃
IT by Stephen King I already detest clowns (SORRY NOT SORRY) and call me crazy but the idea of one lurking in wait in the drains is just not my jam? Like, at all.
Bag of Bones by Stephen King I have this one and I really want to read it but it’s also supernatural ghost-y and that’s usually really not my jam. Serious question: What is with cabins in woods by lakes being haunted?!
The Shining by Stephen King I was forced to watch the movie and I honestly… Ugh. I questioned my choice of friends for months afterwards. Not cool, people, not cool!
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson I really wish I had the guts to read this because I got the book as part of the September Owlcrate box and I honestly don’t know if I will ever read it.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving This is a legend/story that has creeped me out ever since I heard stories about the headless horseman when I was a kid. Years later, this legend is actually what I always picture when I think Halloween!
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski This one sounds like a total mindfck. Reading the synopsis already has me confused and questioning whether it’s real or not and I’m doubting myself. If I feel this now, how will I feel after reading it?
Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant I really really want to read this one but I’m already terrified of the deep, dark ocean and while I love the idea of mermaids and sirens, I’m not a fan of the creepy killing kind lurking in said deep dark ocean.
Pet Semetary by Stephen King Dead pets… I just… I don’t know if I can handle it? I like my pets alive and not haunting me, thanks!
The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay The synopsis of this alone really freaks me out. I’ve come across it several times in store and have always been tempted to buy it but never do because I don’t think my mind will be able to take how horrifyingly messed up this story is? It’s just a feeling lol
Have you read any of these spooky titles? Would you read them? Do you wish you could read them? If you’ve also done a TTT, please leave your links in the comments below so I can come check it out! 🙂
It’s time for another WWW Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words, which means I’ll be answering these questions:
What did you read last?
What are you currently reading?
What will you read next?
What did you read last?
HEY FRIENDS! As I’ve probably mentioned a time or two before this, I was off on a staycation in Bali last week when my friends had come to visit, and because we had so much time chilling by the poolside, I managed to squeeze in more reads than I expected (three to be exact)! I’ve been feeling lazy AF though and haven’t written reviews for the majority of these reads (and I’m already feeling my memory slipping on me ARGH! Why is memory so bad?)! I enjoyed the majority of my reads this past week but I think my favorites were: Serpent & Dove and Rules for Vanishing (YES, it’s a scary book! I don’t even know who I am anymore 😂)! I enjoyed These Witches Don’t Burn and The Sea of Lost Girls (e-ARC), but thought Birthday Girl, while pretty steamy, was just OK. I’m falling behind on SO MANY reviews and my memory is already failing me, so I’m hoping to get to writing some this weekend! *fingers crossed*
What are you currently reading?
I’ve got a few reads going at the moment because I can’t decide what to keep on reading. I’m part of a group read for Frankly in Love, which we’re discussing at the end of the week, so I should probs get rolling on that one. I’m not sure I’m in the right mood though, but I also don’t know what I’m in the mood for 😅I’ve also picked up Wicked Saints and I’m thinking of starting Under Locke as well (I’me excited to see it’s under 500 pages too!). I’m also part of a group read for a Lisa Jewell book but I can’t actually remember which book I should be reading? Haha I’m clearly on the ball this week! I’m so glad it’s already Wednesday although I won’t be catching a “break” until Saturday evening!
What will you read next?
This message will probably continue to stay unchanged for the foreseeable future: I’m still trying to give priority to several eARCs that are well overdue! I’m still hoping to read TH1RT3EN soon because I’ve seen a ton of people posting about it and I think it’d be great to stick to my goal of reading more creepy books this month. I’ve heard great things! Shadow Frost is also a bit of a priority since it was just published earlier this month but I’ve heard so many mixed reviews (mostly not so great ones) that it’s making me reluctant to read it 🤦🏻♀️
What are you currently reading? How’s your week going? I’m hoping my vacation-brain-mode deactivates soon! Leave me a comment and let’s chat 🙂
It’s time for another WWW Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words, which means I’ll be answering these questions:
What did you read last?
What are you currently reading?
What will you read next?
What did you read last?
Since the last check in, I’ve managed to finish four books! I’m really loving Mariana Zapata’s books and finished two in the last week alone. Although the formula to her stories isn’t all that complicated and not entirely unpredictable, I really enjoy the journey I go through with her characters. Sometimes it’s just really satisfying to get what you sign up for in these reads, you know? I finished Dear Aaron and Wait For It. Dear Aaron was alright but Wait For It had me smiling constantly. I also finally finished House of Salt and Sorrows and I also read Faker, another contemporary romance.
What are you currently reading?
I started Serpent & Dove yesterday and um… I love it so much?! Lou is so bad ass and why am I developing a soft spot for Reid?! I haven’t had much time to read since my friend is visiting, but I’m really fighting the desire to read this book non-stop! At the same time, because my friend is here I’ve decided that NOW IS THE TIME to start reading Rules for Vanishing. It’s… TERRIFYING. I’ve only managed to read a little bit but my toes are curling thinking about how scary this is sounding. I don’t honestly don’t know if I’ll be ready for the scary shit, with or without my friend here 😅
What will you read next?
I’m still trying to give priority to several eARCs that are well overdue! I’m still hoping to read TH1RT3EN soon because I’ve seen a ton of people posting about it and I think it’d be great to stick to my goal of reading more creepy books this month. I’ve heard great things! Shadow Frost is also a bit of a priority since it was just published earlier this month but I’ve heard so many mixed reviews (mostly not so great ones) that it’s making me reluctant to read it 🤦🏻♀️
What are you currently reading? How’s your week going? Leave me a comment and let’s chat 🙂
dinipandareads 