Halloween Creatures Books Tag

This wonderful tag was created by Anthony @ Keep Reading Forward.  I saw it and since it is that season, I couldn't resist.  Also, make sure to visit Anthony's blog - it's a lot of fun.

WITCH - A book or character that is magical

The entire Harry Potter series and I'm sure I don't have to explain why I feel this way.

MUMMY - A book or character you can't wrap your mind around

Welcome to Night Vale: Joseph Fink

I still have more questions than answers.

VAMPIRE - A book, series or author you can't live without

Stephen King

WEREWOLF - A book best read at the middle of the night

Rosemary's Baby because this one is all about the atmosphere!

ZOMBIE -  A book you picked up for the 2nd time or continued after DNFing it.

The Shining.  I don't reread much and rarely DNF but I think I've read this 2, maybe 3 times.

GHOST - A character you saw right through or a book you easily predicted the twist.

Gone Girl - whether it was from all the hype, or if it was from all of the characters being so stupid, I found this one totally predictable and it can disappear - just like a ghost.

FRANKENSTEIN - A book that truly shocked you.

Ultimate Sacrifice by S.E. Green - THAT ENDING!!!!!

SKELETON - A book or character that chilled you to the bone or got your funny bone.

Elvis from The Southern Cousin's Mysteries.  That funny Basset makes me chuckle every time I read the sections from his POV.  Plus, you know I'd have a dog here somewhere!

GHOUL - A book that left you hungry or a recipe you want to try from a book.

Butterbeer from Harry Potter - it's either gonna be good or gonna be bad.

GOBLIN - A greedy character or a character that loves jewelry.

Princess Vanessa from Rise of the Sea Witch.  I think she probably fits both categories.

DEVIL - A dark, evil character

Cersei from the Game of Thrones books

GRIM REAPER - A character you loved or hated who died.  

Khol Drogo from Game of Thrones because I hated him in the beginning and then loved him by the time he died. 

SCARECROW - A book or character who scares you.

Lots of characters from The Demonists and Dark Exodus.

So there you have it.  I really don't like tagging people because some like them and some don't.  So I'll just say anyone who wants to do this do so and just make sure to give Anthony credit!

We Interrupt Our Regularly Scheduled Programming....

So today I want to tell you about a new readathon I'm participating in during November.  It runs November 8th - November 15th and is being hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer.  All the rules and signup information can be found HERE.

As always, my plans are subject to change but here's the three books I plan on reading.  I am also hoping one of them fits the challenges and if not, there will be some tweaking necessary.

As you can see, I've got mystery covered with "A Christmas Peril" and "Twelve Slays of Christmas" and have picked a feel-good one with "The Christmas Room."  I've also got a winter-scare planned with "The Afterlife of Holly Chase."   Now I know I won't get 4 books read in a week, but I like options people!

Can't Wait Wednesday (128)

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings to spotlight highly anticipated books.  It is based on the Waiting on Wednesday meme which used to be hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

FROM GOODREADS: Gangs of New York meets Cassandra Clare in this debut YA fantasy set in 1882 Brooklyn

New York, 1882. A dark, forbidding city, and no place for a girl with unexplainable powers.

Sixteen-year-old Avery Kohl pines for the life she had before her mother was taken. She fears the mysterious men in crow masks who locked her mother in the Tombs asylum for being able to see what others couldn’t. Avery denies the signs in herself, focusing instead on her shifts at the ironworks factory and keeping her inventor father out of trouble. Other than secondhand tales of adventure from her best friend, Khan, an ex-slave, and caring for her falcon, Seraphine, Avery spends her days struggling to survive.

Like her mother’s, Avery’s powers refuse to be contained. When she causes a bizarre explosion at the factory, she has no choice but to run from her lies, straight into the darkest corners of the city. Avery must embrace her abilities and learn to wield their power—or join her mother in the cavernous horrors of the Tombs. And the Tombs has secrets of its own: strange experiments are being performed on “patients”…and no one knows why. 

WHY I CAN'T WAIT:  I think it's a combination of the historical setting, people in crow masks, powers and an asylum.  It's either going to be very good, or very complicated - maybe both!

WHAT BOOK CAN'T YOU WAIT FOR THIS WEEK???

A Really Late Cloak & Dagger Link-Up

So guys, I'm really sorry this is going up late and I've been kind of slacking on the Cloak & Dagger communication front.  Thank heavens for Stormi.  Hope everyone is doing great with their challenges.  I believe I met mine last month but I'm still tracking because I want to know what to shoot for next year.  And BTW, I am assuming Stormi and I will be hosting again.  We haven't really talked about it but if she's in, so am I.  I've already had some people comment they wanted to give this challenge a go in 2018.

So leave your link-ups so we can all check out some books we might want to add to our TBRs.

October Link-up

TTT - A Related Switch Up

This top 10 weekly meme is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and can be found HERE.  Each week they focus on lists which cover various topics related to books and reading. 

Today the topic is yummy foods mentioned in books. I don't really pay attention to that so I'm sharing with you towns in cozy books (and some others) I'd like vacation in.  I figured it's close enough because lots of cozy mysteries feature bakeries, pubs, restaurants, etc.

I'm thinking this "barkery" is located in some small mountain town in Colorado - but I could be wrong.  Either way, there's lots if hiking, outdoor activities (which I could watch) and a great small town vibe.  Plus, DOGS!

Moonrise, Missouri.  This small town has shifters and pups abound.  Lily's uncle owns a cafe where everyone meets to gossip and eat and it sounds like a fun place to grab a bite.

Tupelo, Mississippi.  Now know I wouldn't want to live here, but there is so much going on in this town that a vacation there sure wouldn't be boring.  

Bon Temps, Louisiana.  Come on now, who wouldn't want to play fetch with Sam, have Alcide make some housing repairs and hang out in Eric and Pam's bar?

Midnight, Texas.  This town is SMALL.  And it can be kind of dangerous. But they have a "killer" restaurant and such great characters.

Sylvan Creek.  This series mentions some great treats for people AND dogs and they have some wonderful festivals.  It would be a great place to spend Halloween!

Briar Creek.  This small town is by the Cape and it has a great little family owned restaurant and they are always talking about some awesome food.  Plus, the library sounds so fun and quaint.  

Little Leyton, Bukinghamshire.  I love this series, even though I've only read the first one!  The Dog & Duck bar sounds like an awesome place to hang out and have some interesting drinks!

Enchanted Village, Salem Massachusetts.  Such a fun little witchy town.  I love getting lost in the setting.

Stars Hollow.  So, it's not a book series, but my favorite small town has to be from Gilmore Girls.  I'd love to sit in Luke's reading and eating lunch, and using my cell phone - even if it's forbidden!

So, considering I grew up in a small town and hated it, I shocked I always seem to enjoy reading about them.  Of course, there are always fun festivals and murder and mystery and our town had very little going on.

The Fun Continues - The October Faction Vol. 2

TITLE: The October Faction, Volume 2
AUTHORS: Steve Niles, Damien Worm
PUBLISHER: IDW Publishing
PUBLISHING DATE: April 19, 2016

FROM GOODREADS: The Allan family has inducted Dante, a.k.a. Robot Face, into the fold and Geoff and Vivian have begun their training in the family business; monster hunting. All looks well for the Allans, but Sheriff Chambers is slowly catching on to their occult activities. Collects issues #7-12.

MY THOUGHTS: I am loving this series so much that I almost hate to read the last volume I have. I know it will take forever for my library to get Volume 4. This installment continues the Allen family saga. The children are still trying to convince their parents to start ghost hunting again and Lucas, the werewolf family friend, seems to be hanging around waiting for a decision. Dante, the monster who was adopted in the first volume, remains my favorite. He is like a 10 year old in an adult body and he is enjoying having a family for probably the first time in his life. The only reason this got 4/5 instead of 5/5 like the first is because something happens to Mr. Allen in this volume which I think isn't explained very well and which is wrapped up too quickly. As always though, the artwork remains as some of my favorite amongst all of the graphic novels I read. If you love horror, you have to give this series a try. 

RATING: 4 PAWS

Another Awesome Horror Graphic Novel Series

TITLE: The October Faction, Vol. 1
AUTHOR: Steve Niles, Damien Worm
PUBLISHER: IDW Publishing
PUBLISHING DATE: July21, 2015

FROM GOODREADS:  The October Faction details the adventures of retired monster-hunter Frederick Allan and his family... which include a thrill-killer, a witch, and a warlock. Because sometimes crazy is the glue that binds a family together.




MY THOUGHTS: I have accidentally found a new horror graphic novel to love on and the timing couldn't be better. I had to run into my library to pick up a hold the other day and an usual, caught myself in the "new" section. I saw the first three volumes of "The October Faction" and all I needed was to look at one of the covers and I knew all three were headed home with me! "The October Faction" tells the story of a family of misfit/orphan monster hunters. The books provides with witches, warlocks, werewolves and some other characters I am still learning about. The two children in the book want nothing more than to follow in their retired father's footsteps except he is now a renowned professor of monstrumology and wants nothing to do with his old business. Does that change? You betcha! However, you have to read to find out. 

The artwork in this book is dark, creepy and glorious. And the writing just strikes a cord with me. At one point, someone in the book is killed rather unexpected and the perp's comment was something to the effect of "I was going to have to kill him eventually so why drag it out?" An attitude I can understand - not that I'm a killer or anything :) 

So basically everyone - go get this book. NOW!!!!!

RATING: 5 PAWS