It’s time for another Blogtober Book Quote! Today’s quote comes from one of my October TBR picks, and that is The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury! I love how descriptive and atmospheric this quote is. It just feels so much like Halloween!
Anyone could see that the wind was a special wind this night, and the darkness took on a special feel because it was All Hallows’ Eve. Everything seemed cut from soft black velvet or gold or orange velvet. Smoke panted up out of a thousand chimneys like the plumes of funeral parades. From kitchen windows drifted two pumpkin smells: gourds being cut, pies being baked.
~ Ray Bradbury, The Halloween Tree
Doesn’t this quote just make you so excited for Halloween?!
Title: Sunrise Cabin by Stacey Donovan
Pages: 346
Genres: Romance, Contemporary
Published by: Hallmark Publishing (Sept. 16th, 2018)
Summary
Two very different people…
One very special place.Dylan’s an overworked investment banker. Paige is a free-spirited first-grade teacher. From the first time they meet, these two opposites attract.
Meanwhile, the cabin Paige is renting has gone up for sale. She loves living there, and she just might be able to buy it—if she finally achieves her dream of selling her children’s stories. When she learns Dylan is also determined to buy the cabin, their new romance turns into a real estate rivalry.
Dylan could tell her about his own connection to the place…but that would mean opening up about his past. As his relationship with Paige goes from funny to touching, they both discover more about love, hope, and the true meaning of home.
This romance contains a Hallmark original recipe for Maple Pecan Streusel Muffins with Cider Glaze.
*I received this e-book in exchange for an honest review. A huge thank you to the publisher and NetGalley!*
When it comes to Hallmark movies, I am a big sap. I know they’re cheesy and predictable, but I just love them and cannot get enough! So, as you can imagine, Hallmark Publishing books give me that same feel and I love them for it.
Hey everyone! Today I’m doing the Spooky Scary Book Tag! This tag was created by Shelby @ Clever Fox. I wasn’t tagged by anyone to do this, but I was looking for a festive book tag to do, and this one seemed perfect!
Okay, let’s get started!
1. What goes bump in the night?
Name a book that has legitimately scared you while reading it.
I definitely have to go with The Diviners by Libba Bray for this one! I feel like I’ve been talking about that book so much lately, but it was just so creepy and scary to me!!
2. Jack O Lanterns and Classic Costumes
A book you always reach for during Halloween time.
I’m going to go with my festive, childhood favorites for this one, like The Little Old Lady Who Wasn’t Afraid of Anything, The Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat, and The Teeny Tiny Woman. Growing up, I had a huge stack of Halloween themed books that I would make my mom read over and over again. So now, I love reading those same Halloween books that I read as a kid to my nieces and nephews every year!
3. Black Cats and Magic Mirrors
A book you love that is laced with superstition and/or magic.
Something Wicked This Way Comes is so mysterious and magic-filled. It makes such a perfect read for Halloween! The movie is really good, too! 🍂
4. Witch’s Brew
Favorite witch character in any book/series.
As I’ve already talked about, I haven’t really read that many books featuring witches. So, I can’t really say for certain who my favorite witch is. That being said, I love the Sabrina the Teenage Witch TV show, and I know it’s based on the comics, so, even though I’ve heard she’s different in the show, I’m going to go with Sabrina Spellman!
5. Ghouls and Ghosts
A book that still haunts you to this day (good or bad).
The Kill Order by James Dashner was such a disappointment to me! I loved The Maze Runner series so much, and so I wanted a prequel that was going to be just as good, but The Kill Order definitely was not. I’ve never read a book that had so much non-stop action but still somehow managed to be so incredibly boring as this book. 😦
6. Haunted Graveyard
You’re all alone in a haunted graveyard, you get ONE book to give you comfort, which is it?
Definitely, I would pick the Bible!
7. The Undead
Favorite supernatural creatures to read about (i.e. vamps, zombies, werewolves, etc).
I can’t decide between werewolves and vampires! I like reading about both for different reasons. And yes, Twilight and the Shiver series are the main reason why. 😂
8. In the dead of night
Pick a book with a black cover.
This version of And Then There Were None has a black cover! Also, this mystery would be perfect to read during Halloween time!
9. Trick or Treat?
Treat, please!!
I tag:
Jessica @ Reading with Jessica
Anyone reading this!
I hope you all had fun reading my answers because I had so much fun doing this tag!
Thanks for reading!
Hello! I absolutely love decorating for the different seasons and holidays! It always gets me in such a festive mood. Today I’m going to be sharing with you all my autumnal bookshelf decorations!
We are now ten days into Blogtober, and today I am back with another post for Blogoween! I thought today’s prompt, hosted by Camilla @ The Reader in the Attic, was so perfect for Halloween, which is Local Supernaturals Who Demand a Book. Basically, with this prompt, you can share scary stories about supernatural experiences that have happened where you live, or even to you!
Today, I’m going to be sharing a ghost story about Ohio, a hair-raising experience my sister and I had, plus the spookiest encounter my sister and boyfriend had one evening in our house.
Also, before we get started, I do want to include a kind of disclaimer on this post. Don’t ever try to communicate with the dead. Don’t 👏🏼 play 👏🏼 with 👏🏼 ouija 👏🏼boards. Demons are real. So, please don’t talk to dead people or seek them out in any way. 🙃
Alrighty, let the spooky stories commence!
It’s Top Ten Tuesday again! It’s a weekly bookish list hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl! This week’s topic is:
TOP TEN LONGEST BOOKS I’VE EVER READ
This week’s title is pretty self-explanatory. Today I’m sharing with you all ten of the longest books I’ve ever read! I’ve scoured Goodreads, so I’m pretty sure I’m not missing anything. I’ve included the page count at the top, too! Also, I’m just going to be upfront and admit that I’m still not finished with The Count of Monte Cristo yet, but I’m working on it, and it will be one of the biggest books I’ve ever read once I finally finish it, so I decided to add it anyway! I have fully read everything else, though! 🎉
Alright, let’s get started:
What is the longest book you’ve ever read?
Thanks for reading!
Hello! Today I am back with another Blogtober Book Quote. Today I’m sharing Robert Frost’s iconic poem, The Road Not Taken. There’s just something about this poem that I have always appreciated it. While I realize this poem isn’t super seasonal, it just reminds me of autumn so much.
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.~ Robert Frost, “The Road Not Taken”
While I haven’t always been the biggest fan of poetry, lately I’ve really come to enjoy and appreciate the beauty of it!
What is one of your favorite poems?
Hello and happy Sunday! I just realized we are officially a week into October, so I thought it was time for me to do my September wrap-up. September was a bit of a slower month for me, blogging and reading wise, because school was kicking my booty. Luckily, I’m more into the swing of things now, and I’ve started to have a bit more time to read and blog again!
So, overall, I read three books in September.
BOOKS READ
– Sweet Dreams by Nadette Rae Rodgers \\ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
– The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord \\ ⭐⭐⭐⭐
– The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton \\ ⭐⭐⭐⭐
STANDOUT BOOK OF THE MONTH
Sweet Dreams was such a great ending to such a great series! I really adored this book!!
BOOKS REVIEWED
The Summer of Cotton Candy by Debbie Viguié \\ ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sweet Dreams by Nadette Rae Rodgers \\ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Purple Kisses by Priya Prithviraj \\ ⭐⭐⭐⭐
BOOK HAUL
I only bought one book in September, and it is one that I am super excited to read later this month. That book is Hocus Pocus & The All-New Sequel by A. W. Jantha!
MISCELLANEOUS
Here are the September TTT’s that I participated in:
I shared one of my highly anticipated books to be released:
I was given the opportunity to be a part of the Purple Kisses blog tour.
I also shared with you all how I reached my summer reading goals.
And lastly, I shared with you all my intentions to participate in Blogtober and Blogoween for the month of October!
And that wraps up my September! It was a quieter month, but hopefully, October will be a party on here and I’ll get lots of books read, too!
I hope you all have a wonderful October and stick around for the rest of Blogtober and Blogoween!
Thanks for reading!
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Bloglovin’ | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Litsy (@thecalicobooks)
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Title: The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton
Pages: 400
Genres: Mystery, Magical Realism
Published by: Ecco Press (Aug. 26th, 2014)
Summary
Set in seventeenth century Amsterdam–a city ruled by glittering wealth and oppressive religion–a masterful debut steeped in atmosphere and shimmering with mystery, in the tradition of Emma Donoghue, Sarah Waters, and Sarah Dunant.
“There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed . . .”
On a brisk autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman arrives in Amsterdam to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt. But her new home, while splendorous, is not welcoming. Johannes is kind yet distant, always locked in his study or at his warehouse office–leaving Nella alone with his sister, the sharp-tongued and forbidding Marin.
But Nella’s world changes when Johannes presents her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. To furnish her gift, Nella engages the services of a miniaturist–an elusive and enigmatic artist whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in eerie and unexpected ways . . .
Johannes’ gift helps Nella to pierce the closed world of the Brandt household. But as she uncovers its unusual secrets, she begins to understand–and fear–the escalating dangers that await them all. In this repressively pious society where gold is worshipped second only to God, to be different is a threat to the moral fabric of society, and not even a man as rich as Johannes is safe. Only one person seems to see the fate that awaits them. Is the miniaturist the key to their salvation . . . or the architect of their destruction?
Enchanting, beautiful, and exquisitely suspenseful, The Miniaturist is a magnificent story of love and obsession, betrayal and retribution, appearance and truth.
The Miniaturist is a book that I had been meaning to read for so long. I’ve had this book for a couple years now, but just kept putting it off for one reason or another. Well, thanks to the new mini-series, I finally decided to pick it up!
Going into this book, I didn’t know what to expect. After finishing this book, I can say that it is unlike anything I’ve ever read before!
Hello! Today for Blogtober/Blogween, I’m going to be sharing my answers for the Halloween Creatures 2.0 book tag. I was tagged by Jessica @ Reading with Jessica and Mandy @ Devouring Books. So, a huge thank you to the both of them for thinking of me! 🤗🎃
Alright, let’s get started!
Rules:
- Answer all prompts.
- Answer honestly.
- Tag 1-13 people.
- Link back to this post.
- Remember to credit the creator. (Anthony @ Keep Reading Forward)
- Have fun!
Also, just to be clear, all the graphics in today’s post are from Anthony, too!
Witch
A Magical Character or Book.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is such a magical and enchanting book. It’s so mysterious with so many unique and magical characters.
Werewolf
The Perfect Book to Read at Night.
The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding is such a fun book to read for Halloween. It’s spooky and mysterious, but not too spooky, which makes it a perfect book to read at night, because I’m a scaredy cat and don’t want to read something super scary before bed!
Frankenstein
A Book that Truly Shocked You.
This book was so twisty! Genuine Fraud really took me by surprise and didn’t go at all how I expected.
The Devil
A Dark, Evil Character.
The villain in Black really encompasses the whole “dark, evil character” for this one!
Grim Reaper
A Character that Should Never Have Died.
If you’ve read this book, I’m sure you’ll agree. That’s all I’m going to say.
Zombie
A Book that Made You “Hungry” for More.
Pretty much every single Meg Cabot book leaves me “hungry” for more. She is one of my favorite authors, and all her books are just so enjoyable and utterly readable!
Gargoyle
A Character that You Would Protect at All Cost.
I love Anne Shirley with my entire bookish heart and soul. She is my favorite and I would root for her and protect her always.
Vampire
A Book that Sucked the Life Out of You.
I just did not care for Breakfast at Tiffany’s. The writing style was not for me, and I felt so disconnected the entire time I read it.
Ghost
A Book that Still Haunts You.
On Pointe is a book that definitely haunts me, but in the best way possible. This book really touched me. Even though it’s been quite a few years since I’ve read it, it’s still one that I think about often.
Demon
A Book that Really Scared You.
I know I’ve shared my story about hearing whistling in the night while reading The Diviners, but y’all, that freaked me out so much!! Hearing some random person whistling down the street at almost midnight, while the bad guy is in the book is doing the same does not make a good combo. Not only that, but this book is just overall so creepy.
Skeleton
A Character You Have a Bone to Pick With.
I don’t even know why, but the main character, Janelle, just rubbed me the wrong way. Plus, the whole time I read this book, all I could think about was Jenelle from Teen Mom 2. 😂
Mummy
A Book You Would Preserve Throughout Time.
Nancy Drew is my original favorite. This series was the first one that I actually really fangirled with, and it will forever be my favorite. So really, I would preserve any of the classic Nancy Drew books for all time so she would always be remembered!
Creepy Doll
A Cover too Scary to Look At.
Okay, yes, this cover isn’t too scary to look at, but as a kid I sure thought it was! Plus, who wasn’t afraid of The Green Ribbon story in this book?! Talk about traumatizing!
The Monster Mash
It’s Fun to Be with Friends on Halloween!
Tag Your Friends!
I tag:
Kristin @ Kristin Kraves Books
Shalini @ Shalini’s Books & Reviews
And, of course, anyone who wants to do this!
I hope you all enjoyed reading this fun tag, because I had so much fun sharing my answers!
Thanks so much for reading!
the calico books 