Saturday, October 31, 2015

Stacking The Shelves (7) & Birthday Book Haul!

Stacking The Shelves is hosted by TyngasReviews.com

Click on the book titles to find out more!

Today's Stacking The Shelves is two weeks combined into one post.



Bought



Amazon Freebies
(All books listed were free at the time of purchase. Prices may now have changed).




Birthday Haul



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Reading Updates

CURRENTLY READING
Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling
Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry
Diamonds Are Forever by Michelle Madow

JUST FINISHED
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling
Night of The Living Dummy by R.L. Stine
#Poser by Cambria Hebert

READING NEXT
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee





Friday, October 30, 2015

Halloweek Reading to Sieze The Night

Halloweek Reading to SEIZE THE NIGHT!
Enjoying a great treat is not just for kids on Halloween. Indulge yourself this week and read SEIZE THE NIGHT: NEW TALES OF VAMPIRIC TERROR, the new “stellar anthology of tales” (Publishers Weekly Starred Review), sure to quench your thirst for a Horrific Halloween read! Conjuring reactions such as “Going back to the heydays of Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot” and “For anyone who likes tales of the creepy sort like Stephen King’s short stories in Everything’s Eventual or Nightmares & Dreamscapes,”  how can one resist?
SEIZE THE NIGHT
Edited by Christopher Golden
Gallery Books
October 6, 2015
ISBN: 9781476783093
Trade Paperback
$18.00
Once upon a time, vampires were figures of terror…and they can be again. Legends of these dark creatures sprang from every corner of the world and infinite variations throughout history—with even more of them waiting in the farthest corners of the imagination. SEIZE THE NIGHT takes hold of a popular culture environment where the vampire has largely lost its ability to inspire fear, and now brings out the dread, showcasing twenty all-new tales of horrifying evil from an extraordinary lineup of twenty contributors:
  • John Ajvide Lindqvist
  • Kelley Armstrong
  • Laird Barron
  • Gary A. Braunbeck
  • Dana Cameron
  • Dan Chaon and Lynda Barry
  • Charlaine Harris
  • Brian Keene
  • Sherrilyn Kenyon
  • Michael Koryta
  • John Langan
  • Tim Lebbon
  • Seanan McGuire
  • Joe McKinney
  • Leigh Perry
  • Robert Shearman
  • Scott Smith
  • Lucy A. Snyder
  • David Wellington
  • Rio Youers 
The dusk is upon you, and your fright-filled journey to the shadows of the hereafter is about to begin with SEIZE THE NIGHT—old-school vampire fiction at its finest.  

“The notion of the romantic vampire is transcended to chilling and even heartbreaking effect in this stellar anthology of talesThese stories move smoothly from the subtle to the horrifying…”
Publishers Weekly Starred Review Description: Description: Description: Description:                120px-Black_star 
“Twenty stories of varying lengths offer quick bites of otherworldly entertainment. Edited by Christopher Golden, this collection takes vampire fiction back to its bloody, frightful roots. Readers looking for old-school horror laden with darkness will appreciate these diverse stories from some of the best writers in the genre…all are entertaining…With new spins on classic traditions and inventive, unexpected twists, it’s the perfect spooky read for Halloween — or any night that calls for a touch of terror.”RT Book Reviews
“The twenty-one authors collected in this volume have…succeeded in returning vampires and their ilk back into our nightmares where they belong…each tale delivered the goods. And by goods, I mean terror…These are not your Count Dracula vampire stories, but thankfully they’re not of the friendly variety either. What they all have in common is that each and every story is a cut above the ordinary. My highest recommendation.”
—Cemetery Dance
Seize the Night: New Tales of Vampiric Terror is a highly successful anthology, one that puts vampires back into the shadowy, hidden corners where they belong and makes them creepy, chilling, at times downright frighteningwe’re getting back to the old-school roots of vampiric lore, going back to the heydays of Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Stephen King’s Salem’s Lotthis is a vital return to form for these stoic, and historic, universal baddies…Seize the Night has the singular aim of making vampires terrifying again, and it heartily succeeds in its mission. Golden and the contributors deserve a fair amount of applause for their work here, and this anthology is a wonderful reminder of what made vampires such a popular horror staple, and why they continue to endure across the ages.”Michael Patrick Hicks
“Anthologies have always been one of my favorite things. A chance to read old favorite authors and a chance to also find some new favorites as well, all based on some short stories. Which is, of course, why I chose to read Seize the Night – New Tales of Vampiric Terror Seize The Night –New Tales of Vampiric Terror is slated to be released on October 6, 2015. Be sure to get your copy before they disappear! Anyone who likes tales of the creepy sort like Stephen King’s short stories in Everything’s Eventual or Nightmares & Dreamscapes should check out Seize the Night.”
—The Goth Girl Reads
“…a diverse and high quality collection of new stories from some great names within the horror and paranormal sub-genres…Quite simply, if you are a fan of vampires, do not miss this one. 4 Throbbing Carotid Arteries for Seize The Night.”—Horror After Dark
“Sink your teeth into this collection with caution, it'll bite back.”
—Hardboiled Wonderland
“I would really recommend this wonderful book to anyone who wants to read a vampire anthology that harks back to the heyday of quality horror fiction.”Book Nutter’s Reviews
“I thoroughly enjoyed reading Seize The Night…well-written with plenty of frights to keep any horror fan awake at night.”
Coffee Addicted Writer
“I really prefer my vampires evil, so this anthology was just what I was looking for. It opens with a novelette by Scott Smith, and that one story is worth the price of the book. The victims are suitably disgusting and deserve their fate, which is rapid and brutal. Michael Koryta suggests a rather different cause for vampirism. Charlaine Harris has a very nice story about an energy vampire rather than a blood drinking one. Kelley Armstrong suggests there is a genetic marker for vampirism. Tim Lebbon takes us back to a particularly brutal period of history for his story. John Langan presents a time traveling vampire that can duplicate bodies to ensure it has a steady source of prey…well above average.”Don A’mmassa On Horror
“…Brings out the dead and dread, showcasing 20 all-new tales of horrifying evil from a coffin full of different writers who dabble in the undead from various angles, from horrific to heart-wrenching, romantic to rough. We especially feasted on Rio Youers’ “Separator”, set in a typhoon-devastated Philippines where a land developer gets a brutal taste of local legend. Ouch!”
Examiner.com – A Tricky Treat for Fright Night
“I honestly had nightmares reading this anthology, which is a first for me, and found the writing samples to be strong and powerful tales that twisted an already frightening lore. I definitely recommended reading Seize The Night as a Halloween novel. This book will appeal to readers who enjoy horror, frightening tales, anthologies and short stories, gruesome and violent vampires. I would wholeheartedly recommend reading Seize The Night if you are a horror fan or a supporter of real, gritty vampire novels without the romanticism and moral questions.”Silk & Serif
Now, from some of the biggest names in horror and dark fiction, comes this collection of short stories that make vampires frightening once again.”
Bookgasm – Halloween-Ready New Release Awaiting You to Treat Yourself


About the Editor
Christopher Golden is the #1 New York Times bestselling and Bram Stoker Award-winning author of such novels as Snowblind, Tin MenOf Saints and Shadows, and The Boys Are Back in Town. His novel with Mike Mignola, Baltimore; or, the Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire, was the launching pad for the Eisner Award-nominated comic book series Baltimore. As an editor, he has compiled the short story anthologies The New DeadThe Monster’s Corner, and Dark Duets, among others, and has also written and co-written numerous comic books, video games, and screenplays. Golden was born and raised in Massachusetts, where he still lives with his family. His original novels have been published in more than fourteen languages in countries around the world. Please visit him atchristophergolden.com.


Thursday, October 29, 2015

Review: Pampers Vox Box


Inside The Box:
In the Pampers Vox Box, I received three Pampers Cruisers diapers (size 4), a coupon for $1.50 off one pack of Pampers Diapers or Training Pants and an informative notecard.

On The Card:
The Drag of Diaper Sag
Whenever babies hear music, they simply cannot resist moving! They stop whatever they're doing and break into spontaneous, carefree dance... whenever, wherever. A saggy or poor-fitting diaper can restrict how a baby moves and plays, and as babies grow and explore their world, they need a diaper that will keep up with them for both dryness and fit.
Introducing New Pampers Cruisers
The new and improved Pampers Cruisers have three Extra Absorb Channels in the core of the diapers that distribute wetness evenly and do not sag like ordinary diapers, helping babies stay drier and go from sag to swag! While the design of Pampers Cruisers has changed, these diapers are made from the same safe and mild materials as before.
Review
Overall I'm pretty happy with this box.  It was super simple yet still a great box for moms. We can't ever have too many diapers!

My daughter is actually in training pants already but I will never turn away free diapers, especially ones we haven't tried before.

The diapers themselves were suuuuper soft and I absolutely loved that.  Quite often diapers feel rough on the outside and just cheap.  These felt like I was wrapping her in a soft blanket. The diapers fit her well, are good to size (there are some brands that run waaaay too small) and keep her decently dry.  I do have to say that they are good on their word.  No sagging for this little chick. :)

I loved the Pampers Cruisers and I would definitely recommend them to others.



I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

Review: Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, #3)
Cover Source: GoodReads.com
Title: Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban
Author: J.K. Rowling
Series: Harry Potter #3
Version Reviewed: Finished, Hardback.
Website: www.jkrowling.com
*This book was gifted to me*

GoodReads Summary:
Harry Potter is lucky to reach the age of thirteen, since he has already survived the murderous attacks of the feared Dark Lord on more than one occasion. But his hopes for a quiet term concentrating on Quidditch are dashed when a maniacal mass-murderer escapes from Azkaban, pursued by the soul-sucking Dementors who guard the prison. It's assumed that Hogwarts is the safest place for Harry to be. But is it a coincidence that he can feel eyes watching him in the dark, and should he be taking Professor Trelawney's ghoulish predictions seriously?



Review:
I simply cannot get enough of this series.  It will never grow old and I will never tire of it.  The story is so rich and amazing and the characters are in depth and so insanely loveable, even when they're annoying. ;)

One thing I've definitely been reminded of while re-reading the series is the amount of sass that each character brings to the story.  On numerous occasions during our nightly readings, my husband and I find ourselves chuckling at one of the characters (usually Dumbledore) and our toddler is left looking at us like we're crazy because she hasn't reached that level of sarcasm yet.

Prisoner of Azkaban is my husband's favorite book in the series and, I'll admit, it used to be one of my least favorite.  Definitely not the one I liked the least (ahem, Order of The Phoenix...) but I was quite surprised to find that, while re-reading, I found myself quite pleased with the entire thing.  I don't know if I had just forgotten how good it was or if I was just blinded by the awesomeness that is Goblet of Fire but I really do like Prisoner of Azkaban.  Like I said, I never disliked it.  I just wasn't crazy about it.  While it will never be my top favorite, I do have to say that it stands out pretty well in the series so far.

I read something today along the lines of "Sirius basically took an entire book to achieve a long, drawn out introduction", which is hilariously true.  Pretty much the entire book is setting the scene and getting Harry prepared to meet his godfather. I really enjoyed the whole showdown between the main three and Sirius, Lupin, Peter Pettigrew and, for a split second, Professor Snape.  I will never not be grossed out by the fact that Ron carried Peter around with him for so long and that he was a part of their family for eleven years.  Like, among so many things I could have a problem with in this series, this is one of the most disturbing ones.  It grosses me out so badly knowing that this whole family, and this teenage boy, carried on with their lives not knowing a ratty little man was hanging around the entire time.  Yick.

Overall, Prisoner of Azkaban is a great book.  There's tons of action and adventure and we get to meet some awesome new characters and witness some old ones get slapped in the face. I think Harry grows a lot in this book, not nearly as much as he does in GoF, but he definitely has some major character development going on and it's interesting to see how he changes.

Rating: 5 Stars.
Favorite Character: Hermione.

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Review: Goosebumps Movie Novel by R.L. Stine & Scholastic

Goosebumps: Movie Novel
Cover Source: GoodReads.com
Title: Goosebumps Movie Novel
Author: R.L. Stine & Scholastic
Version Reviewed: Finished, Paperback
Website: www.rlstine.com
*This book was purchased by me.*

GoodReads Summary:
THE GOOSEBUMPS MOVIE captures the chills, thrills, and giggles of Scholastic's original bestselling series. Jack Black stars as author R. L. Stine.
* With exclusive introduction from the REAL R. L. Stine! Plus eight pages of color pictures from the movie. *
Zach, 16, has just moved from NYC to a creepy small town. He soon realizes his new neighbor, Hannah (also 16), is in danger. When he tries to rescue her, he accidentally unleashes the monsters created and brought to life by her writer father, R.L. Stine.
Now it's up to Zach, Hannah, and Stine to get the monsters back in their books where they belong. Can they stop the monsters... for good?

Review:
I was so excited to read this book. I wanted to buy it as soon as it was published but I was not able to do so. My husband had to go away for a few weeks for work so we decided to pause our nightly Harry Potter reading until he came home. Knowing we needed a new chapter book to read, I quickly snatched up the Goosebumps Movie Novel. My husband going away for so long also means that we won't be able to go see the movie together when it comes out in theaters. At least not right away, so this will hold me over until he can return home.

It was really easy to fall in love with this book. It was very much like the old Goosebumps stories and brought R.L. Stine's characters back to life with ease. The story itself was very simple and straightforward. It wasn't complicated and wasn't difficult to figure out.

The characters were easy to like and somewhat relate-able (the human characters, obviously). The monsters were cool and creepy and demented all at the same time. It was definitely cheesy at times but that just made it even more enjoyable.

This book was great and was a nice homage to our favorite children's books.  I absolutely cannot wait to watch the movie and eventually add it to my collection.

Rating: 4 Stars.

CODE WORD: MOVIE 

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Review: Here by Denise Grover Swank

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Cover Source: GoodReads.com
Title: Here
Author: Denise Grover Swank
Series: On The Other Side #1
Version Reviewed: Finished, eBook
Website: www.denisegroverswank.com
*This book was borrowed via the Amazon Lending Library*

GoodReads Summary:
Sixteen year old Julia Phillips buries herself in guilt after killing her best friend Monica in a car accident. Julia awoke in the hospital with a broken leg, a new talent for drawing and false memories of the accident, in which she dies and Monica lives. The doctors attribute this to her head injury, but no one can explain how a bracelet engraved with her name ended up at the scene of the accident. A bracelet no one has ever seen before.

Classmate Evan Whittaker paid Julia no attention before the accident, let alone after. Now suddenly he's volunteering to tutor her and offering to drive her home. She can't ignore that his new obsession started after his two-day disappearance last week and that he wears a pendant she's been drawing for months. When the police show up one night looking for Evan, he begs Julia to run with him, convincing her that Monica is still alive. Julia agrees to go, never guessing where he's really from.
Review:
This book caught my attention when I saw it in the Kindle store. The synopsis for it sounded really intriguing and the cover was just downright creepy, which always makes me want to read a book more.

I do have to say, however, that I feel the cover and the summary are a bit misleading. The book is made out to seem very paranormal in the way of spirits and creep-factor when it's actually more scientific and sci-fi than anything.

Overall, this book was not what I was expecting by a long shot, but it was still really good and I enjoyed it. I'm eager to read book two.


Favorite Character: Evan & Reece.
Rating: 3 Stars.

CODE WORD: PARALLEL


Friday, October 23, 2015

Review: Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake

Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna, #1)
Cover Source:  GoodReads.com
Title:  Anna Dressed In Blood
Author: Kendare Blake
Series: Anna #1
Version Reviewed: Finished Copy, eBook
Website:  www.kendareblake.com
*I purchased this book myself.*

GoodReads Summary:
Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story...
Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.
So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.
When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.
And she, for whatever reason, spares his life.
Review:
It’s safe to say that I've been wanting to read this book since the moment it came out. When it was making it’s rounds in the book blog community, I wanted to get my hand on it badly. Well, I finally got my chance to read it and I was not disappointed.

Anna Dressed In Blood was a great story. It was written well and, honestly, was not what I was expecting at all, but in a good way. It’s the first book in a while that I've read with a male character’s point of view and it didn't center almost entirely on the main character’s love life.

I really enjoyed this book and I can’t wait to read Girl of Nightmares.

Also, the cover is gorgeous.


Memorable Quotes:
“I can wrestle the dead all day long, but touch football might knock me unconscious.”
Favorite Character:  Cas and Anna.
Rating: 4 Stars.

 CODE WORD: BLOOD



Thursday, October 22, 2015

Review: Night of The Living Dummy by R.L. Stine

Night of the Living Dummy (Goosebumps, #7)
Cover Source: GoodReads.com
Title: Night of The Living Dummy
Author: R.L. Stine
Series: Goosebumps #7
Version Reviewed: Finished, Paperback (used)
Website: www.rlstine.com
*I purchased this book with a gifted gift card*

GoodReads Summary:
Discover the original bone-chilling adventures that made Goosebumps one of the bestselling children's book series of all time!
Something scary is happening in GOOSEBUMPS HORRORLAND, the all-new, all-terrifying series by R. L. Stine. Just how scary? You'll never know unless you crack open this classic prequel!
Discover the fan-favorite thriller and chiller that first introduced the world to the wooden face of fear. The puppet who pulls all the strings. None other than Slappy the Dummy!
Now with all-new bonus material revealing Slappy's secrets and more.
Review:
As big of a fan as I am of Goosebumps and everything Goosebumps related, I must admit that I haven't actually read many of the Goosebumps books. But this is something that I am quickly remedying, especially now that I have my own child and I read chapter books to her.

I was super excited to snatch this book up. I bought it used on Barnes and Noble and was delighted to find that it was in perfect condition.  It was seriously like it had never even been opened.  I wanted to tear into it as soon as I could but ended up reading the Goosebumps Movie Novel first.  That was okay though because it only increased my enthusiasm for the book and for Slappy.

Since I had never read Night of The Living Dummy before I was kind of confused throughout the book.  I was under the impression that the entire story was about Slappy and didn't realize that he actually wasn't the star of this book.  He was in the whole story but wasn't the main spooky character.  I kept waiting and waiting for him to throwdown with all of his hardcore creepiness but he pretty much sat in a chair a window throughout the whole thing.

Although I was surprised at this, it didn't lessen my enthusiasm for the book.  Slappy or no Slappy, Mr. Wood made the story fun and creepy.  I really enjoyed this one because I've had some creepy encounters with dolls and my husband highly dislikes them so the idea of a creepy doll/dummy doing things it shouldn't be doing was super freaky.

I really loved this introduction back into my childhood and I cannot wait to read more of the series.

Rating: 3 Stars  



CODE WORD: SLAPPY

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Swapoween 2015 Gift Reveal

I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I am about Swapoween! Even though it's now over, I cannot wait to participate again next year. I've always loved swap-type participation events and gifting events between bloggers and strangers. It's just such a nice, fun thing to do and, because your partner is a stranger, you have no idea what you might possibly be getting!

Swapoween is hosted by the wonderful ladies at Chaotic Goddess Swaps and my first swap with them has been absolutely amazing.  If you're interested in participating in one of their swaps, head over to their page and subscribe to their emails so that you never miss a sign up post! You can click their name in this paragraph or the button down at the bottom of this post.

Alright, so on to my partner and the goodies that she sent along. My partner's name is Kim and she blogs over at Thistle Dew Fit. I was happy to find that she and I actually had a decent amount of things in common!  We both are into health and fitness, were once or currently associated with Beachbody and drink Shakeology.  I was so excited to learn that she lives near Salem, Massachusetts, which I have been obsessed with since I was a young child!

The box that she sent to me was PERFECT. I swear, if I didn't know any better, I'd say she lurked on my social media and websites to figure out what I liked. ;)
She sent along this gorgeous bag and I absolutely love it. It kind of feels like burlap and it's pretty heavy duty. I will definitely be putting it to good use.  She also sent a sweet little card for Halloween/Swapoween/My birthday. :)
Kim sent me this cute little pack of Halloween napkins that I'm debating on actually using or just putting away. I can't decide if I want to put them out for my birthday party or use them as decoration. :P  I'm insanely happy that she included this tumbler because I absolutely love drinking out of them and always eyeball them at the store. I never actually purchase them though, so thanks Kim! If you can't tell, the inside of the cup is full of Reese Cups.  She didn't actually send them in the cup but I put them in there to make the cup a little easier to see in the photos. Reese Cups are one of my top favorite treats and I can't get enough of them. These were definitely well received and are almost completely gone now. haha.
I also received this cool metal skull and crossbones.  I'm not exactly sure if it's supposed to be a candy dish or something else but I doubt I will put anything in it.  I'll probably just sit it up or hang it on something.  It's so cool!

I loved that she sent this packet of glass clings because I've been thinking about getting them for a while.  Not this particular pack, but glass clings in general.  I told my husband that when he returns from work, we may buy a couple more packs and hang them up with our daughter after we carve pumpkins. :)
I am so insanely happy that she included the Essie Roarrrrange nail polish.  I absolutely LOVE nail polish and this one is the perfect pumpkin orange.  I've been wondering how I was going to do my nails for Halloween and now I know it will definitely include Roarrrrange!
She also sent this awesome (and heavy!) wall plaque! I love stuff like this and am always looking out for decorative things to put out during the holidays so this was an awesome gift to receive.

I honestly loved every single thing in this box.  She picked so well and was so generous to me.  Thank you so much, Kim. You made my first Swapoween absolutely amazing and I really hope you enjoyed your box as much as I'm enjoyoing mine. It's perfect.  Thank you!


Don't forget to head over to Choatic Goddess Swaps!


CODE WORD: SWAPOWEEN



Review: Haunted by R.L. Stine

Haunted (Fear Street, #7)
Cover Source: GoodReads.com
Title: Haunted
Author: R.L. Stine
Series: Fear Street #7
Version Reviewed: Finished, Paperback
Website: www.rlstine.com
*I purchased this book myself*

GoodReads Summary:
A ghost from the future is haunting Melissa and it's up to the two of them to prevent a young man's death from ever happening.












Review: 
Oh, it's been way too long since I last read a Fear Street book. The nostalgia is hitting me hardcore. As I was growing up, R.L. Stine was my favorite author and Fear Street was my favorite book series. I can't help but be extremely ecstatic that he has begun writing books for the series again!

So, Haunted is number seven in the Fear Street series. I loved the cover for this one and I knew that I had to read it so that I could post the review during October.  This is one of the Fear Street books that I had never actually read so I was excited to get into it.

I admit that there were moments when Melissa, the main character, kind of got on my nerves. At times, I felt like she was kind of unreasonable and annoying. But not as bad as Buddy, her boyfriend. I hate to say that he was pretty reminiscent of some actual teenage boys because he was pushy, rude, and kind of self-centered, but it's the truth.

One character that I did really like was Paul. Although he was a pretty big jerk and had an alcohol problem and issues with anger, I found him very interesting. It was obvious that there was more to his story and it makes me wish that the Fear Street books were bigger and longer so that I could figure him out. Or, maybe, he's simply not meant to be figured out?

The story itself was pretty good. It was pretty easy to figure out but these books are never super duper complicated.

Overall, it had it's issues but it was just as equally as amazing as I remember R.L. Stine's books to be.

Favorite Character: Paul.
Rating: 3 Stars.

CODE WORD: FEAR

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Teaser Tuesday (6)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
  1. Grab your current read
  1. Open to a random page
  1. Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  1. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  1. Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

---

My Teaser

"They both glanced across the room to the chair where they kept the two dummies - and gasped. "Oh, no!" Lindy cried, raising one hand to her wide-open mouth.

from

Night of The Living Dummy by R.L. Stine

Night of the Living Dummy (Goosebumps, #7)
 Cover Source: GoodReads.com
Discover the original bone-chilling adventures that made Goosebumps one of the bestselling children's book series of all time! Something scary is happening in GOOSEBUMPS HORRORLAND, the all-new, all-terrifying series by R. L. Stine. Just how scary? You'll never know unless you crack open this classic prequel!
Discover the fan-favorite thriller and chiller that first introduced the world to the wooden face of fear. The puppet who pulls all the strings. None other than Slappy the Dummy!
Now with all-new bonus material revealing Slappy's secrets and more.



CODE WORD: QUOTE

Monday, October 19, 2015

Review: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer, #1)
Cover Source: GoodReads.com
Title: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
Author: Michelle Hodkin
Series: Mara Dyer #1
Version Reviewed: Finished, Harback
Wesbite: www.michellehodkin.com
*I won this book in a giveaway.*


GoodReads Summary:
Mara Dyer believes life can't get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her strangely unharmed.
There is. 
She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.
She's wrong.

Review:
This was one of those book that caught my attention as soon as I saw it being reviewed on another blog. It was the cover that initially caught my interest at first. It's a very beautiful, haunting cover that draws you in and makes you wonder what the couple's story is. Also, I should mention that the new paper that Simon & Schuster uses for the jacket feels so awesome. If you've felt the cover of Wildefire by Karsten Knight, then you know what I'm talking about. Same kind of paper. Feels like heaven on your fingertips.

The book itself was absolutely amazing. I couldn't get enough of it and I finished it quicker than I normally do when I read a book. It was haunting and drew you in like crazy. There were twists and turns and you never really knew what was going on. But in a good way that makes you want to read more and figure out what the heck is happening to Mara, and then later, what the deal is with Noah.

Mara Dyer's story is creepy and, if these things were to happen to me, I would probably go insane. I highly recommend this book to anyone that is a fan of dark YA.

I'm forcing my husband to read it after he finishes his current book, and you should too.

Rating: 5 Stars.

CODE WORD: MEMORY

Sunday, October 18, 2015

Review: Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine, #1)
Cover Source: GoodReads
Title: Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children
Author: Ransom Riggs
Series: Miss Peregrine #1
Version Reviewed: Finished, Hardback
Website: www.ransomriggs.com
*I purchased this book myself*

GoodReads Summary:
A horrific family tragedy sends Jacob 16 to a remote island off Wales, to the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, where he finds unusual old photographs. The children, one his grandfather, were more than peculiar, perhaps dangerous, quarantined for good reason - and maybe still alive.




Review:
(This review was originally written when the book was first published.)
I absolutely love this book! There was nothing not to love about it. I had been DYING for this book since the moment I heard about it. Eventually, I had to go buy a copy and of course, as always, my husband got to it before I did. The entire time he was dying to tell me everything about it and once I started reading, he kept asking if he could tell me how it ended.

We both agreed that Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children is nothing like either of us thought it would be. But that doesn't make it bad. The idea I had in my head was creepier and scarier, but the book did not disappoint me at all. It's one of the highest on my list and honestly, I have to say that one of the reasons of that is because of the photographs. All of them were very interesting and creepy in their own way. I found myself staring at each of them for a few moments, getting a feel for them, investigating them, and admiring their peculiarity. The coolest thing of all...they real. Ransom Riggs actually based the entire book around the odd photographs he had found as well as ones his fellow collectors shared. Honestly, his odd collection and hobby made me curious about all the weird photos I might stumble upon if I actually looked through the bins of photographs and stuff at thrift stores/flea markets. It might turn into an odd hobby for myself and my husband.

The characters in the book are very well written and created. I loved them. (As I've already said, I love everything about the book). The characters are curious, loveable, and very easy to understand and get infatuated with.

Even though the book was not what I expected, I loved it, the writing style, the setting, the entire storyline. It was one that I had NEVER read or heard of before and it kept me guessing and wanting more. My husband and I both are extremely excited that a second book is in the works. (My husband actually started cussing at the end and demanded the author write a second novel).

I highly, HIGHLY, recommend this book.

Rating: 5 Stars

CODE WORD: PHOTOGRAPH

Saturday, October 17, 2015

Stacking The Shelves (6)

Stacking The Shelves is hosted by TyngasReviews.com

Click on the book titles to find out more!

Today's Stacking The Shelves is two weeks combined into one post.



Bought





For Review






Won






Amazon Freebies
(All books listed were free at the time of purchase. Prices may now have changed).


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Reading Updates

CURRENTLY READING
Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
Night of The Living Dummy by R.L. Stine
#Poser by Cambria Hebert

JUST FINISHED
The Goosebumps Movie Novel by R.L. Stine

READING NEXT
Ghost Hotel by Larry Weinberg

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This Week In Review


Monday, October 12th, 2015

Tuesday, October 13th, 2015

Wednesday, October 14th, 2015

Thursday, October 15th, 2015

Friday, October 16th, 2015

Saturday, October 17th, 2015