Halloween Book Tag- October 31st

🎃 Tag Tuesday- October 31st: Halloween Book Tag 🎃

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

The original tag from Naomi TheBookLover: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfDX4R6n3pc&feature=youtu.be

1. Carving pumpkins- what book would you carve up and light on fire?
🍁 I really cannot say that I would destroy a book. I would never want to, but one of my least favorite books is The Awakening by Kate Chopin. So I guess I'll pick that one for a least favorite. I would never light it on fire though. That is one of the worst things to me.

2. Trick or treat- what character is a treat, what character is a trick? 
🍁 Treat- Mother Goose from The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer. She is one of my absolute favorite characters. She is a treat to read about and would be a character that I wish I could know. It would be a lot of fun spending time around her. She's sarcastic and witty.
🍁 Trick- Peeves from the Harry Potter series. He is a major trickster and is a lot of fun to read about.

3. Candy corn- what book is always sweet?
🍁 Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli. This book is just a treat to read and is just adorable.

4. Ghosts- what character would you love to visit you as a ghost?
🍁 I'm not picking anyone that is dead because I don't want to spoil anything. I'd pick Hades from Disney's Hercules or Hades from all of Greek Mythology. Hades is a Greek God so he can't die but I don't care. He's my pick. I love how sarcastic he is and I think he would be so much fun to spend time with. He just better behave himself.

5. Dressing up in costume- what character would you want to be for a day?
🍁 Alice from Alice in Wonderland. It would be so fun just to spend some time in Wonderland.
Also, Hermione because it would be great to spend a day at Hogwarts. Yep. I'm doing it.

6. Wizards and witches- what is your favorite Harry Potter moment?
🍁 Can I say all of them? Okay, being serious my favorite Harry Potter moment is when the Weasleys get caught in the Dursley's stove in The Goblet of Fire. It's hilarious.

7. Blood and gore- what book was so creepy that you had to take a break from it for a while?
🍁 The Insanity series by Cameron Jace is creepy, especially the first couple of books. I never had to take a break from them, but they definitely creep me out. The Wonderland characters have been twisted into criminals and do horrendous things. It is one of my all time favorite series. A great retelling series of Alice in Wonderland. I completely recommend them.

Books Featuring Faeries/ Top 5 Wednesday

🎃 Books Featuring (Faeries/ Fae)/ Top 5 Wednesday 🍁

This week we were meant to pick one type of paranormal creature to talk about. For this week, I picked fae because I knew that I would have more books to talk about then the other creatures. One thing I have always liked about faeries/fairies/ fae, is the fact that they can be depicted in so many different ways. There is not one set in stone depiction of them.

Top 5 Wednesday is a group created by Lainey of Ginger Reads Lainey on Booktube. It is now hosted by Sam of Thoughts on Tomes on Booktube. Here is a link to the group on Goodreads if you are interested in joining.

5. Stardust by Neil Gaiman: One of the lands in Stardust is actually called Faerie and the citizens that reside there are Faeries. I will say that both the book and movie are amazing but are different from each other in tone (the movie is my favorite movie of all time). This is one example of the term "Faerie" meaning many sorts of people and not just one set type of creature. It is an adult faerie tale that is filled to the brim with magic.

4. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine: There are multiple fairies in this book. Lucinda is the fairy that actually puts the curse on Ella to make her obedient at birth. She's dim-witted and believes that this would be a blessing and everyone else knows that this is not true. Her character is an important character that helps add great aspects to this book. Mandy, their cook is also a fairy but is not very good at casting spells. It's interesting to see the different types of fairies and just learn more about the world of Kyyria.

I'll have to read this again soon, it's been a long time since I picked it up.

3. Midsummer's Night Dream by William Shakespeare: There are many fairies in this book, but I'll focus on my favorite, Puck. Puck is an example of a very mischievous fairy who is always pulling pranks on others around him. He is the closest that the play will come to a protagonist and is the reason why many of the actions take place. His character is one of my favorites from any of Shakespeare's plays.

2. The Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi: In this series, the Fey are magical beings that live in the Invisible World. Faerie is also the name of that world. They use magic to hide themselves from humans and the humans that have the Sight can see through this magic. The intricate world that the authors created is one of my favorites.

Here are some of the types of Faerie mention in the book.
Banshees, Brownies, Dwarves, Elves, Gargoyles, Dragons, Hobgoblins, Sprites, Griffins, etc.

1. Wings series by Aprilynne Pike: This is one of my favorite series from high school. The faeries that exist in this world are very intriguing and different than I have seen in other books. Laurel, the main character in the novels has spent most of her life at home being home-schooled but during her tenth grade year she starts at high school. Sometime in the early fall, she starts to grow what look like flower petals out of her back and is worried about what this could be. These petals almost look like wings. The world of the faeries in this book is different than any other that I have seen. One aspect I really enjoy are the different types of faeries (spring, summer, fall, and winter) and learning about their cultures throughout the books.
This series may not be for everybody and I know that it can be strange at times. I really have always loved how different and strange it was. (I have yet to read the new fifth book in the series. I loved the fourth book and thought it was a good ending to the series. I'm not sure of what I'll think about the new book.)

Favorite Creepy Settings/Top Five Wednesday

🍂 Favorite Creepy Settings/ Top Five Wednesday: October 11th, 2017 🍂

I love making Halloween displays.

These are some of my favorite books that have creepy settings. 

Top 5 Wednesday is a group created by Lainey of Ginger Reads Lainey on Booktube. It is now hosted by Sam of Thoughts on Tomes on Booktube. Here is a link to the group on Goodreads if you are interested in joining. 

1. The world in the Insanity series by Cameron Jace
Cameron's take on Wonderland is not only creative but also very creepy. The novel opens up with Alice in an insane asylum because, as they tell her, she killed her classmates. She cannot remember doing that though. Most of the books in the series takes place in England where Alice is trying to help save the world and also learn about herself and her past. The setting in this series, especially Wonderland is twisted in such a way that interested me but also creeped me out. This is one of my favorite series and I mention it a lot because I believe that it should be more well known. It's really a good take and twisting of the Alice in Wonderland books.

2. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. 

This book is creepy at parts like many of Neil Gaiman's books. He does a perfect job creating this world and the intricate plot. This edition of the book that I have shown to the side has wonderful illustrations that also add to this book. The setting of the Hemostock house at the end of the lane had me wanting to know more but also wondering what else could happen at the place. A lot of crazy stuff.  This is a great magical realism book but be warned: it's really strange and wonderful at the same time.

3. Coraline by Neil Gaiman.
So yeah buttons, for eyes, that's a thing in this book. This scene in this book really for lack of a better word, creeped me out. Most of this book was not very scary but it gave off a vibe. The Otherworld is a scary setting and a world that I would never even think of living in. Coraline, what are you thinking? The Other Mother and the other characters are the reason that makes this setting scary. This is a great middle grade book that I recommend.

4. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
I'm not really a big fan of this book series but I have got to say that this book is creepy. The world that Ransom creates with these kids scared me at times. Especially those pictures and also the creatures. It is an interesting idea.

5. Asylum by Madeleine Roux
This is another book that uses "creepy" pictures in the story. I actually really liked this story much more. This book takes place at a college that used to be an asylum. It's a haunted college and there are multiple times that this book scared me. I will have to eventually read the other two books in the series. I know the second takes place at a carnival. It'll probably be even worse.

Finally Fall tag

🎃 Tag Tuesday: Finally Fall Tag- October 10th, 2017 🎃 

Created by Tall Tales on Booktube

Her Video

1.) In fall, the air is crisp and clear: name a book with a vivid setting.
🍂 Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

🍂 Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

2.) Nature is beautiful...but also dying: name a book that is beautifully written, but also deals with a heavy topic like loss or grief.
🍂 Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rafka Brunt

🍂 The Marvels by Brian Selznick- I just read this book for the first time this week and it has become one of my favorite books ever. It is beautifully written and illustrated and has a heartwarming story. It broke my heart a little reading it but I loved it the entire time.

3.) Fall is back to school season: share a non-fiction book that taught you something new.
🍂 Wonderbook by Jeff Vandermeer- this is a guide that gives tips for writing imaginative fiction. I'm not quite finished with it yet but I have learned so much from this book.

4.)  In order to keep warm, it's good to spend some time with the people we love: name a fictional family/household/friend-group that you'd like to be a part of.
🍂 I really always love the Weasleys. Molly and Arthur take Harry and Hermione into their home right away and made them family. They all are such great people (except for that darn Percy for like six years but he even turns around). It would be great to know them and be a part of their group.

5.)  The colorful leaves are piling up on the ground: show us a pile of fall-colored spines.

6.)  Fall is the perfect time for some storytelling by the fireside: share a book wherein somebody is telling a story.
🍂 Inkheart by Cornelia Funke- This was one of my favorite books when I was a kid. I have to finish this series soon.

7.) The nights are getting darker: share a dark, creepy read.
🍂 The Lovely Bones by Alice- This creeps me out, especially the beginning.

8.) The days are getting colder: name a short, heartwarming read that could warm up somebody's cold and rainy day.
🍂 Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick- His books are longer but they take little time to read because over half of the books are illustrated.

9. Fall returns every year: name an old favorite you'd like to return to soon. 
Oh and fall is definitely my favorite season. 
🍂 So I do plan on reading an old favorite again this year, the Harry Potter series, in December. I have a whole month planned.

10. Fall is the perfect time for cozy reading nights: share your favorite cozy reading "accessories"!
🍂 Nice cozy socks

🍂 Green tea

Happy Book Birthday Turtles All the Way Down by John Green and Rhett and Link's Book of Mythicality by Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal!! I just read Rhett and Link's book now it's time for John's Yay!

Movie Monday

Movie Monday: October 8th, 2017

🍂 Review of  Halloweentown 🍂

Watched October 7th, 2017

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"Being normal is vastly overrated." 

I have watched this movie too many times to count. This was one of the many Halloween movies that I grew up with and that I still enjoy to the fullest. 

The Plot

The movie is about a thirteen year old girl named Marnie, her mother Gwen, her younger siblings Dylan and Sophie, and their grandmother Aggie. It starts with Marnie arguing with her mother about why she cannot go to a costume party on Halloween. She does not understand why she and her siblings has never been able to do any of the things many children do for Halloween. Her mother does not explain this. Later on in the night her grandmother Aggie comes for her annual Halloween visit.

Marnie over hears her mother and grandmother talking later on and finds out that her grandmother and mother are witches. Also, that she and her siblings are too.  After their argument, Aggie tells Gwen that people have disappearing in Halloweentown (where she lives) Marnie, Dylan, and Sophie follow their grandmother back to Halloweentown to try and help her with the "bad thing."

My Love for this Movie

The characters have always made this movie for me. Debbie Reynolds, who played Aggie and Kimberly J. Brown, who played Marnie, were my favorites in the movie. This was the first movie that got me into stories with witches and I have never went back. Also, it used to really creep me out as a kid, though it doesn't anymore I can still remember that fear. 

Besides Marnie and Aggie, the other cast of characters are also great parts of the movie. The eclectic group of citizens from Halloweentown are great. We get vampires, other witches, ghosts, werewolves, pumpkin headed people, and so many more. The setting of Halloweentown is just an enjoyable place and is creative. 

This is one of the best Disney Channel original movies that I watch every year because of my love for it. I will never get enough of this movie. 

🍂 Mini Review of TV show
Buffy the Vampire Slayer🍂
Episode 16: Storyteller
Watched October 8th, 2017
🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️

This is one of my favorite episodes and this was the second time that I have watched it.  It's interesting to see Andrew's perspective of what has happened in Buffy.  Andrew has a very active imagination and it plays into the overall episode. I really love the lesson that Buffy teaches him in this episode. This is one of the funniest episodes, but also is quite devastating in parts. Overall it's an awesome episode. This is one of the final episodes though so I can't say much and not spoil the show.  

It was about Andrew making a video about Buffy and how she slays. Buffy and many of the other characters do not really understand why he is making the videos. As the episode goes on, we realize as Buffy does why Andrew is always making up these stories. It's quite a touching episode at the end. 

🍂Mini Review of Star Wars: The Last Jedi Trailer 🍂
Watched October 9th, 2017

This poster is amazing!

I'll just make a couple comments about the trailer. First of all, the way that they have edited the clips together is interesting. I'm sure what we see here will be different in the movie but this really is making me wonder how dark it's all going to be. This definitely is looking like it's going to be a surprising movie. I really like the quotes from Luke and Poe in the trailer. And the Finn scene looks awesome also. There is just so much in this short two minutes. 

The Leia scenes hit me hard. 

That ending was the most interesting to me. What is going to happen with Rey and Kylo? That's what I want to know. So yeah the excitement is at full force right now. 

December 15th cannot come quick enough.

Movie Monday: Review of Casper Meets Wendy

🎃Movie Monday: October 2nd, 2017

Review of Casper Meets Wendy

Watched October 1st, 2017 🎃

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This is the first time in many years that I have watched this movie and I enjoyed it, but it was not as good as I remembered it. The best part of this film is the villain which I will get into later on. The title characters, Casper and Wendy's friendship is cute. This is a very corny movie that really did not hold up to what I remember from it. It's a great movie for kids, but I'm not so sure for adults.

My favorite part of this movie is the villain, Desmond Spellman, his goons Jules and Vincent, and the oracle in the mirror. Every part of the movie that has any of them is funny. Desmond is played by the great George Hamilton and is a reason to watch this movie. Really, I would recommend this movie just for his parts. The rest does not have much substance, but his parts made up for that for me.

There are plenty of great movies from my childhood that still hold up for me today, this is not one of them. I did enjoy parts of the movie most of them being with Desmond. He's not in it enough for me to make it completely enjoyable. Actually, I became bored while watching many of the other parts. I loved Hilary Duff in this movie, especially seeing the difference from then and now. I'm glad I started with this movie for my October, they will only get better now. 

October Books and Movies

🎃 October Books and Movies: 

What I Want to Read and Watch 🎃

I will not be reading all of these books, but these are the ones that I will be picking from this month. I hope to be able to read most of these. Every year in October I also like to watch many Halloween movies that I have since I was a kid so I will be taking some time to do that.

🎃 The Books 🎃 

👻 Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller Audiobook -

 I will be finishing this book early this month because I started it in September. So far I am fully enjoying it. This is an audiobook that I received for an honest review. 

☠️ Tropic of Kansas by Christopher Brown - 

This is another book that I received for an honest review. It's a dystopian novel that looks quite interesting. I haven't read one in over three years, so I'm interested to see how I like it.

🦇 William Shakespeare's plays Macbeth, Hamlet, and King Lear - 

Shakespeare's plays are usually quick reads for me so I'm hoping I can get through these in a day or two. I have read Macbeth three times before (in eighth and eleventh grade and in my third year of college). I want to read it again because Wyrd Sisters is based on it and also Hamlet. I also have read Hamlet in my senior year of high school. I want to read King Lear because Fool is based on it and I have never read King Lear. Let's hope I enjoy it. If I get through these quickly I hope that I can maybe get to Merchant of Venice too, but if I don't I already have read it so it's not a big deal. 

💀 Fool and Serpent of Venice by Christoper Moore -

These are two books that I have been meaning to read since I got the sequel Serpent of Venice. I have had Fool for over a year, but I wanted to wait for the sequel. They are based on three of Shakespeare's plays: Hamlet, King Lear, and Merchant of Venice.  

🕸️ Sourcery and Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett -

The next two books in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. These will definitely be books that I read this month. I hope to read at least two of his books each month until I finish them. These are the two that I wanted to read in October so I'm glad that I got to them. I cannot wait to read them. 

🍬 This Monstrous Thing by Mackenzi Lee - 

Earlier this year, I heard of Mackenzi Lee for the first time because she was doing an interview about her new book The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue. I really enjoyed her personality and looked into her book more and also her. That is when I also heard about this book and that it was based on Frankenstein. I really enjoy Frankenstein and the premise of this book sounds really intriguing. It is the book I am looking forward to the most this month. 

👻 Rhett and Link's Book of Mythicality: A Field Guide to Curiosity, Creativity, and Tomfoolery by Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal - 

This is a book that had to be on this list. I have been waiting for this book since the first day I heard about it and pre-ordered it literally the minute after I heard about it. Rhett and Link are two of my favorite YouTube creators and Good Mythical Morning has become a part of my life that I fully enjoy. I make sure to watch them every weekday. So on October 10th, when their book comes to my house I will be reading it. Yay, it's almost here!

☠️ Turtles All the Way Down by John Green - 

This is another book that I have been waiting for since John first announced it months ago. John's books are some of my favorite contemporaries and I have been waiting for another book for about four or five years. Also, this book sounds great. I loved his reading of the first chapter on YouTube a bit ago. I also pre-ordered this book and will be reading it whenever I actually receive it. This also comes out on October 10th, but I will be getting it probably a week after that. Cannot wait!

🎃 The Movies 🎃

👻 Hocus Pocus- 

Every year I watch this movie at least once if not twice in the month of October. This is my favorite Halloween movie and it is one of my favorite movies of all time. I cannot wait! 

☠️ Halloweentown and Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge - 

This is going to be a bittersweet rewatch after the death of Debbie Reynolds last year. I grew up on these movies and there has not been a year that I don't watch them at least once in October. Another favorite of mine. They will never get old. 

🦇 The Nightmare Before Christmas - 

This will be the first time that I have watched this movie since I was a kid. I know that this is a well-loved movie and I enjoyed the story in the manga. What I'm really looking forward to are the visuals which I already love from what I have seen. Also, the music is some of my favorite from Disney movies. "This is Halloween" and "What's This". 

💀 Casper Meets Wendy-

Most of this list of Halloween movies are going to ones that I have loved from an early age. This is another that I usually watch every year. It's been quite a while since I watched it, so I'm excited to see it again. This is what made me love Hilary Duff from a young age. 

🕸️ Underwraps-

This is another classic Disney Channel original movie that I loved as a kid. I have always loved the story of the mummy befriending the kids. 

🍬 Tower of Terror-

This movie is almost tied with Hocus Pocus as my favorite on the list. I have always loved the mystery in this movie and loved the creepy feeling that it gave me. Also, I loved Steve Guttenberg in it.