FrightFall Readathon 2017 Ending Post

Pages Read: 244 (A Cast Off Coven)
Pages Read Total: 3606

Books Read: 1
Books Read Total: 12

Comments: I killed it this month! Usually readathons don't work well for me because of the unpredictability of my weeks. Stretching this one to a month helped me not get upset over a single day that included no reading. I more than made up for it other days.

Goals:

• Read 10 books  √
• Read at least 4 "scary" books √
• Review all books read √

TBR Pile (my original scary reads for the month):

• The Mummy by Anne Rice  √
• Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson
• Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff √
• The Dream Cycle of H.P. Lovecraft: Dreams of Terror and Death
• The Gates by John Connolly √
• 99 Coffins by David Wellington
• The Devil in the Shape of a Woman by Carol Karlsen (in progress)
• 8.4 by Peter Hernon √

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Cast Off Coven by Juliet Blackwell

Title: A Cast Off Coven (Witchcraft Mystery #2)

Author: Juliet Blackwell

Publisher: Obsidian 2010

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Pages: 312

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR

Lily Ivory is not your average witch. She runs a vintage clothing store called Aunt Cora's Closet and has the magical ability to sense vibrations of the past from clothing and jewelry. When students are spooked at the San Francisco School for the Arts, Lily is called in to search for paranormal activity. She finds a dead body and a closet full of old clothes with some very bad vibes.

Really digging this series... I loved diving back into Lily Ivory and her witchy ways. We get more appearances by some great side characters (hello Aidan!) and a fun storyline involving an old nunnery, ghosts, and a demon. The only thing I'm not loving is Max. I get that we need a skeptical character, but seriously he treats Lily like crap most of the time. I hope he gets his act together in the next book. Overall, this series is just what I need for a fun enjoyable read!

Witchcraft Mystery

• #1 Secondhand Spirits
• #2 A Cast Off Coven
• #3 Hexes and Hemlines
• #4 In a Witch's Wardrobe
• #5 Tarnished and Torn
• #6 A Vision in Velvet
• #6.5 A Haunting is Brewing
• #7 Spellcasting in Silk
• #8 A Toxic Trousseau
• #9 A Magical Match

Next up on the TBR pile:

FrightFall Readathon 2017 Week #4

Pages Read: 304 (Paper Valentine) + 183 (Reading People) + 235 (Haunted Castles) + 296 (The Gates) +  68 (A Cast Off Coven)
Pages Read Total: 3362

Books Read: 4
Books Read Total: 11

Comments: Look at all that reading! This past week, I knocked off a ton of books. Very excited about wrapping up this month long readathon. I'm hoping to finish out A Cast Off Coven by the end of the month. Totally doable!

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Gates by John Connolly

Title: The Gates (Samuel Johnson Vs. The Devil #1)

Author: John Connolly

Publisher: Atria 2009

Genre: Horror

Pages: 296

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; New to Me

Young Samuel Johnson and his dachshund, Boswell, are trying to show initiative by trick-or-treating a full three days before Halloween, which is how they come to witness strange goings-on at 666 Crowley Road. The Abernathys don't mean any harm by their flirtation with the underworld, but when they unknowingly call forth Satan himself, they create a gap in the universe, a gap through which a pair of enormous gates is visible. The gates to Hell. And there are some pretty terrifying beings just itching to get out.... Can one small boy defeat evil? Can he harness the power of science, faith, and love to save the world as we know it? 

Another long-time resident of my TBR shelf. I finally picked it up and it was such a joy! Reminded me of Good Omens or any of Christopher Moore's books. I loved the combination of horror and comedy. Samuel is a great foil for the forces of Hell. And Nurd was so much fun. I started reading this as a holdover while my hold book was arriving, fully intending to put it up when my other book came, but I ended up flying through this book instead. Love love loved it!

Samuel Johnson Vs. The Devil

• #1 The Gates
• #2 Hell's Bells
• #3 The Creeps

Next up on the TBR pile:

Haunted Castles by Ray Russell

Title: Haunted Castles

Author: Ray Russell

Publisher: Penguin Classics 2013

Genre: Horror

Pages: 235

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsguar - Story within a Story; New to Me

Haunted Castles is the definitve, complete collection of Ray Russell's masterful Gothic horror stories, including the famously terrifying novella trio of  "Sardonicus," "Sanguinarius," and "Sagittarius." The characters that sprawl through Haunted Castles are frightful to the core: the heartless monster holding two lovers in limbo; the beautiful dame journeying down a damned road toward depravity (with the help of an evil gypsy); the man who must wear his fatal crimes on his face in the form of an awful smile. Engrossing, grotesque, perverted, and completely entrancing, Russell's Gothic tales are the best kind of dreadful.

How have I never heard of Ray Russell? And to find out he is one of Guillermo del Toro's favorite authors? Holy cow this was a great find on the random library shelf. I love love loved every single story included in this collection. But I have to say that my favorite was "Sagittarius" involving Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde, and Jack the Ripper. The way Russell crafts his stories fascinated me. I loved the story within a story format for a few of the stories included. I loved the throwback to Gothic storytelling. And I loved the stories themselves. There were thoroughly scary. Perfect pick for my spooky October reads.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff

Title: Paper Valentine

Author: Brenna Yovanoff

Publisher: Razorbill 2013

Genre: YA Horror

Pages: 304

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; New to Me

For Hannah, the summer is a complicated one.  Her best friend Lillian died six months ago, and Hannah just wants her life to go back to normal. But how can things be normal when Lillian’s ghost is haunting her bedroom, pushing her to investigate the mysterious string of murders?  Hannah’s just trying to understand why her friend self-destructed, and where she fits now that Lillian isn’t there to save her a place among the social elite. And she must stop thinking about Finny Boone, the big, enigmatic delinquent whose main hobbies seem to include petty larceny and surprising acts of kindness.

Another random book that's been sitting on my shelf for too long. I thought it would be perfect for a spooky October. Unfortunately, I was very bored by this volume. I was not impressed by the characters or the storyline. I usually need one of the two to really get into a book. This one did not give me either. So I pushed through the story, but was thoroughly bored. Oh well. At least I made another space on my shelf.

Next up on the TBR pile:

FrightFall Readathon 2017 Week #3

Pages Read: 289 (Hidden Figures) + 241 (The Mummy) + 256 (A Tea Reader) + 182 (The Haunting of Hill House) + 34 (Reading People)
Pages Read Total: 2276

Books Read: 4
Books Read Total: 7

Comments: After finishing the first half of The Mummy, I couldn't stop myself from plowing through to the end. So good! And I finished Hidden Figures a few days before tomorrow's book club discussion. Again, so good! And I sped through The Haunting of Hill House riveted to Jackson's horror. Finally I completed A Tea Reader collection of essays that I've working on all week and moved on to Reading People. Such a great reading week!

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

Title: The Haunting of Hill house

Author: Shirley Jackson

Publisher: Viking 1959

Genre: Classics - Horror

Pages: 182

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Classics -- 20th Century

First published in 1959, Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House has been hailed as a perfect work of unnerving terror. It is the story of four seekers who arrive at a notoriously unfriendly pile called Hill House: Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of a "haunting"; Theodora, his lighthearted assistant; Eleanor, a friendless, fragile young woman well acquainted with poltergeists; and Luke, the future heir of Hill House. At first, their stay seems destined to be merely a spooky encounter with inexplicable phenomena. But Hill House is gathering its powers—and soon it will choose one of them to make its own.

How have I never actually read this one? I read and loved Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" and We Have Always Lived in the Castle. This one is such a masterpiece of terror and suspense. By the end of the book the reader starts to doubt even their own experience in reading this volume. Did the supernatural elements actually occur or was it all in our imaginations? Did Eleanor actually feel called to the house or was she just wishing for a place to belong? I put the book down at the end and promptly started doubting my own thoughts of what happened. Such is the brilliance of Shirley Jackson. Fascinating book. A great choice for spooky October. Now to watch the two movie adaptations... 

Next up on the TBR pile:

FrightFall Readathon 2017 Week #2

Pages Read: 196 (Secondhand Spirits) +  60 (Hidden Figures) + 158 (The Mummy)
Pages Read Total: 1274

Books Read: 1
Books Read Total: 3

Comments: My reading slowed down this week. We're still recovering from the crazy birthday party last weekend... 

Next up on the TBR pile:

Secondhand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell

Title: Secondhand Spirits (Witchcraft Mystery #1)

Author: Juliet Blackwell

Publisher: Obsidian 2009

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Pages: 313

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; What's in a Name -- Alliterative Title; New to Me

Lily Ivory feels that she can finally fit in somewhere and conceal her "witchiness" in San Francisco. It's there that she opens her vintage clothing shop, outfitting customers both spiritually and stylistically.

Just when things seem normal, a client is murdered and children start disappearing from the Bay Area. Lily has a good idea that some bad phantoms are behind it. Can she keep her identity secret, or will her witchy ways be forced out of the closet as she attempts to stop the phantom?

Such a great little cozy mystery! Bonus points for being set in San Francisco, my adoptive city across the bay. I loved diving into Lily Ivory's world of clothing, mystery, witches, romance, and goblins (or pigs). I sped through this book waiting impatiently to find out the mystery behind La Llorona, Frances Potts, and all the other fun characters. I loved the world building in this volume. Can't wait to pick up the next in the series!

Witchcraft Mystery

• #1 Secondhand Spirits
• #2 A Cast Off Coven
• #3 Hexes and Hemlines
• #4 In a Witch's Wardrobe
• #5 Tarnished and Torn
• #6 A Vision in Velvet
• #6.5 A Haunting is Brewing
• #7 Spellcasting in Silk
• #8 A Toxic Trousseau
• #9 A Magical Match

Next up on the TBR pile:

FrightFall Readathon 2017 Week #1

Pages Read: 283 (Voracious) + 117 (Secondhand Spirits -- in progress) + 460 (8.4)
Pages Read Total: 860

Books Read: 2
Books Read Total: 2

Comments: I sped through Voracious as a bit of great light reading while digging into The Last Stand. I also made it through 8.4 even though it wasn't that great. Another book off my To Read shelves. 

Next up on the TBR pile:

8.4 by Peter Hernon

Title: 8.4

Author: Peter Hernon

Publisher: Jove Books 1999

Genre: Thriller

Pages: 460

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; New to Me

A massive earthquake in America's heartland causes massive destruction and a launches an equally epic struggle to save the survivors. 

Random book from my shelves. Along with my scary reads for October's FrightFall Readathon, I threw this one in as a thriller. Unfortunately it just wasn't great. The style is very much in the same vein as Michael Crichton. Lots of science passages and action with only a bit of characterization. The plot jumped around a bit between all the characters. The characters themselves weren't that well developed. The romance was silly and forced. The action sequences were the only parts that kept me reading. I made it through the book, but wouldn't recommend it to anyone...

Voracious by Cara Nicoletti

Title: Voracious: A Hungry Reader Cooks Her Way Through Great Books

Author: Cara Nicoletti

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company 2015

Genre: Cooking

Pages: 283

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsugar - About Food

As a young bookworm reading in her grandfather's butcher shop, Cara Nicoletti saw how books and food bring people to life. Now a butcher, cook, and talented writer, she serves up stories and recipes inspired by beloved books and the food that gives their characters depth and personality.

I was listening to What Should I Read Next the other week, and this book came up. The guests, Rikki and Michaela, are the amazing creators of The Ardent Biblio and mentioned this great volume as a marriage between two of their favorite things, books and food. Imagine my delight when I randomly saw it on the shelf at the library. I had to check it out! I loved reading about how various books have affected Nicoletti throughout her life. I think every reader has their own life of impactful books. Nicoletti makes a coneection between all those great books and some amazing food. I loved reading the essays and perusing the recipes. I'm not really big into cooking, but I do love good food. I may jsut have to notate a few of these recipes before I return the book to the lubrary.

Next up on the TBR pile:

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FrightFall Readathon 2017 Starting Post

Goals:

• Read 10 books 
• Read at least 4 "scary" books
• Review all books read

TBR Pile:

• The Mummy by Anne Rice (part of Gather Together and Read's Readathon)
• Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson
• Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff
• The Dream Cycle of H.P. Lovecraft: Dreams of Terror and DeathThe Gates by John Connolly
• 99 Coffins by David Wellington
• The Devil in the Shape of a Woman by Carol Carlsen
• 8.4 by Peter Hernon

Next up on the TBR pile:

FrightFall Readathon 2017!

From Seasons of Reading:

Fall will be here before we know it, then right around the corner is October and you know what that means. It will be time for FrightFall! I'm so excited that we are now doing the whole month of October. What could be better than a month long readathon? Not much, in my humble opinion.

We start at 12:00am central time on October 1st and end at 11:59pm central time on October 31st. (There is now a handy link to a time zone converter in the menu above) I hope you're ready to get your scary on! Guidelines for the readathon can be found HERE or you can access in the tab at the top of the blog. Any information you need about the readathon can be found there. Please do be sure to check the guidelines to make sure you're following along correctly. There are specific rules regarding sign up and wrap up, especially in regards to the giveaway. Also, regarding the giveaway, I'll be again adding a Google form to capture names and email addresses so if you're interested in winning a prize (you still must meet the sign up and wrap up criteria), I will ask you to fill in that form which will be located on the prize page.

Just remember...the one main "rule" of FrightFall is that you must read at least ONE scary book (which can be a thriller, mystery, Gothic novel, or similar for those who are faint of heart). Since we are doing a month long, I hope you will indulge the scary a bit more, but that is entirely up to you. It is all about the reading after all.

Our social media hashtag is #FrightFall and we have our outstanding Facebook group which has become quite the reading community (there is also an access tab in the menu).

I haven't been up on readathons lately, but this one looks like fun. I've done this particular readathon in the past, and making it a month long is really appealing to me. I tend to go through spurts of reading due to my unpredictable schedule. I'm busy pulling some "scary" reads from my giant TBR piles. 

FrightFall Readathon is Dead

So I didn't quite finish all my goals... but I got a chunk taken care of.  I've been attempting to read Dune for ages.  Knocking that one out makes me happy.  I also read a decent chunk of The Living Dead and will definitely finish that one this week. Decent accomplishments, but as usual, life with a baby boy got in the way of reading.

Goals:

• Read two books
• Review all books read √
• Read at least 1000 pages √
• Knock out 5 reading challenge spots

TBR:

• Scary selection -- The Living Dead (in progress)
• Dune by Frank Herbert
•  Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
• The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul by Terry Pratchett
• Divergent by Veronica Roth
• The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
• Soulless Vol 1
• Soulless Vol 2
• The Mad Scientist’s Guide to World Domination
• The Mammoth Book of Steampunk

FrightFall Readathon is Here!

Goals:

• Read two books
• Review all books read
• Read at least 1000 pages
• Knock out 5 reading challenge spots

TBR:

• Scary selection -- The Living Dead
• Dune by Frank Herbert
• Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
• The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul by Terry Pratchett
• Divergent by Veronica Roth
• The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
• Soulless Vol 1
• Soulless Vol 2
• The Mad Scientist’s Guide to World Domination
• The Mammoth Book of Steampunk

FrightFall Readathon is Right Around the Corner!

From Seasons of Reading:

I'm so very excited that it's almost officially Fall again (although I always kick off Fall personally on September 1...haha)! The FrightFall Read-a-Thon is only two weeks away! Official dates are September 29 through October 5. I hope you're ready to get your scary on! Guidelines for the read-a-thon can be found HERE or you can access in the tab at the top of the blog. Any information you need about the read-a-thon can be found there. We will have one Twitter chat. I will announce the date and time in the starting post. Please do be sure to check the guidelines, as I've made changes regarding signing up and the starting line. Our Twitter hashtag is #FrightFall.

Just remember...the one main "rule" of FrightFall is that you must read ONE scary book (which can be a thriller, mystery, Gothic novel, or similar for those who are faint of heart).

I'm joining!  Now I just need to pick my scary book to read for the season.

FrightFall Readathon -- Finish Line

Pages Read Today: 175 (Anansi Boys)

Pages Read Total: 1304

Books Read Total: 5+

Comments: And I'm rounding out the readathon with some Neil Gaiman!  I'm so excited about my progress this past week.  I knocked out five books and started on a sixth.  I read over 1000 pages.  I filled a ton of Reading Challenge slots.  Overall I'd say it was a success!

Goals:

• Read 3 books √
• or read 1000 pages √
• Review all books read √

TBR List:

• Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift
• Cape Storm by Rachel Caine
• Witches 101 by Melissa de la Cruz
• Total Eclipse by Rachel Caine
• Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman (in progress)
• San Diego 2014 by Mira Grant

FrightFall Readathon Update #3

Pages Read Today: 266 (Total Eclipse)

Pages Read Total: 1129

Books Read Total: 5

Comments: I've officially finished the Weather Warden series!  I didn't think I was going to make it through the nine books this year, but I did it!  And added another 305 pages to my weekly total.