Hallowe’en Party Review

Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie

“The past is the father of the present.”

⭐⭐⭐

𝓢𝔂𝓷𝓸𝓹𝓼𝓲𝓼

A teenage murder witness is drowned in a tub of apples… At a Hallowe’en party, Joyce—a hostile thirteen-year-old—boasts that she once witnessed a murder. When no-one believes her, she storms off home. But within hours her body is found, still in the house, drowned in an apple-bobbing tub. That night, Hercule Poirot is called in to find the ‘evil presence’. But first he must establish whether he is looking for a murderer or a double-murderer…

𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀

🌻The Sunshine Blogger Award🌻

Hey fellow bookworms! I got nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award!! I’m honored to be nominated by both Cherelle (Cherelle the Bibliophile) and Alex (The Scribe Owl). Thank you so much, this is my first ever award on my blog!! ♥

What is The Sunshine Blogger Award?

The Sunshine Blogger Award goes to the most positive, inspirational, and enthusiastic bloggers while spreading sunshine to the blogging community!

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How does it work?

• Thank the blogger(s) who nominated you in a blog post and link back to their blog.
• Answer the 11 questions sent by the person who nominated you.
• Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.
• List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or on your blog.

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🌻Tell us a quirky fact about yourself.

I don’t like spaghetti at all. I know, it’s random, but there’s a story behind it. I once watched a documentary as a kid and saw that sometimes doctors use maggots to treat a patient’s wound. That same day my mom makes spaghetti for dinner. Seeing the maggots grossed me out and I couldn’t bring myself to eat the spaghetti out of fear. Until this day I refuse to eat it. 😂 (Hope I didn’t ruin anyone’s love for this food!)

🌻Why do you absolutely adore blogging? (I assume you do by the amount of passion in your posts)

I love being able to express my love of books! I’ve always been using Goodreads but I have been lazy with writing reviews. Blogging is a good motivator to leave reviews on the books I read! It’s also great how I met other people who love to read as much as I do in the blogging community!

🌻Stuck in the world of a historical fiction or fantasy? Any particular book?

I would say fantasy because I think it would be cool to be in a world with magic and supernatural creatures. A specific book I would love to be stuck in is Harry Potter!

🌻What is the greatest thing you’ve learned from books?

The greatest thing I learned from books is to not be afraid of being yourself! Many children’s books I read in the past emphasized this and it encouraged me to embrace being a bibliophile.

🌻What are your other hobbies?

I like to write stories, bake, and I’m an amateur at graphic design!

🌻A song/music album that you can belt out 40 hours a day?

I admit I’m not that good at remembering songs. 😅 I practically listen to a little bit of everything from different artists. But if I had to pick one, I guess I would say I know most songs by Selena Gomez!

🌻Favourite post you wrote?

I would say the Greek Mythology Book Tag! I love Greek mythology and it was fun answering the questions that was a part of that tag!

🌻Full of snot, ugly-cry, paper-wetting, tissue-wasting book?

Bridge to Terabithia! Back when I was obsessing over the Hunger Games, I decided to watch Bridge to Terabithia because Josh Hutcherson was the main character. I didn’t realize the movie was SO sad! This year I made the “smart” decision of reading the book and it was also soo sad!

🌻Which book/movie character would you immediately be best buddies with?

Hermione! I can be a know-it-all at times 😂 We would bond over our love of learning and reading books! Fun fact: I actually wrote one of my college admission essays about how Hermione influenced me and they apparently liked it since they accepted me. 🤣

🌻What do you not like about books? (treacherous if you dare to answer…)

I’m going to take a huge risk and answer this question. What I don’t like about books is….huge cliffhangers! Especially when you have to wait a long time for the next book to come out! That’s kind of the reason why I now prefer to read series that are or close to completion.

🌻What is the biggest accomplishment in your life that you are willing to share?

I am proud of my academic accomplishments and for giving a good graduation speech. 😊

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(Thank you Alex for nominating me twice 😄 I decided to pick questions from your two Sunshine Award posts to avoid repeating some questions!)

🌻What is your favorite book/series of all time? (Yup, starting with a hard one)

It’s hard to pick just one! I’ll have to go with Harry Potter series because it introduced me to the world of fantasy novels!

🌻What creature would you like as a pet? (Either magical or mundane)

I always wanted a pet cat! In my neighborhood, there’s this cat who’s always visiting our backyard and I wish I could just steal her for myself. 😂

🌻What book absolutely broke your heart into little pieces and stomped on them?

Clockwork Princess was so sad! The fate of one of my favourite characters broke my heart. That book was so emotional and I’m scared to reread the series anytime soon!

🌻Describe yourself in three words.

Open-minded. Responsible. Kind. 😊

🌻If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

I would love to have the power of psychokinesis, just like Matilda! It would be so cool and fun to move things around using just my mind.

🌻What is your favorite genre of books (yes just one I know it’s hard)?

Fantasy novels! I like being immersed in another world that’s different from our own.

🌻Who are your top three favorite authors?

Rick Riordan, Cassandra Clare and Sarah J Maas!

🌻If you knew you had one day left to live, what would you do?

I would go travel and see all the locations I’ve always wanted to visit!

🌻Are you the kind of person that likes to borrow books from the library or buy them from the bookstore?

I prefer buying from the bookstore because I like owning as many books as possible. Realistically, I mostly borrow from the library because its easier and saves me money. 😂

🌻What is your favorite month and why?

October! I like it because it’s spooky season! During this time, I’m always in the mood of trying out some scary books and movies/shows! It’s also my birthday month. 😄

🌻If you had to chose five fictional characters to team up with you to play laser tag with, who would you chose? And who is one character you’d never chose for a laser tag team?

I would have my team consists of my favourite demigods such as Percy, Annabeth, Leo, Hazel, and Frank! Because of their training, I’m sure our team would win! I probably wouldn’t have Grover join the team out of fear he might eat some of the equipment. 😂

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Now it’s my turn to pick 11 people! If you were already tagged or if you don’t feel like you have the time, don’t feel pressured to answer my questions.

Cherry Blossom Books, IdleEmma, twistedinpages, Soph’s Book World, samfsm, books and brooke, Love_Your_Shelf, Lou @Pine Tree Books, syl_unlimited, paperbacks.and.planners, Bateau Reads

1. What are some goals you want to accomplish (can be blog related or in general)?
2. If you could only bring one book with you to a deserted island, which book would it be?
3. What kind of bookish merchandise do you like or would you like to have?
4. What is your least favourite trope in books?
5. What is your favourite trope in books?
6. Which character do you feel you relate to the most?
7. Who is your favourite fictional villain?
8. Best book to movie/show adaptation?
9. Do you like to binge read series or read other books in between?
10. Which fictional world do you feel you have the best chance of survival?
11. What is your favourite book of 2020 (you can only pick one!)?

I’m curious to see your answers!

The One with the November TBR

Happy November everyone! For this month, my reading plans won’t be as ambitious as last month since I (unfortunately) need to study. My plans are to continue reading more books that will qualify for the Fright Night challenge I’m participating in. My goal is to read 6 books (two of them will be a reread).

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

I started reading this book at the end of last month, and this is the first book I plan to finish this month! I’m enjoying the story so far!

This book is for the prompt: Ghoulish Delight 5: book with a mostly black cover.

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Hallowe’en Party

I never got around to reading this last month, so I’m going try and read it soon! This will be my first Agatha Christie novel, and I hope I enjoy it!

This book is for the prompt: Graveyard Smash 1: cozy mystery with a holiday theme.

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City of Heavenly Fire

This is a reread for me! After this book, I’ll be done with my reread of the Mortal Instruments series.

This book is for the prompt: Fiendly Foes 2: book over 700 pages.

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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

This is another reread for me, but it will be the first time reading the illustrated edition of the novel! I was waiting a couple of months to check this out from the library and I finally can!

This book is for the prompt: Ghoulish Delight 3: book with werewolves.

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A Torch Against the Night

I really enjoyed An Ember in the Ashes so I’m excited to read the rest of the series! This is the second book in the series.

This book is for the prompt: Zombie Games 1: read a dark fantasy.

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A Reaper at the Gates

This is the third book in An Ember in the Ashes series. I’m hoping to also read this in November since the final book comes out next month!

This book is for the prompt: Zombie Games 4: book written by a non-Christian author.

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I hope you all have a good reading month!

The Tower of Nero Review

The Tower of Nero by Rick Riordan

“Anytime you take aim and prepare to fire your best shot, anytime you seek to put your emotions into a song or poem, know that I am smiling on you. We are friends now. Call on me. I will be there for you.”

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

I’m so sad this is over. The Camp Halfblood Chronicles have now concluded and all I can do now is reread these books 😭😭😭 Like many others, I first read Riordan’s books back in middle school and 10 years later I still love reading his work. 

The One with the October Wrap-Up

Hey fellow bookworms! The month of October was a good reading month for me. It’s been a while since I read a lot of books, so I’m glad for that! Unfortunately, with all that reading I fell behind on writing my reviews and tags. So if you tagged me, I apologize for not getting to it sooner! I plan to complete my tags in November! I’ll also be posting some of my reviews for books I read in October in November as well.

While I didn’t read all 11 books I planned on my to-be read list, I did manage to read 9 of my planned books! My average rating for October is 4.11⭐.

An Ember in the Ashes

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

I loved reading this and couldn’t believe I didn’t pick it up sooner! It has interesting characters, supernatural creatures, plots twists, and it’s very gruesome!

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The Vanishing Stairs

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I enjoyed the sequel to Truly Devious! There were some hilarious moments and we learned more about the current and past mysteries.

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September 2020 Owlcrate Unboxing

In honor of Halloween, I decided to share what I received in my Owlcrate box for the month of September! This box was spooky themed and is one of my favourites I received this year.

This month’s theme features a contemporary horror novel that takes place in New England. The main character, Jane, is forced to move back to her mother’s childhood home and realizes there’s a dark history surrounding the manor.

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The book of the month is Horrid by Katrina Leno! I like the color change of the flowers in this edition. Also, the reverse dusk jacket has a cool design of the manor the story takes place in! The book was signed by the author and a letter was included. I’ve read the book recently, and I enjoyed it!

This month’s enamel pin was created by The Pickety Witch and was inspired by the novel Horrid. I like the design of this pin with the rose!

The first item in this box was a blanket! I find it really cool how the full text of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven is written on it! The blanket will be useful now that the weather is getting colder.

The next item were stainless steel skull spoons inspired by The Bone Houses. I find these spoons to be unique and they look cool!

There’s also a Sleepy Hallow inspired pumpkin-spiced lip balm created by Fiction Bath Co!

The next item is a Black Flame Candle that was created by Novelly Yours. It’s inspired by Hocus Pocus and has a vanilla scent!

Lastly, an enamel bookmark designed by Lapels and Spells was included! I love how the bookmark has the phrase “DEATH BEFORE DNF”. 😂 I rarely DNF books since I try to give it a two chances before giving up on it.

Overall this was a fun box! My favourite items are the book (of course), the blanket, and the bookmark!

The Hand on the Wall Review

The Hand on the Wall by Maureen Johnson

“The wonderful thing about reality is that it is highly flexible. One minute, all is doom; the next, everything is abloom with possibility.”

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was my first time guessing the culprit of a mystery!! I’m normally not that great at it, but for some reason my wild guess ended up being right. I didn’t feel like the mystery in this book was obvious, so maybe I’ve gotten good at solving crimes. 😁 (To be honest, while I figured out the culprit and the motive, my reasoning behind how this individual was involved was off. Better than nothing 🤷‍♀️)

Moving on from my skills, I enjoyed the finale to this trilogy! My favourite part of this book (and the series in general) is how Ellingham’s case relates to the case in the modern portion of this book. Alice’s kidnapping in the past ends up influencing the murders occurring at Ellingham Academy. Reading how Stevie investigates and figures out what’s going on was interesting to see. Also, the fact that some of the students are stranded at the school during a snowstorm made the atmosphere more urgent. Out of the two mysteries present in this series, I felt like the one in the past was more interesting for me and the culprit of that one was someone I never expected.

Nate will always remain my favourite character in this series since his scenes are entertaining to read! While I don’t hate David as much as I used to, I’m not really a fan of him and Stevie together. I kind of felt like the romance in this book was unnecessary. I do feel that David did redeem himself a little with what he did at the end. Janelle was also a great addition to the book because I find her inventions pretty cool!

Apparently there’s another book coming out in this series, so I’m looking forward to reading more mysteries by this author!

Coraline Review

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

“Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.”

⭐⭐⭐⭐

The day after they moved in, Coraline went exploring…. In Coraline’s family’s new flat are twenty-one windows and fourteen doors. Thirteen of the doors open and close. The fourteenth is locked, and on the other side is only a brick wall, until the day Coraline unlocks the door to find a passage to another flat in another house just like her own. Only it’s different.

At first, things seem marvelous in the other flat. The food is better. The toy box is filled with wind-up angels that flutter around the bedroom, books whose pictures writhe and crawl and shimmer, little dinosaur skulls that chatter their teeth. But there’s another mother, and another father, and they want Coraline to stay with them and be their little girl. They want to change her and never let her go. Other children are trapped there as well, lost souls behind the mirrors. Coraline is their only hope of rescue. She will have to fight with all her wits and all the tools she can find if she is to save the lost children, her ordinary life, and herself.

I never thought I’d enjoy a children’s book this much! It wasn’t scary, but it was pretty creepy! I found out about this because my sister is obsessed with the movie. I saw one of the scenes where the other father was singing and I decided to try the book first before watching the full movie. 😄

I liked how we had an average girl, Coraline, who wished for adventure and was tired of her mundane life. When she discovers another world with her “other parents”, she realizes that life in this world was too good to be true. There was something sinister going on and she quickly realized something was off. The button eyed people were creepy and I’m surprised Coraline didn’t run away at first sight. I liked the adventure she encountered, the plans she created, and the friends she made along the way. Overall, this was a quick and entertaining read! I’m looking forward to trying out the movie and then decide which one I like better. 😄

“When you’re scared but you still do it anyway, that’s brave.”