Halloween Book Recommendation !!

It’s October, and Halloween is just a few weeks away,To celebrate, I thought I would share my picks for spooky autumn reads. Since there are only so many times you can re-watch Nightmare on Elm Street.

It- Stephen King

I’m sure everyone has heard about this book by now especially with the movie now being in theater. I first read this book when in was in high school, about 10 years ago. This time around I am listening to it on audio book. It is about a small town called Derry, where there are strange murders are going on where no one is to sure what is happening. As we the reader though know they are being committed by someone dressed as a clown. There is a group of children and the story is told in different POV’s between all the character’s from when they were kid’s and now as adults. This is a very long book to read over a thousand pages, the audio book is 44 hours. I think this is a perfect book to read in October.

How to Hang a Witch by Adriana Mather

This witchy book is the perfect book to read this time of year. I read it only a few months ago and really enjoyed it. How to Hang a Witch is set in Salem the town famous for the witch trials. Our protagonist Samantha has moved in with her stepmother to her Father’s childhood house.  She becomes enemies with a group of girls called the descendants, actual decedents of witches from the trials. If that inst enough Sam also encounters a ghost of a boy who is angry that Sam is in the house. You can see my review here.

 

There’s Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins

This novel was described as Scream in YA form. Highly anticipated thriller by Stephanie Perkins. Makani, an African american/native Hawaiian girl is sent to move in with her grandmother by her divorcing parents. Here she befriends a trans boy named Darby and his friend Alex. There are a close knit group of friends, when Makani starts to date Ollie they are suspicious of him as there are strange murders happening around town. I enjoyed this novel and recommend picking it up if your looking for a fun fast read.  This is my most recent review and you can see it here. 

 

 

 

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Fall Essentials + Obsessions!

This post of going to sound so basic but I love the fall so much. It’s the season I look forward to all year. The leaves are starting to turn color,and its glorious .I wish there was a place where it was autumn year round.

I like to read paranormal/horror/thriller books in the fall. Coming in the next week I will be making a post of “spooky” recommendations. It’s such a good essential to have to get into a darker Halloween mood. One of my favorite series to re-read in the fall is the Harry Potter series it just has so many fall vibes. It’s just perfect to read in the fall time. I don’t like to make To be read piles because my moods change, I have read one book and one comic trade in October so far and I hope to get to a few more. I have a huge pile of thrillers I would like to get to, and I’m listening to It on audio book.

Make a Fall playlist, my favorite kind of music to listen to in the fall time is more indie, acoustic. I put a bunch of my favorite songs into a big list. Just a nice chill playlist to listen to while reading or cleaning up.

How can I talk about fall without talking about candles! My favorite fall scents from Bath and Body works; Leaves, Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin, your whole place smells great and its just awesome. My new favorite is marshmallow fireside,I didn’t think I would like it but omg its amazing !!

Fall is by far the best time to wear boots. Go for long walks in the afternoon with the crisp fall air and crunching leaves under my feet. Super comfy cozy sweaters, and it wouldn’t be Fall without flannel.

And of course you need fall drinks weather you like tea or coffee, if not then grab a hot chocolate. Personally I love pumpkin spice lattes. I’m a very basic person 🙂

I love spending time outside this time of year. So of course apple picking is a must but this year I don’t think I’ll be able to go. So this year I will have to say pumpkin carving will be a big activity to do 🙂 I want to get 2-3 pumpkins closer to the end of October (Tomavo sells local produce.)

It wouldn’t be fall without Halloween/horror movies. My favorite is John Carpenters Halloween and Earnest scared stupid I used to watch it every year as a kid and want to pass the tradition on to my son and baby girl once she’s old enough.

What are some of your favorite fall essentials?

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October TBR and Plans 🎃🍁🍂

Happy October Witches !! It’s finally that time of year and I couldn’t be happier. Today finally felt like fall which was amazing, it’s been so hot here and my poor pregnant body couldn’t handle the heat any longer. I apologize once again that I haven’t been nearly as active as I used to be. One: Is because my Mac-book screen is broken *cries all the tears*I hate writing reviews on my phone so I’m hoping it wont cost to much to repair my screen. Two : I’m now 29 week’s pregnant !! Where has the time gone,September just flew by. I officially have 12 shifts left at work,which is crazy to me how little time I have left. November I will be trying to catch up on reading before the baby comes in December.

October is going to be a busy month with finishing up work, it’s also Noah’s 11th birthday on the 18th were currently planning his party 🙂 It’s my fiance 30th Birthday on the 28 !! Plus all the horror/Halloween movies I want to watch as part of a challenge. I’m also so excited about all the fall TV premieres!! What shows are you excited to have back on TV?

Currently Reading:

It by Stephen King
I read this when I was just out of high school,almost 11 years ago. I am listening to this on audio book and I’m really enjoying it. I’m about 15% into it,its almost 44 hours so I’ll be listening to this all month. The physical book is on sale at Chapters right now and its pay week 🙂 I will be picking up a copy to follow along with the audio.

Heart shaped box by Joe Hill
I actually started reading this one at the end of September. I’m 40% finished, I feel like I could be done this book by now. But I’m not sure its a slow moving book,i do like it but I’m not as thrilled about it as I was hoping. I do plan on finishing it.

31 Days of Halloween Challenge :

I’m not sure where this challenge started but I’ve seen it on Instagram. Its where you watch a Halloween/Horror movie each day during the month of October. I will upload a post on Halloween of all the movies I watched as part of a wrap up.

Let me know what you will be reading in October. I personally don’t like making TBR because I often change my mind. I would love to know what all of you are planning to read or watch.

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TV Show’s I’ve Been Watching /2017

Small update : Hey booklovers! I know I’ve been so terrible at updating and reviewing this year. I’m sorry I will try and do better. I have a couple of reviews coming up for you,I haven’t been reading too much due to the nausea and fatigue from the first trimester of my pregnancy. I’m past the nausea now !! Thank god! I’ll be 18 weeks this Sunday, starting to feel little flutter movements ❤  I’m still pretty tired so instead of reading I’ve been watching TV series. So here is what I’ve been watching, let me know if you’ve seen any of these shows.

The OA

This is a Netflix show that I’ve been told to watch by a few people now. Not really knowing what it was about I started watching it and I finished it in 3 days! I wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did.I need answers!! can’t wait for a second season. The storyline sucks you in and the plot is engaging. It’s a slower moving show which I’m not usually into but it was just so interesting that I couldn’t stop watching.

Gypsy

Gypsy is a Netflix psychological thriller, staring Naomi Watts as Jean a therapist who throws herself into roles in her patient’s lives.I really love this series. I saw a lot of negative reviews and I don’t understand where the hate is coming from. I have always loved Naomi Watts she is an amazing actress.Sophie Cookson plays Sydney and she is fantastic. Naomi and Sophie are currently my fave f/f couple on tv. It’s such an addicting show and i need more !!! The show ended with so many un-answered questions and I really hope its picked up for a second season.

Jane the Virgin

After watching a few episode’s I was hooked, I absolutely love this show! It is a Spanish soap opera, told as a tella-novella. I know it sounds kinda weird and don’t let the title put you off the show. This show is so clever.Gina Rodriguez is such a talent actress, she is beyond charming and she is so beautiful. I just love her as Jane. My favourite character on the show is Jane’s father Rogelio. He is a tella-novella actor and is so vain, but that’s the whole point. Every scene he is in I laugh.

Game Of Thrones

Season 7 just premiered last Sunday and I’m thrilled. I can’t wait for Jon and Daenerys to meet ❤ Ahhh ! I need them to love each other! There’s just so many things coming together. But knowing the writers something terrible will happen.Unpopular Opinion, Ed Sheeran was absolutely fine in the show. they didn’t over do it or anything just casually stuck him in a scene.

 

Some other shows include Outlander, rewatched season 1 and finally watched season 2. I had some disappointed feelings with season 2 but the ending won me back and I’m so excited for season 3 in September. Shadowhunters , is very problematic but I love Simon and Clary,so I continue to watch it just for them.

Are there any show’s you suggests I watch? I’d love to hear from you 🙂

Paper Princess by Erin Watt Review

Title: Paper Princess
Author: Erin Watt
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary
Pages: 370
Rating: 5 Stars

GoodReads Synopsis:

From strip clubs and truck stops to southern coast mansions and prep schools, one girl tries to stay true to herself.

These Royals will ruin you…

Ella Harper is a survivor—a pragmatic optimist. She’s spent her whole life moving from town to town with her flighty mother, struggling to make ends meet and believing that someday she’ll climb out of the gutter. After her mother’s death, Ella is truly alone.

Until Callum Royal appears, plucking Ella out of poverty and tossing her into his posh mansion among his five sons who all hate her. Each Royal boy is more magnetic than the last, but none as captivating as Reed Royal, the boy who is determined to send her back to the slums she came from.

Reed doesn’t want her. He says she doesn’t belong with the Royals.

He might be right.

Wealth. Excess. Deception. It’s like nothing Ella has ever experienced, and if she’s going to survive her time in the Royal palace, she’ll need to learn to issue her own Royal decrees.

Review

“You may have lost your family, but you’re not alone anymore, Ella. You’re a Royal now.”

Paper Princess has become my newest guilty pleasure read.I have no idea when was the last time a book got me so addicted to it. I had lost all sense of time Erin Watt, the pseudonym of two authors, Elle Kennedy & Jen Frederick. This book is marketed as Ya but it has a lot of mature themes and I would say its more NA.

Ella Harper- I loved this girl. LOVED For every hit he tried to make with her, she hit back just as hard, or harder.She was strong, independent, unwilling to take shit from anybody, and a character you could easily root for.

Reed is the mysterious one of the group of royals. He is difficult to figure out. He is the you love to hate him kind of character and you question yourself as to why you like him.

Easton was definitely one of my favorite characters and I loved the fun relationship he formed with Ella. Like they just hang out in her room like actual brother and sister.

This was such a fun fast read, and it ended on a major cliffhanger!!

 

Life Update

Today was my official last day of class, this week was really stressful with exams. I got two of my marks back and there both above 80% ! I need to wait till next week to get the other two back. It was hard saying good-bye to everyone knowing they have another year ahead of them that I won’t be a part of. I will be going back in 2019 but it will be with a different group of people. I’ve met so many great girls this year and I don’t regret going into the program.I got hired at a nursing home down the street from my home, that I will be starting at on Monday ! 🙂

So, I have 3 book reviews that I’m currently working on and mini review of all the poetry collections I’ve read this year. Also have a Thirteen Reasons Why series review I’m working on.

Poem -Anxiety-

For World Poetry day I decided to share a poem I have been working on for the last couple of days with you. I have been nervous about sharing it because I’ve been out of practice with writing and scared that it wasn’t very good. Also my poetry is personal so it feels as if I’m sharing a piece of myself with you all. I posted a picture on Instagram and I have gotten some support from people, which is incredible, thank you !

 

It whispers in my ear,
I shouldn’t listen to it
Telling me
all the things
that could go wrong
I struggle to breathe
As hands
wrap around my lungs
People just look
Judging me
I can’t fight off
this monster
they don’t see
nobody does
my heart throbs
my muscles contracting
mychest burning
the monster
tightening it’s grip
I feel sick
Its too hot
I wish I could tell
But when asked how I am
I smile
and say
Im fine

-Anxiety — Stephanie Gillespie

 

Please leave me feedback and let me know what you think ! 🙂

 

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What I’ve been doing while not Blogging

Hey everyone! I’m so sorry I have been gone for so long! Nursing school is kicking my butt.  I was unsuccessful in one of my classes, and its a prerequisite to continue. SoI won’t be returning to school until winter of 2019 when the class is offered again.It’s been a really tough time for me. Trying to figure out what I’m going to do. My anxiety has been really bad these past few months, and the class I failed were video taped while doing demo’s. I made such stupid mistakes because of my anxiety. There have been day’s I felt like giving up, I am finishing the term which in done in April, then its job hunting time.

So coming up in the next few few week’s I will be returning !! I have read 12 book’s so far this year. I am so excited to be coming back. Reading and blogging help my anxiety but with school I had zero time. I have missed you all and reading your reviews.

Tv has saved me since I have no time to read. Some new shows I’m currently watching: Supergirl ❤ !! ,This is Us,Riverdale. That’s not to mention the shows that are staples in my life.Also I have been trying to get back into writing poetry. I used to write all the time then, life happened and I got busy with work then school. Gretchen @chicnerdreads  has inspired me with her poetry book “Love , and you “coming out April 4 🙂 Im so excited for her !! She’s such an awesome person and so nice. Please support her ❤

What has everyone been reading? Leave me some comments 🙂 I’m counting the days till April 10 !

 

Christmas Break TBR !! 🎄

Officially done with my first semester of nursing school!!! As much as I didn’t think I would make it through this semester, I did!It was the toughest semester by far, but next semester will be even harder. Now it’s time to relax over the break and prepare my mind for its next beating.

I don’t usually make TBR’s but I haven’t read a novel since September and I have a stack of book’s I really want to get too. These are my top 3 I want to read and if i have time to read more then thats a bonus 🙂

1.Heartless by Marissa Meyer: I’ve been dying to read this and it will be the first thing I pick up to read.

2.Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff: This is another one Ive had since it’s release date and haven’t had the time to get too.

3.Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

It’s Christmas Eve Eve! 😂🎄 I hope you all have a wonderful christmas! And if you don’t celebrate Christmas, I hope you have a lovely day anyway 😄

Passenger by Alexandra Bracken Review

Book:Passenger
Author:Alexandra Bracken
Genre:YA, Fantasy,Historical
Pages:486
Rating: 5 Stars

Synopsis:

Passage, n.
i. A brief section of music composed of a series of notes and flourishes.
ii. A journey by water; a voyage.
iii. The transition from one place to another, across space and time.

In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.

Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them—whether she wants to or not.

Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are playing, treacherous forces threaten to separate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home… forever.”

My Thoughts

WOW. An awesome book to start out the year! Oceans, deserts, forests, London, France, New York City.. I wish every book could have these amazing settings. swoons* I LOVED this book

I love both Etta and Nicholas so so much. Etta is such a strong character,shes stubborn and head strong, shes impulsive but not in a stupid way and i love her for that. Shes realistic and believable. Nicholas, is such a complex character. He is a person of color, and he has a lot of struggles with that while traveling to different time periods. I’m extremely impressed with how she handled the topics of racism and sexism between time periods—accurately and head-on. Etta and Nicholas have such a a strong connection to each other that I love, they have a really beautiful romance.

I love the history in the story. The time travel was explained really well and so much research and thought had gone into writing this book. The ending was so intense, the twists and turns. I had no idea how it was going to be resolved, and it blew a hole in my heart. I can’t wait for the sequel !