Clare's October Wrap Up and November TBR

October Wrap Up:

Favourite Read of the Month: We Have Always Lived in the Castle AND The Book of Dust. You can't make me choose!!

November TBR:

Other than Renegades and Retribution Rails I really don't know what I want to read next! October was a very scheduled month for me, I had books I needed to read for review and some that just fit with Halloween so well I HAD to read them. So in November I'm just going to see where my mood takes me!!

Fear Factor

Clare:

I'm a wimp who loves horror movies. Confusing no? Basically I haven't seen very many and they always freak me out for LONG LONG after the movie finished. This is why I usually watch monster movies and disaster movies - all the fun none of the "OMFG WHAT". So I decided to let Veronika @ Regal Critiques pick out some horror movies for me to watch and rate the "fear factor" of them. This is, obviously, a fully flawless idea that cannot go wrong in any way.

The Conjuring

The DVD claims this was "the scariest movie of the year" which is already a forbidding start. For science I'm going to watch this with the lights off. For science or because I'm an idiot. We'll see.

After watching:

OK. Uhm. Right. So first off lights off was a bad idea. But also maybe a great idea because I was so very, very scared for most of this film. I started the film laughing which slowly devolved into me sending Vera messages along the lines of "WTF WTF WTF". Genuine jumpscares which I always love but not so many of them that they become predictable. There was even one where I fully expected a jumpscare and tensed up and then nothing. Which was almost worse. This is a full on haunted house and possession movie so felt like a classic. I did think Annabelle would have a larger role to play but kinda glad she didn't cause sheesh. Overall I definitely recommend this. But maybe don't watch it alone in the dark. Or do. Who am I to judge?

Insidious

Again with the lights off because I guess horror is just no fun unless you're properly scared.

After watching:

It had its moments but for the most part this wasn't that scary. The old lady sure was. Something about elderly ladies with veils and Victorian garb that is just mega scary. But funnily enough men with bright red faces and hooves make me think "circus" more than fear. There were, like I said, some actually scary moments but there were more times when I was bored than scared. I will give it props for a great ending though.

The Descent

This one actually wasn't recommended to me. This is the first horror movie I ever watched but I was very young when I watched it so thought I'd try again and see if it still scares the heck outta me.

After watching:

Yep. OK. This is still the horror movie I measure all other horror movies against. So tense, so terrifying and so, so dark. I'm majorly claustrophobic so the whole caving angle really adds a layer of extreme fear for me. If you love horror and haven't seen this I highly recommend it.

I've now successfully given myself lots of nightmare fodder and had a really good time doing it (weirdly enough). Have you seen any of these movies or do you have any more recommendations for me?

Monday Highlights #30

The idea is to just link your favourite blog post from the past week (for example a post you're very proud of or just had a lot of fun making) and then I, and hopefully others, can discover new blogs to follow and interact with and discover more posts from blogs we may already follow!

You can also find us on Goodreads (Ann and Clare), Facebook and Instagram to keep up with what we are reading.

Sunday Post 29th October 2017

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer, it's a chance to post a recap on the past week, show the books we have received and share what we plan for the coming week. Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews and Reading Reality and the aim is to show our newest books and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed from libraries, bought in bookshops or downloaded on to their e-reader.

Books We Got This Week:

Ann:

The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo: Clare got this in her Fairy Loot box but already owned it so she gave me this copy and we are currently buddy reading it.

The Marked Girl by Lindsay Klingele: I wasn't sure what I was in the mood to read next and Clare picked this out as something she thought I would enjoy!

Wonder Woman Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo: Bought this as Clare has started reading it and wanted to buddy read this as well (very Leigh Bardugo themed reading at the moment).

Clare:

The Stars Are Legion by Kameron Hurley: I am actually currently reading this! I picked it up because of the dedication to "brutal women" and then was pleasantly surprised to discover this is LGBT!! Really enjoying it so far.

Nyxia by Scott Reintgen: Really, really into Sci-Fi at the moment so this super appealed to me. Plus the cover is gorgeous!

Otherworld by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller: I've been intrigued by this since we saw it at YALC but we didn't get an ARC! I love the finished copy and cant wait to read it!

Things a Bright Girl Can Do by Sally Nichols: Suffragettes AND LGBT characters? I'm truly being spoiled here. Again, saw this at YALC but wasn't lucky enough to get a copy so I'm super excited to have it now!

The Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao: This was the Fairy Loot book for October and I cannot wait to read it! It sounds dark and intriguing and I believe it has morally grey main characters?

Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardous: A snow white retelling but where Snow White loves the Evil Queen as the only mother she has ever known and the Evil Queen may not be so evil? I am so on board for this!

Finding Magdalena by Shannon Condon: Many thanks to Austin Macauley publishers for sending a review copy of this. It sounds emotional and heartwrenching and I can't wait to read it!

Reading Update:

Clare:

The French Exchange Whale by Cal King: 4 stars, This was so cute and fun. What does it say about me that I would read almost all of these as actual books? If you're looking for something short - or a stocking filler since Christmas is coming up - then this is definitely for you!

The Book of Dust by Philip Pullman: 5 stars, All the love for this book. It was probably my most anticipated of the year and I started it the second it arrived. It was a little slow getting started but I actually super appreciated that because it helped me ease my way back into the world. I cannot wait for the series to continue!

Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray: 4.5 stars, Buddy read with Veronika @ Regal Critiques. I had read this last year and reviewed it I think. I love how goosebump scary these books are and how totally invested I am in the characters!

The Stars Are Legion by Kameron Hurley: 3.5 stars, This was such a unique read. It is a world (or universe) in which men don't exist and the world building around that was so interesting. All of the characters were very morally grey (or outright bad). This is not a book to read if you have a weak stomach because OMG THE ICK FACTOR. But I kinda really enjoyed it and definitely want to check out more by Hurley!

Monday Highlights #29

The idea is to just link your favourite blog post from the past week (for example a post you're very proud of or just had a lot of fun making) and then I, and hopefully others, can discover new blogs to follow and interact with and discover more posts from blogs we may already follow!

You can also find us on Goodreads (Ann and Clare), Facebook and Instagram to keep up with what we are reading.

Sunday Post 22nd October 2017

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer, it's a chance to post a recap on the past week, show the books we have received and share what we plan for the coming week. Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews and Reading Reality and the aim is to show our newest books and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed from libraries, bought in bookshops or downloaded on to their e-reader.

Last Week on the Blog:

• Monday Highlights #28
• Guest Post: Halloween Movie, TV and YouTube Recommendations
• Ann's Horror Stories
• Halloween MASH

Books We Got This Week:

Daughters Unto Devils by Amy Lukavics: This was a surprise gift from Vera @ Regal Critiques (who also did our amazing guest post this week). I have already read this and really enjoyed it. It was intensely dark and creepy.

Beneath the Mountain by Luca D'Andrea: I was sent this for review and am really excited for it! It's being published in the UK in January so I will definitely be reading it soon!

The Book of Dust by Philip Pullman: I dropped everything the second this arrived and immediately starting reading it. I'm a little over halfway through currently and loving it.

A History of Magic and A Journey Through A History of Magic: These were rather optimistically pitched as "new Harry Potter books". Although they're more of a 20th anniversary compendium. I haven't had a chance to look through them yet but Ann has and she loved them so I am looking forward to it!

Reading Update:

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson: 5 stars, Shirley Jackson is now officially my favourite writer for all things creepy. This gave me genuine goosebumps and I could not stop reading until I finished!
Daughters Unto Devils by Amy Lukavics: 4 stars, Very atmospheric, super dark especially towards the end and a really exciting read.

Feed by Mira Grant: 2 stars, Kind of disappointing. As an exploration of blog culture I'm sure it's fine but I wanted a zombie story and the actual zombies were fairly scarce in this. Sometimes that works (like in the ever wonderful This Is Not a Test) but here it didn't really. Or not for me anyway.
The Informant by Susan Wilkins: 3 stars, I really enjoyed the first half of this book but started to lose interest towards the second half unfortunately. I do own the second and third books but I wont be reading them straight away.

You can also find us on Goodreads (Ann and Clare), Facebook and Instagram to keep up with what we are reading.

Halloween MASH

If you haven't played MASH before it's pretty simple! You have a few categories (like Job, Number of Kids, Type of House etc) and various options within those. You then work through the list according to a randomly selected number (crossing off whatever you land on until only one answer remains in each category) and the results are meant to tell you what your future holds. SUPER unscientific. We decided to do a Halloween movie variation and the results are how our personal horror adventure would pan out. We each picked options for each other (teaming up with Veronika @ Regal Critiques).

Ann:

Ann's options were picked by Veronika!

Ann's Thoughts: Pleased with my results because I survive but also - I get to hang out with Dean Winchester and who wouldn't be happy about that? I mean have you looked at him??

Veronika:

Veronika's options were picked by Clare!

Veronika's Comments: This was so fun, I especially liked thinking up the different outcomes, places etc. for Ann. As for my own MASH, I am quite satisfied with the results!? I mean, I survived, which is, obviously, the best option, but better yet, it was me all along!! *cheers* I would have been slightly more satisfied with an axe as my weapon, like Lizzie Borden, but overall, I'm really happy with my results.

Clare:

Clare's options were picked by Ann!

Clare's Comments: OK so firstly - feeling some animosity here Ann! I get NO CHANCE TO SURVIVE?? NONE!?? Everyone else gets to live and I get "torn limb from limb by my own doppelganger". Wow. Mona is a pretty awesome companion though and at least I didn't get Giant Caterpillar for my villain cause that would have been... dark.

Hope you enjoyed these as much as we enjoyed making them!! Let us know what you think of our results and wish me luck with my not-so-bright future? Happy Halloween!!!

You can also find us on Goodreads (Ann and Clare), Facebook and Instagram to keep up with what we are reading.

Ann's Horror Stories

I recently entered a competition in which I had to write a story of exactly 100 words. This first story is one that I got published last year in a short story collection full of 'spine chillers after dark' stories. 

As I begin cutting, blood splatters onto my face. I smile with pleasure, he deserves this, after everything he’s done. I recall the torture I put him through first, his screams of pain, his begging for mercy, a mercy he never gave me. The bone in his leg snaps from the pressure of the saw and his leg comes away. I move onto his head, his mouth still open from his last scream, from when I finally ended his miserable life. I look over at the corner. She’s tied to a chair, watching me, crying and pleading. She is next.

This next story is another one I wrote for a competition but didn't end up using, however, I thought that I would post it for you all to enjoy.

I walk through the door not knowing what to expected. The door slams behind me making me jump. I hear a noise and start to walk towards it thinking it is Jamie. Where is he? I reach the top of the stairs and see a shadow moving around in the bedroom. I walk into the bedroom and see someone stood over by the window, I move towards them and they turn around. I see his face, it is covered in burn marks the skin peeling away, a sinister smile appears on his face as he sees me. He isn’t Jamie!

Hope you enjoyed my Halloween Horror Stories!!