Spooky Reads!

 With Halloween rapidly approaching, I wanted to list my top "spooky" Halloween reads!

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

I recently just read this book, and it had many good creep factors. Definitely a solid Halloween read!

Graveminder  by Melissa Marr

There were many spots in this book that gave me goosebumps! Melissa Marr definitely has a knack for delivering a good, spooky tale!

The Shining by Stephen King

Oh, man! This is the ULTIMATE scary read for me! There were several parts of this novel where I had to stop reading and look over my shoulder! It got to the point that I had to stop reading this book before bed!

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

Yovanoff definitely created a dark, eerie underworld reminiscent of Tim Burton. Definitely a spine tingling tale that is perfect for this time of year!

Dead Beautiful by Yvonne Woon

This story has dark and omniscient overtones that are perfect for a good Halloween read!

Choker by Elizabeth Woods

This psychological thriller will keep you up long after you've finished the last page! I still think about this story from time to time!

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

The beginning of this story always sends a little chill through my spine when I read it! Great for kids and adults alike! :)

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

A rather sinister story indeed! Shirley Jackson has a flair for writing dark, out-of-the-box stories! This is one of my favorite stories by Jackson!

The Witches by Roald Dahl

This was one of my very first "scary stories" I read as a kid! I still like to revisit it from time to time!

I am Legend by Richard Matheson

Perhaps the scariest aspect about this book is that it could ACTUALLY happen! Great movie as well!

So what books do you consider good, spooky Halloween reads?

Top Ten Picks: Favorite Young Adult Novels

Top 10 Picks is hosted each week by Jillian @ Random Ramblings. This week’s topic is books you the top ten worst books you have ever read. *I'm actually a few weeks late in posting this!* Make sure to you stop by to see her list!
This was a particularly difficult topic for me, as YA is one of my top favorite genres! :P



1. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Carcia and Margaret Stohl

An original, raw story. This was one book that once I started, I just could not set down! It was rather interesting to read it from a guy's perspective. I highly recommend it! (My review)


2. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

A lovely fairy tale. I just fell into this one and was totally captivated until I reached the last page! I can not wait to read the next book in the series! (My review)


3. Incarceron by Catherin Fisher

I simply could not get enough of this book. The world Fisher created is beyond captivating! I am very much looking forward to the next book in the series! :D (My review)


4. All Unquiet Thigns by Anna Jarzab

This book was recommended to me before I had even heard of it. Such a fantastic book! This one had me on the edge of my seat the entire time! Great for mystery lovers! (My review)


5. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Ok, if you haven't read this one yet, you REALLY need to! Easily in my top 10 of all time! (My review)


6. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Ok, now that you have read The Hunger Games, you need to read Catching Fire. These are books that will haunt you for the rest of your life! (My review)


7. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Now you all -knew- that I had to get some Gaiman in, right? This fabulous dark fairy tale is well worth every penny! (My review)


8. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

This is one of the first science fiction books that I ever read, like back in 6th grade. It really stayed with me. I finally re-read it last year along with the second book in the series. I still plan on finishing the last 2 books. (My review)


9. Graceling by Kristin Cashore

So, I just finished this not to long ago. However, I knew once I picked it up, it was going to be in my top ten! Just fabulous! I loooove the world Cashore created! I highly recommend this for all readers! (My review)


10. Fire by Kristin Cashore

Another beautifully written story by Cashore! I just love her books! I can not wait until Bitterblue is released! (My review)


11. The Morganville Vampire Series

Number eleven? What?! This is supposed to only be top ten!
Well...as I said earlier this is one of my favorite genres...so I picked 10 books, and one series. It counts, right?! :P Rachel Caine is one of my all time favorite authors. Her Morganville Vampire Series is beyond outstanding. I know I didn't give the last book a stellar rating, but on a whole, I just adore these books. If you haven't already picked them up, you really should give them a try! (My reviews)

Top Ten Picks: Worst Books You've Ever Read

Top 10 Picks is hosted each week by Jillian @ Random Ramblings. This week’s topic is books you the top ten worst books you have ever read. Make sure to you stop by to see her list.
*Many of these books have high ratings, so feel free to disagree, but please try not to be to harsh on me, this is just a subjective list. :P

1. Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Wow. Words cannot express how much I hate this book. In my defense, I read this when I was 16, expecting some divine revelation to come out of it. Instead, it was boring, dry read and I wanted the hours of my life I had spent reading it back.

2. The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane

This is the only book on this list that I had to read for school. I was in middle school, which might be part of the problem. Overall, it was very dry and difficult to get through. I haven't had the desire to pick it back up since.

3. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife was one of my top reads of 2009, Her Fearful Symmetry was one of the worst. It started out interesting enough, but never went anywhere. The ending was horrible and anticlimactic. This book was a total let down.

4. Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks
I loved Brook's Nine Parts of Desire, and highly recommend it. Year of Wonders, however, is just plain awful. It was another book that started off well enough, but then took a turn for the worst and never picked up again.

5. The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
This is yet another book I read around the age of 15-16. Perhaps it was the age, or just reading about war isn't my thing...Either way, I didn't enjoy reading this one and haven't picked up anything else by O'Brien.

6. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

Ok, I loved the movie and I love Shirley Jackson. However, this was one book that was just horrible. Again, dry and trying to get through. I have read other works by Jackson, and will continue to. I like to believe this book was a one time mistake.

7. Angels and Demons by Dan Brown

Ok, Brown needs to stop writing altogether. However, this particular book was extremely over the top, and totally unbelievable. I can not count how many times I rolled my eyes while reading it.

8. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
I felt this book went in waves. It would get interesting and then dull and back and forth. Eventually, I became too annoyed and gave up reading it altogether, which was pointless as I only had 50 pages or so left.

9. Specials by Scott Westerfeld

I'll be honest. I was not impressed with the series on a whole. The first book was predictable. The second was actually pretty good. The third...horrible. The main character was completely different and difficult to identify with. I never did finish it, nor have I picked up anything else by the author.

10. On Writing by Stephen King

Alright, King is one of my favorite authors. I was expecting the entire book to be his memoirs, but sadly, it was only the first half, which I enjoyed immensely. However, once it got to his advice on writing, I had to set it down. 1. I don't like people telling me how to write, and 2. it was poor advice, which is ironic considering how successful he has been. Whatev's. I still love you King, and I will continue reading your works! :)

Top Ten Picks: Books You Have to Read at Least Once

Top 10 Picks is hosted each week by Jillian @ Random Ramblings. This week’s topic is books you “have” to read at least once in your life. Make sure to stop by Jillian’s blog to see her list!

1. The Giver by Lois Lowry

This was one of the first dystopia books I ever read. I was a wee kidlet at the time, but it left a haunting impression that I have never been quite able to shake. I have since re-read this book several times. I consider it a classic that everyone should read (at least once).


2. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

I have found that people either love or hate Rand. I personally had no aspirations to read any of her works until a close friend recommend and then proceeded to buy a copy of Fountainhead for me. True, it takes a while to get into Rand's writting, but trust me, this book is worth it.


3. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

Okay, okay, bear with me here. :P Once you have read The Fountainhead, you should really read Atlas Shrugged. Rand's writting is much less raw and the characters are more relatable. Plus, this is Rand's mouthpiece, so to speak. Her meaning is made quite clear, and it actually changed the way I precieve certain life situations. It was a very memorable book for me.


4. The Shining by Stephen King
Ah, the master storyteller himself, Stephen King. The Shining is my favorite horror novel by Mr. King. I was completely scared out of my skin while reading this. Also, I have never been able to look at hedged topiaries the same.


5. American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Another great storyteller, Niel Gaiman. :) I have read many of Gaiman's works, but American Gods is by far my favorite. I loved how Gaiman wove Norse mythology throughout the story, while maintaining a modern theme. If I had to recommend only one book of Gaiman's, it would definitely be American Gods.

6. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

A feminist classic. I absolutely love Atwood's voice. The Handmaid's Tale captures Atwood at her best. If you haven't read any of Atwood's works, start here. An other great book by Atwood is Oryx and Crake, which I would definitely recommend as a close second.

7. Night by Elie Wiesel

I read this for a religion class I took in college. I was so moved, then I eventually went out and bought my own copy to read and think over without the pressure of the classroom. Night is a book that everyone should read. Try to ignore the Oprah sticker. I do.

8. A Wrinkle in Time by Madelieine L'Engle

This is a wonderful introduction to science fiction. I first read this in 6th grade and absolutely fell in love with it! I have since purchased the box set of the series and have re-read A Wrinkle in Time and read the second book, A Wind at the Door. I plan on finishing the other 2 books in the near future.

9. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Okay, so by now I am sure that you getting the feel that I rather enjoy dystopian novels. To that effect, you would be correct. :P Collins' has created a wonderful piece of fiction that is horrifically not that too-far-off! If you haven't read this book yet, you must do so immediately!

10. The Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling

I must credit the Harry Potter series. J. K Rowling has created a wonderfully magical world in which anything is possible. I had set aside reading for quite a few years until I decided to pick up The Scorer's Stone. From there, it was true love. I fell in love with the series, as well as reading, again. I would love to see Rowling write another series in the future.