A Last-Minute Bookish Gift Guide: Perfect Presents, Without Blowing Your Budget at Barnes and Noble

Here's an uncomfortable truth I've observed about the world: we're only few days away from Christmas Eve, and for many, there's still a lot of panicked, last minute shopping to be done. 

Listen, you were preoccupied, you didn't prepare, and now, every parking lot you enter is a warzone. Stepping through the doors of Target, at this point, could be classified as reckless endangerment of self and sanity. This is not the time for donning rose-colored glasses alongside your gay apparel; instead, this is crunch time, and lest you be the one who gets crunched, you need to find a good present ASAP. The good news is, be it a Work Secret Santa, a Family White Elephant, or what have you, there's always joy to be found in delivering a new book-shaped present to the pile under the tree. 

And yet, here's an additional wrinkle: the damn things are certainly getting expensive these days, aren't they? I recently fell into a bit of a quandary while shopping for my brother, and realized that one of the titles I had been planning on picking up from B&N was currently going for over $40 in hardcover. While sliding a new freshly-printed set of titles off of the shelves might be easy, it certainly isn't cheap. 

The good news is, there's something we can do about that. In fact, by combining a new recently-procured read with a few other budget-friendly and easy-to-find basic pieces, not only does your bookish present come across as thoughtful and deliberate, but they'll never know how many parking lot brushes with death you avoided to do it. 

Consider the following method: 

A GREAT BOOK + A BUDGET-FRIENDLY BOOSTER + A FUN CONSUMABLE

Note: I understand why some people don't like combining multiple presents in one package. In the words of one of the family's most-quoted seasonally-appropriate SNL music videos of all time (which is now, horrifyingly enough, seven years old), you might think that "that just makes each gift seem smaller and dumb." But to be fair, maybe you want to repay a special amount of kindness this year, or maybe you're dealing with someone who has a tendency to get extravagant with their generosity... and besides, I'm not advocating for buying two gifts. I'm saying go for three!

1. first, focus on a great read

First of all, we need to pick out a Really Good Book, one that you know they're going to enjoy. 

Consider how to best select a great bookish present (in a very sneaky way):

• Ask them what some of their goals are for 2024... a really good friend would want to help them achieve those goals! Are they looking to try their hand at penning some words of their own in the new year? Try Stephen King's On Writing. What about spending more time in the kitchen? A cookbook or piece of food writing could be really beneficial here. Want to explore more classics? Pick out one of your favorites, one you know will hold their attention. Use your own experience, but don't be afraid to look up a good list of recommendations or two. Just try to make sure you're aligning with what they've got envisioned for themselves! 
• Check out their home shelves, especially their favorite genres. For best practices, you should probably have an idea of what they have and haven't read already - if only so you can avoid buying a duplicate of something they already own - but it can also tell you what they gravitate towards naturally. For instance, if they've got every single copy in the Murderbot series, then you've got a decent sense they might appreciate Martha Wells' latest release, Witch King, or something like Becky Chambers' Monk and Robot series. 
• Think about ebooks and audiobooks: not every likes reading on ink and paper! Maybe they've got a long commute that lends itself to an engaging audiobook, or maybe they live in a small space that can't accommodate a ton of shelf room. Amazon or Spotify giftcards may ensure they actually use your present in a way that works for them! An easy way to "upgrade" it, of course, is to accompany it with a list of recommendations that you think they might want to look at when they're thinking about how to spend it. 
• Casually ask them to tag along, and help you pick out a present for someone else. While you're doing your own "browsing" watch carefully for what they pick up and put down. If there's something they mention or focus on in particular, something that grabs their attention, you know what to do! 
• And here's the big alternative: ask your friend what kind of reading year they've been having in 2023: if there's something in particular that's been keeping them from reading lately, it might not be the year for a bookish present; maybe something like a Hello Fresh delivery or a homemade "in-house babysitting" coupon would help them enjoy some reading time, more than just another book sitting on their shelf! 

2. something they can reuse + a treat to up the ante

Once you've got your book in hand, it's time to put it together with a few budget pieces that will really make the package perfect. By including something they can reuse time and again, you guarantee that your present has some mileage on it, and with a fun consumable accompanying alongside, they can start enjoying your gift as soon as they open it! 

For instance, lets say your best friend's favorite kind of coffee talk is dishing about The Great British Baking Show, and she can't stop pointing out all of the butter-related Christmas ornaments that all seemed to hit stores this year. Naturally, you've decided to pick her up a copy of one of Paul Hollywood's cookbooks, like Bake, or maybe you grabbed something penned by a past contestant, like Ruby Tandoh's Cook As You Are, or Nadiya Bakes by Nadiya Hussain. What next? 

Well, stopping by a HomeGoods or chef supply store could easily add to the conversation, with something like a large mixing bowl, a set of kitchen towels, a cutting board, or interesting cake tins. Rolling pins and spatulas are typically in pretty good supply, and the same goes for cookie cutters. Then, all you have to do is swing by the local grocer and pick up a pretty baking mix, or favorite ingredient - nice baking chocolates are always appreciated, but you could also try a pretty jam or even just a slightly nicer-than-normal bag of flour -  and voila! You've got a great set of ingredients for a very happy afternoon spent in the kitchen. 

Or lets say you've got a real Romance reader on your hands. Sure, you could just walk down the mass market paperback aisle at your local Fred Meyer with your arm outstretched, and aim for anything with a brightly-colored color block illustration on the cover... but chances are, if you give a girl a Romance, she's going to need at least one or two favorite beverages to enjoy it with. What about a set of pretty thrifted wine glasses or champagne flutes, and a great bottle of something to sip on? If she's a Historical Romance girl, a set of gorgeous thrifted teacup-and-saucer combos and a box of her favorite tea go together like the leads in your favorite Tessa Dare or Eloisa James story. 

Someone who lives and dies by their latest Self Help obsession - think bullet journals, 5am wakeup calls, and reformer Pilates - might appreciate yet another paradigm shift before the new year. James Clear's Atomic Habits is a best seller for a reason, but they might have picked that one up already; look for displays nearby to guide you into what titles generated some buzz this year, or has people looking forward to 2024. A thrifted crock and a new bag of coffee beans, or maybe a thrifted mug and a sampler set of coffee syrups would definitely give this present some pizazz, but something like a fresh, pretty notebook and a can or two of their favorite energy drink works just as well: whatever will help inspire them to start generating their next life upgrade! 

The list could go on and on, really. Your favorite fast-paced Thriller or bone-chilling Horror from this year would pair perfectly with a cozy blanket and a chocolate bar to keep them toasty while things get tense; a buzzy new celebrity memoir - what about those published this year, from Britney Spears and Paris Hilton? - would go great with a new pair of fun sunglasses and some bubblegum to chew. Why not get your Fantasy reader some unique thrifted glassware (aka, goblets and decanters, which I always find while shopping secondhand!) and pair it with one of their favorite sodas? The list goes on and on. 

The point is, of course, that you make the whole thing feel like an experience in itself. It's not just the book, but the environment you create around the book... and besides, this way, even if that title ends up getting a two-star review on Goodreads, your friend still ends up with something cool they can reuse, and when's the last time you turned up your nose at a tasty treat? 

3. don't have time to think that hard? just go with the bookish vibes

Listen, I get it: the last minute always isn't the best time to think creatively. Sometimes, you just need a guaranteed win, something that doesn't require combing the thrift store's homewares section or a Target snack aisle for just the perfect touch. 

Here are a few easy ideas for pieces that can amplify every bookish present: 

• a snack pack, with something salty, something sweet, something crunchy, and/or something chewy, for them to enjoy while making their way through a new stack of books!
• a container of their favorite hot chocolate brand, preferably with marshmallows or peppermint sprinkles alongside!
• a big ol' candle for them to light to set the mood while they're reading. Bonus points if you manage to make it match the book cover! 
• fuzzy socks or slippers. It is a truth universally acknowledged that whether you're playing video games, watching a movie, or reading a book, that your feet are going to get cold. Everyone could use some cozy toes!
• a new journal or notebook, especially when paired with a set of really good pens!

4. make it personal

If you've managed to read this far in this blogpost - or if you've somehow made it out into the Target parking lot with all of your bags, extremities, and sanity intact - then chances are its because you really care about the person who will be on the receiving end of this present. It never hurts to tell them that sort of thing yourself! 

Regardless of what book you buy them, or what you're stashing into your cart alongside, I think it's always a great idea to write a card, too. Listen, you've already established that you're shopping for a reader; why wouldn't they want to read what you might have to say, too? Just a few brief sentences about why they are important to you, and why you chose that particular book out for them, will really make your gift feel special and deliberate.

It's the thought that counts, and when you're putting this much care and attention into giving someone a present, it will undoubtably be one of the most meaningful things they find under the tree this year. 

(Never mind the fact that you waited until the night before Christmas to wrap it.)

Are you done shopping for everyone on your list? What's your favorite present you've purchased for someone this year? Let me know, in the comments below!

Love Is Books: Speed-Dating My Kindle for Valentine's Day

It is Valentine's Day once again, and surprising no one, I am still single. (Trust me, it's better this way.) 

My solitary status has become, for me, as ubiquitous to the pink-and-red holiday as heart-shaped boxes of dubiously-flavored chocolates and small grocery-store teddy bears that still smell like plastic. And besides, my family routinely eschews any form of major holiday gesture thanks to the fact that it takes up a spot on the calendar also dedicated to the birthday of my second-youngest sibling, who doesn't always like to share. 

But as I bemoaned to said sibling recently, I do actually really enjoy Valentine's Day. 

Just not in the high-pressure-floral-arrangements and expensive-restaurant-reservation sense... though I'd never turn my nose up at a dinner out. I mean more like in the "everyone gets candy" sense. 

The kind where your teacher sent home lists of the names of everyone in your class so you knew how to spell them all correctly, and you spent at least an hour of class time painstakingly attempting to get more tissue paper stuck to your shoebox than your fingers. The kind with special snacks and pink cupcakes on heart-shaped plates delivered with love by the parents of kids who you otherwise barely tolerated on a daily basis, now suddenly on their best behavior. The kind where you agonized over the meager pickings at Fred Meyer in an attempt to procure the perfect card assortment, with the franchise of your choice on the front.

(Whether you deliberately picked-and-chose which cards went home with which friends was a secret that never made it into the classroom, if you were smart about it. After all, some friends get Belle and Jasmine cards, and some got Snow White. That's just how the world has to work... it's not like your mom was going to get you an extra box of 'em to even the playing field.) 

So, instead of bemoaning my personal romantic woes on February 14th, I typically like to celebrate the gooey stuff in my own way. Pink-and-white checkered tablecloths, the kinds of flowers that won't kill my cat, and a self-directed sort of baking with whatever I can scrounge out of the pantry. I also have maintained the habit of individual, hand-drawn Valentines for every member of my family for years now, but we don't need to get into my crafting habits. 

The point is, it's not totally out of the realm of reason that I've started a kind of annual bookish Valentine's tradition for myself, too. I like to date my books. 

You've seen it on here a couple of times before - including twice in 2020, in both March and April - but I really instituted it for the first time on, you guessed it, Valentine's Day 2017. (The blogpost didn't go up 'til a few days after, so sue me.) 

Here's a refresher to how the process works, exactly: 

1. First, you pick a stack of books you want to read from your shelves. I usually stick around 10 or so. 

2. You gather the rest of your materials: a notebook and something to write with, a timer (or your cell phone), and maybe a snack or something. A nice beverage for your troubles. 

3. Assemble the books in a stack, and set your timer for four minutes. 

4. When you start the timer, you pick up your first book, and read for the complete duration, until your timer goes off. 

5. Then, quickly jot down a couple of notes on how you think it went! Try to take approximately, so each book gets a total of five minutes of attention. Did you enjoy the style, the voice, the action, the characters?

6. At the end of your notes, write down whether you want to read it "Now," "Soon," or "Later." If "Later," try to specify when. Depending on how easygoing you are with sending away books, try to stretch yourself to add a fourth category, like "Delete," "Donate," or "Give Away." 

7. When you feel satisfied with your notes, start the timer again, pick up your next read, and repeat the process until the stack is finished! 

For this particular Valentine's Day round of speed-dating, I wanted to get a little more specific. 

Like I said, it's a practice I employ pretty darn regularly, especially when I'm having trouble really sinking into a good read. The problem is, when I decided to undertake this particular celebration, I'd already been experiencing an excellent recent track record: I've finished two books so far this month, am well on my way through a third, and have the next couple already lined up on my coffee table. 

Instead, I decided to find something a little more seasonably appropriate... one that I'd already been thinking about recently... thanks to another challenge that might sound a little familiar to you.

Back in 2021, the first time I did the self-inflicted Paranormal Romance Reading Challenge (with the help of my brother), one of the primary complaints that I had by the end of that year, was that I didn't actually end up reading all that many romance novels: because I'm very much a mood reader, and don't do well with reading a lot of the same genre in a row, I ended up pretty solidly narrowing my scope to singularly those that were in the challenge... after all, I figured that if I was going to read any of it at all, it might as well be productive (famous last words).

Meanwhile, the ranks of the romances on my Kindle continued to spiral upwards. 

The thing is - as we well know from my decisions this year to go on a Book-Buying Ban - I tend to have a bit of a hair-trigger when I see compelling ebooks up for grabs for $1.99 a piece. Which is why this past Summer, while beginning to catalog my sins from amongst my sagging bookshelves, I decided to make a Google doc with every single romance novel I owned on it, complete with author title and tropes involved. 

Ninety-five. I had somehow amassed over 95 titles of Romances on my Kindle, that I had yet to read. 

And by the end of 2022, a few months later? It was ONE HUNDRED AND SEVEN.

So, that was my plan. Reading Romance novels? For Valentine's Day? Groundbreaking. But in the end, it was the right decision on all counts: by focusing on speed-dating my Romances off of my Kindle, it would help me continue to work through my TBR backlogs without eschewing them in favor of the all-too-alluring Paranormal Romances from my Challenge again. 

We love a theme, you know. 

And because - like a lot of things about my personal reading habits - this was all clearly my brother's fault, I made him select all of the mystery numbers in a draft-style reveal conducted over Zoom. 

So if you've got questions, you know, blame him.

#4. When a Scot Ties the Knot, Tessa Dare

A soon-to-be society deb throws off the attentions of the London ton in favor of inventing a fake sweetheart, with ten years of real letters sent to maintain the ruse. Now, there is a disarmingly handsome Highlander standing at her front door, claiming that he's the true Logan McKenzie... and that he's come to marry her. 

There's a reason why Tessa Dare was the first real Historical Romance I ever read... her novels are so dang user-friendly! It immediate launches into the plot, providing backstory without getting bogged down by details... her books are always easy to start and jump in with both feet. Could be a fun read as we start to head more towards Spring. 

#67. The Madness of Lord Ian McKenzie, Jennifer Ashley

A now-wealthy widow has decided to settle down with a proper Englishman, in the hopes of keeping her life drama-free forever. However, her fiancé's misdoings have attracted the interest of a stark raving Lord, whose fascination with porcelain is as well known as his intense romantic entanglements... and now his eye is on her.

Well, mission accomplished: Ian McKenzie certainly comes off mad as a hatter. Heroine Beth seems like she's alright, albeit forgettable, with very little personality to speak of beyond desiring peace and quiet. I've heard this one hyped up by people I trust, but I don't really feel like anything happened in the selection I read. At least, nothing I cared about. 

#39. The Bromance Book Club, Alyssa Kay Adams

A major league baseball player is sent reeling when his wife voices dissatisfaction about their bedroom activities. So, he freezes her out, leading to weeks of a tension-filled home with their two daughters, and is somehow surprised when she asks for a divorce. Now, his teammates have welcomed him into the ranks of a secret book club, where reading romance novels helps unearth secrets to romantic success... which Gavin hopes will show Thea he's not giving up on their marriage just yet. 

Out of all of the Romances I've tried so far, this is the one that feels the most loosely connected to even the concept of reality, in a genre that is not exactly known for its dedicated realism. On top of that, Gavin is all at once unbearably macho-leaning, while also being a little too pathetic... because his decision-making skill seem so appallingly lackluster, it's hard to position him as someone I'm interested in rooting for. I mean, the book literally opens with him being too drunk to function in a hotel room, then showing up at his house and impulsively kissing the woman who's told him to leave twice already. It's definitely easy to read, but doesn't feel like it would be all that personally edifying. Out of approximately seven minutes, I found myself 10% of the way into the book, so at the very least, it will be brief. 

#101. Hired, Zoey Castile

It's not easy being a male escort, ditched by his week-long client in a New Orleans hotel room. While waiting for her return, Aiden meets the sweet-and-sensitive Faith, and it seems like, for the first time in a while, his luck in the romance department may be changing. The catch? She doesn't actually know about his profession. And her mother is running for mayor. 

Another kind of not-so-appealing Hero with Aiden... he's introduced as having spent a little too much time and attention to the hotel bar over the course of two days, getting positively hammered because there's nothing better for him to do. Which begs another worthy question: why the heck did these two books both open with a sad sack Hero getting absolutely sloshed? Why is rampant drunkenness something that is so easy to find in Romance novels, especially in relation to the coping mechanisms of the Hero? Not attractive. Not to mention I managed to read a full 5% of the way into the book without meeting Faith at all, so what gives? We really needed that much more time with this guy getting hammered?

#27. Goalie Interference, Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn

Emmitt's just had his best hockey season yet, with a minor-leagues trophy in tow... only to learn that he's been traded. The good news is, it's on the professional level; the bad, he'll be playing for his rivals. He's determined to earn a spot on the team for good, but standing in his way, is the other player in line for the starting goalie position: the talented and competitive Ryu, who's a lot more distracting than Emmitt bargained for. In more ways than one. 

ANOTHER Drunk Guy opening! Are you kidding me? I mean, I'm not even exactly a teetotaler myself, but to have three books in a row all open with a hungover - or actively in the process of making himself sick from drinking - Hero, feels kind of wild. Other than that, this intro reads just fine... a kind of fratty-nerdy combo appears to be in the works, which is okay, especially within the scope of LGBT Romance. I'm not super driven to read Sports Romance - which is also alarmingly present within the ranks of my Kindle selections, for some reason - but maybe Hockey will be different. 

#73. Boss in the Bedsheets, Kate Canterbury

The micromanaging and detail-obsessed Ash is on the hunt for a new assistant, and after a frustrating morning at the airport, one nearly falls into his lap, due to a seating switcheroo: Zelda, a scattered, positive ball of energy, is determined to fill his business needs, as well as get him to loosen up a little. Will hot-and-cold combo find that opposites attract, or are they just too different? 

The Hero, Ash, angrily trips over a kid while rushing through the airport and only feels capable of regarding it as a personal nuisance. The Heroine, Zelda, is so absent-minded that she triggers an airport-wide bomb response, because she's incapable of neither minding her luggage or removing her headphones. I personally feel that they are both too unlikable to keep reading... which is hilarious, because apparently one of the themes of the book is looking beyond appearances. I am burdened by no such motivation.

#99. Beauty and the Clockwork Beast, Nancy Campbell Allen

Lucy's cousin Kate is in a predicament: the recent newlywed has fallen ill, and her new brother-in-law, Lord Miles, might have something to do with it. Lucy jumps on the next airship to join her, and finds herself staring down not only ghosts, werewolves, and vampires, but the unpredictable lord, too, who asks for help in determining the causes of death for his own recently-deceased bride, and his sister. Can Lucy solve what's behind these mysterious happenings... and Miles' heart? 

Somehow, some way, in the midst of the "let's read Romances that aren't Paranormal" exercise, I stumbled upon a Paranormal Romance. This one generated such an intense response from me, that I audibly said "No" and "Oh no" multiple times within the scope of approximately three minutes, and then dipped out of reading early because I was having such a hard time. I like Steampunk, honestly, but this one just fell a little too far outside of my interest range... and when you add vampires to the mix - let alone vampires that leave a "green vampire venom" residue on their victims, it just felt like too much. Do I really feel like reading just to see how Hot this Topic can get? 

#12. The Foxhole Court, Nora Sakavic

Neil is tired of running - unless its on the Exy field - so you'd think a scholarship from a college team would be a godsend. Instead, he feels more exposed than ever before: the increased visibility means a higher likelihood that his crime lord father will find him. Will his new team help him open up, or is he destined to lose the only people who made him feel like he belonged? 

Welcome to Angstville. It's like if a Mafia Romance met a Sports Romance and decided to have a tatted-and-sweatband-wearing baby. Neither of those are exactly my fave genres, unfortunately. However... the reason this was added to my Kindle in the first place, is because it came personally recommended from a friend back in college. Its legacy on Tumblr is vast and reaching... maybe worth a shot, due to fun nostalgia factors in regards to the mid 2010s? 

#81. One Good Earl Deserves a Lover, Sarah MacLean

The scientifically-minded Lady Phillipa is already engaged... but it wouldn't be in the spirit of scientific process if she didn't try exploring all of London's more scandalous parts before she ties the knot. She wants the experiences of ruination, without any of the social fallout, which is exactly why she recruits gaming hell owner Cross to do it. But can she handle the results of such experiments? 

Nearly died laughing when I thought the Hero of this story was 23... those are the kinds of numbers that even the Bachelor Franchise has the tendency to balk at. Thankfully, there was a time jump shortly thereafter, which makes him more worthy of a Romance novel mantle. Still, getting some Evie-and-Rick vibes from the two main characters, which is fun, even if I don't love the gaming hell setting (one of my least fave Historical tropes). Still, I'm a pretty confirmed fan of Sarah's. 

#69. How to Forget a Duke, Vivienne Lorret

Jacinda's independence is secured for her by marriage... just not her own. With her sisters, she runs a  matchmaking service, one that assists members of the London ton facilitate beneficial engagements. Her new client, the Duke of Rydstrom, isn't making it easy, however, as he's clearly hiding something. When Jacinda's meddling leads to her temporary amnesia, Rydstom might just realize the right person for him to marry is closer than he'd think. 

I am refreshed by the fact that instead of a naïve, nose-up debutante, the Heroine of this Romance, Jacinda, seems to be a bit of an unapologetic disaster of a human being. She's a snoop for both fun and money, and the Hero feels all kinds of shady, which is a great dynamic. I'm actually quite interested in this one. Plus, the cover is so beautifully done, that I almost owned a physical copy.

How it all shook out, you may ask? In the end, I not only knocked a tome out of the ranks of that 107-book-long TBR, I knocked out THREE. 

Two of them came down to straight-up deleting off of my Kindle: nothing about Boss in the Bedsheets or Beauty and the Clockwork Beast seemed like they were my cup of tea while reading, so I decided to send them on their way. 

I decided that I'll let five of them stick around for a little while in the "Later" category... honestly, it feels like an act of grace, because some of these Sports Romances are on thin ice with me, personally (which is fitting, because one of them is Hockey). The Madness of Lord Ian McKenzie, Hired, Goalie Interference, The Foxhole Court, and One Good Earl Deserves a Lover might make it onto my "Currently Reading" shelves some day... but not today. 

And to my "Soon" pile, I actually found two that I'm feeling pretty good about getting around to, for completely different reasons. How to Forget a Duke I'm genuinely pretty excited about reading, whether that's still within the month of February, or letting it hang out for a little longer. Bromance Book Club, on the other hand, I might just do another round of five-minute-reading cycles on, to keep evaluating whether the characters ever feel more grounded or relatable: the dialogue was compelling, and the speed with which I could blast through this feels pretty short, so maybe it's worth it anyways? No way to know but to keep reading. 

Of course, all of this means that my winner was, in fact, When a Scot Ties the Knot. I should have just used my Tessa Dare past as a guidepost, anyways: again, she's a great way to ease into the genre, and I needed something pretty relaxed to celebrate the lovey-dovey season with. 

Now, what I actually thought of reading this book? That's a tale for another time. ;) 

What are some of your favorite ways to celebrate Valentine's Day? Which of the selections from this list piqued your own interest? Did I make the right choice? Let me know, in the comments below!

My Brother Bought Me $25 Worth of Paranormal-Fantasy Romance : An Unboxing

 

As you may have seen in my recent Christmas Haul post, my brother bought me a pretty exciting present this year: a $25 box of Romance novels he purchased wholesale through an eBay retailer, themed around the premise of "Paranormal Romance." 

Here's the backstory as to why this is all so hilarious, because I realize that this is not the typically gift purchased by a 19-year-old college dude: 

My brother has never really been one for Romance romance, per se. He's an avid Fantasy reader, a genre in which there's typically at least a hint of romance present, but he's never felt any special kind of kinship to cupid's genre... the furthest he's gone was probably a couple of years ago, when he and I decided to read Stephanie Meyers' Twilight one summer. The reread was a great time, and one of the best parts about it was his teenaged perspective on some of the most iconic aspects of that book. 

Once I started reading Romance myself, a couple of years ago, he's enjoyed sharing this genre with me, too... not necessarily as a dedicated fan of the genre itself, but a willing participant in listening to my own effusions about what I've been loving (and hating) in the books I've been reading. 

(In particular, one of my favorite series from the past year - Sarah MacLean's The Bareknuckle Bastards trilogy - became so popular with him, that he still is able to refer to it, months later, by name. He's never read the books, and doesn't plan on it, but simply listening to my own half-garbled ramblings about the characters and plot beats made enough of an impression on him so that he's been bringing it up in random conversations ever since.) 

So, when a certain eBay retailer began making the rounds on BookTube and Bookstagram earlier this year - like in this video from Chandler Ainsley - of course I joked about it with my brother, just a little. I have a bit of a habit (or at least I did, back in the pre-Covid days) of trawling the shelves of my local Value Village for compelling backlisted mass-market-paperback Historical Romances I found intriguing; now there was this convenient way of amassing a large quantity of them, all at once, for only a little over a dollar a piece! 

On a lark, I added it to my Christmas list, and sent it off to my family, not really thinking anything of it. It was only after a chance conversation with my brother towards the beginning of December, that I managed to guess it outright: my brother had purchased a giant box of romance novels for me as a present. That was only half of the challenge, though, as he assured me that he'd included a set genre request that he was positive I wouldn't be able to guess. But that just made me laugh. 

"As long as it's not vampires!" 

to be entirely fair, it wasn't just vampires

So: 20 titles, for about $25, all backlisted, all, by his choice, Paranormal Romance. To my brother's credit, it really wasn't just vampires, something I was easily able to ascertain simply as I took each of the books themselves out of the box. Torsos and tattoos and claw marks and pensive stares... oh my.

All in all, unboxing all of the titles only made me more excited to delve deeper. Within 24 hours, I'd sat down with my book journal and a pen, and painstakingly researched each on Goodreads, in order to ascertain their average rating, how many ratings had been uploaded in total, and sleuth out some general plot theming. 

Two were set in small, fictional towns in Oregon, while two others dealt specifically with haunted houses in Savannah, Georgia. One involved a family of magic users in New Orleans, while two others were not of this earth at all, involving aliens and a cyborg with intergalactic origins. Amongst all twenty, there were dream-walkers, psychics, angels, aliens, ghosts, immortal fae beings, protectors of Olympus, and even a Celtic demigod, with vampires and werewolves ending up as a bit of a minor population. (Even within the two werewolf books involved, both of them involve a male werewolf falling in love with a dog-adjacent female professional: a veterinarian, and a K-9 handler!) One book features a focus on a spirit from the "Navaho nation," which - thanks to its 1994 publication date - will no doubt be the most problematic in the whole box, while another book included doesn't even appear to be a Paranormal Fantasy at all, and instead, has to deal with a Las Vegas mob family. 

Needless to say, I'm positively thrilled. 

So, here's the rundown of what, exactly, was in the box:

Master of Wolves, Angela Knight

The third book in the Mageverse series (a title I had to read three times through, as I thought it was "Megaverse" twice), this book has an average of 4.16 out of a little under 4,000 reviews, and was published in 2006. A werewolf goes undercover with the police force of a nearby town to find out who covered up the murder of his best friend, when he ends up catching feelings for... the K-9 dog handler for the precinct. 

Touch the Dark, Karen Chance

The first in its series, this book averages a 3.71 out of 35K reviews, and was published in 2007. It involves both a ghost-talker main character who has to work under a master vampire... and its description involves the joy-inducing inclusion of both "a bloodsucking Mafioso" and a "vampire Senate." 

The Guardian, Sherrilyn Kenyon

Not only is this the twentieth installment in its Darkhunter series, but it also stacks up a pretty impressive 4.34 average rating out of 18K reviews. Originally published in 2011, this is the one with the most dizzying concept, involving Dreamhunters, the Nether Realm, a missing god of Dreams who is needed on Olympus, and more. Please tell me I don't need to read the previous nineteen installments in this series to get a good grip on it? 

Dream Eyes, Jayne Ann Krentz 

The second in the Dark Legacy series, this book has a 3.98 out of 5 on Goodreads, with approximately 6,000 reviews. Published in 2014, it involves one of my favorite setups of the whole collection: a psychic counselor, protected by a psychic investigator, trying to track down a serial killer who's seemed to be targeting, you guessed it, psychics. Marvelous! 

The Crossing, Joy Nash

Number six in the Immortals series, this has a 4 average from 1,200 reviews, and was published in 2008. A Celtic demi-god rock star has to start taking life more seriously, when someone makes an attempt on the life of a fae child in his care, and involves a protagonist named "Artemis," who appears to be some kind of witch. 

The Phantom of the Bathtub, Eugenia Riley

Out of all of the books on this list, it has one of the lowest number of ratings - 3.46  average out of 246 total - and I'm willing to blame at least part of that on the jaw-droppingly hideous cover. Published in 2006, this is the one that I've been cheekily summarizing as "Everyone in this haunted house wants to kiss me," as a recently moved-in tenant battles out a love triangle involving not only the mysterious hunk next door, but the ghost of a sweet-talker who lurks inside her bath. Updated info for this read on Goodreads also promises ghosts in the square, a werewolf in the garden, an axe-slashing woman, a knife-wielding houseboy, and many more. 

Servant: the Acceptance, L. L. Foster

The second of its series, this read has a 3.87 out of only 511 ratings on Goodreads, and was published in 2008. This is one of the two books involving angels in this box, but at first glance, appears to be the eminently less readable one: a "God warrior" angel is sent to Earth, to serve as protection for streetwalkers, and comes face-to-face with the only person who makes this celestial being feel "human": a detective named Luther Cross. Heavy handed names aside - Grabielle as a riff on Gabriel, the dual gut punch of both "Luther" and "Cross" - one of the worst things about it, is the terrible cover. 

Nico, Sarah Castile

Remember the one I said wasn't even a Paranormal Romance? This is it! Though with a darkened, tattooed six pack on the cover, I think it's fine to make a mistake. It has a 3.94 out of 2,600 ratings, and was only published four years ago, and follows a Las Vegas mob king who falls for a girl from a rival crime family. Not vampires, but still sounds decent! 

All I Want for Christmas is a Vampire, Kerrelyn Sparks

How topical, for something that was a Christmas present! The fifth installment in the delightfully named Love at Stake series, this title carries an impressive 4.22 out of 12.6K reviews on Goodreads, especially because it was published back in 2008. This story involves not only a vampire-hating heroine, but a reverse bodyguard trope, a best friend stuck in a psych ward, and desperate attempts to prove that the vampire population is real to a deeply apathetic police force. 

Dangerous Tides, Christine Feehan

The fourth in a series about the Drake sisters - a magical family full of inherited gifts - this installment is rated a 4.3 out of 5, with 11.5K reviews, which I feel like is a pretty good showing for this list. It was published in 2008, and the sister in question has been blessed with the ability to heal people, which is pretty in keeping with the concept of water, and the title of the novel. As an overall concept, it's pretty tame compared to some of the others on this list. 

The Empath, Bonnie Vanek

The only other werewolf book on this list, this title is ranked a 3.48 with 431 reviews, and was published in 2007 as the first of its series. It plays into the classic romance trope of "fated mates," with a werewolf seeking out his mate, an empath, in order to bring her home and strengthen the pack from which he was recently ousted. The mate, in a wonderful play to type, is a veterinarian. 

The Summoning, Heather Graham

While the cover looks a lot more like a Suspense / Thriller than a real Paranormal Fantasy, it is - I kid you not - the 27th in its series, from the Krewe of Hunters. Set in Savannah, this book follows a woman living in a haunted bed-and-breakfast, who routinely holds seances as entertainment for guests, and really, shouldn't she know better, then? It was published only last year, and is rated as a 4.08 with around 1,700 reviews. 

My Fair Succubi, Jill Myles 

The third in its series with a 4.1 out of 1.4K rating, this was published in 2010, and while other books on this list feature love triangles, this one is a doozy: a succubus has to chose between a fallen angel named Noah, and her old vampire master, named Zane. We'll see how this one plays, though word-correct would have me mention here that "succubus" is the appropriate solitary form for the being, while "succubi" would suggest a plurality. 

Midnight Lover, Rosemary Laurey

Number five in a series, with a 3.9 rating out of only 298 reviews, published in 2007. Not a lot that's promising from those stats alone... until you read a little of the material. "Dark Falls, Oregon"? Getting better. A heroine who's "a reporter out for a hot story" while working in a paranormal organization, and a vampire CEO who doesn't trust her? We're almost there. Just straight up putting the words "vampire corporate espionage" on the back cover might have been a better selling point. 

The Portal, Sharon Pope 

The 33rd installment in the Silhouette Shadows line, but not a part of any series, this book has a 3 rating, right on the target, out of only 10 reviews... which should be expected, being that it was published in 1994. While the date excuses the nearly-awesome cover, it definitely doesn't the subject matter, as an archaeologist excavating a "Navaho" site lets loose a "shadow man" spirit from the other side, named Zakoura Kree. It's not worth it getting into everything wrong with that description, when it's only what we know from the outside cover... though I'm willing to guess that what's inside is probably worse. 

How to Lose an Extraterrestrial in 10 Days, Susan Grant

This installment is the third in its series, with a 3.99 rating out of only 514 reviews, and was published in 2007, which explains every artistic choice represented on the cover. These choices appear to have gotten much better over time, in what I can judge from a quick Google Image search... which is also how I learned that this book was repackaged for Amazon just this past year as Cyborg and the Single Mom. (You go get that ebook money, Susan Grant!) This book follows an ex-evil fugitive cyborg hiding out on earth, and the single suburban mother who keeps his presence a secret. In the words of my brother, "It sounds like she really knows her audience."

Minion, L. A. Banks

The first in its series, with a 3.45 out of 6,000 review, this book was published in 2004. If I could give you a truly insane five-word summary of one of the books on this list, it would be this one, and the response I'd give you is "spoken word artist vampire hunter," as that is the occupation of our heroine. Whether or not she's any good at either career path is something we'll have to find out. 

Hostage to Pleasure, Nalini Singh

There were two names on this list that made me do a double take, because they're easily recognizable for fans of Romance, and this was one of them... which makes sense, because despite the fact that this book was published in 2008, it was already the fifth in its series, and when you search her name on Goodreads, there are seven full pages of results. It has a 4.19 out of 5 stars, with 28K reviews under its belt, making this one of the more popular titles on this list, and follows two rival alien species from different planets: one, a psychic being who's been enslaved with a neural implant, and the other, a leopard shifter. There is only so much more I can say about the cover materials about this book before someone's brain is going to explode. 

The Darkest Lie, Gena Showalter 

The other name on this list that seriously set off my "I know you" radar, this is the sixth in its series, published in 2010, with a 4.29 rating out of 5 stars, with over 33.9K ratings to back those numbers up. Far and away, this is the closest on this list I'm going to get to a "guaranteed enjoyable" read... which is weird, when you consider how out-of-the-box this concept is: a keeper of the demon of lies, Gideon, is "forced to his knees in agony" whenever he speaks the truth, but can tell when other people are acting false, which makes it pretty weird when a woman he's never met, claiming to be a demon-possessed immortal and his long-lost wife, turns up. (And in case you're wondering about Showalter's current title numbers, her Goodreads page claims she's written over 70 books, and I'm inclined to believe her.) 

At his insistence, I then proceeded to rank-order the entire lot. 

Here's how they ended up stacking up, just after a first-glance-peek and a little Internet recon. Top line is "Excited," middle is "Ambivalent," and bottom level is "Less than Stoked." (I would make it "Less than Stoker-ed," but again, rather a dearth of vampire books in this set.) 

Any chance you've read any of the titles from within this collection? Which do you think I should pick up first? Let me know, in the comments below!

I Can't Believe It's 2020 and I'm Doing a Christmas Haul

Okay, okay, I know what you might be thinking: this feels a little gauche, doesn't it? You would think I would know better than to brag about the material possessions I was gifted - through the generosity, love, and family time of Christmas - especially in this, the flaming trash heap that has been 2020. 

Particularly because I haven't even managed to come up with enough regular, non-haul blogposts this year, either. You've barely gotten a glimpse at what I've been reading, let alone what I've been adding to my bookshelves! (To be fair, though, that kind of imbalance between reading and purchasing has been another constant of my 2020, too.) 

Might as well duck my head, stay a swift course, and head towards the horizon of the new year with as little fanfare as possible. Might as well keep my mouth shut until the slate is wiped clean again. 

Or... I could just tell you. 

Hang the consequences! I got cool new stuff, and I want to tell you about it! Especially because as you might have guessed, a lot of them are books. And isn't that what you kind folks are here for, anyways? 

(Plus, a lot of them were thrifted. You'll see in a minute.) 

From Sibling #1, the List Detective: Vintage Cooking and Back to Kitchen Basics  

My eldest sibling - the closest in age to me - really honed in on one of the top requests from my list: the long-sought, difficult-to-find An Everlasting Meal, from Tamar Adler. Hardcover editions of this book are practically considered modern collectibles, and I've been searching for a paperback copy to call my own since I read it for the first time last December, and my sister absolutely came through. I screamed when I opened it, and I'm already considering making it a top entry on my TBR for 2021. 

On top of that, she also picked up another request from my Christmas list, which had a pretty large focus on the intersections of agriculture, sustainability, economic responsibility, and more, so she grabbed The Good Food Revolution, by Will Allen (with Charles Wilson). Both of these titles were purchased from Powell's in Portland - one of the top bookish meccas I've missed in the past year of sheltering at home - which was basically just a gift in itself, as well. 

The place she really outdid herself, though, was in a set of books she didn't even have to pay for: Thoughts for Food, Thoughts for Buffets, and Thoughts for Festive Foods, all claimed off a "give away" stack at her girlfriend's grandmother's house. They don't contain pictures - they barely contain anything other than instructions! - but they're definitely vintage, based on the copyright stamp, as well as the fact that I can find next to no information about them online anywhere. 

From Sibling #2, the Thrifter: Value Village Superhaul 

My second youngest sibling - one who also gifted me a cute set of tortoiseshell earrings, a green frog-shaped candle, and an amber glass baking dish - felt that their present could be beefed up a little by the addition of some Value Village-sourced cookbooks, too. To be fair, I adore vintage cookbooks (as you might have surmised from this list), and the ones they picked up held a bit of surprise. 

The Chocolate Collection is really something akin to a Taste of Home cookbook, if they had partnered with M&Ms for a full third of it. While some of the recipes inside are frustratingly, well, full of M&Ms, some of them - like those for homemade pudding, no bake pies, and fanciful cheesecakes - definitely seem promising. 

They also picked up a near-perfect copy of Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukin's seminal work The Silver Palate cookbook, which is honestly a real find, and would have made for a great present, if only they hadn't fallen into the classic pitfall of knowing someone's taste perfectly: I already have a copy! Thankfully, my mom doesn't, so the cookbook has been dutifully added to her shelves, too. 

The real exciting addition to this present, though, was in the inclusion of a cookbook I've never even heard of before: The Margaret Rudkin Pepperidge Farm Cookbook. I quickly realized, upon doing a little research, that the fact I had no idea what it was, was pretty embarrassing on my part. Not only was it the first cookbook to ever make the New York Times best-seller list, but it is widely considered a classic cookbook of the '60s. The founder of the Pepperidge Farm line of supermarket staples - like Goldfish, Milano cookies, and what was, in the '50s, the first refrigerated puff pastry offered on the market - uses this healthy tome as a sort of cookbook-cum-memoir, detailing her life and culinary experiences, including a chapter on cooking from "vintage" cookbooks herself! 

From Mom and Dad (and also myself): an "Aspirational Farmer" stack 

It's the classic mom-and-dad conundrum: what do you get your kids for Christmas... especially when you've got four of them, all in their adult years? The appropriate answer, I think, is to give them carte blanche on at least a couple of their presents. This is always an especially good idea when it comes to books, as it allows for the present-receiver to unwrap their own deliberate selections... as well as source them from the most cost-responsible retailers possible. All it takes is an hour or two surfing Book Outlet, and voila: a stack of books for your kid for Christmas, for under $30. Everybody wins! 

So, thank you, Mom and Dad, for this exciting new selection of reads, pretty much dedicated to the small patch of land I keep in our backyard, whose reinvigoration I am already looking forward to in April. The titles I picked out: 

Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer, Novella Carpenter

The New Farm: Our Ten Years on the Front Lines of the Good Food Revolution, Brent Preston 

The Everything Backyard Farming Book, Neil Shelton

Grow What You Love: 12 Plant Food Families to Change Your Life, Emily Murphy 

Grow Cook Eat, Willi Galloway

The one small outlier on this list, is a different sort of mental focus, but still in keeping along the same vein: Good and Cheap: Eat Well on $4 a Day, by Leanne Brown. I originally heard about this book on an episode of the Dinner Sisters podcast this Fall, and really loved not only the recipes highlighted from the book itself, but also, the message behind the publication: Brown developed the concept during her Masters in Food Policy at Brown, and it was written in order to provide a free PDF of nutritional inspiration for those on very tight budgets, particularly the SNAP program of food stamp benefits. After the free download became a viral sensation, the print run was funded primarily through a successful Kickstarter project, with every purchase making another available to a family in need. It became the #1 cookbook ever funded on Kickstarter, and then quickly progressed to a New York Times bestseller during its second print run. In total, according to Leanne Brown's website, "over 96,000 printed copies of Good and Cheap to people in need," and "have also sold more than 115,000 copies" to low-income family groups and organizations "at huge discount." 

From my Younger Brother, the Reader: Filling in Some Blank Shelf Space... in a Big Way 

Earlier in 2020 - shortly after Covid shuttered his senior year of high school early, which also brought an end to the typical seven-to-ten hours a day he spent there - I finally relinquished a bit of a grasp on my bookshelves, and decided that it was time to let my then-18-year-old brother try his hand at reading some Tamora Pierce. 

What I didn't expect, was how quickly he'd make his way through her entire canon... including, surprisingly, the books of hers I'd never actually wound up reading myself. 

One of such series was the Alanna books, her first of their kind in the Tortall Universe. While I'd originally tried to read them in my early twenties, I did so only after I'd already fallen in love with Kel, Ali, and Beka... and unfortunately, it was pretty difficult to get into her earlier works, when I'd been reading so much more of her contemporary series. So, I passed on the rest of them, and simply contented myself to rereading Beka Cooper: Terrier for the sixth or seventh time. 

This did not work for my brother, who very quickly thereafter, insisted on filling out the rest of my collection for me, bestowed with the promise that I'd do my best to quickly catch up "to his level." I can't tell you exactly how I felt in having my eight-years-younger brother call me a "fake fan" of one of my longest literary obsessions, but it wasn't great, and I'm looking forward to reading as much Pierce as I can in the new year. 

While the Alanna books were a welcome collection to add to my already-bursting shelves, they also weren't the only reads my brother thought it was important to give me for Christmas. Not when another one of the requests on my list looked so alluring, too. 

You might have seen one of these boxes floating around on BookTube earlier this year: a collection of twenty titles, purchased wholesale from a warehouse of backlisted mass-market-paperback romance novels, for about $25. Who could resist such temptation, right? Especially, of course, when you would get to choose the theme of what came inside the box, too. 

But there's a lot more information for that one to come later... mainly because I'm still mentally processing all of the abs on these covers, myself. So hang on for a couple of days, and I'll give you an update, on how exactly I reacted when I saw that my brother had bought me a box of twenty backlisted Paranormal Fantasy romance novels. 

What fun reads did you find under your tree? Got any cool plans for any giftcards you got? Let me know, in the comments below!

Joy to the Shelf: A Quick Holiday Bookish Haul, and Bookish Gifts I Gave my Family!

The holidays have come and passed, and with them, have arrived plenty of new books to fill my shelves! Thankfully, I was in the position to do the same for others, and boy, did I make the most of that opportunity. Care to hear what Santa placed underneath my tree, and what I gift-wrapped for others? Then read on!

what I got 

Becoming, Michelle Obama
I picked this title up with my mom within the first week of November, which is what has made it absolute torture to see spotted across the various desks and Instagram pages of my friends. Now that I've finally gotten my hands on it, it's going to be one of my first reads of 2019!

Around the World in 72 Days and Other Works, Nellie Bly
As someone who believed they'd be going into newspaper for the majority of their high school career, I grew up as a huge fan of the talented and intrepid Nellie Bly, who not only helped carve a place for women in journalism, but changed public perception about everything from world travel, to mental health facilities. (There's actually a Drunk History segment about that second part!). I'm excited to finally get to read a collection of her writings for myself!

Kitchen Confidential, Anthony Bourdain
When the passing of the late, great Bourdain earlier this year hit everyone so hard, one of the most frequent things I saw online was people sharing passages from the works he's created, be it his show, or this seminal culinary memoir. My mom had read the book before, but unfortunately gave away her copy, which is why I'm glad to have one of my own to read.

Over the Garden Wall: Distillatoria, Jonathan Case and Jim Campbell
Actually the only surprise on this list - I had picked out all of the others for myself! - this comic book was purchased by my Dad, who grew to love the series, when we watched it with him this past Halloween season. My sister and I got matching books, while my brother got a different one, and we're all excited to read them, and swap, to see how the characters we enjoy so much have continued onwards.

2019 Day Designer Daily Planner in "Climbing Floral" and planning supplies 
Naturally, I could never start a new year, without yet another iteration of my beautiful, beloved daily planner! Expect another "Just Planning Things" post on this topic sooner after 2019 hits.

Paddywax Library candle in "Jane Austen" 
Smells like gardenia, tuberose, jasmine... as well as social miscommunication, judgmental elderly female relatives, and empire waists!

Powell's Books Mug 
Something else you should be expecting to see on my Instagram very soon... and again... and again...

100 Essential Reads "Millenials" Scratch-Off Book poster
I had bemoaned to my sister how much I enjoy the concept of bookish scratch-off posters, but couldn't fully get behind them, because they leaned a little too heavy towards the "straight, white, male" author side of things, and weren't wholly reflective of what kinds of books existed in the world. This "Millenial" version - charting notable books between the years 2000 and 2016 fixes that issue!

what I gave

my sister, delaney
My celebrity and culture-obsessed younger sister was an obvious recipient for one of my favorite reads of 2017, All the Lives I Want: Essays About My Best Friends Who Happen to Be Famous Strangers, by Alana Massey. She also loves memoirs and humor books, too, which is why I decided to take up a friend's recommendation of Kanye West Owes Me $300 & Other Stories from a White Rapper Who Almost Made it Big, by Jensen Karp. 







my sister, madeline
A theater student, I knew one of the titles I'd be buying her as soon as I read the title Drama High: The Incredible True Story of a Brilliant Teacher, a Struggling Town, and the Magic of Theater, by Michael Sokolove. She also has aspirations of moving to Disneyland and becoming a character performer in the park shows - because she's a collegiate, and who doesn't dream of those sorts of things when you're in college? - so to fill her thirst for contemporary Disney drama, I picked up Keys to the Kingdom: How Micheal Eisner Lost His Grip, by Kim Masters, which I was glad to see she's already started reading!




my mama 
Nothing makes my mama excited quite like the promise of a good food memoir, especially if it's centered around her dream retirement place, which made In a French Kitchen: Tales and Traditions of Everyday Home Cooking in France, by Susan Herrmann Loomis, an easy choice. And over the past year or so, my mom has made a point of bringing up one of her favorite observational humorists of all time, Erma Bombeck, so I trekked my way down to Powell's bookstore in Portland to pick up a compendium of her works, too, in the form of Forever, Erma, by Erma Bombeck. 

What books did you pick up this holiday season? Did you give books as presents this year? Let me know, in the comments below!

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten MORE of My Favorite Halloween Children's Reads

Three years ago, I rang in the Top Ten Tuesday Halloween blogpost by talking about the many, many children's books we pile onto our coffee table every major holiday, and sorted through my Top Ten, in order to give you a glimpse at what's there. But that was so long ago, and so much has changed since then...

That's why for today's Top Ten "Halloween Freebie," I decided to tell you about even more options for my favorite spooky-but-relatively-tame reads for kiddos! 

1. How to Make Friends with a Ghost, Rebecca Green
Equal parts sweet and spooky, and surprisingly earnest, this adorably illustrated children's book became a recent favorite last year.

2. and 3. Disney Parks' The Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean sing-along books
Being that I've had the words to "Grim Grinning Ghosts" and "Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me)" down pat since approximately the age of 5, you'd think these additions to the family lineup wouldn't impress me too much. However, these reads - which you can only get from the Parks - are not only colorfully illustrated, with plenty of jokes included just for Disney superfans, but come complete with a CD so your little monster can listen along with the book!

4. The Dark, Lemony Snicket
A sweet, short, and charmingly-illustrated story about a boy learning how to share his house with an unexpected guest: the dark.

5. The Adventures of the Princess and Mr. Whiffle: The Thing Beneath the Bed, Patrick Rothfuss
Fans of Fantasy juggernaut Patrick Rothfuss will surely be pleased with this simple collection of short, cliff-hanger packed stories about the Princess, and her stuffed teddy bear, Mr. Whiffle. Guaranteed there will be at least plot twist you don't see coming!

6. Frankenstein: A Monstrous Parody, Ludworst Bemonster
A riff on the family favorite Madeline series, this take on the classic "twelve little girls in two straight lines" follows the escapades of little nightmares, rather than Parisian schoolgirls. The illustrations are cute, the rhymes are simple, and these misbehaving monsters might just make for the perfect Halloween bedtime story!

7. The Wicked, Wicked Ladies in the Haunted House, by Mary Chase
This one might be geared more for middle grade readers, but the vintage copy we have - from my mom's own childhood - has been sitting on our coffee table for what feels like forever. Move aside, Roald Dahl's The Witches... this is the vision in my head as to what those foes look like.

8. and 9. Tales from the Haunted Mansion, Volume One: The Fearsome Foursome and Volume Two: Midnight at Madame Leota's, Amicus Arcane
I was always a fan of middle grade short-form horror, and these books fall squarely in line with exactly the sort of things that would have interested me as a kid. Divided up into short stories, these tales - set inside and around the Haunted Mansion itself - have been an unexpected favorite to pick up on Disney vacations. (And apparently there's a third volume out now... guess we have to go back!)

10. The Art and Making of ParaNorman, by Jed Alger
Okay, so technically this isn't a Halloween book... mainly because I keep it out on my coffee table in my room year round! ParaNorman isn't just one of my favorite Halloween movies, but one of my favorite movies, period, and this fun and informative tome detailing aspects of its creation is obviously one, too.

What's in YOUR Top Ten? Let me know, in the comments below!

My OcTBR : My Inspo for Reading During the Spooky Season (Free Printable!)

Every major holiday, I make a countdown poster for my family, in order to keep track of how we're celebrating - especially in movie form - over the course of the season. I've made them as a part of our Christmas preparations for the past three years, but last year was the first time I made one to celebrate Halloween... and not only did it go over well, but people were so interested in it, that I figured I might do something a little different, this year, too!

Because various friends kept asking last year if I had a version to share, I decided that before I completed coloring in my 2018 Halloween Movie Countdown, I would actually use the Notes section of my iPhone, to scan it into a shareable JPG format. I upped the Brightness and Saturation levels, so that the lines would become thicker and more translucent, and boom! I had a shareable, traceable, printable of my Halloween Countdown!

On the countdown - which is themed like a spooky wall in a hallway, covered in various picture frames - there are 20 blank spaces into which you can write or draw whatever you'd like. If you don't need that many empty spaces, you can fill in the extra as you please (like I did), or, if you need more, you can add in frames in the spaces beyond... and because you're inking things in yourself, it will totally blend in! For instance, if you're not too into the movie countdown idea, you can simply add in 11 more frames, and make a countdown of days to Halloween instead!

And to accommodate everyone's different preferences, I blanked out the section in the title where I had written "Movie," in anticipation of something else I had in mind...

While my Movie Countdown is proudly displayed on the pantry door in our kitchen, I customized my little personal printable version to fit into my Book Journal, as a personal OcTBR lineup of sorts! 20 frames is a lot of books to try and tackle in one month - even if some of them are favorites pulled from the stack of themed children's books in our living room - so I'm using it as more of a source of inspiration, than an actual countdown.

Some of the titles included are old faves - like the Diviners series, from Libba Bray, which I'm trying to reread, so that I can mentally catch up with the latest installment, Before the Devil Breaks You, before I read that, too - while some are somehow even older faves (like all of R. L. Stine's Fear Street double feature re-releases I've been saving to read all summer!). Others, like Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, or Mark Z. Danielewski's House of Leaves, are some longer creepy reads that I might not want to read all the way through, but which might be worth dusting off and leafing through over the course of the month. From Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," to a favorite illustrated version of Mary Howitt's classic poem, "The Spider and the Fly," I've got quite a lot to choose from when it comes to enjoying spooky seasonal fare.

In addition, in between the frames, I wrote in various ideas I had for perfect Fall and Halloween themed #bookstagram photos, in case I need any kinds of inspiration in that category, too!

So, naturally, I want to make sure all my blogging friends can share in the fun: you can download your own version of my printable, too, and use it as either a source of bookish inspiration, use it to countdown Halloween favorites like my family, or do whatever you'd like! Just, you know, if you do, let me know about it: leave a comment down below with the deets on how you plan on using it, or tag me in any Instagram posts you make with my bookstagram profile, @playinginthepages! 

What's on your OcTBR this Halloween season? Did you download my printable? Let me know, in the comments below!