Welcome, Welcome to #SpooktasticReads Year II
Happily visit my lovely co-hosts:
+ Imyril @ There’s Always Room for One More
In Autumn [2017], you might remember I conceived of this idea to re-start my readings into the spooktacular worlds of chilling Thrillers, Suspense, Mysteries and the Paranormal (with just a dash of love for Cosy Horror!) – wherein I conceived of spending a fortnight reading such lovelies and enjoying a personal readathon leading into Halloween! I fell a bit short of my goals in [2017], though I took it as a success – as not only did I read some rather spookified tales but I found myself wholly intrigued by the stories I was selecting to read!
Last year [2018], I helped name our first mini-event for #WyrdAndWonder – wherein I was hoping to let this small idea I had in [2017] take flight, reach a bigger audience and find readers who might find their own definition of #SpooktasticReads befitting their own readerly life!
Some of the stories of course play the theme up quite a bit for the spookier side of the genres, some of which may or may not directly (or indirectly) relate to Fantasy per se but this is one of those readathons which is open to both interpretation and the joy of having free reign to enjoy the readathon in a way each reader wants to approach it!
A Spooktastic reading binge for Psychological Suspense & Gothic Tales!
Autumn for me is a time in the year where I simply like to read a curated collection of stories which fall under different categories of mutual interest: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Gothic or Paranormally inclined and Cosy Horror.
This year [2019] as I co-host my own mini-event celebrating the 13 days leading into Halloween with #SpooktasticReads – I am going to be focusing on two equally dynamic concentrations: #WitchyReads & Ghost Stories! I noticed I have quite a gathering of both – they both parlay into the heart of #SpooktasticReads but also, the fact that when it comes to #SpookyReads in general – these are the two concentrations I have the tendency of seeking out the most! I have the added benefit and joy of being able to focus on narrators I love listening too whilst knocking off a few of my backlogue reviews!
If other book bloggers or readers want to join us, please link to your blog, Twitter, LibraryThing List or other ‘space’ online where you are updating about what your reading – such as Instagram or Vlog (YouTube) in the Comments section below!
Use the tag: #SpooktasticReads & link back to this post – as I will happily be sharing what your doing for this lovely #WyrdAndWonder mini-event! Plus, I love hearing what others are reading in case something they discover would be a good fit for me as well!
This year I decided to try a NEW Bingo Card – sometime during August, 2019 I stumbled across the bookish.com Book Bingo Cards as they were revealling the Anniversary Book Bingo Card. I decided to spend the next twelvemonth concentrating on their Bingo Cards + the Anniversary Bingo Card (which I’ll begin from Jan-Dec 2020) as a new method of encouraging my readerly wanderings as I’m finding bingo cards &/or monthly readathons + readalongs are more my jam than seriously HUGE challenges like Pop Sugar and/or the Category Challenge via LibraryThing. Happily we’re allowed to download and use these bingo cards via bookish.com!
Squares I’m hoping to ‘knock’ off the card this year:
IF you see a title before the square is crossed off it is because
I am projecting that particular story will count for the square its marked against!
- Protagonist has a cat Go for the Juggler
- A spell goes wrong The Black Talisman
- A Book that scared you Kill Shot
- Set in a Magical world Anni Moon
- Set in a Haunted House The Haunting of Hillwood Farm
- Protagonist is non-human or half-human Irrelephant Omens
- Starts with a Murder Death on the River (see also review)
- A debut Horror book The Visitors
We shall see how well I do, eh?
I might even have more squares to knock off as I’m reading!
on my #SpooktasticReads TBR:
Go for the Juggler (Magical Midway, No4) by Leanne Leeds
Irrelephant Omens (Magical Midway, No5) by Leanne Leeds
Anni Moon: The Elemental Artifact by Melanie Abed
The Black Talisman by Richard Storry, narrated by Jake Urry
The Ghosts of Wonky Inn (Wonky Inn, No2) by Jeannie Wycherley, narrated by Kim Bretton
Catching A Witch by Heidi Eljarbo
Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women & Witchcraft by Tess Sharpe,
narrated by Amy McFadden
During #WyrdAndWonder 2019 (Year II), I happily began reading the Magical Midway series – wherein, I found a rather curiously compelling character in Charlotte. I was appreciating my journey into her life & world – reading three of her tales: The Witchest Circus on Earth (book one); Life on the Lion (book two) & Unbearable Magic (book three). I dearly wanted to read the next two in sequence: Go for the Juggler (book four) & Irrelephant Omens (book five) but those 5x migraines took a serious toll on me throughout *May!* I had to ::push:: forward my continued readings of this series and sadly, despite wanting to read them over the Summer months, I realised I needed to await Autumn to re-settle into a series I’ve loved reading!
Technically speaking – when I first began to consider what I wanted to read for #SpooktasticReads 2019, I had no clue I’d be focusing on #WitchyReads, Ghost Stories & Thrillers! Sometimes things simply work out!
I had begun my readings for “Anni Moon” during #WyrdAndWonder as well – whereas “The Black Talisman” is a new discovery of mine in the days leading into #SpooktasticReads! The premise itself is about how witches get themselves into a heap of trouble when they attempt to do something they never ought to have attempted! When it comes to listening to audiobooks narrated by Jake Urry – look no further than my Short List for Favourite Audiobook Narrators to see whose at the top of the List itself! Not to mention the fact, I happen to love how Richard Storry crafts Historical Fantasy Suspense novels if you consider I’ve previously loved “The Cryptic Lines” & “A Looming of Vultures”.
I had the pleasure of listening to the first Wonky Inn novel wherein not only did I discover a new narrator (Kim Bretton) I would love to listen too but I would find an author who has a delish Witchy styling I can sink my teeth into and still walk away hungry for more! IF your into #WitchyReads and want a lovely heroine at the heart of the story who will capture your heart, imagination & give you a burst of giggles – look no further than the continuing adventures of Alf!
“Catching A Witch” is a book I came to find whilst seeking out new blog tours to host towards the end of the year with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours: this is actually the novel which predates the current release by this author. Never one to miss the chance to become introduced to an author’s vision and/or style of crafting a continuous series – I requested reading this one before “Trailing the Hunter”.
The final selection of this category is actually an accidental find on #Scribd when I was browsing late one night seeking stories to add to my audiobook TBR! Even the sampler of this one sounded wicked lovely and that is why I’ve added it to my readerly list!
A selection off my backlogue:
I’ve been wanting to read this series since [2015] – the key issue was finding copies of the stories available to borrow via my libraries. This year, I found an audiobook copy for the first novel was available to borrow and the second novel is available on audiobook via Scribd. This allowed me to finally begin the series and move closer towards reading the third – which I received for review consideration during #SRC2015.
The Witch of Little Italy by Suzanne Palmieri, narrated by Cassandra Campbell
→ The Witch of Belladonna Bay by Suzanne Palmieri, narrated by Cris Dukehart, Johanna Parker & Hillary Huber
→ The Witch on Bourbon Street by Suzanne Palmieri
If you’re getting your #WitchyReads on this #SpooktasticReads be sure to let me know what your reading &/or listening to during the readathon!
on my #SpooktasticReads TBR:
The Soft Whisper of Dreams by Christina Courtenay, narrated by Jenny Funnell
The Velvet Cloak of Moonlight by Christina Courtenay
The Haunting of Hillwood Farm by Kathryn Knight, narrated by Kristin James
The Visitors by Rebecca Mascull
(not reading, spotlighting about why its not my cuppa)
The Tesla Gate by John D. Mimms, narrated by Jake Urry
Beyond by Catina Haverlock & Angela Larkin
Unexpected Texas by Tui Snider (Non-Fiction)
I began reading the time shift [Shadows of the Past] series by Christina Courtney several years ago – “A Silent Touch of Shadows” is the first novel and I was able to read the sequel “The Secret Kiss of Darkness” before there was a bit of a gap in time before I was able to acquire the audiobook for “The Soft Whisper of Dreams” via Audible. The fourth novel in this series was a gift from the author and I wanted to read the third before it whilst coupling my readings of both novels together. This #SpooktasticReads the timing felt right to dive back into the unread selections I have for ChocLitUK as I am no longer a reviewer of theirs and am reading the stories on my own as I have a few faovurite authors who are still in their catalogue of offerings. Quite a few have moved on to new publishers but I still have unread stories which are left behind with ChocLit. Most of those are part of series I’ve begun in the past, like the case here with Shadows of the Past! This is one of two series I want to focus on for Ms Courtenay before [2019] concludes – the second of course is her Kinross trilogy.
“The Haunting of Hillwood Farm” was a selection I was on pins listening to initially but soon found it to be wicked intriguing! I ended up needing to post a Spotlight about the audiobook and always meant to return back to listening to it. This is another story where migraines & life interrupted my plans! I felt it would be brilliant to bring it into the readathon as it has all the Gothic Suspense elements you want to seek out for a #SpookyReads readathon like #SpooktasticReads!!
Despite my earnest attempts at reading “The Visitors” these past Halloween’s – I’ve found myself unable to reside inside this world. I wanted to get invested into the story but for whichever reason, I am simply finding this novel isn’t my cuppa and this year I am letting ‘go’ of the guilt that that is the truth of the matter. Ever have a book you desire to read and you keep attempting to read it until you finally realise – why am I doing this? It just wasn’t meant to be! Oyy. I’ll be spotlighting this novel during the readthon and talking about what happened as I read it whilst hoping to help new readers find it who feel it is a better fit for their readerly lives.
I am truly excited about finally listening to “The Tesla Gate” as this is one of those stories where it can have two different interpretations depending on how you enter into it! I love stories which give the reader some girth of choice – are they ghosts or are they spirits? Is there something else going on entirely? This is definitely an entry for the paranormally curious reader who simply wants to take the journey no matter what is found in the end – ghost or spirit and appreciate the adventure which ensued as they read!
“Beyond” is a wicked good selection to run parallel to “The Tesla Gate” as is about a particular kind of haunting and the curious space between life & death. I am going to appreciate reading these two back-to-back whilst seeking out a few Non Fiction titles which also parlay into that curious space where the living and the dead blur the lines between our known reality and the vast unknown which resides just outside our view.
“Unexpected Texas” is the second selection by Tui Snider I wanted to anchour into my #HalloweenReads a few years ago. I previously read “Paranormal Texas” and this is a continuation of Non-Fiction in that particular vein of interest where you can take-on the paranormal in unexpected places where the paranormal can literally touch your life!
If #GhostStories are your jam this #SpooktasticReads be sure to let me know what your reading &/or listening to during the readathon!
*Bonus Selections*
which befit #SpooktasticReads:
Cradle to Grave (Kay Hunter series, No8) by Rachael Amphlett,
narrated by Alison Campbell
Never Let Go (Uncommon Justice, No1) by Elizabeth Goddard
Desert Remains (Gus Parker & Alex Mills, No1) by Steven Cooper
→ Dig Your Grave (Gus Parker & Alex Mills, No2) by Steven Cooper
→ Valley of Shadows (Gus Parker & Alex Mills, No3) by Steven Cooper
The Lost History Of Dreams by Kris Waldherr,
narrated by Fiona Hardingham and Matthew Lloyd Davies
The Library of Light & Shadow (Daughter of La Lune, No3) by M.J. Rose,
narrated by Sherry Baines
I have been cautiously hopeful we might get the wicked sweet news of a Kay Hunter novel arriving before year’s end and/or within the early months of 2020 – never would have suspected I’d be in a position to listen to the 8th #KayHunter for #SpooktasticReads nor able to cross-celebrate it on the blog tour through Audiobookworm Promotions! As you will note on the tour schedule, I originally thought I would only be able to spotlight it! I am so dearly attached inside the Kay Hunter dramatic crime series, I simply ache for more stories to re-reside in the world to see how everything might resolve as there are a lot of moving parts of this series by the pen and mind of Rachel Amphlett! You can browse through my archives for the series and see if you can add this to your #nextreads! I also recently featured the Kay Hunter series during #TopTenTuesday Authors who Deserve More Appreciation!
“Never Let Go” is the recent Elizabeth Goddard reading my Mum could not put down and has been encouraging me to read! She had the library purchase this in large print for herself and it is a selection I’ve been earnestly hopeful I could read soon! She’s already read several of her series via Love Inspired: Suspense (previously I have mentioned this imprint from Harlequin of being a favourite of our Mum & daughter reads!) – with this one she felt it would be a good segue into the rest of her collective works for me! I am truly excited as I’ve renewed my time with the book and it would be fittingly *AWESOME!* if I could read this during #SpooktasticReads!
The Steven Cooper novels are for review consideration – as these are from a #newtomeauthor from Seventh Street Books – the publisher I love for dramatic Crime Fiction? You might recall my admiration for Anna Blanc, Hiro Hattori, Samuel Craddock & Marjorie Trumaine? You can easily find those reviews in my archives and listed in my Story Vault! I borrowed the first two novels in the series and I have the third for review directly – I wanted to back-read the series to better understand it and for the sake of continuity as I feel this is best for all the series through Seventh Street Books. The only exception to that rule is how I approached reading the Samuel Craddock series – though in truth, I lucked out as despite the unique route those readings took me, everything merged together in the end to give me just enough continuity to ‘be on page’ with where I last intersected with Craddock!
“The Lost History of Dreams” and “The Library of Light and Shadow” were review selections from earlier in the year. I had meant to get into them but between my migraines and life in general – time simply wicked off the clock. I found that there are audiobook editions for both of these stories and I will be listening to them as sometimes when I struggle to connect inside a story, the audiobook helps unlock the narrative to where I can re-attach into the heart of the story itself.
Curiously – I’ve read the first two novels ahead of “The Library of Light and Shadow” which were the following: “The Witch of Painted Sorrows” and “The Secret Language of Stones” – yet this particular third novel is the one I’m struggling to alight inside. Unsure if she switched up her presentation of the series or if it is simply one that just wasn’t my cuppa for whichever reason.
Whilst continuing with the following from #FraterfestRAT 2019:
Death on the River (Tara Thorpe Mysteries, No2) by Clare Chase,
narrated by Lucy Brownhill
A Nest of Vipers (Ruritanian Rogues, No2) by Richard Storry, narrated by Jake Urry
Pretty Baby by Mary Kubia, narrated by Cassandra Campbell
As the Light Fades by Catherine West
Kill Shot (White Knights, No2) by Susan Sleeman, narrated by Rachel Dulude
Be sure to read my #FraterfestRAT 2019 Wrap-Up Post
to know where I am with my readings of these lovely Thrillers!
If Thrillers are the spice of your readerly life this #SpooktasticReads be sure to let me know what your reading &/or listening to during the readathon!
Which stories do you like to reside inside during those hours of the year when you want something with a bit of bite to it in your Fiction? Do you find yourself moving into Mysteries, Suspenseful Thrillers, Paranormal & Gothic stylised stories when the weather turns a bit cooler outside and Summer melts closer into Winter? What do you love most about chilling reads and atmospherically appeasing tales which give you a bit of edgy unease? When it comes to #DarkFantasy – which authors excite you!?
Of the list of stories I’m progressing through myself – what interests you?
Revised w/ links to Reviews: 25 October, 2019
{SOURCES: Tweets embedded due to codes provided by Twitter. Post dividers by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination. Horror October Bingo Card given to bloggers by Stormy who wanted to have a Bingo Card to read select stories of Horror and/or Psychological Suspense; used with permission. #SpooktasticReads banner created by Lisa (@deargeekplace) Photo Credit: Kenai Fjords National Park, United States, by Daniel H. Tong on Unsplash (used with permission). Blog graphics created by Jorie via Canva: #SpooktasticReads 2019 banner (Photo Credit: Unsplash Photographer Peter Lloyd); #WitchyReads badge, Ghost Stories badge, #JorieReads Thrillers badge and the Comment Box Banner.}
Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2019.
I’m a social reader | I tweet my readerly life:
.@wyrdandwonder *waves!* Whose ready to get their #SpooktasticReads??on this final fortnight of October!??I know, I am! Having a load of fun rounding out my announcement for my #TBR this #readathon as I'm focusing on 3x concentrations: #WitchyReads, #GhostStories & #Thrillers!
— Jorie jumps hyperspace into #SciFiMonth??? (@joriestory) October 18, 2019
.@wyrdandwonder |?#SpooktasticReads??#JorieReads more of the fantastical this October: #WitchyReads?♀️, #GhostStories & #Thrillers this fortnight as a chase-up towards Halloween?
What are your #SpookyReads?
Any #mustreads??Jorie's #readathon #TBR: https://t.co/drUzOYLH26 pic.twitter.com/BBh8RfVCnD
— Jorie jumps hyperspace into #SciFiMonth??? (@joriestory) October 18, 2019
.@WyrdAndWonder – hallo, hallo dear hearts! we're all excited here @ #SpooktasticReads? HQ – the witching hour is upon us – the moon is high in the sky & our #SpookyReads have begun officially! Let's see your #TBR posts & tell us which story are you #amreading this 1st day? (*J)
— Wyrd and Wonder (@wyrdandwonder) October 18, 2019
Comments via Twitter:
It begins! #SpooktasticReads https://t.co/aOAABW0Y9E
— imyril is blasting off for #SciFiMonth (@imyril) October 18, 2019
Toil & Trouble is certainly a great one to read during this time period. Many kind of wicked stories to find in there.
Hallo, Hallo Annemieke,
Of all the stories I was most disappointed I couldn’t get into this past October (and there were a heap!) – I was most upset about Toil & Trouble as I thought it would have been such a lovely collection of stories to curl into and they would go well with the rest of the #WitchyReads I was intending to read, too! Ohh, well. I remember seeing someone in the book blogosphere mentioning there is a Witchy Reads event coming up this Spring 2020? I can’t remember which month nor can I remember which book blogger was talking about it… *le sigh*… just hoping it is re-shared or talked about soon or I might end up missing it completely!? Oy.
Thanks for giving me a nudge of encouragement I made a good pick with this collection!