Spooky, Scary Book Tag!

Posted October 23, 2020 by Kate

hello, loves!

It’s Halloween season, which means it’s book tag time! You know I love breaking out my book tags so I have an excuse to use my Pumpkin dividers ?? I found this tag after some Googling, and thought it looked like so much fun! Thanks to Shelby @ Shelby Masako for creating this tag on YouTube!

But mostly I’m just sitting here FLAILING about how much I’m embracing Autumn and Spooky Season!! The air is definitely crisp (my cold toes and ears can confirm!) and I’ve broken out the Apple Cider ✨ I’m interested in how you would answer some of these questions differently, so definitely let me know in the comments what your answers would be, or if you’ve read (and loved!) any of these books!

 

 

What goes bump in the night?

Name a book that has legitimately scared you while reading it.

I’m not really scared while reading very often, in fact, nearly never?? I’ve definitely had those moments where I quickly pull my feet up in bed… just in case there’s something hiding underneath to snag them (LOL), but I can’t remember getting honestly scared from a book.

But the first book that came to mind was You by Caroline Kepnes. I read this one about five-ish years ago? It was one of my first psychological thrillers and this was one of those times where I looked at a book and genuinely questioned the author’s sanity ??

Perhaps that’s a compliment to her writing? It was so stalker-y and sinister and I haven’t had the heart to watch the TV show or read the sequel, because the book was so well-written… but so, so creepy ? I had a similar reaction to the Deanna Madden series, which I read the same year. The first book, The Girl in 6E, was similarly hauntingly creepy. These books are so powerful because they are definitely a reality somewhere, and that is terrifying.

 

Jack O Lanterns and Classic Costumes

A book you always reach for during Halloween time.

Besides Patricia Briggs, Ilona Andrews, and Nalini Singh – the urban fantasy holy-trinity I never stop talking about? Hmm…

Until the Sun Falls from the Sky by Kristen Ashley is a paranormal dark romance with a vampire hero. It definitely has its flaws, and Lucian, the aforementioned vampire hero, pisses me off frequently. But… it must be said, I love to hate him ? It follows Lucian and Leah, his brand-new vampire concubine, who is the only person, by vampire law, he’s allowed to feed from. Any romance between the two is strictly forbidden, but Leah isn’t aware of that rule, and Lucian takes ruthless advantage. It’s not perfect, but it’s deliciously October-cozy, and I can’t resist the October pull!

Read my review here.

Written in Red by Anne Bishop is another! It takes place in a world just like ours… except nature’s creatures decided it’s no longer okay to sit back while humans ruin the Earth, and so they take control back. Known as the terra indigne, they’re not werewolves, they’re wolves who learned to become human. Plus vampires and elementals, and a whole supernatural crew who has come out of hiding! We follow Meg, a cassandra sangue, who is a Prophet. She tells prophecy whenever she is cut or bleeds, and stumbles on a terra indigne settlement when running away from the facility she was raised in captivity in. It’s such a soft and lovely book as the whole village surrounds Meg to protect her from her curse, and it’s a must-read each October!

 

Black Cats and Magic Mirrors

A book you love that is laced with superstition and/or magic.

 

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss the Kingkiller Chronicles T5W Top Five Wednesday Books Not Inspired by the Western World on Cover to Cover Book and Blogging Blog by Kat SnarkThe Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss is surprisingly the first thing that came to mind, considering I haven’t talked about this book in a long time! I read this book a little over five years ago, and it is still one of the best-written books I’ve read. I’m absolutely obsessed with Kvothe and the world that Rothfuss created – it’s truly so intricate and immersive, it’s damn impressive!

Kvothe, the main character, is basically a little con artist as he’s trying to get an education and scrape together money. We follow him from a little boy to his time in … well, do they call it University? I don’t remember ? But it’s absolutely, absolutely fantastic, and I’ve been craving a reread lately! It’s just a chunky one, so I have to work up the courage first ??

 

Witch’s Brew

Favorite witch character in any book/series.

 

I love books featuring magic-users, but I do not read enough witch books! I’m dying to read the Kim Harrison series, but until then, I’d have to say Alex Craft, from Grave Witch by Kalayna Price! I’m not entirely caught up, but the first four books were phenomenal! It follows Alex who is a Grave Witch, meaning she can, among other things, raise a ghost’s “shade,” which is kind of like a recording of their life? A “shade” is not the soul and has no personality or anything, but can answer questions about facts of life.

Alex is a PI, and gets tangled with the Fae and others as her case ruffles feathers and puts her name in the mouths of people she’d rather stay invisible to. It’s such a fun series <3 Death is my favorite character – if that tells you anything ? Those scenes ?

 

Ghouls and Ghosts

A book that still haunts you to this day (good or bad).

 

This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab Top Ten Tuesday Series I've Been Meaning to Start But Haven't on Cover to Cover book and Blogging blog by Kat SnarkThis Savage Song by VE Schwab is one that haunts me! The idea just blows my mind every time I re-remember it, and I never read the sequel, The Dark Duet! Violin monsters? Like really?? How did she know ??? Plus Schwab writes such consistently strong female characters, and Kate is a shining example of this. Gah. The haunting continues, as it’s not on my October TBR! ? Hopefully soon…

So this book is a two-fold haunting: The fact that I loved it so much, and that I desperately need to reread it (it’s been years!) and finally read the sequel!

 

Haunted Graveyard

You’re all alone in a haunted graveyard, you get ONE book to give you comfort, which is it?

This was ridiculously hard. If you’re familiar with my book tags, you know I’m hardly ever able to answer with just ONE book. So this is a ridiculous notion *sniff* And yet… I spent some time thinking about this. Flipping all my comfort reads around. Waiting to see which one lands on the floor first (Kidding!)

Silver Silence by Nalini Singh cover to cover book blog kat snarkI’m going to go with Silver Silence by Nalini Singh for this one. This is the first book in the Psy-Changeling spinoff series, known as the Psy-Changeling Trinity series. Silver Silence, (and apologies, as my review has not dropped for this one yet,) is a book I’ve read several times! It’s part of my favorite series, for one, by my favorite author, and it follows Bear shifters. BEAR SHIFTERS! You heard correctly! They’re playful and fun and flirtatious and absolutely hilarious! 

Silver Merchant, the heroine, is icy and emotionless and has been ignoring the flirtatious onslaught of the handsome Bear Alpha Valentin for months. But then due to a situation out of her control, she’s forced to stay in his Den with his Pack, and as shit hits the fan throughout the world, barriers start to break down. It’s such a fun book, flirty, playful, and a politically-charged intrigue story, as well. It’s truly one of Singh’s best and would be a great distraction from all the tombstones if I was stuck in a graveyard ?

 

The Undead

Favorite supernatural creatures to read about (i.e. vamps, zombies, werewolves, etc).

Shifters are definitely my number one pick for this one. In fact, I created a whole post on some of my favorite shifter romances! I love how often the personalities of the animals come out into the human half – whether it’s a bear’s playfulness, a cat’s lazy dominance, or a wolf’s ruthlessness, or just flat-out the predator showing it’s stripes, it’s always such a fun time. It loosens the bonds of human etiquette and shows a story that… I don’t necessarily want to say that it’s primal, but there’s definitely fewer boundaries and a little more honest.

I also love vampires! Although admittedly… perhaps not quite as much as shifters. Sometimes, I feel like vampires are often harder to get right. I don’t want someone ancient, cool, detached, and superior… and often I feel like that’s the rep vampires get. I’m planning a post wrapping up my favorite vampire stories, and if you have any further recommendations, I’ve love to hear them!

Witches and Magic-users in general are always a huge YES for me. I love magic, it adds an element of control and chaos to every story, making it deeper, more intricate, and definitely more fun. I’ve been desperately trying to find a story about witches in college (and witches in general, tbh!) and have yet to find one, but I think that would be a badass story! “Sorry, can’t study over coffee today, I have to go stir my cauldron, collect some Eye of Newt, and study for Anatomy!” There’s a reason Return to Halloweentown is one of my favorite movies :)

 

In the dead of night

Pick a book with a black cover.

      Cover to Cover Book Blog Kat snark book blog blogger reader books bookish Rock Hard Nalini Singh favorites 5 stars

Three of my absolute favorite books ever! And three of my favorite comfort reads :) 

Wolfsong by TJ Klune is just an incredibly well-written book. I talk about it all the time, but it’s an MM friends-to-lovers PNR/urban fantasy that’s so incredibly atmospheric, moody, and emotional. I am attached to these characters like very few others and would protect this cast of characters with my life. As my favorite book/series of 2020, it put TJ Klune on my auto-buy list.

Heart of Obsidian by Nalini Singh is smack in the middle of one of my favorite series of all time, the Psy-Changeling series! It follows Kaleb Krycheck, who was a villain for a large part of the series and is absolutely ruthless to dangerous degrees. But he’s spent years trying to find a girl from his childhood, and when he finally finds her, all bets are off.

Rock Hard was my very first Nalini Singh book all those years ago – which is absolutely hilarious, as she’s known as the Queen of Urban Fantasy, and I read and fell in love with one of few contemporary novels first. Gabriel Bishop and Charlotte Baird are two of my endgame OTPs, something that’s really rare for me to declare for a contemporary novel, let alone one that I read over five years ago, let alone that it’s a standalone story. It’s so emotional and vulnerable, with Charlie overcoming some very serious abuse, and it’s still the best portrayal of an office romance I’ve read to date.

 

Trick or Treat?

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