Halloween

Halloween Creatures Book Tag

~ Holly ~ 7 Comments

BOOO! Happy Halloween, everyone! I hope you’re having a lovely day of spooky celebrations and plenty of candy corn to go around. Today I’d like to celebrate with this Halloween Creatures Book Tag. Thanks so much to Theresa @ The Calico Books for tagging me!

Witch: A magical character or book.

How could I not mention one of my favorite books? The Hobbit is magical in so many senses of the word, from setting and characters to the warm, fuzzy feeling it gives me whenever I return to its faded pages.

Werewolf: The perfect book to read at night.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte has always struck me as the ideal book to read under the covers on a dark, stormy night. Is it the eerie setting? Cruel Heathcliff? Bronte’s lyrical writing? Or a combination of them all?

Frankenstein: A book that truly shocked you.

The existence of this book shocked me. I had no idea that my favorite movie and Michael Crichton’s brilliant book Jurassic Park was inspired by The Lost World, a 1912 novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, until I found it in a bookstore one day in Oxford.

The Devil: A dark, evil character.

The Rook by Daniel O’Malley is filled with complicated, ambiguous, surprising characters who may be considered a hero one minute and evil the next. I love a great character twist!

Grim Reaper: A character that should never have died.

I think Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling goes without explanation for this prompt. So sad!

Zombie: A book that made you hungry for more.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte was the book that made me eager to read more classic literature. What would I be reading nowadays if not for my favorite genre?

Gargoyle: A character that you would protect at all costs.

I’m going to say Jim Burden from My Ántonia by Willa Cather, one of my favorite novels. Ántonia could definitely hold her own, but I’m not so sure about poor Jim…

Vampire: A book that sucked the life out of you.

I really enjoyed reading War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, but it took a long, long time. A few summers ago I read about a section a week for two months or so–splitting it up over the course of a summer definitely helped!

Ghost: A book that still haunts you.

Beloved by Toni Morrison is one of the most striking, unsettling, powerful, haunting books I have ever read. It’s a novel that stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

Demon: A book that really scared you.

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley is hilarious and witty while simultaneously terrifying. What if society goes in this direction? What does our future look like? Huxley offers a frightening example.

Skeleton: A character you have a bone to pick with.

Emma by Jane Austen was such a tedious book to read because I found so many of the characters annoying. I think it might be worth rereading someday, but for now I’m fine just watching Clueless. 

Mummy: A book you would preserve through time.

I have a strange attachment to Founding Brothers by Joseph J. Ellis. I read it for an essay in my AP United States History class during my junior year of high school and I adored it.

Creepy Doll: A cover too scary to look at.

Even the spine of The Shining by Stephen King is creepy. I remember finishing this book while staying overnight in a lodge on a mountain in January… definitely fit the mood of the book!

YOU! Since Halloween is today, I’m not quite sure if anyone will want to do this tag. But if you’d like to, definitely go for it! Happy Halloween!!

What are your answers to these prompts? What do you think of mine? Let me know in the comments section below!

Yours,

HOLLY

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Top Ten Tuesday: Scary Bookish Dilemmas

~ Holly ~ 35 Comments

Happy Tuesday!! Tis the season for all things spooky, frightful, strange… and bookish! Today is the day that ghouls, ghosts, and thrill-seeking bookworms alike have been waiting for all year: HALLOWEEN. Since this week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic is a Halloween freebie, I’ve decided to share with you all ten scary bookish dilemmas that you most definitely wouldn’t wish on the worst monster.

1. Forgetting when your library books are due.

This is one of my greatest fears at Oxford because I regularly check out SO MANY books from SO MANY different libraries.

The main library at Mansfield College, where I currently study at Oxford University.

2. Accidentally annotating/dog-earing/destroying a book that isn’t yours.

Hear me out. I love annotating, dog-earing, and physically marking up the books that I read so long as I own them; however, it’s a completely different story when a book isn’t actually mine. I’m always paranoid about accidentally highlighting a line in a library book!

3. Inadvertently buying a sequel to a book you’ve never read.

So. Many. Times. I think it should be mandated that books in series must have whatever number they are in the series on their spines.

4. Letting a friend borrow a book and never receiving it back.

We’ve all been there. It’s a scary, sad time.

I bought this edition because it was cheaper. Regrets.

5. Cover designs based on book-to-movie adaptations.

OH, THE HORROR. I’ve seen my fair share of terrible, terrible book-to-movie adaptation covers and I just want the terror to END.

6. Hating a book that was recommended to you by a friend.

It’s always sad when this happens, but fortunately it’s a pretty rare fear for me. Luckily my friends have excellent bookish tastes!

7. Pre-ordering a book to be shipped to your house in the States even though you’ll be in England when it actually arrives so you won’t be able to read it until you go back home for winter break.

This is currently my dilemma with John Green’s new book Turtles All the Way Down and all I want to do is teleport back home, grab this book, pet my dogs, and read it.

My mom sent me this photo of my book and I’ve been admiring it from afar.

8. The death of your favorite character.

There are too many examples to name, honestly. How can writers be so ruthless?

9. When you read a book thinking it’s a standalone but realize once you get to the end that it’s actually a 6-book series.

Such a large commitment, so little time. But sometimes you get so invested in the characters that you just have to keep going… and going…

10. SPOILERS.

I speak from experience, friends. Even worse than stumbling upon spoilers online is spoiling the book for yourself. *cough* Looking for Alaska *cough*

What do you think is the most frightening bookish dilemma? What do you think of the ones I’ve listed? What are you dressing up as for Halloween this year? Let me know in the comments section below!

Happy Halloween!

Yours,

HOLLY

OCTOBER 2016 | Wrap-Up

~ Holly ~ 10 Comments

june-2016

The spookiest month of the year has come to a close, and with it has come the beginning of one of my favorite months: NOVEMBER! Enough about the present, though– today I’ll be sharing a bit about what I was up to in October.
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5350384In October I read a total of 4 books:

  1. The Imagined Underworld by James Alex Garza
  2. Becoming Campesinos by Christopher Boyer
  3. Old English and its Closest Relatives by Orrin W. Robinson
  4. Crónica del desamor by Rosa Montero

Unfortunately I’ve been so busy lately that all of the books I read in October were assigned reading for my classes. My favorite book of the month was Old English and its Closest Relatives by Orrin W. Robinson because it was really interesting to see how early Germanic languages evolved and intertwined. If you’re interested in linguistics or language in general, I highly recommend it!

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If I had to sum up October in one word I would say: BUSY. From mountains of homework to longer tap dancing rehearsals and meetings for Student Senate to making decisions about courses and schedules for next semester, lately I’ve felt as though I’ve barely had enough time to eat, work, and sleep. Despite all of this chaos, I still managed to have a pretty great month! I visited my family back home over our brief October break, watched a bunch of scary movies, and had an incredibly fun Halloween weekend with my friends. (I dressed up as a hippie, if you’re wondering.) Though I’ve been feeling really stressed out lately, fun times with friends and family definitely makes it all worth it.

Also, I finally managed to watch Halloweentown, Nightmare on Elm Street, and The Shining. A lot of screaming (and laughing!) ensued, but I thoroughly enjoyed watching them!

June (2)

Here are some notable posts from my blog this past month:

How was your October? What books did you read? What fun things did you do? What did you dress up as for HALLOWEEN??? Let me know in the comments section below!

Yours,

HOLLY

Top Ten Tuesday: Books to Keep You Up At Night

~ Holly ~ 25 Comments

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BOO!!! Are you scared yet? If not, you’re about to be pretty soon! Halloween is right around the corner, which means that it’s time for a Top Ten Tuesday Halloween freebie theme. This week I’m sharing my Top Ten Books to Keep You Up At Night. Grab the nearest cozy blanket and switch on your flashlight, because you’re going to need it!

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What scary books would you recommend for this spooky season? What do you think of the books on my list? What are you being for Halloween??? Let me know in the comments section below!

Yours,

HOLLY

elsewhere, eight.

~ Holly ~ Leave a comment

Hi there, everyone!

I’ve starting co-blogging with Erin over at her wonderful blog, The In-Between Place. I encourage you to follow her- she’s awesome!

In this feature I will be linking the posts I have written in the last few weeks on her blog. While you’re there, check out her posts as well!

I usually post on Mondays and Thursdays, and I am open to any and all suggestions as to what to write about. Let me know what you want to see more of by leaving a comment down below or at The In-Between Place!

Yours,

HOLLY

scarier than Halloween.

~ Holly ~ 1 Comment

Today is the end of the first quarter of school, and I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s much scarier than Halloween. Projects, exams, and deadlines, oh my! This is basically how I feel.

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It’s getting more and more difficult to find time to read and write posts, so I apologize if things are lacking on here in the upcoming weeks. November is a bit of a different month here on NutFreeNerd, but you’ll hear more about that tomorrow. *wink wink*

Anyways, I thought I would write a quick post saying Happy Halloween, you lovely people! Here are some Halloween GIFs to brighten your day.

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Have a frighteningly good day everyone!

Yours,

HOLLY

top ten tuesday: books for Halloween

~ Holly ~ 5 Comments

top ten tuesday graphicHalloween is fast approaching, my ghoulish friends! This week’s edition of Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by the lovely blog The Broke and the Bookish, is all about this spook-tacular season! So, in no particular order, here are my Top Ten Books for Halloween:

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1. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs.

2. Far Far Away by Tom McNeal

3. More Than This by Patrick Ness

4. A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

5. The Alchemist’s Cat by Robin Jarvis

6. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

7. Beloved by Toni Morrison

8. Half Bad by Sally Green

9. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

10. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

What books would you recommend for Halloween? What do you think of the ones on my list? Let me know in the comments section below!

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Happy Halloween, everyone!

Yours,

HOLLY

 

Book Review: MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN

~ Holly ~ 4 Comments

miss peregrine's home for peculiar children coverAuthor: Ransom Riggs

Number of Pages: 352

Publisher: Quirk

Release Date: January 1, 2011

“A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.”

– Goodreads.com

I’ve wanted to read this book for what seems like forever, and what better time to finally pick it up than during the spooky month of October? The reviews I’ve read of this book have been nothing short of amazing, so I was eager and excited to dive right in.

The first thing that struck me about this novel was the beautiful writing. Riggs has an impressive vocabulary, but he uses it artfully and effectively. It could have easily come off as overbearing, but in this case it made everything flow nicely and gave the characters distinct voices and personalities. Good writing is something I can always appreciate, so A+++ Mr. Riggs!

The second thing that stood out to me was the creative incorporation of old photographs within the novel. Not only are they creepy and fascinating to look at, but they’ve all got history behind them- they’re real, from photographers who actually found them! They were weaved perfectly into the story and really helped me get a visual in my head of what the many characters looked like. I normally like to form my own images in my mind, but in this instance the characters were so unique and strange that it was really helpful to have the pictures to base my own thoughts off.

Overall, this book was fantastic. The story was suspenseful, excellently paced, and brimming with surprises at every corner. I couldn’t put this book down and ended up reading the majority of it in only one day. I loved how the story unfolded bit by bit, and how by the end of the novel all of the little details finally made sense. It kept me guessing the entire way through, and to my delight I was surprised by the outcomes more than I was correct in my predictions. The peculiar children are strange and creepy but lovable and hilarious at the same time, and I found that really refreshing. This is not an unsettling story void of feeling and emotion- it’s a roller coaster ride of shifting moods, immense character development, and unexpected friendships. Yes, it’s a great spooky book to read during the Halloween season, but it’s also an excellent book to read at any time of the year. I can’t wait to continue on with this series!

My Rating: :0) :0) :0) :0) :0) 5 out of 5 smileys.

Would I recommend it to a friend?: Absolutely! This book has a little something for everyone in it- adventure, suspense, history, mystery, fantasy, and even some romance. Chances are you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

Have you ever read this book before? What did you think of it? Let me know in the comments section below!

Yours,

HOLLY

elsewhere, seven.

~ Holly ~ Leave a comment

Howdy, everyone!

I’ve starting co-blogging with Erin over at her wonderful blog, The In-Between Place. I encourage you to follow her- she’s awesome!

In this feature I will be linking the posts I have written in the last few weeks on her blog. While you’re there, check out her posts as well!

I usually post on Mondays and Thursdays, and I am open to any and all suggestions as to what to write about. Let me know what you want to see more of by leaving a comment down below or at The In-Between Place!

Yours,

HOLLY

WWW Wednesdays: October 15th

~ Holly ~ 2 Comments

WWW WednesdaysWWW Wednesdays is a meme hosted by Should Be Reading that asks three questions:

What are you currently reading???

I am finally reading City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare!! It’s about time I’ve gotten around to this one.

What did you recently finish reading???

This past week I finished reading Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift, which I thought was okay. I enjoyed it, just not as much as I would have liked. I also completed Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs, which I absolutely adored. Reviews will be up soon!

What do you think you’ll read next???

Something spooky and suspenseful- I’m in the Halloween mood!

What are your answers to these questions? Let me know in the comments section below!

Yours,

HOLLY