Top Ten Tuesday | Fictional Places I Would NOT Want to Live In

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted at That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week you compile a list of ten books which coincide with that week's theme. You can find everything you need to know about joining in here!

This week's theme is 'Bookish Worlds I’d Never Want to Live In', which I found to be a really fun topic! So often when I love a story, particularly a fantastical one, I can find myself thinking 'I wish I'd gone to Hogwarts' or 'I wish I lived in The Shire', but I've never given too much thought to the places I really wouldn't want to live in.

For my list this week I've decided to stick with fictional places. I thought of mentioning The Book Thief because I would have hated to live in Nazi Germany, but in the end I felt like, for me, it was a little disrespectful to mention real places because some people really have had to live through that. Anyway, on with my list!

Panem from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: Let's just get this one out the way with because it's probably on most lists this week, right? Pretty much any dystopian novel has a setting I wouldn't want to live in, but Panem in particular I'd hate because if I'd been chosen to take part in the Games when I was younger I'd've been the first one to die.

Airstrip One from Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell: Carrying on with that dystopian theme, Nineteen Eighty-Four is one of the most depressing novels I've ever read and I would hate to live somewhere where the government was quite literally watching me all the time.

The town from The Lottery by Shirley Jackson: There's a reason why The Lottery is one of the most famous American short stories ever, and this story alone earns Jackson a place as one of the best horror writers in my opinion. I can't say much without giving anything away, although this story's so short I recommend you reading it asap, but trust me when I say I wouldn't want to live in that town and I guarantee you wouldn't want to live there either.

Neverland from Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie: Disney Neverland looks fun, but the Neverland in the book is just as creepy as everything else. I don't understand the whimsy around Peter Pan, it's so strange and unnerving, and even as a child I don't think Neverland would have appealed to me unless Robin Williams was there.

The Other World from Coraline by Neil Gaiman: Having everything I want in exchange for having buttons sewn into my eyes? Yeah, no, that's not happening.

Westeros from A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin: Admittedly I haven't read the books but I watch Game of Thrones and no amount of money could convince me to live there. It's so brutal and I wouldn't last five minutes.

Wonderland from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll: Unlike Peter Pan, I love Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and I've always been fascinated by it. Having said that, the world is just so bizarre that I think I'd go mad and, while I love stuff that's a bit weird, I think Wonderland would be just a bit too weird for me.

The Stillness from The Broken Earth by N.K. Jemisin: There's no way I'd want to live in a world where the earth decides it doesn't want you there every few years and has a little apocalypse to wipe a few million people off it.

Giant Country from The BFG by Roald Dahl: This is going to sound ridiculous, but I'm terrified of giants. I know they're not real but the idea of them scares the crap out of me so Giant Country is my idea of hell. I don't want to be anyone's dinner, thanks.

The Fifteen Realms from Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder: There's a plague spreading across this world killing thousands at a time and even the healers can't do anything about it. No thanks.

Which places made your list this week?

Top Ten Tuesday | Indigenous Peoples' Day and World Mental Health Day

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week you compile a list of ten books which coincide with that week's theme. You can find everything you need to know about joining in here!

This week's theme is 'Ten Books With Fall/Autumn Covers/Themes' which I struggled with, but it's actually my birthday today so it didn't seem right to miss another week of TTT! More importantly, however, October 10th is also World Mental Health Day, and as Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight is once again hosting her wonderful Shattering Stigmas blog event I decided to join in and use this week's TTT as an opportunity to mention some books which discuss mental health, some I've read and some I've yet to read, and also as an opportunity to mention some books in celebration of Indigenous Peoples' Day (9th October).

If you have any recommendations, please leave them below!

Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig: I've owned a copy of this for a while and have heard amazing things but still haven't read it. Hopefully I can make time for it this Non Fiction November!

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman: It's amazing how much impact Perkins Gilman can have in so short a story, but The Yellow Wallpaper, following the mental deterioration of a woman after she is married and expected to play a certain role is nothing short of a masterpiece.

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath: I'm ashamed to say I still haven't read any Plath, something I know one friend of mine in particular will be unhappy with as she loves her work so much. I think knowing the tragic end to Plath's own life makes her work seem a little intimidating to me, but I'd like to read The Bell Jar sooner rather than later.

Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia: Not only does this sound like a very sweet, fun story, but I've also heard it deals with depression and anxiety really well and I'm all for that.

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson: I wasn't sure if I was going to include this one at first. Jackson is my favourite horror writer and a lot of her work seems to revolve around how society damages women, particularly their mental state, but it can also be read as a pure ghost story. This novel, in particular, leaves it entirely up to the reader as to whether the heroine is really in a haunted house or if her mental health is deteriorating. However you choose to read it, it's worth reading.

The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney: I've mentioned this novel several times before, particularly how I'd like to reread it as I think I might appreciate it more a second time, but one of the things I loved about it was that there were several characters who are First Nations people and the novel as a whole doesn't ignore the impact white settlers in Canada had on the indigenous population. A great novel to read in the winter!

Beyond the Pampas by Imogen Rhia Herrad: This book explores something I know practically nothing about it: Welsh settlers in Patagonia. While a lot of the book seems to be about Herrad learning about the descendents of those Welsh settlers, she also explores the impact that their settling had on the indigenous people.

The Inconvenient Indian by Thomas King: I've heard fantastic things about this book, which explores the history of North America's First Nations people and the way they are still portrayed today in the media. I started reading last year, I think, but wasn't in the right headspace for it, so I'm hoping I can get to it this year.

Between Earth and Sky by Amanda Skenandore: This novel isn't due out until next year but it sounds super interesting. Set in early 20th century Philadelphia, a woman asks her lawyer husband to defend her childhood friend, a First Nations man raised in one of America's 'savage-taming' boarding schools, when he is accused of murder.

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown: I've heard so many good things about this book and still haven't read it, and I'd love to check out the film adapted from the book starring Anna Paquin, too.

Which books made your list this week?

My 2017 Resolutions!

With the New Year comes new resolutions, and while I usually either don't bother with resolutions or give myself ones that get abandoned, I've given myself some resolutions for 2017 that I'm confident I can keep to!

1) Read AT LEAST twelve poc authors.

I'm hoping I can read way more than twelve, I'd like to eventually be at a point where I'm reading as many authors of colour as white authors, but setting this goal makes sure I'm reading at least one author of colour a month throughout 2017.

2) Read a series.

I'm in the mood to get stuck into a series from start to finish - 2016 has been a year of standalones, which isn't a bad thing, but I'm craving an epic series with a world and characters I can fall in love with. Plus I'm a bad finisher, so I'd be very proud if I could start and finish a series in one year!

3) Read the rest of Shirley Jackson's novels.

This is a fairly simple one! I've really enjoyed everything I've read by Shirley Jackson so far, but of her six novels it's her two most famous works I've read so far: The Haunting of Hill House and We Have Always Lived in the Castle. I loved both of them but I own her four other novels - The Road Through the Wall; Hangsaman; The Bird's Nest and The Sundial - and I'd really like to read all of them because they all sound amazing, and I've neglected my new-found love of Modern Classics that I discovered in 2015. I think I'm going to start with The Road Through the Wall because it was Jackson's debut and I'm looking forward to it!

4) Don't buy any books that aren't published in 2017.

Okay, so this one is going to be my most flexible goal because I don't like extremes and as 2016 has been such a rubbish year I really want 2017 to be a great one, so if I see something that wasn't published in 2017 that I really want and I really think I'll read straight away I'll let myself buy it. Books which are a continuation of a series are also allowed, especially if it's a series I want to finish! BUT the main reason this goal is here is because I recently put together an excel spreadsheet of the physical books I own that I haven't read and there are over 200. Basically, I want to read more books I already own in 2017, because there are some books I've owned for far too long that I really want to read and I want to get to as many of them as I can.

5) Have a better work/play balance.

As I've mentioned before on my blog I started a very busy job at the start of 2016, and while it's still a very busy job I don't want to let it take over my life. I want to do well at my job, but I also need to get better at switching off and get better at meeting up with friends as often as I can and not over-working myself or stressing myself out. Life's too short for all that.

6) Go cruelty-free.

In 2017 I want to go entirely cruelty-free with my makeup and shower products, because if there are cruelty-free products out there why should I give my money and support companies that still test on animals? I'm going to use up products I already own that aren't cruelty-free, but I'm not going to buy anything that isn't for myself.

So these are my resolutions for 2017! Have you made any New Year's Resolutions or do you prefer not to?

Top Ten Tuesday | All I Want for Christmas is Books

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week you compile a list of ten books which coincide with that week's theme. You can find everything you need to know about joining in here!

This week's theme is 'Top Ten Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Leaving Under My Tree This Year'. Like most book bloggers, I'm sure, the things I ask for most when Christmas rolls around are new books. When I was younger I used to ask for a huge pile of books, but now that I'm older I don't expect to find as much under the tree which, of course, is perfectly normal - my poor parents have paid for enough! Nowadays I tend to receive money a lot more which is ideal for me; I already own a lot of books so people are unsure what to get me, so getting a bit of money means I can treat myself to whatever I've been after without specifically asking for something and ruining the magic of the surprise.

So, this week I've split my list! The first half are books I'd like to receive, and the second half are books I plan on treating myself to very soon.

Books I'd Like to Receive

Peter and Alice by John Logan: John Logan is the writer behind Penny Dreadful, one of my favourite shows, but before he was a screenwriter (he also wrote the scripts for Gladiator and Skyfall!) he was a playwright. I love the sound of this play, which is about a fictional meeting between Alice Liddell and Peter Llewelyn Davies, who were the real-life inspirations for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Peter Pan.

A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston: First of all, I think that cover is gorgeous, and second of all I've heard some brilliant things about this one, including a rave review from my friend Natalie @ A Sea Change.

Public Library and Other Stories by Ali Smith: This collection of stories are all about why books are so important to us. As a book lover, I'm sure you can understand why I want to get my hands on a copy of this. Plus I keep meaning to read some Ali Smith.

The Lake House by Kate Morton: I've been after a copy of The Lake House ever since I saw this interview with Kate Morton over on Pan Macmillan's YouTube channel!

Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi: This memoir is about an Iranian teacher who began a reading group with seven of her most committed female students to read forbidden Western classics. It sounds amazing.

Books I'd Like to Buy

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett: The Secret Garden is one of my favourite classics, but the only copy I own is an old, battered copy that's full of my notes from university. I'd really like to treat myself to this beautiful Penguin Threads edition - it's so pretty!

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn: I really want to check out some of Gillian Flynn's novels after I read The Grownup earlier this year, and while I've heard a lot of great things about Gone Girl I'm actually a lot more intrigued by her debut novel, Sharp Objects. Besides, if Gone Girl is her best novel yet I might as well start from the beginning and make my way through her work that way!

Let Me Tell You: New Stories, Essays, and Other Writings by Shirley Jackson: Shirley Jackson's my favourite horror writer, and this year a new collection of some previously unseen stories and non-fiction was published, edited by her son and daughter. I think it has a gorgeous cover, and I really want it for my growing Jackson collection!

Worlds Elsewhere: Journeys Around Shakespeare's Globe by Andrew Dickson: Expect to see a lot of Shakespeare around in 2016, as it marks 400 years since his death. In this book Andrew Dickson explores Shakespeare's impact all around the world, and why he's still so popular - it sounds really interesting, and if you've been following my blog for a while you'll know this year is the year I've really gotten into non-fiction.

Romantic Outlaws: The Extraordinary Lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley by Charlotte Gordon: Another non-fiction book about two fascinating ladies. Mary Shelley is one of my heroes - I think Frankenstein is a masterpiece - and Mary Wollstonecraft is a woman I want to learn more about, so this book sounds very cool.

Which books made your list this week?

The Halloween Book Tag!

I saw Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight doing this and had to have a go of it myself, so here goes!

Heebie Jeebies

Favourite Scary Story

I think Susan Hill's The Woman in Black is one of those iconic scary stories. It's been a long time since I read the book, but what really scared the bejeezus out of me was the play, which I went to see while I was at school. It's a fantastic play, and I'm pretty sure I slept with my light on for about a week after seeing it. I do think the book's worth reading, but if you get the chance to see the play go and see it!

Scream

Favourite Book with a Murdery Mystery Plot

This has made me realise that I need to read more murder mysteries. To link in with the Halloween theme, I think I have to go with My Life as a White Trash Zombie by Diana Rowland; it's the start of such a fun urban fantasy series, featuring zombies as you probably haven't seen them before - check it out!

Casper

Favourite Book with a Ghost

It has to be The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters, which is one of the best books I've read this year and has a firm place on my list of favourite books. It's fantastic.

Monster Mash

Favourite Paranormal Supernatural Book

I decided to change the wording of this one a little because, to me, paranormal means something that might be explained by science - like ghosts or aliens - and I don't tend to read many books about aliens and I've mentioned two books with ghosts already, so I think it's best I talk about something else! In terms of the supernatural, my favourite book is probably Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu, a pre-Dracula 19th century novella featuring vampirism. It's so good, and it's a great place to start for anyone who finds classics intimidating.

Halloween 2007 Remake

Favourite Retelling

The Lunar Chronicles, of course! I know this is probably cheating, but I can't pick just one book from the series because I think Marissa Meyer has done such a good job at mixing these tales together into one big story while also fitting each retelling so wonderfully into the narrative. I love the way she's reimagined traditional fairy tales for a sci-fi setting, and Cinder is one of my favourite heroines.

Female Character You'd Most Want to Dress Up As

Okay so she's not a book character, but one day I'd love to dress up as Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas. It's one of my favourite films - I watched it religiously as a child - and I just think it'd be a really cool costume.

Male Character You'd Most Want to Dress Up As

I think Sirius Black could be pretty cool, especially Sirius as he's seen in his wanted poster. He has long hair, so I wouldn't need to cut mine, and it'd just mean making myself look a bit grimy and unwashed. Plus I bet everyone would know who I was!

Favourite Villain

This is a tricky one because I feel like a lot of the books I really love don't tend to have villains in the traditional sense. A lot of the time the villain is circumstance or even the protagonist's own decisions. I do love Mrs. Danvers from Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, though. That woman is terrifying!

Fun Size

Favourite Short Story/Novella

For Halloween that'd have to be 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson. It's so worth a read if you haven't read it yet, it'll only take five minutes!

What's Your Favourite Scary Movie?

I don't tend to watch horror movies that much because I'm a bit of a wuss, and also because some of them are just gratuitous for the sake of it. One film I really love though, and one that's perfect for Halloween, is Sleepy Hollow. It's historical, which is right up my street, it's got Johnny Depp in it, also right up my street, and it's directed by Tim Burton, who's one of my favourite directors. I love it!

If you want to do this tag then consider yourself tagged! Happy Halloween!

Top Ten Tuesday | Recommended Halloween Reads!

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week you compile a list of ten books which coincide with that week's theme. You can find everything you need to know about joining in here!

This week's theme is a Halloween themed freebie, so I thought I'd recommend some books that I think are ideal to read as Halloween creeps closer!

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier: There's a reason this is Daphne du Maurier's most famous novel, and it's almost certain that if this had been the only book she ever wrote du Maurier would still be a famous author today. Rebecca is so atmospheric and beautifully written; you open the first page and you fall into Manderley. There are no 'boo!' moments here. If you're not a fan of slow reads this book might not be for you, but whatever your taste I recommend at least giving it a try.

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson: Shirley Jackson is my favourite horror writer, and in all honesty anything she wrote would be a great read for Halloween. Still, you can't go wrong with a good ol' haunted house story, can you? If you'd rather read something shorter, check out 'The Lottery'.

The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters: The Little Stranger is quite similar to The Haunting of Hill House in its mood, and another great book if you want to read a haunted house story that, like Jackson's book, is genuinely creepy.

Rolling in the Deep by Mira Grant: Rolling in the Deep is like a literary version of a found footage horror movie. If you like movies like Trollhunter, The Blair Witch Project and Cloverfield then I think you'll like this, but if found footage movies aren't your thing I still recommend giving this novella a try. I read it in one sitting, and really enjoyed it.

Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield: This is another very slow book, and one that I'm still not 100% sure that I understood. It's a difficult book to describe, and one that I think was marketed in a misleading way; Bellman & Black has been described as a ghost story, but it isn't really, although there is a kind of haunting. I recommend reading this one, though, because Diana Setterfield's writing is beautiful. Even if you come out of this book a little confused, the act of reading it is enjoyable.

Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu: Carmilla is one of my favourite classics, and one of the most interesting things about it is that it's actually a pre-Dracula example of vampirism in Victorian literature. I've tried reading Dracula several times, for pleasure and for university, but I've never been able to finish it. Carmilla, on the other hand, I devoured. I think it's fantastic.

Misery by Stephen King: I'm not really a Stephen King fan, so the fact that I enjoyed this book says a lot if your tastes happen to be similar to mine. I know King has a humungous fan following, but for the most part I don't think his writing style is particularly great, I really don't like how the majority of his main characters are white male writers (seriously, Stephen, can't you try writing about someone other than yourself?) and I feel like a lot of his stories just go too far. IT is scary enough if it's just about a clown that kills children, so why does there have to be a supernatural element, too? Anyway, I did enjoy Misery; Annie Wilkes is terrifying, and the film adaptation starring Kathy Bates is very good if you'd rather watch that than read the book.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman: In all honesty The Graveyard Book would be another wonderful read for Halloween, but Coraline is short and sweet - if you're looking for something to read in one sitting, then Coraline's for you. Henry Selick's film adaptation is also well worth checking out, especially at this time of year!

My Life as a White Trash Zombie by Diana Rowland: This one's less spooky and more fun, although there's a lot of fascinating detail about autopsies, but it's the start to such a brilliant urban fantasy series that I had to stick it on here.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë: I'm not actually the biggest fan of Wuthering Heights - I'm forever going to be on the 'Heathcliff is NOT a romantic hero' side of the argument - but it is one of the pinnacles of Victorian Gothic literature. It's very atmospheric, and very wild, and very fitting for Halloween because it's full of despicable characters.

What did you talk about this week?

My 2015 Reading Goals: An Update

At the end of last year I set myself an incredibly ambitious set of reading goals for 2015, and I want to see how I've done so far!

Goal No.1: Complete 10 series

Nope. Not even close. In fact I don't think I've finished any...

Goal No.2: The Retelling Challenge

So this challenge basically meant that after I signed up for the challenge, I wanted to make sure I took part, and I have! I haven't read a huge amount of retellings - I think sometimes they can get a little samey if you read too many - but I have read White Ravens by Owen Sheers, The Meat Tree by Gwyneth Lewis, Fairest by Marissa Meyer, The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman, Fables, Vol.1: Legends in Exile by Bill Willingham and Various Artists and Uprooted by Naomi Novik. So right now that puts me in the Magic Mirror category - hooray!

Goal No.3: Read 5 Classics

I'VE COMPLETED THIS ONE! I'm so pleased I have, too, because I don't think I read any classics at all last year. Looking at the books I've read this year I've actually read more than 5, so I'm really chuffed!

I've read: A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf, The Great God Pan and Other Stories by Arthur Machen, The Lottery by Shirley Jackson, We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson, Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley and The Poor Clare by Elizabeth Gaskell. Almost double what I wanted!

Goal No.4: Read At Least 3 2015 Debuts

Another one I've completed, hooray! I didn't read any 2014 debuts last year, and barely any books that weren't actually published in 2014, and that was something I really wanted to change this year. So far I've read Signal to Noise by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (which everyone should read immediately), Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon, Lorelai, You'll Never Die by Laura Konrad and Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli.

Goal No.5: Read More Short Story Collections

I've certainly bought plenty of short story collections, but I need to get better at reading them. I've read Through the Woods by Emily Carroll and American Vampire, Vol.6 by Various Artists which are both technically collections of short stories, so I guess they count!

Goal No.6: Read More Poetry Collections

I haven't read a bunch but, thanks to work, I've read Judas by Damian Walford Davies and The Art of Falling by Kim Moore! I've bought a few other collections, too, so there's still plenty of poetry I'd like to read.

Goal No.7: Read More Non-Fiction

This I have done, and I've been loving it! So far I've read A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf, Jane Eyre's Sisters: How Women Live and Write the Heroine's Story by Jody Gentian Bower, How To Be a Heroine by Samantha Ellis, Beyond the Pale: Folklore, Family and the Mystery of our Hidden Genes by Emily Urquhart and We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Goal No.8: Reread Harry Potter

I still haven't managed this! I love Harry Potter, I love it so much, but I own so many books that I haven't read once I feel like I'm not allowed to reread this series, which I know is silly. I will reread them at some point. I will.

So that's my reading progress so far this year! Apart from the laughable attempt to finish ten series, particularly stupid for someone like me who is a terrible finisher, I think I'm doing pretty well. I'm happy anyway - I've done better than I thought!

How is your reading progress? Did you set yourself any goals?

Top Ten Tuesday | My (very over-ambitious) Halloween TBR!

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week you compile a list of ten books which coincide with that week's theme. You can find everything you need to know about joining in here!

This week's theme is all about the books on our Autumn TBR. As I've said many times before I'm not a fan of TBRs - I often feel bogged down by them and I feel like I've 'failed' if I don't read the books on my TBR or if I read a book that isn't on my TBR at all - but I do like seasonal TBRs. I love these because I don't pressure myself to read all of these books, but I love the chance to talk about books that fit a certain theme.

In Autumn I like to try and read as many spooky books as I can during the build up to Halloween, so those are the ten fifteen books I've picked today!

My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier: Is this book spooky? No idea, I haven't read it yet! But it does include a possible murder, and it's been likened to Rebecca, which is most definitely a psychologically spooky read. Plus I love Daphne du Maurier and I want to read more of her work.

Sugar Hall by Tiffany Murray: This book is published by the publishing house where I work, Seren! It's a ghost story set in the border between England and Wales during the '50s, so perfect for this time of year. One of my colleagues and I will be reading it throughout October - come and join us!

The Bird's Nest by Shirley Jackson: Shirley Jackson is my favourite horror writer. I love her. I now own all of her novels, and one of her short story collections, that have been published in the Penguin Modern Classics editions and I'm slowly working my way through them all. This one's next!

Carrie by Stephen King: I don't like Stephen King's books. There. I said it. There's just something about his writing style that means he and I don't get along, and it irritates me that his main characters are almost always writers. Seriously dude, write about someone else for a change. Having said that, I did enjoy Misery when I read it because there was nothing supernatural in it - as much as I love supernatural elements in the stories I read, I don't like them when King writes them - but I'd really like to give Carrie a try because I'm pretty sure it was the first novel of his that got published, and the concept does interest me. I've got it on my kindle, so we'll see what I think of it!

The Poor Clare by Elizabeth Gaskell: This little novella is the story of a family curse. I've read one of Gaskell's ghost stories before and enjoyed it, so I'm looking forward to this one.

The Raven's Head by Karen Maitland: I think this is Karen Maitland's most recent novel, and I still haven't read anything of her's which, as a lover of historical fiction, is practically scandalous. She writes historical crime/mystery novels set in Medieval Europe, and this book sounds particularly spooky!

Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix: This is a haunted house story, set in IKEA. IKEA! Okay, so it's not actually called IKEA in the book but we all know it's IKEA, right? Right. What I love most about this book, though, is that it's set out like a department store catalogue. It's the same size, shape and feel as a catalogue, and it even has an order form in the front. It's adorable! Even if I don't end up liking this book (it seems to have very varied feedback on Goodreads) I'm still glad to own it because I love it when publishers do something different like this.

How the White Trash Zombie Got Her Groove Back and White Trash Zombie Gone Wild by Diana Rowland: I love this series, and with the fifth book coming out next month I'm looking forward to getting all caught up with the series so far!

This Strange Way of Dying by Silvia Moreno-Garcia: As you know if you've been following my blog for a while, I adored Silvia Moreno-Garcia's debut novel, Signal to Noise, and now I'm really eager to check out some of her short stories. This collection sounds like the perfect collection to read as Halloween approaches!

Half Bad and Half Wild by Sally Green: I've been meaning to start this trilogy for the longest time (I meant to read Half Bad with Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight earlier this year and completely failed) and after I picked up a copy of Half Wild for just £1 at the weekend I figured I might as well give the series a try!

Demon Road by Derek Landy: I pre-ordered a signed, limited platinum edition of Derek Landy's latest book and I'm very excited to read it - I'm saving it for October!

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater: I'm pretty sure I put this book on my spring TBR, and I still haven't read it. I really want to, though! I did read the first chapter and I got distracted by something else, but considering it basically opens in a graveyard I think it's a pretty good read for this time of year.

Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst: This is more fun than spooky, it sounds like a very entertaining reading experience and I'll turn to it when I'm in the mood for a giggle.

Which books made your list?

Jane Austen Book Tag

I saw this tag and thought 'why not?' I love any opportunity to do a book tag! This tag was created by Jenessa @ Thoughts from Nowhere - you can find the original here!

Sense and Sensibility

A book with a dynamic sibling relationship

I had to go with Merricat and Constance Blackwood from We Have Always Lived in the Castle. I read this book earlier this year and really enjoyed it, and Merricat and Constance's relationship is certainly interesting...

Pride and Prejudice

A book that didn't seem interesting at first

I don't tend to read a lot of contemporary. I had no idea if I was going to like If I Stay, but I decided to give it a chance and I ended up really, really enjoying it - in fact it's now one of my favourite contemporaries!

Emma

A book in which two close friends fall in love

I had to go with Signal to Noise, because I will always take advantage of any opportunity to mention this book. Seriously, read it. It's such an underrated 2015 debut and it's so fantastic! And it has one of the best romantic relationships I've read in a while.

Mansfield Park

A book with a 'rags to riches' storyline

I had to go with The Goblin Emperor which is another of my absolute favourite reads of 2015, and has quickly gone on to my favourite books of all time list. It's brilliant, and you can't help but root for Maia.

Persuasion

A book involving second chances

This might seem like a bit of an odd choice, but I had to go with My Life as a White Trash Zombie because, oddly enough, it's getting turned into a zombie that gives Angel a second chance at life - and she takes full advantage of it! This is such a fun urban fantasy series, and I recommend it.

Northanger Abbey

A book with an imaginative character

How could I not choose A Little Princess? After Sara Crewe is left destitute and abused by the headmistress of her boarding school, it's her imagination that keeps her going.

I tag:

Natalie @ A Sea Change

Mallory @ The Local Muse

Deanna @ Deanna Writes

Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight
Kim @ The Midnight Garden
Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies
Micheline @ Lunar Rainbows Reviews
Chrissi @ Chrissi Reads
Emma @ Emma's Bookery