{The Weekend Update} 10.31.15 - Happy Halloween Edition

So, since my end-of-the-week post isn't just about what I got in my mailbox or on my Kindle each week -- though that is a big part of it, I won't lie -- I decided to change up the title and intro a bit.  I might tweak the format a bit over the next few weeks, but for the most part, it'll contain the same stuff: stuff I got, stuff I did, and stuff that's coming up on the blog.  Plus, I get to use the awesome GIF you see here and blow kisses to all the people who sent me lovely books and bookish things.  Oh, and I've started linking up to Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews since I'm not using a specific meme title anymore.  April's also doing her own Stacking the Shelves posts on Sundays.  Stop by and say hi!  =)

Happy Halloween, guys! I used to love this holiday with the ferocity of a child, but now I just like to sit back and watch Katie enjoy all the fun. :) My family is in town for our annual pumpkin carving and fall get-together, so I get to show off the new house, too. Which, if you know me at all, means you know that I spent my day off yesterday -- after an unnecessary parent/teacher conference smack dab in the middle of the day, grrr -- cleaning the house from top to bottom. :P I'm hoping to have time to put together a post soon so you guys can see my new reading area, but with family here, I have no idea if that's going to happen this weekend.

Anyway, here's what I scored this week...

For Review:

Nothing requested and nothing received means this girl can try to play catch up on her TBR. :D

Library:



Kill Me Softly was better than I expected, even though for some reason I thought it was a straight-up Beauty and the Beast retelling. I read The Book of Blood and Shadow a long time ago, but I thought it might be apropos for this time of year, and I wasn't wrong. I'm really enjoying the audio. The same is true for Born Wicked…but also I want to finish the series because I never made it past the first book.

Gifted:



My amazing, thoughtful #otspsecretsister continued her Doctor Who theme from last month and gifted me this completely awesome print. It's perfect for my new book nook!!! I really, really lucked out with my Secret Sister…she's kind of the best!


So, that's my haul. =) What did the bookmail faeries bring you this week?

The Week in Review:

Reviews:

• Dreamstrider - Jen
• Shallow Graves - April

Current Giveaways:






Promotional/Discussion Posts:  

• #TTT - Books to Keep You Up at Night
• #WoW - This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab
• Kiddos in Disguise - Our girls dressed up for Halloween over the years

Currently Reading:

I am LOVING this book. It's so poignant and genuine and REAL. I honestly don't know why I didn't start reading it the second I got a copy from the author, but I'm happy to be reading it now because it is like a balm to my soul.




Currently Listening:

This was the first Robin Wasserman book I ever read and it's still my favorite. Prague, a mysterious religious society, danger, intrigue…it's got a very DaVinci Code feel, perfect Halloween listen for me. :)





Upcoming Reviews:

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Kiddos in Disguise

Halloween is tomorrow, but we'll be busy with family and trick-or-treating and pumpkin carving -- ya know, all the fun stuff -- so we thought we'd do the requisite Halloween post today. =)

Over the years, Katie has been a lot of different characters. There was her first Halloween, when she was a ladybug.

And the next year, she was an adorable black kitty cat.

The following year, we went to a costume party for Halloween, and she was a ridiculously cute -- and not at all creepy -- garden gnome. (Daddy's the scary guy in the mask. :D)

Katie was really into Lalaloopsie there for awhile, and so on her fourth Halloween, she was Feather Pillowbed.

Like all little girls, Katie's also gone through a princess phase. I don't think this one has ended yet.

Last year was the year my older sister dubbed "The Year of the Elsas" because 80% of little girls dressed up as the Frozen character, including Katie.

But this year, this year, Katie's going as one of my favorite characters.

We went to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter this year for Spring Break, and of course, I couldn't say no when Katie wanted Hermione's wand, a robe, and her very own broom. So, I made a deal with her then that she would have to be everyone's favorite girl genius for Halloween this year in order to get those things. My sister kept side-eyeing me and whispering that I could get that stuff so much cheaper on Amazon, but Katie wanted to be Hermione in that moment while we were walking around the park, and I didn't go all that way and spend all that money to deny her that. ;0)

I love seeing Katie through the years in these pictures. It makes me nostalgic and glad that I still have some time before she's grown up and won't want to dress up for trick-or-treating any more. (It also makes me want to invent a way to stop time, to keep her from getting any older. I kind of feel like Beverly Goldberg in this moment. :P)

Yay!!!! Happy Early Halloween! This is one of our favorite times of year in my house. Fall is just magical, especially here in Pennsylvania. The colors are to die for.

Aubrey has also dressed as many things over the years, and it's kinda nostalgic looking through all the pics to do this post. My gosh, I miss when she was a little thing. For her first Halloween, we dressed her as Princess Leia.

She was really obsessed with remote controls at the time. lol. The following year, she was a bumble bee.

That year, it rained so hard. We had to trick or treat at the Nursing home where Brian's Aunt was.

Then, there was the classic witch costume. She was thrilled to be having her picture taken.

She then went through a fairy phase. Back to back. lol. She ended up going full circle and dressed as a witch again last year, but I can't find a good pic. Only ones of her bundled up with her coat over it.

This year, she decided on the Live Action Cinderella move costume. Where she gets married.

I took this last weekend right before our Halloween Party. She looked beautiful, though I may be biased. I can't get over how grown up she's looking these days. Why do they have to grow up so darn fast!!!

We hope you all have a safe and happy Halloween! Be wary of things that go bump in the night, and don't eat too much candy!

Review: Shallow Graves by Kali Wallace

Author: Kali Wallace
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: January 26th, 2016
Source: Received for review from publisher via Edelwiess
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

For fans of Holly Black and Nova Ren Suma, a gripping, hauntingly atmospheric novel about murder, revenge, and a world where monsters—human and otherwise—lurk at the fringes.

When seventeen-year-old Breezy Lin wakes up in a shallow grave one year after her death, she doesn’t remember who killed her or why. All she knows is that she’s somehow conscious—and not only that, she’s able to sense who around her is hiding a murderous past. In life, Breezy was always drawn to the elegance of the universe and the mystery of the stars. Now she must set out to find answers and discover what is to become of her in the gritty, dangerous world to which she now belongs—where killers hide in plain sight and a sinister cult is hunting for strange creatures like her. What she finds is at once empowering, redemptive, and dangerous.

Tense, complex, and wholly engaging, Shallow Graves is a stunning first novel from Kali Wallace .

I know Shallow Graves doesn't come out until January, but I just had to read it early because... Halloween! :) It certainly did not disappoint when it comes to the creepy factor. That's for sure.

I have to say, I liked it. I'm still stewing on it a bit, because it was so different. I don't read a ton of books like this. I like your mushy romantic type stories. There isn't any romance here, so if your looking for that, look elsewhere.

I didn't go into this story expecting love. I expected a zombie.. a zombie isn't what I got though. I mean, I guess that might kinda be what she is.. but not. Breezy is an interesting creature and I was kinda digging what she could do and sense. I felt so bad for her. I mean, the poor girl wakes up a year after being murdered. That can't be pleasant.

This story is basically about her trying to discover what she is and how she became that way. I'm not lie, there were some slow spots.. but I feel like it was my confusion dragging me down. It was hard to wrap my head around the people/creatures she runs into on her journey. I'm still not sure I've fully grasped wtf was happening, but it was an entertaining ride at least.

I think my biggest problem was... it started out with a certain feel to it. And then all of a sudden, she ends up at this place and it becomes a totally different kind of book than I thought it would be. But it's great for this time of year. There is some creepy shit going on. Overall, I did enjoy the story. Especially for this time of year. :)

About the author:

Kali Wallace studied geology and geophysics before she decided she enjoyed inventing
imaginary worlds as much as she liked researching the real one. Her short fiction has appeared in Clarkesworld, F&SF, Asimov's, Lightspeed Magazine, and Tor.com. Her first novel will be published by Katherine Tegen Books in 2016. She lives in southern California.

Find Kali:

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter