Happy Halloween!

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Hello fellow bookworms!

Long time, no post. The fall season is upon us and this month I was preparing my costume for a Halloween parade. It took sewing, a lot of searching, some creativity, and some arts and crafts. Any guesses on my costume this year? I will give you a hint, she is also a bookworm, there is a rose, she will meet prince charming and she won't discover that it's him until Chapter 3!

Did you guess it?

Yes, this year I went as Belle! In full hoop skirt and full-of-ruffles satin dress. I have to admit, it was a bit harder to move than I thought it would be. But, it was fun to dress up. I had a hand-sewed cape (thank you mom!) and a hand-made Beauty and the Beast light-up bag! Are any of you dressing up this year? Send me a comment with your costume photos or costume ideas! :) 

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Here is some real life Halloween news for you: A scientist performing research with a team in Antarctica had a little too much time on his hands with his partner. Given that they were in a pretty remote area, it makes sense that the pair would pass the time reading books. However, one of the scientists liked to ruin the endings of the books before his partner could finish the story. (Rude.) This led to his partner becoming angry and stabbing his former friend! He is now in custody for attempted murder, while his partner is recovering and probably still ruining endings for others. See more of the story here, via New York Post.

Moral of the story: Spending a lot of time with people can lead to pent up emotions. Don't ruin the endings of books for others and refrain from hurting others who do!

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--> As for my book reviews, my inbox has been flooded with requests. If you sent me a request and I haven't gotten to it yet, I hope to soon!

Beauty and the Beast

A tale as old as time. Disney's latest live-action princess movie features our beloved bookworm heroine, Belle, as she meets the Beast and finds the adventure she was looking for. There are many versions of the story, of course, beginning with the timeless tale from Ms. Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villenue.

I, myself, cannot stop repeating the soundtrack from the new movie, so I bought the deluxe edition to listen on repeat! The score is pretty fun to listen to while reading. :)

If you would like more of the story and are into alternate versions, here are some modern rewrites that may interest you:

1. Cupid and Psyche
1. Greek mythology--that doesn't have a tragic ending!
2. Beastly by Alex Flinn
1. There is also a movie out based on this book. It is equally as good as the book, I recommend reading the book and then watching the film!
3. Belle by Cameron Dokey
1. This Belle has a magic talent that helps her to help the Beast break his curse. This is a quick one day read.
4. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
1. I prefer the sequel, but that is because it is more Hades/Persephone than Beauty and the Beast.
5. Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge 
6. East by Edith Pattou
1. A bit Beauty and the Beast, a bit Snow Queen, yet equally pleasing and a fun read. I read the European published version, I am not sure how different it is from the U.S. published version. I do like the difference in book covers, though. :)
7.  Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George
1. I love Jessica Day George! She has the cutest stories. This book is similar to East, but more for young adults than children. 
8. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
1. Of course this needs to be mentioned, especially with the Beast's new song "Evermore," giving him a bit of a "Phantom" moment!

 Is there a book that you think should be added to the list? Let me know, I would love to read another fairy tale retelling!