Happy Halloween!

Photo courtesy of @rawpixel from Unsplash.com

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!

September Days: Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

Spinning Silver Cover (c) Naomi Novik, Del Rey Publishing

Happy September everyone!

I just finished Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik. I have to say, it was worth the wait! A tale based on Rumpelstiltskin, Spinning Silver has many voices that share their perspective of the events that unfold. We have Miryem, daughter of a moneylender, who is a strong and determined young woman. When her father cannot bring himself to collect on the funds he lends out, Miryem takes it upon herself to do the job. You could say she turns silver into gold! There is also Wanda, daughter of an abusive man who does not take care of his children, and her brothers Sergey and Stepon. Although minor characters at first, they end up helping Miryem and her family in unexpected ways. Another strong female lead is Irina, daughter of a duke, who is to be bargained with as a tool, by marriage, for a stronger connection with the tsar. You will also meet the leading men of the story, one of whom is an ice king, a winter being called a Stayrk, who thrives in cold weather and looks to bring an eternal winter, as well as a fire demon, who uses dark power and bargains to feed upon those around him.

I had read Uprooted before, also by Naomi Novik, and highly enjoyed the twists and turns on fairy tales. Spinning Silver is done in a similar vein. You will see a little bit of familiar tales woven into the main story line, one based on Rumpelstiltskin. The women in this story made me laugh, made me worried, made me want to go out and do something, because even though they were not dealt the best hands, they made the best of it and overcame what came their respective ways. A long book, but a book worth the journey. Perfect for those cooler days where you can bundle up with a book and a hot cup of coffee or tea and read away!

Are you guys excited for any book being released this fall? Let me know in the comments!