Halloween Horror Story

Hi peoples!

Happy spooky day!

It’s my favorite holiday. I LOVE Halloween.

What are you going to be for Halloween? I’m a cactus.

SHORT STORY!

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She woke with a choked gasp, her fingers clawing at her throat, before she fell back into her pillows, realizing that she was still in her bed. She waited for her heartbeat to settle, gloomily accepting that she likely wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep. She curled up and tried to get warmer beneath the mound of blankets, the nightmare already slipping her mind.

She was in a daze, in that quiet space between waking and sleeping, when she heard a soft creak, like footsteps on old floorboards. It must’ve been imagined. It must’ve been the first whispers of a dream. But she was alert now, listening and tense beneath the sheets, her eyes still closed.

What am I doing? she thought, with a short burst of laughter that more resembled a sigh.

A door slammed.

Whispers rose.

The footsteps came faster. Quicker. Urgent.

She rose slowly out of bed, wrapping a quilt around her shoulders, letting it drag on the floor behind her. She went downstairs, listening looking terrified. She flicked on the light, prepared to find something sinister and relaxed a bit when there was nothing. She was about to go back upstairs, to write off the sounds as figments of her imagination, when she heard a voice in her bedroom and froze, her foot hovering over the stair.

The sound wasn’t in a language she could recognize. It flickered at the edges of her mind like she should’ve been able to comprehend it. Yet it didn’t sound completely right, either. Something was off. A hissing undertone that wasn’t possible on the human tongue.

She climbed up the stairs, softly, slowly, coiled up and ready to fight or flee as soon as the cue was given. She flipped the light switch in the hall. She breathed a soft curse as light didn’t flood the hall. A moment later, the light at her back from the kitchen plunged into darkness, leaving nothing but shadows and silvered moonlight.

The quilt drifted to the floor behind her as she used touch and memory to find the hall closet. She pulled out a flashlight, praying it to work as she switched it on, and a dull glow filled the hall.

She followed the sound of the whispers, the sound rising and falling in chaotic waves, to her bedroom. To her bed.

She fell to her knees and pressed her face to the floor. Her hand shook against her will as she directed the flashlight beam underneath the bed.

The darkness seemed to swallow the light.

A solid mass of shadows.

Roiling and swallowing and shuddering.

Consuming.

She squinted and pressed closer. It couldn’t be. The light. The darkness. Her imagination. Her eyes. They were lying.

Her eyes widened.

A gasp escaped her lips. What did she see? What did she see?

She scrambled backward, lunged for the door.

Something pulled her back.

Something took her.

Something swallowed.

Something consumed.

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© ARACHNID WEAVER 2018

What If It’s Us || Book Review (This is the most adorable book ever)

Arthur is only in New York for the summer, but if Broadway has taught him anything, it’s that the universe can deliver a showstopping romance when you least expect it.

Ben thinks the universe needs to mind its business. If the universe had his back, he wouldn’t be on his way to the post office carrying a box of his ex-boyfriend’s things.

But when Arthur and Ben meet-cute at the post office, what exactly does the universe have in store for them?

Maybe nothing. After all, they get separated.

Maybe everything. After all, they get reunited.

But what if they can’t quite nail a first date . . . or a second first date . . . or a third?

What if Arthur tries too hard to make it work . . . and Ben doesn’t try hard enough?

What if life really isn’t like a Broadway play?

But what if it is?

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What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera || 6/5

• I love this book SO MUCH. I’m sad that there isn’t any fanart yet.
• It’s very adorable, very cute, and very, very awesome.
• My homework suffered while I was reading this. I kept having to read just one more chapter. And whenever I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about reading it. That honestly sounds like Arthur and Ben when they’re crushing on each other.
• The characters are amazing and you can’t help but fall in love with them.
• The characters are complex and flawed and well-developed and unique and they feel like real people. I’m kinda surprised they’re not.
• The characters make this book. They drive it forward and make it spectacular.
• The magical blend of Albertalli and Silvera’s writing styles is the thing you didn’t know you needed, but you totally need. The separate styles meshed so well. And the ending.
• I was smiling for the majority of the book.
• • Seriously, that’s hard to do.
• • No, really. That’s impressive.
• • I was smiling at the spot-on humor, the characters’ goofiness, or the amazing adorableness of it.
• Dylan. Is. Amazing.
• • He’s like another Keefe. (For all you peeps who don’t know, Keefe Sencen is my favorite character person. He’s from Shannon Messenger’s Keeper of the Lost Cities.)
• I loved the ending. It was inconclusive, but I think it’s better that way.
• • Also. Just throwing it out there. Sequel?
• • • Well, not really a sequel. Like a novella in the future that’s about how everything turned out sparkles and cotton candy and rainbows.
• Also. I love the cover. Just look at the awesome watercolor-ness of it.

In conclusion. Everyone, read this! It’s so, so amazing.

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Read 10/21/2018 – 10/24/2018

Read more

• Book review of Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
• Book review of Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli
• Book review of They Both Die at The End by Adam Silvera

Batman: Nightwalker || Book Review

Heyo, peoples of the universe!

How is your Monday? I don’t know how my Monday is going since it’s currently Sunday night and I’m not a psychic or anything. Although that would be very cool. Imagine knowing your test grade before you take the test so then you don’t freak out over it. Getting sidetracked here, but what superpower would you like? I always thought that I’d like invisibility or teleportation (because I hate traveling, but I like going places. But doesn’t everyone. Twelve-hour plane rides suck universally.)

So, I’ve just finished writing a twenty-one page, handwritten report for Chemistry. It was… not fun. More like a mad dash of insanity that murdered my fingers.

So. Getting to the point now.

But before we get to the point, what are you going to be for Halloween? It’s coming up and I have no idea. I was supposed to go shopping today, but because of said Chemistry report, I didn’t have time. But really, (and I don’t mean to be evil) what’s the point of dressing up when you wear a coat and nobody can see your costume anyway? But it seems like a betrayal to not wear a costume on Halloween.

Okay. Now. To the point.

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Batman: Nightwalker by Marie Lu || 3.5/5

Before he was Batman, he was Bruce Wayne. A reckless boy willing to break the rules for a girl who may be his worst enemy.

The Nightwalkers are terrorizing Gotham City, and Bruce Wayne is next on their list.

One by one, the city’s elites are being executed as their mansions’ security systems turn against them, trapping them like prey. Meanwhile, Bruce is turning eighteen and about to inherit his family’s fortune, not to mention the keys to Wayne Enterprises and all the tech gadgetry his heart could ever desire. But after a run-in with the police, he’s forced to do community service at Arkham Asylum, the infamous prison that holds the city’s most brutal criminals.

Madeleine Wallace is a brilliant killer . . . and Bruce’s only hope.

In Arkham, Bruce meets Madeleine, a brilliant girl with ties to the Nightwalkers. What is she hiding? And why will she speak only to Bruce? Madeleine is the mystery Bruce must unravel. But is he getting her to divulge her secrets, or is he feeding her the information she needs to bring Gotham City to its knees? Bruce will walk the dark line between trust and betrayal as the Nightwalkers circle closer. 

• So I have no comments on how the book is compared to existing Batman lore because I only know basic Batman. And much of that knowledge comes from the Lego Batman movie. Honestly, getting into superheroes seems likes a daunting task since there’s SO MUCH out there. So many movies and comics and superheroes.
• The whole premise is kind of ludicrous. Why would they give Bruce, an eighteen-year-old, community service at an asylum/prison? Especially when his crime was interfering with the police. The events that occurred seemed inevitable. I also can’t get over community service at an asylum/prison. Couldn’t he have picked up trash at the park or something?
• The main character is well-developed, but the minor ones could use some work. Madeline is intriguing, though.
• The writing is fine, though not remarkable.
• The pacing is somewhat slow, but there is good suspense and I was never bored.
• Overall, the book was entertaining, but not remarkable.

Read 8/23/2018 to 8/26/2018

Read More: Review of Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo

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I’m so behind on book reviews! I’m reading much faster than I’m reviewing. So, in order to catch up, I’ve decided to not review every book that I read. Sometimes I just don’t have much to say. The books I’ve skipped are Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger (5/5) and When Did You See Her Last? by Lemony Snicket (4.5/5).

I’m also going to try to get in the habit of reviewing books as soon as I’ve finished. I suspect I will fail because time. But I will give a valiant effort.

Currently Reading: What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

This is my first ever signed copy of a book! It’s also so adorable. And addictive. I feel like my homework is going to suffer in the near future.

World Mental Health Day: Pick Me Up Playlist Tag

Heyo, peeps!

Spinette and I both adore music. We talk mostly about music when we text. But we listen to vastly different genres of music. Spinette adores K-pop while I prefer alternative rock. I usually listen to pessimistic songs. (Hey, I’m a pessimistic person *shrugs*.) In fact, a common complaint of Spinette’s is that I listen to too many songs about death. However, I’ll try to stick to the more upbeat ones for this tag.

I’m so excited to share my music with you guys!

I was tagged by the ever wonderful Sophia Ismaa. Go check out her blog, peeps, you won’t be disappointed.

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RULES

1. Link back to ‘Pick Me Up Playlist’ creator – Laura Spoonie
2. Tag the blogger who nominated you
3. Mention how music helps your Mental Health
4. List 10 songs that you would consider to be a part of your ‘Pick Me Up Playlist’ (optional: mention a little bit why each song is on your list)
5. Tag 10 other bloggers to join in with the ‘Pick Me Up Playlist’ Challenge

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Music helps me relax while I do my homework. I am up to my eyeballs in homework. My eyeballs are sad.

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1. Unstoppable by The Score

The Score is one of my favorite bands and this is my favorite song by them. Listen to the lyrics. Very Pick Me Up. (I’m succeeding at following the rules of this tag!)

 

2. Better by OneRepublic

A very terrific song. It makes me happy.

I think I’ve lost my mind. Don’t worry about it. Happens all the time. In the morning I’ll be better.

Me too.

 

3. Happier by Bastille and Marshmello

This one’s a new song by the amazing Bastille (and Marshmello) that I love. It makes me happier. The video, ironically, is quite sad.

 

4. Blood by My Chemical Romance

The tune is very peppy.

 

5. The Middle by Jimmy Eat World

It just takes some time
Little girl, you’re in the middle of the ride
Everything, everything will be just fine
Everything, everything will be all right

 

6. I’m Yours by Jason Miraz

And it’s our God-forsaken right to be loved loved loved loved loved

 

7. Pocket Full of Gold by American Authors

Very peppy.

 

8. Connection by OneRepublic

More pep.

 

9. Desolation Row by My Chemical Romance

I just like it.

 

10. Sinners by Barns Courtney

I couldn’t help but pick some negative songs. They pick me up.

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Out of curiosity, what’s your favorite song?

The Amazing, The Wonderful, The Spam Box

If there’s one thing that’s never failed to make me laugh, it’s the grammar-error ridden spam box. Behold its wonders.

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On Awesome Blogger Award

Really no matter if someone doesn’t understand afterward its up to other people that
they will assist, so here it happens.

Yup. I know exactly what you mean.

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On My Name in TBR Books Tag

As you! want something extremely new? Open and look at this page. Only there the choice of slaves for every desire and completely free! They are good slaves, they will and want perform anything you order !

Dude. How many times do I have to tell you? I have no interest in slaves. However, if you have chocolate, I would take that instead.

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On Awesome Blogger Award

First of all I want to say awesome blog! I had a quick question in which I’d
like to ask if you don’t mind. I was interested to know how you
center yourself and clear your mind before writing. I’ve had a hard time clearing my mind in getting my thoughts out.
I do take pleasure in writing but it just seems like the first 10 to
15 minutes are wasted just trying to figure out how to begin.
Any recommendations or tips? Many thanks!

Thanks :).

I don’t usually clear my mind before I start writing. It’s the writing itself that clears my mind. And if I can’t figure out how to begin, I’ll start in the middle.

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On 10 Things You Need to Know About Feminism

Great blog here! Also your web site loads up very fast!
What host are you using? Can I get your affiliate link
to your host? I wish my website loaded up
as quickly as yours lol

Thanks. I didn’t know it loaded up fast. My computer’s on its last dregs of life and it takes about five minutes to load up. So.

I’m using WordPress, as most of my readers are. I have no idea what the affiliate link is. (I’m also only vaguely aware of what it even is.)

LOL. It’s so funny that your website doesn’t load up as quickly as mine. LOLOLOLOL. That’s so funny. It’s the best joke I’ve ever heard. My socks have exploded from laughter.

You, my dear friend, are funny.

LOL.

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On Texting? What’s that?

This is a topic that is close to my heart… Cheers!

Where are your contact details though?

My address is 1234 Unicorn Way, Marshmallow Zone, Unicornia. I’ll appreciate all the fan mail and chocolate you send me because that’s surely the reason you want my contact details.

 

 

The Traitor’s Game || Book Review

The Traitor’s Game by Jennifer A. Nielsen || 3/5

Nothing is as it seems in the kingdom of Antora. Kestra Dallisor has spent three years in exile in the Lava Fields, but that won’t stop her from being drawn back into her father’s palace politics. He’s the right hand man of the cruel king, Lord Endrick, which makes Kestra a valuable bargaining chip. A group of rebels knows this all too well – and they snatch Kestra from her carriage as she reluctantly travels home.The kidnappers want her to retrieve the lost Olden Blade, the only object that can destroy the immortal king, but Kestra is not the obedient captive they expected. Simon, one of her kidnappers, will have his hands full as Kestra tries to foil their plot, by force, cunning, or any means necessary. As motives shift and secrets emerge, both will have to decide what – and who – it is they’re fighting for.

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• Lots of exposition dumping at the beginning that distracts from the story.
• The romance is VERY forced.
• It says that Kestra has been training, is violent, and dangerous, but she never really does anything to prove these claims.
• A Super Random Observation: There’s a character named Basil. In The False Prince, there’s a character named Sage. Is there a character named Sage. Is there a herb theme going on here?
• The fight scenes aren’t done well. To support Kestra’s supposed combative prowess, it seems as though all her opponents are unskilled, despite being trained and experienced soldiers.
• Kestra’s says that she cares a great deal about her servants, but there are almost no interactions between them. Their relationship isn’t fleshed out and Kestra’s situation, therefore, doesn’t seem as dire as it supposedly is.
• Kestra and Simon’s relationship is forced and unrealistic. Despite thinking about each other all the time and being attracted to each other, they constantly fight when they’re together. They are risking far too much for each other than is practical or advisable. They are planning a hypothetical future for themselves (if only their love wasn’t forbidden. *Dramatic sigh*) after only having been reunited for three days. It’s honestly kind of ludicrous that they’d “fall in love” after days. Especially since they originally hated each other.
• Overdramatic and not suspenseful.
• I enjoyed the ending, though the twists were not particularly surprising.
• The antagonist was undeveloped and we only saw them once. The antagonist was portrayed more as a looming evil force.

This book was rather disappointing, especially considering how much I adored The False Prince. I most likely will not read the sequel to this book, but I will try other books by Nielsen. Overall, this book was rather forgettable. Nothing stuck out. The worst part was the romance. I don’t mind a well-done romance that is integral to the plot, but this one didn’t add anything to the story and was highly impractical. And I know love is supposedly not about practicality but *shudders* feelings. But this was such a non-romance that I was gagging at not rooting for that the impracticality took the spotlight.

Read 8/15/2018 – 8/21/2018

Currently Reading Vengeful by V.E. Schwab.

The Horrors of Highschool Homecoming

It was really loopy.

I mean loopy in all ways possible. It’s probably the only word I can use other than the ambiguous “fun”.

My friend, LeRain and I walked around from the gym to the cafeteria for the first hour, talking to her band friends while I regretted my class decisions. (I didn’t take band because I’m trash at ze flute and drawing interested me more.)

It was kind of boring at that point and the only thing that saved it from being that way was the yummy ice cones and this physical Angry Birds game. So the game basically went like this: step on the wooden thing and try desperately to knock down a tower of plastic bricks. Easy, right?

Wrong. It was so hard for me, even with my eight-inch heels (that’s a story for another post) to get the bird to hit the building. I knocked down the tower once in the twentyish tries I had. At times like this, I question why angry birds don’t have wings.   

After that, I met up with my other friend, Ash. She was dancing with her friend, Zip and introduced her to me. We danced a bit in the gym then went to the cafeteria since we were a bit tired. This was when the loopiness began.

Since the Gatorade was an odd grey color, we joked around that it was laced with illegal substances. We laughed so much that Ash spilled some of her drink on her dress. A guy passed by and said that it looked like a private part of the human body and snickered.

In an attempt to cover it up I gave her my Spanish crossword (which was due the next day) and tucked it under her dress so it looked like a bib. We walked out of the lunchroom then, Ash looking magnificent.

Outside the cafeteria, I saw a girl who had THE SAME EXACT dress as me and I just started laughing so much because of all the odd events that were somehow circulating around me. The girl probably thought I laced my own Gatorade with illegal substances because that’s what I sounded like at the time. I managed to say “Nice dress,” before promptly making my exit from her glaring radius.

Later, Ash, Zip, LeRain and I all went to the gym and played a game similar to Mad Libs. We danced more afterward, joining a dancing circle of freshmen doing stupid dances. Once in the middle, Ash danced like a goddess, but then was suddenly bombarded by two girls doing a sickening butt-slapping dance. Luckily, all was back to normal when this person went in the middle and started to do the chicken dance with incredible finesse. I think now I fully understand why people call highschoolers “weird”.

Lastly, LeRain and I did a slow dance to “A Thousand Years” since we were both third wheels to a couple. The song was a nice end to the rather loopy event.

My Most Anticipated Releases of October

I’ve seen this post floating around the blogosphere and I decided to jump on the bandwagon (am I using that expression correctly?) because I’m so excited for these books to come out and what am I to do but share my excitement with you?

So, with no further ado, I present to you (rhymes) a list of books that I need right now, but alas aren’t available right now *sobbing* in the order of which they will be released to us common folk.

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The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee

The first book is amazing and hilarious and one of my favorites. And now there’s a book about my favorite character?! Catch me when I explode.

There’s also a short story if you preorder, but alas, I cannot, as I am short of book funds. I mean, I guess this information isn’t useful to you guys though, since it’s already out and you can’t preorder anymore.

Also, I love the cover.

Release: October 2, 2018

Click here to read my review of The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue

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Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak

I currently have no idea what this book is about (but don’t worry, I’ll look it up as soon as I’m done writing this post), but I know I’ll love it because Markus Zusak is a master writer.

Release: October 9, 2018

Click here to read my review of I Am The Messenger

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What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

I’M SO EXCITED FOR THIS BOOK. I read the preview in the back of some other book and I MUST KNOW WHAT HAPPENS. I preordered a signed copy of this book, which is exciting because it’ll be my first signed book.

I also LOVE Albertalli and Silvera, and now they’re doing a book together.

Release: October 9, 2018

Click here to read my review of Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda

Click here to read my review of Leah on the Offbeat

Click here to read my review of They Both Die at the End

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Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas

Dude. Just. The cliffhanger!

I need this book.

I was planning to reread the series before this came out (because I can’t remember any of the details), but alas, I don’t have time. (I feel like I’m using ‘alas’ a lot. It’s just that type of day.)

I LOVE the cover.

You know, I picked up Throne of Glass because I was tired of reading unfinished series and having to wait for the new ones, so I vowed to read older series. So when I was reading Empire of Storms, I thought it was the last book. BUT IT WASN’T. AND THERE WAS A CLIFFHANGER. AND I HAD TO WAIT.

Release: October 23, 2018

Click here to read my review of Tower of Dawn

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So many books this month!!

The Nightingale || Book Review

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah || 5/5

In love we find out who we want to be. In war we find out who we are.

FRANCE, 1939

In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says goodbye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn’t believe that the Nazis will invade France…but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When France is overrun, Vianne is forced to take an enemy into her house, and suddenly her every move is watched; her life and her child’s life is at constant risk. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates around her, she must make one terrible choice after another.

Vianne’s sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old girl, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets the compelling and mysterious Gäetan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can…completely. When he betrays her, Isabelle races headlong into danger and joins the Resistance, never looking back or giving a thought to the real–and deadly–consequences.

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• The writing is beautiful.
• The descriptions are lovely and it makes it easy to paint a picture of the setting in your mind.
• The characters are amazing. They are strong people that I am attached to and you can’t help but root for them.
• The book made me feel emotions!
• The best part about this book is the characters. They’re well-developed and they have good character arcs.
• The plot is strong.
• It was slow at times.

Ahhh! That review was so short. There isn’t much to say, despite the book being so long. However, I must say that this book is AMAZING. It’s my favorite historical fiction and you won’t regret picking it up.

Read 8/9/2018 – 8/14/2018