Ten Great October Reads (That You Might Not Have Heard Of)

So I was looking over my past blog posts, and I realized that there are a ton of awesome books that haven't made it on to any of my top ten lists (or have hardly been featured there) or other book related posts. I mention a few from time to time, but I haven't devoted much space to them.

Anyhow, since I love October, fall, and eerie books, I thought it was high time I recommended ten lesser known books/series that are perfect for this time of year! Now, all spooky books are not created equal (I am really hard to scare, after all). And I mean spooky books here - not horror novels (well, not really).

So I introduce:

THE CREEPYMETER.
1= Couldn't scare anyone
2= Mild thrills
3= Getting colder
4= A bit unsettling
5= Decently Creepy
6= Kind of Scary
7= Chilling
8= What was that sound?
9= Don't Blink!
10= Never Sleeping Again!

1. The High Seas Adventures by Iain Lawrence

“The wooden jaws rose and fell. They seemed to bite at the waves, to chew them into froth. The head vanished altogether, then leapt from the sea, straining water through the teeth. The yellow eyes shone fierce with spray as the enormous head reared up, then plunged again. And in the sounds of the water, the dragon seemed to roar and breathe.” - The Smugglers (The High Seas Adventures #2)

On the coast of Cornwall live the wreckers: people who intentionally wreck passing ships to scavenge for goods and their livelihood. But when The Isle of Skye crashes on their beaches, the youngest crewman survives. John Spencer escapes the wreckage, but can he escape the people who helped his fellow sailors to a watery grave?

Starting with The Wreckers, The High Seas Trilogy is a thrilling YA adventure series with a lot of actual history mixed in. If you loved Pirates of the Caribbean, these are the books for you. But I did warn you that they were creepy (and authentically gross, at times). Series Creepymeter: 7-8

2. The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope

"The village was so far off the beaten road that she would not have been surprised to find the people shy of outsiders - silent, awkward, suspicious even - but she was entirely unprepared for the sort of fear and hatred that had swept over their faces when they saw her with the little boy." - The Perilous Gard

It's 1558, and both Lady Elizabeth and her followers are closely watched by Queen Mary Tudor. When Kate Sutton, one of Elizabeth's ladies-in-waiting, takes the fall for something her silly sister Alicia did, Kate is banished to the gloomy "Perilous Gard" for punishment. Everyone is strange and secretive, and clumsy, straight-forward Kate is determined to get to the bottom of things. What are the villagers so frightened of? What made Christopher, the young lord of the house, so bitter and at odds with his brother? And what is up with the well?

Okay, I know I've plugged this one a bit - but it's just that good! If you are at all interested in fairy folk legends, historical fiction, the 1500's and Queen Elizabeth, or just a good October yarn, then you have to read this book. And if you like it, Pope wrote another novel, The Sherwood Ring, which is a little more Scarlet Pimpernel and a bunch of fun. Creepymeter: 3

3. The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray by Chris Wooding

"The airship lumbered low overhead, its long, lined belly a dull smear of silvery light in the fog as it reflected the gas lamps of the city beneath." - The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray

Thaniel is a wych-hunter in the darkest corners of London's Old Quarters. He hunts evil, puts it down, and he doesn't get involved, until the lovely (and probably insane) Alaizabel Cray crosses his path. Alaizabel is possessed by a darkness that draws all sorts of nasty creatures, and if Thaniel can't discover how to free her, all of humanity might be in danger. 

Another book I might have mentioned in passing, The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray is pretty darn creepy, while still being fun. And it's hard to beat for atmosphere. If you like alternate Victorian timelines, Supernatural, and/or The Mortal Instruments, and you aren't afraid of ALL THE TROPES, read it. Creepymeter: 7

4. My Swordhand is Singing by Marcus Sedgwick

"There was nothing for Tomas now.
Not the singing.
Not the square.
Not the dead.
Not even Sultan.
Just the sword, that flew so fast that the air itself was cut in two.
But the hands grasped and grappled and there were too many. He was pulled from Sultan's back landing clumsily in the mud."- My Swordhand is Singing

Tomas relocates to Chust with his son Peter, raising his son to be a woodcutter. Peter doesn't understand why his father dug water channels all around the house, or why his father carries that mysterious, battered box, or what exactly, his father is running from. But then villagers start to die . . . and come back, and everything changes.

Marcus Sedgwick does not get half the notice he deserves. A spinner of spare, elegant, and truly creepy stories, he is truly under appreciated. My Swordhand is Singing is a father-son story that happens to involve vampires (which are not glamorous at all!), this is one of my favorite monster books. It's more along the lines of Something Wicked This Way Comes than Dracula, with a liberal dash of history and folklore. Creepymeter: 8

5. By These Ten Bones by Clare Dunkle

'Maddie blinked. A black shadow seemed to lie across his face. His eyes gleamed out through it, brilliantly green. She stooped and lifted the lantern to shine it full on him, but the shadow on his face didn't move.
"Blood," purred the shadow in a thick voice. "Salty, sweaty blood."'-By These Ten Bones

When a young woodcarver comes to town, Maddie is fascinated by his mysterious silence and skillful carvings. Maddie is determined to befriend him, but he has a secret that will destroy everything, and everyone, that Maddie loves. Maddie refuses to stand by and watch his curse take it's course, but how could a simple weaver's daughter defeat an ancient evil?

Continuing the monsters + vivid historical fiction trend, we have By These Ten Bones. Werewolves, Scotland, adorable characters, moody moorland, what's not to like? Creepymeter: 4

6. Rot & Ruin Series by Jonathan Maberry

“I don't ever want to live in a world where something like mercy...or maybe it's compassion...is the wrong choice.” - Rot and Ruin

Okay, okay, this is probably the most popular series on this list, and I've plugged them a bit, but they need your BRAINS to read them. I love this series so much (uhm, obviously?*), and I want other people to love them too. And honestly, I have a feeling these books are a love-it-or-hate-it thing. But don't be turned off by the zombies, because this series is about courage, loyalty, friendship, humanity, honor, coming of age, maturity, life and death, bonds, bromance . . . and zombies. I won't lie-they are there and they are coming at you-but they're still some of my favorite YA books ever. (And if you like Attack on Titan, you'll probably love it) Series Creepymeter: 7-8 (More gross than creepy)

7. Claymore by Yagi Norihiro

"We are humankind's greatest weapon. Before we existed, humans were powerless against the Yoma. But by using the Yoma's own power, they could finally defeat them. There is one big drawback: half breeds eventually become . . . full blown monsters . . ."-The Silver-Eyed Slayer (Claymore #1)

Claymores are warriors named after the giant swords they carry - women who are half monster, half human, and are the only defense against the terrifying Yoma. Clare is a young Claymore, low-ranked and haunted by a tragic past. Can she fight monsters without becoming one herself, and is she even strong enough to survive?

This is one of my favorite manga series (and the anime is good too). Ridiculously cool women warriors, lots of swords and monsters, and a sinister subplot make this a great series. The art is a bit shaky in the first couple volumes, but once Yagi hits his stride, his composition is spectacular. His Yoma (the monsters) are some of the most horrific, yet beautiful, things I've ever seen. (Be warned, this is not a series for kids, or the faint of stomach.) Creepymeter: 7-9 as the series progresses

8. The Riddles of Epsilon by Christine Morton-Shaw

“The O was not a number – a zero. It was a letter – the first letter of the word One. But it was far more than that. It was a symbol in itself – the symbol of unity. The perfect circle. Of the complete unit. The never ending. The One.
And the snake? The snake was not a perfect circle. It could never be unified – not even if it began to eat its own tail. The symbol of one who depends only upon itself for nourishment.” - The Riddles of Epsilon

After causing more trouble at school, Jess is dragged to the isolated island of Lume by her frustrated parents. Jess is sure she'll be bored to death, but when she encounters a mysterious presence and creepy riddles, boredom is the last thing she'll have to worry about. Jess starts investigating, and she comes across the writings of Sebastian, a boy who was around her age - 100 years ago - and whose experiences on Lume were eerily reminiscent of Jess' own. But the dangers Sebastian encountered don't sleep quietly, and now Jess' whole family is at stake. 

I read this book several years ago, but it always pops up when I'm thinking about truly atmospheric creepy novels. Jess is an engaging protagonist, and the combination of chat room conversations, narrative, and diary entries was a clever way to tell the story. Creepymeter: 5

 9. The Others Series by Anne Bishop

“There would be a spike in the number of girls who went out for a walk in the woods and were never heard from again. There always were when stories came out portraying the terra indigene as furry humans who just wanted to be loved.
Most of the terra indigene didn't want to love humans; they wanted to eat them. Why did humans have such a hard time understanding that?” - Written in Red

Meg is a cassandra sangue -a blood prophet- she sees visions when her skin is cut. She's lived a restricted life, with her prophecies sold to high paying clients, and her every action supervised by a seemingly benevolent Controller. Until she runs away. But Meg isn't suited for living on her own (according to the Controllers), and she has zero experience in the real world. The real world is an uneasy existence between humans and the Others - powerful beings who inhabit the wild places and supervise the humans from Courtyards in human cities. Meg begs a job from the Lakeside Courtyard, but she's valuable property, and her Controller won't let her go without a fight.

Yet another series that I've mentioned (and it's moderately popular), but it's too perfect for this time of year. Also, this is an awesome urban fantasy series - even if you are sick to death of urban fantasy/paranormal. The Others are fantastic - feral and untamed and neither cuddly nor sparkly. More primeval forces than typical monsters, their power is a looming threat in the entire series. And Meg. I love Meg so much. She isn't kickbutt, or particularly confident, but she's got a warrior spirit, and she is one of the kindest heroines I can think of. (She's reminds me of Sophie in Howl's Moving Castle). Her strengths are not standard, and it makes her a standout. I love all the supporting characters too, with their diverse (and often prickly) personalities, and the way Bishop slowly builds their relationships. Note: This is an older teen/adult series, with mature content and themes, some disturbing elements, and a smattering of violence at the end - think Jane Eyre meets Underworld  meets Grimm. Creepymeter: 6-7

10. A Whisper in the Dark: Twelve Thrilling Tales by Louisa May Alcott

“There are fates more terrible than death; weapons more keen than poniards, more noiseless than pistols. Women use such, and work out a subtler vengeance than men can conceive.” – Pauline’s Passion and Punishment (this story isn't included, I just liked the quote!)

Remember those sensational stories that Jo March tried to sell in Little Women? Louisa May Alcott actually wrote quite a few stories just like that. In A Whisper in the Dark, twelve of her little-known stories are combined for a thrilling, old-fashioned read. The stories run the gamut from philosophical to frightening, with murder and mystery, and gothic secrets galore.

Even if you didn't enjoy Little Women, A Whisper in the Dark is an interesting literary piece. It's all classic gothic/Victorian thrills, with sympathetic young heroines and some actual depth. Alcott explores everything from womens' roles to psychological terror. After reading it, you might agree with Jo's publishers (stick to family stories!), or you might wish Alcott had taken the other road, but it's interesting reading either way. Creepymeter: 3-4 (this could be subjective!)

If none of these look like your sort of thing, then here are some Bonus Recommendations:

Creepy Classic Novels

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
Dracula by Bram Stoker
The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

More Popular (but still good!) Creepy Modern Reads

The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
The Passage by Justin Cronin
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
Thr3e by Ted Dekker
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

So, do any of these books look like something you'd read? Have you read any of them? What are some of your favorite October/Halloween/Fall books?

Footnotes:
*I even have fanart to prove my love (okay, I drew it back in 2012-but still). And yes, he is wearing his pajamas (it's from a scene in the book).

ArtPrize Adventures 2015, Meijer Gardens, and the Creative Blogger Award

In which I ramble about art and cameras and gardens . . .

Bonus points if you know why I used this particular gif ;P

So, I'm going to borrow a page from E. Rawl's book and combine a tag with another post. Very fitting, since she is the one who tagged me for this and ArtPrize is all about creativity! I'll list my five random facts throughout the post. And at the very end of the post, instead of tagging people, I'm going to list eleven of my favorite blogs - just in case some of you haven't heard of them.

First, a little bit about ArtPrize. For almost three weeks in the fall, you can see over 1500 works of art located in 3 square miles of Grand Rapids, MI. It's due to the independent competition called ArtPrize, which anyone can enter. That's right - any artist of any level or country, ages 18 and older, can enter to win hundreds of thousands of dollars. They do a much better job explaining it here, so click that link if you'd like to know more!

Intersections laser cut wood, Copyright Anila Quayyum Agha

From performance based art such as music, to modern sculpture and traditional ceramics, ArtPrize seems to garner just about every sort of art you could imagine.

For example, here's the piece that won last year (it is even more incredible in person!):

Intersections by Anila Quayyum Agha

Click the links above for more info, as well as the artist's thoughts/inspirations for her work.

By the way, this "box" is 6.5 feet by 6.5 feet . . . and intricately carved the whole way round. It's hard to explain just how incredible it is to stand in a giant empty room with it. The center light, as you see, projects the shadows and amplifies the patterns so you can appreciate just how amazing the carvings are.

This year's entries were no less diverse, from a quilted scene of Michigan forests to a peacock made out of scavenged silverware (not kidding). My phone kept dying on me, so I didn't get nearly as many pictures as I wanted (my normal camera is busted, unfortunately). Still, you can see a bit of most entries on their website.

"Triple Play" by Anni Crouter - Acrylic on Canvas

Random Fact #1 about Rebekah: I wanted to be Princess Jasmine when I was 5, just so I could have a pet tiger. (Don't ask how that made sense-I was 5)

Michigan Petoskey Stone by Randall Libby

The petoskey stone MI was incredible! At about 9 x 9 feet, it was also pretty big. The artist did all of the counties in Michigan, which was also very cool. I believe it is now the biggest piece of petoskey stone art existing.

Random Fact #2: My favorite color is burnt autumn orange. Followed closely by hunter green.

"Seasons" by Robin Protz

Ohhhh, this tree! I NEED IT. My camera just didn't capture how gorgeous it is though. It's all four seasons on a tree, made out of everything from spools to Christmas ornaments, all suspended from a frame to form the tree. I felt like I was in fairyland. (I was seriously enraptured by this thing. We practically had to drag me away)

Random Fact #3: My favorite book about "The Fair Folk," (or unconfirmed fairies!) is The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope. It's awesome historical fiction and you should read it.

"Vintage Dream" by Reagan Kazyak

This is a wearable dress made out of vintage storybook pages. I know people are divided on using book pages this way, but JUST LOOK AT THIS. I've always been interested in clothing construction and costume design, so this blew my mind. There are more close ups if you click the link.

Random Fact #4: Costume Design was one of the things I seriously considered doing with my life. I actually made all of the costumes for a friend's indie film!

"As Above" by Judith Braun

"As Above" 480 sq. ft Charcoal fingerprints on the wall at Grand Rapids Art Museum, for ArtPrize Seven, 2015

Those are all fingerprints. It makes me dizzy just considering this! If you went up closer, you could see the perfectly placed charcoal smudges. It took finger painting to a whole new level. Some people are so creative that I can hardly comprehend it.

Random Fact #5: The last charcoal artwork I did was a headshot of Elsa (Frozen, probably obvious) for my younger sister

So, my phone kept dying, and I didn't get many more pictures :(  However, since the ArtPrize site has A TON of photos, you should check it out. I'll finish off the ArtPrize segment with a picture of this intriguing statue that seemed to be looking at me . . .

"White Forest Project" by Oriano Galloni

Maybe someday I will have a working camera when I need it . . .

Bonsai!!

The Zen Garden.

Anyhow, after ArtPrize, we went to Meijer Gardens for the first time. It was absolutely gorgeous, and I can't wait to go back there and write. The highlight was the Japanese garden, which made me feel more at peace just after stepping into it!










Too beautiful. There was even a fellow watercolor painting on one of the paths. He had an easel and zero signs of modern tech on him. I really wished that I'd brought my notebooks. Or at least my sketchpad!!

If you click the Meijer Gardens link above, you can see a little bit more of some of the other things they do. We didn't have a lot of time, so we skipped plenty of stuff. There were conservatories as well, and several gardens we didn't make it into. The Children's Garden was especially cool - with tree huts that reminded me of Swiss Family Robinson, and the log cabin at left. And there were suspension bridges!!


So cool! And the pictures of the gardens were all taken by my younger brother, by the way. Didn't he do a nice job?

So I could bore you all day with garden pictures, but I promised to list off 11 of my favorite blogs (and follow E. Rawls too! because she would have made this list if she hadn't been the tagger!). They aren't all book blogs, but you should check them all out!

1. Alex Hurst - She's a fantasy author who lives in Kyoto. I'm super jealous. But her blog is awesome.
2. Sara Letourneau - a great blogger, fantasy author, and all around lovely person. Follow her.
3. Victoria Grace @ Stori Tori's Blog - She loves anime and she writes. And she's really nice
4. Christine @ Musings of an Elf - Another lovely writer who wants to be an elf. We need a club!
5. Aimee @ To the Barricade -  Snarky writer. And her blog name is a reference to LES MIS people
6. Alyssa @ The Devil Orders Takeout - funny and a ton of fun (and another author)
7. Skye @ Further Up and Further In - She runs the Beautiful People meme with Cait, and she writes
8. Elizabeth @ Inkspelled Faery - a published author with a fun writing blog (sensing a theme?)
9. Tracey Dyck - A Canadian author with a beautiful writing blog. She's full of good stuff :)
10. Kami @ Kami's Library Thoughts - She reviews everything from graphic novels to movies
11. Deborah @ The Road of a Writer - A writer/blogger who loves LOTR and Westmark!!

Whew! That was a long post. If you made it to the end, have a cookie.

777 Writing Challenge (with the first ever snippet from Knight of the Blue Surcoat!)

Deborah O'Carroll @ The Road of a Writer tagged me for this challenge a couple weeks ago (and I'm actually getting to it pretty quickly, for me! Thanks Deborah!). Anyhow, the 777 challenge is the first writing challenge I've been tagged for, so I was pretty excited. Now, since I have a few more tags to get to, I'm not tagging anyone - however- if you are a writer and you read this, feel free to post seven sentences from the seventh page in your current WIP in the comments. I'll read them :)

Anyhow, the rules are basically this:

1. Go to your current WIP's seventh page.
2. Select seven lines and post. (Some variations have you going seven lines down, and all that).
3. Tag 7 People to do the same

Since this tag is so simple, I decided to do it twice: and the second snippet is my first ever posted for my upcoming novel, Knight of the Blue Surcoat!

Photo Source

But first, a snippet from The Last Coffee Shop in all of its unedited glory. And some context, because words without context make me a little batty. (Click the links to learn more about these characters and the novel premise) Note: The art/pics do not belong to me. They are credited/sourced to the artists and are not being used for any profit :)



My protagonist, Mads Capot, owns and works in The Last Coffee Shop in the world. The setting is post-apocalyptic parallel Earth. The Alan referenced in the snippet is one of Mads' two best friends, and son of the local business tycoon (they basically live in a giant terrarium), and he's showing off the shop to some of his dad's clients.

Mads rolled her eyes at the obvious pitch. If Alan were alone, he would have the morning news, both local and galactic. He'd chat until his father paged him, calling him back to his duties as the only heir to the prestigious Dekker firm and fortune. But Alan was someone else every time he came in with a group, it was something Mads had never liked about him. 

"And here she is: ma petite Madeleine Capot le Roux, herself,"Alan proclaimed behind her, making Mads jump. She turned the motion into a spin, and set his steaming latte in front of him with a practiced flourish. 

Mads turned her scowl into a tight smile, "No one calls me that, and I'm anything but little," she kept her eyes on the newcomers, studying their unfamiliar faces and guessing what sort of coffee they'd order, if any.

Okay, so that was my random TLCS snippet. If you're interested, I have been featuring it for Beautiful People each month as well. There's also a fun Pinboard of TLCS inspiration (where the pic is from).

And here's the snippet from The Knight of the Blue Surcoat (coming Summer 2016) - Note: Text is in pre-published form and subject to change. Copyright Rebekah L. Hendrian 2015

Enid and Geraint - Rowland Wheelwright 1907- Public Domain

This snippet is actually Orlando's introduction in the text (read more about him here), so it goes along well with last month's post:

Orlando grabbed another apple from the half-open sack. His stomach felt like a grave, ever anxious to devour. Or at least, what Orlando assumed a grave would feel like, if they could feel. Maybe he’d write an epic poem about it someday, in the style of Homer. 

Orlando glanced at his manservant, a sturdy fisherman from Crete. “You’re still not hungry, Horace?” 

The man sighed. “Highness, watching you eat takes away my appetite.” 

Orlando bit a chunk out of the rosy red fruit. “You were born old and fat, then?”

Okay, so it's technically eight lines, but since I'm disregarding the rules anyway . . . And if you are a Pinterest nut like me, here's the board for this one.

So, what did you think about the snippets? They're pretty sparse, but I think they did show a little bit about my characters. Again, if you'd like to share a 777 snippet, feel free to post them in the comments!

September Revisited: End of Month Wrap-up with Art!

So - I wrote half of this post and then went to work, and after that, I went to ArtPrize.* 

Art was viewed, streets were walked (lots and lots of walking), and I didn't get home until 11pm, so no writing happened. So I am doing my wrap up on the first day of October. Happy October everyone!

September is over (*sniffles*) which means it's time for the Monthly Wrap-Up with Nicole at Feed Your Fiction Addiction. If you'd like to read more about it or link up (and read the other posts!), here's the link.

September wasn't as crazy as August, but I only managed 9 posts. It seemed like more work than that . . .?
September was also the beginning of fall (my favorite season), and contains Hobbit Day, but more on that later.

I finished with the intensive reading/reviewing program I was doing. I got to talk/chat with some authors via the internet, which was awesome, and I discovered a few really great books. My favorite one, Jakob's Colors, didn't make the final list (despite my lobbying and flag-waving), but I plan on plugging and reviewing it here soon.

Also, Fall TV is officially upon us. On that note, did anyone else watch the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. premiere last night? I think the show is off to a strong third season start, and Leo Fitz is still the best.**

In other random news, I am almost finished reading all the way through Naruto.*** It will probably take me about 20 years to finish the anime though. Especially since I found out that Doctor Who season 8 is now on Netflix (and DW trumps everything). The BBC is much more logical about season lengths, I my opinion. They'll have 12-15 episodes, tops, and they're all 45 min (at least) long. It's like a miniseries every time. (Note, this does not apply to Sherlock, which needed more episodes to begin with).

So, other than ArtPrize (promise to take pictures when I go back on Friday!), and catching up on my reading, I didn't do much of note in September. So here's a quick post recap for you:

Tolkien Tribute:

In honor of Hobbit Day (September 22nd) I wrote about why I love Tolkien so much (limited myself to 10 coherent points). There were many quotes, and much sharing of feels. 

Beautiful People And Book Stuff:

I introduced Orlando, the secondary protagonist of my upcoming YA fantasy novel, Knight of the Blue Surcoat. And I drew a picture of him. He's a lovable fellow who likes horses and food, and accidentally makes enemies. He has devoted most of his life to bettering his older brothers at everything in hopes that his father will *finally* notice him.

For Beautiful People, I featured Luc, a secondary protagonist (and one of the main antagonists) of my WIP, The Last Coffee Shop. I think I can conclude that Luc's roguish ways and lying habit were not a turnoff, and we established that he is actually one of my favorite characters to write about. (To read about the Beautiful People meme, click here)

Book Reviews:

Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin was only my second 5 star review of the year. The book is fabulous and you should check it out.

Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt was soul-crushing but beautiful. 4.5 stars.

I actually finished a lot of books in September, I'm just behind on reviewing them.

Top Ten Tuesdays:

Top 10 Characters I Couldn't Connect With (I had some unpopular opinions here, for sure, but I made sure to include funny gifs as a peace offering).

Top 10 Books You Should Read if You Like . . . where I made book mixes. I mean, recommendations.

Tags:

The Sisterhood/Siblinghood of World Bloggers - I was tagged by E. Rawls and Bogdana the Booknerd, and combined the post. Part I was a fun "Would You Rather?" and Part II was about "Reading Habits." I had fun answering all the questions, and added lots of gifs because I have a gif problem.****

I delved deep into the fires of my TBR pile for the TBR tag, also courtesy of Bogdana. More gifs ensued.

Since that is it for posts and since I have been in the art mood for weeks, I'll leave you with my (now) monthly collection of art discovered on my internet rambles: 

Disclaimer: All art is posted with full links and credits to the artist. It is used only to promote their fabulous artwork and I am making zero profit :) Cheers.

We'll start with this fantastic Little Red Riding Hood piece by Swiss artist Jade Mosch (ELK64 on Deviantart.com). It's called The Wolf and Me, and you can view it full size here.

Copyright Elk64 on Deviantart.com

I feel alone in the woods just looking at it! Mosch used watercolor and gouache. Stunning.

The next piece is by Burdge. Her art is a staple on Tumblr and Pinterest, and for good reason. She captures characters so well, and her art is just fantastic. And it's often adorable. That's a killer combo, so applause for her. This one is called "London Below," and it is fanart from Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman.

Didn't Burdge capture them perfectly?! Copyright Burdge

And here is one that made me laugh. And I am really in a Star Wars mood: It's "all about that base" by Desiree Surjadi ( Shorelle on Deviantart.com). Be sure to check our her shop for more great SW art, Game of Thrones, and more.

Copyright Shorelle

Shorelle has a complete series of these (including this one of Anakin that is hysterical) in her Star Wars Gallery.

I will finish off with some of the cutest LOTR fanart I have ever seen. Korean artist Harmonia3784 manages to make the hobbits look like cuddly E. H. Shepherd illustrations.

Copyright Harmonia3784

See? So. Cute. It's like something you'd have framed on a nursery wall.

So that's it for September. October is one of my favorite months, so I hope it seems longer! I've got books to read, art to see, leaves to chase (I still do that), and a costume to plot (I work on Halloween=I'm allowed to wear a costume!). What are some of your October plans?

Footnotes:

*ArtPrize is a giant public art competition that takes place in Grand Rapids, MI. People from all over the world (and at all different skill levels) enter to win thousands of dollars. Half is popular vote, half is critic's choice, but there's not really anything quite like it. And it makes GR feel like a giant festival.

**Iain De Caestecker's (Spelling-Google) acting keeps getting better. And I love his character evolution! And the accent doesn't hurt anything. Just saying.

***At 72 volumes, it's no joke. And I think the inter-library loan people are scared of me now.

****

TTT: Top 10 Books You Should Read if You Like ___________ (Bookseller Expertise Coming in Handy Here)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted and created by The Broke and the Bookish. To participate, click here.

Image Source

I thought I'd combine two of my jobs on paper: mixing drinks and recommending books, and set up this list like book cocktails. So each number has a combo of popular books/series/authors/franchises, and then the resulting "mix" is what you should read. Got it?

Top 10 Books You Should Read if You Like These Popular Books/Authors

1. If you like Percy Jackson and MARVEL/DC Superheroes:

The Jack Blank Adventures by Matt Myklusch

An orphan hero, check. 

Killer robots, check. 

Ninjas, flying cars, supervillains, check. 

There's even time travel.

This fun series straddles YA and MG and will appeal to both kids and their parents

2. If you liked Matched and Divergent:

Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien

Reviewed it here

In a dystopian future, young midwife Gaia Stone must choose between her duty and rescuing her parents. And making that choice will cause her to question everything she knows. This is one dystopian novel that won't remind you of The Hunger Games. And the heroine is a midwife.

3. If you liked Twilight and anything by Jane Austen

The Hollow Kingdom Trilogy (and By These Ten Bones) by Clare B. Dunkle

For the record, THK trilogy is, in principle, nothing like Twilight. So if you're not a Twilight fan (I'm not either), don't write this one off. It has a similar story feel, and there is a lot of Jane Austen inspiration. In the first book, a charismatic (but ugly) goblin king chooses orphaned Kate to be his bride. As can be expected, Kate has a lot to say about this. In the sequels, there are lots of elves.* And By These Ten Bones is a Scottish werewolf romance/thriller.

4. If you like The Scorpio Races and Code Name Verity

Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin

I just reviewed this on the blog, but I had to include it because it was so fresh and different (and I loved it). Basically, it's alternate history with motorcycle racing, a strong heroine, and a minor dash of fantasy.

5. If you like Naruto and Star Wars

The Young Samurai Series** by Chris Bradford

Okay, so it's samurai, not ninja (there are ninjas though). And there is zero magic, and no spaceships. But the basic story of a spunky boy--an outsider in a traditional, proud culture--who must become a warrior and navigate a hostile world, and deal with both friends and enemies . . . I basically just described Naruto and Star Wars.

6. If you like The Hunger Games and Les Miserables (the Musical***)

The Kestrel (Westmark #2) by Lloyd Alexander

This is actually the second book in the Westmark trilogy (and you should read them all). One of the best novels about war, the consequences, and how war affects kids. I suppose it is more comparable to Mockingjay - and it handles the same themes with more wisdom and heart.

7. If you like The Walking Dead and The Maze Runner

 Rot and Ruin (or the Joe Ledger series) by Jonathan Maberry 

Whether you are 15, 25, or older, I dare you not to root for Benny Imura and his friends in their fight to survive. Now, I'm not keen on zombies, but these books are about so much more. They are coming of age, friendship, heroism, Bushido, survival novels. And Tom Imura**** is in them. The Joe Ledger novels are pretty good too (action thrillers with a side of zombie).

8. If you like the Gemma Doyle trilogy and The Infernal Devices

The Iron Codex series by Caitlin Kittredge

Steampunk fantasy that is better than the cover would make it seem. Everyone in Aoife Grayson's family has gone mad on their 16th birthday (a fate she's trying to avoid, obviously). Monsters, machines, a touch of romance, eccentric characters, and more monsters= a recipe for fun.

9. If you like Artemis Fowl and Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children

The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud

An eerie, wry book where ghosts are commonplace, and only young Psychic Investigators can deal with the epidemic of spirits. The characters are lovable, the ghosts are actually kind of creepy, and the book is a fast paced mystery/adventure. A great Halloween pick.

10. If you like Cruel Beauty and A Thousand Nights

Keturah and Lord Death by Marine Leavitt

A girl follows a stag into a forest, gets lost, and almost dies. But when Death shows up, he's a handsome and stern young lord, and Keturah isn't ready to die. Keturah strikes a bargain with Death, telling him a story to stall her end. If she can find her true love in twenty-four hours, she'll be free from Death, but things don't turn out exactly how she plans.

Footnotes:

*ELVES! They have a strong rivalry with the goblins.

**One of my favorite series - ever. If you are into Japanese history, then you should check them out.

***The musical condensed most of the themes, and some of the characters, and made it much more sellable.

****