Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween readers! Sorry I've been a little MIA lately. I've been trying to catch up on reading, and have been really busy with school and incredibly thrilled that I have gotten an internship! Anyways, since today is the best day of the year (right next to Christmas), I thought I'd return with a little post. It's nothing special or big, and unfortunately this is not a review, although I promise I will get back to posting as soon as possible! So I thought I would share with you the top ten best things about Halloween!

1. Pumpkin Carving

The icon of Halloween is a jack-o-lantern and few things are better than going to a pumpkin patch, picking out a pumpkin, going home with your friends or family or significant other, and carving the heck out of that thing. Then you get to bake the pumpkin seeds and light the lanterns and show off your creation for the whole neighborhood to see.

2. Apple Cider

Halloween is an odd time to go about drinking hot chocolate (debatable) since it's not really right for the tone of Halloween. But apple cider works. One of my favorite things is curling up with a good book on my porch as I drink a glass of hot apple cider and just take in the majesty of fall.

3. Hay Rides

If you take hay rides away from Halloween, they're kind of a weird event to go on. It's just sitting on bales of hay on a trailer going on a ride through a corn field or trees. But add Halloween and the hired actors who jump out and scare you, and hay rides are actually kind of perfect. And inspiring if you let your mind wander far enough...

4. Haunted Houses

Not everyone enjoys a good haunted house, but for those of us that do, this is one the best aspects of this holiday. Whether it's going to Halloween Horror Nights or your local haunted house, this is the best time of the year to get scared out of your mind by strangers who are getting paid to traumatize you.

5. Ghost Stories

As an avid reader, I love scary stories. And Halloween is the perfect time to get a copy of that newest scary book or one of the classics and read a story that will have you sleeping with the lights on. 

6. The Fall Weather

As basic as this might sound, nothing beats fall weather. It's not cold and it's not hot. The options for clothes are perfect and the ambience of it all is absolutely perfect. It kind of transports you back in time to your favorite historical novel or into the dark crevices of your favorite horror story.

7. Trick-Or-Treating

You are never too old to go trick or treating. Don't listen to what anybody says. It is amazing and so fun to dress up as always and run around your neighborhood or a friends and stuff pillow cases with whatever amount of candy you could manage. And then binge on it for the next week as candy becomes your only diet of importance.

8. The Costumes

Halloween is a day of dressing up in your favorite costume ever and showing it off. For some people that means going down to the local Halloween store and finding the most revealing out fit they can find. For others, this could mean creating your own costume based off your favorite protagonists from your favorite books (E.x. What I'm doing this year). And for the community of book nerds obsessing over the newest Sarah J. Maas, or whatever new book you're currently hooked on, this is the perfect time to bring those characters to life.

9. The Weather

Like I said more than once already, the weather around Halloween is almost guaranteed to be perfect. The cool air, sweaters, and your favorite things all wrapped up into one is perfection.

10. And, of course, The Fall Reads

And you can't forget your favorite books. There's nothing quite like a good fall read, or the new releases around this time.

So grab a book, get some cider and pumpkin seeds, and relax a bit before you go all out this Halloween. And make sure to get some good candy to last you a while!

Illusion by Lea Nolan Review

Hey there everyone! Today, Cover to Cover Reviews is the next stop on the Illusion Blog Tour! And I am sharing with you my review of the book.

I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

As many of you know, Illusion is the third and final book in the Hoodoo Apprentice series. The series is one that comes with intrigue, danger, and of course that charm we all love. It follows the story of Emma and her companions Jack and Cooper, among others, as they find themselves immersed in Hoodoo.

I was new to this series when the publisher invited me to review it, but once I picked it up, it was a series I could not put down. The first two books were enthralling and I was relieved that I had the third and final book to follow them up with. And let me say, Illusion did not disappoint. Between the action and the dark elements that I loved so much, Nolan has found a way to end this series on just the right note.This installment starts off fast, so be prepared. But once it gets going, you almost can't believe you finished this series so fast.

I really like the Hoodoo approach Nolan took. It's completely different from most YA novels and was a refreshing read. However, the characters are much younger than I thought they would be. Normally, it bothers me to see such dark elements thrust upon such young protagonists, but Nolan wrote it well and I don't see a need to complain about that with this series on every note except the romance one. The characters just seem so young for there to be any level of actual love growing between Cooper and Emma. When I was that age, just going to the movies with someone was a big deal. However, Nolan did a good job of balancing that aspect of the novel so that it was satisfying for readers that were into it and manageable to read about for readers that weren't. And really, who could focus on the romance with everything going on in that story! And I say that as a good thing. There was so much action going on that it was near impossible to put the book down because I was afraid I was going to miss something. Emma has a lot of ends to tie up and saving to do.

All in all, Illusion was just wonderful. I wish I would have gotten more involved with the series when it came out some time ago, but I am so happy that I finally got to read it. This last installment is the perfect ending to a wonderful series!

Lea Nolan is having giveaway for her wonderful series! Above is what the grand prize will be for those who enter. If you haven't already and want to enter, please follow this link:  http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/OTAyMjM3MzE4ZWE3ZWQ1YzBkZDE2YTA1YzNkOGNlOjMx/?

Thank you for stopping by Cover to Cover Reviews on this fabulous blog tour for Lea Nolan to celebrate the final installment in a wonderful series!