“O let us cast dull care away
Again be children for a day
Witches goblins have their sway
‘Tis Halloween, let’s joke and play.”

~ Vintage postcard greeting

I’m ready for Halloween. I’ve stocked up on candy, probably more than we’ll actually need for the trick or treaters, but I don’t mind having leftovers you know.

So while I was doing some blog hopping today I saw over at Texas Pages that they listed the 10 scariest characters in literature. There are some good choices on there and if I had to add one I’d say La Llorona. Who would you add?

Anyway, if you are still looking for some scary stories to read, I recommend The Woman in Black by Susan Hill, Sleep, Pale Sister by Joanne Harris, and Come Closer by Sara Gran. Just don’t forget to leave the lights on.

Hope everyone has a very happy Halloween!

For the past week I’ve been been paying more attention than I normally would to the small bulletin board next to one of my bookshelves. I have postcards, quotes and the odd assortment of pieces of paper with important dates and stuff but the one item that’s been drawing my attention lately is the Half Price Books coupon flier.

This week I finally get to use my coupons – yay. I went to Half Price Books tonight and found two books I’d had on my wish list for quite some time and another book that sounded good. My little stash of books includes the following:

• Pearl by Mary Gordon. Synopsis: On Christmas night, 1998, Maria Meyers – a New York single mother with a radical past – receives a call from the State Department: her daughter, Pearl, who is studying abroad at Trinity College, Dublin, has chained herself to the flagpole outside the American embassy and has not eaten in six weeks.
• The Odd Woman by Gail Godwin. Synopsis: Professor Jane Clifford is in her early thirties, smart, and attractive. A popular teacher at a midwestern college, she appears to be going somewhere. But Jane knows better. After a lifetime habit of looking to books for the answers to life’s mysteries, she seems to be finding only more questions.
• Symptoms of Death by Paula Paul. Synopsis: Edward Boswick, Fifth Earl of Dunsford, hosted a small gathering of friends at his country estate, including the village’s lady-doctor, Alexandra Gladstone. The noblest of the noble, each of his intimates was in possession of title, land — and a secret vendetta against his host. And so, when their “dear Eddie” is found murdered in his own bed, the lords and ladies point to a helpless servant — and flee…

So I didn’t go all out but I do have coupons for the rest of the week. I may have to just go over to a few other Half Price Books locations and see what treasures I can find.