*Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly blog link-up hosted by The Broke and the Bookish*
Welcome to a Halloween-themed freebie week here on Top Ten Tuesday. Now, I need to preface this post by saying that I’m so not into creepy or gory or vampires. So if you’re looking for books like that, you might want to check out the other blogs on the link-up this week. However, I do love a good ghost story, particularly if said ghost orchestrates a romance while they are about their ghosting. And magical realism is right up my alley! Still… in looking at the suggested topics for today’s post, I knew I wouldn’t be able to come up with ten things for any one of the given ideas. So instead I’m doing a hodge-podge, an assorted bag of candy if you will (just to send the trick or treat theme toward a grisly end).
The Inn Boonsboro books are a trilogy based on the inn that Nora Roberts herself owns.
The historic hotel in Boonsboro has endured war and peace, changing hands, even rumored hauntings. Now it’s getting a major facelift from the Montgomery brothers and their eccentric mother. Along the way, the brothers encounter a ghost with an intriguing past and a penchant for matchmaking.
Books in the series:
Seriously. This book. Creeped me out as a kid, creeped me out as an adult. But boy is it good lol.
Amy is terrified. She hears scratching and scurrying noises coming from the dollhouse, and the dolls she was playing with are not where she left them. Dolls can’t move by themselves, she tells herself. But every night when Amy goes into the attic to check on the dollhouse, it is flled with an eerie light and the dolls have moved again! Are the dolls trying to tell her something? Are their movements connected to the grisly murders of her own great-grandparents? In a spine-chilling climax, Amy and her sister unravel the secrets of the petrifying dollhouse murders.
Monsieur Bernard de Cressac (Bluebeard)
Dude needs some counseling.
When a Heart Stops is actually the second book in my very favorite suspense series, Deadly Reunions. You must go back and read the books in order because they all tie together, but this second book has the most chilling case of the three, in my opinion. It made me think of The Dollhouse Murders so maybe that biased me a little lol.
The first book – When the Smoke Clears – is free on Amazon right now!
Nancy Drew. Duh. 🙂
Ok. So technically Benedict Cumberbatch isn’t the sleuth – Sherlock Holmes is. But y’all. I could listen to Benedict Cumberbatch read a phone book and be perfectly content 🙂
There is no way I could ever decide between Dumbledore and Gandalf so I am declaring a tie.
Hermione Granger. Again, duh. 🙂
I. LOVE. THIS. BOOK.
If you have never read it, you are missing out.
Don’t tell my nephew this, but I totally bought a copy the other day to read to him the next time I get to see him. Granted, he’s only 5 months old but he lives 6 hours away. You can never be too prepared lol.
Of course, there was really only one option for this category lol.
Stephen King + my vivid imagination = not a good combination for peaceful sleep
For further reasons, see my opening paragraph 😉
What about you? What books would you pick for some of these categories?
This is a wonderful list! I love that Gandalf and Dumbledore had to tie. 🙂 Hermoine is also a great pick for favorite witch.
Thanks for sharing!
Amanda
Thanks, Amanda!!
Great list – I agree with favorite witch and wizard! 🙂 Here’s my TTT.
thanks, Erika! 🙂
Hermione Granger is definitely the best witch, haha. And I can’t argue with Benedict Cumberbatch … er, I mean Sherlock 😉
Lol 😉
Your take on this week’s theme is awesome 🙂
Thanks 🙂
Go hermione! And Great list!
I’ve nominated you for the infinity dreams award-https://beingabooknerd.wordpress.com/2015/10/27/blog-awards-the-infinity-dreams-award/
Thank you!! 🙂
Great picks! I love that you have Betty Ren Wright listed – I adore her work. CHRISTINA’S GHOST still creeps me out to this day!
I haven’t read that one – will have to check it out!!
What a great list! 😀 Gandalf and Dumbledore <3
thanks 😀
There’s A Monster is great…I loved it growing up.
Fun list – I’ve added the Deadly Reunions trilogy to my wish list thanks to you!
yay! It’s such a great series! Enjoy 🙂
Sherlock is both gorgeous and a little bit scary at times… And I haven’t read Carrie yet as well! I’ve always wanted to, though… My TTT.
yes, that’s true – Sherlock can indeed be a bit scary too. But when he talks… *dreamy sigh* 😉
True… And his face makes it hard to be scared of him hahaha! He’s too gorgeous!
you speak truth 🙂
Great picks! I love where you took the theme this week. 🙂
Check out my TTT and my Halloween Giveaway.
thanks Lauren!!
Awesome list! I definitely agree with Sherlock <3 and I don't think I've heard of The Dollhouse Murders before (and I probably won't pick it up because I'm too much of a chicken lol)
You know, I’ve read Carrie and it’s not as scary as one would believe. I actually felt very sorry for the protagonist and accidentally rooted for her. Whoops. Yes, Hermione is the best. Hope your Halloween is fun!
Haha thanks! 🙂
I love Nora Roberts books 🙂
I don’t know if I could choose between Dumbledore and Gandalf either!
Thanks for visiting my post earlier
Great list! I also agree there is no way to choose between Gandalf and Dumbledore.
Fun list! I completely forgot about that Nora Roberts series! I loved it! I wish I would have put it on my list.
Lol Carrie isn’t as bad as it seems.
that may be… but she gives my name a bad rap 😉
Super creative with this freebie!! I think the Nora Roberts series looks good. Great list!
Thanks, Grace! 🙂
The Dollhouse Murders sounds super creepy! Loving its low budget cover too. Great idea for this week’s topic 🙂
MyTTT
thanks 🙂
Great list! I love Nora Roberts but have never read that series, I think I need to now! 🙂
It’s my fave of hers!!
Ha! I’ve never read “Carrie” either!
Very creative list. Esp. with the addition of Grover!
Yes I remember some of those Nancy Drew Mysteries being scary.
Fantastic list! Such a fantastic idea.
I am completely with you on Hermione as your favorite witch. That girl is fantastic 🙂
I really should pick up something from Nora Roberts, since i have not read anything by her, at least i don’t think i did.
And i am also with you with enjoying Cumberbatchs voice. It is very nice. 🙂
My TTT: http://booksbeautifylife.blogspot.de/2015/10/top-10-tuesday-heart-racing-thriller.html
This was a really great take on this week’s theme! I wish I had thought to do something like this 🙂
My TTT
I love this list! Such a cute idea. Also, your graphics are on point!
Thanks!!
Hermione’s my fave too!
Hermione is definitely one of my favorites too! Thank you for stopping by. Great list, Carrie! 🙂
Thanks!!
I love your list! That Nancy Drew pick gave me all the feels! I used to collect those. I may have to start again 😀
Haha yay!
Great list! I rather adore Benedict Cumberbatch as well.
Hi! Thank you for Nancy Drew and Sesame Street. I could at least read about two of your books 🙂 Too scared for the scary!
My TTT
Leslie
Lol I totally understand that!!! 🙂
This is a great version of today’s theme! And Carrie not reading Carrie because it’s scary is a bit funny! 😀
Great job!
Lol thanks 🙂
Haha, what a great post! I haven’t read any of these, but I’ll have to check out a few of them that look interesting! (Though I probably won’t be reading Carrie either lol.)
That sounds wise 🙂
Love love love There’s a Monster at the End of This Book lol! Best story ever!! This was a fun idea!
Haha thanks 🙂
I forgot all about The Dollhouse Murders until I saw it on your list – that book scared the pants off of me! To be honest, just thinking about it right now gives me the heebie jeebies. 😛
Me. Too. Lol
I love your PG list! Nice variety! And The Monster at the End of This Book is THE BEST BOOK.
My Top 10
Nancy Drew, yes! I was so creeped out by some of the books when I was a kid. Gah, now I want to do a Nancy Drew marathon! 😀 And BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH MY LOVE! I live for Sherlock. That show is my favorite ever. I could listen to Ben read the phone book, too, and be entranced. And Dumbledore and Gandalf are equally awesome and I agree that you can’t choose just one. And finally, I chuckled at the last category. I want to read Carrie, but I also don’t want to read Carrie… It’s a classic but, eh… I don’t know… Haha. Great list!
Lol thanks! 🙂
Magical realism is right up my alley too! But I absolutely cannot deal with ghosts. It’s the one thing that I’m really terrified of (also, zombies). Just thinking about it now sends shivers down my spine, literally!
Lol
Great list! The Dollhouse Murders sounds really good! And I can’t choose between Gandalf and Dumbledore either. 🙂
🙂
Great choices! I couldn’t choose either between Gandalf and Dumbledore, they’re both so awesome!
I like how you broke it down with different themes rather than all the books under one topic –smart!
Nancy Drew is the best amateur sleuth! =)
After Hermoine, I’d pick Samantha Stephens from the 1960s sitcom “Bewitched” –Elizabeth Montgomery one of my favorite “60s actress/idol” after Audrey Hepburn. 😉
“The Monster at the End of This Book” came up when I was looking for “monster” picture books for a library storytime session. I thought that those “interactive” picture books were a more recent trend, but apparently they were doing it 20 years ago!
For picture books I’d recommend looking at: “Love Monster” series by Rachel Bright, “The Gruffalo” by Julia Donaldson, “Monster Princess” by D.J. MacHale …
Also, thanks for the heads up on Lynette Eason’s free Kindle book!
I loved Samantha too!!! Bewitched was such a fun show 🙂 Great picture book ideas – thank you!
I love that you included Hermione and Dumbledore. Both awesome characters. Great list 🙂
Thanks!
The Dollhouse Murders scared me SO bad when I was a kid!! I wonder if it would hold up now! Just the thought of it kind of scares me now actually! I also love Nancy Drew (and Hermoine). Cool list 🙂
Haha thanks! 🙂
I had the monster book as a kid, but had completely forgotten about it until I saw it in your post. I love when that happens!
And I should really read Strands of Bronze and Gold. Creepy fairy tale retellings are my bread and butter, and Bluebeard is my favorite.
Strands is such a good book!!
If you look carefully at the pictures of your wizards, it’s apparent that Dumbledore and Gandalf are, in fact the same person!
I’ve always suspected as much 🙂
Great list! I’m going to have to look into some of these as I had never heard of them. I think you should try to read Carrie. It’s such a great book!
I read the Nora Roberts series and I really liked it. I agree with your wizard and witch, although there is a ton of the to choose from. I’ve never read any book by King, they scare me to death! Great list!
Yeah, I don’t see myself reading a King book anytime soon lol
I know what you mean about not liking things that are creepy or gory. I mean, I love Halloween, but I also like being able to sleep – and my imagination is way too active. Anyway, I’m definitely curious about the Nora Roberts series – a matchmaking ghost has grabbed my attention – and I loved seeing Nancy Drew here for best amatuer sleuth – of course, who else could it be?
the Nora Roberts series is really really good! And yeah, of course, there are other great amateur sleuths but there’s none as great as Nancy Drew 🙂
THERE’S A MONSTER AT THE END OF THIS BOOK!!! I mean, way to give away the ending in the title, Grover! 😛 I loved your take on this week’s theme!
Haha thanks! 🙂
Pfft, Dumbledore who? My favorite of the various professors was always McGonagal. But I guess she would be best witch, and she doesn’t beat Hermione, so…and I love that you mentioned Nancy Drew. She was the one who introduced me to mystery, and I still have a soft spot for her.
Thanks for stopping by Writing on Vintage Typewriter!
McGonagal came in a very close second 🙂
Such a fun Halloween themed list! Totally agree on Benedict Cumberbatch (so dreamy!) and Hermione. I need to check out that darling Sesame Street book–it looks so cute! Thanks for stopping by my post earlier 🙂
You will love the Grover book – it’s so adorable!!
Great choice for this weeks list. I too could not even consider reading Carry, just having the book in my room would give me nightmares (ok, maybe that’s a little extreme, but that cover if FREAKY!)
Great choice of favourite wizards and witch too, it is an impossible choice between Gandolf and Dumbledore, so I wont hold that against you!
I actually just went on Goodreads to check out Strands of Bronze and Gold and found that it’s already on my TBR. The MC does sound creepy but at the same time I am very intrigued!
Happy reading 🙂
Strands of Bronze and Gold is very good!!!
Interesting take on this TTT topic! And a definite yes to Benedict Cumberbatch being dreamy. 🙂
🙂
This is such a fun list! I love the way you did it. And the Grover book is too cute 🙂 I am not much into gore myself, so I understand where you’re coming from. I think I have read one Nancy Drew book, when Claudia from The Baby-Sitters Club was into them hahah. I was mostly bored 😉 Great choices!
This list is fantastic! I love all your different categories. Obviously Nancy Drew and Benedict are highlights for me. The Monster at the End of this Book is simply the best. I read it to my boys AND I have an interactive book app for it on my iPad. My 8 year old son STILL loves to read it on there.
Dumbledore wins favorite wizard for me. 🙂
I just heard about the iPad app the other day – must get that for when my nephew visits!!
It’s a lot of fun. 🙂
I don’t like stories that are “too creepy,” but do love good cozy mysteries and of course, anything Sherlock Holmes. 🙂