Blogiversary Giveaway: Win a Halloween 🎃 bundle

I haven't done a Halloween giveaway the last few years but when I was browsing for bookish items for my blogiversary giveaways I saw this Jack Smiley tote bag that was perfect for Halloween 🎃 so decided to buy it as well as a few other items as well to make up a giveaway bundle as who doesn't love a bag, book, bookmark and sweet combo 😍

I've decided to run it early to finish on Sunday night so that I can post the bundle to the winner to arrive in time for Halloween night (well if the winner is in the UK, might arrive after Halloween if winner lives internationally). 

Blogiversary Giveaway #18: Win a Halloween bundle & spooky book of your choice

It's time for the final giveaway of this year's blogiversary celebrations and it's only fitting that since today is Halloween to have a Halloween themed prize package of some Halloween sweets & chocolate, mini Horror themed bookmarks but have also decided to offer the winner a choice of a spooky/horror paperback book of their choice.

As I'm not a fan of scary books I asked on Twitter for some suggestions so these are just a few of the book that were suggested that you might want to consider or you can ignore all of these and choose a different book (up to a value of £7.)

Say Her Name by James Dawson

Drip...drip...drip...In five days, she will come...

Roberta 'Bobbie' Rowe is not the kind of person who believes in ghosts. A Halloween dare at her ridiculously spooky boarding school is no big deal, especially when her best friend Naya and cute local boy Caine agree to join in too. They are ordered to summon the legendary ghost of Bloody Mary: say her name five times in front of a candlelit mirror, and she shall appear...But, surprise surprise, nothing happens. Or does it?

Next morning, Bobbie finds a message on her bathroom mirror - five days - but what does it mean? And who left it there? Things get increasingly weird and more terrifying for Bobbie and Naya, until it becomes all too clear that Bloody Mary was indeed called from the afterlife that night, and she is definitely not a friendly ghost. Bobbie, Naya and Caine are now in a race against time before their five days are up and Mary comes for them, as she has come for countless others before..

This House is Haunted by John Boyne

1867. On a dark and chilling night Eliza Caine arrives in Norfolk to take up her position as governess at Gaudlin Hall. As she makes her way across the station platform, a pair of invisible hands push her from behind into the path of an approaching train. She is only saved by the vigilance of a passing doctor.

It is the start of a journey into a world of abandoned children, unexplained occurrences and terrifying experiences which Eliza will have to overcome if she is to survive the secrets that lie within Gaudlin’s walls…

Guest Post: DARK TIDES and Your Free Turnip Carving Guide! by Chris Ewan

Today I have something a little different for you as I welcome Chris Ewan to the blog to kick off his Dark Tides blog tour.

DARK TIDES, my latest novel, is a Hop-tu-naa thriller. For those who don’t already know, Hop-tu-naa (pronounced Hop Chew Nay) is the Isle of Man’s equivalent of Halloween. Originally a festival celebrating the Celtic new year (not unlike Hogmanay in Scotland), Hop-tu-naa is celebrated every 31st October. In recent years, the differences between Hop-tu-naa and the more familiar Halloween have begun to blur, with a kind of cross pollination of customs taking place, but there are still some key distinctions.

For instance, on the Isle of Man, kids don’t go trick or treating. Instead, they dress up in costumes and perform “nonsense” songs in return for sweets or coins. The nonsense songs vary across the island, with certain songs being preferred in particular towns and villages, but the most popular song – and the one to feature in DARK TIDES – is called Jinny the Witch, and it contains some pretty bizarre, and quite dark, lyrics. Another key difference between Hop-tu-naa and Halloween is that traditionally, people on the Isle of Man carve turnip lanterns instead of pumpkins. Want to know how to carve your own turnip lantern? Well, you’re in luck. Here’s my quick and easy guide.

Step 1: Make sure you have a first aid kit to hand because you’ll probably need one.

Step 2: Brush up on your Manx Gaelic. a turnip on the island is known as a “moot”.