The Cosy Autumn Book Tag 🍁

I found the perfect tag for this time of year. It was created by @TheBookBelle and here is a link to her video: THE COSY AUTUMN BOOK TAG. 

1. What book always reminds you of fall/autumn?

    🍂 The Wizards of Once by Cressida Cowell-  This series is my favorite spooky read for younger readers, especially the audiobooks which are narrated by David Tennant. One of my favorites for this time of year. Perfect read for Halloween and fall. 

2. What is your favorite autumnal book cover?

    🍁 Ravenfall by Kayln Josephson- The first thing I thought of when I saw this cover a couple of years ago, was that this looked like an autumn book. I am planning on reading this book very soon. 

3. What is your favorite autumnal drink to read with?

    ☕️ Pumpkin spice hot chocolate- I’m usually a green tea drinker but pumpkin hot chocolate is the best. 

    🫖 Sweet Harvest Pumpkin tea- This is another new favorite that I’ve been loving this fall. It won’t beat out pumpkin hot chocolate, but it is very good. 

4. Do you prefer to read late at night or early in the morning?

    🌕 I’m definitely a nighttime reader. 

5. Halloween is coming! What is your favorite spooky read?

    👻 Insanity series by Cameron Jace- My favorite spooky read is definitely the Insanity series by Cameron Jace. This is a thriller retelling of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. It takes characters and elements from both and makes a murder mystery which is one of my all-time favorite series.

6. What is the ultimate comfort read for you?

    🏰 Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones- Every time I have read Howl’s Moving Castle, it comforted me in a way I will never forget. It has become my favorite book of all-time and I cannot recommend it enough. 

7. What is your favorite autumnal reading snack?

    🎃 The pumpkin cookies that my mother and I make every year. They are great! Though, I would read them before or after I read. Wouldn’t want to get messy fingers on my books. 

8. What is your favorite autumnal candle to burn whilst reading? 

    🕯 I don’t burn candles but I will always be a sucker for fall scented candles, especially pumpkin or apple cider.

9. When you’re not reading, what is your favorite autumnal activity?

    🍁 I love watching Halloween movies, specifically Halloweentown 1 & 2, Hocus Pocus, Tower of Terror, and Interview with a Vampire. 

10. What is on your autumn/fall reading list?- There are so many books I would like to read this fall. Here are some of the books I would like to read in the next two months.  

    📚 Ravenfall by Kalyn Josephson- Cannot wait to pick this up soon. It’s comp title is Halloweentown, which makes me ecstatic to pick it up. 

    🍁 The House with Chicken Legs by Sophie Anderson- I’ve been meaning to pick this up for quite a while. I have really enjoyed all of the books I have read by Sophie Anderson so far. 

    🍂 Hooky Volume 3 by Miriam Bonastre Tur- I need to finish this series this year. 

    📚 The Crimson Crown by Heather Walter- This is one of the ARC books I have from Netgalley. It is going to be my next read and I cannot wait! I have been waiting to read this ever since Heather first talked about it. 

    🍁 The Dead Fathers Club by Matt Haig- A reimagining of Hamlet but set in modern day and about a young boy. Call me intrigued. 

    🍂 Wicked by Gregory Maguire- This is a book I will definitely be reading this fall. I want to read it before seeing the movie in November. I cannot believe Wicked is finally almost here. YAY!! My witchy/musical loving heart is ecstatic. 🧹🫧

Agatha All Along: Episode 5 Spoiler Review 🧹

“Darkest Hour / Wake Thy Power”

 

This was an enjoyable episode full of creepy, hard-hitting, and jaw-dropping scenes. I love the elements of horror they have sprinkled in throughout this show. There are so many of those scenes in this episode. Don’t read after this paragraph if you have not watched the episode and want to without being spoiled. I will be spoiling everything.

Come… We Fly

~ We got the Salem Seven back in this episode and they definitely didn’t disappoint with the creepy scenes. The one that has cicadas come out of their mouth gave me the chills while watching this. Also, the way they bend their bodies back is so damn creepy. What a way to start this episode. 

~ I like how we got scenes with the coven creating and flying on brooms. It is neat how they are having so many witchy tropes and then having Lilia make commentary on them. I loved how they were enjoying themselves for just that little bit of time while flying. Too bad the Road didn’t want them to be happy. 

Not a Real Coven

~ There is a theme in this episode about Agatha’s past. We get the Salem Seven (the daughters of the women she killed in her coven), then we get Agatha’s mother, and then the voice of Agatha’s son. So far on the road, each witch has had a trial that helped them move on from their past in order to be able to complete the trial. Jenn had to believe in herself to complete the potion and Alice destroyed the demon in order to protect everyone else. 

~ But this has always been with the help of the other witches in the coven. They have to work together to get off of the road. In their first trial, they lose Sharon because they didn’t fully work together the way they should have. First, Agatha tried to cheat by not drinking and took a lot of their time away. Then, they completely forget about Sharon for awhile and never use her hair in the potion. They are not working as a coven and are losing members because of it. I wonder if the other witches in the coven helped Agatha out instead of turning on her, if Agatha would have been able to complete this trial without killing Alice. If Agatha actually traveled the Witches’ Road as she says she did, this is probably why none of her coven survived. You have to work as a group. 

~ The eighties cabin was such a clever device for this trial. It was interesting that it was meant for Agatha. I love how they were all dressed up as if they were having a sleepover and then the use of the Ouija board. Each house has reflected the witch the trial was meant for. That is just intriguing to think about for Agatha. Is friendship what Agatha wants the most? Does she secretly want that closeness deep down?

Ouija Board

~ Agatha’s imitation of Sharon was hilarious. I actually believed it was Sharon for a bit there.

~ The possession scene was so damn creepy and I was very surprised to see who possessed by her mother. Was not expecting that at all. There were rumors that her mother was going to be coming back into the show, but I was thinking it would be in a flashback scene. 

~ We get to see a protective side to Rio in this scene, when she is trying to keep Agatha away from her mother. I have a feeling we are going to see bits of their relationship from the past and that it will be from the time period with Agatha’s mother. 

~ There is so much we don’t know about them and I’m looking forward to finding out more. We are seeing so many different sides to Agatha, that she hides most of the time. I love seeing the moments of vulnerability show through, like in the picture below. 

Agatha’s Haunting Past

~ I don’t believe Agatha was completely in control of herself when she took Alice’s powers. She obviously is taking the power within her body, but at least at first she was not trying to. But she keeps going and takes it all from Alice. I want to know more about her power and what happened since she was a child to make her mother say such terrible things.

~ I hate what happened to Alice in this episode. She finally stops her family’s curse and then dies trying to protect someone in her coven. It’s really quite terrible to watch. Had me in tears. 

~ It was also sad to hear Nicholas Scratch right after Teen uses the Ouija board again. He was so young. My goodness. Agatha’s past really was coming back to haunt her. 

Wiccan 

~ The reveal of the Teen being Wiccan was very expected because of all the clues, but damn did it shock me in this episode. Never would have expected it to happen this early in the show. I love how they chose to show it in this episode. He’s so powerful.

~ First, having Agatha talk about Billy’s mother and then giving us the reveal when he possess the other witches. I’m surprised that they gave us such a reveal about halfway through the show. Now, they are making me wonder what they are going to do with the rest of it. Love how the WandaVision theme plays when Agatha says “You’re so much like your mother.” Ahhhh!!! 😮Literally, sat with my mouth open when the crown formed on his head. This is going to be so damn awesome. I cannot wait for the next episode. 

~ I believe Billy always had his powers. He was able to get Agatha out of her spell, though I will say all of that was going on when Agatha was in Wanda’s hex. So, it might not have happened the way we saw it in the first episode. 

Questions I have after this episode

1.) What does Billy/Wiccan want from the road? 

- Billy obviously does not need to get his powers at the end of the road, so what does he want. I think he is either looking for his mother (Wanda) or his brother (Tommy). We are probably going to get an episode before the events of this show next. Though it would be interesting if it were Vision he sees at the end of the road. 

- I have a feeling that Billy Maximoff’s soul went into another teen’s body after the events of WandaVision or even Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and this is that teen. Or something along those lines.

2.) Did Billy/Wiccan know who he was the entire time or did the sigil break?

- I wonder if Billy has been purposefully hiding his identity and powers from the other witches. He has seemed suspicious many times throughout this show. I believe he knew more than he was telling them. It could have taken Alice’s death for him to finally crack and show his true self to the witches because of their nonchalance at losing yet another member of their coven. He was getting very close to Alice before this. 

- But I also wonder if the sigil was real and he didn’t actually know. What happened to cause it to break? That might be why Agatha is able to recognize who he is finally. Or the pieces might have finally clicked for her, with Billy saying Nicholas Scratch in the last episode, Rio telling her that he isn’t hers, hearing Nicholas tell her to stop, and then when Billy says he doesn’t want that type of power. She might be the reason why the sigil broke because of him seeing how evil she really is.