So, I had to go down to Frankfurt yesterday, and as I had hoped when composing my original post for this prompt, I managed a small side trip to that store.

This year's Halloween snacks now officially include:

* Orange chocolate / cocoa truffles

* White chocolate and almond truffles

* Cocoa and dark chocolate coated almonds

* Chili, vanilla and cinnamon chocolate

* Red wine chocolate

* Almond pistachio cookies

* Chocolate wafers

* Fudge.

(While I was there, I also stocked up on some favorite teas, spiced rice (their own blend) and condiments.)

I really don't have special snacks because that will lead to bad eating habits, so:

Coffee

Booze

Coffee

bread

Those pretzel shortbread cookies the baker at the farmer market sells.

I also just want to point out as I know a few of the gang have Whitehead's new book that it would count as Grave or Graveyard at the very least (I think it would also count as American Horror but I think we need a ref call on that).

I don't know how much reading I'll be able to get done at home during this year's bingo, and doubtlessly part of it will be in bed before going to sleep, where I don't eat anything (and the only drink allowed is mineral water).

That said, as we established last year, tea is kind of a biggie in this household, and it's definitely my drink of choice while reading.  Especially now that I have such a nice mug to go with it ... thanks to BT's gift of earlier this year!

As a matter of fact, since a number of my (up to now) "go to" tea brands are English, and since I'm in absolutely no mood to pay the taxes that are looking ever more likely if the Bozo version of Brexit becomes a reality, a while ago I placed orders with my favorite British purveyors to tide me over for the foreseeable future, so now I'm right back to that "good grief, where do I store all this stuff?" situation.

As for food, there currently are no snacks in my home, but I'll have to go down to Frankfurt later this month, and I'll do my level  best to make time to swing by that store ... where I'll doubtlessly find a few extra delicious and not altogether too spooky treats to go with my tea!

Well, I don't have too many.  Like many other readers here I am looking forward to the new Atwood (the fact that it made the Booker list is a bit reassuring).

But apparently Kelley Armstrong has a new Otherworld novel coming out.  It's for teens and features Elena and Clay's children, Logan and Kate, at a leadership camp.  It's called Wolf's Bane.

Oh and the forth coming translation of the next Sandhamm novel.  

One recommendation and three expectations:

Ann Leckie - The Raven Tower: That rare beast of a newly-released book that worked for me on every level despite all the hype attached to it.  Fantasy / supernatural, but without the usual menagerie of magical beasts: instead, an alternative early medieval society and its (very much alive) gods, with a truly awesome narrator. My review is HERE.

Margaret Atwood - The Testaments: The new release I'm looking at with the greatest amount of trepidation, because come on, how do you match something as iconic and monumental as The Handmaid's Tale ... even as that book's own author?

Silvia Moreno-Garcia - Gods of Jade and Shadow: The book that, thanks to Chris's review, instantly made it onto a good number of Halloween Bingo reading lists; including mine.  A modernized (well, sort of) retelling of the Popol Vuh rendered in a storyteller's voice, what's not to like?

And, finally:

Michael Connelly - The Night Fire: Connelly never lets up and his writing is still as crisp as on day one.  Bosch and Ballard return as a team (I'm very much hoping as a team only), moonlighting in the investigation of a cold case Bosch has "inherited" from his recently-deceased mentor. -- Side note: I've been bingeing on the Bosch TV series while compiling my "Halloween Bingo pre-party" posts up to now, which of course has only served to increase my anticipation of this particular book.