It’s hard to believe that today is November 1st. This year has both flown by and dragged on for what seems like ages. I am happy to enter the second to last month of 2020 and see what it has in store for me.

in real life

October has always been a favorite month of mine and this year really wasn’t any different. I celebrated by 29th birthday (on Halloween) with family and a few close friends. We played some games, listened to some music, and ate a bunch of delicious food/sweets while dressed up like a bunch of crazy people.

I also celebrated my pup’s “gotcha” day. Hard to believe I rescued my crazy animal 5 years ago but it’s a been a wonderful 5 years and I’m hopeful for many more with him.

I’m not sure what November will bring but I’m choosing to be optimistic about it.

in books

• Shades of Wicked : It took quite some time for me to get into this one but I ended up enjoying it greatly.
• Wicked Bite: Obviously, after enjoying book one, I needed to immediately pick up the sequel which now has me greatly anticipating book three.
• The Deck of Omens: I was hoping for something spooky to get me in the Halloween spirit but this one was not it. This sequel fell flat and left me severely disappointed.
• Pumpkinheads: This was adorable and just what I needed to end the month of October.
• Highlander Most Wanted: I typically enjoy Maya Banks’ books but her historical fiction just does not do anything for me. This one was lackluster and awkward.
• The Black Monday Murders: Vol 1.: I’ve been attempting to read more graphic novels so I picked this one up from the library. It was a very bizarre story and I won’t be continuing the series.
• The Fragile Ordinary: This was a cute young adult contemporary romance but lacked depth. This story won’t be sticking with me.
• Mexican Gothic: This was exactly what I was looking for. It was just the right amount of creepy, gothic, and romantic.
• Chasing Cassandra: This was a cute historical romance that left me with a smile on my face.
• Bringing Down the Duke: After hearing nothing but good things about this one, I had to read it. I adored it and have already picked up the sequel from the library.
• The Heir Affair: It’s been quite some time since I read The Royal We  but it took me no time at all to become reacquainted with Bex and Nicholas. This was a little hefty but it did please me.
• The Orphan of Cemetery Hill: This was another one I picked up to help me get into the Halloween spirit. It was an interesting story and I will probably check out others from this author.

in film

I spent the month of October binging the whole Brooklyn Nine-Nine series. Many coworkers and friends had been recommending this one to me for ages. This past month felt like the right time to start it. It was just what I needed. The humor is a bit juvenile but in these times, it felt good to laugh at dumb things.

I also felt like, as the seasons went on, the characters really grew and the issues that the show tackled became very relevant. They handled things tactfully and with their perfect balance of humor and seriousness.

If you haven’t watched this series yet, give it a shot!

in music

I haven’t been able to find much new music lately but this song from Illenium, Tom DeLonge, and Angels & Airwaves has been on repeat for the past few weeks.

How was your October? Did you read anything fabulous? What have you been watching? Is there any new music that you’ve been listening to on repeat? Leave me all of your recommendations in the comments!

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