Monthly Wrap || October 2019

I know I’m saying on this on Halloween, but I am so glad spooky season is over (and no, if you say spooky season is all year, I’m not listening). It’s my least favorite holiday, and I am SO READY to move on!

But first, we do have to look back, and recap exactly how October went down.

Life Beyond the Blog

Honestly, how am I even supposed to sum up the month? It’s been nothing if not a roller coaster, if you ask me. On the low end, I had to go to the memorial service for my grandma (and by extension, my grandpa, who died eight years ago), and I also found out one of my rabbits had a cancerous lump growing in her abdomen. But looking at the high end, the memorial helped with processing a lot of emotion, the cancerous lump has been removed (we have our fingers crossed it won’t regrow), and I’ve also managed to find time to both read and prep for NaNoWriMo. It’s not a perfect month by any means, but I’m hanging in there, if nothing else.

I’m also working more hours right now, which is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, I’m getting paid. On the other hand, retail is it’s own special set of circumstances, ones that do not mesh with my introvert need for downtime ALONE. Even though I’ve been at this job for almost three months, I feel like I’m still learning to balance it all, and like it’s only going to get harder over the next couple of months (which it probably is).

We’ll have to see how I feel about all this a ways down the road, to be entirely honest. It’s all too fresh to have a greater perspective or appreciation for what I’ve managed to do and process and experience.

 

Books Read and Reviewed

I didn’t really slow down this month, because I managed to cruise through 15 books! Already on the blog are Gravemaidens, Something Strange and Deadly, A Dawn Most Wicked, A Darkness Strange and Lovely, Strange and Ever After, These Witches Don’t Burn, Girls of Storm and Shadow, The Beast is an Animal, and Beyond the Black Door. Over the next two months, though, you’re going to see reviews for The Merciful Crow, Songs from the Deep, Wicked Saints, Sorcery of Thorns, The Weight of a Soul, and The Last Namsara!

Honestly, it’s good I got this absurd reading spree out of my system now, because next month is not the time for reading. It’s time for writing!

 

Next Month’s Reads

Because of NaNoWriMo taking the lead in my life, we’re not looking at many reads! I want to get through only five books: Five Dark Fates, A Blade So Black, The Guinevere Deception, The Caged Queen, and The Sky Weaver. Two of them are library books due on the 6th, and the other three have been sent to me/granted through NetGalley for review purposes! All of these reviews will go up in December, but I want to get the actual reading portion out of the way while disrupting my writing efforts as little as possible.

Anything else I somehow manage to read will just be a nice bonus.

 

My Top Three Posts

As always, I have to share my favorites with you! There’s some that I’m really proud of this month, but these take the cake.

1. Beyond the Black Door Review

2. How to Support Book Bloggers

3. NaNoWriMo 2019 Planning Check-In

 

Favorites From Around the Blogging World

And here we are, the spot that really drives home the idea of saving the best for last! You guys, as always, cranked out some super amazing posts, and I have to share at least of few of my favorites! ❤️

Marie @ Drizzle and Hurricane prepares a NaNoWriMo survival guide (which is, tbh, essential)!

Em @ Em’s Bookish Musings has 15 book recs for Asexual Awareness Week!

Jayati @ It’s Just a Coffee Addicted Bibliophile talks about her experience as an international blogger from India!

Beth @ Before We Go Blog has a list of blogging resources, like a helpful guide to common hashtags and frequently used acronyms!

Lottie @ Lottie is Writing shares 15 things to think about when you’re writing a book review!

Kal @ Reader Voracious shares her approach to annotating books (and book lovers who refuse to write in their books BEWARE even though it’s super cool)!

Consu @ Paper Eyed Girl helps you pick your next read based on your D&D class of choice!

Vicky @ Vicky Who Reads shares a first look at Erica Water’s Ghost Wood Song, plus she reveals the STUNNING cover!

Ben @ Ace of Bens makes a series of recs for the overlap of Latinx Heritage Month and LGBTQ History Month!

 

And that’s it for October! Have a great Halloween (whether you’re into it or avoiding it), and I hope you’re ready for November! Or, if you’re not (like me! lol NaNo is gonna wreck me), then I at least hope you’re more ready than you think you are. Someone’s gotta be, right? 🧡