Hi everybody, FIRST OF ALL, HAPPY HALLOWEEN! And also, welcome to my October wrap up!

Unfortunately, I hit quite the reading slump in October and didn’t read so many books. Luckily, the books I did read included 2 new favorites and an old fave re-read so that’s good. Also, I just went with the slump and watched a lot of kdramas instead this month so that’s also good I guess. I’m still feeling pretty slumpy, but hopefully November will be better on the reading front. I’m not pushing myself because I don’t want to burn out on my love of reading, so we’ll just watch some more TV and let it come back naturally 🙂

The Deal by Elle Kennedy (Re-Read)

I first read this NA new adult romance a few years ago (I think it was my first NA actually?) and really loved it. I’d been craving a re-read for a few months already, so that’s just what I did this October! I still love Hannah and Garrett and their fake dating, friends-to-lovers romance so much. Will definitely be continuing this re-read with the other books in the Off-Campus series.

Rating: 4 stars

Under The Whispering Door by TJ Klune

Well, last year a TJ Klune book became my number one favorite read of the year, and I think this year that’ll be the case once more. Because Under The Whispering Door was just PHENOMENAL. This is writing. This is storytelling. When a story makes you FEEL so much, when you care so much about these characters and when it makes you reflect on your own life and journey – there’s just nothing quite as powerful as that.

Rating: 5 stars | Full Review

A Curse of Nightshade by Amber Lynn Natusch

This paranormal urban fantasy about witches and demons came recommended in an Annette Marie Facebook group, so I thought “why not?”. I buddy-read this with my real-life BFF and though the story was promising (a partnership between a fire witch and a demon to take down the demon responsible for taking most of the witch’s soul, banter, enemies-to-lovers and a coven full of intriguing witches) it unfortunately fell flat. The characterization fell flat, the worldbuilding fell flat, the romance fell flat. The ideas were there, but the execution was not so well done and things just didn’t make enough sense to me. Will not continue the series.

Rating: 3 stars

The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun

Luckily, this book was there to give me a warm hug. OMG, this book was so heartwarming and real and the mental health rep and sexuality rep was so well done and ugh I just loved it so much. If you’re looking for a sweet romance set at a reality TV dating show in which the star of the show falls in love with his producer instead of any of the women competing for his heart, look no further because this was pretty amazing and Charlie and Dev will win your heart for sure.

Rating: 4,5 stars

Top Ten Tuesday

10 Of My Biggest Bookish Pet Peeves
10 Of My Favorite Book Settings
7 Features I Wish Goodreads Would Implement (Or Improve Upon)
10 (More) Songs For Your Halloween Playlist

Quote It Wednesday

Can’t Wait Wednesday

The Guild Codex Comic Collection by Annette Marie and Ashleigh Zanardi
Electric Idol by Katee Robert

Something Different Sunday

Kdrama Review: Squid Game

Hmm, October was a little low on new releases but that’s okay! Here’s the songs I loved the most in October, and once again it’s a mix of genres:

MY FAVORITE: Twice – The Feels

Twice’s first full-English song such a super catchy and feel-good jam!

Bring Me The Horizon – Die4U

Umm, yes my second most listened to song this month, besides the poppy kpop Twice, is the heavy Die4U by Bring Me The Horizon. If that doesn’t show you how chaotically diverse my music tastes are, I don’t know what does. That said, I’ve been on a Bring Me The Horizon binge this month as they frequently featured on my playlists.

Seventeen – Rock With You

Back to feel-good, catchy kpop with the uber fun Rock With You!

PVRIS – My Way

There are no bad PVRIS songs and that’s a fact.

Squid Game

Squid Game has taken the world by storm and has become the most watched Netflix show ever just two weeks after its release. The story is about a group of people who get an invitation to play a mysterious game. Since all players are desperate for money, they take the opportunity to play along for their chance to win the grand prize of 45,6 billion won (or 33 million euro). However, the simple kid games they’re playing turn out to have lethal consequences and all too soon the players have to ask themselves whether the money is worth it.

Now, if you know me, you’ll know this is not usually my type of show. I’m a self-proclaimed scaredy cat who usually stays away from thriller and horror and instead prefers contemporary, romance or fantasy. But Squid Game spoke to me. I saw it everywhere and was intrigued so I wanted to give it a try. So I watched one episode (during the middle of the day, naturally) and found out I was hooked. So I watched the entire season (9 episodes) over the course of two Sunday afternoons and here we are. Check out my full review here.

Because This Is My First Life

I needed something light, fluffy and heartwarming to watch to balance the brutal Squid Game, so I chose the well-loved kdrama Because This Is My First Life. The story is about two people who are both having some money problems: one of them is house-poor, meaning he has a nice house but a big mortgage and needs a housemate to pay him rent so he can afford it, and the other finds herself without a home. So when they meet, they decide to get married to solve both their problems at the same time. Naturally, shenanigans occur and what was a fake marriage at first becomes a bit more complicated when the two actually catch feelings. This was such a sweet and lovable story that made me smile so much.

Other

I continued my Buffy the Vampire Slayer rewatch with a few episodes of season 5 and started the first episode of Hometown Cha Cha Cha. I’m also planning some Halloween watching today (as I’m posting this on Halloween) and will probably end up watching Hocus Pocus (duh), Practical Magic and probably The Faculty.

Even though October is my absolute favorite month of the year, I haven’t been feeling too super this month. I’ve been a bit down and melancholic and I think a lot of it is work-related stress and that this is also one of the reasons for my current reading slump. The days are also getting darker so maybe that’s why. I’m just so tired after work that all I want to do is sleep. I’m having a week off in November though, so I’m hoping to chill and recharge!

Things that made me happy this month:

• Finally Fall season!
• 2 AMAZING new reads, despite a reading slump (thank you, audiobooks!)
• HALLOWEEN!!!

THINGS I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH:

• I have a week off mid November and I AM SO READY FOR IT!

How was your October (and your Halloween)? What did you read? What did you listen to and what did you watch? What are you looking forward to in November?

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