Hey bookworm friends, October’s busyness is in full swing! We’ve been staying with my mom for a few days and took advantage of the bigger kitchen to make my favourite thing this time of year: apple cider. So I’ve been enjoying a warm mug of cider every day which makes me so happy. This weekend we also went to a friend’s birthday party and to a “You finished your PhD” party for another friend. I loved being part of a celebration centred around her accomplishment and had a wonderful time! But now that it’s Monday again, it’s time for #IMWAYR + Music Monday!
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
I’ll be linking up with Kathryn @ The Book Date for It’s Monday What Are You Reading?
Jen Vincent, Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee of Unleashing Readers decided to give “It’s Monday!” a kidlit focus. (I’ll link with them whenever I include any MG or YA books in my updates.)
Just Finished
I recently finished Witch Hat Atelier, Vol. 12. It was my 80th book of the year, which means I’ve completed my goal of 80 books read! It also counts towards continuing a series and even though I didn’t love it as much as the other installments, I’m still enjoying the series as a whole!
Currently Reading
I needed to start a new audiobook for a bus ride and one to fulfill a reading prompt of ‘house or setting as a character’. Luckily Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George fits the bill on both counts there 😉! Some readers may notice I’ve been in a bit of a middle-grade kick lately. I’ve also just started Blood Price by Nicole Evans of Thoughts Stained With Ink and I’m so excited to delve deeper into this Norse-inspired fantasy!
Up Next
Next up, I’m hoping to make time to read Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner for the Witchtober Readathon. Additionally, a friend and I had planned on continuing our re-read of the Infernal Devices and Clockwork Prince is up!
On The Blog Recently
Themed Reading Lists With Songs:
Books & Songs: The Post With the Most Ghosts – Ghosts
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Music Monday
Music Monday was created by Drew from The Tattooed Book Geek
When trying to decide what song to share today, The Tower by Aleah started playing in my head. It has such an ethereal sound and makes me emotional every time I listen to it. The song is from a self-titled posthumous album released by her husband, Juha Raivio (from the band Swallow the Sun). Aleah sadly lost her battle with cancer in 2016 but this solo album she’d been working on will ensure her music lives on forever. I highly recommend you give it a listen and hopefully you’ll love it as much as I do.
Album: Aleah │ Year Published: 2020
Let’s chat in the comments!
How is your October going? What are you currently reading?
Sounds like you’re having fun! I envy you that apple cider. I think I get it once a year, when my church does a tree-trimming. Piping hot cider is always part of the evening.
Mine is….busy. This class serves up considerable assignments every.single.week, though next week I get a break because I’ve already done the November 9 one. 😀 Had an especially busy weekend with a multi-day book launch in Birmingham, then volunteer activities + paper + powerpoint presentations. O_O
It was really fun, thank you & it took us nearly all day to make (with breaks in between) but it was worth it! Plus then we made apple cake with the cooked apple bits afterwards too 🙂 & That tree-trimming event sounds lovely.
Ahah very smart you’re ahead on your assignment I’m glad you get a small break because it sounds super busy for sure! But also fun, a multi-day book launch sounds fancy! & good luck with the rest of your semester.
I love a hot mug of spiced apple cider, especially on one of our many cold and gloomy fall days! 80 books is quite an accomplishment, and we’re only in October!
Yes oh my goodness, one of my favourite ways to warm up! Thank you, I am pretty happy with accomplishing my goal 🙂
Mmm … homemade apple cider! Perfect for fall. Tuesdays at the Castle looks intriguing, and my son loved the Cassandra Clare series. I enjoyed listening to The Tower and had never heard of the artist, so thank you!
Sue
Book By Book
I agree, it is perfect for fall! 🙂 Tuesdays at the Castle is very cute so far and the Clare series was my fav growing up so I’m enjoying the chance to re-read! I’m so glad you enjoyed the song! I’m glad new people can still find her voice, it was just so beautiful! 🙂
It sounds like you’re having a wonderful month with loads going on. I hope the celebrations went went. Making cider sounds fun although I wouldn’t know where to begin 😂 Ooh I’d also love to make fruit wine one day.
Wow 80 books is amazing, well done!!
I hope both of your current reads go well. They sound interesting. Hopefully you’ll get to check out the other two you’ve mentioned as well. I reread Infernal Devices a few years back and had so much fun doing it. I’m hoping to reread and finish the Last Hours books in December/January 🤞
The song you’ve shared is haunting and I love the singers voice. I’ll have to look the album up sometime. It’s so sad to hear her story though.
My October has been quieter than yours 😂 my last read, an arc of North Is The Night, is probably my favourite of the year though!! I say probably because I’m kind of torn between two and although I’m leaning towards this one, is it because the other was half a year ago? 🤔
Thank you and yes lots going on hehe! They did go super well 🙂 & It’s easy just super time consuming because you basically have to cook the apples (& a couple oranges for tartness) to death lol and then squeeze it through a cheesecloth to get the chunks out. Making fruit wine sounds fun but I wouldn’t know where to start there either!
Thanks!! Now any books I read this year will just be a bonus hehe! Thanks and I’m enjoying them both so far so yay! & Oh that’s fun I hope you get to finish the Last Hours books soon 🙂 !!
Right? Her voice gives me chills! It is sad for sure gone too soon 🙁 Glad her husband released her album as a tribute ♥
hehe a quiet month sounds nice right about now and OH your fav of the year? Now I really need to look that up! It’s hard to compare books from so many months ago with recent ones, I feel like recency bias plays into it sometimes haha!
Hello!
Wow, books AND music! Thanks for sharing! I’m intrigued by these titles – not usually my genre, but they all sound great! Happy Reading!
Thank you, Jennifer 😁 I do love to combine my It’s Monday! posts with a music recommendation hehe 🙂 I am enjoying them so far so thanks 😉 Happy reading to you as well.
I keep meaning to start Witch Hat Atelier, so I’m glad to hear you’re liking the series overall. Sorry this last installment didn’t quite do it for you, though.
It’s hard to compare when there are so many volumes and not all of them are going to be of the same caliber but overall I highly recommend the series!! There is so much to love about it.
I’ve read Vol. 1 of Witch Hat and enjoyed it but I’ve been waiting for more of the volumes to go on sale cos they’re so expensive and buying them is the only way for me to read them. I’ll get back to the series one day, lol. 😂 Also, congrats on reaching your goal of reading 80 books! That’s amazing! 🎉 I read Blood Price last month and enjoyed it so much—it’s dark and gritty, and Ashilde is such an interestingly complex character. I hope you enjoy it and the rest of your reads! Have a great week ahead.
Oh yeah waiting for sales is smart they are pricey and can be read or rather inhaled in such a short time it hurts the wallet 😂. Well when you get to it I hope you love the rest.
Yay, thank you so much Dini 🥰!! Yes, your blog is how I found Blood Price so thanks for that by the way 😁! I have been so busy this month that I haven’t managed to read much yet but I love Ashilde a lot already!! 🥰 I hope you’re having a great week too 🙂