Monthly Wrap-Up: October 2023

As expected for the last few months of every year, October passed in a blur. I blinked and it was time for my two-week holiday with besties, then I blinked again and the holiday was over, I back to work feeling like I never had a break to begin with and it’s now November. How? I had a great time on my holiday that passed by too quickly and it was such a busy (but fun!) time that I felt like I needed a holiday post-holiday… I feel so spoiled saying that but it’s true, lol! 😂 I’m sharing three pictures here but you can find more in my Sunday post.

This holiday wasn’t all I did this month but the rest of it was just hectic work days and all of that regular jazz. So the holiday was my main highlight but TS also released her version of my favourite album of hers, 1989. I’ve been *thriving*. If you’re a fan, what’s your favourite re-recording and vault track?! I loved Wonderland’s re-recording and my favourite vault track has to be Say Don’t Go… And Is It Over Now? cos you can’t make me choose one! 🤭

I read 15 books this month and I enjoyed most of them! I was proud of how many spooky season reads and #23for23 reads I got to this month because I didn’t expect to stick to any kind of TBR. Not saying that I stuck to one but at least there was a theme aside from “mood”, lol. 😂 None of my reads this month were above 4-stars and that’s OK because I still really enjoyed these books. Although it does make it hard to pick a favourite so I think I’ll leave off that pick this month. Now let’s get to all the books I read:

*book covers are linked to Goodreads and text is linked to my review, if available*
*books are arranged by order read*

^{4 pandas}

Spell Bound, Clean Sweep, Scoring Off the Field, The Dating Playbook, To Her Rescue, That Time I Got Drunk and Saved A Demon, That Time I Got Drunk and Yeeted A Love Potion at A Werewolf, For Her Safety, The Duke Gets Desperate

Spell Bound
The Dating Playbook
The Duke Gets Desperate

^{3.5 pandas}

*A Bright Heart, The Neighbor Favor, My Roommate is a Vampire*

(TOUR) A Bright Heart
The Neighbor Favor

^{3 pandas}

A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating A Demon

^{less than 3 pandas}

My Goodreads Challenge still hasn’t been updated from the earlier months but my spreadsheet shows I’ve read 135 books, which means I actually might be reaching my reading goal of 150 this year! I hope I haven’t just jinxed myself by saying this… 😂

I’ve pretty much given up on the other reading challenges that I wanted to do this year. 2023 has been so much busier than anticipated and it’s resulted in a lot of anxiety and mixed emotions that have messed up my reading mood greatly. I’m a bit bummed but it is what it is and it’s OK! In my next monthly update, I might just merge this section into the first part.

Discussions:

Let’s Talk Bookish: Do You Ever See Yourself Becoming A Non-Reader? ⇉ Jillian the Bookish Butterfly
Let’s Talk Bookish: When are reading breaks a good idea? ⇉ Worlds Unlike Our Own
Banned Books Week 2023 Takes On New Significance ⇉ Pages Unbound
My Reading Influences ⇉ Thoughts Stained in Ink
Let’s Talk Bookish – What Qualifies as an “All-Time Favorite Book?” ⇉ Biblio Nerd Reflections
Let’s Talk Bookish — All-Time Favorite Book ⇉ Down the Rabbit Hole
What is your Dream Bookstore? {Blog Discussion} ⇉ 24hryabookblog

Reviews:

Book Review: Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin ⇉ Reading On A Star
Dead Country by Max Gladstone ⇉ Peat Long’s Blog

Tags/Lists/Recommendations:

Abby’s Autumn Almanac (ft. fall book recs, tbr, music, & shows) ⇉ Beyond the Read
Talk Chisme to Me + October Fright: 2023 Releases by Latine Authors Perfect for the Horror Season ⇉ Beyond the Read
7 Middle Grade Halloween Books Recommendation 👻🎃 ⇉ The Literary Huntress
Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish jobs you couldn’t pay me enough to do ⇉ My Book Joy

And that’s a wrap on October! How was your October in terms of reading and life in general? What was your favourite read or moment? I hope you’re all doing well and taking care! 💜

13 thoughts on “Monthly Wrap-Up: October 2023”

Thanks for including my Let’s Talk Bookish post! 🙂 I’ve also been obsessed with the latest TS re-release. I don’t really have a favorite re-recording. I enjoyed them all, mostly because I adore the whole album. Is It Over Now? is definitely my favorite vault track, though. I’m glad you had a great time on holiday, and I totally get needing a vacation to rest afterwards. I usually feel the same way.

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I’m so jealous of your holiday! The weather has been rainy here. It’s needed, but also a little depressing. My friends are in Kaui right now and I’m jealous of them, too. I love the 1989 rerecording. It took a couple listens to really grow on me. I really liked I Wish You Would. I also love those 2 vault tracks that are your favorites. I have read a bunch of Lowell’s books back in the day, but I don’t know if Fever was one of them. Hope you enjoy it!

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I’m literally obsessed with Is it Over Now? I’ve only listened to the vault tracks, haven’t had time for the full album yet but this has been playing on a loop on Spotify and in my brain ever since. 15 books is so good what the heck! I hope you have just as good a month in November.

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What a lovely vacation! I always say I need a vacation after my vacation, too. 😃 I’ve been listening to Taylor’s version of 1989 on repeat, too, although I haven’t listened to the new tracks much yet. I need to do that. My favorite re-recording is Wildest Dreams… so far! Ha!

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You were in paradise! I’m in awe of those pictures 😍. Glad you had a wonderful time!

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Oh your holiday looks like a dream, the pictures are gorgeous!! 💗 Glad to see that you enjoyed Spell Bound, I read it earlier this year and it was so much fun! I also read My Roommate Is a Vampire this month!

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Thanks for the shoutout! I’m really surprised with Now that We Don’t Talk, especially since her previous from the vault tracks really didn’t hit the mark for me!

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I can understand your trip being a highlight. I don’t think I have ever been on a two week vacation. No work for two weeks. Amazing! Glad it was a great trip.

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[…] Monthly Wrap-Up: October 2023 […]

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Post-holiday holiday needing is real.

Anyway, thanks for the shoutout, I’m enjoying going through some of the other posts you highlighted.

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I often find myself needing time to recover from vacations. That’s why I always try to give myself a day between traveling and returning to work. I know that’s my plan for a trip I’m taking in the spring. I hope November is good to you!

Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!

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Looks like your holiday was lovely! Those photos look idyllic. 🙂 My favorite 1989 vault track (though it doesn’t seem to be popular!) is Suburban Legends. It’s been on repeat as well as Clean. 🙂

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