Goodbye, October. Hello, November.
My October Round-up: Fall is here, and so is the seasonal depression.
Who else is feeling completely exhausted from having the time change? I know we’re technically supposed to gain an hour of sleep, but we all know that’s a lie. It just means I’m waking up earlier now and I hate it. I am just so freaking tired…
It’s sure been awhile since the last time I posted something here. October definitely kept me busy and had me put a lot of things that I enjoy doing on hold. Writing and post things here being one of those things. I’m going to try to be more active here because I really do enjoy sharing things and reading all of the publications I follow. Some people on here are incredible writers. This is more of a journal/diary for me, but that’s ok. I do have some story ideas in my brain, but I don’t know if I’ll ever share them here. I don’t think I’m confident enough in my writing ability for that yet…
Anyway, as we welcome in the fall season, we also welcome seasonal depression. Shoutout to all of my seasonal affective disorder friends! I’ve been on medication for seasonal depression for about three or four years now, and it really has made a difference. Do I still feel icky sometimes? Absolutely! But it’s nothing like it used to be. However, there is this phenomenon called the “October slide” where those who have chronic illnesses or mood disorders have their symptoms get worse during the month of October. I honestly didn’t realize it had a name until I saw members of the chronic illness community talking about it. It makes so much sense, though. I have truly felt like garbage recently, more than I usually do, and it started at the beginning of October. So, if you have a chronic illness or depression and have been wondering why you’ve felt so terrible lately, you can thank the season change into fall for that. Don’t get me wrong, though. I love the fall. It’s by far my favorite season. It however doesn’t love me.
Like I mentioned before, October also kept me extremely busy with work and school. I work in the theatre industry and this time of year is usually the craziest because we’re now a quarter of the way through the show season, show runs are closing while we’re in tech for another one and getting information for following show, and its holiday season, so the pressure is incredibly intense. The fall semester of graduate is also wrapping up, so I’ve been getting all of my final project assignments and whatnot, which is a bit overwhelming. Managing a full-time job and being an online half-time grad student is stupid hard. It is not for the weak. Add being chronically ill on top of that and it’s even more difficult. I’m glad that things will be slowing down soon. Winter break is coming for both work and school which is going to be so nice. I’ll definitely be able to do more things that I actually want to do.
October books
I sadly only read one book fully in October, and it was The Crescent Moon Tearoom by Stacy Sivinski. I also haven’t posted my review for it, of course, but that will hopefully go out soon. It was really good and I highly recommend it if you like witchy things and sisterly love.
I did start three other books, however.
The Monstrous Kind by Lydia Gregovic
A Tribute of Fire by Sarah Wilson
Inferno’s Heir by Tiffany Wang
The Monstrous Kind is the September pick for Young Adult Once Upon a Book Club book box. I’ve a little bit of it and it seems good. I’m excited to keep reading it. I also love opening the gifts as I read. It’s such a great incentive to keep reading.
A Tribute of Fire and Inferno’s Heir are both advanced reader copies (arcs) that I got. Unfortunately, I didn’t finish Inferno’s Heir. I just don’t think it was the right time for me to read it. I want to give it a second time sometime in the future, but yeah… I just couldn’t get into it. That doesn’t mean you won’t if you give it go, which I really do recommend.
I’m actively reading A Tribute of Fire and I’m loving it. My goal is to finish it this week so that I can move on to my November TBR.
November TBR
I have several arcs that I need to finish this month. Let me know if you’ve read any of these. I’d love to know what you thought!
The Woodsmoke Women’s Book of Spells by Rachel Greenlaw (published on October 22)
The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door by H. G. Parry (published on October 22)
The West Wind by Alexandria Warwick (publishes on November 12)
The Courting of Bristol Keats by Mary E. Pearson (published on November 12)
I’m REALLY excited about this one. I love Mary E. Pearson. Dance of Thieves andVow of Thieves is my favorite duology.
We Shall Be Monsters by Alyssa Wees (publishes on November 12)
The Invisible College by Jeff Wheeler (publishes on November 12)
Will I get to all of these? Probably not, but one can dream. I will definitely try to read the first two on the list and the one by Mary E. Pearson.
There are also a few physical books I want to get to, but I want to read The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst in particular. I got the Once Upon A Book Club Halloween box that featured it and I want to open those gifts so badly because I know they’re going to be super cute.
What book(s) are you currently reading? What are you reading goals for November?
Also, I don’t know about you, but I’m enjoying watching the chaos that the Kindle Colorsoft is causing. I personally have no interest in getting a Kindle since I read everything on my iPad (which already has color), so I’m just finding it funny that people are freaking out about it. Plus, I’ve only horrible reviews about it. I’m sorry to all of the Kindle lovers out there…
Anyway… I hope that November brings you all happiness and good books. To my chronic illness and seasonal depression friends, we got this. Remember to dress warm and always keep an extra pair of gloves nearby.
See you next time!
Jessica