It’s the start of a new month, which means it’s time to wrap up the old one!
October wasn’t an easy month for me, sadly. It’s usually my favorite month of the year, but as many of you already know, I hit some really low mental health points for the first half or so of the month and also spent the first 3 weeks in the final stages of the worst reading slump I’ve had in YEARS!
Thankfully, things started to look up towards the end of October, after I finally gave in to the slump and let myself spend a couple of weeks doing nothing in my free time but family time, watching cooking shows, and playing Stardew Valley. I always dropped almost all of the books I had been reading, and have adopted a new rule: I’m no longer allowed to have more than 4 current reads at a time! I think it’ll help a lot to avoid feeling overwhelmed and burnt out.
Anyways, I definitely read a lot less than normal this month, but that’s okay. I’m finally starting to feel back to myself, and I learned some really important things over the last 2 weeks about myself, my place in this community, and self-care (all good things!). I’ve got this. ♥ On to the wrap-up!
Completed Reads:
EMOJI KEY:
✨ = review copy | ? = monthly TBR | ? = reread |
? = graphic novel/manga/comics | ? = poetry | ? = POC rep |
? = LGBTQ+ rep | ? = disability and/or MI rep |
? = audiobook | ? = Kindle Unlimited
In order from 5 stars to 1…
- Silver in the Wood | ✨? | ????? | RTC
- Dreams of Lake Drukka & Exhumation | ✨ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | review
- Bird Brain | ✨? | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | RTC
- Dead Meat: Day 1 | ✨ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐? | review
- Frazzled: Everyday Disasters and Impending Doom | ?? | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | RTC
- Sheets | ? | ⭐⭐⭐? | RTC
- Night Trap | ? | ⭐⭐⭐ | RTC
- Birthday Girl | ? | ⭐⭐⭐ | review (from 1st time reading)
- Boxers | ?? | ⭐⭐ | RTC
- Llewellyn’s Little Book of Empathy | ✨ | ⭐⭐ | RTC
- Unicorn Magic | ✨ | ⭐⭐ | RTC
DNFs…
- The Mindful Place of Calm | ✨
- No Longer Human | ✨??
Watched this Month:
Evidently, October was the month of rewatching old favorites ?♀️
- Saw (2004) | ? | ?????
- Saw II (2005) | ? | ⭐⭐⭐⭐?
- Saw III (2006) | ? | ⭐⭐⭐⭐?
- Saw IV (2007) | ? | ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Saw V (2008) | ? | ?????
- I don’t even know how many times I’ve seen this film series, but it never gets old. I didn’t quite finish the series rewatch but I’ll probably rewatch the rest in November.
- 47 Meters Down (2017) | ⭐⭐?
- This was genuinely awful. The sharks were the only good part. I WAS ROOTING FOR THE SHARKS THE WHOLE TIME.
- The Visit (2015) | ? | ⭐⭐⭐⭐?
- I hadn’t seen this in a while and had forgotten how hilarious it is.
- Haunt (2019) | Shudder | ?????
- This. Was. AWESOME.
- The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) | ? | ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- I hadn’t seen this since I was a kid, and it was really interesting to rewatch it and realize how many common horror film tropes were more or less created by this weird, gore-filled, low-budget 70s flick!
- Scream (1996) | ? | ⭐⭐⭐⭐?
- I learned this week that my spouse had never seen this one, and we had to fix that immediately, of course. Ahh… my love for Matthew Lillard springs eternal.
- House of 1000 Corpses (2003) | ? | ⭐⭐⭐?
- I like this movie a little more every time I see it… even though it’s really a little bit awful. What can I say? I’m a sucker for Rob Zombie, Sid Haig, Sheri Moon, and Bill Moseley.
Listened to this Month:
- Ice Nine Kills — ‘The Silver Scream (Final Cut)’ album
- Parkway Drive — I’d never gotten into them aside from ‘The Void’ before, so I just hit shuffle on their Spotify page a lot and found a bunch of new favorites.
Played this Month:
- Stardew Valley
- Like… a lot. I think Steam had me at having played maybe 40 hours before October started, and I checked right now, and it’s at 134 hours. ?
My Favorite Non-Review Posts of the Month:
- October TBR
- 5-star predictions for October, November, & December
- 10 spooky books on my TBR
- Mental health discussion/life update
- 10 favorite horror reads of 2019 (so far)
- Halloween tag
My Favorite Posts from OTHER Bloggers This Month:
- Cassie @ Let’s Get Galactic’s list of horror authors to read if you love Stephen King & tips for editing bookstagram photos
- Ellyn @ Allonsythornraxx’s top 10 favorite Doctor Who episodes
- Marie @ Drizzle & Hurricane Books’ guide to organizing your life as a book blogger & tips for making it as a book blogger
- Laura @ thebookcorps’ Ninth House review
- Mogsy @ The BiblioSanctum’s Imaginary Friend review
- Sionna @ Books in Her Eyes’ The Monster of Elendhaven review
- Heather @ The Sassy Book Geek’s favorite book aesthetics
- Kelly @ Another Book in the Wall’s guide to removing stickers from books
- Grimdark Dad’s We Sold Our Souls review
- Meaghan @ Words Gremlin’s Beyond the Black Door review
- Lauren @ Northern Plunder’s Witchcraft review
- Alana @ The Bookish Chick’s All the Things We Do in the Dark review
- Heather @ Heather’s Reading Hideaway’s The Miracles of the Namiya General Store review
— destiny ♥
24hr.YaBookBlog
November 1, 2019Wonderful wrap-up Destiny! ? I’m looking forward to checking out Silver In The Wood this month, I’ve really been looking forward to it & it looks like a great fall read! Happy November!! ?
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
November 28, 2019Thank you! Silver would be an AMAZING fall read! 🙂
24hr.YaBookBlog
December 2, 2019Recently finished it & wow Silver In The Wood was so good! A perfect fall read ^_^
CJR The Brit
November 1, 2019Great wrap up! Glad to hear you are back from the slump. They are the worst. This year I’ve had so many, I’m beginning to think I need some time off reading!
Molly
November 1, 2019I too had a reading slump in October (my favorite month also!) and it stunk. I had such lovely big plans for the month. I’m sorry to hear that you that you had the extra stressor of your health – I hope you are feeling better and you’re reading keeps going smoothly!
I can’t bring myself to watch the Saw movies – it looks like you are made of much stronger stuff that I! Great wrap up.
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
November 28, 2019I’m sorry you slumped in October, too! 🙁 I hope November has been better. And thank you for the kind words! <3 <3
Meaghan @ Words Gremlin
November 2, 2019Oh man, I’m sorry to hear this month was a little rough for you, but I’m glad to hear you’re on the up and up! And if you’re worried about the hours you’ve spent on Stardew…don’t be. ? I’ve done the same thing and it’s so worth it.
Also, thanks for linking my Beyond the Black Door review! ?
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
November 28, 2019Haha thank you!! And you’re welcome, I loved your review so much!!
Avery @ RedRocketPanda
November 2, 2019I’m sorry you didn’t have a great October, especially as I know its your fave month <3 October was a bit of a poo month for me as well which was disappointing as I had wanted to get in the spooky spirit but it just didn't happen. But that's ok because it happens sometimes. You have SO MUCH on your plate with your job, your family, yourself, and blogging on top of that (especially with the amount of review copies you have on the go), make sure you don't overwhelm yourself with too much and take some space if you need it (whatever that may look like) <3
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
November 28, 2019Thank you, dear! I’m sorry October was a bust for you, too. 🙁 I hope November has been better, or that December at least will be. Love you! <3 <3
Becca Leighanne (Bex)
November 2, 2019“This was genuinely awful. The sharks were the only good part. I WAS ROOTING FOR THE SHARKS THE WHOLE TIME.”
LMAO HARD SAME.
I’m so glad October took a turn for the better. You deserve all of the good days, my sweet love. ♥
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
November 28, 2019LMAO I’m so glad I’m not alone because honestly, #TeamSharks for life <3 and thank you, I love you too much <3
emmareadstoomuch
November 2, 2019WOOHOO for you for making it through october!! you’re the coolest. hearing from you as this month progressed has been really inspiring. hope your november goes wayyy easier on you!! you deserve a perfect month. <3
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
November 28, 2019Thank you and I love you!! <3 I hope November has treated you well!!!
Kal @ Reader Voracious
November 3, 2019I am so glad that October took a turn for the better and you are starting to feel better, love! You deserve all the good things in the world. Also go you and your 100 hours of Staardew lmao
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
November 28, 2019Lmao thank you!! I think I’m nearing 200 by now >_>
Musings of a (Book) Girl
November 4, 2019You read a lot! And I’m glad most of them were 3+ stars. I love the little emojis you used. You also watched so many movies? My husband introduced me to the Saw series last year and we almost watched all the movies but toddlers don’t make it easy. We need to finish them! And I also remember rooting for the sharks in 47 Meters Down, but I’m such a sucker for shark movies. I hope November is great for you the entire month!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
November 28, 2019Thank you! Haha no, toddlers definitely do not make movie-watching easy, especially when it comes to bloody, loud movies like the Saw films. I hope you like the rest of them! The ‘Jigsaw’ installment is pretty fun too IMO.
rachel @ typed truths
November 5, 2019i’m so sorry you didn’t get the chance to truly enjoy your favourite month but yay!! you broke your slump!! and things are looking up. i hope you have a better month in november. you deserve it <3 and all the best with your goals. i'm sure cutting down on current reads will make a difference
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
November 28, 2019Thank you so much!! <3 <3 I love you!