My October 2024 Round Up
October's trickle of thoughts
Greetings!
Are you looking for a new book to read? Some new music to listen to? As November approaches, I thought I’d put together all of my recent music and reads, as well as a general writing update, for anyone who’s looking to get into the fall spirit!
What I’ve Been Reading Recently:
This month I’ve read a lot of realistic fiction books! Here are some of my favorites I’ve read (or reread) in October!
Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo
Quick Plot Summary: Raymie resolves to enter a baton-twirling contest to win back her father, who ran away with a dental hygienist. She ends up meeting two friends named Louisiana and Beverly, having an adventure at the Golden Glen retirement home, and realizing that instead of searching for what she’s lost, she already had what she needed the whole time.
This was a reread for me, and boy did I love it. I remembered the Three Rancheros series after stumbling upon the third one on Goodreads. We had the first book at home, so I sat down and read it this month!
I’ve loved DiCamillo’s books for a long time—I used to read the Mercy the Pig series when I was little—and Raymie’s story was brilliant. Louisiana will always be my favorite character from the series, and the adventures the girls go on are fun and entertaining, while also being sad and relatable. If you’re looking for a sweet, middle-grade, historical/realistic fiction read, I’d recommend this book.
Mr. Lemoncello’s Fantabulous Finale by Chris Grabenstein (Mr. Lemoncello, #6)
(comes out November 5th!)
Quick Plot Summary: Ever since Kyle Keeley entered the Alexandria Public Library a year ago, he’s been obsessed with books. Now he’s in the last race to win Mr. Lemoncello’s entire fortune, and according to Mr. Lemoncello himself, there can only be one winner. As Kyle races against twelve other contestants – some friends, some strangers – he knows he has to win. But someone is trying to destroy Mr. Lemoncello’s entire empire once and for all, and Kyle must team up with the other contestants to stop them.
I received this book ahead of time as a ARC, and I loved it so much! This was the perfect finale for the series, and everything was so consistent and fun!
This book was wondermous, to quote Mr. Lemoncello himself. It was hilarious but also realistic, and the way Mr. Grabenstein added all the new characters naturally was so cool! If you’re looking for a new book to read soon, I think you should try this series! (Note: this book makes 0% sense if you have not read the rest of the series. And if you want even MORE bonus Easter eggs, read Mr. Lemoncello’s Very First Game before you read the final book!)
What I’ve Been Listening To Recently:
I’ve found more folky music this month, and I’ve enjoyed this song, “crooked the road”, by Mon Rovia, an Appalachan songwriter. It’s the perfect vibe for fall!
A songwriter I like deeply, Janani K. Jha, recently released a cool music video to her song, “Gladiators”! I’ve been waiting a while for Gladiators and this video delivered!
My family recently watched Singin’ In The Rain, and I’ve been listening to Debbie Reynolds’ performance of “Singing in The Rain” nonstop! Her voice is beautiful and iconic, and I just love it so much!
And, finally, I’ve been listening to Jenna Raine’s new song, “Roses.” I found Jenna’s music through her viral song, “It Is What It Is”, and I love “Roses” so much! It’s definitely worth a listen.
A Writing Update:
When you’re a writer, you have up times, and you have down times. I’m coming off a few weeks of writer’s block, and I haven’t written a word of my Work In Progress since then. Thankfully, I am in an online writing class with weekly assignments, and I finally broke through!
This back-to-school slump is normal for me, and with the next semester coming, I’m sure I’ll write more! For now, I’m just working on writing my story and not worrying about the process.
A Trickle of Thoughts:
Life this month has been slow and fast at the same time. There’s been slow moments: like watching movies with my family, spending time with new and old friends, and the allure of tea and treats.
But there’s also been fast moments: immersing myself in Little Women again for a new writing class and each week of high school. My life has been so filled with tasks that I rarely have time to appreciate the joyful moments.
With fall comes a ritual our family calls Cozy Hour. One night a week, we gather and we sit quietly. We read, we write, and we listen to soft, sweet music. There’s no screens, no distractions, and not a lot of conversation.
I’ve also made so many new friends in the last few weeks! It’s been a lot of fun getting to know them and learning their stories.
And, finally, I’ve been getting up early to do homework and watch the sun stretch across the room. Seeing the beads of light slide across the couch and the dots of light through the window sills is the calm before the day begins.
I’d love to know your trickle of thoughts this week, if you’d be willing to share. Pop them in the comments below. ❤️
(I made cinnamon brownie bites this month and thought I’d share this photo)
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