October Monthly Round Up

Greetings children of the night, ghosts, ghouls and monsters of all ages. It is the last day of spooky season, Spooktober has come to an end and Blogtober has seen us post every single day this month and pass 100 posts on our blog! We are incredibly proud to surpass 100 posts and grateful for all the people and artists who’ve gotten us this far. Thank you everyone! We’ve had so much fun writing about all the things we absolutely love and even some of the stranger things that we’ve written about this month. But enough of that, we are back in Lockdown here in Ireland and raring to get back to our usual schedule. With Halloween coinciding with a blue full moon, it’s guaranteed to be a crazy one. Enjoy, go howl at the moon while maintaining social distancing. Happy Halloween!

Book of the Month

N:  Along with all of the fun series and books I read for Booktober I have been focusing on motivational and self growth books. My favourite one this month was Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert. 

E: I actually have so many to choose from this month!!! I will say I loved re-reading the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series but for me the best book overall was one called ‘You Deserve Each Other’ by Sarah Hogle. It’s romantic and cute and just shows that even ‘perfect’ relationships need work.

TV Picks

N: This month is dedicated to Gilmore Girls. It may have just celebrated its 20th Anniversary since it first aired but, they never get old. For those interested I have always been a Jess Girl and will forever be a Jess Girl. If you don’t get that reference you should definitely watch the series.

Movie Picks

Good Movie Recommendations: 

N: The remake of The Secret Garden. It was a nice and easy film to watch. Do I prefer the original? Yes but, the Garden was truly magical. 

E: I spent a lot of this month watching Harry Potter and I’m going to be controversial and say that you need to watch Order of the Phoenix because it’s the best movie. Gary Oldman was amazing in this movie and Helena Bonham Carter as well.

Cheesy Movie Recommendations: 

N: All of my cheesy movie watching happened over three days this month. My top pick from these is Sweet Home Alabama. The definition of when a relationship is meant to work out it always finds a way! 

E: Hocus Pocus. The only movie to watch during spooky season and it’s still as wonderfully ridiculous as I remember it. Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy just went for it and stuck the landing beautifully as the Sanderson sisters. It’s still cheesy but it’s a classic. 

Gaming Picks

N: Haven’t had the time to game this month I’m afraid so, you can all wait to hear me fangirl over Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla next month! 

E: Honestly, games haven’t been a big part of my life this month. I’ve spent most of my free time writing or editing posts but I am considering buying the Pokémon DLC.

Music

Single:  

N: ‘Sweet October’ by Aoife Scott. It’s such a lovely song and it is going to get me through the next few weeks. 

E: Wonder by Shawn Mendes because he is a beautiful human being and his music is so genuine and sweet. It’s the question everyone asks once in their life “I wonder what it’s like to be loved by you.”

Album/EP: 

N: ‘Metamorphosis’ Hilary Duff has been getting me through October! Such an oldie but it has become my safe haven this year. 

E: ‘Superbloom’ by Ashton Irwin. There were no other options in my mind. I don’t care who brought out an album, this one wins for me. I had been so excited for this album since I heard Skinny Skinny and I love Greyhound and Sunshine. It’s a hugely personal labour of love and that is so clear in every song on this album.

Favourite thing about October:

N: All of the leaves changing colour and falling onto the ground. I’m such a big kid and love crunching the leaves under my feet.  

E: All the hot chocolates that I can drink without being judged because it’s getting cold out there. I love this time of year and the colder it gets the happier I’ll be.

Favourite Item of the Month:

N: Hot Water Bottle… It’s been a fun month! 

E: My DVDs and I have become reacquainted with one another since my new laptop finally allows me to watch them and it is so weird to be able to watch movies that I love again. I also need to buy more DVDs.

Event of the Month:

N: It wasn’t a massive event but, Chasing Abbey’s Live this month with the stars of their music video put a smile on my face. I’d received some shockingly bad news about two hours before the live and it just made me feel a bit better. 

E: Event? I don’t know what those are anymore *gross sobbing*

Moment of the Month:

N: Keeping it positive, this month in work we had a number of Leaving Cert Ecology trips, so my moments of the month are being with the different school groups getting their field trip ticked off their list. 

E: Watching my sister carry in 3 boxes delivered by a courier full of, I kid you not, “Christmas presents.” Why is Christmas starting before Halloween has even really had a chance to start?

Your Quote of the Month:

N: “It’ll turn out alright in the end. You’ll see!” –  Mrs. Potts

E: “And we must unite inside her / Or we’ll crumble from within. / I have told you, I have warned you… / Let the Sorting now begin.” – The Sorting Hat, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Three things you are most excited about for November:

N: My first reaction to this was have I anything to look forward to in November? Then I remembered Niall Horan’s live gig is on the 7th! I suppose putting together all the fun surprises for my favourite people for that special time of the year. Lastly, any music lives some of my people decide to do. It already feels like November is going to be a long month! 

E: Honestly, I’m not even sure I have three things to look forward to in November. My schedule is exceedingly bleak. Thankfully, a lot of artists seem to be releasing music and live streaming, so that is a bonus, and I’m looking forward to that. Music is always one of the greatest escapes. That’s really it. That seems to be all I have to look forward to but I’m sure November will surprise me. Most months usually do.