Once again I'm late getting my monthly recap posted, I just can't seem to get these up early in the month! Well, goodbye 2016! I started off the year with a photo captioned, "Here's to 2016 kicking 2015's ass!" Let's just say it did *not* live up to those expectations. BUT it wasn't all bad.

October went by in a flash! I felt like it was gone in the blink of an eye and I hardly had a moment to sit down. I only managed a few blog posts, but I did get through more books than I had thought, so that’s a plus. Can you believe it’s already November and the holiday season is upon us???


I'm actually pretty surprised I read 9 books in October. I didn't think the number was quite so high until I was putting this list together. Falling Kingdoms was my 100th read of the year! I have officially met my Goodreads Reading Challenge goal for 2016. At this point I'm ultimately going to try for 120 finishes, we'll see if I can make it!

I can’t believe September is already over and I’m going to start dating things as October. Am I alone? It’s the month of changing leaves, Halloween, and candy corn. Do you like candy corn? I do! I finally got a chance to slow down this month and get in more reading and stitching time. It was a nice change of pace.

I made some great progress on my Hogwarts Crest. Finally! I finished the middle left side and have officially begun the largest part of the pattern. I know most people start from the center and work their way out, but I stitch how I read - left to right, top to bottom. I’m just hoping this part doesn’t take me another 4 months to get through! My Griffindor lion has a butt :)

Not much to report here other than what you see above. I spent most of my free time either reading, stitching, or with my husband and fur family and I am perfectly happy with that. I needed the rest after running around non stop for months on end.
I had a rough couple of days in and out of doctors' offices at one point, so I decided to completely ignore my tbr pile and finally take time time to do a reread of Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone. It was worth it and, I felt, well deserved. This was my first time reading a version of The Philosopher's Stone, and truth be told, even though I've read The Sorcerer's Stone so many times, it's been so long I couldn't really tell how much of it was different slang wise. I just know I loved it.

My husband surprised me with the Game of Thrones coloring book, which was awesome! It has some great illustrations, but some are more like hand sketches, so I'm not sure how to color them in yet.
How was your September? Are you ready for fall and Halloween? Do you dress up? Have you read any of the books I read this month?

I don’t want to get into The Cursed Child too much here because I want to avoid spoilers for those who haven’t read it yet, and I wrote a long rant post about it you can read here, but let’s just say the nostalgia of being back in the HP universe only carried this one so far.

Me Before You was my book club read for August and I found it a bit eh. I was so looking forward to reading it and it just didn't live up to the hype for me.

If I had to pick one book off the list to recommend, I’d say you should read Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. It was nothing like I expected and everything I needed it to be. It was beautifully written, perfectly narrated by Lin-Manuel Miranda, and heart wrenchingly honest.


I managed to happen upon my local library’s Friends of the Library book sale one Saturday when accidentally getting there too early to pick up my book. I lucked out and found copies of Ready Player One, Anne of Green Gables, and The Magicians. I’m still eyeing this hardcover box set of The Magicians but I couldn’t pass up a used copy of book one! I’ve also been hunting for a decent, unmarked used copy of Ready Player One for ages, so score! I adore Anne of Green Gables so I had to have this lovely hardcover copy. It’s from 1992, and I don’t know if it’s supposed to have a dust jacket, but I couldn’t wait to add it to my collection.

I made progress on both my Hogwarts crest this month and my Steotchalong. So technically I should be finished with my Steotchalong, but by making time for my crest, I’ve fallen behind, but I’m okay with that. Progress is progress! I wish I had two sets of arms, hands, eyes, and two brains and heads so I could read and cross stitch at the same time!
Sometimes I listen to an audiobook while I stitch, but it’s much easier to listen to an old tv show in the background then to risk zoning out on a good book or flubbing a pattern and having to frog a lot of hard work.


My brother-in-law got married at the beginning of the month, so much of our time was spent celebrating nuptials and new family ties. My husband was the best man, doesn’t he look smashing :) It was a hometown wedding fit for the cover of Country Living, and it was gorgeous.


This has been the summer of baseball. Managed to squeeze in two more games this month! This time watching my home team, the Oakland A’s square off against the Chicago Cubs, then the Sacramento Rivercats vs. the Iowa Cubbies.


I’ve been trying to enjoy the summer while it lasts. I can’t believe it’s September and almost fall! Pumpkin spice yuck is about is invade everything and it will be time to pack up my shorts and sandals for another year. Not that I the fall doesn’t have it’s bonuses, but I’m just not ready yet.
How was your August? Ready anything good? Do anything exciting? Have any life changing news or book recommendations for me?