October 2018 - Maegan Mariee | Thoughts & Lifestyle

Halloween Memories | BLOGTOBER 🍂☕🎃

10/31/2018
By Maegan Mariee
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Book Shelf Tour 2018 | BLOGTOBER 🍂☕🎃

10/30/2018
By Maegan Mariee
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Hiya! If you've been here for a while, you might remember my bookshelf tour of 2015. It was a simple, small bookshelf, so I broke it up into two posts. Today, I have another bookshelf and a lot more books. So I'm going to cut this short and dive right in!

Please ignore the dust and overall messiness of my shelves. I have a lot of overflow. All links are to posts where books are reviewed or briefly discussed.

My second bookshelf here is the original and looks similar to how it did in my first bookshelf tour. However, things have been moved around!

Bookshelf Two; Top Shelf
♥Harry Potter 2013 Edition Boxed Set | J.K. Rowling

Bookshelf Two; First Shelf
♥Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone | J.K. Rowling
♥Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets | J.K. Rowling (currently reading & missing from shelf)
♥Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban | J.K. Rowling
♥Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire | J.K. Rowling
♥Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix | J.K. Rowling
♥Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince | J.K. Rowling
♥Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows | J.K. Rowling
♥The Tales of Beedle the Bard | J.K. Rowling

♥Girl Online | Zoe Sugg
♥Girl Online: On Tour | Zoe Sugg
♥Girl Online: Going Solo | Zoe Sugg

♥The Hunger Games | Suzanne Collins
♥Catching Fire | Suzanne Collins
♥Mockingjay | Suzanne Collins

♥Holding Up the Universe | Jennifer Niven
♥The Fault in Our Stars | John Green

Bookshelf Two; Second Shelf
♥Divergent | Veronica Roth
♥Insurgent | Veronica Roth
♥Allegiant | Veronica Roth
♥Four | Veronica Roth

♥All the Bright Places | Jennifer Niven
♥Looking For Alaska | John Green ♥Work in Progress | Connor Franta
♥Unreasonable Hope | Chad Veach
♥The Anne Boleyn Collection | Claire Ridgway
♥The Hemptameron | Maurgerite de Navarre
♥Mademoiselle Boleyn | Robin Maxwell

♥Le Temps Viendra: Volume I | Sarah Morris
♥Le Temps Viendra: Volume II | Sarah Morris

♥Wolf Hall | Hilary Mantel
♥Bring Up the Bodies | Hilary Mantel

♥Love Letters from Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn | Henry VIII
♥The Tudor Treasury | Elizabeth Norton
♥The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn | Robin Maxwell
♥The Autobiography of Henry VIII | Margaret George
♥The Life and Death of Cardinal Wolsey | George Cavendish
♥Naked To Mine Enemies: The Life of Cardinal Wolsey | Charles W. Ferguson

Bookshelf Two; Third Shelf
♥Something Missing | Matthew Dicks
♥The Wild Things | Dave Eggers
♥Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter | Seth Grahame-Smith
♥Wuthering Heights | Emily Bronte
♥the perks of being a wallflower | Stephen Chbosky
♥The Boleyn Deceit | Laura Andersen
♥Henry VIII | William Shakespeare
♥Macbeth | William Shakespeare
♥Romeo and Juliet | William Shakespeare
♥Romeo and Juliet | William Shakespeare (yes, I have two copies)
♥Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl | Anne Frank
♥Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (UK 20th Anniversary Slytherin Edition)
♥Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (UK 20th Anniversary Slytherin Edition)

♥The Little Book of Hygge | Meik Wiking
♥Shakespeare's Works Volume 12 | William Shakespeare
♥Essays | Ralph Waldo Emerson
♥Alice's Adventures in Wonderland | Lewis Carroll (Camille Rose Garcia Illustration)
♥The Illustrated Jane Eyre | Charlotte Bronte

You can see my 2015 Bookshelf Tour here and here!

♥

lifestyle

Netflix/Hulu To Watch List | BLOGTOBER 🍂☕🎃

10/29/2018
By Maegan Mariee
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It's no secret that I have a TV watching problem.

And by problem I mean that I have a hard time just sitting down and watching something new. I have a habit of re-watching... well, everything. I mean, if it's not broken, don't fix it, right?

It's something I need to work on. And because it's a never-ending problem, my list of things to watch has grown. And it keeps growing as more things are getting released. Here's my current list. Which is bound to change. Gah.
Netflix

Knightfall - Yes! I started watching this and then had to stop because the History channel wants you to log in after a certain number of episodes. Very excited!
The Office - I want to know the jokes. I need to be in the know.
Friends - Don't judge me. Finished the first season. Six to go.
The Good Place - Watched the first episode. Pretty funny, must continue.
Supernatural - I'm curious and haven't started.
Empire Records - Looks interesting.
Hilda - Looks so cute! And I love cartoons.
Stranger Things - This is a maybe. I finished the first season, so I'm trying to decide if I want to jump into the second.
Ella Enchanted - Hm. I've seen this, but not in a long time. A re-watch, but I don't remember much.
Sons of Anarchy - This is emotional for me. I finished the first season a while ago. I'm still not emotionally prepared to continue. I may have gone and read the episode summaries for the next seasons. Yikes.
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt - First season down. Funny and light hearted show, must continue.
Lincoln - I like Abe Lincoln.
The Hollow - Recommended by a co-worker. Cartoon. Yes.
Young & Hungry - Not really sure about this one. Haven't started.
Mad Men - Sixties and designing? YES.
13 Reasons Why - Finished the first season and it really fucked me up. Not sure I want to dive in for a second round.
Versailles - I love getting historical recommendations.
Set It Up - Looks hilarious and I want to watch thiiiiiis.
Call the Midwife - Two seasons down. Love this show, just need to get back into it.
The Duchess - Again, historical.
Roman Empire - 🤷
Mindhunter - Watched the first episode. Was pretty good, but I need to really motivate myself to sit down and watch.
Alias Grace - Can't even remember what this is about, but it's on my list.
The Borgias - More historical shows.
To The Bone - Might be too emotional for me.
Anna Karenina - I wanted to read the book first, but it's leaving Netflix soon, so I need to watch this first.
Steel Magnolias - Don't remember why this is on there, but it's leaving soon, so must get to work on this.
The Magic Pill - ???
GBF - haha, this still looks cute
Friends From College - There's a good chance I might not get to this, but we'll see.
The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina - Salem doesn't talk, I don't know how I'll like this.

Hulu

Vikings - I'm in season four. I really need to push myself to sit down and watch.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine - Started this and it's right up my alley.
The Handmaid's Tale - Again, want to read the book first.
The Last Man on Earth - Started this and need to finish.
Roseanne - This is actually on Amazon Prime, but I wanted to re-watch.
The Conners - And then I want to see where they're going with this after the whole Roseanne getting fired thing.

And that's it for now! I seriously have some work ahead of me.

♥

Personal

Weekly Summary / Sunday | BLOGTOBER 🍂☕🎃

10/28/2018
By Maegan Mariee
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books

Rereading Harry Potter // The Sorcerer's Stone | BLOGTOBER 🍂☕🎃

10/27/2018
By Maegan Mariee
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"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live."

Does anyone remember the very last Harry Potter movie premiere, when J.K. Rowling said;

Whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home.

I mean, yes, you teared up when she said it, when you heard it, but I never really thought going back to Hogwarts would bring so much back to me. This is going to be a seven (duh) part series on my blog where I re-read Harry Potter, annotate my old books, and relive everything that made me fall in love with this series when I was seven years old.

This is something I've tried in the past and only got up to GoF (Goblet of Fire for those of you that might not have read the series yet), so I'm hoping that this project here will keep me accountable.

Going into this, my favorite characters ever since I can remember have been Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger, Sirius Black, Fred Weasley, Oliver Wood, and Hagrid. I've had some soft spots for Dumbledore and Snape, so I'm interested to see if my mind will be changed by the time the series is over.

The following annotations are just funny quotes that I'd forgotten and some really hilarious descriptors that I'm not sure would have made the final print if they were being written today. The 90's were WILD.

Chapter 1, pg 11 // "It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs." - Albus Dumbledore

Chapter 1, pg 14 // ...he had hands the size of trash can lids, and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. - Describing Hagrid. And let me just tell you, that this messed me up. How did I not remember this descriptor? Have we all forgotten this?

Chapter 2, pg 25 // Harry supposed that the wind must have caught him in mid-jump. - A scene where Harry recalls how he ended up on the roof of his school after running from Dudley and his friends. Seriously, Harry?

Chapter 2, pg 29 // He'd lived with the Dursleys almost ten years, ten miserable years, as long as he could remember, ever since he'd been a baby and his parents had died in that car crash. - Would it really have been so bad for him to grow up with a wizarding family, Dumbledore? Maybe one that would have promised to live in the muggle world to keep him away from everyone that would know him? Poor kid.

Chapter 3, pg 40 // ...trying to knock in a nail with a piece of fruitcake... - Uncle Vernon sealing up the mail slot. LOL.

Chapter 3, pg 41 // "No post on Sundays," ... "no damn letters today - " - Vernon Dursley - Surprise, Vernon. Hogwarts doesn't mess around.

Chapter 3, pg 43 // "Daddy's gone mad, hasn't he?" - Dudley Dursley

Chapter 5, pg 77 // In the back of the shop, a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. Madam Malkin stood Harry on a stool next to him, slipped a long robe over his head, and began to pin it to the right length. - Our first Draco encounter!

Chapter 6, pg 92 // "I'm not Fred, I'm George," said the boy. "Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?" - Fred Weasley

Chapter 6, pg 95 // "Harry Potter," chorused the twins. "Oh, him." said Harry. "I mean, yes, I am." - LOL get on then, Harry.

Chapter 6, pg 100 // "His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up." - Ron Weasley - Wormtail spotting!

Chapter 6, pg 105 // She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of brown bushy hair, and rather large front teeth. - Hermione! What a beautiful character.

Chapter 7, pg 123 // "...I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!" - Albus Dumbledore - Yes, hi, why wasn't this in the movie?

Chapter 7, pg 128 // "Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!" - Albus Dumbledore

Chapter 7, pg 129 // "Peeves," Percy whispered to the first years. "A poltergeist." - I still wonder why they didn't include Peeves in the movies. However, I'm only slightly glad they didn't, once I read more LOL

Chapter 9, pg 150 // But Wood turned out to be a person, a burly fifth-year boy who came out of Flitwick's class looking confused. - Oliver! I love him.

Chapter 9, pg 162 // "You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you?" she snapped. ..."I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed - or worse, expelled. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed." - Hermione Granger - Iconic.

Chapter 10, pg 170 // "I wouldn't be surprised if you turned out better than Charlie Weasley, and he could have played for England if he hadn't gone off chasing dragons." - Oliver Wood

Chapter 10, pg 171 // "You're saying it wrong. It's Wing-GAR-dium Levi-O-sa, make the 'gar' nice and long." - Hermione Granger - I have the mnemonic spelling of Leviosa on my ankle. This is literally my quote LOL.

Chapter 10, pg 179 // But from that moment on, Hermione Granger became their friend. There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them.

Chapter 12, pg 200 // "My mom. I told her you didn't expect any presents and - oh no," he groaned, "she's made you a Weasley sweater." - Ron Weasley

Chapter 12, pg 203 // Up at the High Table, Dumbledore had swapped his pointed wizard's hat for a flowered bonnet, and was chuckling merrily at a joke Professor Flitwick had just read him.

Chapter 12, pg 207 // Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi. - To think, if Harry could read backwards, he'd have known what the mirror did.

Chapter 12, pg 213 // "The happiest man on earth would be able to use the Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror, that is, he would look into it and see himself exactly as he is. / It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. You, who have never known your family, see them standing around you. / However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, now knowing if what it shows is real or even possible." - Albus Dumbledore

Chapter 12, pg 214 // "It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that." - Albus Dumbledore

Chapter 12, pg 214 // "One can never have enough socks." - Albus Dumbledore

Chapter 13, pg 218 // "You're worth twelve of Malfoy." - Harry Potter

Chapter 13, pg 219 // "I got this out of the library weeks ago for a bit of light reading." "LIGHT?" - Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley

Chapter 13, pg 220 // "And no wonder we couldn't find Flamel in that Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry," said Ron. "He's not exactly recent if he's six hundred and sixty-five, is he?" - Ron Weasley

Chapter 13, pg 221 // Snap was so horrible to Harry. - yet he sometimes he had the horrible feeling that Snape could read minds.

Chapter 13, pg 227 // "It'll be gone by next Tuesday," said Ron. - Talking about Quirrell not giving in to Snape about the Stone.

Chapter 14, pg 234 // "Wonder what it's like to have a peaceful life," Ron sighed. - LOL it's just getting started, Ron.

Chapter 15, pg 257 // "...I set myself against what is lurking in this forest, Bane, yes, with humans alongside me if I must." - Firenze - >Bruh.

Chapter 16, pg 262 // In years to come, Harry would never quite remember how he had managed to get through his exams when he half expected Voldemort to come bursting through the door at any moment. - Definitely foreshadowing. But it's funny how small this moment compares to everything else he'll have to go through.

Chapter 16, pg 263 // The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows. - Why wasn't the squid in them movies? Did I miss it?

Chapter 16, pg 264 // "I'm not ill," said Harry. "I think it's a warning... it means danger's coming..." - LOL his spidey sense is tingling!

Chapter 16, pg 266 // "Well - yeah - how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep -" - LOL oh Hagrid.

Chapter 16, pg 278 // "Yeah," said Ron, "and lucky Harry doesn't lose his head in a crisis - 'there's no wood,' honestly." - Ron Weasley, after escaping Devil's Snare - Honestly, Ron had some gems, why did they give them all to Harry and Hermione?

Chapter 16, pg 287 // "Me!" said Hermione. "Books! And cleverness! There are more important things - friendship and bravery and - oh Harry - be careful!" - Hermione Granger

Chapter 17, pg 289 // "...All the other teachers thought Snape was trying to stop Gryffindor from winning, he did make himself unpopular... and what a waste of time, when after all that, I'm going to kill you tonight." - Quirrell

Chapter 17, pg 290 // "Oh, he does," said Quirrell casually, "heavens, yes. He was at Hogwarts with your father, didn't you know? They loathed each other. But he never wanted you dead." - Quirrell, talking about Snape hating Harry.

Chapter 17, pg 291 // "...There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it..." - Quirrell, explaining what Voldemort taught him.

Chapter 17, pg 296 // "...I believe your friends Misters Fred and George Weasley were responsible for trying to send you a toilet seat. No doubt they thought it would amuse you. Madam Pomfrey, however, felt it might not be very hygienic, and confiscated it." - Albus Dumbledore - LOL I love the twins.

Chapter 17, pg 297 // "...After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure." - Albus Dumbledore

Chapter 17, pg 298 // "Call him Voldemort, Harry. Always use the proper name for things. Fear of a name increases the fear of the thing itself." - Albus Dumbledore

Chapter 17, pg 300 // "...And then, your father did something Snape could never forgive." "What?" "He saved his life." - Albus Dumbledore - Wait. Explain. I forgot this, what did he save him from? HELP!

Chapter 17, pg 300 // "...You see, the only one who wanted to find the Stone - find it, but not use it - would be able to get it." - Albus Dumbledore

Chapter 17, pg 304 // "Sent owls off ter all yer parents' old school friends, askin' fer photos... knew yeh didn' have any... d'yeh like it?" - Hagrid, giving Harry a photo album of his parents. SO CUTE.

Chapter 17, pg 309 // "They don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer..." - Harry Potter

This was such a blast to the past and I can't wait to get on to the second. As funny as some of the descriptors were, the story is still so solid.

♥

Personal

Confessions of a Tudor Addict | BLOGTOBER 🍂☕🎃

10/26/2018
By Maegan Mariee
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Are you obsessed with history?

I really don't want to reiterate how much I love history, and especially the Tudors, but this post is basically me doing just that. It was kind of a spur of the moment decision, this post, but I find that once I sit down and think about it all, I could write/talk for days about it. I think it's mainly because I don't have someone else in my life that I can gush over about this. Aside from the one or two that I chat with online, but it's not the same as getting excited in person. So I've been gushing about it on my blog. Which helps me release all my pent up historical nerd.

So what is this post really going to be about? All the embarrassing things I do in the name of history. Like:

1. Listening to Tudor era music, because I'm curious and whoa, they actually got down in the 1500's.
2. Watch The Tudors repeatedly throughout the year. I've honestly lost track of how many times I've watched it. But you know, skip the last couple episodes of Season Two, because I can't break my heart over Anne that many times.
3. Jonathan Rhys Meyers was a beast as Henry VIII. Full compliment.
4. I would be so down to dress up in Tudor clothes. Like, just show me what to do, I'll do it for the rest of my life.
5. I look up Tudor landmarks on Google Maps so I can feel like I'm there.
6. Definitely planning on getting a Tudor rose tattoo at some point. When I decide where to put it.
7. I read everything I can get my hands on when it comes to Tudor history. Fiction, non-fiction. Everything.
8. Tudor coloring book.
9. Still looking for the best Anne Boleyn sweatshirt. Haven't really found one I like. Would settle for one of just the rose or her Falcon badge.
10. There's a Tudor monthly box I want to get for the rest of my life.
11. Podcasts; a new discovery by me.

Want to be Tudor obsessed too? Just curious? See the links below for prime Tudor content.

English Renaissance Playlist
Springtime Renaissance Madrigals Playlist
The Tudors Coloring History
Tudors Dynasty Podcast
Monthly Subscription Box
My Tudor Bookshelf
My Anne Boleyn Post

Also, The Tudors is still up on Netflix as of right now! It's only four seasons, so go go go!

♥

Personal

Autumn Tag! | BLOGTOBER 🍂☕🎃

10/25/2018
By Maegan Mariee
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Personal

2 years a wife. | BLOGTOBER 🍂☕🎃

10/24/2018
By Maegan Mariee
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books

So Great a Prince Review | BLOGTOBER 🍂☕🎃

10/23/2018
By Maegan Mariee
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beauty

The Best Fall Bath | BLOGTOBER 🍂☕🎃

10/22/2018
By Maegan Mariee
2 Comments

beauty

Discovering Body Exfoliation | BLOGTOBER 🍂☕🎃

10/21/2018
By Maegan Mariee
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beauty

The Thin Hair Diaries; Current Hair Shower Routine | BLOGTOBER 🍂☕🎃

10/20/2018
By Maegan Mariee
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lifestyle

How to Hygge This Fall | BLOGTOBER 🍂☕🎃

10/19/2018
By Maegan Mariee
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The best thing about Hygge is that it's all about self-care.

And over here, we're really starting to dig deep into the self-care routines. So if you're new, welcome. If you're not, welcome back. I'm still on my personal journey of self-love and self-care. Hygge (hue-guh) is the Danish and Norwegian word for a mood of coziness with associated feelings of wellness and contentment. I love that this word exists. I love that this feeling exists. And I love that you don't have to be Danish or Norwegian to put this into practice.

My first suggestion, but it's definitely not necessary, would be to get your hands on a copy of The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking. Whether you buy a copy or get one from the library, having this book on hand is... well, handy. First, the small size of it already does a good job of making you feel cozy. And the illustrations inside are particularly cute as well. Having this with you will give you the extra reassurance that you're getting into your Hygge zone right. Though, there is no wrong way to Hygge.

Get yourself a comfy corner. A cozy nook. Anything where you feel warm and happy. This could be your bed, your living room, a big fluffy chair in the den. A good spot would be near a window, but definitely not necessary. Light some candles, turn on some fairy lights and the mood is set! I like to alternate between my office couch, which is loaded with pillows and blankets and has a good view from the window, and my bed, which also has a good amount of blankets. It really depends on my mood at the time and really it's just where you feel the most relaxed.

Grab something warm to drink. Tea is a must for me, but this could be anything. It could even be cold! Tea, coffee, hot cococa, anything you fancy! Curling up with a good book or throwing on your favorite TV show or movie is a good start. What I love about Hygge is that you can basically do whatever you want, as long as you feel comfortable and happy.

This is also a perfect time to invite family and friends over for dinner or a game night. Indulging in your favorite comfort foods is highly suggested, even if you're dieting. Throw that out the window and enjoy. This is a time that's meant for you to be the most happy, the most carefree. And like I mentioned before, there is no wrong way to hygge.

Get comfy and be happy.

♥

lifestyle

Autumn Candle Must Haves | BLOGTOBER 🍂☕🎃

10/18/2018
By Maegan Mariee
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lifestyle

the best fall soup | BLOGTOBER 🍂☕🎃

10/17/2018
By Maegan Mariee
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lifestyle

Favorite Teas & Treats | BLOGTOBER 🍂☕🎃

10/16/2018
By Maegan Mariee
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Personal

October Goals | BLOGTOBER 🍂☕🎃

10/15/2018
By Maegan Mariee
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books

8 Autumn Reads; Guest Post | BLOGTOBER 🍂☕🎃

10/14/2018
By Maegan Mariee
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Hello everyone!

When the fall mists come sneaking around the corner and temperatures drop enough that we can officially call it sweater weather, it's time to dig up some trusty sidekicks to help you through those long, cool, rainy afternoons.

Obviously you'll spend a lot of the fall season outside frolicking in the leaves, but let's face it, coming home to a mug of warm tea and a good book is probably one of the things autumn's known for.

So if you're like me, and need just a little bit of a nudge to some really good fall reads, look no further.

I tend to always have too many books to read, but this year I've fallen into a bit of a slump and didn't have ANY. Which means this blog post is as much for me as it is for all of you!

Let's start off with a classic:

The Hobbit. Oh, The Hobbit. This is the perfect autumnal read because a ) it has adventure, b ) you don't have to physically go on one yourself, and c ) it has a dragon and Dwarves and a Hobbit. Of course there's The Lord of the Rings, but The Hobbit is better-suited to begin with because it has a shorter narration span and also, autumn is for walking. Going there and back again. See what I did with that?

Pride and Prejudice. Honestly, any Jane Austen novel will do, but after rereading some of them this year I have to admit I agree that Pride is probably the author's best work. And I don't really know what it is, but Austen is the one you should reach for while you're sipping hot cocoa and watching the rain fall outside. Zombies count, too. Let Lizzie and Mr. Darcy have their verbal spats while you chill in warm socks and long sweaters! Not all of us have to be inches deep in mud.

Outlander. Something about Scotland just SCREAMS autumn, no offense to the Scots. But unfortunately the weather there seems just ready-made for a fall setting, so if you're feeling a bit like doing some time travel out of your favourite reading nook, this is the book I'd recommend. Hop along with our favourite Sassenach and see what 18th century Scotland was all about (hint: try and find out what they wore under those kilts). Make sure to say hello to Sam Heughan if you happen to pass him by.

A Discovery of Witches. I admit. I'm biased. I've watched the television show since it premiered and Matthew Goode makes for a very compelling vampire. All that aside, however, this is a story about vampires, demons, and witches, so if we're in October and Halloween is about to happen, what better way to start it off than with this? It's got an inter-racial love story and a visual representation on TV as well. And did I mention a house that magically creates extra rooms for visitors and sounds trumpets or a gong when it wants the inhabitants to listen?

Sherlock Holmes. Any old Holmes story will do, what with foggy London and running after cabs illuminated by gas lights, but I think I'd be remiss not to specifically point out The Hound of the Baskervilles. It's the quintessential read for any whodunit fan, not to mention nothing says spooky month better than a gigantic hound that glows in the dark and comes at you with red eyes and big freaking teeth. Am I right or am I right?

Dracula. I mean. There's no October read-fest without the King of Vampires. I think nowadays modern readers have sort of deviated and almost forgotten what bloodsuckers used to be like - myself included, if you'll look up to a certain mention above. But if you want something to REALLY get you into the Halloween spirit, look no further than the original Count. Bring your crosses and your garlic and have a stake handy. Van Helsing unfortunately doesn't use phones so getting him on the line might be dodgy.

Hallowe'en Party. If you're going to be reading mysteries and spooky tales, you might as well do it right - and the Queen of Mystery should always be a go-to. She really is a seasonal kind of read for me, because I usually devour most of her books during my summer vacation or, indeed, in autumn. This one in particular should be leafed through on the 31st, because what's better than a party is a party with a murder. Between you and me, however: if I were ever unfortunate enough to run into an egg-shaped headed, green-eyed, mustached little man, I'd book the first ticket out of there. Disaster follows Hercule Poirot like the plague!

And before I leave you to it, one last, honorary mention: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Because nothing, not even a murder, says Halloween more than sitting at Hogwarts with bats and floating candles while pumpkins dance around without anybody's help. Plus, no Halloween can ever be complete without a troll in the dungeons.

xx
*images not mine

*Thanks so much to Ami for posting on my blog today! You can find all her amazing reviews on her blog here, and on twitter here.*

♥