The Ultimate Fall Reading List

It is finally my favorite season, so I thought that I would take a stab at creating my first reading list! I've gathered over a dozen reads that I think are great for Fall, ranging from some spooky favorites for Halloween to a few that just me those autumnal vibes.

Since a list of over a dozen can seem pretty intimidating, I have divided the list into some different sections: The Classics, Witchy Reads, Monsters, and Other. Also, in the interest of keeping this list as spoiler-free as possible, I am only going to describe the specific aspects of each book that say "Fall" the most to me.

The Classics

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

There's a certain kind of lonely vibe to this novel that fits with late fall.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Spooky moors, unrequited love. 'Nuff said.

The Works of Edgar Allan Poe

The King of Chilling Stories. Murder, ghosts, you name it.

Dracula by Bram Stoker

The Godfather of all vampire stories.

Witchy Reads

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

As soon as Harry has to go back to Hogwarts, I want to re-read the series. Halloween scenes and butter beer.

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

The best story about sister witches on the planet probably (also obsessed with the movie).

Sweep Vol. I by Cate Tiernan

The perfect coming-of-age witchy story, parts are predominately set in the Fall.

Macbeth by William Shakespeare

The three witches alone would make this a perfect Fall/Halloween read, but the other themes really tie into the season as well.

Monster

Dracula by Bram Stoker

You knew it had to show up here, too. It's way too much of a classic to not show up in this section too.

Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice

An absolute favorite of mine, one of the most popular modern telling of the vampire (unlike Practical Magic, this movie was terrible).

Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause

Where there are vampires, there are also werewolves. Though not as classically "scary" as some of the other popular monster novels, this one is still a thrilling read.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

There's absolutely no shame in my game. A fun, easy read with love and vampires.

Misc

Godblind by Anna Stephens

Dealing with magic, opposing forces, and gods, this is great for Fall. 

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

Similar to other books on the list, while there isn't something about this one that screams Fall, it just has that autumnal vibe when you start reading.

What books are on your Fall reading list?

Living My Truth - Bi Day of Visibility 2019

Today is the Bi Day of Visibility and it's a day that I hold dear to my heart. It's an important day to share our stories, to refuse to be invisible, and to, maybe, help someone who might need it.

I came out as bisexual in the Spring of 2012. 

For months leading up to it, I remember feeling a mixture of confusion and shame. Confused because I was having feelings I couldn't recognize, thoughts that would pop up seemingly for no reason. Ashamed because once I could recognize those feelings, I didn't want to. I tried to rationalize them away, to ignore them, but as I am sure other queer people could attest, it does not work that way. Eventually, I had to face the fact that there was something different about me. I had to face the fact that I wasn't just attracted to boys and men, like I assumed, but I was also attracted to other girls and women.

I slowly started coming out to my friends, one or a few at a time. I can remember being so nervous at first that I could barely tell them, and then being relieved when they reassured me that my coming out wasn't going to change anything between us. Eventually, I came out to my family and was open about it on social media. In all, the people around me have always been supportive of me no matter what. There were a few that I could tell were unsure if I meant it or not, a few that maybe didn't think bisexuality is real at all. At first, those people infuriated me, but as I got older, I learned that as long as I know who I am, their opinions on my sexuality don't matter.

Seven years later and there are honestly still moments where I feel a bit of that residual guilt, but those moments are few and far between. Now, I would say that I mostly feel peace, at finally accepting myself and living my truth. I don't feel like I have to hide anymore and that is one of the greatest feelings I have ever experienced.

I hope that you feel that, too, that you feel able to be your most authentic self - regardless of your sexual orientation.

If you are confused or struggling, please do not hesitate to reach out to a loved one you trust. If that feels too hard, my inbox is always open.

Happy Bi Day of Visibility, friends!

Lettering My Way to Relaxation

Hobbies as an adult are hard, y'all. It just seems like there is always something that comes up that gets in the way of your hobby time - grocery shopping, some family function you have to go to, that giant mountain of laundry you've been ignoring, and way more.

That being said, however, I actually had time over the long Labor Day weekend and I got to get back to one of my newer hobbies that I really enjoy: hand lettering.

Words and art have always gone hand-in-hand for me. I can't draw (and I am not patient enough to learn), but I have always been able to write well. Quotes from movies or books and song lyrics are constantly going through my head in much the same way I would imagine an artist gets an idea for a painting or sketch, so learning to hand letter felt like a natural extension of that.

With lettering, I get to take those quotes in my head and put them down on paper in a creative, artistic way. And for those times when I am not sure what I want to create, I turn to my copy of Hand Lettering for Relaxation by Amy Latta. It is packed full of lettering workshops that are perfect for someone just starting out.

Ultimately, I would really like to get to the point where I feel confident enough to create great pieces for friends as gifts, invitations for any events, and more. 

But even if I never really get there, the peace of mind that I have gotten back has been a reward in and of itself.

I mean, isn't that what hobbies are all about anyway?

What hobbies do you like to do? Let's chat about it in the comments!

Book Review: A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

Alright. Let's chat about A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin, the first book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series.

To put it simply, I LOVED this book (I know, so original - but I don't care!). Reading this book gave me that same excited feeling I got when I read my favorite fantasy series, The Belgariad by David Eddings. I just did not want to put the sucker down - I'm not sure how many nights I read well past my bedtime. I'm sure part of my love for the novel comes from my love of the HBO series based on the books, but I have to say that getting to experience the story in book form has been even better than the show.

Martin is able to grab the reader with his writing style in a way that I haven't been gripped by a book in a long time. He is descriptive without it feeling like he is spoon-feeding the reader and the switching perspectives from chapter to chapter keeps the story from getting stale while reading.

Ultimately, however, it is the incredible characters that have me coming back for more. They are complex, well-written, and most importantly - believable. Jon, for example, is a fourteen-year-old bastard son of a noble lord who has left everything he's even known to join The Night's Watch. 

Once he arrives at the Wall, he struggles with leaving behind the boy he used to be and embracing the man that he is trying to become. Through all of this, George R. R. Martin is able to tap into how a young boy that age would actually react in the same circumstances - it doesn't feel too over-the-top, just for effect dramatics. It feels real and genuine, and I love that as a reader. 

I have heard from some that the books go a little downhill after A Game of Thrones, but I am optimistic to keep reading!

Have you read A Game of Thrones or any of the other books in the series? What'd you think? 

Let's chat in the comments!