I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers! And what a lovely October it was. Appropriately gloomy without being too cold, full of plenty of adventures and also a lot of time spent curled up on the couch reading. I went to Paris, turned 27, continued querying and working on my new manuscript, saw a lot of beautiful things, and did my best to appreciate my favorite month to the fullest. I can already feel myself wanting to hibernate a bit as the darker winter months approach, which only makes the fullness of October feel all the sweeter in retrospect. Here’s everything I loved this past month <3

Books:

The Pale Blue Eye by Louis Bayard - A murder mystery set at West Point in the 1830s, following a grizzled old detective investigating a series of gruesome deaths with the help of Edgar Allen Poe (yes, that one). To say this is outside of my usual reading taste would be an understatement — I rarely read crimes books, thrillers, or anything of the sort, save for the occasional Gillian Flynn. But after watching the Netflix adaptation of this story (featuring Harry Melling giving an incredible performance as Poe) I was curious enough to grab the book from the library. I’m very glad I did. The true heart of this book is the relationship between the detective Landor and Poe, which falls into the classic category of “This is a love story even if the author didn’t originally intend it that way, which is fine, because I know better.” Reader, I always know better, and if you read this book, you’ll understand what I mean. Happy age gap autumn.

The Resurrectionist by A. Rae Dunlap - If I had a nickel for every murder mystery set in the 1800s I read this month etc. etc. This one takes place in Edinburgh and is an actual love story, set against the bloody backdrop of the city’s booming body snatching industry. It follows a medical student in desperate need of some cash who falls in with a dashing “resurrection man” — a dark romance only in the sense that a lot of their flirting happens in the presence of corpses. Turns out I really, really love the specific combination of romance and grave robbing. I’d say this is surprising, but it definitely isn’t.

Movies:

The Fellowship of the Ring (dir. Peter Jackson) - I’d like to take this moment to issue a formal apology to my dad for making fun of him that one time for making our WiFi password “Aragorn” followed by his birthday. I’m sorry. I get it now. Also, before you even ask, of course I ordered Clinique Black Honey the second I finished watching this and have been wearing it every day since.

Frankenstein (dir. Guillermo del Toro) - Look, is this a perfect adaptation of Mary Shelly’s novel? No. Does it leave out some elements that I think are essential to the story, most notably the entire character of Henry Clerval? Yes! But damn it, this movie is beautiful to look at. Also, Jacob Elordi does such a genuinely wonderful job as the Creature, it’s baffling to remember that he got his start in The Kissing Booth.

Music:

• Berghain by Rosalía, Björk, and Yves Tumor - This song is so good it should qualify Rosalía for sainthood.

• Sympathy Magic by Florence + the Machine - I NO LONGER TRY TO BE GOOD!!!!

• The Field by After - Everything After makes is magic and their second EP just proves that even more.

• Audrey Hepburn by Maisie Peters - A sweet, charming song that makes you want to put on a wool sweater and walk through some idyllic farmland.

• Keep it Up by Good Neighbours - Good Neighbours are here to fill the Obama-era-indie-pop-shaped hole in my heart.

Misc.:

Ethel Cain - I was lucky enough to see Ethel Cain in Glasgow at the beginning of the month and it was truly a transcendent experience. Hearing Thoroughfare live permanently altered me as a person.

Apple picking - My favorite fall tradition! My friend and I went to an orchard in South Queensferry and spent the day feeling like we were in Over the Garden Wall.

A trip to Paris - I went down to Paris for a few days around my birthday and had a lovely time checking out some spots that have been on my list for a while. This is my third time in the city, so I skipped all the touristy stuff and focused instead on going to as many cafes, wine bars and vintage shops as I could. Also, I got a custom Louise Carmen journal as a present to myself. Some favorite spots include Caveau de la Huchette, Rojo, Recto Verso and Delicatessen Place.

A trip to Mont Saint-Michel - I spent the day of my birthday exploring Mont Saint-Michel, which was well worth the 6AM wake up time, the four hour train ride out of Paris, and the second four hour train ride back. This place is so beautiful it doesn’t even feel real.

The Pitt - I fell into da Pitt this month and I fell hard. January can’t come soon enough.

Thanks for reading <3 Happy November!