October was gone in a flash and I don't know how I feel about it. I was so busy this month that I don't think I was fully able to relish in the best '-ber' month of all. I did some fall things, like watch Hocus Pocus every single day (including when on three plane rides),  I hosted my friends for our annual fall girls night, baked fall cookies and used all my fall themed items, like Pumpkin Spice hand sanitizer and my Hocus Pocus Stoney Clover pouch.

The weather in New York agreed with the calendar changing and we had some decent fall weather. I think only a few days over the last few weeks were hot, making it feel like August instead of October so I'll take it! Before the month is over, I plan to bake some pumpkin bread and indulge in a few more fall scented candles.

October was a fun, busy month as I've mentioned 100 times over the course of the last few blog posts. I started it off in California for a work trip, my sister got engaged, I had countless family parties from birthdays, baptisms, and weddings. I went to Florida, saw Taylor Swift in concert, and had fun with friends. It really was one of the most exciting months I've had in a while and truthfully, it all went swimmingly. 

I didn't have any anxiety freak outs related to travel or being busy; in fact, it was the opposite. I found myself feeling oddly calm with a packed calendar which makes me think that I need to be doing more things to feel calmer. What an odd feeling! 

My shopping was at a minimum in October which is always a positive but that doesn't mean I don't have some new favorites to add to my list.

Let's get into it! 

Retail's holiday season begins earlier and earlier every year it seems and this year it was no different with sets and collections being live since early September. 

I always love seeing what gift sets beauty brands put out for the holiday season; I love seeing the different themes, collaborations and assortments that are released but maybe that is just the beauty industry worker in me. 

This year it seems that a lot of brands are going with their hero products in limited edition shades, or best selling assortments in fun packaging. They're leaning into seasonal scents and flavors, with minimal 'holiday' packaging & using more of that winter vibe. 

With the Sephora sale coming up (more on that later this week), I wanted to highlight some of what I think are the best gift sets to give someone (or yourself) this holiday season. 

 This is the 2nd time in a month that I've missed my round up post, the easiest post for me to write and I simply just didn't have the mental capacity last week to do it. 

I was coming down from a busy work week, some home issues and preparing for my trip to Miami....to see THE ERAS TOUR! If you follow me on social media you saw my weekend and my goodness, was it perfection. The weather in Florida could've been better but I laid on the beach, went in the pool, had delicious food and saw my favorite person in the world...Taylor Swift.

Experiencing the Eras Tour was transcendent. I can't even truly put the feelings into words. I couldn't believe I was there. I couldn't believe I was experiencing what I've been watching on grainy TikTok streams for the past year and a half. I couldn't believe it was real.

It was a perfect night that left me shaking & in tears. It was life changing in so many ways.

And now, I'm back in New York, back at work and back to a jam packed calendar of weddings, baby showers, birthdays and all kinds of celebrations. It's all positive things...until November 5th and then maybe we'll talk. The election is driving me insane and I really just want it to be over. I don't think I'll be calm until November 10th... 

Anyways, I'm hoping to get back on track here but those are always my famous last words.

Let's get into the roundup!

The Villain Edit by Laurie Devore wasn't on my TBR list until I heard it mentioned on a podcast and from the elevator pitch alone, I was hooked. I put a hold on my Libby app and within a few weeks, she was mine. It has been taking me a little longer than usual to finish reading books but this one took me less than a week.

Does anything sound more enticing than following a reality dating show villain through the creation of her arc? I love a story that involves the behind the scenes of a television show, especially a reality one where you know there is a good chance some of this stuff is true.

The Villain Edit was thrilling, disturbing, frustrating and enthralling...it was all the -ing adjectives and I couldn't recommend enough.

Fall is my favorite time of year for a lot of reasons but mostly the fashion. There is nothing more chic and sophiscated than fall fashion; nothing prettier or cozier or more lustful than a sweater, leggings and boots. It makes my heart sing a beautiful song.

Personally, I think this year's fall fashion trends are some of the best; lady jackets, plaid, suede...give me all the texture & warm hues. The shoe trends are also right on point; knee high boots are back, ankle booties, and we can't forget about ballet flats, can we? 

Aside from the trends, the brands are killing it in the shoe department. Everything does look a little similar but I like that, because you have a wide variety of price points, fits and styles. From Steve Madden to Sam Edelman and Marc Fisher, every brand has a pair of shoes you'll love. 

This post is coming later than usual because I've had another very busy week -- but when isn't that the case? I had my annual fall themed girls night on Friday so Thursday night & all day Friday was spent prepping for that. It was a lot of fun, a lot of work, and I went to sleep really late so my Saturday was pretty shot. 

I had a plan and long to do list for the entire day but that was entirely scratched out when I started to feel incredibly sick and couldn't get off of the couch for more than 5 minutes at a time. I think my body was finally rebelling against everything I've put it through the past three weeks. I needed uninterrupted rest and that's exactly what I did, aside from some time spent at my mom's house for a quick dinner.

This time next week I will be in Florida for Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour and it truly doesn't feel real. I honestly don't feel like I'm even going and that might be a defense mechanism my mind is putting forward so in case something does happen, I'm not disappointed. 

I need to figure out what I'm packing, wearing to the concert, and getting myself organized. I've never gone on two trips in one month so the fact that I am feels very weird, in a good way.

Let's dive into the roundup!

I've read all of Riley Sager's books and I don't think there has been one that I didn't love; even the ones that everyone else didn't love like The House Across the Lake, I appreciated. I'm always excited whenever Sager releases a new book and it immediately gets added to my TBR. That was no different with his latest novel 'Middle of the Night'. 

I was going to pre-order or pick the book up from my library but then I saw it was available as an add on for Book of the Month and decided that was a better solution. It matches all my other Riley Sager books so that's always a plus.

I had purposely stayed away from any reviews or think pieces about the book so my opinion wouldn't be clouded, and I succeeded. I flew through the book and my thoughts were interesting...