Monthly Catch Up #9 – September 2018

The days are getting shorter, the morning are getting crispier, and I sleep less than ever. The latter has probably nothing to do with season, but it did give me an excuse to read more this month. If I’m honest, I’d rather sleep, but we can’t have it all, can we? I’m back to seeing my therapist though, so hopefully this will get sorted soon. To my dismay he told me I should lay off my beloved thrillers and psychological suspense shit for a bit, because they might make my anxiety worse. But… But… It’s spooky season! So of course, I’ve been fretting over this now… Classic.

Another suggestion of his was to try new hobbies, so I decided to get into baking. By that I mean I made some pumpkin and cream cheese muffins last week and they turned out edible, so riding the wave of success I think I’m going to try a few more recipes I found via Carmen@ Busy Raising Wild Things.

My other obsession is chilli con carne, which is basically one of my signature dishes but I haven’t made it for quite a while. Now on the other hand, it’s pretty much on the menu every week. Too much? Well, I don’t think so!

This month I finished not one, but two series I started ages ago, and I’m about to complete a third one. Yay, me! Kathy never fails to come up with inspiring monthly topics, and her Sequel September was exactly the push I needed to get on with these books. I also read quite a few of my own books so all is going well! The best? No DNF this month, and I only hated one book out of 11 a little bit.

 

Abysmal! I know… one measly review!

Force of Nature by Jane Harper
Five went in. Four came out. Also, a lot of bitching and getting lost in the bushland.

5 Books To Cozy Up With In The Autumn

5 Fantasy Series For People Who Don’t Like Fantasy

5 Books For My Younger Self

5 Bookish Friend Groups I’d Love To Infiltrate

10 Binge Worthy TV Shows To Watch When You Are Not Reading

I Got 99 Problems And A Book Ain’t One – Reader Problems #Tag

Book Blogger Memory Challenge, Or The Tag In Which Norrie Forgot All The Books

I’ve been saving up The Outsider by Stephen King since May. It’s just one of those books that are best be read under a blankie!

Also featuring my pumpkin cream cheese muffin!

When an eleven-year-old boy is found murdered in a town park, reliable eyewitnesses undeniably point to the town’s popular Little League coach, Terry Maitland, as the culprit. DNA evidence and fingerprints confirm the crime was committed by this well-loved family man.
Horrified by the brutal killing, Detective Ralph Anderson, whose own son was once coached by Maitland, orders the suspect to be arrested in a public spectacle. But Maitland has an alibi. And further research confirms he was indeed out of town that day.
As Anderson and the District Attorney trace the clues, the investigation expands from Ohio to Texas. And as horrifying answers begin to emerge, so King’s propulsive story of almost unbearable suspense kicks into high gear.
Terry Maitland seems like a nice guy but there is one rock-hard fact, as unassailable as gravity: a man cannot be in two places at the same time. Can he?

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Spud is a series I started years ago, and even though I had the last book forever, I never really felt like picking it up and putting an end to the teenage adventures. Now, halfway in the book I must say, it is not as good as the previous ones. While I couldn’t read the first book in public because people would have thought I’m a hysterical loony, this one only made me snort once, and I half smiled another time. What’s going on?

After an unexpected and diabolical farewell breakfast conversation with his father, Spud Milton returns to boarding school for his 1993 Matric year, his last as a schoolboy. Armed with a prefects’ tie and a raging libido, Spud soon discovers that being a large(ish) fish in a small pond has its fair share of challenges.
He finds himself embroiled in fighting for his own room, directing a house play where both lead actors refuse to learn their lines, and assisting in Vern Blackadder’s dramatic return from the dead with nothing more than a drip cord and a pair of oven gloves.
Amidst mounting pressure in the classroom and on the cricket field, Spud prepares to face down the most feared and dreaded challenge of them all – finding a date for the Matric dance.

OWNtober! Again, another brilliant prompt from Kathy. I’ve been going through my books and trying to refrain from buying anything new for a while. I think I’ll be fine. Have over 200 unread books!

Casserole time! No better excuse to make my favourite sausage and pumpkin dish that just screams autumn. It might even become the chilli of October. Or who knows? I might discover something new but just as delicious!

Yoga time! I haven’t been to the gym for two months now, because my back said “fuck you“, and right now I can’t even deadlift a bloody napkin. I’ve been to physio, got a few exercises and I’ll just add some yoga to it. According to my bestie that might even help with the sleep thing… Fingers crossed!

I look forward to seeing what you guys are up to!