Field Tripping in Melbourne: September Wrap-Up

Some might think that penning wrap-ups is low key boring. Not this girl. Monthly wrap-ups provide a moment to look back and reflect, feeling all those zen vibes. It’s a chance to be thankful for the little things and the opportunity to check-in with your overall well-being. And nobody needs that moment more than this resident stress-head.

We all know that during August I didn’t get out much. Life was all work, all writing and no play. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was basically turning into a shut-in. Not good. Living alone will do that to you though, and I’ve realized that it’s super important to make sure there’s a healthy balance. Even when work’s a bitch and you’re drained sometimes you just have to put on some heels,  rock a red lip and get the heck out of the house.

Spoiler alert: this month I made it my priority to get out of my head and explore the wider world.

My Month In A Nutshell

I started the month on a high note; I caught up with my high school bestie and spent the day exploring the Shrine of Remembrance. [#historyrevolutions #tenniscourtoath].

The Shrine of Remembrance is a must see for any Melbournian or tourist alike. Built in the 1930’s for a grieving community, the looming monument serves as a memorial for Australians who served in wartime conflicts. This might seem like a no-brainier, but there is a definite vibe and visitors are required to be respectful. It’s hard to put into worlds, I can only describe it as this sense of weight that presses down; an almost haunting, heavy silence. Not only does the Shrine embody remembrance and healing but the views of the city from the balcony are nothing short of spectacular. Then you have daily tours, talks and exhibits that both educate and inspire. Whether you’re a history-nerd like me or not, I highly recommend a visit.

Side note: In actual fact the Shrine is a lot bigger than it looks – the exhibits are all underground and they seem to go on forever.

After the day meandering through the exhibits and grabbing some fish and chips for lunch at the Charles Dickens Tavern, I ended the month hitting the Royal Melbourne Show. For an in-depth look at my adventures you can read my post here but the shorthand is we had an amazing time and ate way too much carnival candy. [I’m still trying to work it all off]. #newtradition.

Other highlights? I had a couple of movie days with friends. I finally got one friend  to watch Australia [“who even showers like that???”] – even if we did pick apart the historical liberties. I also had a much anticipated girls night out, we hit the town to see a late night screening of the Downton Abbey movie. Spoiler alert: it was amazing. And I knocked a ton of books off my 2019 TBR, so there’s that.

Books Read

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne |★★★★★| I freaking LIVED for this book. Deliciously sexy and sinfully addictive, The Hating Game is my new favorite Rom Com ever. Oozing sexual tension and dripping electricity, Joshua Templeman should come with his own warning label.

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee  |★★★☆☆| It was about time I got around to this one – The Gentleman’s Guide has been on my TBR for ages. I had a love/hate relationship with this one – I wanted to love it more than I actually did. The truth is, this isn’t that great???

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller  |★★★★☆| Re-read in preparation for Daughter of the Siren Queen. The narrative was banter-y, comedic and light in tone with a good helping of sword fighting and some seriously steamy times with the sexy first mate.

Daughter of the Siren Queen by Tricia Levenseller  |★★★★½| What an adventure – the banter, romance and general pirate tomfoolery is pushed to the back burner as a high stakes race to the Isla de Canta takes the helm. Daughter of the Siren Queen was dark and gritty with feminist sirens and female empowerment. #enoughsaid.

Rebel Spring by Morgan Rhodes |★★★★☆| Another book toppled off my 2019 TBR, Rebel Spring was complex and action packed with so much death. Seriously – no character, minor or not, is safe. This fantasy world is down-right ruthless. [In other words I lived for it].

Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead |★★★★★| I’m kinda feeling bittersweet about this one. I mean, I’ve finally finished the Vampire Academy series. YAY! I was a little disillusioned this time around but still lived for the forbidden romance and female empowerment. I just wished I’d read it in high school – back then this series would have been my life.

The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchet |★★★★☆| And, yes – I’m finally getting around to reading the Discworld series… Didn’t I say I was going to try to read the first twelve books??? Whoops. Anyway book two isn’t as strong as the later installments but the Light Fantastic is a lot of fun. It’s a great introduction to the wider universe of the Disc and Terry Pratchett’s commentary is iconic. Also – Cohen the Barbarian.

Blog Posts

Lana Del Rey & Creative Writing: August Wrap-Up

Review: Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson 

Review: Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim

Taylor Swift Lover Book Tag

Review: The Hating Game by Sally Throne

Reader Quirks and Favorite Tropes 

Sunshine Blogger Award [Take 2]

Review: Daughter of the Siren Queen by Tricia Levenseller

2019 Royal Melbourne Show

Final Thoughts and October TBR

Basically, September proved to be a more well-rounded, balanced month. I read more than I did in August but still managed to have lots of adventures with my crew. [My bank account isn’t thanking me for that]. Also, you may have noticed that I rolled up my lazy ass sleeves and read a lot off my 2019 reading list. Hallelujah! I counted four books I could cross off.

So what’s next for October??? [This is Halloween, this is Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!] Well I plan to celebrate the spooky month with Pumpkin Spice Lattes and the appropriate moody reading material. That means reading books like House of Salt and Sorrows [I figured I’d save it for Halloween], Pumpkinheads, Dracula, Stalking Jack the Ripper and more Discworld novels. And who could forget my traditional, annual screening of Mickey’s House of Villains and Tim Burton classics???

Speaking of Dracula – I’m officially joining Clara’s Dracula readalong #vampireatnotredame. We’ll be reading Dracula together from 21st to 27th of October. Clara is also organizing a tag and discussion so be sure to check out her post here.

Let’s be real though – I probably won’t read all those books but let’s pretend for one second that I actually stick to my TBRs. 😉

Happy reading! x

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