Favorites of Fall 2024

   🍂 My Favorites of Fall 2024 🍁

Below, I have listed some of my favorite music, movies, YouTube videos, and TV that I have watched or listened to this fall. This has been a great season for some amazing entertainment. I also wanted to share the stories I loved on A03 from this season. 

🎞️ Movies/Movie Trailers/ Specials:

1. Annie

~ Mom and watched this early in September and we had such a great time. I’ve seen this many times when I was a child but not in recent years. I love all of the music and the story. 

~ The only part I really don’t enjoy is the song with Carol Burnett, Tim Curry, and Bernadette Peters. I know they are all famous singers but I think it could have been cut and the musical would have been much more enjoyable. 

2. Wicked

~ I got to see Wicked twice, once on November 24th and the second on December 7th. It was even better the second time around, especially getting to see it with my best friend. We had the time of our lives. This was one of the best musicals I have seen in a long time. The story is one that I have known details about for years but it was great to finally be able to see it. Looking forward to Part 2 next year. 

~ There are so many great scenes throughout this entire movie. Cynthia, Ariana, and Jonathan do an incredible job with the rest of the cast. Cynthia is absolutely incredible in this role. My goodness, she gave me goosebumps multiple times throughout the movie. Especially, during “The Wizard and I” and “Defying Gravity.” I’m so glad she was chosen for Elphaba. She’s literally perfect. Ariana is hilarious and so much fun to watch. Her voice is as great as usual. Love how charismatic Jonathan was as Fiyero. I adored him from his first introduction with Elphaba in the forest. He is such a charming man! 

~ I love the musical numbers which have been playing in my head a lot ever since seeing the movie. “Defying Gravity” has been one of my favorite songs for over 15 years and I adore this version. But I’m surprised to say that my favorite song from this part was actually “What is This Feeling.” I adore it so much! Also, I love the foreshadowing in many of the songs, especially “The Wizard and I” and “Dancing Through Life.” 

~ Loved the surprises, especially in “One Short Day.” That was an absolutely incredible Easter Egg. Also, the nods to The Wizard of Oz  were great additions and I cannot wait to see what they use for Wicked: For Good. 

🎵 Music:

This year has been great for new music. Here are some of the best that I loved in Fall 2024. 

1. The Great Impersonator album by Halsey 

    🎶 Love this album.

2. Wicked (movie version) 

    🎼 I have had a great time listening to this music on repeat ever since seeing the movie. My favorite songs are “What is This Feeling,” “Defying Gravity,” “One Short Day,” “The Wizard and I,” and “Dancing Through Life.” 

3. Wicked (2003 version) 

    🎧 Leading up to the musical, I listened to my favorites from this album quite a lot. I didn’t listen to the ones I never heard before though because I wanted to hear them for the first time in the musical. This will forever have some of my favorite songs. 

4. “Popular” by MIKA and Ariana Grande, “Happy Ending” and “Lollipop” by MIKA

    🎵 I had a resurgence of MIKA coming back into my life in November. Was obsessed with listening to them all throughout high school, but I haven’t listened to them in years. Thanks to “Popular” getting played a lot because of Ariana being G(a)linda.  

5. “Thinking About You” by Dustin Lynch and Lauren Alaina 

    🎼 Such a beautiful song! 

📺 TV Shows:

1. Ghosts (Season 4)

~ I adore this show with all my heart! 

2. Agatha All Along (Episodes )

~ I made posts for each episode of this show. Definitely, one of my favorites ever. 

3. House of the Dragon 

~ Finally got to watch House of the Dragon. Had such a great time watching both seasons. Cannot believe I now have to wait for almost two years to see the next season. I plan on picking up Fire and Blood next year so I can see what happens next in this story. 

🖥️ YouTube:

1. BooksandLala

~ reading until I get a 5⭐️ from 2004!! 

    - Another time I got to watch one of Kayla’s videos as it premiered. I want to read The Shadow of the Wind sometime soon. I’ve owned it for many years and it sounds very good. Now, Kayla has made me want to read this book even more. 

    - Kayla and Rob are pretty good singers. lol

~ I read the final mystery in a 26-book series 🔎

    - Gosh, I love this video series so much! 

    - The videos with Rob are always the best. 

~ Finding a 5⭐️ from 2006!! Series Finale

    - I’m going to miss this series but am looking forward to the bonus episodes she talks about at the beginning. 

    - So many books, I’m planning on reading myself. Especially, The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson. 

~ 🎃 Halloween Tournament of Books👻🔮

    - Such a great video 

    - I love Kayla’s videos with Rob so much and the games were great. 

~ Assigning each Book a Halloween Candy 🎃 October reading wrap-up

   - Great way to wrap up her reading month.

    - I love the way she describes the books using the candy. Such a clever idea. 

~ Dress to Impress Controls What I Read!

    - Cute idea! Used to be obsessed with games like Dress to Impress when I was a preteen and young teen. One of my favorites was Jojo’s Fashion Show, which is somewhat similar with the categories of outfits. 

    - Definitely going to listen to Maybe This Time. I adore Noah Reid with all my heart!

~ 10 Years of BooksandLala 💕

    - I haven’t been watching her for 10 years but it has almost been that long. Love Kayla’s videos so much. 

    - Love seeing Liam grow up throughout this video. So cute!

~ *TWO* Reading Challenge Announcements | 2025 Buzzwordathon

    - I haven’t done the Buzzwordathon in a couple of years and I definitely want to try to do it this coming year. 

    - Love how she added in book covers this time.

~ Reading the Goodreads Awards 2024 🏆✨ 15 Books across EVERY Genre 

    - Such a great video 

~ Can I complete 12 challenges with just 3 books? 📚 Reading Vlog

    - I love these types of videos from Kayla

    - Had to see if I completed the 2024 Buzzwordathon without even trying, so here are the categories and the books I read this year that could fit. I will put what month I read them in. 

    ❄️ January: there, their, or they’re 

    💖 February: positive, happy words (ex: sweet, cute, happy, joy, smile, cheer, luck, pretty)

            - Charmed Life: Read in October ✔️

    ☘️ March: character names in titles

            - Reynard’s Tale: Read in March ✔️

    🐇 April: anything related to the planet (Earth, dirt, grass, ocean, tree, etc.)

            - Hilda: The Night of the Trolls- Hilda and the Stone Forest/Hilda and the Mountain King: Read in January ✔️

    💐 May: titles that include the word “every” (every, everything, everyone, everybody, etc.)

            - Life the Universe and Everything: Read in May ✔️

    ☀️ June: titles where the same word is used twice or more (including “the,” “of,” “and,” etc.)

            - The Search for the Red Dragon: Read in August ✔️

    🎇 July: anything that could be related to measurement (ex: time, distance, short, long, tall, small, middle, half, mile, pound, etc.)

            - Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West: Read in November ✔️

    🏖 August: titles that included the word “like”

    🍁 September: touch, taste, smell, sight, hearing, and any related words (ex: feel, mouth, eat, nose, eyes, see, watch, look, etc)

    🎃 October: titles that include a relation of any kind (examples: sister, friend, brother, aunt, mother, husband, wife, etc.)

    🦃 November: titles that include the word “only.” 

    🎄 December: titles that include any holiday related words (ex: Christmas, Hanukkah, Santa, merry, holiday, wreath, snow, winter, reindeer, gift, family, etc.)

            - The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: Read in December ✔️

~ Guessing YOUR #1 Top Book of the Year 

    - Another great video from Kayla. Love this idea so much. Definitely, looking forward to seeing more of this series. 

2. Dominic Noble

~ The Black Cauldron ~ Lost in Adaptation

    - I love The Chronicles of Prydain so much and am so glad Dom has finally done this video. One of my favorites. 

~ The Little Mermaid ~ Lost in Adaptation 

    - Love this episode, especially learning about Hans Christian Anderson some more. I didn’t know most of what Dom said in this. Did not know “The Little Mermaid” was an author self-insert, brings new context to the original story. 

3. Daniel Greene

~ I Got Engaged 💍 Great Gerwig Narnia Movie 🦁 Marvel & D.C. Lose BIG TIME 🦸~FN~

    - Oh my goodness, Daniel. This is great! So excited for Daniel and Kayla. 

    - Beautiful interior art for Wind and Truth. 

    - So excited for the Greta Gerwig Narnia movies and have been ever since I first heard about them. I’m hoping Saoirse Ronan plays Jadis also. 

~ A COMPLETE HOBBIT SUMMARY! 🧙‍♂️

    - Such a great video. Loved listening to Daniel’s summary of The Hobbit and he had me laughing so many times. Also, I need to reread this and The Lord of the Rings listening to the Andy Serkis audiobooks. 

    - I’ve read this book 2 times and have made many lessons on it but I still had to watch this video. 

4. DanandPhilGames

~ Dress To Impress IN REAL LIFE

    - They are so hilarious.

4. The Library of Allenxandria 

~ Book Jeopardy, Season 2 Episode 6! | Johanna vs Murphy vs Laura

    - I cannot believe I haven’t watched this before now. Great video. I love doing these questions so much. Got a pretty good amount of them correct.  

Other Favorites

1. The Plucky Squire- Nintendo Switch Game 

   🎮 I have been waiting for this game for over two years, ever since it was in the Nintendo Direct in June 2022. The Plucky Squire focuses on how storytelling and art can inspire an individual throughout their entire lives. I loved the talks on how a story can have an effect on a child’s development and interest in being creative. This is a story that greatly resonates with me. It is the perfect mix between a 2D and 3D platforming game. Not hard to play but it had enough challenge to make it worthwhile. 

    📖 Love the literary/meta jokes and references throughout. They were so clever. I particularly enjoyed the Sonnet Swamps. Definitely, had so many laughs from that part of the game. 

    🎮 Also, the childlike aspects of it make the game feel nostalgic and just so much fun. The style is very charming. It was great going back and forth between the book and Sam’s bedroom. Some of it even had me thinking of Toy Story with Sam’s room. 

    📖 They now need to publish a The Plucky Squire book like the one Sam has in this game. Would love to have it in my collection. Or even a graphic novel. 

    🎮 Overall, this was a wonderful mix of platforming, puzzle solving, combat, and adventure. The mini games were a great addition to the overall game and many were such clever ideas. My favorite is probably the magic games (which I will not spoil here). The Plucky Squire has become a new favorite game for me and I know I will play it again and again. If you think it looks great, definitely try it. I’m sure you will not be disappointed. Cannot wait to see what else comes out from All Possible Futures. Wouldn’t mind another Plucky adventure. 

2. My favorite stories on A03

~ They Took My Hat by AppleSeeds

    - Such a hilarious story, like always from AppleSeeds.

~ Hunger by AppleSeeds

    -Oh my goodness, I love this story so much. I have enjoyed reading it throughout Oct, Nov, and Dec. 

Ten Favorite Christmas Songs

One of my favorite parts of Christmas has always been the songs. I love putting on Christmas carols when decorating, making Christmas cookies, or just really doing anything during this time of year. These are the songs I have perpetually on repeat all throughout the season. My favorites for so many years, that all have a special place in my heart. 

1.) “Last Christmas” by Wham!

🎄- My favorite Christmas song for the last ten years or so has been “Last Christmas.” This is a list of songs I wouldn’t mind hearing anytime during the year other than Christmas. I adore them all but this is my favorite on the list. Definitely, don’t ever see that changing. 

2.) “Christmas Tree Farm” by Taylor Swift

☃️ - I love this song a lot and would love to have a full Christmas album from Taylor. 

3.) “Blue Christmas” by Elvis Presley 

❄️ - My grandma’s favorite singer was Elvis Presley. This song always makes me think of her and I just love listening to it. 

4.) “Let It Be Christmas” by Alan Jackson

🦌 - One of the most beautiful Christmas songs there is. 

5.) “Step Into Christmas” by Elton John 

🎁 - Such a fun song to sing along to. 

6.) “The Christmas Can-Can” by Straight No Chaser

🌟 - A favorite of mine from high school that I have a lot of great memories of. 

7.) “Peace on Earth/ The Little Drummer Boy” by Bing Crosby and David Bowie

🕯️- I was never a fan of “The Little Drummer Boy” song as a kid, until I heard this version. It was on one of my Now Christmas cds and I used to listen to it all the time. The first song I would become obsessed with of David Bowies, but definitely not the last. 

8.) “Twelve Days of Christmas” by John Denver and the Muppets

🕊 - My favorite version of this song by a lot. I love listening to it every single year and it makes me nostalgic. Miss Piggy’s parts are the best parts of the song “Five gold rings… Ba-dum bum bum.”  

9.) “My Only Wish (This Year)” by Britney Spears

🤶🏻 - This has been one of my favorites ever since I was a kid. It was another that was on one of my Now Christmas cds. Also, it’s in a Christmas movie I love, called Single All the Way. 

10.) “Santa On the Rooftop” by Trisha Yearwood and Rosie O’Donnell

🎅🏻- Another favorite from my childhood. My mom has Rosie’s Christmas album called A Rosie Christmas and I always loved listening to it. This is definitely my favorite from it. 

November Reads

🍁  November Reviews 🦃

November 1st-30th

Book 121: Inkdeath 

By Cornelia Funke

Read November 2nd-3rd

Pages: 699

Release Year: 2007

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November 2024 reread:

There is a common belief for many writers that their characters control their stories more than they do themselves. This story takes that idea further with an author being brought into his own book and seeing it happen with his own eyes. I adore this world with all my heart and it has been a joy to revisit it again. It’s funny how much a book can change for you within even just few years. It is such a great story for book lovers and writers. 

February 2021 read:

I really enjoyed this ending to the series. I started the book on Sunday and listened to 227 pages of it with the audiobook which were great and then picked up the book again today and read the rest of it myself. The audiobook was great but it was so much better reading it myself. 

This book and the series itself are perfect books for booklovers. I loved following along with the characters and am very happy with the outcome of everything throughout. What a satisfying ending that fit so well with the series as a whole. I do wish that I had read this along with the first book so many years ago though. I know it probably would have been a favorite series of mine for so long.

Book 122: The Colour of Revenge

By Cornelia Funke

Read November 4th- 7th

Pages: 340

Release Year: 2024 (USA)

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I have been looking forward to returning to the Inkworld for years. The first time I read Inkheart was when I was fourteen years old and I fell in love with it instantly. I did not finish the rest of the series until much later, though I loved the other two just as much as the first. Cornelia Funke’s books are stunning stories with a world that will draw you in, almost as much as the characters themselves. I had such a wonderful time rereading the original trilogy before picking this up. 

I’m always apprehensive when an author returns to a series so many years later, but I was excited to see where Cornelia would take this story. Sadly, I did not enjoy this book as much as I wanted to. It was written just as beautifully as the others, but I was not a big fan of the focus in the novel. I don’t want to spoil the plot here, though I will say that it was meant to wrap up Orpheus’s story and it did that. 

Also, this book is so much shorter and it loses some of the magic. Cornelia’s writing is still just as stunning but just too short for me. I always loved how much detail she went into and seeing the books from the many different perspectives: Meggie, Mo, Resa, Dustfinger, Elinor, etc and I missed that in this book. We did get some, but what made the other books feel magical was not here as much. 

One of the best parts from this story was the idea of the book with the paintings. It was so clever and fit so well into the Inkworld and made me think of the book Mo bound in Inkspell. Cornelia always comes up with such interesting ideas for the fantastical aspects of the story. I liked learning about the new characters and getting even more world-building. This is a world I love with all my heart.

It will always be a joy to read a Inkworld story and I would read anything Cornelia writes in this world. I didn’t love this but I’m happy we got to see these characters again. 

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC of this book all opinions are my own.*

Book 123: Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats

By T. S. Eliot

Read November 8th

Pages: 56

Release Year: 1939

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I had a great time reading these poems. There were many that I already knew about because of Cats the musical. My favorite being “Macavity the Mystery Cat.” These are so strange and fun. 

Book 124: At Midnight

Edited by Dahlia Adler

Read January 28th- November 10th

Pages: 496

Release Year: 2022

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I highly enjoy these short story collections edited by Dahlia Adler. In January, I started this collection and read nine stories. I didn't pick the book back up until today but I still vividly remember almost every story I read about a year ago. 

Each of the writers took the fairy tales and twisted them into their own stories. The more creativity the better. I did not love every one of these new tales but most were great. Also, I love how they included the original tales in this book. Most, I have read before, but there were a few I did not know the origin for. 

I'm hoping there will be more collections from this series based on other tales. One, I'm really hoping for is a Mythology one. I could just imagine a young adult take on popular myths, especially the realistic contemporary ones. 

My favorites in the collection are:

🪶 "In the Forests of the Night" by Gita Trelease- inspired by "Fitcher's Bird" which is a tale I had never heard of before. This is probably my favorite from the collection.

 

🔥 "Fire and Rhinestone" by Stacey Lee- inspired by "The Little Match Girl" 

🍖 "Just a Little Bite" by Roselle Lim- a contemporary twist on "Hansel and Gretel" which also had me thinking of Sweeney Todd

💰 "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" by Hafash Faizel- such a wonderful twist on "Little Red Riding Hood"

Book 125: Nettle & Bone

By T. Kingfisher

Read January 14th- November 11th

Pages: 319

Release Year: 2022

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T. Kingfisher is great at creating stories that feel like a fairy tale. She does an incredible job blending the dark scenes along with the heartfelt. I didn’t love this as much as her others I have read this year, but it was highly enjoyable. She has definitely become a new favorite author for me and I cannot wait to pick up another of her books soon.

Book 126: Dante’s Inferno: A Graphic Novel Adaptation

Adapted by Paul Brizzi & Gaëtan Brizzi

Read November 13th

Pages: 160

Release Year: 2024 (USA)

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A stunning adaptation of Dante's epic poem Inferno. It is a great example of how such a classic can be re-imagined into a visual medium and is a masterpiece. Paul and Gaëtan Brizzi did a remarkable job adapting the poem to feel like a modern take on the tale while staying true to the source material. It is an abridged version of the story, though. 

The illustrations are beautiful, haunting, and frequently grotesque. They fit along with the story perfectly. I would love to see Paul and Gaëtan take on other adaptations of classic works such as The Iliad, The Odyssey, Paradise Lost, and Dracula. Their style would fit these stories well. 

I highly recommend picking this up. This would be a great inclusion for classes teaching the epic poem. 

*Thank you to Edelweiss for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*

Book 127: Wicked: The Life and Times of 

the Wicked Witch of the West

By Gregory Maguire

Read November 11th-13th

Pages: 409

Release Year: 1995

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I have tried to read this book two times before and could not get past the first part: Munchkinlanders. The first time was in tenth grade (2010) when I first  saw it, recognizing the cover instantly. I had always wanted to see the musical and thought the book would be just as great as I heard the musical was. Thank goodness, I didn't read it then and I wish I didn't now. 

This time, I decided to listen to the audiobook while painting, which definitely helped a lot. I recommend readers go into this knowing it is a very adult and dark reimaging of the origin of the Wicked Witch of the West. It is not the fantastical story many people believe it to be because of the musical. It focuses on themes of politics, religion, and oppression. 

I liked seeing elements from Baum's Ozian books here, but I wish there were more descriptions of the world of Oz. We learn about some of the different denizens' cultures and religions. But not a lot else. The world does not feel lived in as much as I would like from a fantasy book, especially one based on the world of Oz. Baum's books were short and he was still able to flesh out the world and characters. 

The best part of this novel was the friendship between Glinda/Galinda and Elphaba. I enjoyed watching it grow throughout the first half of the novel. Their scenes together are what made this book bearable, though that was not enough to make me like this. I wish there would have been more of them together.

I do not like the weird scenes in this novel, especially dealing with "The Philosophy Club." There was literally no reason for this to be included other than making it even more adult. It just was off-putting and almost made me stop listening to this. I would have if I didn't make it a goal to read this book before seeing the movie. 

The third part of this novel is where the story lost most of my interest. It lost everything I liked at all in the beginning and it dragged. 

Gregory Maguire had many good ideas here but they were bogged down by awkward writing, many scenes feeling rushed, and overly strange/disgusting scenes. He had an interesting concept which fell apart as the story continued. It loses the magic that drew me into Oz all those years ago. 

I have heard that the musical takes these ideas and creates a more fantastical story. I am highly looking forward to seeing the movie next weekend and do not recommend this at all.

Book 128: Rumo & His Miraculous Adventures

By Walter Moers 

Read November 14th-16th

Pages: 688

Release Year: 2003

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It is an absolute joy reading the Zamonia books. Walter Moers writes in a way unlike any writer I have seen before and I adore his style. There are similarities to the other absurdist authors that I love, but his just goes above and beyond. These books are large and could probably be shortened a bit, but his world-building makes it worth the length. It is great to learn about the various characters, species, and places throughout the story. 

This novel focuses mainly on our titular character, Rumo (did you know he’s named after a Zamonian card game), who is a Wolperting. He becomes a great hero throughout the novel, with the help of his talking sword Dandelion. I will always be a sucker for a book with a talking sword. I won’t spoil anything else dealing with the sword, but it is comedic gold. 

Rumo’s story is a hero’s journey I had so much fun listening to and reading. I highly recommend both the audiobook and the physical book. The illustrations are a great addition to Rumo’s story. Zamonia is a world I cannot get enough of and I look forward to picking up the next novel soon.

Book 129: Disney’s Animated Classic # 7:

 Disney’s The Little Mermaid 

By Lily Murray

Read November 17th

Pages: 69

Release Year: 2019

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I decided to read this beauty today for the 35th anniversary of the movie. The Little Mermaid will always be my favorite Disney movie and I adore this edition of the story. It has beautiful concept art throughout the entire book. This is the perfect inclusion for any fan’s collection.

 

Book 130: Disney The Little Mermaid

The Full Film Script

By the Editors of Canterbury Classics

Read November 17th

Pages: 144

Release Year: 2022

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An absolutely wonderful piece of Disney memorabilia. This is the screenplay of the movie, which has every line and song. It also includes concept art, behind-the-scenes stories, fun facts, and insights from many of the people who worked on all aspects of the movie. There are even handwritten notes. I loved learning even more about my favorite Disney movie and had a great time reading through this book.

 

Book 131: Winnie-the-Pooh’s Little Book of Wisdom

By A. A. Milne

Read November 17th

Pages: 96

Release Year: 1999

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I think everybody needs more Pooh Bear in their life. This is so adorable, insightful, and funny. A great book that helps brings joy to a hard day.

 

Book 132: Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet

By Samantha Allen

Read November 30th

Pages: 288

Release Year: 2024

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One of the strangest romances I ever listened to and I loved every minute of it! A highly original story that had me both laughing and crying throughout. Chris Henry Coffey and Nick Mills did a great job narrating for both Roland and Adam. 

This was an emotionally packed story about two men finding comfort in each other in the most inopportune moment, after one of them passes away. Roland is a Hollywood A-Lister, who is known for his good looks and charisma. Adam is an ex-Mormon, who wrote a memoir revealing his sexual identity to the world, becoming almost famous. Now, down on his luck, Adam decides to take a job as a ghostwriter for Roland Rogers. Little does he know that the job is going to entail much more than writing. 

When he arrives at Roland's house, Adam finds out that Roland has died in a skiing accident. Roland is still able to communicate if he focuses really hard and wants to get his life story written before anyone else finds out he's dead. He wants to finally come out to the world and believes Adam is the perfect person to write his story. Sparks fly as both men grow closer and reveal so much about themselves to each other. 

This was a heartwarming story with heavy topics such as coming out, religious trauma, fame and homophobia. Samantha Allen does a great job of balancing these elements along with her humor. I laughed out loud many times while listening to this book. Also, the dual perspectives for this book were perfect. I loved hearing the story from both Roland and Adam. 

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC of this wonderful book. All opinions are my own.*