One of the best days of the year is when Olive & June releases their new seasonal collections. I always love seeing the theme they chose as well as the shades. This year the theme was museums, which is very interesting, but I love the idea of a sophisticated, cozy fall city day roaming a museum exhibit.  

The shades released in this collection are gorgeous. they range from very light to deep, dark and glittery. I'll be honest; the first shade I used was "Sculpture Wing" which is a beautiful warm toned lavender but it wasn't the best (review coming soon). 

My next manicure is what we're talking about today and that's Patron of the Arts. It's the perfect transitional fall shade; a deep, dusty rose brown that screams pumpkin and apple picking. 

Happy Friday! This is my last free weekend until November 1st, and I'm preparing my mind, body and soul for it. This week was a little hectic; work was busy, I was out all day on Tuesday for Stassi Schroeder's book tour, and then 9/11 always makes me feel a weird way, so I didn't accomplish nearly as much as I wanted to. I'm trying to stay positive & calm about it...but we'll see.

I didn't blog at all this week because I also had a really bad weekend. I was in a dark place and felt like everything was just wasted away. If you're interested, you can read about it here on my more personal substack. 

All of this being said, it's going to be a very busy and interesting month & a half so buckle up and follow me on social media for the ride! 

Let's get into the round up!

Hello Friday! Hello September! Hello Fashion Week! Hello Football Season! Boy, it feels good to be back and New York weather was on board with that. It's been beautiful all week long and it just felt good to be on the streets of Manhattan.

I'm still not fully in fall mode yet; my house is not decorated and I haven't shopped for pumpkin food. I don't know why, I need to check myself really. Am I sick? What is happening to me? However, I had a hot Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte this week, on a crisp NYC morning and it felt so good. I'll get there...

What I am excited about? Football! I never thought I'd say that but I'm a Swiftie through and through so as I write this, I am fully seated and watching Father (Travis Kelce) and the Chiefs. Mother (Taylor) looks so good in her Canadian Tuxedo. I am ready for all the WAG fits this season.

This weekend is going to be low key; it's going to be one of cleaning, organizing, resting, exercising and reading. I want to recharge, I want to clean my house, I want to decorate for fall... I need to do all of this because the next few weekends are going to be insane and I'm not ready for it. 

I don't have much else to say so let's get into the roundup!

Back in 2019 when it was announced that we were getting a series called American Royals that had the United States still having a monarchy, I was immediately enthralled. I love anything royals, obviously, so the fact that we were getting a book where America had a monarchy, descending from George Washington, the first king of America was right up my alley.

Originally, American Royals was only supposed to be a standalone book, and then it was extended to have a sequel, then a third book and finally the publisher's caught on that readers were obsessed and continued to allow Katharine McGee to write.

I've reviewed a few of the American Royals books on the blog over the years (linked below) so it feels only right that I would conclude the journey with a review of the final book in the series, 'Reign'. 

Taylor Swift is usually right but she was in her bag when she said 'august slipped away like a bottle of wine..." I cannot believe we're already in September! I'm feeling indifferent about it because I enjoyed this summer and I don't feel like I'm ready to embrace fall just yet. 

That is very unusual for me, which is giving me massive pause. Not being excited for fall is just another way I've realized that I haven't been myself lately. However, the chill in the air, pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks, and the onslaught of fall content I'm getting served on TikTok might just be the ticket to getting me back on board the fall train.

August was interesting; I found my way back to myself a bit, got organized and started falling back into a routine. I think that'll just get better with the change of seasons. This month, I implemented new habits, returned to some old ones and rediscovered some old favorite items.

We're in the last few days of summer and I truly cannot believe it. I was starting to get meeting invites at work for next week and seeing September on the calendar stopped me in my tracks. I knew it was coming but I don't think I realized how off balance it was going to put me.

This week was difficult; I was very overwhelmed, stressed and just chaotic in so many ways. I have a very busy two months ahead of me and I'm not organized, prepared or ready for any of it. It's a scheduling disaster and I need to get my head around it, without wishing away the next two months.

I'm really looking forward to the long weekend; I have my last summer Friday today and of course, Labor Day on Monday so the next four days will be filled with relaxation, checking off to-do list items, family, friends and bbqs. 

Let's get into the round up!

Emily Henry is my favorite writer, I think I can confidently say that now after finishing her 5th novel. I am awestruck every time I open a page she has touched and overwhelmed with emotion, thought and feeling. 

I've gotten into a pretty good groove of pre-ordering her books but then letting them sit for days, weeks or months before I pick it up because I know the minute I touch it, it'll be finished. The novelty will wear off and I will have to wait a long time for another story. 

That's what happened with Funny Story which was released in April but I didn't start reading it until last week. What happened next? I finished the book in less than 24 hours... once I crack open the fresh Emily Henry there's no stopping me.

I will admit that I wasn't that intrigued by the plot but I was hoping for the best...turns out, Funny Story might've just over taken Book Lovers as my favorite Emily Henry novel.