What I Loved: May-October 2019

In case you missed it, I recently did a massive personal life recap where I detailed everything I’ve been up to from May 2019 through to October 2019. I also did a similarly massive post talking about my favorite reads during the same period. Because both posts were already lengthy, I decided to do this separate post to recap my favorite acquisitions and experiences from the past six months.

• Fruits Basket – I’ve already mentioned this show before, but it deserves to be included for the sheer fact that I am truly enjoy this updated anime. The animation style is lovely, the story is playing out in a compelling and well-planned way and even though we have to wait a bit for the new season, it’ll be worth it to see it continue past the point where the original anime ended. 
• Hufflepuff merchandise – I bought entirely too many different articles of clothing recently that represent my Hogwarts house (like this and this), but I can’t say I regret it! I’m always into wearing fandom clothing in my every day life, and now I’ve basically got a full-on Hufflepuff wardrobe with all my newest acquisitions. 
• Jordandene – Prior to this year, I somehow only owned one item from Jordan’s shop. I remedied that immediately, encouraged by all her brand spanking new designs and the fact that I’m obsessed with the fit and quality of her pieces. My current favorite from her is my cropped sweatshirt inspired by Hocus Pocus, and I have a couple more pieces on the way too.
• Snow White with the Red Hair -  I watched this anime because of Rachel & Kristin originally (my initial thoughts are included in this post!), and I finally watched a good chunk more of it (though I still haven't finished the second season). It's such a compelling story about a feisty heroine determined to make her own path, the friends (some in high places) that she makes along the way and the trials and triumphs of her time in a new kingdom, complete with romance, friendship and political intrigue.
• Joules raincoat (similar style) – I’ve always wanted to own an actual raincoat, and I’ve had my eye on this one since Kristin told me about hers. I bought my bright pink raincoat just before we left for Ireland and I’m so happy I did! It’s substantial coverage (including the hood, which stays on my head unlike many other jackets I’ve tried), it’s a very cute design and it was on sale. 
• Lover – This album is tied with Fearless for my favorite Taylor Swift album of all time because I love it that much. I think it’s a great new era for Taylor musically and personally, and I have spent entirely too much time sorting the songs into Hogwarts houses (a future post!) and picking out my favorite lyrics (a future post!) and coming up with book recs that pair well with each track (a future post!). 
• Madewell transport tote (small) – My sisters gifted me with the mini version of the tote I love from Madewell and I adore it! It’s the perfect size for a day out, but even more ideal during travel (as proven by how useful it was during our trip to Australia). 
• Moulin Rouge the Musical – I went to see this show with DJ and Rachel when it first opened, and it was spectacular! I love the way it was brought to life on stage and while the story isn’t my favorite, I definitely think it’s worth seeing for the spectacle and the music. 
• Rising of the Shield Hero – This is an anime Macky and I randomly started this year and it’s so excellent! While I haven’t actually finished the first season yet (oops!), I can definitely tell you that I’ve enjoyed every single episode until where I’m currently at. It’s like Dungeons and Dragons crossed with Sword Art Online, and I am here for it. 
• Society 6 travel mug (here's mine, but this design is cute and so is this one) – I am obsessed with the quality of my Society 6 travel mug because it’s a great size and it keeps my drink warm and it doesn’t spill easily either. The design I picked is also a very apt one to represent my personality and interests. 
• Vans – I finally bought my first pair of Vans slip-ons (a black iridescent check slip-on), and my only regret is not doing it sooner. It was a lifesaver for me during our long trip to Australia, comfortable enough to walk around in but also easy to remove and slip on when venturing through airport security. 
• Stitch plush toy (see what it looks like here) - I finally caved on our latest anniversary trip to Walt Disney World and purchased a huge Stitch plush. Stitch is one of my favorite Disney characters, and I'm always eyeing his merchandise. Now my big plush sits on our bed and I absolutely adore it!

If you've missed out on anything on my blog or our channel, this section is for you! You'll find links to everything that went up in the last couple of months.

Personal | Merci, Paris! Part 01, Merci, Paris! Part 02, SLÁINTE, Ireland! Part 01, SLÁINTE, Ireland! Part 02, Beautiful Banff

Reviews | The Princess and the Fangirl, Don't Date Rosa Santos, Somewhere Only We Know, We Hunt the Flame, The Key to Happily Ever After, There's Something About Sweetie, Red, White and Royal Blue, Birthday, Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune, Waiting for Tom Hanks, The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, The Arrival of Someday, Things You Save in a Fire, Start Here, Sorcery of Thorns, When She Reigns, She's the Worst, The Girl the Sea Gave Back, The Very, Very Far North, Daisy Jones and the Six, There Will Come a Darkness, The Lady Rogue, Twice in a Blue Moon, The Friend Zone, Fix Her Up, Well Met, Strange the Dreamer + Muse of Nightmares, The Austen Playbook, The Unhoneymooners, The Flatshare, Lovely War, The Modern Faerie Tales, The Bromance Book Club, Song of the Crimson Flower, The Never-Tilting World, Bloom, Mooncakes, The Tea Dragon Festival, A Constellation of Roses, The How and the Why, The Beholder, Wicked Fox, Spin the Dawn, Catwoman: Soulstealer, The Starless Sea, Steel Crow Saga, Not the Girl You Marry, Meg and Jo

Fallen Angels Fete | Series Review, Favorites, Gives You Hell Playlist

Features, Tours and Tags | Hafsah Faizal on Ensemble Casts, What I Loved: April 2019, Table for Two #29: KITH Treats, Margaret Rogerson on Magical Sidekicks, Table for Two #30: Parm, Q&A with Jodi Meadows, {Bookish} Style Files: The Never-Tilting World

YouTube | May 2019 TBR, March-April 2019 (Reading) Vlog, April 2019 Book Haul, Paris 2019 Travel Vlog, What We Read S02E20, What We Read S02E21, Fandom Buzz #1: Video Games, May 2019 Book Haul, What We Read S02E22, BookExpo + BookCon 2019 Haul, BookExpo + BookCon 2019 Vlog, June 2019 TBR, Summerathon TBR, Fandom Buzz #2: DC, OtakuAThon Vlog, What We Read S03E01, July 2019 TBR, What We Read S03E02, Mid-Year Book Freakout Tag: 2019 Edition, What We Read S03E03, May-June 2019 (Reading) Vlog, June 2019 Book Haul, Fandom Buzz #3: Music, What We Read S03E04, August 2019 TBR, What We Read S03E05, July 2019 (Reading) Vlog, July 2019 Book Haul, July 2019 Comics + Manga Haul, What We Read S03E06, Valiant + Ironside Liveshow, Fandom Buzz #4: Dungeons and Dragons, What We Read S03E07, September 2019 TBR, What We Read S03E08, August 2019 Vlog, August 2019 Book Haul, What We Read S03E09, Fandom Buzz #5: Harry Potter, October 2019 TBR, 30 Questions (About Alexa) Birthday Quiz, What We Read S03E10, September 2019 (Reading) Vlog, What We Read S03E11, A Mini Walt Disney World 2019 Vlog, What We Read S03E12, September-October Book Haul, What We Read S03E13, Fandom Buzz #6: Conventions, What We Read S03E14