OCTOBER FAVOURITES

 

It's been a crazy month, and I can't believe we're already nearing the end of 2022 - time, if you'd like to slow down I would really appreciate it!

I've been super busy and haven't had as much time to sit down and write something for this blog this month, but when I was thinking about what to finally write about I kept thinking about all the things I've been loving this month (and in general) and was like, 'wait, that's perfect, I want to share that'!

So here it is - all my favourites from October! I 100% recommend you check all of them out, I'm sure you'll love them as much as I do!

Book - The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

I'd seen this book when browsing the bookshelves and popping up on Instagram a fair bit, and had just finished my Colleen Hoover binge so was looking for something new and different to read. Needless to say, The Midnight Library was just that! 

*trigger warning - mental health and suicide*

I've never read anything like it before. The story follows Nora who - after it all becomes too much and she decides to end her life - enters the midnight library, a kind of purgatory in her own mind between life and death, where she is given the chance to remedy her regrets and live out all of the infiinite possible lives she could be living had she done just one thing differently. At times, I found the story quite sad because I could really relate to her emotions and regrets, but at the same time I thoroughly enjoyed witnessing her characters growth and transformation as she tried alternate life after alternate life. I won't say anything more about the book because I don't want to spoil it, but I will say this - it's an absolute must-read and seriously worth the hype!

Podcast - Do You Fucking Mind? by Alexis Fernandez

I've been listening to this podcast for a few months now, and I seriously recommend checking it out. Whether you're going through a hard time, need some no-bullshit life advice and guidance, feel stuck or need to make some changes, or just need something positive and motivating to get you on track - this podcast has all that, and more! This podcast has been a life-saver for me, helping me with my mindset, self love, confidence and assertiveness, and so much more. Alexis is like the perfect combination of a friend who's not afraid to tell it like it is, and a therapist. I'm already excited for the next episode!

TV - Emily in Paris

I mean, this technically isn't a new one but I did rewatch both seasons this month in anticipation for Season 3 coming at the end of the year, and I still love it just as much as I did before! I feel like this is a show you can rewatch continuously and not get sick of (maybe that's just me, but I rest my case). Emily is living my dream life, I would absolutely love to live and work in Paris - one of my favourite cities - working for a luxury marketing firm, falling in love, going to events, exploring beautiful Paris. Yes, it's romanticised as hell and kinda cheesy at times, but I'm obsessed!

Fragrance - Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Crush Cheriosa '71 Body Fragrance Mist

This is my ultimate everyday body mist - the scent is super strong and long-lasting, and smells good enough to eat! The scent is described as 'salted caramel, toasted macadamia nut, sea salt, white chocolate, and coconut blossom', which is honestly spot on and smells as luscious as it sounds! It's creamy, nutty, sweet, intense, and I cannot get enough of it! This one is consistently sold out, and for good reason. Trust me, if you don't have this one already, you need it in your life!

Beauty - Huda Beauty Rose Gold Palette

I'm a big fan of Huda's eyeshadows, they're some of the best quality, most pigmented shadows I've used! I already own two of her palettes - the New Nude Palette and the Mercury Retrograde Palette, which I love, so when I saw the Rose Gold Palette I knew it would be a winner. This palette's actually been out for a year now, and I hadn't realised it had come out because I haven't been following makeup releases etc for a while (been on a bit of a spending detox), but I spotted it in Sephora recently and decided to treat myself, and I'm so glad I did!

This is a stunning cool-toned rosey/neutral palette, which is perfect for me as those are the colours I love to wear! It does have a little warmth thrown into the top left corner to balance things out, but it's definitely a really wearable everyday palette for me! The shimmers are, as always, stunning - my favourite is Abundance, a deep neutral bronze/lavender shimmer that looks amazing day or night!

Anyway, I highly recommend you check out any and all of these favourites - they might just become some of your new faves too! Until next time,

xx Chontelle Louise

NEW ADULT BOOKS YOU NEED TO READ

I've been an avid reader since I was a kid, there's just something about the way a book can draw you into it's world, make you connect with the characters and their lives and emotions and have you laughing, crying and reeling with every word. While I don't read as often as I used to or would like to, the growing popularity of the 'new adult' genre - which is perfect for people like myself who are in their 20's and not quite ready for classic adult novels, but have outgrown YA - has been refreshing and exciting, and has really caught my attention and made me want to read more again!

I made a resolution to myself earlier this year to start reading more, and while I didn't quite keep that resolution at first, a recent work injury that's had me holed up recovering at home was the perfect opportunity to finally get to all the books I've been wanting to read! And believe me when I tell you, you NEED to check these out (if you haven't already). 

Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

While Colleen Hoover has been trending for a while now (and yes, I did end up reading her bestseller 'It Ends With Us'), I'd been umm'ing and ahh'ing about grabbing one of her novels - that is, until I saw Ugly Love. I didn't even check out any reviews or anything, I was drawn to the cover, picked it up to read the blurb, and I was sold. I don't know about you, but I love a brooding, mysterious, sexy male lead, and Miles was definitely all that! The secrecy of Tate and Miles' non-relationship and all the back and forth and indecisiveness was frustrating but exciting, and there were definitely some great saucy scenes thrown in there *wink*. This book was honestly amazing, and it's up their as one of my all-time favourite reads! 

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

I actually read this book maybe a year or two ago now for the first time, and I fell in love. Yeah, it's a little (okay, very) cheesy, but it was such a cute story with so much tension between Lucy and Joshua - which always makes for a great romance novel, in my opinion! The little games they would play, the bickering, the competition, the way they so clearly liked each other despite acting like they hated each other - I'd be constantly thinking to myself 'JUST GET TOGETHER ALREADY'! Overall, a great read - and while there's mixed opinions on the movie (and it definitely differs a lot from the book, which was of course better), I'd say it's also worth a watch!

Confess by Colleen Hoover

This was my second Colleen Hoover read (I'd gone to buy It Ends With Us but it was sold out, and I needed another fix - this one stood out)! I feel like this one is super underrated compared to her other novels, because it's honestly one of my favourites! It's got tragedy, romance, drama, mystery - as well as a major element of domestic abuse so be warned if that may trigger you - but it was just such a well-written book with an interesting storyline, loveable main characters, and I loved the ending so much! This one's definitely worth reading, trust me!

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

The bestselling novel that people can't stop talking about - I'll admit, it caught my attention, but I didn't buy into the hype until I'd finished Ugly Love and was like, 'okay, that was amazing, I need more of this author'! And she delivered! While it still doesn't compare to Ugly Love (imho), I can certainly understand the hype! I couldn't put this book down, I was so invested in Lily's story, her past, her and Ryle's relationship, and learning more about Atlas and their story along the way. There's definitely romance in this book but I'd say it's more heavily about domestic violence - so a trigger warning to readers who may not be up for that! I actually had to put the book down after a certain part towards the end as it was too much for me, but I skipped ahead (bad reader habit, I know) and will definitely be sure to finish it before the release of 'It Starts With Us' later this month. While it's an emotional AF read, I definitely recommend checking this one out!

Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren

An office romance between a well-loved, intelligent assistant and her (beautiful) bastard of a boss? It's a classic storyline, albeit cheesy as hell - but that's why I love it! Chloe and Bennett have that lust/hate, push/pull tension going on from the start, and while there isn't really much going on outside of their office antics and hot hookups, this one's definitely very steamy and x-rated, which is part of what makes it a great guilty pleasure kind of read! Plus, it's just the first in a series of steamy romance novels from the author!

xx Chontelle Louise

Moving Out for the First Time

 

Moving out of home for the first time is both an exciting and nerve-inducing part of life. There's no correct time or way to do it - but when you do, it's an amazing experience that'll give you an overwhelming feeling of achievement and independence.

I recently moved out for the first time with one of my best friends and her partner, and I've really been loving it. I've always been pretty independent so it's been great for me, but having a friend around has also meant it still feels like home and I've always got someone to hang out with in down time - which we've had a fair bit of lately with the whole Queensland lockdown we've just had. 

Sure, you'll have your challenges - missing home, adapting to new routines and motivating yourself to do things for yourself, bills, and working out how to live with people with different habits to your own for those of you who are sharing - but it's honestly all worth it in the end!

Here's some of my favourite things about moving out of home:

The Sense of Independence

As I mentioned, moving out of home gives you a real sense of independence. You're out on your own (even with housemates), you buy your own groceries, plan your own meals, can set things up to reflect your personality, can have who you want over when you want - there's a real freedom to it. 

Having Your Own Space

Living at home with family, boundaries are definitely a little more lax. Especially for me as someone quite private and independent, I feel more comfortable having more personal space and boundaries. Of course the boundaries are still a little less strict as I'm with a good friend, but I feel like I can have a private conversation, not be walked in on, or be questioned on what I'm doing so much. There's nothing wrong with that of course but for me personally it just gets a bit frustrating.

Valuing Your Family Time More

Going off the previous point, not having family on top of you all the time and being in each others space not only means you're going to be less frustrated with one another, but you're going to value and better enjoy the time you do spend with your family.

Open Communication

While this isn't present in all share households, it should be and enhances the whole experience. At home, even if you're paying rent, you've still got that parent and child dynamic going on. Out of home, you're all equals which means you all get to have your say in day to day life. It's great to be able to openly communicate your boundaries, expectations and interests for the household, and to work together to create a place that's comfortable and homely for everyone.

xx Chontelle

The Worst Experience

 

I'm a seasoned cat lady, I've had cats ever since I was little and I've had amazing moments, sad losses, and everything in-between. Currently I have two kitties - Jasmine and baby Misty, three including my mum's kitty Angel (Jasmine's daughter). I've had Jasmine literally since she was born - the runt of my previous cat Tiger's litter. She's 16 years old - 17 in September, so I've had her almost my whole life, and that's a strong bond. 

Three years ago Jasmine was diagnosed with Diabetes, which is a serious but manageable condition for cats. She requires insulin morning and night and eats a special diet for her condition. Recently, she hadn't been eating or drinking much and was more lethargic than usual, so I got her to the vet where she was put on fluids for dehydration and had some tests done. The vets were worried about her kidneys and her glucose being quite high, so we took her for a second day of being on fluids which finally had her improving and getting back to normal. Her bloods came back fine and it was really her kidneys she was having issues with likely due to her diabetes. This is where while it seemed like we were in the clear, things were going to go wrong. I bought a fresh vial of insulin as I was concerned the insulin she'd been taking had gone off and wasn't effective anymore. Getting fresh insulin would on almost all levels seem the perfect solution.

Jasmine was active and meowing and getting back to normal, so she came home and I gave her the fresh insulin as usual and fed her like normal around 7pm. Again, it seemed like everything was normal. Around 1am while I was laying in bed watching tiktoks, Jasmine laying next to me, I noticed that she was randomly twitching. At first I thought she may be having a nightmare, then thought she may be trying to move her arm that had a bandage on it constricting her a bit. I petted her and she was still twitching, and as I pulled her to me I realised something wasn't right. I quickly took her to mums room asking for the emergency vets number, and as I placed her down she fell onto her side no longer able to stand. This sent me from panicked to absolutely freaking out and distressed. I quickly got the vets number, called them and they said to bring her in.

It was maybe 2 minutes from the start of the twitching to her being unable to stand/move. The drive to the emergency vet took just under 10 minutes, and she'd begun seizing just before we turned into the vet. That's how fast it happened. She had to be resuscitated and I honestly thought I'd lost her, it was just awful. 

When the vet finally came in and said she was stable I was shocked but so relieved. Her glucose had dropped too low (2.2) and she'd gone into hypoglycaemia - diabetic shock. If I'd been asleep, or been a few minutes later, it could've been too late. In retrospect, and speaking to the vet about it, it seems like the old insulin had gone off and was ineffective for so long, that purchasing and using the fresh and effective insulin was too much for her and dropped her sugars right down. 

Thankfully, she was able to be stabilised and is alert and able to move again. She'll be at the emergency vet all night and I'll be up until I literally cannot stay awake because I'm still incredibly shaken and concerned, but at least I know she's currently doing well and receiving the care she needs.

This has been such a scary and stressful experience, and while this isn't the usual content I'd be writing on my blog I first of all needed to get it all out and do something as I try to calm down and process everything, and secondly wanted to share this in the hopes that it helps someone else to know the signs to watch out for and how quickly things can take a turn for the worse with a diabetic kitty.

I'm just grateful she is doing okay for now and we are going to hopefully get answers to what we can do to get my precious baby girl back under control and well again.

xx Chontelle

Turning 25 - The Quarter Life Crisis

 

Yep, you've heard about it, some of you may be experiencing it with me, some of you already have, and some of you still have a way to go before it hits you. It's often joked about, 'you're only turning 25, you're still so young there's nothing to be worried about'. And sure, that's true, but it sure doesn't feel that way. 

In my last month of being 24, I find myself stressing and worrying and overthinking about my life so far, my future, what I have and haven't achieved, what I should've by now, and comparing myself to everyone else. I'll be straight up with you - teenage me had two ideas of what life would be like at this age. The first, I didn't even know if I'd make it. The second, stable and successful in a career, graduated uni, proper relationship, my own place, the works.

Instead, I'm still confused about what I'm doing with my life, where I'm going with my future, how I'm gonna get there, never had a relationship, still working towards my degree, and living at home. I've had my setbacks, my anxiety was so bad I was scared of leaving the house or even ordering food myself for a few years, and while that's definitely improved my anxiety still takes a massive toll on me. I struggle with trusting people which effects my relationships, and I have a tendency to procrastinate and self-sabotage.

But it's not all bad. I've found looking back on the positive steps and progress I've made really helps me to see that it's important not to get caught up in an imaginary timeline on your life. Everyone does things at their own pace, when it's right for them. I've started to become more confident in myself. I got over my fear of driving last year and finally got my license and my first car. I got out of my comfort zone and started getting out more and made some amazing friends and memories. I'm no longer as anxious about talking to strangers or doing things by myself. I've got a good, stable job that I enjoy and I'm looking at moving out soon. And I'll finally have my degree at the end of the year. I have an idea of what I want to do with my life, and while I may not have achieved all of this by the time I wanted, I've done it nonetheless.

I guess the point of this post is really that while reaching my quarter century is honestly terrifying to me, I've got to look at the positives and realise how far I've come. Turning 25 is scary, but it's also exciting. And it's true, I am still young and I have so much time to achieve the things I want to achieve. Instead of stressing and freaking out about it, I need to relax and appreciate where I'm at now and look forward to the future and all it's got in store for me!

xx Chontelle

Guess who's back... back again.

So... it's been a bit over a year since the last time I posted on this blog. I actually can't believe it's been this long. I'll be honest, I kinda lost my motivation for a while there. I was still uploading videos over on Youtube semi-regularly last year but it felt like a chore for me and so for the last 6 months I've pretty much done nothing with blogging/vlogging. Not that I haven't wanted to - I've had blog and video ideas, I've started putting together content etc only to lose motivation quickly and never end up actually doing anything.

In all honesty, I've been struggling a lot with my mental health lately. My anxiety has gotten a lot worse - despite the fact that I've been pushing myself to get out and have a social life again (and have made some amazing, supportive friends in the process). I've felt pretty down as well and have just been getting stuck in my own head which is not what I should be doing at all. However I have been slowly working on myself, trying to be more comfortable in myself, not being so worried about others and just focusing on what's important to me.

Which brings me to this blog - I've always had some kind of a creative outlet to keep myself occupied and I've really missed having that, so I'm pretty keen to get back into posting on here and also on my Youtube channel. I think I'm probably more interested in blogging than continuing with videos, but I'd still love to upload travel vlogs and other stuff if I really find it interesting - hauls and grwm's honestly just don't interest me anymore and if I'm gonna be doing something I need to actually want to do it, y'know? But yeah, anyway. I don't have a schedule planned, I just want to start posting and get back into the swing of things at the moment, but I'm hoping to post pretty regularly! Content wise, of course I'm still gonna be posting about makeup and fashion but I also want to post more music, life and mental health related content, so hopefully that's something you'll enjoy!

So to those of you who are still here (no idea why but thankyou!) and those of you who have just stumbled upon this seemingly abandoned blog - thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy what's to come!

xx Chontelle