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Happy October!

Happy October!!

I can’t believe that there are only 2 months left in the year!! That’s crazy and it’s officially holiday season!! I know a lot of people are getting ready for Halloween and all of their spooky reads, but I’m not going that route. First, I don’t really do spooky reads and thrillers, the second I really need to read some books that I already own.

So, that is what I will be focusing on this month. I don’t really do TBRs as you know, but I do have some books on my physical shelves and my e-reader shelves.

Some of those books include

Kingdom of Souls by Rena Barron

Crier’s War by Nina Varela

Guilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi

Serpent and Dove  by Shelby Mahurin

Slay by Britney Morris

I know I have more books that I need to read that you can see on my Instagram page, but these are some of the ones that I really want to get to next.

I’m trying really hard to not buy any books this month and prepare for the holidays!! What are some of the books that you have planned for this month?! Are you going spooky, participating in ReadAThons, or just keeping is business as usual? Until next time,

Keep Turning the Pages

India

Bookish

Tag Tuesday | Booktube Darling Tag

It’s time to do another tag! This one included a shout out of some of my favorite booktubers! There are so many that it was hard only picking a few. I also actually got tagged in this one and that is crazy! Normally I just do them myself when I find them interesting enough to do. I’ve put the video down below and also attached it here. The prompts are also down below! If you’re a book blogger, I would love to see your answers shouting out other book bloggers, so I can follow more blogs! I think you all are amazing and we should shout each other out more often! I also put the booktubers that I shouted out, here as well. Who are some of your favorite people on the Bookternet? Let me know down below. Until next time,

Keep Turning the Pages

India

Original by April at Getting Hygge With It | https://youtu.be/eHfzJpYMGl0
Tagged by AG Macdonald | https://youtu.be/RcvNA-qXnrU

Booktubers Mentioned!
Desirai at Libri Labra | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2NNxEdcuTiDavwBcia-P-w
Lauren at Novel Lush | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCv_Uj4QhCCBCTAdg3iV156g
Sam at Thoughts on Tomes | https://www.youtube.com/user/ThoughtsOnTomes
Jashana | https://www.youtube.com/user/jacheree
Brandy | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV9Kze5vS6w7ZhuRF27U7Ow
Steph’s Romance Book Talk | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNTmgDRRFoeRLSq5l97T97Q
Kathy Trithardt | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiN4woTQzWrciAcjIKQCzHA
Noria Reads | https://www.youtube.com/user/sitenoebulu
Marines from My Name is Marines | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9dWJULb5LehZYyFug6NOGg
Anisha from Sprinkled Pages | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCILs4_qKB5oL7kyaC8GbijQ
Tin Minute Book Review | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-cZN1f-KVFDffkgC2W4CrA

Also hope I’m friends with Olivia | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC44NI5Qah2UgGOEp25qLvdA

1. White rabbit– Which booktuber introduced you to the wonderful land of booktube?
2. Underrated– Which booktuber should have loads more subscribers?
3. Autowatch– Which booktuber do you drop everything to watch the minute their video goes live?
4. Twinning – Which booktuber has the most similar reading tastes to you? y
5. Boss – Which booktuber do you look up to or admire the most?
6. Bestie – Which booktuber are you genuinely friends with or which booktuber could you see yourself being friends with in real life?
7. Bookcase envy – Which booktuber has a library you’d looooove to have (either the books on their shelves or their library setup itself)?
8. MIA – Which booktuber hasn’t posted in a while that you miss immensely?
9. Newbie – Which booktube newbie are you most excited about?
10. Tag three people!

Bookish

July ReadAThon | FuckAThon!

I am trying to participate in another readathon this month. So far… I’m behind. What’s new with that though. This month I’m participating in the Fuck-A-Thon that is hosted by Noria at Noria Reads on Youtube. The Reading Challenge has prompts that basically are there to challenge the social norms. We have all month to read these books, so I need to get on that. There is also a group book as well! I have put my TBR down below and also attached Noria’s original video. I’m thinking about vlogging for this challenge, but considering I’m already behind that might be a lot haha. What do you think of this new reading challenge?! Let me know down in the comments or on my video! Until next time,

Keep turning the Pages

India

 

Noria’s Original Video | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lypysK_Rlw

FuckAThon Prompts:
Fuck Racism: Read a book that explores race relations
Fuck the Patriarchy: Read a book that challenges patriarchal norms and behaviour
Fuck Ageism: Read a book that centers a well-rounded older character
Fuck Heternormativity: Read a book that is queer af!
Fuck Realism: Read a fantasy book
Fuck Pollution: Read literature that talks about pollution or climate change
Fuck Abuse: Read a book that focuses on any form of abuse
Fuck Classism: Read a book that explores class stratification and the role it plays in a character’s life
Fuck Ableism: Read a book with a main character that has a disability.
Read the Group Book: Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde
*The Liveshow is on July 27th at 8PM

 

Bookish

Do I Only Read When I’m Depressed?

I haven’t been reading a lot lately, which isn’t a bad thing, but it is different. If you follow me on Instagram (if you don’t you should just click here!) you would have seen a post about me talking about feeling more happy. I have noticed that with that light feeling that I’ve had, I haven’t wanted to sit in my bed all day with the windows closed and read my books. Now I haven’t given up reading at all, I just have not sequestered myself to the pillows. Who knows it might just be because I haven’t started a book in awhile that has excited me. As I looked into why I haven’t been crushing my reading goals lately, I really had to look into myself and my own moods and see what was going on.
The conclusion in my own non scientific experiment was that I was not feeling the depression that was weighing me down in so many things. Now I want to be out and moving around and taking more pictures of books than I want to read them. I still have the desire to read them, but I don’t have the desire to sit still, so I need to use some of those audible credits it sounds like. As I was finding this out about my myself I then started to look at the book community.
A lot of the book community contains people who have titled themselves as introverts, which is fine, and that’s why they enjoy reading so much, but also why they love the book community. It gives them a place to socialize without having to socialize. Basically socializing on their own terms. There has also been a lot of discussion and talks about mental health going on in the book community as of late, which I think is fantastic, but they’re more discussions of people saying that they have a mental health issue and bringing light to that. Other than a chemical imbalance that some people face with their mental health, I want to explore what other reasons why a lot of book people feel down. For me, it was a birth control that spun my mental health all out of wack. If I was titling myself I would call myself an extroverted introvert. I can make conversation with anyone at any time and it doesn’t bother me at all, but I also need that space to be away from people some time.
I also wanted to explore the thought of reading for escapism. I know that I have said that in videos and looking back at that, I’m not even sure if that’s what I really meant to say. I always meant reading for escapism in terms of escaping to some place new, and now I think the new word I was trying to come up with is exploring. I feel like I read to explore new places, but not necessarily to escape from the place I’m at. I love where I’m at in life even with all of the mixed feelings and emotions, but it took time to get there. Sometimes I fear for the book community and the fact that too many people are escaping from life and not dealing with life, but everyone has their journey to get to where they need to be.
So my questions starts to become, do I only read when I’m depressed and how do I read in the same volume when I’m happy?  Or do I need to change my expectations of myself and not put reading pressure on myself. These are some of the questions that I have and I don’t know any of the answers. I know that I need to take it a day at a time and still continue to read what I enjoy and have fun with it. Do you find your mood determines your reading? Until next time,
Keep turning the Pages
India
Coffee Break, wedding

Wedding Wednesday | What’s A Budget?

Now this is not going to be a how to budget for your wedding. There are plenty of resources and I found this one to be helpful, along with some of her other learning tools for event planning. I say i’m not going to help you budget because I don’t know how. I don’t even have a budget. Now that’s not to say that I have all the money because that is definitely not the case. Also first figure it out is the wedding something you and your fiancé are going to split, are you going to traditional of brides family pays for the wedding, or are both families going to help. Figure out where you’re getting this money from and don’t be afraid to ask for help, like I was.
I did do a lot of research on what was average in my area and then I decided what prices were absolutely ridiculous for me. For example to me a venue of $10,000 that also does not include food, alcohol, or a wedding planner sounded ridiculous to me. So, you’re saying I also have to pay for catering and someone to plan my wedding for me, or keep things moving on the day of my wedding. I did not want to do that. I also had to have a long conversation with my fiancé about how we wanted to do alcohol because that can be a large chunk of whatever “budget” you set for yourself. Deciding on whether or not you want to have an open bar, a cash bar, an open bar for a certain amount of time and then a cash bar, or maybe you just want to do beer and wine. Then is your venue providing it or do you have to provide all of the alcohol for your wedding.
Some people have that budget and that is good for them. There were some things I was not willing to go cheap on though and that was my photographer. I wanted all of my pictures to be fabulous because these are memories and moments that you can’t get back, but want to see them forever.
I know nothing about flowers…like nothing… when he gets me flowers, I’m just like those are pretty…. but that’s it. So I have been requesting quotes from different shops to try and figure out what I think isn’t ridiculous. I mean come on! $200 for a bouquet that’s not lasting for ever?!?! That’s crazy to me. Then you have to add on delivery feet and set up fee, which quickly adds up to $500 for just that. Next thing you know you spent $2000 on something that isn’t lasting forever. Now I know some people have started to go to wood flowers or these super detailed styrofoam flowers, and I’m highly considering it for decorations and center pieces.
Which brings me to my next thing, DIY. DIY is only a good option if you are crafty, or you have a large amount of the craft supplies already. If you’re going to spend $300 on a machine, before getting the supplies you’re already putting yourself in hole. There are so many Etsy shops and of course Amazon, that can get you to those personalized gifts you really want. Also don’t take on too many DIY projects if things like that don’t make you happy. There can be so many projects, but overdoing them will put a lot of stress on you during this joyous time.
If something seems outrageously priced, do your research and see what the average is. If it’s something that you don’t need then hold off getting it. If it’s something you really, really want pay for the things that you need to pay for first and then get the things you want. Just remember going into debt to impress your friends and family doesn’t make your big day anymore special! Everything is going to turn out beautifully and don’t sweat the small stuff! Let me know how you budgeted for your beautiful day, so I can have some help! Until next time,
Keep Turning the Pages
India