September Wrap Up // 2020
Hi there, friends! Welcome to my chaotic and uneventful September wrap up. I hope everyone had a lovely month and is having just as great of a time as I am welcoming in this nice, cool fall weather!
This month was okay. I started off super strong with all those new releases, but have kind of fallen off the reading wagon towards the end here. I just feel kind of unmotivated, but there’s nothing else I really want to do either? I dunno. Maybe just an off week!
Anyways, I’m going to jump on in!
Majesty: A..fine conclusion to the American Royals duology? Honestly still not quite sure what to think of this one. If you want more of my thoughts, check out my review here!
Blood & Honey: So meh. It took me way longer to get through this than I anticipated because I was honestly just bored. It wasn’t bad, and I still think a lot of people will enjoy it! Read my review here.
The Inheritance Games: My first foray into YA thriller, and it was a smashing success! I really liked this, and I can’t wait for the sequel. Full review here.
A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire: That ending. Enough said. (But if you want to hear me say more, my review is here!)
The Lost Book of the White: I mean, I love Malec, so I liked this. But it was kinda boring, and I wish it would’ve held the same intimacy that I felt when reading the first book. I think the bloated cast made it less Magnus-and-Alec focused.
Have a Little Faith in Me: I LOVE this book. It’s one of my favorite contemporaries of all time and I am so so happy that I snap-grabbed it at the library. I just posted my review of it here.
Vampire Academy & Frostbite: I’m reading these for the first time at 22. It’s been a wild ride. I think I’m going to do a full blog post on this series after I finish it, so stay tuned!
Love Island USA: We love to see it, we hate to see it. This season is actually SO good (that might only be because it’s on every night and I have nothing else to keep me entertained lol). Justine and Caleb are the actual cutest thing to bless my screen and if they don’t win, I’m coming for CBS.
Other than that, no TV or movies, really. I skim-rewatched Love, Victor, which is still super cute. I’m considering rewatching Gilmore Girls this autumn/winter, because that seems like a cozy fall mood.
Beach too Sandy, Water too Wet: This podcast is such a source of joy in my life. It’s two siblings who do dramatic readings on one-star yelp reviews. It’s so funny, and Christine and Alex have such great banter. It’s super low key and just a great way to relax and get in a laugh if you’re feeling like you need one!
Bad on Paper: I’ve definitely become a loyal listener of this one! I love Grace and Becca and have become attached to their banter and their personalities! Their latest episode was the book club one for Majesty by Katharine McGee, and they had her on the podcast, which made it a super fun behind-the-scenes type thing that I loved! Highly recommend this.
I’ve been super bad about blog hopping this month, though I have found a few blog posts that I really enjoyed!
Malka @ Paper Procrastinators wrote about the downside of mood reading (which I very much relate to).
Althea @ Althea Reads gave a list of 2021 trans & nonbinary recs so you can get ready for next year!
Sumedha from The Wordy Habitat wrote about nonfiction and if it truly is the superior genre.
And last but not least, The Orangutan Library spelled out the best recipe for a main character (aka Bella Swan).
Please, drop your fall Starbucks drink orders. Usually I get a vanilla latte w/ nonfat milk, but I’m in the mood to ~spice~ it up this season. Can I just add pumpkin to any drink?? A pumpkin latte, perhaps?
Here is your monthly reminder to VOTE! Not only does the future of this country depend on us, but I will also be putting in 16 hours as a poll worker on election day and would love to see a wonderfully large turnout (:
Resources here:
Check your voter registration status so you’re set for election day…
…and know your polling place ahead of time!
And if you can, vote early to save space at the polls for those who need it on election day!
So since I’ve been kinda slacking with my goals, I’m not going to do a big fancy graphic. I feel like they just put pressure on me to read certain books, and I’m just such a mood reader that that doesn’t work for me.
Instead, here are three books that I want to read in October.
What was your favorite book you read this month? Any movie or TV recommendations for me? PLEASE drop your Starbucks *hot* drink recs below!!
Thank you, my lovely blog friends, and as always..
13 Comments
Haley @ Fangirl Fury
Love this post! I commute to my internship most Wednesdays, so I love having Bad on Paper to listen to – loved the Majesty book club episode! I still have to read Serpent and Dove, but I’m getting sort’ve turned off because I’ve seen so many meh reviews for the sequel. Great post!
erin
Aw love that!! I didn’t realize the podcast was a thing until like two months ago but am so glad to have found it (: Definitely give it a try, I feel like some people really enjoy it regardless of the slow-moving plot!! Hopefully you’ll be one of the lucky ones who love it ♥
Ali
I’m reading The Vampire Academy for the first time, too…and also in my 20s 😅 I have so many thoughts and no one to talk to about them. Now I do! Next book for me is Blood Promise, but the person who has it checked out doesn’t seem like they will be returning it anytime soon and I’m IMPATIENT.
Justine and Caleb are SO cute! I am very happy with the outcome of last night’s episode. Obviously there was no other choice. If you are into reality TV, you should check out Say I Do on netflix if you haven’t already. It’s like Queer Eye but with weddings (and I kind of like it more). I basically cried every single episode, it’s so good.
Hope you have a lovely October Erin!!
erin
Aww we love to see a fellow late bloomer when it comes to The Vampire Academy series!! 😂😂 Fingers crossed that you get your hands on Blood Promise ASAP!!
UGH Jaleb has my heart and soul. Ooooh thank you for the rec, I’m gonna check it out!! I’ve been looking for some new shows and Say I Do sounds super cute ♥
Kaya
i don’t know if i mentioned this before but your blog is SO gorgeous! i hope you have a lovely october!
Dini @ dinipandareads
I think with everything going on this year it’s been so easy for moods to be swinging all over the place. But it looks like you had a pretty good month of reading with mostly “winning” reads that you enjoyed 🙂 I’m screaming *YAAS* for all three books in your October TBR! Poppy War was *chefs kiss* but soo intense (defo check out the TWs beforehand) and I can’t wait to read Addie LaRue and Kingdom of the Wicked. Also, my favourite Starbucks hot *fall* drink is the Pumpkin Spice Latte. It’s so cliche but also since seasons don’t change here, this is about as fall as we get in the tropics (even at Starbucks) 😂 Hope you have a great month ahead!
erin
Honestly can’t go wrong w a good PSL, I might just have to get one today! 😅 Addie LaRue and Kingdom of the Wicked are top two and I’m cryin that the latter doesn’t come out until the end of the month ugh! Thank you love, you too!! ♥ ♥
Ruby Rae Reads
Omg Rin, I’m always so obsessed with your cute lil graphics *insert heart eyes*
Omg love that you read Vampire Academy. I’ve had that series on my shelf for years and have only read book one. I’ve just never been sure if I ~actually~ was interested in it and I’m kinda not sure if I’d even like it?? Anyways, you’re making me reconsider haha. Hope that you get to all the books on your tbr, I CANNOT CANNOT wait to read Addie LaRue ahhhh. Literally so excited.
Sending love xoxoxo
erin
*sobs* Aw thank you!! tbh my mom is a graphic designer and helps me out with a lot of the actual artwork…can’t take all the credit 😂 Okay confession I DNF-ed after the first book…it was just a bit too juvenile? Like I think I would’ve loved it in my early teens but have just passed the ideal age range!! Trust your gut, you were right the first time 😅 YESSS can’t wait to hear your thoughts on miss addie!!! ♥ ♥ ♥
Sophia @ Bookwyrming Thoughts
Oh no, hopefully, you’ll get your motivation back! But who am I to talk, my motivation fell off too. Hope you have a great October, and godspeed to you when you read The Poppy War. I don’t drink Starbucks unfortunately, so I’m not much help with drink choices.
erin
Thank you!! ♥ I’m going to need all the hope and prayers I can get for The Poppy War, it seems! Hope you have an awesome month! (:
Malka @ Paper Procrastinators
It seems like you had a pretty good reading month overall! I’m so curious to hear your initial thoughts on Vampire Academy! And I also highly recommend the movie. I think I’m one of the few people who enjoyed it, but I found it hilarious!
Thank you so mmuch for mentioning my post! I was terrible at blog hopping in September as well, but now that my first batch of finals is over, I’ve been doing my best to catch up on all the posts that I missed!
So I tend to do iced drinks all year round because hot drinks burn my tongue, since I have no patience. I also usually go for soy milk because I don’t mesh well with dairy. But I think my go to order of a white chocolate mocha iced coffee with soy wilk could translate pretty well with dairy and no ice. I know it’s pretty simple, but I love it!
I’m also very excited to vote this year! I already received my absentee ballot, so now all I have to do is fill it out and send it in!
I hope you have a wonderful October, and that you not only manage to read all the books you mentioned here, but that you enjoy them as well!
erin
Ooooh okay I have to try that ASAP!! I’m a sucker for their white chocolate mochas, I feel like that would be delicious iced. I used to drink soy and have kinda jumped back and forth between that and non-fat, so maybe I’ll try both!! 🥰
We LOVE to see a prepared voter!! (: Hope you have the best October as well, can’t wait to see what you get up to!! ♥ ♥