Charms Extra Credit Readathon: A Week of Reading

Pre-readathon intro:

I love the Magical Readathons hosted by Book Roast and for the week of 8th to 14th of October we are given a special treat: the Charms Extra Credit readathon! I listed my readathon TBR in my October TBR post where I also hinted that I might be doing a week-long live blog for this readathon. So here we are! I’m really excited to get started, I have done these live blogs earlier for an independent 24 in 48 readathon and a 24 hour readathon, but doing it for a whole week is something brand new for me.

The challenges are:

🐶 Accio: Read a book at the top of your TBR

🔥 Incendio: Read a book with flames/fire in title or cover

✨ Lumos: Read a book with a light/white cover

🗝 Alohomora: Read a book that is first in a series

🦋 Rictumsempra: Read a book that gives you butterflies

You can check out this video for more info on the readathon. My goal is to finish at least two challenges during the following week and have loads of fun.

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Discussion: The Dark Side of Scribd

Scribd is a subscription service that has been often referred to as “Netflix for books”. It is a digital library that allows an ‘unlimited’ access to ebooks, audiobooks and documents for subscribers who pay a monthly subscription fee.

Within the past year, Scribd has blown up in the bookish community. I have seen loads of Booktubers (Youtubers who make videos about books) advertise for Scribd and hype their service. And it’s easy to see why: Scribd has loads of content from brand new releases to less known books in both audio and ebook format. Audiobooks have become wildly popular lately and Scribd is one of the only services that promise an unlimited amount of material in exchange for a very reasonable cost. In contrast, the most popular audiobook service, Audible, charges more than Scribd for a month and you only get one audiobook. And in addition to the audiobooks, loads of ebooks are available as well.

Sounds pretty amazing, eh? Yep I thought so too. I started using Scribd too but it didn’t take me long to discover that Scribd is not actually unlimited but it is “unlimited”. This is a discussion post of whether Scribd is worth it or if it is basically a scam. I’ll first tell you my journey with the service over the last 3 months and then I’ll dive into the discussion bit. Is Scribd really the service we want or is it designed to leave you frustrated and angry?

My feels about Scribd in a gif:

Weekend Aesthetic: Strange the Dreamer

Yay today I have something brand new to share with you: A Weekend Aesthetic!

The wonderful Jordan @ The Heart of a Book Blogger has been doing Weekend Aesthetics for some time now, and I have loved every single one of her posts. I had a go at doing an aesthetic board for a book when I reviewed State of Sorrow by Melinda Salisbury, and I fell in love with doing them!

Jordan said that she wouldn’t mind if I started doing Weekend Aesthetics as well, so here we are ☺️ See Jordan’s this week’s gorgeous Weekend Aesthetic here!

I’m hoping to do Weekend Aesthetics bi-weekly, and every aesthetic board will feature a book I’m currently reading or a book I have read previously. This week I made an aesthetic board of Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor.

October TBR + Magical Readathon Extra Credit TBR

October is the coziest reading month and I’m already excited for reading on evenings wrapped up in blankets and drinking hot chocolate while the rain drums the windows.

October also includes some fun bookish stuff! I have loads of ARCs to review and I’m also taking part in the Magical Readathon: Extra Credit for Charms.

In September I used a new TBR format: TBR clouds. I wanted to set up challenges for myself instead of a list of pre-selected books to read. The clouds ended up working really well and I will definitely return to that format, but this month will need a set list of books because of the readathon and a whole bunch of review copies I have.

What I read in September with mini reviews

September rushed by so quickly and I can’t believe that I’m already here writing up a wrap-up post!

In September I started my masters degree in psychological research. It has been really fun so far and I’m enjoying it. BUT it definitely is hard to balance life, exercise, university, blogging, friends, family and still getting a decent amount of sleep! But I’m still so in love with blogging that no university stress can stop me, haha.

September was a pretty amazing reading month as well. In my September TBR clouds I forecasted (pun intended) that my 8-10 reads a month would take a drastic drop to 3-4 when university term starts. I’m happy to say that at least for now that wasn’t the case and I managed to read 8 books! Although many of them were pretty short. But still, 8 books!

How, in reality, I found time to read:

ARC review: A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult

A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult

Publication date: 2nd of October

Goodreads

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I don’t usually include trigger warnings, but now I definitely will. The book is graphic and can be upsetting, it includes descriptions of abortions, gun violence and death.

The Centre is the only place in Mississippi that provides abortions. It is also the place where the views of anti-choice and pro-choice individuals collide; the pro-life protesters surround the entrance of the Centre everyday and the women who need to go in have to brave through the flock of people trying desperately to turn them around. But that is everyday life, and regardless of it, no one expected that George Goddart would burst in one day, open fire and take everyone inside a hostage.

Hugh McElroy is a hostage negotiator and consequently, he rushes to the scene to contact the shooter and make sense of the situation. His focus is shattered, however, when he receives a text from his fifteen-year-old daughter, Wren, from inside the clinic.

October Bullet Journal Set-up

It’s almost time for October!! I’m not a Halloween person but I’m still an all-in autumn-lover. And October is the queen of fall. To boost my autumnal mood, I recently got a large cinnamon chai -scented WoodWick candle that crackles as it burns and I have been stocking up in cozy sweaters. Obviously I had to match my bullet journal layout for October with the autumnal deliciousness.

I rarely devote a full spread for welcoming the next month but this time I got an idea that I wanted to try out. I’m planning to add quick notes and link them to the relevant day on the outside of the borders. I also added a quote by J.K Rowling which is probably quite difficult to read from the picture:

“I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a book.”

I’m clearly anticipating a book filled October!