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Books of Amber

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Debut Showcase: March 2021 Debut Books

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September 2020 Wrap Up and October Plans

13/10/2020      1 Comment

Hi fellow readers! Long time no speak (kind of). The past few months have been horrendously busy for me so the only thing I have really had time for is writing book reviews, and even then I’ve not kept up with those like I had originally planned.

Why have I been so busy, you ask? Well, I bought a house!

We started viewing houses just before lockdown happened in March, and then we almost immediately had to put the whole thing on pause. Once the estate agents opened up again, we were back on the internet looking at houses for sale in the area, this time with a bit of a bigger deposit.

We viewed a few different houses, but we ended up putting an offer in on the first house we viewed back in March and it was accepted! And then it took months and months of paperwork, surveys, contacting people, waiting… the whole process took a lot out of me. But on 2nd October, we got the keys! I’m now a homeowner!

It all feels very surreal and I’m really grateful that I’m able to afford a house (the mortgage is less than the rent I was paying so it’s not really a surprise…) and that I now have some security when it comes to our living situation. I’m so, so happy.

I’ve been posting moving vlogs on my Youtube channel, and I’m planning on doing some homeware hauls and home renovation videos in the future too!

Other than the whole house thing, I’ve not been doing an awful lot. Moving took a lot out of me on its own, so I’m glad I didn’t have much on!

Oh, but I did redesign the blog! I’m still in the middle of things, but it’s been very refreshing to play around with a new theme. I’m still struggling to sort out the colours of the blog but I’m loving being able to mess around with it! Once I’ve figured out a colour scheme I can create a header and it’s all going to look so fresh and new!

Books Read in September

  1. Her Every Fear by Peter Swanson ★★★
  2. Furyborn by Claire Legrand ★★★
  3. The House in the Cerulean Sea by T. J. Klune ★★★★
  4. The End of Her by Shari Lapena ★★★
  5. Contagion by Teri Terry ★★.5
  6. Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi ★★★
  7. Saga Vol. 6 by Brian K. Vaughan ★★★★
  8. The Survivors by Jane Harper ★★★★

Plans for October

I realise we’re already partway through October but I wanted to share my plans with you all anyway! The most exciting part of the month for me is the buddy reading that I’m doing (see the graphic below). I’m buddy reading a spooky book every week and I’ve asked if people want to join me! This week we’re reading The Carrow Haunt, which is a very well regarded ghost story. I’m so excited!

As for life plans, I have none! I’m going to be painting my new bedroom at some point this month, and other than that we’re just going to be doing a tonne of admin with our accounts and things. Fun!

Tell me about your September! Did you have a good month? And are you having a good October?

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Natalie @Natflix&Books says

    18/10/2020 at 4:36 pm

    Congratulations on the new home! Moving is the worst, but it always feels so good once you’re settled. I’m liking the new look on the blog too!

    Reply

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    Hello!

    Hello!

    My name is Amber, I'm 27 years old, and I've been a book blogger, reviewer, and Tuber for ten years. When I'm not reading, I love gaming, exercising, cinema trips, hiking, and exploring.

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    (This book was sent to me by the author as a gift) (This book was sent to me by the author as a gift)

Happy release day to The Effort! I'm so excited to read this apocalyptic story about people coming together to prevent a global crisis. Like I said the other day, I'm really into disaster stories lately 😊

#books #booktube #smallyoutuber #smallyoutubercommunity #bookstagram #bookblogger #bookworm #bookish #debutauthors #21ders #debutbooks #debutshowcase #dac21 #the21ders #reading #igbooks #booksofig #igreads #book
    * ad - book provided by publisher for free in exch * ad - book provided by publisher for free in exchange for an honest review *

I'm smashing through my physical ARCs this week, which means it's almost time for me to read This is Not the Jess Show! I'm excited for this one, if a little cautious about how similar to The Truman Show it's going to be.

#books #booktube #smallyoutuber #smallyoutubercommunity #bookstagram #bookblogger #bookworm #yabooks #bookish #youngadultbooks #booksofig #igreads #currentlyreading #igbooks #bookstagramuk #bookstagrammer
    The first week back at work put me in an unfortuna The first week back at work put me in an unfortunate reading slump, but I'm hoping Hold Back the Stars will get me out of it! I'm going to be reading this one today and hopefully forgetting about real life.

#books #bookstagram #bookblogger #bookworm #bookish #sff #sffbooks #holdbackthestars #bookstoread #currentlyreading #reading #igbooks #booksofig #igreads #bookstagramuk #booksbooksbooks #bookgram
    * ad - book provided by publisher for free in exch * ad - book provided by publisher for free in exchange for an honest review*

I absolutely blasted through The Girls I've Been by Tess Sharpe this week! I was worried I was getting slumpy from too much sff so I switched to a YA thriller and WHEW, it was excellent. 

The Girls I've Been is about a girl called Nora who is the daughter of a con artist (and also bi!). She's living her own life now away from her mother, and then someone tries to rob a bank while she's inside it.

This was so fast paced and I love that it was told in a non linear format. Trigger warnings for lots of things, though. You can find the full list on the author's website but the main one for me was domestic violence.

#books #bookstagram #bookblogger #bookworm #yabooks #thegirlsivebeen #yathrillers #yathriller #thrillerbooks #booktube #smallyoutuber #smallyoutubercommunity #reading
    Because I like to read about other apocalypses dur Because I like to read about other apocalypses during pandemics, apparently.

 I've just started The Lightest Object in the Universe and I'm intrigued! Have you read it?

#books #bookstagram #bookblogger #bookworm #bookstagramuk #currentlyreading #dystopia #dystopianbooks #apocalypse #sff #sffbooks #bookish #booktube #smallbookstagrammer #booksbooksbooks
    *AD - book gifted by publisher in exchange for an *AD - book gifted by publisher in exchange for an honest review* 

Siri, Who Am I? was my final read of 2020 and it was a fun one. While I didn't love how the main character treated others, particularly her attitude towards sex workers, I did like how fast paced this one was and the slight mystery element mixed with Rich People Drama kept me reading. Will I reread it? No. But I enjoyed my time with it well enough.

#books #booktube #smallyoutuber #smallyoutubercommunity #bookstagram #bookblogger #bookworm #bookreview #smallbookstagrammer #booksbooksbooks #siriwhoami #romcom #reading
    I'm supposed to be starting The Bear and the Night I'm supposed to be starting The Bear and the Nightingale on Tuesday for my weekly buddy read, but I want to read it now! I should probably finish some of the books I've already started though.

#books #booktube #smallyoutuber #smallyoutubercommunity #bookstagram #bookblogger #bookworm #booksbooksbooks #bookstoread #tbr #tbrpile #toread #readingpile #reading #bookaddict #igbooks #booksofig #igreads #thebearandthenightingale #winternighttrilogy
    Yes, I'm still reading this 😂 I'm trying to fin Yes, I'm still reading this 😂 I'm trying to finish it by the end of the year but who knows if that'll happen? I'm enjoying buddy reading it with @ishouldreadthat though, and I'm sure she's appreciating my rants and fangirling.

#books #booktube #smallyoutuber #smallyoutubercommunity #bookstagram #bookblogger #bookworm #wordsofradiance #thewayofkings #Stormlight #stormlightarchive #brandonSanderson #fantasybooks #sff
    I am so unbelievably excited to try this YA thrill I am so unbelievably excited to try this YA thriller this month. I am tempted to drop everything and pick it up right now but, ya know, commitments.

#books #booktube #smallyoutuber #smallyoutubercommunity #bookstagram #bookblogger #bookworm #yabooks #youngadultbooks #thrillerbooks #smallbookstagrammer #booksbooksbooks #tbr #toberead #tbrpile #agoodgirlsguidetomurder
    I just HAD to feature one of my favourite books of I just HAD to feature one of my favourite books of the year, and the start of one of my all time favourite series before the end of 2020. I adore The City of Brass so much, and I recommend it to everyone I come across. I've reread it three times now, and in 2021 I plan to make it four!

What's your favourite fantasy series?

#books #booktube #smallyoutuber #smallyoutubercommunity #bookstagram #bookblogger #bookworm #daevabad #daevabadtrilogy #thecityofbrass #fantasybooks #fantasyreader #fantasy #reading #booksbooksbooks #booksofig #igreads #favoritebooks #christmasbooks #vlogmas #bookmas

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