Yes, I’m making a mid-monthly catch up a thing! I feel like a weekly round up is too much but a monthly one leaves me with too much to tell you in one post! In news that won’t surprise anyone, I’ve inadvertently signed up for far more reviews than my poor eyes can take this month, despite using my reading journal as some sort of bastion of reason when it comes to organising my time! The thing that has got me most this month, believe it or not, is font size. It’s a small thing (literally) you may think, but in the case of a 400+ page book it really does break the blogger! I REFUSE to skim read but it does mean that my already weighty TBR this month has in some ways added an extra 1/3 through font. Thankfully, I finished the worst offender last night but now i’m totally behind! In light of that I’ve kind of already decided not to sign up for any reviews in September, I’m going to make it a month for reading just for me and trying to make a dent my physical TBR, I was thinking of focusing on my YALC purchases?

I’m going to get on my soapbox a little now and say “Woah, reign it back on the ARC entitlement!” as the amount of posts I see from people complaining about not getting Arcs is kind of ridiculous. These are a privilege, sent out to those who can further the author and promote their new release the best. This is just business pure and simple. But I’ve been pretty angered by what I’ve been seeing on twitter of late, calling out publishers and authors for not sending out the second book in a series to a reader “who loved the first one” I think that this kind of attitude is really damaging, if you read book one and loved it, give back to the the author by supporting them in buying book 2! I don’t know, I guess the whole Arc debacle at YALC has made me weary of the issue 😦  Whilst talking review copies, i’m proper chuffed that there is an Oxfam book shop that has just opened in town, I am utterly blessed to receive finished copies of books for review and I can’t wait to go and donate a bunch of new release books so that good causes can benefit from my good fortune!

In Instagram news I am so very very humbled that I am nearly at 2k followers on the plaform! I’m going to be hosting a giveaway for reaching this milestone and it will be a box filled with books, merch and a very special candle included by the lovely Sylv at Whizzpop candles – it’s certainly one for the Grishaverse fans! I’ve also today received the new Geeky Clean Bathwitch collection which is amazing as always. The unboxing is currently pinned in my story highlights if you wanted to take a look!

Looking ahead, I am very happy to say that I have no more work for the rest of the month! I’m home with the little ones until school starts again – I’m not foolish enough to think I’ll have plenty of relaxing reading time, but I’m hoping I’ll have at least some. I’m looking forward to some lovely days out (when the rain stops) and putting my phone and social media to the side to really make the most of our time. It’s also going to be mine and Mr Paperbacks 10th wedding anniversary very soon and in true “us” fashion we’ve decided to shun a meal out and stay in and binge watch the new Dark Crystal series which releases that day, I may even grab some cake from Cake in a Jar too as they are lush!

As a final thought, I’m going to be heading to Edinburgh for a few days for my 40th later this year, if anyone has some recommendations of places to stay and visit please let me know 🙂