While saying “I am hopelessly behind on my Goodreads Challenge” may be an exaggeration, I am definitely not on track. I am more or less four books behind and am struggling to keep up a little bit. This month was especially more busy than the previous ones and often I was just too tired to concentrate on reading in addition to everything else that was going on. Still, I managed to not read a lot of books, but at least fairly long-ish books in comparison. Take a look!
- Obsidio by Amie Kaufman/Jay Kristoff (4.5 stars)
- Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler (1.5 stars)
- Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi (4 stars)
As always, click on the title to get to the review on the blog and on the cover to get re-directed to Goodreads!
During the entire month of May, I was taking a workshop on the topic of stage and camera casting. While it did involve some theoretic content, it mostly consisted of a lot of acting practice and as you know, I am not an actress. Still, it was fun! Sometimes some roles nearly drove me mad because things didn’t go the way I wanted them to, but overall, I think I am really going to miss acting on a regular basis. I still cannot imagine doing that as a full time job, I am just not sure I am cut out for that, but it was a very fascinating insight of how a life like that might look like.
That course also inspired/encouraged me to start a YouTube channel for my blog. I haven’t set it up yet and am not even sure what exactly I would talk about in my first video (or the ones to come). Still, that didn’t keep me from doing a Twitter poll on whether you’d watch it and 80% of you were kind enough to say “YAS! DO IT!”, so I am seriously considering doing just that. As soon as it’s happening, you’ll be the first to know!
So, what else is new? I did not win the fan art contest I entered in last month, I managed to update Arcadia again and I continue to have fun with my art instagram account if the time allows it. Also, as some of you know, I have pretty vivid dreams but this month really took the crown! I had a continuous dream for more or less two weeks and no matter what I did the story kept evolving. My friends have suggested I should write it down and make it into a book. Maybe I will do that? Maybe I won’t? I think you’d all prefer me to stick to Arcadia for now.
ELSEWHERE ON THE BLOGOSPHERE
Continuing on my quest to share the love for some of my favourite bloggers out there, here are a couple of posts I really enjoyed this month!
- Marie made sure we all knew how to get inspiration for our blogs, especially when it seems like everything has been done before because we are all blogging dinosaurs and have been at it for years.
- The Orang-utan Librarian issues the unfortunately still necessary reminder that book reviews are for readers and not authors!
- Beth started a discussion on why world building is important to her and I loved that post as it also reminded me why I love it when authors really put in the work when they create a new society.
- I only just discovered Lily‘s blog, but it was her mentioning one of my favourite school reads as one of her favourite books that sparked my interest. We both knew that not a lot of people had ever heard of that story and I just love that books can bring us together like that. And I really enjoyed reading her posts ever since.
- Also, a big thank you to Melissa, Sophie, Marie, Malanie, Molly and Sieran for talking about their WIP by doing my original Milestones Write Tag. I always love reading other people’s posts, so please don’t hesitate to do the tag if you are a fellow writer and I might not have tagged you.
MY POSTS
WRITING RELATED
ALL KINDS OF POSTS
DISCUSSION TIME
TRAILER POSTS
So, that was my month! How was yours? Would you watch videos of me? Are you all caught up on Arcadia? Let’s chat!
May went by really fast for me. I’m having a bit of trouble believing it’s June and my birthday’s on its way. I mean, wow! On the plus side, I’m on vacation, which means I’ve plenty of time to relax!
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Well, then go and enjoy your birthday month!
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Will do!
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Oh I feel like even though you’re behind on your GR Reading Challenge goal there’s still time to catch up Kat, and either way you got through some great books. OK, not Sweetbitter but you loved Obsidio and Restore Me so that’s something (those two are a favourite of mine and one I want to get around to soon so they’re the two I’m glad you enjoyed if it was only two out of three this month).
I’m sorry about the fan-art contest, but I can’t wait to see your YouTube videos, is there one in the works for soon?!
Great post, and I hope you have a brilliant June as well. 🙂 ❤
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Haha I hope to still catch up, but I keep getting more and more behind each month, so I am not sure. I am not above changing my goal in December though haha
I had an issue with my editing program for videos and I want to figure that out before I go and do a real video 🙂 but maybe June is the month? Who knows haha
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Keep trying I suppose, and yeah if it comes to it only change it in December when there is no more time left. I have faith you can do it though.
In that case I’ll keep an eye out on June. 🙂 ❤️
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I will for sure! And I will definitely not so sneakily mention the video in one of my posts when it’s done.
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Oh I WANT to see you on Youtube!!!
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I hope I can make that happen haha
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That workshop does sound fun!! Ooh yes I missed that twitter poll- but totally go for a youtube channel!! Thank you so much for sharing my post!!
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It was a lot of fun! I like acting, so doing that on a more intense scale was really interesting but also quite draining in terms of energy.
I hope I can make that YouTube channel happen haha
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Ohh that workshop sounds super interesting and like a lot of fun, even though I could never imagine being an actress myself. 😛 And YES please start your own YouTube channel, I’d definitely subscribe & I’m sure you’d bring such great content to the BookTube world!
Thank you so much for including me in your Wrap-Up, Kat! I’m so happy we met each other here. ❤
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Awe, thanks for the support! I am still not sure what exactly my first video should be about, but I really want to do the booktube thing.
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Ohh well take your time! You could browse through other BookTubers’ videos and see what you’d like to film most.
But whatever you decide on, I’ll be here eagerly awaiting your first video. 😊
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Yeah, I’ve also been reading up on tips for what to do when you first start. Everyone says to not do a book review but a tag or get to know me video instead. So, I guess that’s what I will be striving for.
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I agree! I think it’s much more interesting to hear someone’s opinion on a book, if you, in a sense, feel like you know that person. 🙂
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Also, doing other videos makes it easier to get used to talking to a camera from what I hear.
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Hello Kat!
Some months are more hectic than others so I think it is perfectly all right to not read as much as we set out to. Quality over quantity right? 🙂
I would definitely watch your videos if you start a channel! Do it!!! 😀
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Oh, you are definitely right. Always quality over quantity and honestly, I am not above changing my GR goal should I not be able to catch come December.
And thanks for the support! Everyone has been so kind with excitement for my not even filmed video haha I hope to do one soon.
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Absolutely 🙂 I think reading is a hobby and we shouldn’t feel pressured to read a certain amount of books!
Yay! Looking forward to hearing more about your upcoming videos 🙂
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YOU’RE STARTING A YOUTUBE CHANNEL? I COMPLETELY MISSED THAT BUT THAT’S SO EXCITING KAT. I suck at keeping up with youtube channels but I will definitely try to watch your videos 🙂
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Well, I haven’t started it yet hahaha so, you also haven’t missed anything yet. I am still struggling to come up with a good concept for the first video and my editing software sucks … so that’s all stuff I want to figure out first.
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That makes sense! Good luck, I’m looking forward to seeing what you’ll come up with 🙂
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Thanks!
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I think you’ll have some pretty cool things to share with us through a Youtube channel if you ask me. Be yourself and enjoy it! Of course, if all you feel is stress and pressure from them, take a step back! 😉 Happy reading/TV-movie viewing, Kat! 😀
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Thanks, Lashaan! That’s so nice of you to say. I really hope my acting coach was right and that I can be natural in front of the camera not just when we film a scene but also when I do self-tapes.
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Despite being slightly behind on your Goodreads challenge you are doing so well. I am also super behind on mine… but we’ll get there… I hope. You’ve had an amazing month. 3 books is fantastic especially with everything else you have had going on. I can’t wait to see what you post on your Youtube channel, so many options, are you going to make it a little bit of everything like your blog? Art, Books and TV/Film? x
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We will or, and I am really not above that, I will just change my goodreads goal haha
I do plan for the channel to not just be about books. I don’t know if I would integrate art as well, but definitely TV!
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It sounds like you had a great time with those acting classes! I think it’s cool that you are considering making a Youtube channel! 🙂
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Thanks! I really did a have a good time. I always enjoyed acting, but this class really proved that camera acting is more my thing than stage acting. And I like trying to do different roles, while also finding the limits of what I can authentically play. It was fun!
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The workshop you did in May seems really interesting! I have never acted before, but it does sound fun – maybe I will try it in the future (but knowing my introverted self, probably not). I’m glad to hear that you had a good time. 🙂
Also, definitely a YES for the youtube thing! I would really be interested in watching your videos.
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It wasn’t my first acting experience, I did an extensive course especially for camera acting last year, but this was something else. It was really four days a week, several hours of just concentrating and acting. I don’t even know how real actors have the energy to do anything other than sleep at the end of the day haha
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So, when can I expect your first Youtube video? I am waiting over here haha. I can’t WAIT to see it and I hope you’ll take that leap, it would be very fun and I’m sure you would do awesome videos 🙂
It still makes me so sad to see that 1,5 star-rating in your books for this past month haha, I really hope that June is starting off better and with only great reads, hopefully – fingers crossed!
Thank you so, so much for sharing my post, you’re the sweetest ❤ ❤
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I wish I could give you a date, but I haven’t even figured out what that first video would be about. Well, I guess I sorta figured it out. It’s supposed to be a get-to-know-me video, as I suspect not all the viewers (or hopefully not all) will come from the blog and they won’t know who I am haha
Jackaby was a great read. I am struggling again with my current read, but it’s not as bad as that book from last month.
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A GET TO KNOW MEEEEEEEEEEE YES. I love these kind of videos haha and I am certain more people will come – I think that the booktube community is a bit… wider, somehow, that the book blogging one? So you might reach tons of new people you don’t know yet 😀 That will be very fun, I can’t wait 😀
I actually have your Jackaby review opened on my computer, I’ll read it tonight to see what you thought of it in details 😛
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Hahaha glad you approve of the concept, but I still don’t know what exactly I would say. I will see! I want this to sort of come to me rather than force it.
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I get it – and we will be waiting patiently for whenever you’re ready 😀
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