THROUGH THE FLASHING BARS OF JULY: A Monthly Wrap Up

Happy August, everyone! Aren’t you just excited for autumns aesthetics to start blowing in? Here, in the Philippines, the monsoons have begun. Which means more books, more tea consumed, warmer blankets, and a thesis to complete! Autumn is essentially everything I was born to be.

Besides running around haphazardly to get my thesis outline done, I finished up the first draft for my novel and the task of editing it is upon me! I’m excited to finally have the polished version of this novel done, because it has been THREE YEARS since I started writing it. And I lied, this isn’t exactly the first draft because the novel underwent a dozen revisions.

I read ten books this July! Can you believe it? Because I can’t! Starting this blog has definitely made me more accountable to putting in time for reading, but even though I am amazed by this I do have a few…I wouldn’t call them regrets but..I’m in need of a few disciplinary actions to improve on my other creative areas.

I finally finished reading Women Who Run With Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés which I began way back in October 2016. I took my time with this particular book because there is so much in it that needed hours, sometimes days, that needed to be absorbed. I recommend this book for anyone who feels like they’re stuck in a rut or feel lost. I’ll be writing up a post on what I learned from the book this week.

And finally, I got into A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab! It’s been long overdue, and wow was I amazed! I loved the whole premise of the novel ❤ You can find my review on Goodreads.

Gate of Air (Dragon Gods #1) by Resa Nelson || Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

The Stargazer’s Embassy by Eleanor Lerman || Genre: Adult, Science Fiction

First Command (A Tides Novella) by Alex Lidell || Genre: Young Adult, Adventure

Belle’s Bookish Tales: RETURNING TO THE CLASSICS  

Chai Break: How Do You Find Time To Read? by ThisLitBlog

What Makes You Comment on a Blog Post by The Well-Thumbed Reader

10 Improvements That Would Make Goodreads 500x Better by Paper Fury

 

I start with time management: setting aside time for my thesis, my poetry writing, my blog activities, and my reading. I’ve been meaning to start a sort of morning routine for myself which, I believe, will help lessen my anxiety as I go through the day.

I recently joined a Classic Books Challenge by the The Classics Club Blog! So, I have a goal to finish 50 classics book by August 2022. Sounds amazingly intimidating na? You can find my book list here, which I know lists 84 books. but my goal is 50, for now. If you love classics, then please do join me! I’d love to do a buddy read someday!

Finally, I’d also like to expand my social reach on Instagram. I currently have around a hundred or so followers. For me, the struggle lies in taking clean and pretty pictures. But with each day, I learn to get better at photography which is a reward in itself. Oh, and I’ve also been applying for a lot of rep searches, mostly in the Philippines, because I really want to support local bookish merchandises as best I can.

What did you think about your July – not just in terms of books – but in general? Are there any parts of your life you’d like to improve on?

What’s on your book blogging or reading bucket list for the rest of the months?

 

[Title quoted from Francis Thompson’s A Corymbus for Autumn. Background images for text dividers taken from Angie Makes]