Gifts to myself for surviving my first year of uni // Book Haul

Hey and howdy 🤠

I’m finally back home in Spain and I’m getting my last round of assignment marks back which means I’ve officially finished with my first year of university.

Looking back the hardest part about being at uni was cooking for myself. If anyone is heading off to Uni for the first time in September please start learning to cook now. Not even learning to cook, I mean I can do the basics, but get thinking about meals you can make quickly and for cheap because it’s a nightmare. Pasta and wraps are going to make up the majority of your diet, believe me.

I’m very happy with myself for making it this far. Not to toot my own horn or anything but I am actually proud of myself, not even necessarily for the academic side of things, but for the social aspect of living away from home. I was very surprised by the lack of spiralling like I expected.

Obviously because of all this I’ve had to treat myself over the last couple of weeks with some new e-books. How can I not when e-books are so cheap and I’ve been so stressed?

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Nick and Charlie by Alice Oseman – My friend got me this as a going away present since I’m going to America in August and won’t be seeing them til January. I’ve already read it. I made the most of my train journey back from the Connan Gray concert to demolish this.

Book Lovers by Emily Henry – I’m jumping on the Emily Henry train this summer, starting with Beach Read and following up with this here newest release. I bought this because it was 99p and how am I meant to say no to that?

She Gets the Girl by Rachel Lippincott & Alysson Derrick – Rachel Lippincott is one of the authors of Five Feet Apart which I enjoyed but this book she wrote with her wife which is so cute. Again this was 99p and it’s a book I actually have had my eye on for a while so I’m excited to pick this up.

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The Anonymous Bookaholics Tag

Hello 👋

I’m currently waiting on an e-mail from my tutor to tell me what the Hell I’m meant to be doing for my assignment. I imagine he’s responding to a lot of emails from people in my class though so I’m probably not gonna hear back for a while yet.

In the mean time, I thought I would finally get around to doing The Anonymous Bookaholics Tag which I was tagged to do by Riddhi @ Whispering Stories!

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What do you like about buying new books?

The easier question would be: what don’t I like about buying new books? And the answer to that is seeing my bank balance go down.

There’s just something so therapeutic about browsing the shelves or scrolling online, humming-and-ahhing over which ones I want, and then when you actually do buy it you get that hit of serotonin. Is it a healthy coping mechanism? No, plus it’s expensive, but just remember: there’s worst things to be addicted to.

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How often do you buy books?

It used to be not that often. I’d do like a bulk buy of a couple of books I was interested in, or put credit on my Kindle and pick up the e-books for cheap.

But now it’s a lot more often. I can’t help it! I have my bank account now, e-books are going to be my downfall, and it’s not my fault that I have a Waterstones just round the corner from my Uni and friends that tell me to just do it!

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Bookstore or online book shopping: which do you prefer?

Bookstores 100%. Back home in Spain I always bought online because in store Spanish books are expensive and English books are hard to find. I always loved visiting the UK and taking trips to Waterstones. Now that I’m back in the UK for uni, me and my friends will just kill an hour between lectures by going around all the bookshops in town, even if we don’t buy anything.

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Do you have a favourite bookshop?

York has so many book-shops and I love it. Right now I’ve only bought from Waterstones but there’s a great LGBTQ+ book shop I plan on getting a few things from in the future (I’ve run out of space on the windowsill I’m using as a bookshelf so it’ll be a while yet).

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Do you pre-order books?

No. I don’t think I’ve ever pre-ordered a book, definitely never a physical copy of a book. I’d really rather wait until the release date and order it then.

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Do you have a monthly buying limit?

Also no, but I should. Not for physical books, I never go to overboard on physical books, but like I said before, e-books are going to be my downfall. They’re just so cheap and accessible and when they’re on your Kindle you don’t realise just how many you have!

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How big is your wishlist?

So big even though sometimes, when my mum asks me what books I want for my birthday/Christmas, I’m like a dear caught in headlights and suddenly have no clue what books I want.

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Which three books from your wishlist do you wish to own right now?

• Terms and Conditions by Lauren Asher – was going to hold off on this one but I keep nearly being spoiled on Tik-Tok. Will probably get myself this as a treat after I finish my assignments this week.
• Mox by Jon Moxley – I ordered this. Payed for quick delivery. It didn’t arrive. Then I got an e-mail saying it it had been returned to the warehouse. Now it’s unavailable. Fun.
• Blackout Anthology – I’ve had my eyes on this for a while. I keep seeing it in bookshops. the sprayed black edges are so pretty.

In the space of my writing this my tutor has in fact replied to my email and it really didn’t clear much up for me. Sadly I now I have no reason not to get started so I’m gonna grab a cup of tea, wing it and hope for the best.

I was going to tag people but now I don’t have time so if you’re still reading well then, consider yourself tagged! Thanks for reading :))

Elli xx

New bookmarks to go with new books!!

Howdy.

You know that specific kind of frustration that comes when you have work that really needs to get done but your brain is just no co-operating?? Yeah that’s me right now and if I don’t distract myself for a bit, we’re gonna spiral and nobody wants that.

And so here I am to talk not only about the books I got recently, but the bookmarks too!!

LaurelMaeArt // PeachPandaStudio // serenmaddison

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Me: no more buying books. Also me: BOOK HAUL TIME!! 🥳

Guess who’s back (with a book haul). Back again!

I know I said I wasn’t buying any more books until I read a decent amount of my already owned TBR and that’s still true! Besides from one minor slip up, which I’ve already forgiven myself for, these were all purchased, requested or gifted to me before Christmas.

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*I didn’t realise quite how many ARCs I’d requested until I got accepted for them all in the same short span of time 😬*

Good Girl Complex by Elle Kennedy

I got the email that I was approved for an ARC of Good Girl Complex this morning and I freaked. I’ve wanted to read this since I saw it last it.

And even before that I was in desperate need for more books by Elle Kennedy.

I read Off Campus last year, the entire series in almost on week. It was addictive and I’m hoping this book has that same quality,

I don’t know much about this book besides there being a bad-boy/good-girl dynamic. I’m thinking of reading it in my 3 weeks off uni!

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Did I read the books I hauled last year?

Howdy and hello 🤠

One of my new years resolutions is to buy less books and really focus on reading the books I already own. Some may say I’ve already failed that resolution because I bought a half price copy of Six Crimson Cranes but …. I digress.

Since I’m on a book-buying-ban at the minute, I thought it’d be interesting to take a look back at what books I bought last year, starting Christmas 2020 up until November 2021 and see if I actually got around to reading them!

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Christmas

• A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik –
• In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan
• None Shall Sleep by Ellie Marney
• Verona Comics by Jennifer Dugan
• Now That I’ve Found You by Kristina Forest
• One of Us is Next by Karen M. McManus
• The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis
• The Tyrants Tomb by Rick Riordan

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Books I’m asking santa (aka my mum) for this christmas.

Hi. I’m currently sad. I just realised a book I was really looking forward to and was going to ask for for Christmas doesn’t come out til February. Fricking February! I would talk about this said book, but it’s a bit niche and nobody’s here to listen to me waffle on about my weird interests.

Instead I thought I’d talk a bit about the books I’m going to be asking my mum to buy me (and some I’m going to buy myself) instead.

you know it’s Christmas season when I break this bad boy out

I’d say “my parents” but let’s be real, my dad’s just as surprised as I am when I open my gifts on Christmas day. My mums actually been nagging me for a list of some books for a few weeks now so I’m also crossing something off my to-do list with this post. Three cheers for multi-tasking!

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Books I’m asking Mother Christmas for:

More Than Maybe and Never Saw You Coming by Erin Hahn

Yes I’ve read these books and raved about them ever since, but I don’t yet own a copy of either. There’s very few times I receive an ARC and then purchase a physical copy. I’m a poor student, I can’t afford to buy books I’ve already read, but I’m making an exception for Hanh’s books.

A bit of a book haul :)

Hello 👋

My new favourite thing is being cosy. Sure I was always a fan of being cosy anyways but drinking a nice cup of tea while wrapped in a blanket hits different when the temperature drops below 10*C.

Reading while being nice and cosy also hits different and I’m prepared for all the freezing cold and rainy days because I’ve acquired some more books. My last haul was two months ago and I’ve read 2 of those 12 books. I stand by my stance that buying books is a totally different hobby to actually reading them. Either way here are my new books :))

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I was so excited about all the f/f romances coming out in 2021 and I Think I Love You by Auriane Desombre was one of them. Sadly I’ve barely made a dint in my anticipated releases but I’m adamant to fix that.

I got an e-book copy of this for pretty cheap and it’s actually pretty cheap. I’m enjoying carrying around a bunch of books in my back pocket without actually lugging around a bunch of books

Fingers crossed I can read this sooner rather then later.

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I moved to another country and still acquired new books!

Hi 🙂

It’s been ages since I’ve sat and written a post. It’s been ages since I’ve had time to even think of writing a post. The last two weeks have been a whirlwind of moving to England, seeing my family, getting organised for Uni and then moving into my accommodation and getting ready for student life.

I have, somehow, found time to buy some books though #priorities. I don’t know what my posting schedule is going to be like from now on. I don’t have a clue what to expect so we’ll see how it goes. I figured a book-haul is a good way to get me back in the swing of things for now though!!

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E-books I’ve added to my (extensive) collection

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Rent a Boyfriend by Gloria Chao – With me moving back to England, I’m really worried about losing my Spanish. The last thing I want to do is go home for Christmas speaking like a tourist. My plan to counteract this by watching a lot of Casa de Papel and reading some books in Spanish. This book has been on my radar for a while anyways so when I saw the e-book for a reasonable price I bought it!

The Bromance Bookclub + Isn’t It Bromantic by Lyssa Kay Adams – Since getting into romance books over the last two-ish years, this series has been everywhere and I finally bit the bullet and purchased the first book. I read that first book in no time and of course had to get the second book too. I feel like romance is what’s going to be easier for me to read at the minute so I’m glad to be continuing on with this series which I’d hoped to start this year anyways.

Not Here to be Liked by Michelle Quach – I went to buy this weeks ago only to find it wasn’t out yet. I don’t know why I had it in my brain that it was out 4 weeks before it’s actual publication but I was dissapointed so as soon as I could I purchased it. I don’t know much about this book (I did at one point, I’ve got a terrible memory) but I’m really looking forward to this one.

Some Girls Do by Jennifer Dugan – When I saw this on sale I bought it instantly. I said a couple of weeks/months (?) ago “if I enjoy Verona Comics, I’ll check out Dugan’s new release”. Well I really liked Verona Comics and I’m excited to read this!! I don’t remember much about the plot but I do know that it’s about a f/f romance and has a pretty cover (not pictured above because I forgot I purchased this until I was nearly done)

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I bought books but it’s my birthday so it’s OK :))

Howdy 😊🤠

Yesterday was my birthday and I turned 19 years old. I’m in the last stretch of my teenage years. What the actual Hell!!

I actually kind of forgot it was my birthday and all my plans were super last minute decisions but I ended up having a really good day. I went out for tapas with my mum and brother and it was so nice that we’re going again next week when my dad’s home.

Usually with a birthday comes a lot of books. I actually wasn’t gifted any this year though because I’m moving and it wouldn’t make sense to get new books that I’d just have to leave behind.

So … I bought myself a bunch of e-books. I probably spent slightly too much money for someone who’s trying to save up for Uni, but it was from Birthday money gifted by grandparents and you only turn 19 once so I thought why not?

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Erm, how did my ARC shelf get like this again??

Howdy people, welcome to my blog :))

I literally said this just the other day but I’m saying it again: late night scrolling on Netgalley is dangerous!! One minute you’re on track to a decent approval rating, the next thing you know your shelf is full of books you didn’t think you’d be accepted for and don’t even really want to read.

Which is why I’ve been avoiding Netgalley after dark like the plague so I can’t even use that excuse for why I have 7 new ARCs on my shelf to read.

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