My favourite readathon has returned!
If you have no idea what the O.W.Ls Readathon is, check out Gi @ Book Roast’s video where you can learn everything about it.
I’ve got off to a pretty decent start! I’ve actually been furloughed – which means I’m not working, but still getting 80% of my pay until the coronavirus blows over – so I have a lot more time to read than I thought I would.
I’ve ended up straying from my TBR quite a lot, but I don’t mind that at all. My main aim for this month is to get all 12 O.W.Ls like I did last year, mostly so I can concentrate on my career of choice when it comes to the N.E.W.Ts in August. (Am I overthinking this? Of course.)
My initial plan was to aim for History of Magic Professor like I did last year, but I was looking through Gi’s Careers Pamphlet again and couldn’t help being drawn in by the Librarian career because it basically sounds like becoming Evie from The Mummy – and I love Evie.
To be a Librarian I need O.W.Ls in the following:
- Ancient Runes
- Arithmancy
- Defence Against the Dark Arts
- History of Magic
- Transfiguration
As I said I am aiming for all 12 O.W.Ls ideally, and I think it’s doable, but these are the O.W.Ls I definitely need to become my (not so) inner Evie!
O.W.Ls Progress
Ancient Runes – Heart Rune: Read a book with a heart on the cover or in the book/series titleHeartstopper: Volume Two by Alice OsemanArithmancy – Magical qualities of number 2 (balance/opposites): Read a book outside your favourite genreThe Black Unicorn by Audre Lorde- Astronomy – Night Classes: Read the majority of this book when it’s dark outside
- Care of Magical Creatures – Hippogriffs: Read a book with a creature with a beak on the cover
- Charms – Lumos Maxima: Read a book with a white cover
- Defence Against the Dark Arts – Grindylows: Read a book set at sea/the coast
- Divination – Third Eye: Assign numbers to your TBR and use a random number generator to pick your read
- Herbology – Mimbulus Mimbletonia: Read a book with a title that starts with an M
- History of Magic – Witch Hunts: Read a book featuring witches/wizards
Muggle Studies – Read a book from the perspective of a muggle (Contemporary)Heartstopper: Volume Three by Alice OsemanPotions – Shrinking Solution: Read a book under 150 pagesA Little Light Mischief by Cat Sebastian- Transfiguration – Animagus Lecture: Read a book/series that includes shapeshifting
I strayed away from my TBR for Ancient Runes and Muggle Studies after I treated myself to the latest copies of Heartstopper, after I enjoyed the first volume at the end of last year, and given the current state of the world this lovely, sweet, hella gay comic series was just what I needed.
Audre Lorde is an author I’ve been meaning to read for ages, so I also treated myself to the Penguin Modern Classics editions of her poetry collection, The Black Unicorn, and her essay collection, Sister Outsider. As I mentioned in my TBR poetry is something I don’t tend to read a lot of, so I read The Black Unicorn for Arithmancy and really enjoyed it – it’s definitely a collection I’ll be reading again in future!
Then I picked up Cat Sebastian’s A Little Light Mischief for Potions, which was such a sweet f/f historical romance novella. I’d happily read more historical romance by Sebastian in future. My aim has been to get as many subjects under my belt with my shorter reads as I can in the first week, and then I can focus on the books that will take a bit more time.
If I want to be a Librarian, then I still need to cross Defence Against the Dark Arts, History of Magic and Transfiguration off my TBR, but I’m glad I managed to get two of my required subjects done and dusted on the first day of the readathon!
I’ll probably end up straying away from my TBR for a few other subjects, too. My initial plan was to read Scott Lynch’s Red Seas Under Red Skies for DADA – which I do still really want to read! – but I recently treated myself to a copy of TJ Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea and I’ve seen so many wonderful reviews, and it seems like such a hopeful book, that I think that’s the story I need to reach for right now. I just want to read things that make me happy.
I’m also thinking of straying away from my TBR for History of Magic, too, to finally cross Truthwitch off my TBR. I’ve heard such good things about this series and I’d really like to make a start on it, and now that I’m not working I’ll have plenty of time to devote to it!
I’m participating as well but I have not finished anything yet haha. But you are doing great so far!
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Thanks! 😀 Best of luck with your reading!
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You’re doing really well with this so far! I’ve been furloughed too, but have been finding it hard to concentrate on reading so haven’t been making the most of having extra time to read. I’m starting to get out of my slump now though, I think. 🙂
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Thank you! You’re not alone – I was in a bit of a slump at first, too, but I want to take advantage of this extra time I have to read while I can. 🙂
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Wow, you’re doing awesome! I haven’t even finished my first OWLs book yet. I’d like to do all 12, but I don’t think I have books on my shelf that fit all the prompts.
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Thanks! Best of luck with your reads – I hope you’re able to hit your goal of all 12 subjects. 😀
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Omg Jess, you’re doing awesome! I haven’t picked up a book all week but I’m hoping to really get cracking on the reads soon… Very soon… 😂 I’m looking forward to participating in this but not sure what book I want to start reading first! Maybe a little YA mystery/thriller with McManus! Happy reading 😀
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Haha thanks Dini! 😉 I always like to start with some shorter reads just so I can several subjects under my belt and then I can focus on the books that will take a bit longer throughout the rest of the month. I hope you enjoy your first year of the OWLs! 😀
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Such a great progress! I’m busy working on two of my reads! One of them being House of earth and blood, which will take me a while haha!
(www.evelynreads.com)
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I’ve been seeing that one all over the place – I hope you enjoy it!
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