Tag Archives: reading

Please Judge a Book by its Cover

Why a book cover can make me buy a book.

We all know the phrase ‘you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover’ and for most things in life this is true. But not for books.

Book designers labour over the appearance of a book, whether it means sprayed edges, the title font or an image. To completely disregard that time and effort would undermine the work all the staff in design and production do.

Book covers are important.

I love beautiful books. A beautiful book cover draws me in and prompts me to pick up the book. If a book cover is nice then it makes me want to own the books, plus a book cover can tell you so many things about a book.

Nine times out of ten, a book cover can tell me if a book is something I might want to read. There are trends in book cover design just as there are in the stories that are being published, which means that new books may have covers that mirror similar books that have seen success.

And more than anything else, I like owning beautiful books.

Maybe it’s a horrible consumerist ideology that’s infected my brain, maybe it’s a a performative need to show off how much I read. I think it’s just that I really love books.

Books make me happy and having a huge bookcase of beautiful books makes me even happier.

So because of all the hard work publishing people put into book covers, and because I love owning beautiful books, I will continue to judge a book by its cover.

And you should too.

Reading Goals: Take 2

An update on my current reading goal and how it’s changed my thoughts on them.

The Past:

At the end of last year, I set about deciding on a numerical reading goal to set for myself for 2021. (Find out my other goals here.)

I had managed to read 50 books during 2020 and I wanted to achieve the same in 2021, despite key changes in my life, including full-time work and a part-time MA, leaving me far busier than I had been in 2020.

To track my reading I use Storygraph, which I wrote a previous blog post on here. I set my official goal at 45 books but in my mind I still wanted to read 50.

I wanted to challenged myself to read as much as possible this year so I decided to set a high goal for myself even if I didn’t meet it.

Why not? It’s not as though there’d be any real consequences from not meeting my goal.

The Present:

I am 2 books behind my goal. And I am frustrated.

I desperately want to meet that goal of 45 (50) books this year but I just don’t think I can.

I am working, studying and I have chronic health issues so I just don’t have as much time to read anymore. And that’s fine.

I don’t need an arbitrary number hanging over my head, creating another item on my to-do list.

Reading is one of my favourite hobbies, so why am I turning it into a goal-driven task? I am putting more pressure on myself for not doing something that I enjoy because I am so busy with everything else.

Sometimes I just want to watch TV because I am knackered and there’s nothing wrong with that.

So screw the reading goals!

The Future:

….Sort of.

I am going to try to forget about how many books I’ve read but I am also going to keep tracking what I read.

I really like being able to look back on the types of books I’ve over a year and when I read more or less. I like being able to see trends in genres I read or whether I like long or short books (it’s actually medium for anyone wondering).

But I am going to let go of the pressure to read as much as possible and to always be reading more.

It doesn’t matter if I read 20 books in a year of 50 books in a year. What matters is that I enjoy reading.

So screw reading goals! (but also add me on Storygraph: my_literary_life)

Weekly Reading: 21/3/21

We interrupt your usual weekly posting with an unexpected reading slump.

Unfortunately, this has been a disappointing week when it comes to reading, I haven’t made it through a single book. I’ve hit a wall this week and my brain just won’t focus, not on a book, not on an audiobook, not even on a newsletter.

It’s been incredibly frustrating and I’ve really missed being able to sit down with a book but I’m trying to accept that my brain just needs a break. I’ve been busy, and a little stressed, so if that means my brain needs to rest then so be it. And hopefuly, I’ll be back to reading asap!

In the meantime, I’m hoping to throw myself into other things, currently it’s baking. And I’m still getting my literary fix through booktube, The Bookseller and bookstagram so I’m fully up to date on all the latest news and can still read plenty of reviews.

I hope to return to your usual weekly viewing next week, happy reading!

Weekly Reading: 14th March 2021

We’ve reached the end of another week which means it’s time for another review of my weekly reading. This has been a good week for reading as I read 2 excellent books, several newsletters and a textbook for my MA.

This week there was no doubt about what would take the top spot:

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo!

This book was a birthday gift which turned out to be just what I needed this week.  The book is written in narrative verse which makes it both beatiful and easy-to-read. It is told from the perspective of Xiomara, a 15-year-old girl dealing with her family conflict by writing slam poetry.

This is beautiful story that takes on what it is to be a teenager with no control, trying to figure out who you are whilst you are forced into the wrong box.

This Week’s Runner Up….Memorial by Bryan Washington

This week I’ve also read Memorial by Bryan Washington. I read it to write a reader report for a freelance literary reader position that I’ve applied for. This means I read this very attentively, really considering my thoughts and feelings as I’m reading. I have a much better understanding of my opinion of the book after reading this way so I hope to approach books like this more often.

Honourable Mention: Leena Norm’s Newsletter

I recently signed up to Lenna Norm’s weekly newsletter and I’ve been really enjoying it. She’s worked in publishing and makes content about the industry and books, so subscribing to her newsletter has been a real joy. Check out her youtube channel here and her instagram here

I hope you enjoyed having a look at my weekly reading, follow my blog to get updates every time I post.

2021 Women’s Prize for Fiction Longlist

The 2021 Women’s Prize for Fiction longlist has just been announced and it includes some incredibles books. I thought I would run through which ones I’ve read (and my thoughts), which are on my tbr and which ones have been brought to my attention.

Read:

  • Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan

I first read Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan last summer and thoroughly enjoyed it. It follows Ava, a, Irish 22 year old TEFL teacher in Hong Kong, as she meets Julian, an English banker who likes to spend money on her. Then Julian goes to London and Ava meets Edith, who actually listens to her. Ava’s two worlds collide when Julian announces his return to Hong Kong. I found this novel strongly reminiscient of Sally Rooney’s work and thoroughly enjoyed it. Read my full review here.

  • The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

I absolutely adored The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett when I read it last year. The novel spans 5 decades, from the 1950s to the 1990s, following the lives of twin sisters, and their daughters, who take very different paths in life. This novel explores issues of race, sexuality, identity and the controversial topic of passing. I would definitely recommend this book and I am thrilled it has been nominated. See my fully review here.

My To Be Read:

The following titles are the nominations that I want to prioritise reading. I’m hoping to read at least a couple of them before the shortlist is announced on April 28th. Ideally I would read them all, but even I know that’s probably too ambitious.

  • Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters

Detransition, Baby has been on my radar for a while now, having seen a lot of positive things about it. It deals with issues of sexuality, gender and forming an unconventional family. Read all about on the Women’s Prize for Ficiton website.

  • Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers

I can’t count how many times I’ve almost bought this book and it’s not quite made the cut. I definitely regret that now. Small Pleasures is set in 1957, following reporter Jean Swinney as she attempts to unravel the truth behind a claim of a virgin birth. Find out more here.

  • Burnt Sugar by Avni Doshi

Whenever I’m on the Waterstones website (which is too often), Burnt Sugar is a common recommendation. But for a reason I can’t explain, I was never compelled to read it, even after it was shortlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize. However, I have decided to listen to the universe and accept that this is a book I should read. It is described as a poison love story between mothers and daughters, find out why here.

  • Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

I was vaguely aware of this title before the longlist announcement but I hadn’t taken the time to find out more about it. Now that I’ve looked into it more, it’s definitely on my tbr list. It’s a story of immigration, the opioid crisis and life in modern America. Read about it here.

  • Luster by Raven Leilani

I’ll hold my hands up to not knowing about this book until the longlist came out and it was all over twitter. However, after reading the blurb I knew I wanted to read it (plus the cover is gorgeous). It follows Edie, as she is thrust into a world of white suburbia and the life of a family with an adopted black daughter. The full description can be found here.

Undecided:

The below titles on the longlist are ones I haven’t made up my mind about yet. That’s not to say that I won’t read them or I don’t think they are worthy of a nomination. I simply haven’t been pushed to read them yet, whereas the ones mentioned above I know I want to read.

  • Because of You by Dawn French
  • Consent by Annabel Lyon
  • How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps her House by Cherie Jones
  • No One is Talking about This by Patricia Lockwood
  • Nothing but Blue Sky by Kathleen MacMahon
  • Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
  • Summer by Ali Smith
  • The Golden Rule by Amanda Craig
  • Unsettled Ground by Claire Fuller

Let me know your thoughts on the Women’s Prize for Fiction longlist this year. Are there any you aren’t impressed by? Or any titles you wish had made the cut?

And keep an eye out for the shortlist announcement on April 28th.

Audiobooks Count and this is why.

Whether listening to an audiobook counts as reading is a big point of contention within the book community. I wanted to throw in my 2 pence as someone who has days when I rely on audiobooks.

I have a chronic illness called Functional Neurological Disorder that can leave me in bed for full days, barely able to process full sentences or open my eyes. As you can imagine, days like these aren’t the best; enter an audiobook. On my worst days my only saving grace can be a good audiobook.

I can’t concentrate on reading or even hold a book sometimes, but I can’t keep my eyes open long enough to watch tv. This leaves no better solution than an audiobook. Audiobooks distracts me from any chronic pain, but require next to no energy from me. I love to read more than anything else, it’s my favourite thing to do, and being able to when I am my most ill means everything. Audiobooks can be the only way for me to pass the time.

When someone says that an audiobook doesn’t count they are taking away something that gets me through my worst health days. They are diminishing what little I can do on and undermining my choice to read in whatever way best suits my needs.

The refusal of some people to recognise audiobooks as reading is a fundamentally ableist belief. It is excluding people by saying that if they struggle to read a physical book they aren’t reading. Telling people with learning disabilities that audiobooks don’t count is nothing but gatekeeping. They may have struggled with reading for years and found audiobooks to be their only option.

An able-bodied person may not realise just how heavy a book can be, but sometimes even a kindle can be too much. I regularly experience a tremor in my hands and holding a book simply isn’t an option, but that doesn’t need to stop me reading.

It should not matter what your personal capabilities are, you can still read if you want to. Audiobooks are just another way for more people to find joy in books and that’s never a bad thing.

Defeating a Reading Slump

As 2020 was coming to the end, I was looking back on what I’d read over the year and I noticed a few reading slumps I went through No matter how hard I tried I just couldn’t get myself to read, no matter the day, no matter the book. As a result, I thought I would post a list of tips for dealing with a reading slump.

1: Don’t force yourself to read.

This is the big one because if you keep telling yourself that you will read adn reluctantly picking up a book it will only make you feel worse for not reading. Instead you’re much better just taking a break and waiting until you want to read again. Giving yourself a break will allow you to miss reading and eventually bring back your desire to read. Sometimes a reading slump is the result of an overloaded brain.

2: Try out different books.

If you’ve hit a wall with a book and can’t seem to make yourself read it just stop trying to. There is no reason you have to finish this book before reading another one. I often find that if I’m stuggling with motivation to read, trying out a slightly shorter book or an easier read. By trying to force my way through a book, you will only reduce any desire to read. So put the book down, find a much easier/shorter read and try that instead.

3: Try out different formats.

If you’re struggling to concentrate on a physical book, maybe try out something different. I particularly like an audiobook in these situations because it lets me do other things. I can keep my brain busy enough to still enjoy some good books without being restless and unable to concentrate. Have a read of my post on audiobooks for why I love them.

Comfort Reads

As I’m writing this it’s the 8th January 2021 and the UK is back in lockdown so in response I’ve decided to compile a list of my favourite comfort reads. I’m not one to read books about very light-hearted topics but I’ve done my best to come up with some books that, in the simplest terms, I just really enjoyed reading. Reading them just made me happy. So whether

1: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

As one of my all-time favourite books, Little Women is probably my ultimate comfort read. I first read Little Women as a child so I’m sure that there is an element of nostalgia found in my love of the book but it is unfailing in it’s ability to make me feel warm and happy. Following the lives of the March sisters, as they transition out of childhood and into adulthood, learning what it means to be a woman in the 19th century, Little Women will never to cheer me up.

2: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.

I read this novel during the first UK lockdown back in May and it was a perfect form of escapism at the time. I’ll be the first to admit that fantasy is not my go-to genre, but when I was finishing my degree in the midst of a pandemic, entering a whole other world was the ideal antidote and Morgenstern creates and incredible world. A universe seeped in magic combined with a truly intriguing plot makes this book a perfect read to tackle lcokdown/January blues. See my full review here.

3: Fortune Favours the Dead by Stephen Spotswood

This was a spontaneous purchase by my girlfriend that turned out to be one of the most enjoyable books that I read all year. If you’re a fan of a Sherlock/Watson pairing or an Agatha Christie style mystery, this the book for you. This a classic mystery novel brought into the modern day with some first-class LGBTQ+ and disability representation. I read this hilarious novel in two days and I’m desperately awaiting the sequel.

4: Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

This brilliant book follows the whirlwind rise and fall of 1970s rock band ‘Daisy Jones & the Six’. The book is written in the form of interviews with each of the band members and various people close to them at the time, all of which are interweaved to reveal the reasons behind the band’s infamous break up. This book is so well-written that you can’t believe that the band doesn’t exist. This is such an incredible way to craft a story like this and was an amazingly fun read.

5: Loveless by Alice Oseman

I read this novel last summer in about two days and it was a genuinely pleasant surprise. I’m not a big reader of YA so I still had a very fixed idea of YA being the same as what I read when I was younger, and so it was really interesting to see the evolution it’s made as a genre. This easy-read explores what it means to be 18-years-old and figuring your sexual and romantic orientation in a truly authentic way. See my full review here.

So those are my top 5 recommended comfort reads to help you get through lockdown, or just try to beat the January blues. These are all fun reads that will bring a person joy no matter the situation you’re in.

New Year, New Books: My 2021 Reading Goals

It’s the start of a new year and I’ve been thinking about my new reading goals over the next twelve months. I managed to read 50 books last year, including trying out some new genres and books I wouldn’t normally read. However, I am nervous to set myself a similar goal for next year as I had significantly more free time in the past twelve months than normal, leaving me conflicted over what goals I want to set myself. Despite this, I think I’ve finally settled on what I want to achieve over the next year when it comes to reading.

1: Read between 45-50 books

This is because I would ultimately like to read 50 books again but have decided to give myself some room to land a bit under and be realistic about how busy I might be with a full-time job and part-time masters degree.

2: Read 4 Classics

In 2020 I set myself the challenge to face my fear of reading classic novels and succeeded in reading both Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion by Jane Austen (and quite enjoying them). Whilst I don’t think classic novels are ever going to be a go-to genre for me, I would still like to keep reading a few of them each year. I’ve also found that the audiobook versions are great to listen to if I’m having trouble sleeping.

3: Buy fewer books (Take with a pinch of salt)

I love buying new books and I really loved it in 2020 but this means there are a lot of books on my bookcase that I haven’t read yet so I am going to try my best to cut back. Instead of buying every other book that I want to read, I am going to focus on reading the books I already own which will hopefully save me some money without slowing down my reading.

4: Make time for reading

Finally, I just want to make time to read. This year I want to always make reading a priority because it is something that I desperately enjoy. Regardless of whether I complete any of the above goals, I definitely want to achieve this one because no matter how busy I am, I want to keep reading.

September 2020 Round Up

So life’s been slightly crazy and I may have been a little absent for the last month but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been reading so here’s another monthly round up.

Grown Ups (Audiobook)

  • Author: Marian Keyes
  • Publisher: Michael Joseph, 2020
  • Summary: The Casey’s are a glamourous family that spend a lot of time together. And they’re a happy family…at least on the surface. But when Cara, Ed Casey’s wife, bumps her head and can’t keep her mouth shut, the many family secrets start to unravel.
  • Rating: 3/5

Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People about Race (Audiobook)

  • Author: Reni Eddo-Lodge
  • Publisher: Bloomsbury Circus, 2017
  • Summary: Awar-winning jouranlist, Reni Eddo-Lodge, offers an illuminating and necessary exploration of what it is to be black in Britain today.
  • Rating: 4/5

My Dark Vanessa

  • Author: Kate Elizabeth Russell
  • Publisher: Fourth Estate, 2020
  • Summary: In this original novel, a 15-year-old girl has what she understand as a loving, sexually awakening relationship with her teacher. However, years later, in a post-Me-too era, she is 32 and he has been accused of sexually abusing another former student, forcing Vanessa to confront it for what it was, and redefine what she thought was a great love story as abuse.
  • Rating: 4/5

The Graduate

  • Author: Charles Webb
  • Publisher: Penguin Books, 1999
  • Summary: The iconic novel of how college graduate, Benjamine Braddock, returns home feeling disillusioned with his future and starts an affair with his parents’ friend; Mrs Robinson.
  • Rating: 3/5

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox

  • Author: Maggie O’Farrell
  • Publisher: Headline Review, 2013
  • Summary: In the middle of tending to her vintage clothing shop and avoiding her married boyfriend, Iris Lockhart receives a phone call informing her that a great-aunt, Esme Lennox, whom she’s never heard of, is being released from Cauldstone Psychiatric Hospital, where she’s spent the last 60 years of her life.
  • Rating: 5/5