Merry Christmas!

Happy Hanukkah!

What even is a relatable book?

Well, it’s a subjective term for a subjective topic 😉 As much as we hear how “relatable” a book is lately by reviewers (guilty) and vaguely know it means empathising with particular experiences (also guilty), it’s actually a hard one to pin down. Soooo I guess I’m going to have to just talk about what relatable means to me 😉

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Just a few books I found #relatable!

Trouble is, when readers talk about relating to a book it could be any number of things. The biggest draw for the “relatable” moniker is relating to the characters or their experiences (and the coolest thing is this isn’t genre specific!). Other times, it could be as simple as relating to the setting or time period. And all of this is great, because it can be a pathway into enjoying a story. 

That said, “not relatable” is becoming one of the most common forms of criticism for a book. And this, for me, seems to be where a lot of the issues come in. Look, don’t get me wrong, it’s of course fine to say you found it “unrelatable”. It gives some context as to why you didn’t enjoy it. It’s a similar catchall to “I personally didn’t connect”- and that’s fine, nothing wrong with subjectivity in reviews. However, the problem is when this subjective term is being applied “objectively”.

Because for some reason this seems to give people licence to collectively hate on a book (kind of ironic since it’s a form of *hyper individualism* to demand a book conforms to individual worldviews and experiences). And to my mind, shaming a book because it’s not #relatable seems daft. Let’s be real- it’s far from the be all and end of storytelling. Books should be about you empathising with people we don’t relate to *just as much* (or maybe *EVEN MORE*).

I’d also say that I have the issue- as a reviewer- of not often wanting to get into the specificity of why I relate. I very much leave it up to other people to *read between the lines* of why I find something relatable (usually because I don’t want to get into the nitty gritty of why I related to it). And I’d guess that a lot of other reviewers do the same, applying the term to avoid saying why a book meant SO DAMNED MUCH to us. Problem is, this can leave a person wondering, what even is relatable?

Perhaps, then, we are overusing the term. Perhaps we could attach more clarity to it when we do use it (I’m as guilty of this as the next person!) I don’t think the word is devoid of meaning, but it doesn’t have magical powers to convey meaning in the way we reviewers seem to think it does 😉

So, what do you think of the term “relatable”? Do you use the term as much as I do? Or do you think it’s best avoided? Let me know in the comments!

Book I read thanks to blogging (that I probably wouldn’t have read otherwise)

Okay, yes, this post could easily go on forever! Which is why I (mostly) decided to go with books *directly* recommended by individual bloggers- which actually makes this post a DOUBLE WHAMMY of recommendations for reviewers as well as books!! *SURPRISE!!* This was so hard to narrow down- which is why I decided in advance I’m going to need to do multiple posts on this! Watch out for those in the future! For now, let’s jump straight into it…

Red Rising– I’ve read so many books on the *spectacular* Kat @Life and Other Disasters suggestions, so much so I could have filled an entire post with just those! Nonetheless, I chose this, because I didn’t have much space in my life for sci fi before this 😉 It’s a bloodydamn brilliant series-an adult Hunger Games, with heavy Roman inspiration… in space! And in case that wasn’t enough, it’s got characters to die for! I can’t thank Kat enough for this rec!!

Prince of Thorns– the GREAT Drew @Tattooed Book Geek is another person who I could feature again and again! I had to pick this, cos I never would’ve tried grimdark if not for Drew’s regular recommendations for this book. In fact, this is one that year’s earlier I thought was not for me. AND YET, now that I’ve grown older (though perhaps not wiser) I’ve found the cleverness and weight in series like these. And I have Drew to thank for that!

Wolf in the Whale– okay, I’m going to be a bit boring and say I had multiple cool recs from the lovely Liis. However, my reason for picking this *chillingly beautiful* read is that I’ve basically never read anything else like it! And the reason I even heard about it was because of Liis’ fantastic review!

Ten Thousand Doors of January– I can’t seem to shut up about this book, because it’s an open and shut case of how good it is! And, as I’ve mentioned before, it was all thanks to the wonderful Witty and Sarcastic Book Club’s riveting review!  

Winter Rose- McKillip is an author I’d never heard of until I started blogging (perhaps she’s not very well known in the UK?) but I frequently saw her recommended on the BRILLIANT Bookstooge’s site. So much so that I simply had to check her out. And I’m so glad I did- her writing has a beautiful, dreamlike, fairy tale quality. Her stories sucked me in. She’s not the easiest author to come by across the pond, but I’m happy to go out of my way for more of these bad boys!

Neverending Story– by contrast, Neverending Story is one I’d definitely heard of! But, it was thanks to a recommendation from the *fab* Zezee that I finally adventured into the wilds of this book. And it truly was wild! This book doesn’t just take you on a journey into a fantasy world, it takes you into the very heart of books and shows us their beauty.

Beowulf– another story I was (of course) aware of- and yet I was thoroughly intimidated out of reading. But I needn’t have been… thanks to the fantastic Joelendil’s suggestion of trying the Seamus Heaney’s translation. I loved every moment of this.

V for Vendetta– I never would’ve attempted graphic novels if not for the *stupendous* Lashaan @Bookidote’s personalised recs- so I owe him a great debt! And this is a stellar example of his suggestions- emotional, clever and with a unique artistic style. If you crave graphic novel suggestions (and many other books besides) you’d be a fool not to check out his reviews!

Exquisite– I had a hard time recommending just the one of the many, many books the MARVELOUS Meggy @Chocolatenwaffles got me to read! I really credit her with encouraging me to step out of my comfort zone and start me on thrillers with her exquisite reviews! And this was a real zinger- sublime writing and intriguing twists. I was hooked on this read… almost as much as I’m hooked on Meggy’s suggestions!

Bright Side– contemporary romance is another genre I didn’t read… until I came across the delightful Deanna @A Novel Glimpse’s blog!! And thanks to her glowing mentions over the years, I put this on my tbr (with a caveat that I must be prepared to be in a weepy mood). Once again, this was a book that blew me away (and made me go through a considerable number of tissues!)

Secret History– I was so reluctant to try this book, because sadly Goldfinch wasn’t for me. AND YET, I saw an inspiring review on the amazing Meltotheany’s blog and I simply had to know more about this murder mystery told in reverse. And you know what? She was right- this one’s a winner!

Huntress– I’ve had a weird relationship with historical fiction- let’s just say a writer-who-shall-not-be-named put me off for half a decade 😉 BUT thanks to the AWESOME Beware of the Reader and her suggestion on my blog, I just had to see what all the fuss was about! And gosh, this was far better than I ever could have imagined. Gripping from beginning to end, I fell in love with the characters and was *so invested* in their stories! Can’t recommend this- and the Beware of the Reader blog- highly enough!

Before I go, as a bonus, I thought I’d mention a few books that I was inspired to pick up after seeing them more generally round the blogosphere, just to give a tiny sense of how many good books you can find from blogging (in case you don’t already know):

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So, have you read any of these? Did you like them as much as I did? What’s the best recommendation you’ve ever received from blogging? And do you plan to check out these lovely people? Let me know in the comments!

The Truth About Originality in Literature

Recently, I read a book where it claimed Shakespeare thought reality was false, so decided to create art because he thought he could create a better lie. Personally I find this is a rather peculiar (and very 21st century) conclusion to draw from “All the world’s a stage”. Shakespeare was holding a mirror up to the world, not calling it artifice and smashing up the whole damn universe to be more in his image. But nonsensical interpretation aside, it got me thinking about the value of truth in literature.

You see, this is not the first time I’ve seen writers portrayed as liars in art. It seems that rather than cleaving to the author’s AUTHORity, the modern writer wants to stand out as ANTI-AUTHORity. All for a desire to be original that’s truthfully becoming a bit passé.

From unexplored texts to creative claims that actually do ring true, there is certainly scope for original thinking in literature. AND YET, I would also suggest that there is a power in knowing you cannot come up with anything especially unique. It is a humbling experience to know that great thinkers have gone before us; it is freeing to worry less about being the GOAT! 😉 And, as fun as it is to view ourselves through the lens of the “Death of the Author”, we need to be wary of viewing ourselves with too much importance and making spurious claims. It does not improve our scholarship or artistic endeavours. In my experience, it transparently shows we’re more interested in our own self-aggrandisement. Much like reading between the lines or just plain making things up, these claims may gain notoriety, but they are fundamentally flawed. And, as with so many fictional writers being liars, in a “unique” subversion on authorship, uniqueness may actually be more common than we realise. There is, after all, nothing new under the sun- it is only how we shine a light on things from a different angle that gives it a fresh perspective. That is why, rather than trying to be original, we should be trying to be truthful.

And yes, our society values achievement in a very Roman sense. We want to see our names up in *BIG SPARKLY LIGHTS*- because that’s what we’ve been taught is meaningful. That’s why we fight so hard to be original. The problem is, we don’t realise the way to that goal is not as straightforward as it seems. In typical quest fashion, we must really go east in order to go west. We must take a round-about route to our goals. And it’s not just fools who fail to recognise the true path- (sorry to get all fantasy nerd on you) it’s also villains! Villains are the ones who take shortcuts. But there are no real shortcuts in life or art. And a hero must be prepared to forfeit their dreams, because, somewhat paradoxically, that’s how you win. Likewise, the path to true wisdom is not by wildly believing in yourself, but by letting go and believing in the people that came before.

Originality is often accidental consequence of good craftsmanship. While I believe everyone has the potential to craft some aspects of their art with originality, that is not what makes a piece powerful: success comes from how much a piece rings out with truth and beauty. Perhaps it is naïve, yet I think if you focus on those aspects, you may well come up with something honestly original. If you focus on originality, the result is frequently nonsensical and meaningless. Grinding misplaced innovation into a work won’t do any good. One must have a command of the tools that already exist.

Just something I’ve been mulling over. But what do you think? Should there be a line between truth and fiction? How important is it to be original? Let me know what you think about this topic in the comments!

The Freedom to Fail

The internet is amazing. It’s how I’m here talking to you today. It has opened up the world to information in a way that barely seems possible, it has allowed us to remain connected with our loved ones and it has given us the opportunity to form friendships across oceans. And yet, no one can deny that there are downsides. Not least for creatives.

Nowadays, it can be nigh on impossible to switch off from the constant noise. And, as great as it is to have so much knowledge at your fingertips, the never-ending advice can be overwhelming. And then, of course, not to sound out the broken record, there is the din coming from the cancel culture mob. Even as private citizens, we can feel like we’re always under the microscope- and that scrutiny only seems to intensify if we dare to do something different. It’s hard pill to swallow, especially when, let’s face it: that’s what being creative is all about.

Not that I think people should be free from criticism (obviously). Nor do I want to offer banal advice to just get offline (especially when so many people’s incomes depend on being online in some capacity). But I do want to offer a glimmer of positivity.

Because, in order to achieve anything, we have to be prepared to fail. As writers, we have to remember: we can’t write to suit other people, we can only write the best version of our own story. There’s no concept of perfection, no possibility of pleasing everyone and no way of coming out of the process unscathed (even if we just take a beating from our inner critic). We will most certainly fall down and get a few scraped knees- we just have to learn to pick ourselves up again.

Creativity has always been about being brave. I imagine every creative individual feels like they’ve got Daedalus’ wings strapped to their backs, not sure if they’ll make it without flying too close to the sun. Not sure if they’ll tumble down into the glinting sea. It’s a dangerous business- yet if we don’t take that leap, we’ll be imprisoned forever.

And, above all, we’ve got to focus on our own flying, not getting distracted by what others are doing. It doesn’t matter if they’re freewheeling and showing off; it doesn’t make a difference if you think they’re flight plan is way off. Ultimately, we’ve got to make sure our own life jacket’s on before we assist others 😉 Then, and only then, can we be free to make our own mistakes.

Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes Wasn’t Quite Harmonious, But Held a Tune!

Well this is an odd one to talk about.

As many of you will know, this is the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is the Hunger Games prequel, focusing on (future evil President) Coriolanus Snow’s role in the tenth Hunger Games. As you can imagine, telling the story from the future baddie’s point of view caused a bit of a stir: would we lose his character in a bid for sympathy? Would this attempt to redeem an irredeemable character? I had my own reservations when I heard about it and was consequently less enthused to pick it up. And the verdict? Pretty mixed if I’m honest.

Despite all the pre-publication controversy, there was no need to fear him being turned into a hero. I read him as a straight-up anti-hero. He’s just as unsympathetic as a protagonist as he was an antagonist… which isn’t necessarily a good thing. Mildly sociopathic and manipulative, he’s the same old Snow we know and hate. As much as it was a bold choice to tell the story from Snow’s perspective, I’m not sure it paid off. No matter what hardship he was facing, I found it impossible to relate or root for him (in fact, I just kept thinking he kinda deserved it).

Still there were parts I really did like- especially how it showed the games being developed. When I heard it was about the tenth hunger games, I had my reservations, because I thought that it would just be a rehash of the games Suzanne Collins had already written about. Not so. At this stage of Panem, with the Capital and Districts very much in the shadow of the civil war, the games (and the concepts behind them) are a work in progress. It’s not just interesting to see Snow play his part, it’s fascinating to see the theories that go into it (not sure it makes a whole lot of sense to have your underclass in a constant state of conflict rather than making them think they’re at peace, but I’ll let that slide, cos I don’t think evil masterminds always come up with the best policies for running a country). I did like that the timeline meant it raised moral questions for the organisers- like the fact that this was the children of rebels rather than rebels themselves. I also liked how it hinted, rather than showed, future developments. The subtler nods to the original made it feel more like its own story. The one part I wasn’t super keen on was how only 2/3 of the book were about the games- it just felt a little jarring when that stopped.

That said, even with the issues I had with the structure, the writing was strong. And I also liked the side characters. Though I wasn’t much taken my Coriolanus or the not-very-fleshed-out Tigress, Lucy Gray had an edge to her and I loved the Grandma’am.

All these elements left me satisfied enough with this Hunger Games prequel, so I’ll feed it:

Rating: 3½/5 bananas

 

Have you read Ballads of Songbirds and Snakes? Do you plan to? Let me know in the comments!

My Harshest Unhaul Yet…

Being cooped up indoors for much of this year has made me re-evaluate some things: specifically my book collection. Maybe it’s a bizarro cabin fever, but I’ve been looking for things to unhaul and so decided to prune my books. Let’s jump into what I’ve decided to get rid of:

Recent-ish reads:

City of Ghosts– a bit disappointing for me personally, but a Middle Grade that younger children might enjoy.

Grace and Fury– I was so disappointed with the sequel, I just didn’t want the first one in my collection (no matter how pretty it looks).

Kingdom of Ash– this one’s a bit of a *shocker*, especially cos it’s signed, but I was left underwhelmed by the ending and won’t be rereading the series.

A random assortment of books:

Milkweed– I remember it being fine… but not much else. Besides, it’s a holocaust book, so I won’t read it again.

Danny Abse poetry– not really for me.

The Promise– I liked this, but I won’t reread it.

Sociopath Next Door– another one I actually liked (you can check out my review here) but I don’t need a copy and won’t pick it up in the future.

Old childhood books:

Cherub– I haven’t even put this in the right order, cos I couldn’t remember it and don’t care enough to check. I never owned the first two as well- which would make rereading a problem (not that I plan to). Some of these aren’t so memorable and the ones that are I remember well enough to know I enjoyed them at the time. Now it’s time to let go.

Snakehead– I didn’t ever finish the Alex Rider series and wasn’t a fan of the later ones- so it’s kind of a no brainer.

Apocalypse– this is a shame cos I like Bowler’s other books, but really didn’t like this (and this is the one I had signed which is the only reason I held onto it for this long)

Series of Unfortunate Events– I was never a superfan, didn’t get through the series and outgrew this a long time ago.

Blood Bones and Body Bits– ditto. Not much to say about it.

Deenie– ah I liked Judy Blume back in the day… but also this one makes me feel lowkey queasy.

And ones I’m unsure about:

Nemesis series– this is the one I’m on the fence about. Like the Cherub series, it’s incomplete. But unlike the Cherub series, I really loved it. That said, I’m not going to read it again- so not sure I should hold onto it…

Which is why I’ve decided to put this one to the vote? What do you think I should do with the series? And what do you think of my unhaul? Let me know in the comments!

My 2020 Book Blogger Awards Nominations!

Hi all! As you all know, I can’t resist the chance to share some blogger love… which is why I’m jumping on the Book Blogger Award bandwaggon! Last year I missed out on joining in cos I didn’t see the posts in time, but luckily I saw that this was hosted by by Marie @Drizzle and Hurricane Books & May @Forever and Everly, so I’m going to rectify it that for the 2020 Awards! (and I can say that I did at least one thing better in 2020 than 2019 😉 )

Before I get into my nominations, I will add that I kept my list quite small, as I was (trying) to keep within the rule that 1/3 of nominations have to be smaller book bloggers (otherwise none of them will count). *Hopefully* I’ve not made any mistakes and have pulled that off. Without further ado, here’s my nominations…

BEST OF THEIR AGE

• Best Adult Book Blogger (20+)– Beware of the Reader
• Best Adult Book Blogger (20+)– Zezee @Zezee with Books
• Best Adult Book Blogger (20+)– Eustea @ Eustea Reads

I feel like I should point out that I don’t know the ages of a lot of bloggers (and I think a lot of the younger people I followed have aged out of their teens), so I’m only nominating adult book bloggers…. which tbh just gave me a chance to spotlight (a few) favourites. 

You won’t get anyone more enthusiastic than Beware of the Reader- but reader you’d better BEWARE cos once you start reading her posts, you won’t be able to stop!

Zezee is easily one of my favourite people on the blogosphere- she has really incisive reviews, deep discussions, inspiring recommendations and all around *amazing* content!

Eustea recommends all different types of books- and serves it up with plenty of (literal) tea!

BEST GENRE BLOGGERS

• Young Adult– Roberta @Offbeat YA

While Roberta has some popular books in the mix, which I like hearing about, what I love about Roberta’s reviews is how unique her selections are and how she chooses so many underhyped books!

• New Adult / General Adult– Lydia @22 is still young adult

I read a lot of reviews for general adult, but Lydia’s stand out to me for just how thorough they are!

• Romance– Deanna @A Novel Glimpse

I feel like I got into reading romance books exclusively because of Deanna!! She is the QUEEN of romance!

• Science Fiction / Fantasy– Crystal @Lost in Storyland
• Science Fiction / Fantasy– Bookstooge
• Science Fiction / Fantasy– Way Too Fantasy

I just want to read everything that Crystal suggests- she makes such excellent recommendations 🙂

Likewise, Bookstooge was an easy nomination to make- a huge number of his in-depth reviews are for sci fi and fantasy- which he often reviews with wonderful wit. I have had so many recommendations from him over the years- my favourite of which has been for Patricia McKillip.

And the clue is in the name with Way Too Fantasy- you are going to get WAY TOO MANY fantasy recs from her, you won’t know what to do (except read them all, obviously)

• Literary Fiction / Classics / Poetry– Holly @Nutfree Nerd
• Literary Fiction / Classics / Poetry– Briana & Krysta @Pages Unbound

I mean, it’d just be completely remiss not to mention these two book blogs! I cannot get enough of their classics posts!

Holly always inspires me with her monthly recs and original content!

And Pages Unbound is full of excellent discussions and amazing analyses of classics.

• Mystery / Thriller– Meggy @Chocolat’n’Waffles
• Mystery / Thriller– Nina @Cozy Pages

Like with romance, I wasn’t a big thriller reader (and didn’t even touch mysteries) before blogging… now I don’t know what I’d do without them in my literary diet! Meggy is almost exclusively to blame for starting this addiction 😉 (seriously though, if you need a keep-you-up-at-night thriller, you seriously cannot go wrong with one of her recs)

And on the cosier end of the spectrum, I have to nominate and HIGHLY RECOMMEND you check out Nina’s blog! She constantly finds fun and quirky mysteries to read and promote!

BEST OF BOOK BLOGGING

• Best Book Reviews– Holly @Nutfree Nerd
• Best Book Reviews– Lindsay @Slow to the Party

I had to give Holly a second nomination, because she writes such beautiful reviews, addressed to the book itself. It’s incredibly unique and each review is a work of art.

I really admire Lindsay’s reviewing style as well, but for very different reasons! She always writes in such a refreshingly honest way.

• Best Book Recommendations– Witty and Sarcastic Book Club
• Best Book Recommendations– Kat @Life and Other Disasters

Witty and Sarcastic has wonderful taste- and I won’t shut up about how her review of Ten Thousand Doors of January got me to pick it up and it’s my favourite of 2020 so far!

KAT READS SUCH GOOD BOOKS! I’ve had so many recommendations from her and she’s always spot on about brilliant books. We do have similar tastes… but at this point, I reckon Kat’s fashioned my tastes into her own 😉 (and I regret nothing 😉 )

• Best Discussion Posts– Briana & Krysta @Pages Unbound
• Best Discussion Posts– Nicole @Sorry I Am Booked

I don’t think I’ve read a single discussion on Briana and Krysta’s blog that wasn’t thought provoking! Plus, aside from talking about classics (which you know I’m here for) they also talk quite a bit about libraries, amazon, education… basically a whole load of topics that most people in the book community don’t really talk about!

Similarly, Nicole’s thoughts and discussions are really worth checking out, because I don’t know anyone else who covers the same things she does: particularly how reading impacts your dating life, book lover struggles under quarantine and whether to DNF ARCs.

• Best Blog Aesthetic– Tiffany @Read by Tiffany
• Best Blog Aesthetic– Kay @Hammock of books

I just love both of these clean and pretty designs!

MISCELLANEOUS

• Most Helpful (someone who posts thoughtful blogging guides/advice) – Marie @Drizzle and Hurricane Books
• Most Helpful (someone who posts thoughtful blogging guides/advice) – Xandra @Starry Sky Books

If you’ve been around the blogosphere, then you know that Marie is the place to go for advice on blogging! She has so many *fantastic* posts on the topic- you’ll be sure to find some helpful advice!

Xandra is newer- but it’s because of that she has such valuable insight! I love her “What No One Told Me About the Book Community“. She’s making a significant splash in the blogosphere and her blogging advice is brilliant! I find her takes so refreshing and welcome!

• Most Supportive (someone who always shares others’ posts in wrap-ups/has kind comments/boosts other bloggers with initiatives, etc.) – Sophii @A Book A Thought

Sophii is legit amazing at collating wonderful posts from around the community and sharing them. (Aside from her great content in general) I’ve personally discovered so many amazing posts from her!

• Most Engaged in the Community– Flora @Flora’s Finds

I’ve mentioned this before, but I *particularly* love how Flora combines the memes Book Blogger Hop and Friday Finds- connecting readers to books and bloggers at the same time- genius!

• Most Creative (creative/original posts)- Katie @Never Not Reading
• Most Creative (creative/original posts)- Linda @Pages and Papers

Katie is awesome and definitely beats to her own drum with her creative content!

Linda has such original ideas, particularly promoting Shakespeare and classics!

• Best Social Media Influencer– Witty and Sarcastic Book Blog

If you’re on twitter, then you’ll know what I’m talking about. Every week, without fail Witty and Sarcastic Book Club is tweeting out support for book bloggers and it’s amazing!

• Friendliest Member of the Community– Macey @Brine and Books
• Friendliest Member of the Community– Meeghan @Meeghan Reads
• Friendliest Member of the Community– Rainn @the Withering

Macey’s newer to the blogging scene and super friendly!

I also really love chatting to Meeghan! She’s always on it in the comments!

And Rainn is just a burst of energy and a delight to talk to!

MOST IMPORTANTLY

• Best Overall Book Blogger [two winners!] – Briana & Krysta @Pages Unbound

Did I mention that I love Pages Unbound? Cos I seriously LOVE their blog. I am addicted to their exceptionally clever content- and for good reason! Not only are they  well-versed in classics, but they are also Tolkien buffs. Not only do they have exceptional discussions on familiar topics, they also have great lists of books I might not otherwise have heard of. And not only are they always making top quality posts, they are also amazing to chat to. Suffice to say, they are ALL AROUND THE BEST BLOGGERS!

OMG that was hard to do! I’m sorry I couldn’t include as many bloggers as I would have liked! But the most important thing is- please check out this amazing list of bloggers! They all deserve so much love!

Bloggers who deserve more attention #6

Hello all! And today’s an exciting day, cos I’m picking up my series of Bloggers Who Deserve More Attention and talking about some TOPNOTCH people from around the blogosphere! Let’s just jump right into it!

Flora’s Musings– not only does Flora have some fab reviews on all different genres, but I adore how she combines the meme Book Blogger Hop with her Friday Finds. It’s just such a great way to do this feature, cos it gives me a chance to find more books and more blogs to follow!

Thoughts of a Reader– Sarah has both excellent recommendations and cool list ideas. Recently, I especially loved her idea of going through her highest rated books and seeing how they compared to her own ratings. Plus, she also joins tons of readathons, so you can follow along with those too!

Metalphantasmreads– Amanda’s riveting reviews often introduce me to books I hadn’t heard of before. Plus, her fresh takes on popular books always get me to look at books I enjoyed from a fresh perspective!

Meeghan Reads– Meeghan is such a delight to talk to, cos she’s so friendly! Plus, really enjoy her lists, fun content and cute aesthetic!

Linda @Pages and Papers– I love Linda’s ideas- they’re so unique- especially her recent social distancing tips from Robinson Crusoe (genius!!!). On top of that, her discussions are brilliant- especially recommend her posts: why you should read sci fi and why the humanities matter.

Bookertalk– Karen’s discussions on blogging, writing and reading are always thought-provoking and worthwhile. I enjoy her interesting thoughts on less well-known books- particularly how she frequently reviews Welsh books. I could go on forever recommending her posts- she has a huge collection!- but (…for now…) I’ll just point you in the direction of 5 things I wish I knew about blogging.

Katie @Never not reading– Katie is one of my favourite people on the blogosphere!! This isn’t the first time I’m mentioning her posts and it certainly won’t be the last! She always comes up with clever original content and lists. Right now, I’m very much looking forward to the outcome for her Harry Potter Superlatives post!!

Camillea Reads– Camillea has such thoughtful posts, I get really wrapped up in them. And I also appreciate how thorough and well-thought out her reviews are! Plus, her aesthetics and photos are really pretty!

This is one for the books– if you’re looking for fair, balanced and well-developed reviews (which of course you are), I highly recommend checking out Katherine @This is One for the Books! She reviews from a variety of genres, including historical, literary fiction and classics.

The Geeky Jock– Em’s blog is a fantastic place to go if you’re looking for excellent reviews and entertaining takes on memes (especially her contributions to Top Ten Tuesday). Also, I loved her fun take on Marie Kondo’s “30 books” rule recently- it was great to see what books she’d choose! (love her good taste! 😉)

The Crooked Pen– straight up, this is amazing content. Rachael’s posts on writing and books are amazingly thought-provoking. Lately, I loved her posts on Why Canon Matters, How Not to Suck at Reviewing, Diary of a Pantser Turned Plotter– and more!! Each one is written with clarity and refreshing honesty. In addition, she also has some intriguing reviews!

Bloggers Who Deserve More Attention #1

Bloggers Who Deserve More Attention #2

Bloggers Who Deserve More Attention #3

Bloggers Who Deserve More Attention #4

Bloggers Who Deserve More Attention #5

Of course, there are loads more bloggers who deserve *all the attention*- so who do you think I should be looking out for? And do you know any of these bloggers? Will you be checking them out? Let me know in the comments!