Back in the day I would put up book reviews on youtube, I loved doing it and I kind of miss it. But times have changed since then and I started noticing there was this think called ‘bookstagrammers’ and boy do they scare me! 

As much as I would love to be involved in the world, and I do try. I do the tags, I do the hashtags I follow and get inspo for reads and posts because there’s nothing more I would love is to be on a publishers reading copy list!

But the reality is, I work full time, I have a relationship and a dog. And although I adore reading, I have other hobbies too so I cant spend my whole day curled up on the couch reading. And Ill admit, I’m not that fast of a reader. Although I try my best.

But there’s nothing I feel more discouraged by than when I hop onto Instagram, click through stories and see bookstagrammers complaining they’ve only read 3 books this month. 3!! I aim for 1 a month to keep me reading, but for some people this isn’t even considered worthy enough to call myself a reader.

We forget that although the world is still out there shaming others on Instagram for their size, hair colour, followers, pose etc. We forget that although the book community that is considered safe and inclusive and for the most part it is! Ive found some great bookstagram accounts that give great content and respond to everyone and just enjoy reading in general.
But I think its important to remember that there is also those out there that, most likely unintentionally, making some of us feel like we are failing in the community by not reading enough, not reading long enough, not reading fast enough. Which takes the beauty out of why we pick up a book in the first place.

I might not read the most, and only aim for 12 books a year so that I don’t feel like reading is a chore, but ill still post my book reviews, still post my book photos on my Instagram. Tag the published, and hope that hey one day I may get sent a reading copy. And ill read it how I like and feel no pressure.

So if you want to see a normal gal, just trying to read books in life with no pressure other than reading is my happy place and keeps me sane. Follow me and we can do this little book community thing together, just me, you and our to be read list!

 

Post lockdown I managed to keep on top of my reading I really wanted to share some reviews on the books that im raving about!

First up;

The Flatshare.. I put off reading the Flatshare for so long because from the description’s id heard on it I thought it was a cheesy YA novel. But during lockdown I just purchased it on a whim and I’m so glad I did! This book was something else for me. We meet Tiffy who is loud, bright, bubbly and in a sticky housing situation with a creepy ex boyfriend. So seeks out Leon, who’s a quiet, reserved nurse who needs some extra cash so rents out his place while he does the night shift. How bizarre right? Could you share the same bed with someone you’ve never met? Share the same living space and only know someone through items and notes. I really fell for this book for a few reasons. 1) The way Beth O’Leary switches between Leon and Tiffy in this book is the best writing I’ve found so far of displaying two characters as they are. She completely changed her style of writing when writing from Leon’s view and I adored this, and it completely set the scene. 2) it felt a like a love story how they should be told, from friends first. So many times, you read about love stories and within the first two chapters their in love without actually getting to know each other. These two really found friendship through their unconventionally way of living and I adored that.

 

 

My second one that I couldn’t wait to read is, Kiely Reid’s Such a fun Age! This book has been nominated for a booker prize and has been blowing up around Instagram in light of the Black lives Matter movement. The book follows Emira, a 25year old woman who is accused by a supermarket security for kidnapping the child she is babysitting because of her race. A black woman out with a white baby. Could you imagine? Or do you not have to because no one would question yourself? We watch and read what it is like being judged for your race and how to handle the situation and how not to handle the situation in her boss Alix Chamberlains case. It really was an important and uplifting story that I think everyone should read and I cannot recommend enough! I finished this in 6days and a part of me wishing I didn’t finish it so fast so I could keep enjoying it!

Let me know your books your currently raving about!
Im currently reading: Girl, Woman, Other.