The 10 Stages of Being a Newbie on Bookstagram // Aka an Emotional Rollercoaster!

Guys, for the longest time, I was totally against getting an Instagram account and joining the Bookstagram community.

I have enough social media to contend with already, I said.
When will I even have enough time to take my own pictures anyway, I said.

But about 6 months ago I caved, and oh boy, I have been utterly enraptured since!!!

I check in on the app AT LEAST once a day to stare at all the pretty shiny things on there, and wow, looking at everyone’s accounts makes me feel so inspired.

Learning how to use, cope, and post on this site has actually felt like a real journey, which is kind of a weird thing to say about something that is essentially a social networking platform! However, I have a feeling a lot of you will:

a) empathise with my struggles
b) feel a little less alone by reading them or
c) find them highly amusing.

…and that’s why I’m bringing this post to you today! So without further ado, here are the 10 stages of being a newbie on Bookstagram from yours truly!

Samatha Shannon in Conversation: London Launch of Priory + UK GIVEAWAY!

Hello, book dragons!

I’m bringing this post to you a little later than intended because life has been super busy *SHAKES FIST*, however, I’m extremely excited to be giving you the inside scoop on the Samantha Shannon in conversation event I attended at the end of February, celebrating her new release The Priory of the Orange Tree!

For those of you that don’t know, Priory is a high fantasy standalone novel that’s loosely based around the myth of George and the dragon, which is pretty freakin’ awesome!

I’m still quite new to attending bookish events and I do get a little nervous about them, but the team at London Waterstones Picadilly made everyone SO welcome, even offering us a free glass of wine. Um, VIP TREATMENT OVER HERE!?!

My friend and I arrived pretty early but the room was already half full, buzzing with excitable energy. When Samantha walked onto the makeshift stage there was a large whoop and a round of applause. Joining her and chairing the interview was Alwyn Hamilton. While I haven’t read any of her novels, I really want to now because she was such a funny and vibrant speaker and really set the tone for the evening!

The Pancake Book Tag // Pairing Books with Sweet Treats!

 

Hello everyone! Today is Shrove Tuesday, hurrah!

While I’m not religious in any way, I certainly jump on any excuse to have a sweet treat like a pancake or waffle, and I have a feeling you do too! 😉

(Literally drooling at this picture right now. Ahdfjdhfiufjf, NOM)

I was scratching my head trying to think of a themed post that I could do around pancake day (and treats in general) because sugar is awesome, and suddenly it came to me, A PANCAKE BOOK TAG.

So I had a little google, and it turned out that I couldn’t see that anyone had done this before, WHAAAAT. So now I feel like pancakes have been underrepresented in the book community, which is just not okay! Naturally, I felt I had to write this wrong.* Also, for the record, I think pancakes should be an all year thing. How do we overlook this?

*I have always been a champion of the underdog

So, I got down to business and created my first ever original book tag, which was kinda scary, but also, I had so much fun doing it and playing around with all the graphics! 

SO, if you’re into munching on pancakes, like reading awesome books, and like food-related puns, read on and discover all your favourite things! 

Accurate footage of me eating pancakes on Shrove Tuesday. I am a monster.

The Wonderstruck Book Tag // Ft. All the Taylor Swift GIFS!

Hello everyone! 

I came across this super cool tag recently created by the wonderful Purely Olivia. She has a fabulous book blog and you should definitely check it out if you haven’t come across it before!

This tag combines two of my favourite things – books and Taylor Swift songs.
I mean, win-win, right?!

Taylor Swift’s music saw me through most of my teenage years (alongside Paramore and The Pretty Reckless, I’m diverse Y’all). While I’m not such a fan of her newer pop albums, her country songs still make my heart SO HAPPY, and instantly transport me back to teen angst, first crushes, and belting out song lyrics with my friends at sleepovers! 😀

CONTENT WARNING: This post may cause you to unexpectedly burst into song, hum in public for up to 24hrs after reading, or get caught in a dangerous Taylor Swift Youtube cycle.*

*I may or may not have gone on a two day Taylor Swift music binge after writing this. BLAMING YOU, OLIVIA!

My Most Anticipated Book Releases of 2019 in YA & Fantasy!

Hello everyone! 

I hope 2019 is treating you kindly so far! We’re two weeks in now, and I kind of still feel like I’m living in some kind of post-celebrations fog??!?
THIS BOOKWORM IS NOT READY FOR THE REAL WORLD YET.

It seems fitting that my first blog post of the year is looking ahead at all the good things coming up in the book world. This is actually my first time doing one of these anticipated releases posts if you can believe it! This is mostly because I am a very unorganised lemon and I never get all my dragons in a row as it were.

However, this year, I seem to have amassed a rather significant list of amazing new titles that I’m desperate to get my hands on.

I’m so excited to discuss these with you so that we can be excited together! I’ve split my 2019 releases into fantasy and contemporary reads, and then within each section by publication date to make things fair.

I’m also pleased to say that my list is a mix of both hyped and lesser-known novels, so I’m hoping that there may be a few on here you haven’t heard of yet!

SO READ ON TO DISCOVER AWESOMENESS! 😀

***Note: Full blurbs can be read by clicking on the drop-down arrows!***

The 12 Days of Christmas: A Bookish Wishlist if Money was no Object!

Hello, Bookworms!

It’s that time of the year where we’re all rushing around buying gifts for our loved ones and also making our own wishlists for what we might like this Christmas.

One of the things I love most about the book community is that it’s so passionate and creative. Through blogging, I have come across many amazing people who develop their own bespoke designs based on bookish fandoms and themes.

For a while, I’ve been trying to think of a way of showcasing this amazing creativity, and so I’ve put together this list of 12 bookish gifts I’d be ecstatic to find under my tree this year. Most of this list focuses on independent sellers because I think it’s really important that we try to support them (money allowing)! 😀

I hope that this list either a) makes you squeal at the bookish gloriousness b) gives you something to add to your wishlist or c) gives you some good gifting ideas for friends and family!
So here we goooooo!

Visiting Walker Books: My First Exclusive Book Blogging Event! *Cue Squealing*

I’d like to thank my mum, my dad, my boyfriend, the book community, and that guy I saw in Tesco’s that one time who gave up the last reduced pastry…

Haha no. But seriously, when I saw an invitation come into my inbox for Walker’s YA Wonderland, a festive evening of books, bubble, and bites to showcase their upcoming titles for 2019 presented by some of the authors themselves, it was like a golden ray of sunshine appeared and angels started singing.

I RSVP’d within about a minute of the invitation coming through without checking any of the details because come hell or high water, I WAS GETTING THERE.

This is, without a doubt, one of the best blogging moments I’ve had since I started this thing. I’ve seen plenty of bloggers invited to publisher events over the years, but I never thought I would be one of them and I feel so incredibly privileged to have been offered the opportunity. 

So, here’s you’re sneak peek into Walker Books and their upcoming releases (because I couldn’t go to a book event without sharing it with you guys, could I?!?) 😀

Julie Kagawa Discusses her Favourite Creatures from Asian Folklore // Guest Post

To celebrate Julie Kagawa’s new YA release, the action-packed, fun-filled, Asian fantasy, Shadow of the Fox, I have a guest post today from the lovely lady herself!

Today, and on theme with Shadow of the Fox, I’ve asked Julie to chat with us about her favourite creatures from Asian folklore.

Personally, this is an area that fascinates me. I love fantasy and fairytale creatures with all my heart, but I especially like learning about new creatures or different cultural interpretations of famous creatures.

I don’t know much about Asian folklore, but I am desperate to explore it more because these tales are so filled with wonder, magic and fascination! I’m also making an active attempt to read more diverse fantasy reads based in different countries because I want to support Own Voice authors. So Bring. It On!

Julie, welcome to Blogs of a Bookaholic, it’s an absolute pleasure to spotlight you here today!

5 YA Tropes that Make Me Feel Old (PLEASE BRING AID AND COOKIES)

So you guys know that I LOVE YA. I live and breathe those hormone filled, perfectly tormented souls who feel everything three times as hard as the rest of the world, and I know I always will.

But the thing is, as a YA reader, I have always been a teenager reading about teenagers.

Now, I’m 24 years of age and I have to face the facts that I am DOING THE ADULTING THING. WHICH IS WEIRD. I still consider myself a ‘young adult’, as I kind of feel this bracket continues to about the age of 25, (wait a minute, that’s only a year away, gulp) but I’ve certainly grown older and wiser, my views have expanded, and my book tastes have evolved.

I feel so incredibly lucky to be living in a time where I have access to talented YA authors whose stories have mass appeal. YA is not just for teenagers folks, it’s for everyone, and I will defend that to the depts of Mordor.

But now that I’m older, I do sometimes come across tropes/storylines, or certain scenes in YA books that make me feel, well, kinda old.*

The ‘I Spy’ Book Challenge | Highlighting some Awesome Books!

Hello bibliophiles, caffeine addicts and dragon riders!

I was tagged by the wonderful Sprinkles of Dreams to do this tag (if you haven’t been to her blog before, check it out, it’s gorgeous!). I definitely pick and choose which tags I participate in these days, but this one looked like so much fun that I wanted to jump right in!

Rules for the tag: Find a book that contains (either on the cover or in the title) an example for each category. You must have a separate book for all 20, get as creative as you want and do it within five minutes!

Um, yeah. So this definitely didn’t take me 5 minutes…more like an hour. But I had SO much fun matching books up! I really struggled with finding books for a few of the categories so I decided to spread the challenge to both books I have read and books on my wishlist that I’ve have heard good things about. Hopefully, this post may make you want to add a few books to your wishlist too! 🙂

7 Books On My Summer TBR Pile!

Hello everyone!

It’s that time of year when I’m really getting into that summer feeling (or trying to, with the British weather yo-yoing from scorching heat to torrential downpour). I definitely always notice a change in my reading habits as soon as the weather gets warmer – I find myself reaching for contemporary YA over fantasy novels, and I steer towards more lightweight reads over anything too involved. Looking at my TBR and wishlist, below are some novels I’m really looking forward to reading this summer! *

*As a mood reader, making a bold statement about having a summer TBR will inadvertently mean I don’t get around to reading half of them, but hey, a girl can dream!

 

 

5 Mental Health Conditions I’d Like to See Represented in YA Books

Spreading awareness about mental health is something I am incredibly passionate about. I have to say, I’m SO PROUD of how far society has come. Looking back on even the last 5 years, I feel we’ve made such progress in our understanding and I want us to continue fighting ignorance in 2018! This week is Mental Health Awareness Week so to do my part, I’ve got a topical blog post for you today.

In the last few years, publishers have been producing more and more intelligent and positive YA books featuring mental health which makes my heart SUPER HAPPY. If you’re looking for a book on depression, for instance, they’re pretty easy to find and you have a number to choose from. There are also quite a few books on bipolar disorder and eating disorders – even generalised anxiety disorder, which I had previously struggled to find any books on whatsoever (even when I was actively searching for them!), has now been spotlighted in some fabulous novels.

Top Ten Books that Surprised Me (In a Good or Bad Way)

 

Top Ten Tuesday is an awesomely original weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish, and is now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.

 The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

ABOUT: A young girl who loves books, set in the backdrop of World War II and narrated by death? Check, check and CHECK. This should be right up my alley, surely?

SURPRISE: Umm… turns out, not. I feel like the only person on the planet who is not in love with this book. I didn’t go into it with any particular expectations but had basically never seen a poor review of this. While I enjoyed the story and its twists and turns, I was surprised that I never developed any kind of emotional connection with it or the characters.

YA Book Recs: Novels that Respect Mental Illness

Hello, everyone! This week is mental health awareness week run by the Mental Health Foundation. As this is an area I’m really passionate about both personally and as a psychology student, to do my bit I’ve decided to run a blog feature where I and guest bloggers talk about mental health related topics paired with books and/or blogging to help raise awareness. 🙂 Today I’m welcoming Cristina to the blog!

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Hello, readers! I’m Cristina and I’ve popped over from my YA book blog Girl in the Pages to chat with you today. I’m going to be focusing on YA book recommendations that portray mental illness in a way that is respectful, insightful, and engaging. While it’s great that mental illness is becoming a more prevalent theme in YA, it’s also too often used as merely a plot device or perpetuates stereotypes, doing more harm than good. Finding authors who provide the needed research to effectively write about mental illness as major themes in their books is important not only to bring awareness to the conditions, but to set a standard for the integrity of including such themes in books. I’ve chosen to focus on three major mental illnesses that have novels that portray them with research, respect, insightfulness, and when appropriate, creativity.

Pop Culture & Mental Health: Fiction vs Reality

Hello, everyone! This week is mental health awareness week run by the Mental Health Foundation. As this is an area I’m really passionate about both personally and as a psychology student, to do my bit I’ve decided to run a blog feature where I and guest bloggers talk about mental health related topics paired with books and/or blogging to help raise awareness. 🙂 Today I’m welcoming Hattie to the blog!

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Hello, all! My name’s Hattie, and I’m usually found writing over at The Anxious Girl’s Guide to Dating, my advice blog. I am so honored to be taking part in Blogs of a Bookaholic’s mental health week. As a fellow tea-drinker and book lover, I’m thrilled to be here. Becky is seriously so lovely, right? And while I’m a huge fan of books in general, I’m also a huge fan of open dialogue about mental health soo I think I’ve found my blogging soulmate.

Anxiety has been a constant companion of mine since childhood and depression likes to pop his head in the door every once in a while too. Mental health is one of those interesting topics that seems to be everywhere and yet still is a challenge for a lot of people to talk about. For me, my anxiety reached a tipping point when I tried to start dating in my late teens (then early twenties, then mid-twenties…I was a late bloomer).