Stress-Free Book Blogging: 7 Personal Tips

I think we can all agree that before starting book blogging, we had no idea how time-consuming it would turn out to be! As well as actually reading books and writing posts, there are social media platforms to manage, photos to take, websites to design and emails demanding responses. It's no wonder that many bloggers (myself among them!) have found themselves getting overwhelmed. Over four years of book blogging, I've developed a number of strategies focussed on keeping me sane above making my blog uber-successful! I thought I would collect these tips together into an ultimate guide to stress-free book blogging...

10 Things I Learned from Studying Literature

Hi everyone - I'm back!!! I took a hiatus for the past few months as things got pretty intense while I was finishing my English Literature degree. I've now submitted my last assignments and I'm really looking forward to getting back into book blogging, and catching up on all of your lovely posts!

For the first post of my return, I wanted to share the 10 most important things I learnt from studying literature...

Theatre Review: Measure for Measure (Royal Shakespeare Company)

Isabella is a woman of deep religious belief, who is soon to enter a convent where she will begin her devout life as a nun. Shortly before she embarks, Isabella is informed that her beloved brother Claudio has been arrested by Lord Angelo. His sentence is death.

Isabella meets with Lord Angelo to plead for her brother's life and he strikes a deal: her virginity in return for a pardon. Torn between a sister's love and her unwavering religious faith, Isabella's struggle dramatises the public and private battles for power that have raged for centuries...

A Photographic Tribute to Old Books

On holiday with my family in the Lake District, we stayed in a wing of a beautiful old house. It boasted a reading room packed with antique books and furniture that took my breath away! Needless to say, my parents had a little trouble dragging me away to actually see the lakes. I couldn't resist sharing some of my most amazing finds with you...

Archive Nostalgia: Fulfil your Summer Reading Goals – Tailored Recommendations!

With many people embarking on summer reading challenges this year, such as the 20 Books of Summer hosted by Cathy @ 746 Books, I thought I would bring back this feature from the archives. If you're looking to reach some reading goals over summer, hopefully, this will provide you with some inspiration!
The weather is getting warmer, the evenings lighter, the trees are blossoming – summer is definitely on its way! I don’t know about you, but whether I’m on holiday or just relaxing in the garden, summer is the time when I get to read most out of any time of year. But have you thought about what you’re aiming to achieve with your reading this summer? Do you want to feel more well-read by perusing some classics, or do you fancy something a little lighter to help you relax on the beach? The tailored recommendations below will help you to fulfil your summer reading goals, whatever they may be!

Theatre Review: Richard III (Headlong Productions)

After years of devastating war between the houses of York and Lancaster, peace is finally restored to England under the reign of King Edward IV. However, with Edward's bitter and alienated younger brother, Richard, waiting in the wings, it seems that the cycle of vengeance is yet to be broken...

Top 10 Facebook Pages For A Brightening Bookish Fix

If holiday snaps and selfies are making you roll your eyes every time you log into social media, turn your feed into a brightening bookish fix by following these diverse pages...

Who Are You Reading For?

Who is it that you're reading for? It seems like an obvious answer (myself??) but this isn't always the case. Around the end of last year, I realised that I was reading for others far more than for my own enjoyment. Sound familiar? Here are my tips for bringing reading back to you again.

Theatre Review: Troilus & Cressida (Royal Shakespeare Company)

My birthday treat this year was a pair of tickets to see a live-streamed production of the Royal Shakespeare Company's Troilus & Cressida. The play is a love story that unfolds in the midst of the Trojan war. With the Greek army camped at their walls, tensions are mounting in the besieged city. Troilus and Cressida must negotiate a tangle of betrayal and deceit if they are to remain true to one another.

Ultimate Guide to Book Clubs Part 3: Your Questions Answered

What actually happens at a book club meeting?
Do I need to like classic/scholarly literature to join a book club?
What if I can't think of anything to say about the book?

In this final part of Ultimate Guide to Book Clubs, I will be answering some common FAQs about joining a book club...