Radical Reads & Social Justice
Rather than a list of recommendations, this article is more of a personal reflection on my experience with the true crime genre. While I initially felt a bit dubious about true crime and its ethical issues, I'm now utterly addicted to the genre and I think it has the power to transform how we think about justice. I hope you enjoy reading...
For our December meeting, my book club had the theme 'Best of 2020' and voted on an award-winning book to read. We ended up choosing Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams which won the British Book Award - I loved it and you can read my review here! However, the time I spent trawling through different book award shortlists to put our poll together got me thinking - do book awards really matter?
I actually can't remember the last time I DNFed a book. In fairness, a lot of the books I read are for my degree modules so kind of require me to power through, but even when reading for pleasure I tend to cling on until the bitter end.
Over the years since I started blogging, I have noticed that so many other book bloggers aren't afraid to call it a day if they're not hooked after x number of chapters. This has got me thinking - could becoming a more ruthless DNFer improve my reading life?
Listening to audiobooks has revolutionised my reading life. However, they are not without their limitations, and I have seen them criticised on some platforms as not "really" reading.
This has got me thinking about today’s debate topic – can audiobooks ever replace print?
2019 has been a wonderfully busy, varied reading year. Both my English Literature course and feminist book club have pushed me out of my comfort zone and encouraged me to try something new. At the same time, the inspiring community of book bloggers continues to keep reading exciting - I can't wait to see what 2020 brings!
So without further ado, in no particular order (because I am extremely indecisive!) my top 10 books read in 2019 are...
With the winner of the YA Book Prize due to be announced at the end of May, I thought it would be a good time to bring back this topical debate post. Can we grow out of YA books ... even award-winning ones?
Happy Easter! Spring is here, the blossom is out and everyone is slowly coming out of their winter stupor... It is the perfect time of year for an uplifting, life-affirming read and no book does this better than Ruth Hogan's The Keeper of Lost Things!
It's that time of year when everybody is starting to plan out what their reading life will look like in 2019! With so many challenges and checklists, there are plenty of resolutions to choose from.
Personally, I have not set myself any reading goals this year. As an English Literature student, my compulsory reading is enough without setting myself any more deadlines! However, if you are reading purely for pleasure, can setting goals help to enhance this or turn reading into a competitive activity that puts you under pressure?
As a teenager reading was perhaps an even bigger part of my life than it is now. Without the inconvenient responsibility of study, jobs and exams, I devoured books like they were going out of fashion, and was practically an expected presence in the YA section of the local library. However, as I progress into my twenties, I feel myself turning away from the books that inspired me in those years. I am somehow self-conscious about being seen reading YA books on the bus, I skip past YA reviews, and I avoid recommending them at my book club for fear of not being taken seriously.
This has got me thinking about today’s debate topic – are you really ever too old for YA?
Many years ago, Anthony Peardew broke a promise. The only promise he has ever made. In atonement, he begins to carefully collect a hotchpotch of objects that have been lost, in the firm belief that they have a significance to someone, somewhere. When Anthony dies, he leaves the collection to his assistant Laura. Adrift in a comfortable but unadventurous existence, Laura finds a new purpose in the monumental task of reuniting the lost objects with their owners. Her quest to fulfil Anthony’s legacy of love makes for a moving tale of wonder, compassion, triumph and the infinite endurance of human connections.
OffBeatBooks 