Tag: Reading

  • The Pros and Cons of Novellas

    The Pros and Cons of Novellas

    If you look around the posts on this website, you’ll notice I’m quite the fan of shorter fiction. For me, novellas hit a sweet spot between length, depth, creativity, and value for money. But, much like any other form of fiction, novellas have their pros and cons. Some people really dislike them, and others (like…

  • Monthly Book Haul (May ’24)

    Monthly Book Haul (May ’24)

    May marked the month when I could kick back for the summer, or at least try. I have now got a few months without too many headaches and commitments coming my way, so I thought it would be nice to browse for a handful of extra books to line my shelves. I probably won’t be…

  • Novels with ‘Bland Cover Syndrome’

    Novels with ‘Bland Cover Syndrome’

    I tend to mention from time-to-time that covers are important, even if the contents of a novel are all that actually matters in the end. A creative, satisfying, and refined cover that conveys quality (as well as the tone of the story) is essential to making a book more enticing to shoppers. That’s why I…

  • Why I Dislike BookTok & Bookstagram

    Why I Dislike BookTok & Bookstagram

    Since 2020, the #booktok and #bookstagram trends have continued to grow. Whilst there are many positives, such as author exposure and a general promotion of the idea of reading, many of these creators/accounts tend to be a lot more shallow than perceived. As a slight warning, this post will probably represent a slight rant on…

  • Monthly Book Haul (April ’24)

    Monthly Book Haul (April ’24)

    I entered April telling myself I had enough books and other responsibilities to keep me busy, but I still ended up purchasing a few more books to hopefully while away the summer to (in addition to my already mountainous TBR list). At least the summer is around the corner, and some responsibilities will ease up…

  • Books That Bored Me to Death

    Books That Bored Me to Death

    As much as I like reading, I also find myself wanting to toss a book aside if I’m not invested after a handful of chapters. Sometimes it’s the style of writing, the lacklustre story, the literary era, the audience it was written for, or the genre. Sometimes it may just be me and my preferences!…

  • My Most Used Reading White Noise Videos

    My Most Used Reading White Noise Videos

    If you’re like me, then it doesn’t take much to agitate you when reading. A slight murmur of someone in the other room, the muffled noise of the television downstairs, your phone going off, or even just the neighbour’s yappy dog – it’ll drag your mind away from the book before you. In many cases,…

  • Five Great Japanese Books Under 200 Pages

    Five Great Japanese Books Under 200 Pages

    I love to read books by Japanese authors, particularly those on the shorter side. Something about the way the Japanese write, regardless of whether the work was translated or simply wrote in English to begin with, doesn’t shake the way these authors can so easily convey a scene, an emotion, or their (usually) odd sense…

  • Monthly Book Haul (March ’24)

    Monthly Book Haul (March ’24)

    I thought it would be interesting to give an insight into books I’ve bought throughout each month (at least the months when I do purchase new books… my collection is extremely large and is mostly unread). I considered posting my hauls a long time ago, but I held off because I felt it was more…

  • Books with Abstract/Interesting Covers

    Books with Abstract/Interesting Covers

    They say not to judge a book by its cover, but that really is the first thing you judge it by. Just as we make first impressions based on someone’s appearance — their features, fashion, and hygiene — we make a first impression with a book. Similarly to when someone you know changes their style…