22 Feb 2022 Leave a comment
in General Tags: blogiversary, giveaway, giveaway winners
It’s time to announce the winner of my 9th blogiversary giveaway!
Thank you to everyone who entered, I wasn’t expecting many given my long break but you proved me wrong again so thank you for your ongoing support.
The winners were drawn via Rafflecopter and I’m very pleased to announce that the winners are
Jess
Nancy P
The winners have been notified by email.
Congratulations!
23 Jan 2022 10 Comments
in General, Giveaway Tags: blogiversary
NINE YEARS! Nine! What does that even mean? What kind of time frame is that? Nothing goes for nine years! And yet here we are, nine years later after a lot of everything happening I’m still here posting my nonsense and babbling on. It’s been incredible fun and rewarding. I can think back to the early days where I had some amazing opportunities and no idea what I was doing, to the surprising influx of writers asking for my reviews, then having to stop doing that for a little while because I couldn’t say no and got myself so incredibly stressed. One day I will reopen them and try not to be so pleasing to everybody.
A lot has happened over the years and yet it seems not that long ago either. I have had a lot of fun writing these reviews. I get to share my thoughts and opinions about books I’ve loved (and some I have not) and seeing people read books based on what I have reviewed is always amazing to me.
Today is a day to celebrate though and so per tradition I am giving away goodies to celebrate my blogiversary. This year I am giving away two books to make up for my five month absence. I actually don’t have 5 top of 2021 (more on that in a later post) but I have included those that made the cut as well as some other favourites that I’ve read in the last few years that came close to five stars but didn’t quite make it over the line.
The Selection
Loveless by Alice Oseman
Sword in the Stars (#2) by A. R. Capetta*
The Adventure Zone: Crystal Kingdom by Clint McElroy*
Birthday by Meredith Russo
Finding Nevo by Nevo Zesin
Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia
Lenny’s Book of Everything by Karen Foxlee
The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl by Melissa Keil
*This item is a sequel that possibly won’t make any sense if you haven’t read the previous ones. Keep that in mind when picking your book.
To enter: For a chance to win one of the pictured books simply enter here and complete the Rafflecopter form.
Please note: This giveaway is international on the basis the Book Depository ships to your country. To see if you are eligible you can check their website.
Thank you for helping me celebrate and if you entered the draw I wish you the best of luck!
23 Apr 2021 Leave a comment
in General Tags: fiction, lgbt, LGBTQIA, picture books, shakespeare, shakespeare adaptation, shakespeare retellings, young adult
This post will be exactly what it says on the label: a list of Shakespeare retellings. When it comes to Shakespeare there are a myriad of sources that borrow from the bard in storyline and content. A lot of the time the focus in on movies that are replicas of the plays or are modern retellings like 10 Things I Hate About You, Kiss Me Kate, and Gnomeo and Juliet, but there are a range of books that retell some of Shakespeare’s most famous works and rework them into completely new and wonderful stories.
There are far too many to create a list myself so this will be a post of mainly links but I am putting my faith in the internet for gathering up some amazing titles I never would have heard of otherwise. I am looking at a range of formats – I have fiction, YA, children’s books, graphic novels, LGBTQIA stories and yes, more film retellings so hopefully one, some or all of these will pique your interest.
Also, a few years ago I did an entire month long celebration for Shakespeare’s 400th birthday so feel free to check that out and find some more fun Shakespeare goodies!
Young Adult
13 Shakespeare-inspired Young Adult Novels
Best YA Shakespeare Retellings
13 Shakespeare Adaptations Aimed at Teens
As I Descended by Robin Talley
LGBTQIA
LGBT Related Adaptations of Works by William Shakespeare
Sapphic Shakespeare Retellings
That Way Madness Lies ed. Dahlia Adler
Graphic Novels
4 Graphic Novel Adaptations of Shakespeare
10 Best Shakespeare Comics and Graphic Novels
Fiction
Shakespeare Adaptation Retellings
Film
William Shakespeare Screen Adaptations
William Shakespeare Movie Adaptation Viewing Guide
15 Great Adaptations of Shakespeare
Picture Books/Children’s Books
Teaching Shakespeare with Picture Books
Romeosaurus and Juliet Rex by Mo O’Hara
Ella Ballerina and a Midsummer Night’s Dream
Shakespeare Adaptations for Children
Do you have a particular favourite Shakespeare retelling? Are there any amazing books you’ve read that do the Bard proud in how it has been reimagined? Let me know in the comments.
23 Jan 2021 12 Comments
in General, Giveaway Tags: 8th blogiversary, a. r. capetta, alexis hall, alice oseman, blogiversary, clint mcelroy, jenna guillaume, rick riordan
Eight years today. Eight years! I will continue to be astounded by the passing of time every single year I celebrate my blogiversary because I am still mentally half back in that third year mark or somewhere even around the fifth where that was a mini milestone and seemed like a huge number. Now I’m at eight years and it’s closer to ten than not and that’s a whole thing in itself.
In eight years I know my writing has improved, I know I have read some amazing books, and shared some wonderful adventures but I also know I have been able to share all my thoughts and rambles and opinions with some great people in the book and blogging community. I would like to thank the wonderful people who have been following me from the very beginning, to those who found me along the way, and those who stuck around during those times when everything went a bit haywire over the years. I am incredibly grateful.
Last year was a year nobody was expecting so to come through the other side with people still wanting to read my reviews and my thoughts means the world.
I am excited about what this next year of blogging will bring, I have a few ideas up my sleeve for features which I am excited for and even though in person book events are on hold, there are always virtual events to look forward to.
Today though is all about celebrating and thanking you guys! I’m feeling super generous this year and I am giving THREE lucky people the chance to win ONE of the books from the selection below. Included is my Top Five reads from 2020 as well as a few other favourites I read this past year.
The Selection
I Was Born for This by Alice Oseman
Once & Future (#1) by A. R. Capetta
Heartstopper (#1) by Alice Oseman
The Adventure Zone: Petals the to Metal by Clint McElroy*
What I Like About Me by Jenna Guillaume
Sherwood by Meagan Spooner
The Lightning Thief (#1) by Rick Riordan
Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
*This item is a sequel that possibly won’t make any sense if you haven’t read the previous ones. Keep that in mind when picking your book.
To enter: For a chance to win one of the pictured books simply enter here and complete the Rafflecopter form.
Please note: This giveaway is international on the basis the Book Depository ships to your country. To see if you are eligible you can check their website.
Thank you for helping me celebrate and if you entered the draw I wish you the best of luck!
11 Jan 2021 Leave a comment
in General Tags: 2021 goals, goals
As I poke my toe tentatively into the new year I am reigning in any grand plans for my blog and aiming for something simple this year. I did think I was doing something simple last year, and while I met a couple of my goals in a roundabout, unplanned way, I am not going to put any pressure on myself. This blog is about sharing my love of books and reading and having a pressure to do it in a certain way is not something I want hanging over me right now. Instead, I am going to share my goals that I have some confidence I can achieve.
Get more AWW read
I have been doing the Australian Women Writers Challenge for a few years now and have seen my reading/reviewing numbers grow a lot. This year I aim to increase my numbers from last year and to match that with reviews since that was where I faltered last year. I will start with my initial goal but hopefully through the year I can bump that up and see where I end up come December.
Review more
This is a strange one given I tend to put up three reviews a week (when everything in my life goes to plan) but there were a few bumps last year and even when I was putting out consistent reviews I have a huge backlog from last year that I would love to get written up. 2020 was a huge year of reading for me and even if it means I am posting reviews months after when I read them I will be incredibly happy. For example I read all 30 Agatha Raisin books this past year and have Opinions about them which I would love to write about so hopefully they get up at some point this year, I also read some truly amazing books I need to shout from the rooftops about.
Read more YA
This was on the last year goals but I didn’t read as many as I liked, and it is an always goal because there’re so many out there I have yet to read and that have been on my TBR list for far too long. This is also including #LoveOzYa books, I’m looking at doing their bingo in October if they offer it up again to help me along, or I will redo a previous card in the meantime to help widen my reading.
These are super simple but I think it is a great way to keep doing what I love without becoming too chaotic and stressed with expectations and the inevitable let down come December when I realise I haven’t done anything from my bright eyed optimism in January. I know last year is not the year to hold as the standard or the norm but I have also been a tad notorious of being a bit neglectful in my goals so this might be my best chance at success. It’s also a chance to challenge myself and my reading in different ways. Fingers crossed anyway.
Do you have any reading goals for 2021? Are you doing any challenges to change up your reading or are you taking chances in different ways?
