For some foolish idea, a few years ago I decided to buy and read the whole longlist of the Booker Prize, and it’s a tradition I can’t really afford but do continue to do. When the longlist was announced this year, I realised I’d already read 2 of them, and owned 4 others, so IContinue reading “The Booker Prize 2026”
Category Archives: Blog Posts
The Complicated Magic of Roald Dahl
There are some children’s books that you remember reading, and then there are children’s books that seem to have become part of the furniture of your childhood. Roald Dahl firmly belongs in the second category. His books have been passed from one generation to another for decades, read aloud at bedtime, discovered in school libraries,Continue reading “The Complicated Magic of Roald Dahl”
My Favourite Books of 2026: Part 1 😊
2026 has probably been one of the best years for books – in my home at least. There have been sooooooo many great reads, and a lot of wonderful debut novels too! Here you’ll find my favourite reads of January through to June 2026, with the rest of the year coming in December. Please beContinue reading “My Favourite Books of 2026: Part 1 😊”
The Power of Representation: Books About Chronic Illness and Disability
Far from just being a way to pass the time, books have always been windows into people’s lives. Sometimes they allow us to see ourselves reflected in the world around us, and other times they offer us a glimpse into experiences different from our own. For people living with chronic illness or disability, however, findingContinue reading “The Power of Representation: Books About Chronic Illness and Disability”
Books to Read When You’re Grieving
I’m not going to go into too much detail about it, but I’ll start by saying that I’ve experienced a lot of grief over the last few years – the hardest being the loss of my dad in 2017, when I was just 24. Grief is such a personal thing. There isn’t a right wayContinue reading “Books to Read When You’re Grieving”
What Makes a Comfort Read?
There are some books we reach for without thinking, the ones we pick up on a rainy afternoon, during a stressful week, or when the world feels just a little too loud. We might not even need to read the blurb, we already know how they make us feel. They are our comfort reads. ButContinue reading “What Makes a Comfort Read?”
The Anatomy of a Perfect First Chapter
“Beginning a novel is always hard. It feels like it’s going nowhere. I always have to write at least a hundred pages that go into the trash before it finally begins to work. It’s discouraging but necessary.” – Arthur C. Blake It won’t surprise anyone to hear that the first chapter of a book carriesContinue reading “The Anatomy of a Perfect First Chapter”
How Matt Haig’s Books Saved My Life
Not to sound like a hipster, but I was reading Matt Haig before he became Matt Haig, before the world properly fell in love with him. I don’t say that to sound cool or ahead of the curve (I’ve never been ahead of the curve for anything). It’s to say how genuinely happy I amContinue reading “How Matt Haig’s Books Saved My Life”
Why Do We Escape to Books In Difficult Times?
“Imagination is the only weapon in the war against reality.” Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Let’s be honest, when life feels heavy, most of us reach for something that helps us switch off, be it a comforting TV show, or a relaxing walk. But for a lot of us, it’s books we escape to. AndContinue reading “Why Do We Escape to Books In Difficult Times?”
The Guardian: The Greatest Literature Ever Published In English
“As Stephen King points out, compiling a list of the greatest novels of all time is an impossible task. King is one of more than 170 novelists, critics and academics the Guardian polled for their top 10, ranked in order, which we tallied to compile an overall 100. But, as he argued, 10 books isContinue reading “The Guardian: The Greatest Literature Ever Published In English”
Books By Your Bedside 