October's Monthly Recap

Here is the recap of what's been happening here in October!

It's been pretty quiet here this month as I've been doing the last of my reading for Sex in Teen Lit Month II (which starts tomorrow, I'm so excited!), but there have been a few interesting things going on.

Reviews:

• The Pied Piper of Hamelin by Russell Brand & Chris Riddell - I really enjoyed this! I loved the style in which Brand told it, and I love Riddell's illustrations!
• Colour Me Mindful Series - Underwater, Birds and Tropical by Anastasia Catris - I love these colouring books, they're so cool! And looking forward to giving the new ones in the series a go.
• The Tenderness of Theives by Donna Freitas - This was a really interesting story, but it focused on the romance more than the psychologial thriller side of things. I also didn't like how the girls' based their worth on what guys thought of them. But still a sweet, troubled romance.
• Start Your Day With Katie by Katie Piper - This is a book with an affirmation for every day of the year, and I love it a whole lot more than I thought I would. It's surprisingly personal, because these are the affirmations that helped Katie when she was recovering from her acid attack.  
• Pierre the Maze Detective by Hiro Kamigaki & IC4DESIGN - This is a really beautiful book; intricate illustrations, and puzzles that will keep children occupied for hours. Great fun!
• Paper Dandy's Horrorgami by Marc Hagan-Guirey - This is not at all what I expected, but this is a fantastic book for crafty horror fans to create horror scenes through the art of karigami.
• Secret Garden: Artist's Edition by Johanna Basford - The illustrations in this colouring book are beautiful, and I love how you can pull them out to hang them up. The card doesn't seem to link felt tips/ink though.

Announcements:


I announced that I will be hosting a reading challenge next year: the Retellings Reading Challenge 2016. All retellings - classics, children's classics, fairy tales, myths and legends, folktales - are accepted, as well as prequels/sequels. Do sign up!


Sex in Teen Lit Month II is happening this November! I'm really excited for it to start tomorrow, and get to share all the reviews, interviews, guest posts and more. It's going to be awesome. Find out more in the post above, and do visit throughout November for all the posts.


I will be hosting Bookish Spinsters, a weekly link-up inspired by Am I Normal Yet? by Holly Bourne to discuss feminism and feminist ideas. The first post on What is Feminism? went live yesterday. Please check it out and participate -  this week's link-up closes on Thursday 5th October - I'm excited to learn from you all! If you can't take part for this week's topic, do check out the Bookish Spinsters page, where you'll find a schedule for future topics.


Other posts:

• I discussed my thoughts on eReaders, the pros and cons, and how I warmed to them when I originally hated them. 

Elsewhere:

• C. J. Skuse wrote a piece for The Guardian on why we need angry girls in YA. 
• James Dawson announced on Buzzfeed that he is transgender, and will be starting his transition this year. I think he's pretty incredible for being so open about this.
• Leah Raeder wrote a great piece for Queer Romance Month on why she wrote Cam Girl, her next novel: because of her own gender identity. Again, another incredible author for her honesty and openness.
• There's was a lot of talk last weekend on Twitter about an article on Teen.com about Teen Wolf slash fanfic that was quite homophobic. There were great things said by Dahlia Adler, Tess Sharpe and Leah Raeder (but as it's been a week, it might be hard to find them again.) Tess Sharpe wrote a brilliant letter on her blog to the editor of Teen.com, which explains the whole situation.
• Dahlia Adler shared a list of Books By and About People of Marginalized Races recently. While you're there, check out her other recs.

How has your month been? Will you be taking part in Bookish Spinsters and/or Retellings Reading Challenge 2016 with me? Are you as excited about Sex in Teen Lit Month II as I am? What's happening on your blog next month? Let me know!

Bookish Spinsters: What Is Feminism?

Bookish Spinsters starts today, and I'm so excited for us all to get talking about feminism!

Bookish Spinsters is a weekly link-up where we discuss feminism based on a topic/question/prompt, and other feminist book bloggers and book tubers join in with their response. Feel free to join in at any time, I just ask that you link back to Bookish Spinsters. For more info and the list of future Bookish Spinsters topics, go to the Bookish Spinsters page.

This week's topic is What is Feminism?

What is Feminism?

For me, feminism is equality. There's a misconception that feminists hate men, and want a world where women have the power. This is just not the case. Feminism is all about equality; it's about men and women being on equal footing. It's about losing the sexism and the double standards. It's not about women being valued more highly than men, but being valued just as much as men, and having the same opportunities as men.

Feminism is helpful to men as well as women. Sexism works both ways; while women are seen as fragile, soft, and emotional, men are expected to be tough, macho, and emotionless. This is obviously seriously problematic, but a topic for another day!

What Feminism Means to Me

I'm fairly new to feminism, it's only been in the past year or so that I've discovered what feminism actually is. I was one of those people who used to think feminists just didn't like men, and I just couldn't get on board with that. But once I discovered what feminism was really about, it really got me thinking, and agreeing.

So for me, at the moment feminism means learning, opening my eyes to the sexism and misogyny I didn't notice before. I was already starting to become aware of feminist issues before I read Louise O'Neill's Only Ever Yours, but once I did, it really cemented things for me - as did following Louise on Twitter, where she speaks up about feminist issues. It was like something clicked into place, and I suddenly got it. I wanted to learn more, and that's pretty much still where I'm at. I don't want to be shut in the dark, and not be aware of the inherent sexism going on around me. I want to be aware of it.

With this in mind, I asked my Twitter followers for feminist recommendations to learn more, and a number of people got back to me with quite a few titles to read (if you're interested, you can find them on my feminism Goodreads shelf), and I started with Girls Will Be Girls by Emer O'Toole, which really got me thinking about how I allow society's idea of what a woman should be, what femininity is affect how I present myself, something I've been thinking about and trying to change. I also have Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay and Be Awesome by Hadley Freeman waiting to be read.

And of course there was Am I Normal Yet? by Holly Bourne, which inspired Bookish Spinsters. The Spinster Club made me so passionate - passionately angry, and passionate about talking about these topics and learning more. Learning about the Bechdel test, Manic Pixie Dream Girls and benevolent sexism in such an accessible way within a really awesome YA story was just wonderful.

I have also found Free the Period, Bye Felipe and Sexist Headlines on Intsagram really awesome accounts to follow.

As I said, I'm still learning. There are still sexist things I'm surprised about almost daily, or a new perspective to look at things from to see just how screwed up our society. And I want to keep on being made aware of these things. I'm passionate about it.

What Feminism Does For Me/Why I'm a Feminist

Before I'd be aware that something wasn't right on TV or in magazines, for example, but wouldn't quite know what. Having learned and had my eyes open to gender inequality and sexism through the feminist books, posts and tweets I've read, feminism has given me a way to use my voice. I'm still learning, still a newbie feminist, but I can speak up at least.

This is one of the reasons I started Bookish Spinsters: this is a platform to use my voice. Our voices together on these issues, with all the regular readers of our blogs we'll reach combined, maybe we'll educate more people. Perhaps by discussing gender inequality, sexism, misogyny, we'll make people think, and perhaps change their behaviour. It's not a huge campaign to overthrow the Patriachy, but I'm hoping us all talking together, learning from each other, hearing about each other's experiences, we'll be moving in the right direction.

"Be the change you want to see in the world." - Gandhi.
And now it's time for you to share your responses to this week's topic! Join the link-up below with the URL to your Bookish Spinsters post/video, along with your name and your email address. Then check out other people's posts and let's get talking!

Review: Secret Garden: Artist's Edition by Johanna Basford

Secret Garden: Artist's Edition by Johanna Basford (review copy) - Following the chart topping success of Johanna Basford's Secret Garden and Enchanted Forest, Laurence King Publishing release Secret Garden: Artist's Edition. A special edition of the world's most popular colouring book, it features 20 beautiful, pull-out and frame posters, each carefully printed onto high-quality card. Secret Garden: Artist's Edition will allow colouring fans of all ages to display their intricate creations beyond the pages of their colouring book for the first time. From the press release.

When I was offered the chance to review Secret Garden: Artist's Edition by Johanna Basford, I jumped at the chance. I had just bought  myself Enchanted Forest as I couldn't resist the beautiful illustrations, so being able to own this edition of Secret Garden too was just awesome.


What's great about this edition of Secret Garden is that it allows you to pull the pages out after you're done to frame on put on your wall. With the Basford's illustrations as gorgeous as they are, it's not hard to see why someone would want them on their wall after adding some colour. The Artist's Edition has 20 of the illustrations in the original colouring book, which have been blown up onto really good quality card. Apart from a small flower in the centre of the other side, all illustrations are one-sided.




Because of the illustrations, both in this and Enchanted Forest, I was a little weary of colouring them, in case I "ruined" the beauty that was already there, and with the quality of the card being what it is, I felt this even more. I gave it a go anyway. Inspired by the metallic gold on the cover, I decided to try colouring with my metallic pens. One great thing about the quality of the card is that it's thick enough that ink doesn't bleed through. However, my problem was I underestimated the size of the nibs on some of my pens; for some of the smaller sections, they were far too big to colour in between the lines neatly. I had already started, though, and so decided to continue, but as I'd already bodged it a little bit, it took the pressure off being too precise and neat. I know I'm just an amateur at colouring, but I think the result isn't too bad, despite it not being perfect.


However, there is a problem with how the card reacts when it gets wet; if the ink from the pens is thick, or if you're required to colour in a certain area several times - which I was, due to fading pens (which annoyed me, they were brand new) - the ink can wear at the card, and fibres start to disintegrate from the page, leaving a rough and bitty finish when you're done (see below), which I wasn't pleased about. So you might want to think about steering clear of felt tips.


Overall, beautiful illustrations and a fantastic idea. Some of them I would even consider hanging up without even adding colour, so it's a wonderful product. Just think carefully about which media you use.

Thank you to Laurence King Publishing via Midas PR for the review copy.



Buy from:




Published: 7th September 2015
Publisher: Laurence King Publishing
Johanna Basford's Website

Review: Paper Dandy's Horrogami by Marc Hagan-Guirey

Paper Dandy's Horrogami by Marc Hagan-Guirey (review copy) - Paper Dandy's Horrorgami features 20 kirigami (cut-and-fold) designs based around haunted houses and scenes from horror films by the creator of the successful Horrorgami blog and exhibition. Each project features step-by-step instructions and a template that you remove from the book. You then follow the lines on the template, cutting and folding to make your own kirigami model. All you need is a scalpel, a cutting mat and a ruler. Clear cutting tips help you with the tricky stages and give you an order in which to complete your work, while photos of the finished model show you the final design. Suitable for folding experts and beginners alike, Paper Dandy's Horrorgami makes the perfect Halloween activity. From Goodreads.


When I was first offered Paper Dandy's Horrorgami by Marc Hagan-Guirey, I completely misunderstood what it was I was reviewing. I thought this was going to be a children's - though, granted, older children's - paper craft book, and all it would require would be paper, scissors and folding. I was completely wrong, but this is a really fascinating book!

There are a list of tools and materials needed to create each scene Hagan-Guirey describes, such as a scalpel and blades, and a self-healing cutting mat, and these are not things that I have. So I'm going to review this as it stands, rather than as to how useful it is at helping you create these scenes.

There's a really interesting introduction before the book gets into the various scenes you'll be creating. It's really interesting reading as Hagan-Guirey talks about how he first got interested in craft as a child, his interest in horror and the buildings and gothic architecture used in those movies, how he discovered kirigami, and how his career progressed until he gets to the point of writing this book.

Paper Dandy's Horrorgami is quite complicated and involved. The list of tools mentioned above is included in the How to Use This Book section, which talks you through terminology, the different ways to fold and score the paper, and specific techniques. It's clear that creating the Horrorgami scenes will require a fair amount of time and concentration; it's fiddly stuff, and distractions might cause you to cut or rip the paper, or perhaps cut yourself. 


Then we have the step-by-step guides to each scene. There are 20 scenes, which include The Fall of the House of Usher, The Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow, Skull Island and Dracula's Castle. The scenes are in order or difficulty, from Beginner, Beginner - Intermediate, Intermediate, and Advanced. Each scene has a photograph of the finished scene without effects, an introduction and difficulty level, a photograph of the finished scene with effects (see below), a six step photographic step-by-step guide with cutting tips and a template on thick card. You can either use the templates to create the scenes or use them to transfer the design to paper. Unfortunately, the templates don't have a perforated line near the centre of the book, so they're not simple to detach. I can't really tell how you're supposed to detach them, unless it's just by cutting them out of the book.



The scenes themselves are really gorgeous, even with the horror theme. Because of the difficulty level, they get more intricate as you go on, but even the scenes early on are really something. The book does make them look better than they would be for anyone using the book, though; coloured lighting  and coloured backdrops are used effectively throughout to give the scenes an eerie feel and almost an atmosphere. We won't have that. The only way we can get close is if we use coloured paper. But as I said above, before the step-by-step guides, there is a photo of how the scenes will look without the affects, without the lighting and backdrops, and it doesn't look as cool. But I still think there will be a sense of achievement afterwards and I'm sure we could try and come up with our own methods of trying to create the eerie feeling. Click the following images for a larger view.

The House of Usher

The Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow

Skull Island

Dracula's Castle

All in all, Paper Dandy's Horrorgami is a great book, and would be wonderful for a Halloween activity, but you will need to make sure you have the tools and the time before trying anything. Not really something for a Halloween party. But still really cool, and it looks fun, and I'm sure those who enjoy paper craft would love this! If you buy all the tools and materials in advance to go along with, this book would make a great Christmas gift to the creative Horror fan in your life!

Thank you to Laurence King Publishing via Midas PR for the review copy.



Buy from:




Published: 1st September 2015
Publisher: Laurence King Publishing
Paper Danday's Website

Review: Pierre the Maze Detective by Hiro Kamigaki & IC4DESIGN

Pierre the Maze Detective by Hiro Kamigaki & IC4DESIGN (review copy) - Pierre the Maze Detective has a new case. Mr X has stolen the Maze Stone, which has the power to turn the whole of Opera City into a maze. Can you help Pierre and his friend Carmen find their way through the mazes – and stop Mr X before it's too late?

This beautifully illustrated book features 15 full-spread illustrations of intricate, magical mazes. Take a trip through a fantastic world of underground cities, hot-air balloons, tree-top towns and haunted houses. Trace your way through each maze, spot the clues and solve the extra mystery challenges along the way. Hours of puzzle fun, for all maze detectives aged 8+. A page of answers with the routes through the mazes and other solutions is included at the end of the book. From Goodreads.

Pierre the Maze Detective by Hiro Kamigaki and IC4DESIGN is a book full of intricate mazes and puzzles that will keep children entertained for hours.

A story runs throughout; Mr X has stolen the Maze Stone and has used it to turn Opera City into one giant maze. Our hero Maze Detective, Pierre, is the only one who can stop Mr X as he can work out a way through the mazes, solve the challenges Mr X has left throughout, and try and catch up with him to retrieve the Maze Stone. The child takes the place of Pierre in this story, finding the routes through the mazes, and finding all the hidden objects.


The illustrations throughout this book are incredible. They are so highly detailed, and there is so much going on. Pierre the Maze Detective is slated as Japan's answer to Where's Wally? and you can see why; the illustrations are so intricate, at first glance, they don't even look like mazes. There is so much detail and so much colour, this book is a feast for the eyes and a work of art.



As well as working your way through the maze, there are various items that you have to find on each page, a few that are the same throughout - a red trophy, green and red chests, gold stars - but also extra challenges along the way, like finding the monkeys Mr X let loose, or a Countess' lost hat. These objects are incredibly tiny, and I personally found it quite frustrating looking for them; there's so much going on, I found it strained my eyes a bit, and it would take such a long time that I got a little bored. However, I think children will love the challenge of finding these objects as much as I enjoyed searching for Wally as a child.


This is a wonderful book that children will adore. It will keep them quiet for hours - perhaps a great way for parents to get the chance to sort out dinner on Christmas day, with the children occupied!

Thank you to Laurence King Publishing via Midas PR for the review copy.



Buy from:




Published: 1st September 2015
Publisher: Laurence King Publishing
Hiro Kamigaki founded IC4DESIGN

Announcing Bookish Spinsters!

I was really inspired by Am I Normal Yet? by Holly Bourne. In the book, the three friends, Evie, Lottie and Amber discuss how they're not a fan of how the word "spinster" has such negative connotations to it - the old, haggared, lonely cat lady nobody wants - when the male counterpart, "bachelor", only has positive connotations. They decide to reclaim the word, and give it new meaning; to them, a spinster is, in a nutshell, a strong, independant feminist who knows her the worth of women. They form The Spinster Club where they get together to discuss sexism and feminist ideas. This whole idea was on my mind a lot as it's so awesome! I began talking with some fellow bloggers and booktubers about it and an idea I have to create something that we could do online, and Bookish Spinsters was born!

Inspired by Top Ten Tuesday as well as Am I Normal Yet?, Bookish Spinsters is a weekly link-up to discuss feminism and feminist ideas. Every Friday there will be a different feminist topic for bloggers and booktubers to respond and reflect on. To find out more about about the link-up and for the schedule, head to the Bookish Spinsters page.

The first topic is What is Feminism?, and the link-up will go up next week, Friday 30th October.

Please feel free to comment or tweet me @JoanneStapley with suggestions for topics, questions or prompts, and please get talking about Bookish Spinsters, using the #BookishSpinsters hashtag, so more people can get involved!

I'm really looking forward to reading all your posts!

Note: There will be a graphic, it's just still in the works. I'll tweet once a graphic is available.

Review: Start Your Day With Katie by Katie Piper

Start Your Day With Katie by Katie Piper (review copy) - A beautiful gift edition of Katie Piper's popular page-a-day affirmations book.

'Positive affirmations helped me in my darkest times to focus on my health and happiness, and to remember I was not alone. I know how well they worked for me in regaining my life, and now I want to share them with you.'

Be inspired by the uplifting thoughts, quotes and mantras that helped give Katie Piper courage and hope after her rape and acid attack. They are one of the tools she used to rebuild her life. With Katie's guiding messages, you can begin every day on the right track. Keep this book by your side or give it to a loved one, for positive inspiration and inner strength whenever times get tough. From Goodreads.

I really like quotes and inspirational words, so when I heard about Start Your Day With Katie by Katie Piper, I was really eager to read it. But this is more than just a book of affirmations.

On the surface, it's similar to 365 Days of Wonder by R. J. Palacio, which I loved; a page a day with something inspirational to read. Some of the affirmations are a little longer than expected and maybe not quite so poetic, but something to really take in and think on.

But what makes this book a little more powerful is that these are affirmations Piper herself used on her road to recovery. It's a little, tiny glimpse into her life after her acid attack, and how she got through each day. I'm sure her autobiographies would give you a bigger picture and may even be more inspirational, but there's a feeling of Piper giving this to us, sharing some advice, as if, on every page, she's saying "this worked for me, I hope they work for you too," - which her introduction makes pretty clear. It's a book, it's on sale, and there will be lots of copies in lots of shops, but when reading, it feels like Piper is talking to me specifically; they're "just" affirmations, but Piper reaches in and talks to your heart. I don't know if it's her story or if it's the affirmations themselves, but this book really spoke to me, and made me feel a little more hopeful.


As well as affirmations each day, Piper starts each month with a mantra, a few sentences to memorise and think back on throughout the month when things get a little tough. There a number of affirmations that have particular meaning to Piper, or dates that are quite important to her, so underneath these affirmations, Piper gives an explanation of how these affirmations are or were especially helpful to her. It's that added extra. She's not just complied affirmations and had them bound in a pretty book, she's sharing a piece of her history with us, showing us just how helpful she found affirmations, and in doing so, showing us the different ways they could be helpful to us.




Start Your Day With Katie feels like the kind of book that would be useful for, or is aimed at those recovering from some ordeal; whether it be something horrific like an attack like Piper, a health problem, or someone suffering with grief. There is very much a feel that the affirmations are to help those who have suffered, to remind them of their strength and to help them move on. It also has a feel that it would be good for entrepreneurs, or those who have personal projects. There are a few affirmations that are about progressing, and moving forward and past obstacles, and if you have a mammoth task ahead of you, I can see this book being something inspiring and motivating, something to help you get moving.


Affirmations might not be everyone's bag, and Piper isn't claiming they will, or that they will solve everyone's problems. She's written this book for those who need it, who might find it helpful. And I really think it's something people will love. If you're going through a hard time, it's going to be awesome to think that someone like Piper is cheering you on as you make your way through, and it genuinely feels like she is; she might not know each individual that needs this book, but she's hoping and rooting for them. A really awesome book, and one I'm sure many will find uplifting and empowering.

Thank you to Quercus for the review copy.



Buy older edition from:




Published: 22nd October 2016
Publisher: Quercus Books
Katie Piper's Website

Announcing Sex in Teen Lit Month II - This November!

Yes! Next month Sex in Teen Lit Month will be returning to Once Upon a Bookcase for the second time!

It took a while to get here - the event was originally supposed to happen November last year, but didn't due to life - but it's finally here, and I think it's going to be better for the delay. I'm really excited to share with you a month of posts - including reviews, discussions, author interviews, guest posts, and giveaways - to look at novels published in the last six years, since the very first Sex in Teen Lit Month.

The aim of the event is to look at how our YA authors write about what is such an important part of most teens' lives, whether they've had sex, are yet to have sex, and the various reasons they want to have sex. Also, this time round, I'll also be looking into sex crimes/crimes of a sexual nature in YA, too, and looking at how authors deal with such difficult topics.

I'm really looking forward to discussing all these wonderful books with you from 1st November! I do hope you'll stop by and share your thoughts. I'll be using the #SiTLMonthII hashtag on Twitter and Instagram, so look out for it to be sure you know about all the posts, or follow me on Bloglovin'!

Retellings Reading Challenge 2016

I have quite a few retellings of various books that I really want to read, and just never get to. I know reading challenges help me to motivate me to pick up books, so I thought I'd take part in one for retellings for 2016. There doesn't seem to be any that cover all retellings though, so I thought I would create my own - the Retellings Reading Challenge 2016. Feel free to join me if you wish.


The Challenge:

• For readers to read retellings of stories we know well from their chosen level in 2016:
• Easy: 1-4 retellings
• Medium: 5-8 retellings
• Hard: 9-12 retellings

The Rules:

• You must share your thoughts/reviews on the retellings you read for the book to count. You can post anywhere: your blog, Goodreads, Amazon, YouTube, Tumblr, etc.
• Join whenever, but before 31st December 2016, obviously.
• You can read any retellings you want, they do not need to be recent releases to count.
• There won't be any giveaways, this challenge is just for fun!
• Use the hashtag #RetellingsRC2016 so we can follow your participation in the challenge!

Which Books Count:

• You can read retellings of any of the following (if I've left anything out, please let me know!):
• Classics & Children's Classics
• Fairy Tales
• Myths and Legends
• Folk Tales
• I will also accept prequels/sequels - I.E. Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige is a sequel series to The Wizard of Oz, and would count.  
• Feel free to re-read any retellings! They will also count, as long as you review them somewhere.
• All age categories are accepted; middle grade/young fiction, YA, NA, adult.
• All books count; physical books, audiobooks, eBooks.
• ARCs/Proofs count, as do self-published books.

To Sign Up:

• Write a blog post or page/record a video about your participation in the challenge (if you're using Goodreads, Amazon, or any other platform that doesn't allow you to do this, in the link up below, just link to your public profile.)
• If you wish, in that post/page/video you can compile a list of retellings that you hope to read and review for the challenge - but this isn't compulsory. Also, the titles you list do not have to be set in stone. If you'd like some inspiration, Goodreads has a number of lists on retellings you can browse.
• Fill out the InLinkz form below. If you have a blog/channel, please make sure the link you add goes directly to your sign up post and has your blog/channel name as the title. If you're participating via Goodreads or Amazon, etc, as the title please put your "screename @ platform" - I.E. If I was participating via Goodreads, I would put "Jo @ Goodreads".
• As you review the books, update the monthly link up pages with a link to your review.

At the very top of this post you will see the very amateurish graphic I have created for the challenge. Feel free to use it in your sidebar or sign up post/page/video if you want, but you don't have to!

I'm not brilliant at thinking up all the information required for a reading challenge, so I used the sign up pages of That Artsy Reader Girl's Debut Author Challenge 2015 & Fluttering Butterflies' British Books Challenge 2015 sign up pages as guides. Thank you, ladies, for your awesome sign up pages!

Discussion: On a World with eBooks

October is School Library Month, and to celebrate and raise awareness MyVoucherCodes has asked me to write about my thoughts on eBooks.

I remember when people first started getting eReaders and eBooks became a big thing. Today, they're a pretty normal part of every day life for readers - whether you like them or not, it's not something that's uncommon any more. But when eReaders first became the new gadget to have, I was pretty appalled. Did we really need to have them? What was so wrong with physical books? Nothing! As far as I was concerned, to steal a line from J.K. Rowling's Umbridge, it was "progress for progress's sake", a way for all the big companies in publishing to make more money, rather than to fix something.

Now, I own a Kindle, and although I might not use it too often, and still much prefer physical books, I have come round to the idea of eBooks. I originally bought my Kindle because authors were having short stories published as eBooks only. I hate reading books on my computer, so if I wanted to read these stories, I had to get an eReader. And once I had one and discovered the use of NetGalley, it became much easier to access certain books for review, especially from a few American publishers, whose review copies I wouldn't have access to otherwise.

I have come to like eBooks. I find I read quite a lot faster when reading from my Kindle, and having a number of books all ready to start if I happen to finish a book while I'm out is so helpful. It also makes my bag weigh much less than physical books do.

And I think it's this last point, among others, that makes eBooks so brilliant when it comes to those still in education, whether it be at school, college or university. I don't know how common it is, but when my cousin was at school, her English class was given an eReader for the year, loaded up with all their texts they would be studying. Can you imagine if this was done for every class, for every textbook? I'm sure it might end up costing schools a fortune in buying that many eReaders, but I think it would make such a difference. My school didn't have lockers, and when I was in Year 8, one day a week I would have to bring a textbook for each of my six classes with me, as well as my exercise books, and my bag was so heavy. If I just had to bring an eReader, it would have been so much better. And when it comes to making notes on the text, there wouldn't be any defacing physical books, but eReaders have the function to make notes! There is the downside that if you forgot your eReader, you wouldn't have the texts or textbooks for any of your classes, but I think, for the students, there are more pros than cons. I think it would be pretty awesome if this is something that could happen in all schools, I think it would be such a benefit. As to how it would work for school libraries, I'm not sure, but there are systems where libraries allow readers to borrow eBooks, so I'm sure it's something that's possible for school libraries, too.

But I still wouldn't want eBooks to take over physical books completely - in school libraries or out of them. There is nothing quite like reading a physical book; I think there's something a bit more personal about the reading experience when you're holding the physical book in your hands, the weight of it, the act of turning a page rather than pressing a button, hurriedly trying to find out what happens next. And lets not forget that a bookcase full of books is actually really gorgeous to look at. As decoration and ornaments, an eBook is never going to top a physical book. And buying someone a physical book as a present is such a lovely thing. Books make great gifts, but it's harder to gift an eBook; you can't wrap up an eBook, and if you're buying for someone with a Kindle, in the UK there's no facility yet to gift eBooks. This is a nightmare for me when it comes to my dad, because he won't read anything but eBooks now.

In my opinion, we're living in a world where there is a place for both eBooks and physical books. I think we are probably better off with eBooks than without (especially if you're a fan of/are an indie author - imagine all the books that may not have been published at all, if it  wasn't for eBooks giving indie authors a way to get their books out there easily), but I wouldn't do without physical books. Really, love them or hate them, eBooks and eReaders are here to stay. And I think that's a good thing.

How about you? What do you think about eBooks? Would you prefer a world without, or have you not looked back since you started reading them?

Review: The Tenderness of Thieves by Donna Freitas

The Tenderness of Thieves by Donna Freitas - Jane is ready for a fantastic summer. In fact, she’s pretty sure the universe owes her one.

This past winter, Jane was held at knife point during an armed robbery, and the specter of that night still haunts her. A summer romance with one of the town bad boys—sexy Handel Davies, who takes her breath away and makes her feel like a bolder version of herself—seems like the universe’s way of paying her back.

But bad boys always have secrets—and Handel’s secret just might shatter Jane completely.

In a suspense novel that marries psychological thriller with summer romance, Donna Freitas keeps readers on the edge of their seats as they swoon. From Goodreads.

I read an article on the Salon several months back written by Donna Freitas, Sex: The Last Taboo of YA Literature? Not Anymore!, and it was such a brilliant piece, I had to get my hands on Freitas' latest novel, The Tenderness of Thieves. Although sex doesn't play as big a role in the story as I was expecting, The Tenderness of Thieves is a really interesting story.

Jane is still coming to terms with the armed robbery in February, during which she was held at knife point and her father was killed. One in a string of robberies in her town, Jane's was the last for months, but those involved have yet to be found, and she's struggling to move on. At the beginning of summer things start to look up for her, though, when one of the town's resident bad boys, Handel Davies, takes an interest in her. As she gets to know him, Jane realises he's not as bad as the reputation that comes with his surname implies, that he's actually a really nice guy who genuinely cares about her. Handel is the distraction she needs from the night that still haunts her, and makes her feel like a brand new Jane. But Handel has a secret darkness, a sadness he can't seem to shake, and what he's hiding from her might shake everything she's come to know as true.

I found The Tenderness of Thieves to be quite predictable in that I knew how this book was going to end, even before I ordered it, but knowing the outcome didn't spoil my enjoyment of the story. I thought it was a really sweet romance made more interesting by the fact that Jane is dealing with the terrible ordeal she has been through. She's still grieving her father's death, she's still coping with the fear she felt for her own life, and her solution is to push it all aside and not think about it. And then Handel takes an interest, hot and sexy and with a reputation, and Jane is drawn to him like a magnet. Part of his allure is his reputation, the danger of him because of the family he's from. Jane was the good girl who never believed anything like this could happen to her, but everything changed when the knife was held to her throat and her father was killed, and now being a little bold and reckless makes her feel something other than afraid. Finding out Handel isn't really much of a bad boy at all, but a really good guy doesn't make any difference, because Handel has now woken in Jane feelings and passion she's never felt before. Handel and Jane are just the cutest couple, and I loved reading their romantic moments.

There's also a great portrayal of friendship in The Tenderness of Thieves. Jane has and her four friends, Tammy, Bridget and Michaela, are a very close, tight knit group, despite their differences, and theirs is a beautiful friendship, full of love and support, even with the slight disagreements. Except for Michaela. Michaela is highly suspicious of Handel and doesn't trust him at all, so she is completely against Jane's relationship with him.

'Michaela sat down next to Tammy. "Tell what? What did I miss?"
"Sex, apparently." Tammy lowered her voice. "Jane's having sex. With Handel."
Michaela's eyes widened. "Tell me that's not true."
I closed my mouth, which had been hanging open. "It's not. It's absolutely not."
Michaela let out a sigh of relief. "Well, that's excellent news."
[...]
Michaela glared at Tammy. "I thought you said Jane knew her limits."
Tammy made a face. "I didn't say what those limits were. And I've come over to the pro-Handel camp. I thought you had, too. given that he knows your brother and all that."
"I was trying to be nice," Michaela said. "But just because Handel played hockey with my brother doesn't mean he gets to have sex with Jane!" (p226-227)

'I smirked at [Bridget]. "Who knew that you would date a golfer this summer."
"Oh yeah?" She took off her sunglasses and smirked back. "Who knew that you'd be sleeping with Handel Davies every chance you got this summer."
My skin flushed hot. "Not every chance."
"Right," Michaela said, trying to sound bored about it.
"Like you should talk," I said to her. "Ms. I'd-rather-be-kissing-Hugh."
She turned a page in her magazine. "Maybe. But at least I'm not sleeping with him."
"Now you're judging me for having sex?"
This time, when Michaela went to turn her page, she snapped it so hard it tore in half. "Shit," she said under her breath. Then she looked at me. "I'm not judging you for having sex. That's really not it. I'm judging you for having sex with Handel." (p310)

Rather than being a caring friend who shares her worries, she gets angry and judgemental, and tells Jane what she should and shouldn't do. The above quotes are just two examples of this, but there are so many! She doesn't offer an opinion, she dictates and expects to be obeyed. Thankfully Jane has her own mind, but I really didn't like Michaela. That's not how you treat a friend, no matter how much you dislike and distrust their boyfriend.

There was another problem I had with the group of friends, but less to do with their friendship, and more to do with their worth depending on the attention they get from guys. Jane talks about how they always used to dream about being the girls the guys were after, and now they finally were, and talks about the power of walking down the beach in a bikini, hips swaying, the boys watching your every move. They're not necessarily obsessed with what boys think of them, but it's one of the main things they care about.

'"You're really good at that, B." Tammy was sincere. "The batting-your-eyelashes thing, I mean."
"You should try it," she said with a slight pout. "Boys love it. All it takes is a little practice." (p191-192)

'"Incoming," Tammy interrupted, looking off into the distance, toward the lifeguard chairs at the far end of the beach. Miles and company were headed toward us. "From the left."
"Ooh," Bridget cried. "Make yourselves pretty for the boys!" (p193)

Again, just two examples of many like this. It made me uncomfortable how focused they were on how boys viewed them, like their self-worth depended on it. It's a really unhealthy idea for girls to have, and although probably quite realistic, sadly, I think it's a major flaw as the idea of guys' opinions of girls' bodies being important isn't challenged.

Although I was really interested in how Jane coped with the break in, I would have liked there to have been more to the psychological thriller side of the story, because I didn't feel that enough. Overall, The Tenderness of Thieves is a pretty enjoyable story with a sweet if troubled romance at it's heart.



Buy from:




Published: 26th May 2015
Publisher: Philomel Books
Donna Freitas' Website

September's Monthly Recap

A little late posting this, but I had a mostly good month In September!


Reviews:

• Fool's Quest by Robin Hobb - Oh, I loved this! Such a great second book to the series! So looking forward to the final book Assassin's Fate, but scared where the story is going to take Fitz! (Not pictured as it was borrowed and I had to give it back.)
• Night Owls by Jenn Bennett - Oh my god, this was so, so good! Really amazing story! A sweet, flirty romance, and very sex-positive!
• Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon - This was a really interesting story. It's flawed, and it was probably published at the wrong time, but I think it will get people talking. It's a sweet story, otherwise!
• Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway - A bit of a disappointment; I wasn't emotionally engaged in the story, and so didn't really care what happened. (Not pictured as there was no cover with my NetGalley proof.)
• All of the Above by James Dawson - This book is about far much more than just sexuality, to the point where sexuality is only a small part of the story. Although it was very realistic, and a pretty good story mostly, I was left disappointed for being made to believe this was a story it wasn't.

Not too many reviews this month, but a few of the books I read are for Sex in Teen Lit Month II which is coming in November, and one was reviewed in October.


Had a few A Novel Cover Up posts this month:

• Kate Gaughran on the cover for Asking For It by Louise O'Neill.
• Nathan Ryder on the cover for Here Be Dragons by Sarah Mussi as part of the blog tour.
• Leo Nickolls on the cover for Night Owls by Jenn Bennet.
• Paul Commey guest posted about the proof covers for Night Owls.

Other posts:

• I interviewed Holly Bodger, discussing her novel 5 to 1 and feminism.
• I discussed booktubing, how it's not for me, and why I think that might be my downfall.
• I took part in the blog tour for Sarah Mussi's Here Be Dragons, and Sarah stopped by, interviewing herself about one of the final parts of the writing process, The Death Zone. 

Earlier this month, Louise O'Neill's Asking For It came out, and there's been a lot of really interesting things about it around the internet. Here are just a few:

• There's a really interesting interview with Louise O'Neill on The Guardian with teen site member Patrick Sproull.
• O'Neill was also on The Guardian discussing why she explored rape culture in her latest novel.
• The review of Asking For It on The F Word is fantastic!
• O'Neill talks in The Irish Times about writing Asking For It and unblurring the lines about rape.

And elsewhere online:

• Author Joanne Harris has spoken out about gendered books, saying children are being 'indoctinated'.
• There is a book club group on Goodreads inspired by Holly Bourne's Am I Normal Yet?, The Spinster Book Club, where books by women, with dynamic female characters, and feminist novels are discussed. The first two books for October are Asking For It by Louise O'Neill and We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler.

Review: Colour Me Mindful Series - Underwater, Birds and Tropical by Anastasia Catris

Colour Me Mindful Series by Anastasia Catris (review copies)



These intricate and beautifully detailed line drawings are ready for you to bring to life. Relieve stress, practice your mindfulness, and discover your creative side as you unplug and slow down by filling these exquisite pages with colour.

No matter our age, useful mindfulness techniques can help re-center us amidst a world of noisy stimuli constantly vying for our attention. Colouring can act like a tranquil meditation—relax and unwind with this calming colouring book for adults featuring beautifully detailed line drawings and designs of soothing ocean motifs. From Goodreads.
I've really been into colouring lately, so when I first heard about the Colour Me Mindful Series by Anastasia Catris, I knew I had to give them a go. Full of such beautiful illustrations, this series will give you hours of entertainment.


From Colour Me Mindful Underwater

From Colour Me Mindful Underwater
This first Colour Me Mindful collection includes Underwater, Birds and Tropical colouring books. Each book starts with an introduction (the same introduction in each book) from Oli Doyle, who is the author of Mindfulness Plain & Simple and Mindfulness for Life. Oli talks about how the rushing about of day-to-day life can cause stress and exhaustion, but focusing on the moment "as it is" will  help you to relieve your stress, and bring more happiness to your life.

"As you colour with focus and attention, your stress will start to fade. As you watch closely to stay within the lines, your worries will lessen. And as you lose yourself in the wonders of colour and creativity, your surroundings will come alive and seem a little brighter. [...] Learning to focus and enjoy simple things like colouring once more can lead to the happiness everyone deserves." (p1-2)

I must admit that I do find myself lost in the moment when colouring, my mind devoid of all thought except what colours to use for which section, which shades would be most realistic (which is as I prefer to colour), and time flies by. So there might be something to mindfulness and colouring, however, I wouldn't say that it made my surroundings come alive and seem brighter.


From Colour Me Mindful Birds

From Colour Me Mindful Birds
The illustrations in the book are wonderful. They're so gorgeous and detailed, it's almost worrying considering adding colour, in case I "ruin" them. There are a range of illustrations, from quite realistic to patterned depending on your mood and - if you're me - what you feel capable of without feeling overwhelmed. I find just looking at some of the detailed illustrations - in any colouring book -  cause my eyes to go strange and start to give me a headache because there are just too many details. The simpler illustrations work better for me, but if you like a challenge, there's something for you, too.


From Colour Me Mindful Tropical

From Colour Me Mindful Tropical
I tried giving felt tips a go in Underwater, and I'm not sure. I don't know whether it's the way I colour, or if it's the felt tips themselves, but I just don't think it looks very good, I don't like the affect, hence the picture below being incomplete. As you can see, there's an illustration on both sides of a page, and unfortunately the felt tips I used bled through to the other side a little bit. If you want to use felt tips in these books, make sure you're sure the colour won't bleed through, first.


From Colour Me Mindful Underwater


From Colour Me Mindful Underwater
Overall, a really fantastic, gorgeous collection! I'm really looking forward to trying out the second collection, which includes

Thank you to Orion for the review copies.

Add the Colour Me Mindful Series to Goodreads by clicking the images below.


Published: 30th July 2015 Publisher: Orion BooksAnastasia Catris' Website