Dog with long floppy ears has it's head in a book, a page of the book in on it's nose making it look like the dog is reading and turning the page. The book is placed on a cream blanket and the background behind the dog is blurred out

How the pandemic has changed my reading habits

It was recently suggested to me by one of my favourite bloggers that I do a post about all the books I have read so far this year because there’s been a lot! In less than 3 months, i’ve read 16 books. Although i’ve read more than ever in such a short space of time, I have noticed a dramatic difference in the types of books I am reading.

Side, long, slightly angled view of a library book shelf. Light bulbs are hanging from the ceiling in front of the shelf, attached with rope.

Goodreads Dilemma

I find out that Goodreads is owned by the evil, corporate giant, Amazon. I should delete Goodreads immediately. But. I can’t.

Birds eye view of a close up of a table with a cup of tea in a white mug on a white coaster in the middle. In the foreground our two books open - the book to the right has hands on it, holding it open. There is a sheer table cloth underneath and an arrangement of flowers in the top right hand and left hand corner

Tale of two books

It was Ryan’s idea – lets try out reading a book that the other person loved in the last year. Honestly, I wasn’t keen on the idea. Our reading tastes are so different.

Stack of five books, photographed at an angle on a thick wooden shelf. In the background is the back of a hardback book: the backcover is grey with white writing. This book is leant against a grey/blue wall. The other books are against a green/cream wall. From bottom to top of the book pile (spines only showing): My Name is Why by Lemm Sissay (hardback, white spine), The Penguin Lessons by Tom Michell (cream with an illustration of part of a red scarf), Educated A Memoir by Tara Westover (Orange), I Am, I Am, I Am by Maggie O'Farrell (mint with an illustration of a red heart in the middle), In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado (Orange Spine)

Best of: Memoirs

Although in 2020 I read more fiction – probably as a way to escape from the doom of real life – memoirs are one of my favourite genres. Unlike biographies or autobiographies, in memoirs the author only details a particular event or a number of significant events that have shaped their lives thus far.

Wooden planter that is placed on grass next to pavement slabs. There are small green plants coming through in the soil of the planter, in a row. The planter is rectangular. The planter has a sign attached above it. The first part is an illustration with an array of colourful book spines, one them says HAY, then KING, then ANTIQUES, then BOOKS, then the second to last book on the right says RIVER WYE. Above this is another sign with a black border which says in black - WORLD'S FIRST BOOK TOWN

Hay-On-Wye and the quest for prize winning books

Hay-on-Wye, the world’s first book town is a book lovers dream. Originally filled to the brim with a whopping 54 book shops, the number has now dwindled down to 26, with only about 15 currently open. There’s even a bookshop on the grounds of the castle!

Paperback copy of A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara on a grey tasseled blanket

Thoughts on A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

Usually I struggle to write reviews for books, as I find it difficult to articulate my thoughts, themes and synopsis without going overboard on adjectives. As a way to develop my writing skills, I write mini reviews on Good Reads and apart from the times when I can’t be bothered, I have noticed an improvement. A Little Life has left me so conflicted that for the first time I actually have a lot to say about it.

3 wooden shelves with books. first shelf also has a small world globe, two mini bull ornaments and 3D I and F decorated cardboard letters. Second shelf is colour coordinated books. Final shelf has cardboard letters R & J with more books

2020 may not have gone as planned, but I did read 52 books

In 2018 my bedtime routine involved idly scrolling through Insta for an hour or two before I turned the lights out. Unsurprisingly, I wasn’t sleeping very well.