Tag: bookworm

Achievable Bookish Resolutions for 2021

Posted on by LochanReads in books, reading

Happy New Year Readers! Last year was a chaotic mess but we made it to 2021 and I wish you all the very best for the year in all your reading endeavours and otherwise. However, please continue to be vigilant and look after yourselves as we continue to contend with the worldwide pandemic. On a brighter note though, today’s post is all about setting achievable bookish goals for yourself this year in order to get the most out of your… bookworming??

I’ve come up with 5 user-friendly resolutions that I myself will be implementing in my routine and that I hope you will find useful. I decided to share only 5 resolutions, not least of all because wracking my brain for a sixth proved to be fruitless, but also because I believe that having an exhaustive amount of targets can become counter-productive and overwhelming, thereby reducing your (and my) chances of achieving them. That being said, here are 5 Achievable Bookish Resolutions to set for yourself in 2021;

  • D.N.F (Did. Not. Finish) More – Simple, right? (And hopefully not overly anti-climatic). This suggestion is nothing new and has been championed by many more prominent book bloggers than I in the community. I am merely adding my voice to the already loud, pulsating throng of clamours urging readers to desist from continuing to read books that add no enjoyment to their lives until the end. In fact, for all those that still need reminding of this, I am probably foremost.
  • Less Is More – Another no-brainer to be sure, but still I encounter those who feel inadequate because they cannot manage to read over 100 books in a year like some of our more hardcore reading chums. Remember that everyone has different circumstances and these feelings of inadequacy is not conducive to enjoying books. Instead of reaching for gargantuan goodreads targets, set yourself a goal to read a fewer amount of inspiring books rather than a lot of books that are average.
  • Ditch Book Buying Bans – This suggestion comes from a place of well-intentioned deprivation many readers will know well, myself included. As such, even I have subjected myself to the self-affliction that is, the dreaded Book. Buying. Ban. 🚫 See my blog post I broke another book buying ban. Here’s why The thing is, these initiatives rarely ever work for most of us and often leads to even more impulse buying… or is that just me? Especially now during such an anxiety-inducing period of uncertainty, depriving yourself too much can have harmful effects.

Research in almost all areas of deprivation from sleep to finance has proven that this approach can severely affect your mental well-being. Rather than imposing a draconian, joy-sapping ban, try challenging yourself to only buying a set amount of books a month or every other month. If it’s two books a month and you’ve met your quota, the next purchase on your radar will have to wait until the following month. Try this for a set timeframe and then review as needed if something isn’t working.

  • It’s Time For A New Genre – This next suggestion is particularly geared towards readers who aren’t keen on branching out into reading genres that are commonly viewed as ‘daunting’, dare I say non-fiction? This year, try including one non-fiction book in your familiar canon of YA fantasy and dystopian thrillers. To help you with this endeavour, I have a growing source of non-fiction recommendations, all neatly compiled into a handy booktube playlist.
Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to my channel!
  • Reach Out – This resolution goes out to my fellow book bloggers, but can equally be applied across different niches. I’m talking about networking. This can take many forms, including collaborations, guest blogging and group readathons. It can be an excellent way of grounding yourself in your chosen niche and creating future opportunities.

For example, I once reached out to an established book recommendations company called LoveReading UK and asked them to feature my blog on their website. They then sent me the Dark Artifices trilogy by Cassandra Clare and invited me to take part in a book tour, which led to the very feature I had asked for. Though it can be difficult to pointedly ask for things, especially from persons or companies with considerable influence, challenge yourself to do just that at least once this year.

Check out my LoveReading review here!

Honourable mention! – This year focus your reading on BAME and LGBTQIA literature.* If there’s anything we’ve learnt within the book community in recent months, it’s that reading can be political and influence others, therefore reading inclusively has a big impact. Click the image below to read about Own Voices recommendations.

You may have noticed that I have endeavoured to offer suggestions that focus on scaling things back i.e. be content to read fewer books, read one non-fiction book this year etc. That’s because I find that making small incremental changes can have potentially far-reaching effects and can lead to establishing habits that will eventually result in much more substantial changes, or indeed achieving much more than what you bargained for. Good luck if you intend try out any of the resolutions suggested in this post.

Happy Reading!

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How has your reading changed in 2020?

*BAME – Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic / LGBTQIA – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgenger, Queer, Intersex, Asexual

I broke another book buying ban. Here’s why

Posted on by LochanReads in books, bookworm, reading

Most avid readers and bloggers within the book community will know the internal conflict of book buying bans well. It is a resolution to abstain from buying new books for any specified period of time. Unfortunately, like most resolutions, particularly those uttered around New Years, book buying bans are rarely maintained by a large number of book enthusiasts, myself included.

In fact, I made a similar declaration to halt all book purchases for this month and even went so far as to document this on book twitter. Alas, this resolve wasn’t meant to be upon my hearing of a particular Readathon that will be hosted in October next month.

The Ace Race or Ace Readathon is being hosted by fellow booktubers/bloggers and will be running throughout the whole of October (1st – 31st). It is a themed reading month centering around books that feature asexual protagonists or characters in prominent roles. Lately, I have endeavoured to make my reading more inclusive so I was thrilled at the prospect at taking part in this Readathon as a means of diversifying my reading range and learning more about this particular community.

Herein we have the reason why this month’s proposed book buying ban failed miserably and why I decided to buy the following books;

Click on each title to read more about the book on Goodreads!

As well as the books pictured above, I also acquired some other books which I also intend to read during the month of October, but these books, both boasting solid reader reviews, were the main cause behind my book buying ban annulment. Despite not helping my finances one bit, I was euphoric when my book mail arrived in the post today. I maintain my excitement and anticipation for these books and the diverse perspectives they will no doubt bring to life.

To find out more about The Ace Race, check out the dedicated Twitter page @AceReadathon where you will also find a google sheet with plenty of book recommendations with asexual protagonists.

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Who is your favourite bookish couple?

Posted on by LochanReads in books, bookworm

If you asked me a couple years ago which was my favourite bookish couple, I probably would have given you the same quizzical brow that Elizabeth Bennett observed in Mr Darcy when he was subjected to the revelry of Mr Bingley’s party. Bookish couples spell romance novels and romance has long been a genre I’ve always tried to avoid in my choice of books, including books that use it as a literary device.

Despite my former misgivings though, romance can be as enjoyable and accessible a genre or story arc that would appeal to all genders, men, women, non-binary etc. The trick is finding those romance novels that aren’t all unrealistic fairytale troupes or kinky toxic relationships or fanfiction. As wild as that concept may be to some i.e. me from the past, there is a vast pool of books that portray romance in an authentic way, providing escapism where necessary whilst also being relatable. The recommendation picks for today’s post are all books that feature My top 5 bookish couples.

1. Scarlet O’Hara & Rhett Butler (Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell)

Gone With Wind is a beloved American classic that brilliantly portrays the American civil war and the abolition of slavery through the perspective of Scarlet O’Hara who is the typical Southern Belle who’s family owns a plantation but because of the war, her life goes from the extremes of wealth and excess to poverty and hardship.

Scarlet and Rhett are both strong personalities who clash often and this makes for a riveting dynamic that was sometimes humorous. Scarlet initially dislikes Rhett and treats with him the same scorn as do the other prominent families in Georgia, but they both subvert the standards of their society which eventually draws them together. This romance is the complete opposite of lovey-dovey but it’s impossible not to fall in love with this couple. Click here read my full review of Gone With The Wind.

2. Arya Stark & Gendry Baratheon (A Game Of Thrones / A Clash Of Kings by George R R Martin)

Game Of Thrones is a epic adult fantasy series set in a fictional medieval world, where noble families vie for power of the Iron throne and in turn, all Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.

Arya is a noble lady of the house Stark, but unlike her delicate and well-mannered sister, Sansa, she subverts traditional gender roles, pertaining to the ladylike behaviours of her status. She is a ruthless fiery character who can wield a sword as well as any man. Gendry is a lowly bastard who works as a blacksmith in Kings Landing, the capital of Westeros. He falls in love with Arya despite her lack of decorum and there’s no denying that she has a soft spot for him also. Gendry brings out Arya’s softness and vulnerability, without putting on charms and this made their relationship in a way that felt authentic.

3. Ammu & Velutha (The God Of Small Things by Arundhati Roy)

The God Of Small Things is set in Kerala, India during the year 1969 when a socialist upraising is gaining momentum in the country. It follows the lives of seven-year-old fraternal twins, Rahel and Esthappen, whose lives completely change when their cousin Sophie comes to visit from England. When a tragic befalls Sophie, it causes the divide between Ammu and her twins and the rest of the family to become even more volatile, with devastating effects.

Ammu is the mother of Rahel and Esthappen. The rest of the family treat her with disdain because she disgraced them. Velutha is an accomplished carpenter who works for Ammu’s family, together with his blind father. He is a so-called ‘Untouchable’ because of his lowly social status and very dark skin. His love for Ammu’s twins subsequently draws her to him and the two engage in an affair.

This romance has a classic star-crossed lovers quality, that was addicting. Ammu and Velutha see each other in secret because they come from very different social classes and face the limitations of such things as tradition and politics, which act as barriers preventing them from being together.

4. Geralt of Rivia & Yennefer of Vengerberg (The Last Wish / Time Of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski)

The Last Wish / Time Of Contempt are part of an adult fantasy series, popularly referred to as the Witcher books, after the RPG games and recent live action adaptation. Geralt of Rivia is a Witcher, which means he’s an enhanced mutant human. He makes a living as a hired monster-killer, but he’s also responsible for a young princess who is bound to him by destiny. Princess Cirilla or Ciri for short, trains to become a Witcher like Geralt as she comes to understand the great power she has within her.

Geralt and Yennefer both epitomise strength which makes for an irresistible power couple. Geralt and Yennefer first meet when Geralt’s travelling companion, Jaskier accidentally releases a genie. Jaskier makes two wishes but also gets injured in the process, leaving Geralt to seek the help of a sorceress. Yennefer agrees to heal the severely injured troubadour, whilst also plotting to use the last wish for herself. Yennefer is as formidable a force as Geralt. Their romance developed in a tantalising way that was devoid of unoriginal clichés. Click here to read a review of The Last Wish!

5. Matthais Helvar & Nina Zenik (Six Of Crows by Leigh Bardugo)

Six Of Crows is a young adult fantasy about six outlaws from the dregs of their society who agree to go on a suicide heist mission. They live in a world where magically enhanced beings known as Grisha exist and where a mysterious scientist has developed a powerful drug that can be used to control them in such a way that produces life-threatening addiction. These six comrades, headed by the cold-hearted and merciless Kaz Brekker, known to many as the bastard of the Barrel have been contracted to kidnap this scientist from his maximum security prison.

The romance between Matthais and Nina has a forbidden love quality akin to an operatic drama. Nina is a Grisha from the land, Ravka with magical abilities that render her deadly in battle. Matthais comes from Fjerda, a place where Grisha are viewed and god-forsaken abominations and where reverence to their god, Djel is treasured above all else.

This couple is full unhindered emotion and hatred and in equal parts, affection. The conflict between them in tandem with the romantic tension was executed in a captivating light that whilst dramatic, still felt realistic, so long as you suspend your disbelief for all of the story.

My Top 5 Bookish Couples! – Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE

Who is your favourite bookish couple? Let me know in the comments down below and I might be tempted to read the accompanying book! ❤️️

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Books Taught Me Something New – Orange Is the New Black by Piper Kerman

Posted on by LochanReads in Book Reviews, books, bookworm

To quote from my Books That Changed My Perspective post, the book discussed in today’s post “ha[s] not only revealed to me my ignorance on certain issues of great societal and political importance, but also perfectly exemplif[ies] the fact that reading isn’t just a means of escape but rather a means by which we become enlightened.“

But rather than go into philosophical depths of the book I’ve chosen to feature, I’m going to focus specifically on the things I learned, in the hope that you will be encouraged to give it a read.

Today’s post was inspired by Hayley @Backpacking Bookworm who is a fellow book blogger and good friend of mine, so please do go and check out her fantastic reviews and also follow her on Bookstagram. Also thank you to Hayley for getting me posting again! I’m not nearly as regular as I should be .. :/

Orange Is The New Black by Piper Kerman (2010)

2013 Netflix adaptation – Series 1 cast

Orange Is The New Black is a memoir all about the real life events that took place in Kerman’s life subsequently culminating in a 15-month prison sentence.

Kerman is a freshly graduated college student with no definitive plans for her future and thus finds herself coaxed into the life of drug trafficking. This attractive life in crime doesn’t last though and soon she gives it up, finds a steady job and lands herself a dream finacee. Until her world is upended when six years later, she is convicted and sentenced to 15 months in a woman’s prison in Danbury, Connecticut.

I largely enjoyed listening to this book and felt absolutely bereft when it ended, as I feel like the book did an excellent job of taking the reader on the narrator’s journey. Though some parts seemed pedestrian and quite banal, in that it was mostly a comprehensive look at daily life, I learnt a great deal from this book.

I felt completely enlightened on life in prison and the book certainly debunked previous misconceptions I may have had. As well as commenting on the harshness of the environment that the prisoners are forced to live in, it also looks at the general feeling of solidarity they all have and the way they assimilate into their new surroundings, the fact that the prisoners often leave prison with a new skill or trade and in some cases, an education.

It discusses the ineffectual training prisoners receive when being prepared to assimilate back into the outside world. During this section in particular, Kerman reminisces about a time when a fellow prisoner asks the trainer leading the class, how one is supposed to get a job upon leaving prison, to which a sub-par response was proffered.

Above all, this book taught me the reason why ex-convicts often re-offend and land themselves back in prison and that was probably the most poignant lesson of all. Kerman speaks of fellow prisoners who have left Danbury, with no family to speak of and a feeling of no future prospects. Such would explain why, in some instances, ex-convicts fall back into a life of crime, beacuse in prison, there is a sense of family, albeit the hell-like setting in which they live. Life on the outside can be just as hellish, with all its stigma, oppression and inequality.

There are several other points of political import I could expand upon, such as the narrator’s realization of her social privilege and her acknowledgement of the social customs and idiosyncrasies of other nationalities and races. Though Orange Is The New Black received quite an average rating on Goodreads and though I would slightly agree with that rating, I would still recommend this book, purely for the level of insight I gleaned whilst reading it.

This novel was later adapted for television by Netflix in 2013 and with a very respectable IMDB rating of 8.1 out of 10 (at the time of this post) and six seasons under its belt, I may feel inclined to watch it!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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My Top Ten Books Of 2019

Posted on by LochanReads in Book Reviews, books, bookworm

I’m back from my blogging hiatus to share with you my Top Ten Books of 2019!

These were my best reads to not only end the year but also to end a decade.. Just let that sink in for a moment. The Noughties generation are now approaching their twenties, Myspace feels like an intangible relic, faded into antiquity and we still don’t have flying cars. (Thanks, Back to the future).

But before we look ahead to new beginnings and the buds of a new chapter in history, let us first look back at my 2019 in books.

Lochanreads on Booktube || Top Ten Books Of 2019

No. 10

The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid – A deeply insightful, enticing read. I believe Reid has perfectly captured a wholly engaging style of story-telling.

No. 9

The Seven Deaths Of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton – The best murder mystery thriller I read in 2019! The premise is striking, novel and full of suspense!

No. 8

The Confessions Of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins – Daring, subversive and irresistibly stark. Frannie’s woeful tale lingers in the mind.

No. 7

Adèle by Leïla Slimani – The most daring book I read in 2019! Adèle’s story is one of raw depth and surprising insight.

No. 6

The Tattooist Of Auschwitz by Heather Morris – An uplifting tale of hope and love in the face of extreme adversity. A gripping read I finished in practically one sitting!

No. 5

Lords Of The North by Bernard Cornwall – Cornwall’s Saxon Series abounds in epic greatness, with gritty and emotionless humour.

No. 4

The Bloody Chamber And Other Stories by Angela Carter – Perfectly seductive story-telling at its finest. Voluptuous and alluring, Carter’s fairy-tale re-tellings boast a level of excess that borders on Gothicism.

No. 3

Revolution by Russell Brand – A well articulated denouncement of a corrupt and outdated political and economic system. Brand presents a refreshingly unique perspective and makes you laugh whilst doing it!

No. 2

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë – The intense love affair between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw is the most novel romance I’ve ever read. A timeless and melancholic story of character-driven depth.

꧁ No. 1 ꧂

Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell – One of those books every book lover must read! Gone With The Wind is emotionally stirring, timeless and simply unforgettable.

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Have you read any of these books? Let me know your thoughts and if you have any recommendations you would like to share!

🎉 Wishing you all a very Happy New Year! 🎉

To read more amazing reviews, please click here.

Birthday Book Haul!

Posted on by LochanReads in Book Reviews, books, bookworm

In October I reached yet another age on the wrong side of twenty, so some lovely friends and colleagues of mine, thoughtfully presented me with a book token as a gift. I have to say, it was a most unexpected gift but I was touched by the sentiment.

And in true lastminute.com fashion, I have only now remembered to make use of it, amassing a total of four new books to add to my ever growing collection. Here’s what I finally decided to buy after spending the best part of Friday afternoon roaming the stacked columns of my local Waterstones;

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“As much a story of paradise found as it is of paradise lost…Extraordinary.” – New York Times

Call Me By Your Name was written by André Aciman and published in 2007 by Farrar, Strauss and Giroux. It was later adapted for cinema in 2017, starring among its cast, the Hollywood actor, Armie Hammer, who also narrated the audio book.

This contemporary romance is about “a blossoming romantic relationship between [an intellectually precocious and curious 17-year-old boy named Elio Perlman and a visiting 24-year-old scholar named Oliver] in 1980s Italy. ”

“A gripping read and a haunting story of love, loss and betrayal. Guranteed to move even the hardest heart.” – Independent

The Kite Runner is the highly acclaimed debut novel by American-Afghani author Khaled Hosseini. It was originally published in 2003 by Bloomsbury Publishing. It was number one on the New York Times Best Seller list for more than two years.

This is the story about Amir, “a Sunni Muslim, who struggles to find his place in the world because of the aftereffects and fallout from a series of traumatic childhood events.” – Cliffnotes

“A voice of breathtaking beauty, a masterpiece.” – Observer

The God Of Small Things is the debut novel by Indian author Arundhati Roy. It was orginally published in 1997 by Flamingo books and has won awards including the prestigious Booker Prize.

“It is a story about the childhood experiences of fraternal twins whose lives are destroyed by the “Love Laws” that lay down “who should be loved, and how. And how much.” ” – Wikipedia

A Staggering achievement. Brilliantly enjoyable – Nadine Gordimer

The Satanic Verses is the deeply controversial fourth novel by British-Indian writer, Sir Salman Rushdie. It was originally published in 1988 by Vintage Books and is said to have caused widespread uproar in the Islamic community.

“The complex and multilayered plot focuses on two protagonists, both Indian Muslims living in England. Gibreel Farishta is a successful film actor who has suffered a recent bout of mental illness and who is in love with an English mountain climber, Alleluia Cone.” – Britannica

*Lochanreads on Booktube*

Thanks for reading! Let me know in the comments if you’ve read any of these books and your thoughts on them.

For more bookish articles and to read my Book Reviews, please click here!

Books That Changed My Perspective

Posted on by LochanReads in Book Reviews, books, bookworm

Hey Bookworms! In today’s post, I’m going to share with you some books that completely changed my perspective. These books have not only revealed to me my ignorance on certain issues of great societal and political importance, but also perfectly exemplify the fact that reading isn’t just a means of escape but rather a means by which we become enlightened.

1. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini – This book also holds the record for making me cry; a difficult feat to accomplish and indeed one that has never been accomplished since. A Thousand Splendid Suns is the epitome of loss and heart-rending tragedy. It exposes the brutality of a harsh regime that particularly effected the women and young girls of its time, but also carries overtures of something infinitely more hopeful.

The Afghani author, who also wrote the award-winning The Kite Runner, set up his charity, The Khaled Hosseini Foundation in 2008 with the aim of providing humanitarian relief, more economic opportunities for women and healthcare and education for children who need it most. His latest novel, Sea Prayer, published in 2018 by Bloomsbury Publishing is a novel about the fear and uncertainty of being forced to flee one’s country and seek refuge, in light of the Syrian war. Hosseini perfectly uses the medium of writing to raise awareness about the suffering and political tensions affecting mostly Middle Eastern regions and the reading of his novels is sure to change one’s perspective.

2. Wonder Valley by Ivy Pochoda – I had the pleasure of meeting the charming Ivy earlier this year, albeit for a passing moment at a book signing, celebrating the release of her latest novel in the U.K. But it was enough to glean the vivacity of her personality.

Wonder Valley is irresistible in the way it explores the central theme of redemption. It delves into the muti-faceted nature of criminality. This is perfectly personified through the characterisation of Ren, who can’t seem to escape a life of drugs and crime, no matter how much he tries to seek change. Wonder Valley is extremely raw and unfiltered in the way it paints a true depiction of L.A. by commenting on life in Skid Row, which is something that has been expertly airbrushed out of recognizance in most representations of L.A. what I would normally associate with A-list celebrities and pristine neighbourhoods.

Ivy Pochoda is another author who has used the medium of books to raise awareness of the overlooked hardships of people who live in less fortunate neighbourhoods. It also goes into captivating detail about the psychology of sects by means of the desert dwellers of Twentynine Palms and the complex psyche of crime. All these elements perfectly marry to create a story that had a profound effect on me.

3. Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell – Interestingly, Gone With The Wind is a classical epic that is said to have been written on the foundations of ‘boredom,’ which I find very intriguing given the monumental scope of this book. Stripped back to its core, this life-changing novel is about the enthralling romance between headstrong Scarlet O’Hara and the snide, coy and cool character that is Rhett Butler. However, Gone With The Wind possesses so much more depth. It comments on the politics of its day, the social norms, it analyses the double-edged sword of slavery and the crippling fear of war.

It symbolises beautifully the romanticism and redundancy of the Old South, with its followers of self-assured arrogance that have been left utterly displaced in the rising of a New South. It develops its main character seamlessly, who grows more ruthless in the face of the many brutal realities that befall her. And it sheds an interesting light on slavery, a perspective where slaves are somehow left feeling bereft and disorientated with their newfound emancipation. In short, Gone With The Wind is a life-changing book that has ultimately become one of my all-time favourites.

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Thank you for reading! I hope I’ve encouraged you to give on of these three books a go and that if you do, you enjoy it as much as I did.

Please also check out some of my latest reviews;

This…novel is about the extremely intense love affair between Mr Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw and the societal forces that tries to divide them
Lords Of The North is a historical epic and complement to a series that I’m excited to continue reading more about.

The Trinity Trials by Dexter Carr, Jr

Posted on by LochanReads in Book Reviews, books

It’s time for another book review! As always, let me firstly thank the author, profusely for sending me an advanced reader copy in exchange for my review and for suffering with me patiently, during the long awaited interim.

The Trinity Trials: Tower Of Nirvana is the ethereal debut in The Trinity Trials series, written by Dexter Carr, Jr and published in 2016.

This fantasy tale is about the ascension of three archangels who have been destined to become the next Holy Trinity. Demetrius and Mathias discover they have been imbued with divine blessings after a forbidden trip to the Radiant Forest. Together with the mysterious ‘third blessing,’ Eous Lucentes, they have each been fated to assume power, but first, they must overcome the arduous pilgrimage that is the “the Trinity Trials,” where danger and adventure lie in wait to test them.

As a reader partial to the fantasy genre, I was interested in this book’s bold and creative premise. However, I was a bit dubious about the pronounced biblical presence in the story, as it lacked any sense of novelty, with one too many references to the book of Revelations.

Ultimately, The Trinity Trials, was unfortunately, not my cup of tea and I felt that the premise worked better than the actual execution of the story. For example, it was hard for me to identify who this book’s primary target audience is, which on the surface appears to be leaning towards Young Adult readers, but had moments of dialogue that would easily cater to an even younger audience as well.

On a more positive note, I did enjoy the concept of ‘the trials,’ as it gave the story an instrumental sense of adventure. However, I think the story would benefit immensely from a more developed setting. I also would’ve preferred less biblical references, in favour of a bit more originality and edgier writing, that doesn’t try to sound too profound in parts and too playful in others.

Despite my harsh critique, I thought that Trinity was a lot of fun to read. Though the premise offers some potential, it feels like this story is still in its early stages of development and needs the help of an editor to take it to the next level.

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Thank you for reading this review! For more Book Reviews like this, please click here.

And whilst we’re talking about fantasy novels, please be sure to check out my latest review; Baptism Of Fire by Andrzej Sapkowski.

Touch by Angela Cairns

Posted on by LochanReads in Book Reviews, books, bookworm, Reviews

Hey Bookworms!

It’s been a while since I reviewed a book on my blog, however I am back on the reading bandwagon and hope to get on top of my generous pile of reading submissions soon.

Today I’ll be discussing my thought’s on the book Touch by Angela Cairns. I received an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion and would firstly like to thank the author for sending this book to me, as well as suffering my reading hiatus without scruples.

Touch is a hopeful story about a young woman called Ellie Rose, who’s boyfriend, Brett, tragically died in a plane crash. The untimely loss leaves her feeling both bereaved and at a loss as to how she can move forward in life, since she can see no future for herself, except with him in it.

Her search ends in her setting up her own physiotherapy practice, where she finds solace in helping others and eventually, encountering a lot more than she bargained for, but will she be able to take the plunge?

I loved how this story got me on board right from the outset. I was immediately drawn into the story without feeling like I was reading something pedestrian that I hoped would get better as I continued to plow through.

I think Touch has a lot of potential to be a very successful debut, however, in my opinion it still needs redrafting and the magic “touch” of an editor, who can help iron out the edges, so to speak. At a point during the story, I felt my interest sadly start to wane as I began to notice minor holes within the story. However I believe that Touch has the makings to become not just something that can grip its reader’s attention from the outset, but also maintain that intrigue with its charming romance throughout.

I enjoyed the summer contemporary feel of Touch and the romantic aspect of it, the latter of which did feel organic and not overly clichéd, but which could’ve used a bit more contrast in comparison to other novels of the same genre.

All in all, I definitely think that this novel is one to watch! You heard it here first.

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On that note, I’ve noticed that I’m starting to become a bit of a sucker for a good romance novel. It’s very unlike me considering my pledge to give my partiality to the fantasy genre..I guess I’ve been scarred worse than I originally thought by Cassandra Clare’s finale book to The Dark Artifices series, which I’m yet review on my blog but which I have roasted on my YouTube channel! See below for more..

To read more Book Reviews, please click here

Visit the author’s website at www.angelacairnsauthor.co.uk to learn more!

Like watching unpopular opinion videos? Check out my latest Booktube review below.

How to get out of a Reading Slump

Posted on by LochanReads in books, bookworm

One of the most crucial signs that you know you’re a bookworm, apart from buy-a-new-book-everytime-you-walk-into-a-bookshop syndrome and always having a book with you for every excursion, is reading slumps. We’ve all been there at one point or another, in that state of dormancy, that visceral feeling of drought, where we feel plagued by our own inactivity.

It could be, and most often times is, a case of reading several underwhelming books in succession, which can sometimes lead to the dreaded DNF manoeuvre, a fatal course of action that I am less wont to do than others, but otherwise have found to be necessary in certain dire situations.

And so it was with me over the course of the last two months, where I have been frightfully inactive with my reading. Apart from the natural symptoms of a reading slump i.e. you just don’t feel like reading because it’s been a while since you’ve been to the gym or taken a yoga class, I genuinely feel like a lot of the books I’ve read over the last three or four months have been sub-par, uninspiring and average. This meant that my usual reading pace had slowed to a reluctant crawl and the number of reading submissions I received had grown, exponentially to an unstable size.

Unfortunately, this isn’t a top ten list of foolproof techniques that will ensure you never have another reading slump again. In fact, as I acknowledged at the start, reading slumps are just part and parcel of being a bookworm. It’s one of the signs that tell you you’re just another hopeless booknerd who goes to the supermarket wearing a Just One More Chapter tote bag like an identifying mark branded in iron.

I’ve found that the best way to get out of a reading slump is just to be patient and go at your own pace. Ignore the quiet whispers of envy at the back of your mind when those anomalous readers post their monthly wrap-up of twenty odd books. Even they experience reading slumps. It might be the case that you experience a reading slump whilst you’re already reading something. In those cases, you might want to put your current read on the back burner.. indefinitely (we call this a soft DNF) and start something entirely new!

Most importantly, I would advise against trying to force yourself back into a reading frenzy so as to keep up with the so-called ‘It crowd’ as I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how counter-productive this is. I find it better to just accept the fact that one needn’t have to feel like they should be reading all the time.

Such feelings of disillusionment are temporary anyway and before you know it, you’ll be back to your usual machine-like #readinggoals bookworm high, so go take that yoga class wearing your all-important bookish tote bag, discover how much you actually love DIY or you can go ahead and check out my latest book review, The Seven Deaths Of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton because it could very well end up being the book to get you out of your current reading slump.