bookish Archives - The Quick and the Read

My 10 Bookish Surprises of 2020

I am a life-long bookworm, but 2020 marked the point at which a hobby became something so much bigger. This blog was born in July 2020 after years of writing NetGalley reviews and it has supplied the steepest learning curve of all!

Aside from the usual revelations to bloggers (the vagaries of WordPress, for example), there have been some genuine bookish surprises in this very strange year.

Here are just a few things that have given me food for thought this year…

Book Twitter is fabulous…

Many thanks to all the lovely bloggers who have crossed my path this year – I have been genuinely astounded at how lovely the bookish community is on Twitter and grateful about how I’ve been welcomed.

I have to make special mentions of the Tsundoko Squad and The Write Reads crew – you guys have been just wonderful in this otherwise pretty awful year!

…but it loves a drama

With this in mind, I’ve also been astonished at how many Twitter spats seem to happen. I get that we are an opinionated bunch of people, but I’ve been bemused by lots of arguments this year. I’m way too old for all that!

Reading non-fiction puts you in a minority

I’ve always read loads of non-fiction and assumed everyone else did too. Wrong!

Incidentally, you can read my top 10 non-fiction reads of 2020 here.

It’s sometimes fun to read outside your genres

One thing that has surprised me this year is how much I’ve enjoyed some books I really didn’t expect to! I think of myself mainly as a reader of historical and crime fiction, plus a lot of non-fiction. However, this year some of my favourite books have been odd choices for me – YA romance (‘The Great Godden’ by Meg Rosoff), vampires (‘Grave Secrets’ by Alice James) and a book about graveyards (and so much more! ‘A Tomb with a View’ by Peter Ross).

Affiliate links are below:

There is always someone who has read more than you

I’ve always read loads but not on the scale of most of Book Twitter! I’ll finish this year on about 120 books and that’s just fine.

Seasonal reading is a thing

Having never read Christmas books, I honestly didn’t really register that seasonal-themed reading was a thing. Not just Christmas, but Halloween and pretty much any other holiday/season/event you can think of – there will be a corner of Book Twitter and many blogs dedicated to it. Mind blown.

I still haven’t read any Christmas books though!

Bookstagram is huge…and I still don’t get it

I’m way too old to get Instagram.

I’m seriously impressed at the dedication of those who lovingly photograph books in gorgeous settings and with fabulous lighting. It’s one of those things that is beyond my skill set, like knitting or skiing or being able to carry off wearing a hat. Carry on, everyone else!

My favourite books of the year weren’t ones I expected

I’m pretty good at choosing books for myself – it’s pretty rare that I DNF books and have enjoyed pretty much everything I’ve picked up this year.

What I’m less good at is predicting the books that I will adore – the ones I’ll be raving to everyone about forever. This year, there have been some brilliant surprises – ‘Cows Can’t Jump’ by Philip Bowne, ‘The Miseducation of Evie Epworth’ by Matson Taylor and ‘The Quickening’ by Rhiannon Ward to name just three fantastic examples.

Affiliate links are below because everyone needs a copy of these! Thanks for supporting my blog with any purchases.

Buddy reading is fun

I’d always been sceptical about buddy reads and reading groups. Then I worked my way through ‘Rebecca’ by Daphne du Maurier with The Write Reads bunch and I have honestly never laughed so much. I not only finished a book that I’ve failed to read on other occasions, I totally enjoyed the chat and there will be elements of it that stay with me for quite a while!

I’m not sure who book blogs are really for

I’ve loved every minute of setting up and writing my blog this year (technical issues aside – curse you, JetPack) but I’m no clearer on who it is really for. Website hits, though satisfying, aren’t massively high and feedback is limited.

I’ve come to the conclusion that I’ll keep writing the blog for me – and if any of you want to carry on reading then GREAT!

Here’s to a 2021 that is everything that 2020 wasn’t!

The Sunshine Blogger Award

Today, I am answering some questions set by my fellow bloggers as part of the Sunshine Blogger Award. I was fortunate to be nominated by Danni at ForBooksSake and Ashley at Red-Haired Ash Reads.

Thanks to both of these bloggers – do follow them if you don’t already!

I’ll be answering all their questions in this post before setting my own questions for my nominees!

How does it work?

Thank the blogger(s) who nominated you in a blog post and link back to their blog.
Answer the 11 questions sent by the person who nominated you.
Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.
List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or on your blog.

Questions from Danni:

Have you set a GoodReads Reading Goal for the year? If yes, how many books are you hoping to read?

I set an optimistic challenge of 100 books on GoodReads – this is more than I’ve read in recent years and the first time I’ve consciously set a target. However, lockdown gave my reading a bit of a boost so I’m already on 93 books.

What has been your favourite book of 2020 so far?

How can I possibly pick just one?!

I’ll go with ‘The Miseducation of Evie Epworth by Matson Taylor. I didn’t know what to expect from this debut novel, but it is an absolutely charming, funny and sweet novel about a young girl growing up with a quirky and dysfunctional family in the 1960s.

What book on your TBR are you most looking forward to reading?

Laura Purcell’s ‘The Shape of Darkness’. I have loved her previous books and a new book is always an event.

Do you have any pets? If yes, please post pictures! (I want to see your cute animals)

Yes – 2 cats (Geoff and Ivy) plus 4 bantam hens.

Geoff (who sleeps like no cat I’ve ever seen before)

Who are your auto buy authors?

I’m not sure I have that many, but definitely Caitlin Moran and Laura Purcell. There are also a couple of crime series that I’m following where I’d buy the next books without question – I really like the Maeve Kerrigan series by Jane Casey and Rachel Lynch’s DI Kelly Porter series.

I’ve read books by a lot of brilliant new writers this year (new to me or debut novelists) that I think this list will grow very rapidly!

What are your favourite books from your childhood?

One of the first books I remember as a child was ‘Peepo’ by Janet and Alan Ahlberg, a gorgeous picture book about a baby in a (not that I realised it then) World War II era family. I’ve since read this to my kids and it is a favourite.

There are loads of books I loved as a child that probably wouldn’t stand up to re-reading – I was an obsessive Enid Blyton fan and absolutely devoured any Nancy Drew books!

Other than that, Dodie Smith’s ‘I Capture The Castle’ was a book I loved as a teenager and have re-read as an adult. I still think it’s pretty great!

Describe your dream reading space.

I’ve always fancied my own library – something along the lines of the one in Beauty and the Beast! Definitely high wall-to-wall bookshelves that need ladders to get to the top and some cosy armchairs!

What is your favourite bookish merch?

So many things that I wrote a blog post on it – you can see my collection of bookish prints, pins and all manner of other things here.

What are your biggest bookish pet peeves?

I really hate books that promise an uplifting read but that turn out to be really, really depressing! I think there is some serious misrepresentation going on with some book blurbs and am always disappointed when I get to a really nasty bit in a book that I wasn’t expecting.

How do you feel about DNF’ing a book?

Guilty. I always think it is going to get better, but I’ve learnt that some books just…don’t. I’m quite good at choosing books that I think I’ll like but I do feel like it is my fault if I can’t finish a book.

You can only read one genre for the rest of your life, what are you choosing, and why?

Historical (preferably historical crime). There’s such a rich variety of settings that I don’t think I’d ever get bored. I love learning about different periods of history (although I have a soft spot for the Victorians) and there are so many brilliant writers working in this genre.

One of my latest historical reads – recommended!

Questions from Ashley:

What is your favorite genre to read?

Historical crime fiction – that’s a very specific genre to choose but I love the combination of the rich setting with a twisty crime story!

What nonfiction book(s) are your favorite?

Oooh, great question! I think non-fiction books often get overlooked in the world of Book Twitter.

I love any of Caitlin Moran’s non-fiction books and I’ve recently really enjoyed (if enjoyed is the right word for a book about death!) Peter Ross’ ‘A Tomb With a View’ – it’s absolutely fascinating, incredibly moving and not as depressing as you might expect.

I’m also a fan of history presented with a bit of wit and flair – ‘Dead Famous’ by Greg Jenner and ‘A Curious History of Sex’ by Kate Lister have been high points this year.

Do you read multiple books at once or just one?

Multiple – I can’t have too many similar books going at the same time, but I’ll often have a fiction (or two, but different genres), a non-fiction and an audiobook going at the same time.

What other hobbies do you have besides reading?

I’m not really sure I do! Between the reading, the blogging and Book Twitter, I’m pretty busy.

When I’m not book-focused, I spend time with my family and teach English full-time at a secondary school.

Do you have a reading goal for 2020? If so, how is it going?

I’d not set a goal before this year, but 100 books seemed like it was going to be a real challenge. However, 2020 has been a weird year in so many ways and lockdown has boosted my reading at times so I’m already on 93 books.

What prompted you to create a blog?

I was reading and reviewing on NetGalley and it seemed like the logical next step. I love talking to people about books and so was looking to infiltrate myself into the bookish community…it seems to be working, I think…

What is your favorite trope?

I don’t read a lot of horror at all, but I’m totally won over by anything with vampires!

What is your least favorite trope?

I’m getting quite fed up with the detective with the tragic personal life. It has been very over-done and I’d quite like to focus on the crime plot without having to work through the trauma of the detective first!

What fictional world would you like to visit?

Because I read a lot about the past, I think my world would have to be step back in time! I’d love to visit the world inhabited by Jeeves and Wooster – an idealised and very jolly version of 1920s and 1930s London that never really existed outside the imagination of P.G. Wodehouse.

There are other less salubrious time periods I’d love to visit but I’d not want to stay long!

What book disappointed you this year?

I always feel bad if I’m disappointed by a book because I do try to choose my reading carefully. I did read a crime novel that was quite hyped that I was disappointed with (and didn’t feature on the blog) but I won’t name it.

What is your favorite cover from 2020?

‘The Betrayals’ by Bridget Collins (out in November) looks glorious. I read the Kindle version but have been jealously looking at other people’s proofs and advance copies!

I’m going to nominate:

(Sorry if you’ve even tagged before!)

Mystery Bookworm Blogs

Rosegold Reports

JenJenReviews

Books are 42

A Writing Soul’s Story

And YOU! Please do link to me so I can read your answers!

My questions for you:

What was the last book that surprised you?
What is your favourite book series?
Is the book always better than the film?
Which book would make a brilliant film (that hasn’t been made yet)?
What was the last book you DNF?
What is your favourite setting for a book?
What title would you choose for your own autobiography?
What 3 things would a book need to include to make it a must-read for you?
Which genre do you like least and why?
What’s been the most popular post on your blog?
Which are your favourite book blogs to visit?

The Best Literary Gifts I’ve Ever Been Given!

With Christmas looming and the news that coronavirus might curtail our high street shopping for gifts, I thought I’d share some great literary gifts that I’ve been given.

All these are available online and I’ve provided links – these aren’t affiliate links (unless indicated otherwise) so they are provided entirely for your convenience!

Bookends

I love bookends and there are so many fabulous ones available! These ceramic ones were from Amazon and I love the phrenological theme! This one is an affiliate link so I may earn commission at no extra cost to you.

Ex Libris book stamp

OK, so I know that – for some people – marking in books is absolutely not something they could countenance. However, I love a bookplate or stamp that marks these books as being mine!

This stamp is just one of many available from the brilliant Etsy store SweetBackflip. There are loads more on offer across the site with lots of different designs, but mine is the self-inking personalised version of this one.

Bookish Pins

I love enamel pins and wear them on my work lanyard. The most gorgeous ones are available from Literary Emporium – in the picture you can see some of my collection including the huge Ophelia one from the Shakespeare’s Heroines collection.

(Shhhh – quick tip – some nice book pins are available on Wish too, if you can wait for delivery from China).

Book/T Shirt/Pins Gift Boxes

These gift boxes from Literary Emporium again are absolutely perfect for book lovers. For somewhere in the region of £40 (it varies slightly by box), you get a t-shirt, beautiful hard-backed copy of a novel and a pin (or sometimes a set of pins). All this is presented beautifully in a ribbon-tied gift box with literary prints all over – absolutely gorgeous.

There are a limited number of texts available but they are all so beautiful! I have ‘Dracula’, ‘Frankenstein’ and the ‘Votes for Women’ set and a whole load of others are going on my list for Santa!

Books about Books

Lots of bookworms love reading about books! See my list on ‘The Best Books about Books’ here for some suggestions. In particular, ‘The Novel Cure’ or ‘Literary Landscapes’ would make great gifts, but there are plenty on the list.

Literary Maps

The Literary Gift Company do some fabulous maps – several of which I have up in my house as posters. In particular, I love these literary maps of the UK and America, populated by the names and locations of writers.

For something a bit pricier but absolutely gorgeous, Dex at Artfinder also does some really beautiful and detailed literary maps. I have a literary map of London and it has pride of place in my house.

There’s also a great Map of Fictional London again available from The Literary Gift Company. This can be bought either as a foldable map or poster.

Posters and Prints

The Literary Gift Company do a lovely range prints and posters – I have my eye on ‘The Master and Margarita’ vintage book cover one, but there is a great selection.

Moving up the price bracket again, Peter Walters at Artfinder does some really lovely book-themed artworks and prints. He did a fantastic ‘A Room With a View’ 3D piece for me which I love!

Bookmarks

I have a lovely metal bookmark from HerPaperWorld at Etsy – there is a beautiful selection based on mostly fantasy books.

I’ve also got my eye on these brass bookmarks from Literary Emporium – the link takes you to the Lady Macbeth one but others are available on the site.

Book Subscriptions

For the gift that keeps on giving, consider a book subscription that sends books (with or without other bookish items) on a regular basis.

I have the Books that Matter one – you can see my latest review (of the September box) here. Every month, you get a book and other gifts, for example bookmarks, cookies, tea, posters, all with a feminist theme.

For other ideas, Bert’s Books do monthly subscription options and I’ve heard excellent things about the newly-launched The Capital Crime Book Club.

Book Bags and Wallets

Yoshi’s Bookworm range is pricy but lovely – I have the Shakespeare bag and bookworm wallet (pictured) but they are all wonderful. I’m saving my pennies for the new yellow additions to the range.

Book Journal

If you know someone who would want to record or track their reading, this book journal is lovely. I’ve been keeping a book journal for about 9 years and it is nice to look back at all the things I’ve read – especially as I am quite forgetful!

Affiliate link:

So there you have it! Hopefully you have found some inspiration for presents for your bookish friends – if so, please ‘like’ this post and consider following my blog!

Header photo with thanks to Ekaterina Shevchenko for sharing their work on Unsplash.