Dora Reads is the book blog of a Bookish Rebel, supporting the Diversity Movement, bringing you Queer views and mental health advocacy, slipping in a lot of non-bookish content, and spreading reading to the goddamn world! :) (All posts may contain Amazon links, which are affiliate, unless marked otherwise. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. USA ONLY - please do not make UK purchases with my links)
Sunday 12 July 2020
Nerd Church - If I Had £1million...
Friday 3 July 2020
Friday Fics Fix - A Blanket Cocoon
'Dave was probably never going to get answers out of Klaus, but for right now, he was the designated ‘Coax Hargreeves out for Meals’ guy, so he was going to do his job.'
Friday 26 June 2020
Friday Fics Fix - Pride Fics Fest: The Love They Never Allowed On Screen (Steve x Bucky)
Sunday 21 June 2020
Nerd Church - A Short Ramble on Father's Day
Wednesday 3 June 2020
Month in Review(s) - May 2020
Wednesday 13 May 2020
Month In Review(s) - April 2020
Sunday 3 May 2020
Nerd Church - I'm SO Tired
(Warning: this post references Coronavirus/Covid 19 and Lockdown, and discusses mental health problems and Anxiety throughout.)
I'm so tired.
Like, SO tired.
Part of that is probably due to an existential tiredness related to the Lockdown and wanting things to go back to 'normal' - whatever normal is.
(Stay Home though, dearest nerdlets - STAY HOME PLEASE! It's so important!)
Friday 17 April 2020
Friday Fics Fix - The Self-Care Fanfic Rec-List
Fanfiction is a fab form of self-care (which I know I've said more than once, but that's because it's true!)
And seeing as how:
a) we could all do with all the self-care we can get atm...
and b) I have written a lot of fanfiction posts over the years...
I figured I'd take a look over my blog archives, and select some of the most useful fics for self-care.
(Side-note: looking through my archive is super-weird!)
Sunday 12 April 2020
Nerd Church - Watching 'Orange Is The New Black' In Lockdown
(Warning: this post discusses Coronavirus/Covid 19, and prison, and references drugs and death.)
You know all those shows that you just don't get around to for whatever reason?
Orange Is The New Black was one of those for me.
So what better series to start when we can't go out, than one where they can't either, y'know?
The UK is in Lockdown - we can only go out for specific reasons, which does currently include 1hr exercise, provided we practice social distancing, so we're better off than some.
Friday 10 April 2020
Friday Fics Fix - Three Hearts
'“Hey, He-Who-Lurks-Creepily-in-Corners,” Tony said. “You want a smoothie? You need to replace all the stuff you lost earlier.”'
Amongst the shippers of the MCU, there are many ships on which to sail.
(Yes, I'm talking Avengers again - I know, I've kind of been alternating between Avengers and Umbrella Academy lately, but they're the fics I've found that are worth recc'ing *shrugs* what's a nerdgirl to do?)
Wednesday 8 April 2020
Month In Review(s) - March 2020
(Warning: This post discusses Coronavirus/Covid 19 (b/c March 2020) and related stuff like lockdown and Anxiety)
...Maybe the first rule of March 2020, is that we don't talk about March 2020.
But then, I'd totally break that rule in half and throw the pieces in the air like confetti anyways, so here we are!
Sunday 5 April 2020
Nerd Church - A General Message of Positivity For Anyone Struggling With Their Mental Health ATM
(Warning: this post discusses Covid 19/Coronavirus, and mental health problems/general mental health)
I think we could all do with some positivity right now.
We all need to take care of our mental health. You don't need to have a mental health problem in order to be struggling with your mental health.
We all need to take care of ourselves.
So here's one of my famous (notorious? infamous? who knows,) pep talks, with the hopes that it'll do some good, somewhere.
Friday 3 April 2020
Friday Fics Fix - Cops and Ghosties
'“I’m just saying if you’re so desperate to help people, you could have been a fireman. What they lack in brutality they make up for with sex appeal and basic levels of empathy.”
“Can’t stop murderers with a hose.”
“Not with that attitude.” Klaus shrugged...'
Confession time: I haven't finished reading this week's fic! *gasps*
#BadBookBlogger #FangirlingSins
In my defence, this b**ch is over 300 pages, and I'm on the last chapter!
But if I don't get this post written now, then I know it ain't gonna happen. (Your girl is gonna face-plant the laptop keyboard if she keeps this up. #RestAndRechargeTime)
Sunday 22 March 2020
Nerd Church - The Anxious Girl's Guide To Pandem-onium
(Warning: this post discusses Coronavirus/Covid-19 (but hopefully in a non-stressy way!) and Anxiety/mental health problems)
Wherever you are in the world, your life is probably being affected by the Covid-19 pandemic right now - if you're in Europe, then it definitely is.
I'm Anxious af right now - and I know other people are too.
So, I think we could all do with some practical self-care advice.
(Even if you don't have mental health problems, you still need to take care of your mental health!)
Friday 20 March 2020
Friday Fics Fix - In Times of Trouble, Turn To Stucky
***All Amazon.com links in this post are commission links. This means I earn commission from purchases made in the US***
Please do not use my links to make UK purchases.
'“You mean after spending half the day thinking my ex-boyfriend was dead and then finding out that he’s alive but also a wanted criminal? I’m not doing great honestly!”'
I mean... in times of trouble, we should always turn to Stucky.
The world is somehow a little better when Captain America has a boyfriend. Obviously.
...And the most likely boyfriend (hell, the most likely romantic partner full stop #FightMe) for our dear Steve Rogers is Bucky Barnes.
Sorry, alternative shippers. Your ships have value, but I can't be convinced. 😉
Friday 13 March 2020
Friday Fics Fix - Wham, Bang, Shazam!
***All Amazon.com links in this post are commission links. This means I earn commission from purchases made in the US***
Please do not use my links to make UK purchases.
'“Being a superhero is cool and all in theory,” Freddy admits, “but I guess it’s kind of the pits sometimes. It can get a little intense. All those tragic backstories and the almost dying and stuff.”'
Sunday 8 March 2020
Nerd Church - #InternationalWomensDay: 'My Feminism Will Be Intersectional, Or It Will Be B*llsh**'
'MY FEMINISM WILL BE INTERSECTIONAL OR IT WILL BE B*LLSH**'
Friday 6 March 2020
Friday Fics Fix - With Grace
(Warning: this post discusses domestic and child abuse (physical and mental/emotional) throughout, and touches on issues such as addiction and substance abuse)
'...There are a lot of things in the children’s lives that are sub-optimal. She has to minimize the damage in whatever ways she is able.'
This post is gonna have SPOILERS for series 1 of Umbrella Academy, ok?
V. minor spoilers, but spoilers all the same. The fic itself has more spoilers.
Friday 21 February 2020
Friday Fics Fix - Avengers Fun Time!
'...Because Steve, in all of his tall, muscular, patriotic glory is now standing on the coffee table, red faced and hands clasped over his mouth and staring into the corner where a robotic vacuum cleaner is calmly and silently doing it's little roomba business.'
Let's have some fun, this week, dearest nerdlets! 😉
Cos sometimes, you just need something totally ridiculous. Let's be honest.
Friday 7 February 2020
Friday Fics Fix - A Dose of the Warm Fuzzies
'...“Because life is one big joke,” Klaus replies with a grin.
Diego shakes his head, feeling a headache start to form, and drops the interrogation.'