How You Can Be An Eco Book-Nerd (With 5 Handy Tips)

Books are awesome. Book nerds are awesome. Being eco is awesome.

Why don't we combine the three??????

It can be difficult, sometimes, to be eco when your favouritest hobby (e.g. reading) is based on paper and electronic stuff.

But fear not nerdlets! I have 5 handy tips for minimising our planet-destroying ways while still reading what we want!

1. Natural Light = Good.

Just because we read about vampires doesn't mean we have to live like them. When and where natural light is available, open your curtains and use it!

I have a BAD habit of waking up in the morning, putting my light on, and reading in bed under the electric light.

This is OK and understandable when it's a grey and basically nocturnal January morning where you can barely see your hand in front of your face, but in the middle of a bright summer's day, use what the sky gives you! It's free!

2. Swap Time!





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Swap with a friend to get extra life out of paper books and magazines. Sometimes this works out better for one friend than another.

(I read fast and The Bestie reads slow - she gets more of my stuff than I do of hers. But that's OK, because she's awesome.)

In the end though, this is a great way to clear space for new books while re-using the old ones.

You can also lend/borrow books, but I know some of you are a bit fussy about that. I'm not, but that's 'cos I'm a rebel, me ;)

3. Use Your Library, and WALK To It





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Libraries are awesome and get you new books for free! True story.

This also means utilising one copy of a book several times - that re-using thing again!

Now, the other fab thing about libraries is that walking to them is cheaper than the gym AND means saving on the eco no-no of unnecessary car usage.

Of course, if your library's further away, you might not have that opportunity, but try using public transport where you can!

4. Sleep or Off?

There seems to be no general agreement over whether it's better to put your e-reader into sleep mode, or just switch it off. Apparently, Amazon claims it makes no difference.

With my Kobo, I have to say the battery life definitely seems to last longer if I put it off when I know I'm not going to be using it for a while.

Sleep mode is great for saving energy if you're chatting to someone, or popping to the loo, or whatever.

Likewise, there seems to be little to no info out there on whether you should charge your e-reader regularly, or leave it to run down.

My advice? Pay attention to what your own particular e-reader does. And go with that.

And as long as you remember to put it either on sleep mode or off, it's better than just leaving it on all the time ;)

5. The Hidden Eco-Book-Sins





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I'm talking about tea, coffee, and snacks. We all like a little bite to eat and something to drink while we read. But we forget about the energy involved.

I'm not saying to go nuts and guard your kettle valiantly with a teaspoon, but watch how much water you're boiling. If it's just you and your book, then you don't need to put all that much water on to boil.

And remember to recycle your snack-packaging where possible!

So my little Eco Book-Nerds, go forth and spread the word!

And remember, not only will the planet be better off, but you'll also be saving yourself/whoever pays your bills some cash. And who doesn't want that?????







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The 100 Questions Tag

The lovely Tina at Tina the Bookworm tagged me for this, and I was like, why not? So here we are!

1. DO YOU SLEEP WITH YOUR CLOSET DOORS OPEN OR CLOSED?

I have a 1950s wardrobe that I inherited from my grandfather, and the doors have to be locked or they swing wiiiide open. So obv. I sleep with the doors closed.



2. DO YOU TAKE THE SHAMPOOS AND CONDITIONER BOTTLES FROM HOTELS?

Nope. I do take coffee sachets from the tea tray. Book nerds like coffee. XD



3. DO YOU SLEEP WITH YOUR SHEETS TUCKED IN OR OUT?

Erm - out. Because I'm not a tidy person. At all.



4. HAVE YOU STOLEN A STREET SIGN BEFORE?

No! Who does that? :/



5. DO YOU LIKE TO USE POST-IT NOTES?

Sometimes - then sometimes not. I've got a general apathy towards post-it notes; I really don't understand why so many people are like post-it fangirls/boys.



6. DO YOU CUT OUT COUPONS BUT THEN NEVER USE THEM?

I am forever forgetting I have money-off vouchers in my bag.



7. WOULD YOU RATHER BE ATTACKED BY A BIG BEAR OR A SWARM OF BEES?

I'm gonna go for the bear... I think... to be honest I'd rather not be attacked by anything!



8. DO YOU HAVE FRECKLES?

Yup - across my nose *wrinkles nose like bunny*

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9. DO YOU ALWAYS SMILE FOR PICTURES?

I try to avoid pictures whenever possible! When I have to be in them, I attempt to smile but not too wide because it makes my face look chubby.



10. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST PET PEEVE?

No idea.



11. DO YOU EVER COUNT YOUR STEPS WHEN YOU WALK?

Only when I'm walking up and down stairs! I'm such a child :)



12. HAVE YOU PEED IN THE WOODS?

No! I usually plan so that I don't have to do that! Find a public loos people!



13. HAVE YOU EVER POOPED IN THE WOODS?

NO!!!! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!



14. DO YOU EVER DANCE EVEN IF THERES NO MUSIC PLAYING?

I do jazz-hands to emphasise and/or make fun of something - does that count?

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15. DO YOU CHEW YOUR PENS AND PENCILS?

Um... I stick them in my mouth a lot but I don't actually chew them.



16. HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE YOU SLEPT WITH THIS WEEK?

Ooh-err! No-one, actually.



17. WHAT SIZE IS YOUR BED?

Single. Make of that what you will ;) I'm fine with it.



18. WHAT IS YOUR SONG OF THE WEEK?

I don't really mark my weeks in songs, or my songs in weeks - I just shove the music on in the background!



19. IS IT OK FOR GUYS TO WEAR PINK?

Yeah sure, dudes can wear pink. As long as it's not ugly.



20. DO YOU STILL WATCH CARTOONS?

Duh, only the cool people watch cartoons ;)

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21. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE MOVIE?

I don't know - anything Twilight, most things with Will Ferrell or Adam Sandler.



22. WHERE WOULD YOU BURY HIDDEN TREASURE IF YOU HAD SOME?

Dude, if I had treasure I'd totally spend it! :)



23. WHAT DO YOU DRINK WITH DINNER?

Usually some sort of soft drink or water.



24. WHAT DO YOU DIP A CHICKEN NUGGET IN?

I'm vegetarian, so this question is kind of irrelevant.



25. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FOOD?

Pizza. Cake. Chocolate. Recipe for life.

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26. WHAT MOVIES COULD YOU WATCH OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND STILL LOVE?

Sweeney Todd: Demon Barber of Fleet Street (UK - US); and pretty much anything else that involves Johnny Depp or Tim Burton. Or Marvel movies.



27. LAST PERSON YOU KISSED/KISSED YOU?

Probably my cat, actually XD



28. WERE YOU EVER A BOY/GIRL SCOUT?

I was a girl guide and a Brownie and all that :)



29. WOULD YOU EVER STRIP OR POSE NUDE IN A MAGAZINE?

Nope! I'm far too self-conscious for that.



30. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WROTE A LETTER TO SOMEONE ON PAPER?

A couple of weeks ago - I write to an old school mate a lot because we seem to actually say more on paper than we do online.

31. CAN YOU CHANGE THE OIL ON A CAR?

No, but I don't have a car or a driver's licence, so I think it's OK.



32. WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE YANKEE CANDLE SCENT?

I don't know what it's called - it's a fruity orange one.



33. FAVOURITE AUTHOR?

NO. THAT IS NOT AN ANSWER I'M GIVING - IT'S TOO HARD!!!!!



34. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE KIND OF SANDWICH?

I don't know... not something I think about to be honest!



35. BEST THING TO EAT FOR BREAKFAST?

Toast or cereal - fried eggs as a treat when I'm at a hotel or whatever, because I can't cook, like, at all.



36. WHAT IS YOUR USUAL BEDTIME?

I don't know - somewhere between 11 and midnight, depending on how tired I am, when I have to get up, how interesting my book is...



37. ARE YOU LAZY?

The opposite! I have to force myself to take breaks and chill.



38. WHEN YOU WERE A KID, WHAT DID YOU DRESS UP AS FOR HALLOWEEN?

Erm... my parents had a few issues with Halloween, so I only dressed up once or twice, and that was as a teenager.

And that was last minute so I usually threw a witch outfit together. I think I was a dead bride once too.

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39. WHAT IS YOUR CHINESE ASTROLOGICAL SIGN?

Not telling you that - you'll work out how old I am!



40. HOW MANY LANGUAGES CAN YOU SPEAK?

Welp, English, for one.

(And Wenglish, which is like the Welsh/English dialect and slang.

It involves such lovely commonly used words as lovely, fab, crackin', tidy, lush, cwtch, dwt, bechgyn drwg, and the awesomely hybridised dirty mochyn.)

I have some Welsh - and am constantly trying to learn more but man, Welsh is hard!

I've got some Spanish - but it's kind of rusty since I haven't really used it since I was about 16.

I've got a smattering (basically a few words or phrases in): Russian, Italian, German, Latin, Greek, Arabic and Japanese.

Basically I learn a little of everything and am proficient in nothing! :)



41. DO YOU HAVE ANY MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS?

Nope. I used to have one for a card-making magazine, but they put the price up so I dropped it.



42. COKE OR PEPSI?

Coke! Diet, if possible - not because it's healthier, but because I like the taste better.

43. ARE YOU STUBBORN?

*Looks at feet*
*Looks at ceiling*
*Looks at finger-nails*
*Shuffles feet*

...Yes.



44. WHO IS BETTER: LENO OR LETTERMAN?

We don't watch those shows here, really - maybe the odd clip from them on YouTube, but nothing more than that.



45. FAVORITE TV SHOW/S

There's probably far too many to list here. A lot. Let's put it like that ;) I watch far too much TV.



46. ARE YOU AFRAID OF HEIGHTS?

Not so much the height as hitting the ground at the bottom ;)



47. DO YOU SING IN THE CAR?

Depends what music is on.



48. DO YOU SING IN THE SHOWER?

Occasionally, if I feel like it.



49. DO YOU DANCE IN THE CAR?

Nope.



50. EVER USED A GUN?

No! I think my family would disown me if I ever touched a gun.



51. LAST TIME YOU GOT A PORTRAIT TAKEN BY A PHOTOGRAPHER?

Erm... probably at school. Unless you count the photographer at my brother's wedding? In which case, at my brother's wedding.

52. DO YOU THINK MUSICALS ARE CHEESY?

They def. can be.

I prefer older musicals like High Society (UK - US), Singin' in the Rain (UK - US), White Christmas (UK - US), and Alexander's Ragtime Band (UK - US).

I love anything with Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Danny Kaye, Vera Ellen...



53. IS CHRISTMAS STRESSFUL?

Yeah, but it's worth it. LOVE Christmas!!!!



54. FAVORITE BEN & JERRY FLAVOUR?

I don't usually eat Ben & Jerry's - gonna be honest.



55. FAVORITE TYPE OF FRUIT TART?

Man, one of those open Mr. Kipling's jam tarts? The lemon ones rock.



56. OCCUPATIONS YOU WANTED TO BE WHEN YOU WERE A KID?

Writer, poet, bookshop owner, aeroplane, dinosaur, magical sparkly unicorn ;)



57. DO YOU BELIEVE IN GHOSTS?

Yup.

58. EVER HAVE A DEJA-VU FEELING?

Sometimes.



59. DO YOU TAKE A VITAMIN DAILY?

No, that's the way to achieve expensive urine.



60. DO YOU WEAR SLIPPERS?

Yup - I go through so many pairs; it's not a good idea to walk around barefoot when you have cats. You never know what you might step in/on.



61. DO YOU WEAR A BATH ROBE?

Usually.



62. WHAT DO YOU WEAR TO BED?

PJs or a nightie.



63. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CONCERT?

Fall Out Boy :) Oh yeah, she's a rebel ;P

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64. WALMART, TARGET, OR KMART?

We literally have none of those shops here.



65. NIKE OR ADIDAS?

Meh, basically the same to me.



66. CHEETOS OR FRITOS?

Not entirely sure what Fritos are. And I don't really like Cheetos.



67. PEANUTS OR SUNFLOWER SEEDS?

Sunflower seeds - I can't stand peanuts. Blech.



68. FAVORITE BAND?

ARGH! THIS QUESTION IS TOO DIFFICULT!!!!



69. EVER TAKE DANCE LESSONS?

I went to line-dancing club when I was in primary school. I'm such a dork!



70. IS THERE A PROFESSION YOU PICTURE YOUR FUTURE SPOUSE DOING?

Dude, what kind of a question is this? Does it matter???? (Unless they're president of the universe or something, and then I'll be like 'HELLO!')

I don't really plan on ever getting married - so I guess it's kind of a redundant question.



71. CAN YOU CURL YOUR TONGUE?

Yup.



72. EVER WON A SPELLING BEE?

Nope. Never even been in one - we don't do spelling bees that often here.



73. HAVE YOU EVER CRIED BECAUSE YOU WERE SO HAPPY?

Sometimes I can laugh so much I cry... does that count?



74. OWN ANY RECORD ALBUMS?

Nope. The parents do.



75. OWN A RECORD PLAYER?

See previous answer ;)



76. DO YOU REGULARLY BURN INCENSE?

No, but I've got candles. And I limit what my parents are allowed to burn - ok, that sounds a lot worse than it is.

Let me just point out that my parents are not pyromaniacs, ok? Ok.



77. EVER BEEN IN LOVE?

Don't think so. I love everyone though, which is fine by me :)



78. WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IN CONCERT?

Panic! At the Disco - me and The Bestie are going to see them later in the year so that we can complete the Holy Emo Trinity (we've already seen FOB & MCR in concert.)

I have the bestest Bestie for scoring us tickets! XD

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79. WHAT WAS THE LAST CONCERT YOU SAW?

Fall Out Boy again - I've seen them three times! Love them so much :)



80. HOT TEA OR COLD TEA?

I don't like tea. I like chamomile tea, peppermint tea, and fruit teas though.



81. TEA OR COFFEE?

COFFEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(You may've guessed, but I like coffee!)

I'm one of the only British people in existence who hates tea. Blech!



82. SUGAR COOKIES OR SNICKER DOODLES?

I really don't know what these things are.

Are sugar cookies the same as chocolate-chip cookies? Or just biscuits in general?



83. CAN YOU SWIM WELL?

No! In a life-or-death scenario I could probably manage some pathetic flapping and splashing, but generally I've got a really bad fear of swimming and/or large bodies of water. 

I absolutely hate the feeling of floating - every time I start to float I stick my legs down to find the bottom of the pool or whatever.



84. CAN YOU HOLD YOUR BREATH WITHOUT HOLDING YOUR NOSE?

Yeah.



85. ARE YOU PATIENT?

*Laughs long and hard* ...No.



86. DJ OR BAND AT A WEDDING?

I really couldn't care less.



87. EVER WON A CONTEST?

Probably... over the years... I can be quite lucky, on occasion ;)



88. HAVE YOU EVER HAD PLASTIC SURGERY?

Nope, and not ever planning to.



89. WHICH ARE BETTER: BLACK OR GREEN OLIVES?

Black - I just prefer them.



90. CAN YOU KNIT OR CROCHET?

I knit a bunch.

I don't crochet because I can't get the hang of it and my mother kept yelling at me when she was supposed to be teaching me.

She taught The Bestie though, and The Bestie's mum taught me knitting, so I guess we're even. ;)



91. BEST ROOM FOR A FIREPLACE?

A cold one, I guess! ;)



92. DO YOU WANT TO GET MARRIED?

No, not really. I mean, stuff changes, but at the moment I have no plan to ever get married.



93. DO YOU LIKE TO READ?

If not I'm running the wrong blog!

94. WHO WAS YOUR HIGH SCHOOL CRUSH?

Ha, yeah... not going there!



95. DO YOU CRY AND THROW A FIT UNTIL YOU GET YOUR OWN WAY?

No, but I used to have full-on tantrums when I was younger. It wasn't pretty.



96. CLOTHES OR MAKEUP?

If I had to choose between the two, definitely clothes. I'm allergic to most makeup. And I really need clothes - I wear clothes until they fall apart, basically.



97. DO YOU WANT KIDS?

Never say never - but no, I don't want kids!



98. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOUR?

Orange - it's bright and weird, like me! :)



99. DO YOU MISS ANYONE RIGHT NOW?

Not this minute, no.

100. WHO ARE YOU GOING TO TAG TO DO THIS POST NEXT?

(You don't have to if you don't want to!)

Emily @ The Paperback Princess
Olivia-Savannah @ Olivia's Catastrophe





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5 Must-Read Non-Fiction Books

Non-fiction tends to get eclipsed - in book-blogging and in general - by the awesomeness that is fiction.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with fiction taking centre-stage, but that doesn't mean that we should leave non-fiction to languish by the wayside.

Non-fiction can be vitally important for a variety of reasons: not least that it tells us important things about life, the universe, and everything (42! - I'm such a nerd.)

So, my dearest nerdlets, I give you here a list of 5 non-fiction books which I consider to be 'must-reads.'

3 of these are memoirs/autobiographies - not of politicians or pop stars, but of ordinary people caught up in extraordinary circumstances.




These books are 'must-reads' because of what they are - because of what they represent, and the message that they send to the world.

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

Amazon: UK - US

This is no great work of literature - and I mean that in the nicest way possible.

Anne Frank's diary was never really intended for publication, so it's not written to appeal to an audience, or really to tell any clear story.

The main strength and value of this book is that it is so ordinary - it's the diary of a life cut unfairly and unjustly short, true, but a life that belonged to a real, breathing, loving, wonderful girl. A girl who was so very human.

And because of this, it shows even more vividly the horrors of the holocaust - this was not just the fate of nameless, faceless, people, who were nothing to do with us. This was the fate of normal people; just like us.

This book is proof of the potential and beauty that hatred can steal from the world.

12 Years A Slave by Solomon Northup

Amazon: UK - US

I actually reviewed this quite a while back; it's an incredible, and very, very powerful book.

Solomon's dignity, humanity, and love, prove a definite contrast to the horrendous situation he finds himself in.

I think everyone should know his story, if only so that we understand the human cost of the shameful practice of slavery.

Born on the Fourth of July by Ron Kovic

Amazon: UK - US

The last of the memoirs/autobiographies in this list, this is the honest, bitter, ugly, beautiful work of a Vietnam veteran - describing both his time in Vietnam, and the longer battle of rights, dignity, and recovery, back home in the US.

A fairly short book that makes hard reading in places, this is one that everyone needs to read - because Kovic was there; he saw it, he felt it, he went through it.

Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig

Amazon: UK - US

This is a book I wrote a mini-review for during Mental Health Awareness Week.

'Reasons To Stay Alive' is an important read because of what it stands for - a hand in the dark, a discussion about mental health, and an end to stigma.

Everyday Sexism by Laura Bates

Amazon: UK - US

This is a book I am determined to make EVERYONE read.

It's a real eye-opener in terms of the sexism and misogyny, as well as the violence towards women, that still exists, right now, in 2016.

As I said in my review, I don't necessarily agree with all of the opinions in this book, but it is one of the most worthwhile books you will ever read.

If it's not on your TBR list then put it on there - right now.

Like this post? Try these:

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The 6 P's of Blogging

Now, I'm far from a blogging master - but over the past year-and-a-half of blogging, I've picked up a few things.

(Hopefully. Maybe. Kind of.)




6 of these things start with the letter P.

So, here are my 6 P's of blogging - handy little words I keep in mind when throwing my brain onto the page (screen? Still trying to figure that out,) for your amusement, enjoyment, education, and possible traumatisation.

I hope they help with your own bloggy-ness, or at the very least, provide light entertainment for your coffee-break.




Passion

(Not that type - gutter-brains!)


This one is a bit of a no-brainer. If you're not interested in what you're writing about - it's going to show.

So if you blog, blog from the heart (cheesy grin and thumbs up.)

Blog about something you honestly care about - and just give it your best shot.





Patience


Very few blogs grow quickly.

Yes, you may see all these success stories on the interwebs, but those are the minority.

Your blog? It's going to take some time.

It's going to grow so slowly that sometimes you feel like you're going backwards with it.

Unfortunately, I'm not a patient person. So this is one I kind of have to work on. A lot. (Grow blog, GROW!)



Perseverance


This is kind of tied-in to patience - you have to ride things out, you have to keep going.

Blogs fail. A lot.

The internet is littered with the abandoned half-formed blogs of dreamers and bored dabblers alike.

The key? Keep going.

Keep posting. Keep social media-ing. Keep sharing your posts.

Perseverance is half the battle; you have to give yourself the time to succeed. (And I mean years, not weeks.)

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Personality


This is your little corner of the Internet. Own it, and be yourself.

You don't have to be all-out and in-your-face to blog. Some of the best bloggers are actually the quiet ones (you always have to watch out for the quiet ones...)

So let the bit that's you shine through - it's what'll keep people coming back (hopefully!)





Politeness


Be nice. Don't be a jerk.

Respect other people. Don't be a jerk.

Basically, don't be a jerk - I don't think I can say this enough. Nice will win out in the end.

(Oh, and other bloggers will appreciate it and support you in return if you comment, retweet, share, etc. other people's blogs.)

Progress


Keep making progress - writing new things, trying new formats and images, etc.

And celebrate the small victories - progress is progress, and should be appreciated for being a step forward, no matter how small. :)





So there you have it - 6 handy little P's to keep in mind when blogging. Enjoy :)



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Month in Review(s) - May 2016

And so another month is well on its way to faffing off into the sunset.

I actually haven't reviewed any graphic novels this month (I know - who am, and what have I done with Cee?)

I'm probably making up for last month, which had graphic novels falling from the ever-loving rafters.

I've been on a bit of a contemporary YA binge lately - which led to me reviewing 3 contemporary YA titles this month.

'The Art of Being Normal' was beautiful, 'One' was unique, and 'Boy Meets Boy' was your favourite rom-com in book form.






My stand-out book this month, though? 'Swan Boy.' Wow. Just wow.





Kids




Swan Boy by Nikki Sheehan - Contemporary, Magic Realism








Young Adult

The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson - Contemporary, LGBTQ+
One by Sarah Crossan - Contemporary, Poetry* (*novel in verse)
Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan - Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance (M/M)









Adult




alt. sherlock. holmes - Anthology, Novellas/Short Stories, Crime, Contemporary*, Historical Fiction*, LGBTQ+* M/M* (*one or more stories.)







Non-fiction




Reasons To Stay Alive by Matt Haig

6 Ways To Read More Widely

Lots of people want to read more widely.

But, as creatures of habit, we tend to get stuck in one genre, niche, or whatever. Here then are some handy-dandy tips for reading more widely.

I'm here to serve, after all :) (and entertain, and be totally random, and possibly scare you.)

1. Confuse the f**k outta Goodreads.


If you're generally bookish, you will already know of Goodreads.

If not, then welcome to bookishness! Let me take your coat and strap you to the table! (That was a joke - please don't run off.)

Goodreads is basically social-networking for books. It's addictive and demands your soul as a blood-price :) I'm currently about three souls in debt.

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I have generally succeeded in f**king up my Goodreads recs. This was done by a combination of random reading habits, and adding pretty much every major genre to 'favourites.'

As a result, Goodreads now throws me recs for pretty much every book on the planet.

The downside to this, unfortunately, is that there is no rhyme or reason to my recs. This can be irritating and unhelpful sometimes - like, when I'm in a certain mood and none of these books fit that!

But, I have also found some randomly awesome stuff this way.





2. Explore a new genre.


I wasn't a fan of YA contemporary novels, but my fellow book bloggers infected me with their never-ending enthusiasm for the genre, and I'm currently on a bit of a YA contemporary binge.

And you know what? I'm actually enjoying it.

So don't be afraid to leap head-first out of your comfort zone.

If there's a genre that you want to give a try, try looking up lists of recommended titles on Goodreads or do a Google search, and see what catches your eye.

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3. Explore a new author.

You've heard absolutely loads about [insert flavour-of-the-month author here] but you don't think they've written anything you'll enjoy.

Don't force yourself to read something if it patently isn't for you, but also take a look at the author's back-catalogue, and read the synopses of some of their books.

I thought I wouldn't like Rainbow Rowell, but tried out Carry On because it looked most like the sort of stuff I enjoyed. Ditto with Jodi Picoult and Salem Falls.

And you might end up actually finding an author you click with as a result, or at the very least an interesting read.

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4. Browse.

This may seem like a no-brainer, but it's still worth a shot.

Go into your local library or bookshop and just browse. Pick up books at random and look at their synopses.

Buy/borrow (dependent on whether it's a library or a shop, obviously,) any that aren't too expensive and you like the look of.

Be brave and don't be afraid to give something new a try - you might find a gem.

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5. Indulge your guilty pleasures.


THERE SHOULD BE NO GUILT IN READING.

If you enjoy something - enjoy it. And people who claim to be 'well-read' but poke their noses up at 'lesser' or genre books?

They aren't well-read. They're just jerks :)

I used to feel uber-self-conscious at reading things that were seen as trashy etc. But I've decided I'm not going to feel guilty any more.

I READ VICTORIAN LITERATURE AND GAY WEREWOLF PORN - AND I DON'T CARE!!!!

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6. Take recommendations from a variety of sources.


If you listen to the bookish interweb chatter, or just your friend who's raving about the latest bestseller, you're likely to come across something you haven't heard of before.

And you might just be tempted to give it a whirl ;)





What about you guys? Any tips for reading more widely?



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Words Hurt

16-22 May is Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK. May is also Mental Health Month in the US.

As I've said in this week's previous posts, mental health is a very individualistic thing - if any of this doesn't apply to you, then it's OK.

Also, often it's not what's said, it's how it's said. 

Do what works for you, and your situation.

I've noticed that people - well-meaning, lovely, kind, people - have no idea what to say to someone with depression.

In order to fill the void of silence (not knowing that it doesn't always need to be filled,) they stick their foot in their mouth and say things that aren't that helpful.

Don't get me wrong, I know you're trying to help (most of you anyway.) But maybe you could use some help knowing what not to say?

That way we all know each other a little better, and we can stop the misunderstandings, myths, and stigma surrounding mental health.






Here are just a few of my personal (least) favourite things for people to say to me:

• Cheer up/Smile/Don't look so glum - I hadn't thought of that! Wow, I'm now cured. Not.

• You must feel better - you're smiling - One smile doesn't make everything bad go away, please don't remind me of that. Please don't make me feel bad for smiling.

• Come on - Like 'cheer up,' only less specific. I don't want to slap you, but I will. This is not my fault, and you're implying that it is.

• But you're OK now - Really? This is news to me.

• Everyone gets bad days/is tired now and then/gets PMS - Imagine a kitten biting you. Now imagine a full-grown, and very hungry, lion biting you. It's kind of the same thing. But lions hurt a lot more.

• You look fine - I don't feel it.

• You are a bit pale though - thanks for that. I feel like a million dollars now.

• This has gone a long time now - Really? Funny, I hadn't noticed. I haven't been living with this every day or anything.

I hope that's given you some idea of what the odd careless phrase can mean - again, I'm not trying to be critical - just to bring things out into the open a little more.

And the more we talk about this, the better it will be. This is how we end the stigma around mental health (and believe me, it's there,) and get to a place where everyone can start to feel better.

Overall though, just keep trying. Keep loving. Keep going.

Like this post? Try these:

• Colour Me Happy
• Mini-Review! - Reasons To Stay Alive by Matt Haig
• The View From Both Sides

The View From Both Sides

16-22 May is Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK. May is also Mental Health Month in the US.


You probably know by now (I hark on about it enough) that I have depression/anxiety. If you didn't know that, then I've just told you.

You probably don't know that my grandmother was bipolar, and that my mother suffered anxiety/depression as a chemically-induced side-effect to cancer medication.



My friends, I have lived life on both sides of the fence.

I know how frustrating it can be to care for someone with mental health problems.

Being a carer in general can be so frustrating sometimes, and many carers - like myself - develop mental health problems. (It wasn't the only factor to my illness - but it was a big factor; it's hard to stay healthy in that situation.)

But here's the thing: you have to let yourself be frustrated.

I know that sounds weird. They're ill, after all. But frustration is a natural reaction to an impossible and distressing situation.

You feel guilty for being frustrated, and, yes, you sometimes even think that you hate them.

You don't hate them, don't apologise for the thought - you're frustrated, and probably tired and worried; you hate the situation. 

The thought is your brain attempting to process. Just understand that it's not true. You don't hate them.

You're not a bad person for feeling like this.

But you can't squash down what you feel - it only hurts more. That's what I did. I stomped down on the guilt, the worry, the fear... it doesn't end well.

Accept that you feel like this, and that it doesn't make you love the person any less.

Unfortunately, there is no quick-fix for caring for someone with mental health problems.





Here though, are a few tips from someone who has lived both roles. Please only use them if they'll work for you, mental illness is incredibly individual and not everything works for everyone.

• Frustration is natural. Vent to a third party or in a word document that you can delete afterwards if you want to. Don't take your frustrations out on the ill-person if you can help it (sometimes you can't. Apologise, pick yourself up, and move on.)

• Sometimes you just have to agree with someone in order to alleviate their distress 'Yes, I've paid for the fabric. Don't worry. It's sorted.' (There was no fabric. There was no need for fabric. She hadn't ordered fabric. But I couldn't leave her at that level of distress.) ...

• ...But sometimes you have to disagree with them to get the same results - 'No. It's fine. There's nothing there, I promise.'

• Understand that they do not mean to say horrible things to you or become physical. It is the illness. Not them.

• Hugs and hand-holding make the world a better place. And often help more than anything else could.

• Avoid the words 'cheer up' and similar phrases. I'm going to scream the next time someone tells me that.

• The little things mean a lot.

• Take care of your own mental and physical health. This is uber-important (and, unfortunately, often difficult.)

• Hold onto love (it doesn't have to be romantic) with both hands.

Like this post? Try these:

• Colour Me Happy
• Mini-Review! - Reasons To Stay Alive by Matt Haig