Something is Different! - Introducing Dora Reads

Diary of a Reading Addict has become Dora Reads!

The new URL is dorareads.co.uk

Micropoetry - June 2017

I know we're a little over a week into July, but we still have some unfinished business with June!

So, let's just get straight to it!

Here's my micropoetry from June:

Nerd Church - Victims of the System

(Warning: this post discusses a child killing case from the UK committed by a mentally ill teenager, and issues surrounding this such as stigma and failings in mental health care.)



Diminished Responsibility is a defence in English and Welsh law.

It means that the person who has committed the crime is not in control of their own actions, and is usually used in mental health-related circumstances.

At the same time it recognises that there is some responsibility on the part of the person committing the crimes - if only that they did not take all reasonable precautions to prevent this or a similar situation from occurring.

Friday Fics Fix - The One I Forgot To Title

I love new takes on established characters - especially the ones that blow your mind ;)

That's what I have for you this week - something that will make you sit up and say, 'Huh? Wow. I can't believe I never considered that!'

via GIPHY

Comics Wrap-Up - Just Because We Left Our Guns At The Door...

TV Trailers


The First trailer for Marvel's Inhumans is here!

Month in Review(s) - June 2017

June was too damned hot here in the UK.

It regularly reached over 28C, & often over 30C. I officially melt at around 23.5C, so I was NOT happy.

Nerd Church - I Know You Mean Well...

Warning: this post contains discussions of homophobia and f**k-ups by well-meaning allocishet people.

Pride month may have come to an end, but those of us who are LGBTQ+ are LGBTQ+ all year round.

(And pride season pretty much continues all summer anyhow - due to scheduling issues.)

Something I’ve noticed since I came out last year is well-meaning allocishet* people put their ever-loving feet in it on a pretty regular basis.

This isn’t out of malice – it’s more like a failure to listen and understand.

*Allocishet = allosexual, cisgendered, heterosexual. Basically, non-LGBTQ+.

Allosexual means feels sexual attraction (i.e. not asexual or asexual-spectrum,) cisgendered means identifies as your birth gender, heterosexual is only attracted to the opposite sex.

So the term allocishet refers to people who aren’t in any way covered by the umbrella of queer or LGBTQ+.

Friday Fics Fix - Told You I Was Trash

Something you may or may not be aware of is that there are a number of fics in which Clint Barton (Hawkeye) and Matt Murdock (Daredevil) meet in a dumpster.

I f**k you not. This is a thing. A fandom thing. And it rocks.

It's gotten to the point where they're now referred to as 'Dumpster Buddies' or 'Dumpster Bros.' #TrueStory.

Comics Wrap-Up - If You Carry On This Way

Film Trailers


Maybe this is more of a publicity stunt than a trailer, but meh, my blog my rules.

See what happens when Spider-Man freaks the hell out of a bunch of people at a coffee shop in New York.

(I have to admit that my fave reactions are the ones that are just like, 'Hey, how you doing?')

Review! - Something Beautiful by Amanda Gernentz Hanson

Title: Something Beautiful

Author: Amanda Gernentz Hanson

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary*, Romance* (M/F; M/M,) (*ish,) LGBTQ+ (and sexually fluid)

Release Date: 27^th June 2017

Amazon: UK - USA

Review Time! - Such a Good Girl by Amanda K Morgan

(Warning: This review contains discussions of child abuse, domestic abuse, and sexual abuse, amongst other such heavy topics.)

Title: Such a Good Girl

Author: Amanda K Morgan

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Crime*, Thriller* (*ish)

Release Date: 20^th June 2017

Nerd Church - Some Thoughts on Finsbury Park

The terrorist attack on theFinsbury Park Mosque broke my heart.

I'm so sorry. I know it might seem very little consolation, but I am. As a white woman, a Welsh woman, and a British citizen – my heart is broken.

Friday Fics Fix - Save the World with Glitter!

Lots of people aren't straight. Like, lots.

And since it's still Pride month, let's celebrate the not-straight, shall we? ;)

Comics Wrap-Up - What a Catch

Film Trailers

Some little Spider-Man: Homecoming trailers this week (well, some are from before this week, but... semantics)!

They tie-in with NBA finals - which is... I wanna say basketball...? Please correct me if I'm wrong!

Warning: Some flashing images.

12 Things They Don't Tell You When You Become a Book Blogger

There's stuff no-one warns you about when you become a book blogger.

So I thought I'd do you all a favour and write a 100%* accurate post on the struggles of book-blogging!

*Well - somewhere between 70% & 95% anyway!

Nerd Church - Not Worth Less

Disasters happen. But when they appear to have been preventable? Justice needs to be done.

At this stage - and thank God, I did A-level Law, and I know how to dance around this country's libel laws - it appears that the horrific loss of life at Grenfell Tower could have been avoided, or at the very least reduced.

Friday Fics Fix - Valid

As we're in the middle of Pride month, I figured it was the perfect time to shine a spotlight on an orientation that doesn't get as much attention.

There are a lot of sexual and romantic orientations that are lesser-known - especially among non-queer people - and deserve more awareness.

Comics Wrap-Up - Those Jet-Pack Blues

Film Trailers



The first teaser trailer for The Black Panther hit and IT LOOKS SO FREAKING AWESOME!!!!!

Review! (Graphic Novel Edition!) - Doom Patrol, Vol 1: Brick by Brick

Title: Doom Patrol, Vol 1: Brick by Brick

Author: Gerard Way

Artist: Nick Derington

Contributors: Tom Fowler, Tamra Bonvillain, Todd Klein

Genre: Graphic Novels, Sci-Fi, Superheroes* (*ish)

Series: Doom Patrol #1-#6

Release Date: USA - 31st May; UK - 13th June

Amazon: UK - USA

Nerd Church - No-One Wins

How do we even define victory in 2017?

Because I'm not sure I know any more. No-one wins.

I don't just mean in the British election - although, there was no least-worst option there.

I mean overall. No-one wins. We're all lost and headed nowhere fast.

(Except for the Nazis - and they're the ones we don't want to win.)

Comics Wrap-Up - Where Were You When All of the Embers Fell?

Graphic Novels

This week, I read Doom Patrol, Volume 1: Brick by Brick, one of the DC Young Animal/Gerard Way titles.

And yes, I bl**dy loved it!

(Amazon: UK - US)

It's already out in the US and will be out in the UK on the 13th - so my review will be appearing sometime on or around the UK release date (I haven't decided precisely when yet.)

If you're a fan of surreal-ness and/or any of Gerard Way's other comics, you're gonna love it.

Micropoetry - May 2017

Somehow I only ended up writing two pieces of micropoetry in May.

So it's a good thing that I also gave you an 'Unseen Verse' post!

I hope you like this month's output - reduced though it is - quality, not quantity, after all!

Nerd Church - OK UK, We're F**ked

Who do you vote for when there is no least-worst option?

I'm damned if I know; but for the sake of being a helpful little Bookish Rebel, I'm going to try to go through the options with you!

(Aren't you lucky?! ...What do you mean 'no?')

Don't be afraid to ask questions - I don't bite, and I may inadvertently slip into British and/or Wenglish slang and totally confuse you.

Friday Fics Fix - I Can See It There In Your Eyes

Some things in this world are pure awesome - one of those things is that Sanvers is canon.

Because Supergirl is an excellent TV series, and was like, 'dudes, let's see Supergirl have a lesbian sister who kicks criminal alien butt!'

And the kids of this world are all the better for it.*

*Link warning: discussion of suicidal thoughts in relation to LGBTQ+ issues/coming out.

Comics Wrap-Up - Is It Any Wonder?

Film Trailers

A couple more li'l Wonder Woman trailers for you this week my dear nerdlets:

Month in Review(s) - May 2017

Ahhhhh May. The month when we all gave up hoping 2017 would be better than 2016, and decided to just do damage control from here to Christmas.

(I joke - but only slightly. People in 1917 would be shocked by how short a distance we've come.)

Nerd Church - Are There Words?

Are there words for what happened last week in Manchester?

Maybe a few: murder; heartbreak; pain; tragedy. But none of them sum it up.

Micropoetry - Unseen Verse

I promised some of my micropoetry that's never been published before - even on Twitter.

So I've got you some. :)

These poems have been languishing in my notebook for far too long. It's time to let them fly into the world and be read by you, my dearest nerdlets (Me? Nervous? ...Maybe a little.)

Friday Fics Fix - My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark

I think we all need some Drarry.

The world is a weird place, but there is fanfiction! (Which is even weirder! Yay!)

We have something we can cling to dammit! (And don't EVER feel guilty for enjoying the small stuff!)

(Fangirling notes: Drarry is a romantic and/or sexual relationship between Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter.)

Comics Wrap-Up - House of the Rising Sun

Film Trailers

New Spider-Man: Homecoming trailer!!!!!!!

I'm loving the whole Tony-Stark-as-out-of-his-depth-father-figure vibe! :)

Warning: flashing images

Mini-Review! (Comics Edition!) - The Sun Dragon's Song #2

Title: The Sun Dragon's Song #2

Author: Joyce Chng

Artist: Kim Miranda

Genre: Comics, Fantasy, Kids

Series: The Sun Dragon's Song

Amazon:
The Sun Dragon's Song #1: UK - USA
The Sun Dragon's Song #2: UK - USA
Two issue bundle #1&2: UK - USA

Nerd Church - A Tribute to the Father of the Nation

It's likely that, unless you're Welsh or have noticed the name on my Twitter feed over the last few days, you don't know the name Rhodri Morgan.

If you do, perhaps you think of a mop of white hair and a whirlwind of energy.

Or maybe you think of some of his famous one-liners, the things he said that make Boris Johnson look positively shy in comparison.

Rhodri Morgan was the second First Minister of Wales.

The First Minister leads the Welsh government. We have only ever had three: Alun Michael, Rhodri Morgan, and our current leader, Carwyn Jones.

He passed away on Wednesday (16th May,) at the age of 77.

Friday Fics Fix - Secrets I Have Held In My Heart

You ready to save the world with fanfiction my nerdlets?

Today I have Stucky for you (I know, I'm total Stucky trash,) but with a genderqueer/gender-fluid/NB Bucky Barnes!

This is also written by a genderqueer fic author - so we have #ownvoices as well!

(Fangirling notes:

Stucky is a romantic and/or sexual relationship between Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes.

If you've read my fanfiction posts before, chances are you already know this!)

Comics Wrap-Up - But the Pigs Won't Quit

Film Trailers

The final Wonder Woman trailer is here!

Warning: flashing images

(And yes, it's bad a**!)

Review Time! - Thirteen Hours by Francis Gideon

Title: Thirteen Hours

Author: Francis Gideon

Genre: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Paranormal, Zombies, Steampunk, LGBTQ+, Romance (M/M; secondary F/F,) Novella/Short Story

Amazon: UK - USA

Nerd Church - Mental Health 101

(Warning: This post discusses mental health problems and stigma.)


Mental Health Awareness Week is 8-14th May in the UK.

Let's take things back to the basics.

To people who have never had mental health problems, it can be all too easy to believe misconceptions.

The worst of these are stigmatising:

The ideas that people with mental health problems are weak, faking it, wanting the attention, whiners etc., as well as that people with mental health problems are inherently dangerous, or to blame for their conditions.

Friday Fics Fix - Random and Fun!

Who feels like some random-a** funniness? (I do! I do!) (Lol.)

So I figure there's nothing wrong with some pure randomness every now and then. It's quite refreshing, given the world we currently live in... (Me? Cynical? Pshaw! Pshaw I say!)

Comics Wrap-Up - As the Crooked Smiles Fade

Movie Trailers



Wonder Woman trailers!!!!! Woo! XD

Review! (Poetry Edition!) - The Princess Saves Herself In This One by Amanda Lovelace

Title: The Princess Saves Herself In This One

Author: Amanda Lovelace

Genre: Poetry

Amazon: UK - USA

A few starting notes:

I received a free digital review copy of this book via NetGalley. NetGalley provides review copies from publishers in exchange for fair and honest reviews.

There's been so much buzz around this book - including a Goodreads Choice Award for Poetry in 2016.

People love this book - and to hear this much about a poetry collection isn't an everyday occurrence, so when I got the opportunity to review it, I took it.

A note before we go on guys: This book deals with some very difficult topics in an open and often raw way; please be careful.