Nerd Church - Dear 2021...

(Warning: this post talks about Covid 19/Coronavirus, and the political situation in the US)

Dear 2021,

You've had a rocky start, but that's OK.

You inherited a global pandemic and a facist US president - and it's gonna take a while for you to fix that, we know. 

I blame 2016, that year was a bad influence on everyone. The years after struggled to bring hope. 

Then when 2020 came along... well, I guess you know about that already.

Friday Fics Fix - Avengers! Ghosts! Buzzfeed Unsolved!

 

'“I mean,” Clint cuts back in, “better safe than sorry. If it is a ghost, shouldn't you get the Tower blessed or cleansed or whatever?”'

 

Avengers! Ghosts! Buzzfeed Unsolved!

...To be honest, if that hasn't hooked you I don't know what I can say to convince you to read this week's fic. 

If you're intrigued, read on fair nerdlets! 

If not, go! 

Go now and frolic in peace!

(...I think I'm gonna be like this for the entire post. Just as a warning! The first week of 2021 has picked up where 2020 left off and I wasn't exactly normal to begin with 😅)

Comics Wrap-Up - Everyone Is Trying, Everyone Is Shining

 

It's 2021, all the UK home nations are in Lockdown, let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness, and try to forget 2020 ever happened!

The Bookish Diversity Link List 2021

 

Your resource for all things bookish diversity is back!

Considering 2020 was... 2020, I reckon I did quite well, really.

Still, that's all the more reason to strive to include more links to fabulous resources in this year's list! 

Especially considering that we can't lose the momentum gained in 2020 around racial issues, and we must protect the equality and representation of other identities!

And if all that sounded intimidating, then there's really no need for it to be - this is about books, and finding books which reflect the wonderful diversity of humanity on this weird little planet.

Seriously Reducing My Goodreads Challenge Goal Because 2020

(Warning: this post discusses mental health problems, specifically Depression and Anxiety, and references Covid and the dumpster fire of 2020)

For those unaware: there is a website called Goodreads. It's like social media for books, basically. 

(Before you ask, my Goodreads account is private.)

And every year it encourages people to set a target number of books to read that year - the Goodreads (GR) challenge.

(It would be cynical to point out that Goodreads is owned by Amazon, and therefore may have a monetary incentive for encouraging people to consume vast quantities of book. 

Corporations can create unintended social benefits - in this case encouraging literacy - despite what their motives may or may not be.)

Mini-Review! - Some Places More Than Others by Renée Watson

* = commission link

*

Title: Some Places More Than Others*

Author: Renée Watson

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Middle Grade/MG (Kids)

Month in Review(s) - November 2020

 

(Warning: this post discusses mental health problems, Covid 19/Coronavirus, and Transphobia)

November saw some rays of sunshine breaking through the end of 2020.

Biden won.

Hope of a Covid vaccine became more real.

As for me, well, I've had some ups-and-downs.

News of local people dying of and/or being ill with Covid. A firebreak Lockdown. The continued anti-Welsh sentiment in the press...

And then there's the Amazon Associate issue *sigh* 

I can't go into it, because I've appealed the decision, but after some problems in November, I lost my UK Associateship in the first few days of December. That's all I can really say for now. 

But it had me super stressy for a bit 😣 still kinda stressy now tbh.

Damn Anxiety always blows this kind of sh** out of proportion.

Update, 8th December:

Please DO NOT use my links to purchase from Amazon UK - my Associate account for the UK was unfairly closed, and Amazon UK will no longer pay me for any purchases made with them.

I will slowly be removing the UK links from 1000+ posts, but it's gonna take a while.