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Getting lost in a book is escapism at it's finest and it's what everyone who contributes here thrives on.

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Friday, 19 March 2021

Book Club | January - March Roundup

 

 

How We're Using Our 2021 Book Club List

When we introduced this year's BB book club we encouraged anyone taking part to use the list of prompts in whatever way best suited their reading habits. Whether it be simply trying to tick off all 24 prompts by 31st December 2021, selecting your favourite 12 and tackling one each month across the year, or even using them to create bingo sheets, there are lots of ways to get involved. So how have some of Team BB's members chosen to use the list?

Anjali: While I'm not sure I'll be able to cross off all the prompts, I'm definitely trying! Though I'm definitely slotting the books I'm reading into the prompts, rather than choosing a book to read that's based on a prompt. It's working so far, and out of the 7 books I've read so far this year, I've only not been able to slot one book in.

I have a few more books on the go at the time of this post, so I'll be ticking a few more off the list in the next week or so!

Erin: I'm hoping to cross off all of this year's prompts! With the books I've read so far I could have completed a few more already but I've chosen to only purposefully tackle around two per month, and similarly to Anjali I’m not currently specifically picking out books only because they fit the prompts.

After reading a few books in the autobiography/memoir category through the first couple of months of 2021, and having a bunch more on my TBR, as an additional challenge I've also chosen to try and complete this particular prompt every month throughout 2021.


What Have We Read So Far?


Anjali

With Foiling On The Cover: The Betrayals by Bridget Collins

On Your TBR For Over A Year: This monstrous Thing by Mackenzi Lee

With A Face On The Cover: Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas

A 2021 Release: Game Changer by Neal Shusterman 

500+ Pages: Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare

A 2020 Goodreads Choice Award Winner Or Nominee: The Invisible Life Of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
 

Erin

A 2021 Release: The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

With A Face On The Cover: Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas

A 2020 Goodreads Choice Award Winner Or Nominee: The Invisible Life Of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

Set At Or Featuring A Wedding: Majesty by Katharine McGee

A Murder Mystery: This Is Our Story by Ashley Elston

Bonus Challenge - books that fall into the Autobiography/Memoirs genre read so far include:

  1. We're Going To Need More Wine by Gabrielle Union
  2. Straight Outta Crawley by Romesh Ranganathan
  3. To Be A Gay Man by Will Young
  4. As Good As It Gets by Romesh Ranganathan

 

If you're joining in with our 2021 book club we would love to hear from you! Leave a comment or contact us on Instagram (@bloggersbookshelf) to let us know which prompts you've crossed of and the books you've chosen to read.

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Tuesday, 9 March 2021

Book Club | Team BB Recommends: Autobiographies and Memoirs

 


Welcome to the first of our roundup series where we'll be sharing ideas for some of our 2021 book club reading prompts.

We wanted to include at least one non-fiction prompt on our 2021 book club reading list and we think autobiographies/memoirs are a great way to learn about different life experiences and points of view. Whilst we're sure many of our readers are already fans of the genre, if it isn't your usual go-to or you're simply stuck for ideas today's post is for you! 

Below are 17 suggested titles you could pick up for our 2021 book club prompt 'an autobiography or memoir'. If you have any favourites not listed here we'd love for you to leave further suggested reads in the comments section below, or tag @bloggersbookshelf on Instagram.


  • Becoming by Michelle Obama
  • We're Going To Need More Wine by Gabrielle Union
  • To Be A Gay Man by Will Young
  • Straight Outta Crawley by Romesh Ranganathan
  • Naturally Tan by Tan France
  • This Is Just My Face: Try Not To Stare by Gabourey Sidibe
  • Over The Top by Jonathan Van Ness
  • The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher
  • Finding My Voice by Nadiya Hussain
  • In Order To Live by Yeonmi Park
  • Talking As Fast As I Can by Lauren Graham
  • Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling
  • A Long Way Home (Lion) by Saroo Brierly
  • Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick
  • I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
  • Year Of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
  • Who Am I, Again? by Lenny Henry
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Saturday, 27 February 2021

Bookish Links #63

1. One of our book club prompts for the year is to read a 2021 release and this list of debuts is full of inspiration!

2. This list also has some more amazing ideas for your 2021 TBR!

3. We love these dark academia inspired illustrated bookmarks from Plum Tree Illustration.

4. Take a look at the bookshelves of authors, musicians and actors in this video series from Marie Claire.

5. This makeover post shows how you can turn a small landing space into a cosy reading nook.

6. These TV/book pairings could be a great way to find your next favourite book or show.

7. If you’re a bookworm who also loves to sew, this quilt pattern from Angela Pingel is for you!

8. Kristin Hannah’s latest novel The Four Winds has been all over Bookstagram recently. You can find out more about the book in this Goodreads interview.

9. We’re big fans of combining audiobooks with our favourite hobbies. This post shares how you can cross more titles off your TBR this year whilst also learning a new craft!

10. And if you're looking for an audiobook to start with, over on BBC Sounds you can now listen to bestselling novel The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman (also reviewed here on BB last year!).

This month's beautiful bookstagrams to follow:
@apaperbacklife
@starlahreasds
@carly.simone
@honeybuttergal
@booklanguage

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Thursday, 31 December 2020

Book Club | December 2020 Roundup



The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater

"I was initially drawn to The 57 Bus as I hadn't seen/read that many YA Non-Fiction titles before. Due to the nature of the story there were many parts of the book that were tough to read, partciularly knowing that it was based on a real event taking place in California just a few years ago. Whilst the writing style wasn't 100% to my reading taste I found the book to be informative and appreciated that the author chose to highlight issues affecting many young people by sharing the two teenagers story in this way." - Erin

 


The Crossover (graphic novel) by Kwame Alexander and Dawud Anyabwile

"The illustrations in The Crossover are brilliant and I love the style of them. They’re black and white and orange, and it’s such a great way to portray the characters in this basketball-heavy graphic novel.

Overall, The Crossover was a good story and the illustrations really added to the whole feel of the book. Would I read it again? Probably not, no, but I did really enjoy it."

You can read Anjali's full review of The Crossover over on This Splendid Shambles.

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Saturday, 26 December 2020

Book Club | Some Changes For 2021 + Printable Reading List


After two years of a monthly book club prompt here at BB, we've decided to switch things up a bit for the new year and follow a different format in 2021... 

We've put together a list of 24 prompts covering a variety of challenges and how you choose to use our book club list is totally up to you! Try and tick off all 24, mix and match your favourite 12 for a monthly prompt, use them to create your own bingo sheets, or just dip in and out whenever you wish; there are no rules here! 

We've tried to include a nice mix of prompts, including a few which are great for seasonal readers, so there should be something for everyone. As always you're free to interpret the prompts however you wish but we encourage you to take the opportunity to diversify your TBR, discovering new authors, genres and generally stepping outside of your reading comfort zones.

Just like in previous years, we would love for you to share your mini reviews, photos etc with us over on Instagram using #bloggersbookshelf 

This year we would also like to invite you to share full reviews here on BB as guest reviewers so there's even more opportunities to get involved! Further information on how to share a guest review will be provided in an upcoming blog post as well as over on our Instagram page soon, but you can also send any enquiries regarding guest posting to bloggersbookshelf@gmail.com

Here on the blog, this change means our usual monthly book club intro and roundup posts won't be making an appearance in 2021, but we do have some other exciting things planned. Keep an eye out through the year for lists of suggested reads for some of the prompts, as well as updates on the books Team BB have read as part of thier personal BB book club challenges.

We really hope that you'll join us for another year of the BB book club however you choose to do so. Below you'll find the 2021 prompts list which can be printed or saved to your computer/phone/tablet. Happy reading and we'll see you in 2021! 

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Monday, 14 December 2020

Features | 5 Popular Authors To Read For Our December Book Club


In case you missed our previous post, our final book club prompt for 2020 is to read a book by an author whose work you've never read before. We recently shared the two Young Adult titles Anjali and Erin have chosen to read, but if you're still stuck for ideas today's post is for you!

Below you'll find a short list of five authors whose work comes recommended by Team BB. We've selected a few names who have written multiple books we've enjoyed and listed our top picks, but we feel like you could pick up any title by one of these authors and it's sure to be a great read. Of course these are just a few suggestions and we couldn't include every amazing author we would recommend so if you've already read works by all five of the authors listed, why not visit the BB archives for more inspiration?

 

1. Juno Dawson 

First up we have Juno Dawson, author of a whole range of amazing YA novels, as well as non-fiction titles on topics such as sexuality, gender and mental health. Juno has been a firm Team BB favourite since the early days of our blog but if you haven't yet read her work now is the time!

Our top pick: Meat Market (2019)

2. Elizabeth Acevedo

Elizabeth Acevedo's latest release the amazing Clap When You Land was a huge success this year, winning the author a whole host more fans as well as a Gooreads Choice Award! Acevedo has a performing arts and slam poetry background which shines through in the lyrical way her novels are written.

Our top pick: With The Fire On High (2019)

3. Morgan Matson

Another YA author we love is Morgan Matson, whose contemporary tales feature everything from road trips to big family weddings, scavenger hunts and of course romance along the way. Whilst many of her books would be considered perfect for summer, we still think she would be a great choice for our December book club.

Our top pick: Since You've Been Gone (2014)

4. Taylor Jenkins Reid 

We couldn't write this roundup without including Taylor Jenkins Reid, another author whose work several members of Team BB have read and loved in recent years. Jenkins Reid has a way of making her characters and stories feel so realistic she might even have you taking to Google to find out more about Daisy Jones or Evelyn Hugo!

Our top pick: The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo (2017)

 

5. Neal Shusterman

With so many books to his name we're sure that you will have heard of Neal Shusterman's work before but if you've managed not to pick up a copy of Unwind, Scythe or Challenger Deep yet why not make time this month? We love how Shusterman always finds unique ways to discuss some really interesting topics through his popular YA titles.

Our top pick: Scythe (2016)


Whether you choose one of the authors listed above or not, if you join in with this month's book club prompt don't forget to share your photos and/or mini book reviews with us over on Instagram using #bloggersbookshelf

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Sunday, 13 December 2020

Features | November Reads

 

For some reason it feels like such a long time since I was writing my October roundup, but here we are again at the end of another month. Throughout November I read several awesome YA titles so I wanted to start off this month’s roundup by mentioning those.

The first two books in the A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder series by Holly Jackson follow teenager Pippa Fitz-Amobi as she uses her detective skills to solve local crimes. In the first book Pippa is on track to attend a top university and decides to focus her EPQ on a local murder case that she believes was incorrectly resolved. In the sequel Good Girl, Bad Blood we rejoin Pippa, now also a true crime podcast host, when her friend’s brother goes missing and she is once again drawn into helping solve the mystery. I sped through reading both of these as I really enjoyed the unusual format, the fact that they were set in the UK and the interesting characters. I was particularly impressed to learn that A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder was a debut novel and can’t wait to read the further two books planned for this series.

Another great sequel I read this month was Dear Justyce*, the highly anticipated follow up to Dear Martin. In this book instead of writing them himself Justyce becomes the recipient of letters from his childhood friend Quan who is in a Youth Detention Centre. In the book’s introduction author Nic Stone explains her reasons for writing the sequel she had never planned to write and how she was influenced by two boys who felt Justyce's experience wasn't reflective of their own. I’m really glad that Nic Stone decided to tell Quan’s story as it's so important to show this different perspective alongside Justyce's story. I thought the way the letters and flashbacks were incorporated worked perfectly for this well-paced novel and the characters felt very realistic. Whilst both Dear Martin and Dear Justyce can be read as standalone novels, I would highly recommend reading them together if you can.

My book club pick for November was Elizabeth Acevedo’s With The Fire On High, which although I didn’t quite have enough space to include in this month’s graphic, was also one of my favourite reads of the month. The book’s protagonist Emoni is a 17-year-old student, aspiring chef and mother to young daughter Emma who is struggling with all of her responsibilities and following her dreams. I loved reading about Emoni’s journey, balancing her school work, part-time job, and parenting, all whilst trying to raise money for a cookery class trip to Spain. I adored the characters in With The Fire On High as well as the different dynamics of Emoni’s relationships and particularly enjoy the way Acevedo writes young women’s stories.

Outside of the YA genre I finally got around to picking up a copy of The One by John Marrs which had been on my TBR list for a very long time. This was the second Marrs book I’ve read (the first was The Passengers) and I’m happy to say I really enjoyed it! In this thriller the chapters alternate between several different characters points of view, all connected by the central theme of a dating app which promises to find your perfect match based on your DNA. I really liked this format and thought it worked well for this story, sharing a wide variety of different outcomes of using the app and how it changed each character’s life. I also hear that there is going to be a Netflix series based on this book, so am looking forward to seeing how it translates onto the small screen.

The final book I wanted to include this month is I’m Thinking Of Ending Things which many people have been talking about recently thanks to another Netflix adaptation. Initially following a couple as they head to visit his parents for the first time out in the middle of nowhere but soon taking some sinister twists, the book has a small page count designed to be read in one sitting. Overall I thought the pacing was good and I remember being drawn in by the first chapter, however it didn’t really turn out to be quite what I was expecting and sadly I didn't love the ending as much as many readers seem to have. I can understand why the book has divided opinions but I have heard good things about the audiobook version and can see how this may enhance the reading experience - this would probably be a good choice if you’re thinking about picking up a copy.

*Review copy of Dear Justyce ℅ Netgalley

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Tuesday, 1 December 2020

Book Club | December 2020 - By An Author You've Never Read



For our 2020 BB Book Club we've put together another printable list of twelve different prompts, one for each month of the year. Just we did in 2019, on the 1st day of each month we'll be introducing you to the month's prompt and the books team members each plan to read, along with some other suggested reads we think you'll love. Of course, these are just ideas so please feel free to interpret the prompts however you wish!

We're also inviting you to share photos and mini reviews of your book club picks on social media using #bloggersbookshelf or tag @bloggersbookshelf on Instagram.

Our prompt for December is...  

By An Author You've Never Read

 

What we'll be reading...


Erin's pick: The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater

"With lockdowns affecting libraries this year, when my local library was open and extending loan periods I decided to pick up a whole stack of books for the rest of the year. One of those was The 57 Bus which intrigued me as it is based on a real event which happened in California back in 2013. I've heard great things about this book and am looking forward to reading it this month."

Anjali's Pick: The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
"I've had this book for several months now and I have yet to pick it up. This is a graphic novel version of Alexander's The Crossover and it's illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile. I believe the novel is a novel-in-verse, as Kwame Alexander is a poet, but I don't know for sure. Flicking through the graphic novel it definitely is, and I'm looking forward to reading it!"


Use the hashtag #bloggersbookshelf or tag @bloggersbookshelf on Instagram to share your photos and mini reviews with us throughout the month!
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Monday, 30 November 2020

Book Club | November 2020 Roundup




It's time for our penultimate book club roundup for 2020 and this month's theme was to read a book with food on the cover. Here's a quick look back at Team BB's picks...


With The Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo

"After enjoying Clap When You Land I was really looking forward to reading With The Fire On High and I definitely wasn't disappointed! I loved following Emoni on her journey balancing her life as a teen mum alongside her ambition to become a chef. The addition of recipes was a great touch too." - Erin


James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl

"There's something about reading a book from your childhood that a) gets you out of a reading slump and b) has your reminiscing about long road trips. I say the latter because we used to listen to the audio version of James and the Giant Peach when we visited family in other parts of the country. While it is definitely a children's book (and there were moments when I was like 'wait what'), it's somehow wonderful." - Anjali


We'll be introducing December's book club tomorrow so don't forget to check back! Use the hashtag #bloggersbookshelf or tag @bloggersbookshelf to share your photos and mini-reviews with us throughout the month.
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Saturday, 7 November 2020

Bookish Links #60


1. Halloween may have come and gone but we think these spooky reads are perfect for any time of year!

2. We really enjoyed learning more about Elizabeth Acevedo’s novels and journey to becoming a NYT best-selling author in this episode of Bad On Paper.

3. Here’s another brilliant book recommendations post from Michelle over at Daisybutter.

4. It may be tricky for many of us to travel at the moment but this is definitely one to bookmark for a future trip!

5. This Etsy shop has some beautiful bookshelf designs that could be perfect for a special Christmas gift.

6. In this post Simone shares a behind the scenes look at her process for tracking her reading and writing reviews.

7. Sophie’s adorable new book pile sticker design would look great on your laptop or phone!

8. If you’re currently in lockdown but still want to treat yourself to a new book you’ll love bookshop.org where you can support a local bookshop without leaving your house.

9. Bustle shared a list of cookbooks from stars of GBBO full of delicious recipes to try!

10. Finally, there's still plenty of time to join in with our November book club. Grab yourself a book with food on the cover and share your photos and reviews using #bloggersbookshelf on Instagram.

This month's beautiful bookstagrams to follow:
@dustypage
@librerialondon
@simoneandherbooks
@theliteraturearchive
@the.eworm

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Wednesday, 4 November 2020

Features | October Reads (+ recommendations from August & September)

 

Today I’m finally getting my reading roundups back on track for the end of the year with a quick look at a few titles I read in October. Due to a very busy time at work I didn’t manage to put together a monthly roundup for August or September, but I read some great books during this time too so at the end of this post you’ll also find a list of recent reads that I would recommend. But for now, back to October…

I started the month by finally finishing my September book club selection The Hand On The Wall by Maureen Johnson; the third and final title in Team BB favourite the Truly Devious series. Overall I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the previous two books, but I loved revisiting Ellingham Academy one last time and it was really interesting to see how the mystery wrapped up. Whilst this particular story may have concluded, I hope to read more Stevie Bell crime-solving books in future.

One of my favourite reads from the past month was recent release Punching The Air (Ibi Zoboi & Yusef Salaam) a YA title which explores the criminal justice system in America. Co-written by Yusef Salaam of the Exonerated Five, the heartbreaking story of Amal’s conviction for a crime he didn’t commit felt very realistic and was no doubt influenced by Salaam’s own experience. The verse format of this book was the perfect choice, it was written beautifully and was such an insightful and captivating novel. I highly recommend picking up a copy and it's definitely one I’ll be adding to my to re-read list. 

Exploring some similar themes, another favourite from the past month was Nic Stone's Dear Martin which I picked up having read so many amazing reviews. I adored the format of this book and how the letters were woven into the story. I also have the recently released sequel Dear Justyce on my November TBR (c/o Netgalley) and I'm sure it's going to be another great read.

YA short story collection Black Enough (edited by Ibi Zoboi) had been on my TBR list for a little while so when I noticed it was available on my library app shortly after reading Punching The Air I decided to reserve it. This brilliant selection of stories written by black authors explores what it is like to be young and black in America, and covers a whole range of different settings and topics. I really enjoy that these types of collections can introduce readers to authors they haven’t read before and I found myself noting down a few names to look up for my 2021 TBR.

An interesting read from this month was Little Eyes (Samantha Schweblin) which was on the International Booker Prize long list this year. The book has an intriguing premise centering around our relationship with technology and it definitely takes some unsettling turns. As the book jumps back and forth between different characters based in various parts of the world, there were definitely some storylines that I found more interesting than others, but overall I didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped to. 

Our book club theme for October was to re-read a book that you had previously rated 5 stars, so I decided to take this opportunity to pick up Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas. This book, which I reviewed here back in 2015, remains one of my absolute favourites. I’m not sure what it is about this novel but even though I know exactly what’s going to happen it’s still such a page-turner. I’m sure I will read Dangerous Girls again in future, although maybe I don’t need to keep re-reading it every year… 

 

Other recent reads I would recommend:

- Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes
- The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
- Gender Explorers by Juno Roche
- The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
- The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed
- The Good Immigrant by Nikesh Shula (audiobook format highly recommended!)
- The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
- Who Am I, Again? by Lenny Henry
- Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds (review)
- 10 Things I Hate About Pinky by Sandhya Menon (review)

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Sunday, 1 November 2020

Book Club | November 2020 - With Food On The Cover



For our 2020 BB Book Club, we've put together another printable list of twelve different prompts, one for each month of the year. Just we did in 2019, on the 1st day of each month we'll be introducing you to the month's prompt and the books team members each plan to read, along with some other suggested reads we think you'll love. Of course, these are just ideas so please feel free to interpret the prompts however you wish!

We're also inviting you to share photos and mini-reviews of your book club picks on social media using #bloggersbookshelf or tag @bloggersbookshelf on Instagram.

Our prompt for November is...  

With Food On The Cover

 

What we'll be reading...


Erin's pick: With The Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo

"I read Clap When You Land earlier this year and thought it was brilliant so decided to pick up Elizabeth Acevedo's other novels from the library too. I'm really looking forward to reading With The Fire On High for our November book club."

Anjali's Pick: James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

"Well I don't know about you but this was a hard month to figure out! I've eventually landed on a childhood love of mine: James and the Giant Peach. When we went family road trips when I was a kid, I remember listening to the audiobook of this Dahl classic and have always meant to go back a re-read it as an adult. Thankfully this fit the November theme perfectly!"

Other suggested reads...

- Hungry Hearts (anthology)
- When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon (review)
- Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson
- After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Genesis by Bernard Beckett 
- The Lovliest Chocolate Shop In Paris by Jenny Colgan (review)
- Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
- The Southern Book Club's Guide To Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix (review)
- Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

Check out this Goodreads list for more ideas.


Use the hashtag #bloggersbookshelf or tag @bloggersbookshelf on Instagram to share your photos and mini-reviews with us throughout the month!

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Saturday, 31 October 2020

Book Club | October 2020 Roundup




Happy Halloween everyone! For Blogger's Bookshelf's 8th birthday month of October we decided to revisit some of our favourite 5-star reads. Here's a little more about some of the books Team BB chose to read...


View this post on Instagram

"Be a little kinder than you have to." - We Were Liars, E. Lockhart (Ain't that an appropriate motto for the times we live in now!) • It's been a while since I read We Were Liars and I tentatively picked it as my re-read for this month's @bloggersbookshelf after giving it five stars a few years ago 😬 Maybe it's because we're so close to an incredibly heightened political period and are so close to the US Election but I was more acutely aware of the commentary on privilege, class and race on this read, which made the more personal aspects of the story even more interesting. Oh and the plot twist? Still there's be through a loop even though I vaguely remembered what was coming! I was worried a book like this I held so dear to my heart at the time wouldn't hold up but I'm glad to report it's five star rating still holds true ✨

A post shared by Ria Cagampang ✨ (@rcagz) on

 

A Darker Shade of Magic by VE Schwab

"One of my favourite books EVER has to be A Darker Shade of Magic by VE Schwab. I adore this world she's created (to be honest, I love all worlds she creates), and the first time I read this book I fell in love with the characters, the storytelling, the setting ... everything! I'm pleased to say that it has kept up its brilliance even several years after that first read. Still, a 5-start read for me!" - Anjali

 

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks

"The perfect read for October, this fall-pumpkin-filled-autumnal graphic novel is still as stinkin' adorable as it was the first time I read it in 2019. If you're after a really sweet graphic novel with beautiful illustrations, brilliant characters, all set in a pumpkin patch on Halloween, this is your book. Get on it! (Still 5 stars, by the way.)" - Anjali

Find reviews of these titles in the BB archives:

- A Darker Shade Of Magic

- Dangerous Girls

- We Were Liars


We'll be introducing November's book club tomorrow so don't forget to check back! Use the hashtag #bloggersbookshelf or tag @bloggersbookshelf to share your photos and mini-reviews with us throughout the month.
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Thursday, 1 October 2020

Book Club | October 2020 - Re-read A Book You Previously Rated 5 Stars




For our 2020 BB Book Club, we've put together another printable list of twelve different prompts, one for each month of the year. Just as we did in 2019, on the 1st day of each month we'll be introducing you to the month's prompt and the books team members each plan to read, along with some other suggested reads we think you'll love. Of course, these are just ideas so please feel free to interpret the prompts however you wish!

We're also inviting you to share photos and mini-reviews of your book club picks on social media using #bloggersbookshelf or tag @bloggersbookshelf on Instagram.

Our prompt for October is...  

Re-read A Book You Previously Rated 5 Stars


 

What we'll be reading...


Erin's pick: Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas

"I had quite a few different options in mind for our October book club prompt but it's become a bit of a tradition that I re-read Dangerous Girls every year and I hadn't yet found time to do so in 2020. I'm hoping I might be able to find time to re-read another favourite this month too, but I currently have a very tall stack of library books to get through as well. You can find my 2015 review of Dangerous Girls in the BB archives."

Anjali's Picks: A Darker Shade Of Magic by VE Schwab & Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks

"Ever since our list of Book Club Themes list was released back in January, I have been waiting for the month of October.⁠ I'm planning on reading A Darker Shade of Magic by VE Schwab, and I've had to put off reading it a couple of times this year in anticipation of October! I've been meaning to re-read this series ever since I put the last book down and I just haven't gotten around to it.⁠ Check out Ria's review of A Darker Shade of Magic.
⁠
I'm also planning on re-reading Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks, because I read it last October and it was the perfect fall/autumn book (even though we're heading into Spring here in New Zealand). I can't wait to dive back in!⁠ Pumpkinheads is listed in Sophie's post, 5 Books on the Top of my Wish List, if you're interested in learning more!"


Use the hashtag #bloggersbookshelf or tag @bloggersbookshelf on Instagram to share your photos and mini reviews with us throughout the month!

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Wednesday, 30 September 2020

Book Club | September 2020 Roundup


Back at the beginning of the month Anjali and Erin shared which books they were planning to read for our September prompt 'featuring or set in a school'. Here's a quick update on their chosen books...

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For the September Book Club - Set in a high school - I read More Than Just A Happy Face, by Syed M Masood.⁠ ⁠ "Danyal Jilani doesn't lack confidence. He may not be the smartest guy in the room, but he's funny, gorgeous, and going to make a great chef one day. His father doesn't approve of his career choice, but that hardly matters.⁠ ⁠ What does matter is the opinion of Danyal's longtime crush, the perfect-in-all-ways Kaval, and her family, who consider him a less than ideal arranged marriage prospect.⁠ ⁠ When Danyal gets selected for Renaissance Man--a school-wide academic championship--it's the perfect opportunity to show everyone he's smarter than they think. He recruits the brilliant, totally-uninterested-in-him Bisma to help with the competition, but the more time Danyal spends with her...the more he learns from her...the more he cooks for her...the more he realizes that happiness may be staring him right in his pretty face."⁠ ⁠ Have you read this book? What did you think? - Anjali (@anjalikay)⁠ ⁠ ----------⁠ ⁠ ⁠ #bookstagram #bookbloggers #bookclub #bloggersbookshelf #instabooks #reading #bookcovers #prettybooks #beautifulbooks #booklovers #shareyourbooks #books #bookworm #readingchallenge

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The Hand On The Wall by Maureen Johnson

"It's been a bit of a busy month so unfortunetely I haven't managed to finish my book club pick, but I'm currently about a third of the way through reading The Hand On The Wall and am enjoying it so far." - Erin


We'll be introducing October's book club tomorrow so don't forget to check back! Use the hashtag #bloggersbookshelf or tag @bloggersbookshelf to share your photos and mini reviews with us throughout the month.
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Wednesday, 9 September 2020

The Thursday Murder Club | Richard Osman | Review

 

“In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet up once a week to investigate unsolved killings.

But when a local property developer shows up dead, 'The Thursday Murder Club' find themselves in the middle of their first live case.

The four friends, Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron, might be pushing eighty but they still have a few tricks up their sleeves. Can our unorthodox but brilliant gang catch the killer, before it's too late?” - Goodreads


Released just last week, The Thursday Murder Club is the first novel from TV personality Richard Osman, best known for co-hosting the popular gameshow Pointless, as well as (one of my favourites) Richard Osman’s House of Games.

Set in a small retirement village in Kent, The Thursday Murder Club is a cosy crime mystery focussed on a group of residents who have formed a club to review unsolved crime cases. Whilst previously they haven’t been able to do much with the findings of their investigations, a local murder leads them to become involved with trying to help catch a killer.

The book switches between the general story featuring all of the characters and diary entries from new Thursday Murder Club member Joyce. Whilst it did take me a few chapters to get used to the writing style, the addition of the diary entries was interesting and added an extra layer to the story, helping the reader to keep on track with the investigation.

One of the things I enjoyed most was the small village setting of Coopers Chase, and the little details, such as the fact that the room for the club was booked under a code name in order to stay secret, were a fun addition. The main characters were generally likeable, although there were quite a few other different characters to keep track of as the story progressed.

The Thursday Murder Club isn’t an action-packed crime thriller, but it could be the perfect Autumn read for fans of a cosier mystery to pick up this season. It’s also set to be the first in a series, so it looks like we’ll being seeing more from Elizabeth, Ibrahim, Ron and Joyce in future.


*Review copy c/o Netgalley and Penguin Books (UK)

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Tuesday, 1 September 2020

Book Club | September 2020 - Featuring Or Set In A School




For our 2020 BB Book Club, we've put together another printable list of twelve different prompts, one for each month of the year. Just we did in 2019, on the 1st day of each month we'll be introducing you to the month's prompt and the books team members each plan to read, along with some other suggested reads we think you'll love. Of course, these are just ideas so please feel free to interpret the prompts however you wish!

We're also inviting you to share photos and mini-reviews of your book club picks on social media using #bloggersbookshelf or tag @bloggersbookshelf on Instagram.

Our prompt for September is...  

Featuring Or Set In A School

What we'll be reading...


Erin's pick: The Hand On The Wall by Maureen Johnson

"I have a few books on my September/October TBR that would fit this month's prompt so I may end up choosing more than one, but for now I'm going with The Hand On The Wall. The Truly Devious series is a Team BB favourite and I can't wait to find out how the mystery of Ellingham Academy will wrap up."

Anjali's Pick: More Than Just a Pretty Face by Syed M. Masood
"This book is very new to our shelves (it came out just in August) but I was given it to review and I'm looking forward to it. While the main character, Danyal, is 19, he's been held back a year so is in his last year of high school. Danyal is chosen for a school-wide academic scholarship, and he gets Bisma, a girl his parents tried to set him up with, to help him with the competition. That's all I know, but I'll let you know how it goes!"

Other suggested reads...

- Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson
- Parachutes by Kelly Yang
- The Secret History by Donna Tartt
- When You Were Everything by Ashley Woodfolk
- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
- On The Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
- The Gifted School by Bruce Holsinger


Use the hashtag #bloggersbookshelf or tag @bloggersbookshelf on Instagram to share your photos and mini-reviews with us throughout the month!
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Monday, 31 August 2020

Book Club | August 2020 Roundup




Our August book club prompt was to read books with sunshine or clouds on the cover. Here's a couple of updates from Team BB...


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My pick for the August book club theme - a book with clouds or sunshine on the cover - is A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness!⁠ ⁠ I've been meaning to read this book for YEARS, but am only just picking it up now.⁠ ⁠ Are you joining us for the August Book Club? What are you reading? - Anjali (@anjalikay)⁠ ⁠ ----------⁠ ⁠ ⁠ #bookstagram #bookbloggers #bookclub #bloggersbookshelf #instabooks #reading #bookcovers #prettybooks #beautifulbooks #booklovers #shareyourbooks #books #bookworm #readingchallenge #yabookstagram #bookaholic #booksofinstagram #confessionsofabookaddict #bookaddict #bookworm #bookreview #booklover #instaread #readthisbook #bookworm #amreading #whattoread #epicreads

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The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

"Tackling some difficult topics, The Great Alone is a heartbreaking story of survival set in the Alaskan wilderness in the 1970s-1980s. I found the Alaskan setting to be really interesting and atmospheric, almost like it's own character within the story. I also really liked the fact that the book took place over a decade or so, sharing the main character Leni's journey from a teenager to a young adult."

 


We'll be introducing September's book club tomorrow so don't forget to check back! Use the hashtag #bloggersbookshelf or tag @bloggersbookshelf to share your photos and mini reviews with us throughout the month.
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