Features | Book Suggestions for Completing the Far Left Column on Book Bingo

Thursday, 4 June 2020

Features | Book Suggestions for Completing the Far Left Column on Book Bingo

Have you completed a row on Book Bingo yet?

If you missed the memo, at the beginning of May we designed and posted a Book Bingo sheet for us to try and complete by the end of June. Despite the fact that a lot of us a lot more time on our hands at the moment, it can still be tricky deciding what to pick up and read, even without a Book Bingo sheet on the go!

I thought it would be fun to put together a couple of posts of suggestions of books that would fit some of the rows. If you're really stuck you can read all the books I suggest checking out and then boom! A complete row; go you! Gold star (virtually).

Some of the squares on our Book Bingo are about personal choice, or books that you've read in the past, so I'm not going to be suggesting books for those rows (I'm thinking about squares such as 'a genre you don't read very often' and 'recommended by a friend' because I can't comment on those for you). But let's get into it!

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Left column

Non Fiction | Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis

Like at all. It's not that they don't interest me, or that I don't think they're worth the time; it's mostly due to the fact that I love fiction too much, and why would I spend my hours reading non-fiction when I could be reading about dragons? It's that kind of feeling.

But when I picked up Girl, Wash Your Face and flipped to the front page to check it out, I started reading and couldn't really stop.

Shout outs | Becoming by Michelle Obama; The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank; The Moth by Catherine Burns; The Cartoon Introduction to Philosophy by Michael F Patton and Kevin Cannon.

A book with magic in it | The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss 

I still can't quite comprehend how good this book was. Ever since discovering the YA genre, it's not often I dive into adult fantasy books, but I had heard some many great things about this book that I had to pick it up. I'm so glad I did, because it was amazing. The magic in this book is called Sympathy, which is sort of like magic and alchemy mixed together. Definitely recommend!

Shout outs | Harry Potter by JK Rowling; The Magicians by Lev Grossman; Carry On by Rainbow Rowell; Graceling by Kristin Cashore.

Set in a big city | An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, by Hank Green

Hank Green's debut novel was amazing. Normally alien invasions and sci-fi genres don’t draw me in, but there was something about An Absolutely Remarkable Thing that was, shockingly enough, absolutely remarkable (and I’m 100% no one has made that joke before, she says sarcastically). It's set in many large cities around the world, but predominately New York and LA.

Shout outs | Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (London); Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan (New York City); Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan (Singapore).

Featuring a mythical creature | Eragon, by Christopher Paolini

I was about 15 years old when I first read Eragon, and since then I've read it multiple times (although I haven't actually finished the series! Eek!) Whenever anyone says 'dragons' (which happens more in my life than you might expect), then I think of Eragon. Can I caution you, though? Don't watch the movie. 

Shout outs | Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan; Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller; Mythos by Stephen Fry.

A book with a number in the title | Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

There were actually so many books that I could suggest for this box! You can check out a long list which Erin put together for our Book Club May theme here. But if you haven't read Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, and you enjoyed YA fantasy mixed with great characters and spectacular heists, this is the duology for you. Get on it!

Shout outs: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid; Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte; One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus; Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline.

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And you've done it! You've completed a column! Congratulations! I hope this has been helpful and at least given you some ideas for books to read.

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BB Book Club | October's Book Is...

Monday, 24 September 2018

BB Book Club | October's Book Is...

Another month, another BB book club pick... or should we say picks? In celebration of Blogger's Bookshelf turning six later this month we have something a little special for October's book club; not one, but two amazing books for you to choose from!

We've come a long way in the last six years but we couldn't resist revisiting the very first reviews we ever published here on the blog; Dash & Lily's Book Of Dares (David Levithan & Rachel Cohn) and About A Boy (Nick Hornby). This month we're inviting you to join us in reading (or re-reading) one or both of these titles which helped us launch our book blog.

Dash & Lily's Book Of Dares, Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

"Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?" - Source

The first ever review shared on Blogger's Bookshelf was Ria's take on this YA favourite. Although the book may have had a little cover update since then it's still a hugely popular title and the one that Ria said made her really want to start a book blog!

About A Boy, Nick Hornby

"At thirty-six, [Will]'s as hip as a teenager. He's single, child-free, goes to the right clubs and knows which trainers to wear. He's also found a great way to score with women: attend single parents' groups full of available (and grateful) mothers, all hoping to meet a Nice Guy.

Which is how Will meets Marcus, the oldest twelve-year-old on the planet. Marcus is a bit strange: he listens to Joni Mitchell and Mozart, looks after his mum and has never owned a pair of trainers. But Marcus latches on to Will - and won't let go. Can Will teach Marcus how to grow up cool? And can Marcus help Will just to grow up?" - Source

Our second review was written by Erin who, as a fan of the 2002 film adaptation, decided to finally pick up a copy of About A Boy and see how the two differed. Spoiler alert; she loved it!

If you would like to help us celebrate turning six you can join in by reading either, or even both, of these titles. You can complete our usual Google form, share your photos and mini reviews on Instagram using #bookshelfbookclub or send us a tweet. Please make sure you share your thoughts with us by 19th October so that they can be featured in the next roundup.

Happy reading!

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Features | Super Thursday Round Up

Sunday, 9 October 2016

Features | Super Thursday Round Up

Book releases here in the UK at least usually happen on a Tuesday or Thursday. The odd exception does occur (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was released on a Sunday to coincide with Harry Potter's birthday), but generally books stick to those rules.

On Thursday just gone (6th October), there were tons of new releases. I've heard the term Super Thursday being used by some in the community, which I think is a really apt name. So for today's post here on Blogger's Bookshelf, I thought I'd round up some of the releases from Thursday that I'm most excited to read.

1. The Last Beginning by Lauren James. Back in 2015, Lauren released The Next Together, which was really one of, if not my favourite release of 2015. It was her debut and it was stunning. It told the tale of Katherine and Matthew, a couple destined to be born, meet, fall in love and die. The first book was told from four different timescales, each of which Katherine and Matthew are in and each of which they fall in love. The Last Beginning is the follow up, where Clove is trying to hunt down her relatives Kate and Matt who disappeared after a scandal sixteen years ago. I am definitely excited to read this, I bought a copy this week and I can't wait to get started.
2. Holding Up The Universe by Jennifer Niven. Again, another book from an author whose first book I loved too. Jennifer's first book, All The Bright Places, featured "a girl who learned to live from a boy who wanted to die." Nearly two years on and Jennifer is now writing the screenplay for the movie adaptation of the book. Holding Up The Universe is a book featuring a new pair of characters; Libby and Jack. Libby was once dubbed 'America's Fattest Teen,' but nobody looks past that to see who she really is. Jack has mastered the art of fitting in, but people also assume they know everything about him, when really he can't recognise people's faces. I'm also very excited to read this new book too, it sounds like a really great novel and I know from other bloggers that it is an incredible book.
3. Kid Got Shot by Simon Mason. The anticipated follow up to the first Garvie Smith novel, Simon has come back with a second book. DI Singh is back and he's investigating a boy who's been shot from the Marsh Academy, and he's determined to keep Garvie, who knows where to look for the answers, away. Running Girl was really highly acclaimed, so I am also really looking forward to reading this too.
4. Replica by Lauren Oliver. The New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver is back with her brand new book, which is actually two stories in one book (read it one way for Lyra's story, read it the other for Gemma's story), which is described as a book "that explores the issues of individuality, identity, and humanity." It sounds like a really unique book (though one that is slightly hard to explain!), but I highly recommend you check Lauren's works out.

There were many other releases on Thursday, from Susin Nielsen (author of We Are All Made Of Molecules), Amy Ewing, Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, Catherine Johnson, Liz Kessler, Marcus Sedgwick, Piers Torday, Lucy Strange and so many others so if you haven't yet found yourself in a bookstore then what are you waiting for? Go and check out the amazing titles released on Thursday and who knows? Perhaps you'll even find your new favourite book.

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Features | 5 Books that Should be Movies

Friday, 5 August 2016

Features | 5 Books that Should be Movies

Today we're talking movies that are yet to be. I've got five books to share with you that I think would make amazing movies. Five books that, to be honest, I'm kind of annoyed aren't already movies. If they were, I would be the first in line at the box office.

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

I know everyone and their mother is hankering after an Eleanor & Park movie and I would definitely love that too but the Rainbow Rowell novel I really want to see given the movie treatment is Attachments. I'm sure a great writer/director could do something really fun with Beth and Jennifer's emails and Lincoln having to read all of them from his lonely little office at the newspaper. The whole novel is just so charming and with its nineties setting I can totally see this as a classic You've Got Mail style movie.

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

I know the movie rights for 13 Little Blue Envelopes have officially been bought so hopefully we will get to see this movie soon! It's one I've wanted to see ever since I first read the book. Ginny's story of rushing all over Europe as per her aunt's posthumous instructions is just such a great basis for a movie and between Ginny's coming-of-age and all the opportunities for beautiful shots of European cities, it could be really special. I can't wait for this movie to get here!

Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by David Levithan & Rachel Cohn

I love Christmas movies. I also really like the movie adaptations of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist and Naomi & Eli's No Kiss List, both of which are, of course, based on books co-written by David Levithan & Rachel Cohn. So I think it's a pretty safe bet that if Dash and Lily's Book of Dares is ever made into a movie, I am going to be all over it. Of course, New York in the holiday season is always a great draw for a movie but honestly, I think the real draw would be seeing Lily's outfits on the big screen. 

Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer by Katie Alender

Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer is kind of a secret favourite of mine. I love the premise of it (the ghost of Marie Antoinette is looking for revenge in modern day Paris) but the execution wasn't always everything I hoped for. That's exactly why I would so love to see it as a movie. I think taking the plot of this novel and turning it into a movie would be a perfect opportunity to iron out a few of the kinks, plus we would get to see ghostly Marie Antoinette exacting her revenge! How great would that be?

Born Confused by Tanuja Desai Hidier

Born Confused is such a rich novel that it might be a little difficult to squeeze it down into two hours but I think it has the potential to be a beautiful movie, both visually and emotionally. Dimple's story of trying to figure out who she is and where she fits in the world is told in such a beautiful way as it is that I could already see parts of what a movie might look like in my head as I read it. Let me tell you, it was good. In the right hands this would be such a great movie and I really hope that happens one day.

What books would you love to see as movies? Let me know in the comments!

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Features | LGBTQ Books On My TBR

Friday, 24 June 2016

Features | LGBTQ Books On My TBR

June is Pride Month and in honour of that I want to share a few of the books on my TBR that feature LGBTQ characters and themes. Let me know if you've read any of these in the comments, and what you thought of them. And share some recommendations too! Let's all get some more LGBTQ reading in our TBRs!

You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour & David Levithan

You Know Me Well was released just a few weeks ago and the two main characters actually meet at San Fransisco Pride. The story alternates, chapter by chapter, between the points of view of Kate, who has just run away from finally meeting the girl she loves from afar, and Mark, who is in love with his best friend and not sure how said best friend feels.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth

When Cameron's parents die suddenly in a car crash, she is forced to live with her ultra conservative aunt. At first Cameron is relieved that her parents will never have to know about her kissing a girl earlier that day but when her aunt finds out about Cameron's feelings for a new girl in town her solution is to send Cameron away to a religious camp to "cure" her of the feelings she is still trying to come to terms with herself.

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Simon isn't out yet at school or at home, but he is out to the mysterious boy from his school that he's been emailing. Both boys are perfectly happy to keep their secrets, which makes it all the worse when one of Simon's emails ends up in the wrong hands. Suddenly Simon is being blackmailed, forced to go along with classmate Martin's plans unless he wants the whole school to know his own secret and the secrets of the boy he might be falling for.

Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour

Emi is an up and coming Hollywood set designer and while everything seems to be going in the right direction in her career, things aren't going so well in her love life. That is until a mystery letter leads her to Ava, a young actress looking for answers about her past, and Emi's summer completely changes course.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Aristotle and Dante have nothing in common. Aristotle is angry. Dante is a know-it-all. But as the two boys spend more time together they start to realise that they have more in common than they thought. Their friendship starts to bloom and as they discover more about each other, they discover more about themselves too.

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Features | Book Recs for Hamilton Fans

Thursday, 18 February 2016

Features | Book Recs for Hamilton Fans

Okay, so I am firmly on the Hamilton band wagon. I haven't listened to anything else for weeks and I'm starting to wonder if that might be a problem. If that sounds familiar then this post might be for you but if you're kind of sick of hearing people talk about this show then you'll probably want to look away because today I am recommending books for the people who just can't get enough of it.

Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow

Obviously I couldn't make a list like this without including the book that started it all. If it's the founding father himself you're interested in then the most sensible place to start is probably the book that inspired Lin-Manuel Miranda to write his show in the first place. If 800 page historical biographies aren't really your thing though, don't worry. I have a few slightly different suggestions...

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell takes place a little later in King George III's reign than Hamilton and tells the story of two English magicians during the Napoleonic Wars. So if you want to read a different twist on a similar time period then this is definitely worth a go. It is also literally 1,000 pages long, so I can only assume that Susanna Clarke also writes like she's running out of time.

Hold Me Closer: The Tiny Cooper Story by David Levithan

Okay so there is very little crossover in subject matter between Hamilton and Hold Me Closer but it's safe to assume that a lot of Hamilton fans are also fans of musical theatre in general and Hold Me Closer just happens to be a musical. It is also a biographical musical, although Tiny Cooper is, of course, a fictional character from David Levithan and John Green's Will Grayson, Will Grayson, not a founding father of the United States.

Lorali by Laura Dockrill

Lorali is a modern YA mermaid romance, so you might be wondering what on earth that has to do with Hamilton. The reason I'm including Lorali on this list is because it has such a lyrical, poetic style, especially in the chapters written from The Sea's point of view. Yes, there are chapters written from The Sea's point of view, and they read with a beautiful rhythm, not unlike the songs in Hamilton. See, there's a method to my madness.

Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer by Katie Alender

Like Hamilton, Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer mixes the 18th century with the 21st, although in a very different way. In Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer a 21st century American schoolgirl comes face to face with the ghost of Marie Antoinette, who is looking for revenge on those who betrayed her during the French Revolution. Okay, so it's not as historical as Hamilton, but if you want something else that looks at events from the 18th century through a 21st century lens, here it is.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go and listen to Non-Stop 1,000 more times.

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Features | 5 Warming Holiday Reads

Thursday, 24 December 2015

Features | 5 Warming Holiday Reads

Happy Christmas Eve to those of you who celebrate Christmas! And happy Thursday to everybody else! In honour of this festive time of year I have a few lovely holiday reads to share with you, so if you're not quite in the festive mood just yet then maybe one of these will help you out with that. Or, if you are, then one of these just might be the perfect thing to keep that festive mood going.

1. Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle

Let It Snow is actually three stories, which all link together very cleverly. The three stories each take place during a snowstorm on Christmas Eve, in one small town. The three stories are all very Christmassy YA romances, excellent for if you want something sweet and fast with plenty of snow to snuggle up with before bed on Christmas Eve.

2. My True Love Gave To Me edited by Stephanie Perkins

I'm actually only part way through My True Love Gave To Me at the moment but so far I have loved every one of the stories I've read in this short story collection. This collection features twelve short Winter romances from twelve of the most popular YA writers out there at the moment. Unlike Let It Snow, these stories are all unlinked and completely different, so it's the perfect book to dip into when you have some spare time between last minute gift wrapping.

3. Christmas at Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop by Jenny Colgan

Christmas at Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop is actually a sequel to Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop of Dreams but the sequel would definitely be easy to follow if you haven't read the first book and just want to get right into this sweet, dramatic story set in a tiny English village at Christmastime. This is actually the only book on this list that isn't YA, so if you're in the mood for something a little more grownup, I'd go for this romantic Christmas story.

4. Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn

I haven't actually read Dash and Lily's Book of Dares yet but it's sat on my desk waiting to be read as soon as I finish My True Love Gave To Me and I can't wait! This story of two characters communicating via a notebook left in a bookstore, setting each other dares and tasks to complete, sounds really intriguing and I've been assured that it is appropriately festive too!

5. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling

And finally, of course, the classic festive read, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Is there anything that will make a person feel more Christmassy than reading about the first time Harry sees the Great Hall decorated for Christmas? Nothing is more festive than snow on the ground at Hogwarts. Nothing.

What festive books have you been reading over the holidays this year?

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Features | Holiday Gift Ideas

Thursday, 10 December 2015

Features | Holiday Gift Ideas

It's that time of year again! And if you're anything like me you're probably more than a little behind on your holiday shopping (I have bought exactly two presents so far. Terrible.) So if you're stuck for ideas for the bookish friends in your life then look no further because I have plenty of suggestions to get your holiday shopping started!

For Harry Potter fans

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Gift Edition (£19.99 at Book Depository) and Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Illustrated Edition (£15 at Book Depository)

In my experience you can never go wrong with a special edition of a favourite book from someone's childhood. Luckily, two beautiful new hardback editions of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone have been released this year so you have a choice between the lovely orange gift edition in its purple slipcase or the beautiful fully illustrated edition that came out a few months ago. Personally, I would be pretty happy to find either of these in my stocking this year.

For Wes Anderson fans

The Wes Anderson Collection (£14.95 at Book Depository) and The Wes Anderson Collection: The Grand Budapest Hotel (£14.95 at Book Depository)

As well as being filled with beautiful illustrations and photographs, these two Wes Anderson Collection books are also full of interviews and behind the scenes information about all of Wes Anderson's films so far. These would be an interesting read for any film film but, of course, they're especially perfect if you know anyone who loves Wes Anderson's work.

For sci-fi fans

Doctor Who: The Vault (£14.20 at Book Depository) and Doctor Who: Time Lord Fairy Tales (£9.09 at Book Depository)

If there's a Doctor Who fan in your life you're struggling to buy for then either of these books could fit the bill. The Vault is a big coffee table kind of book, published for the show's 50th anniversary, all about the history of Doctor Who. Time Lord Fairy Tales on the other hand is a compilation of short stories, written as fairy tales that would have been told to Time Lord children, and would definitely be a fun read for fans of the show.

William Shakespeare's Star Wars Trilogy: The Royal Box Set (£22.75 at Book Depository)

With the new film coming out very soon it's starting to seem as though everyone I know is secretly a massive Star Wars fan! If you know a Star Wars fan who is also into William Shakespeare or just might enjoy these quirky re-tellings of episodes 4-6 as Shakespearean plays, then this box set of the first three books in the William Shakespeare's Star Wars series would definitely be a fun present. (You can also buy each of these books separately.)

For classics fans

Wuthering Heights (£7.99 at Book Depository), The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (£7.99 at Book Depository) and Jane Eyre (£5.99 at Book Depository)

Similar to my reasoning for the Harry Potter books, I know a lot of people would love a prettier version of their favourite classics to sit on their shelves. Vintage have just released these beautiful new covers of these three works by the Brontë sisters, which I'm sure any Brontë fan would love to own.

Emma (£7.99 at Book Depository), Pride and Prejudice (£5.99 at Book Depository), Mansfield Park (£7.41 at Book Depository), Sense and Sensibility (£7.99 at Book Depository), Persuasion (£7.99 at Book Depository) and Northanger Abbey (£7.99 at Book Depository)

Vintage also released these gorgeous editions of Jane Austen's novels last year. These designs are so pretty they make me want to have another go at reading Jane Austen just so that I can justify having these designs in my bookcase, so I'm positive any diehard Austen fan would love one of these copies of their favourite Austen book.

For YA fans

My True Love Gave To Me (£5.99) and Let It Snow (£5.59)

There's nothing better than a collection of festive short stories from your favourite authors and authors you might not have discovered yet to get you into the festive spirit so I think either of these two collections of holiday themed short stories would be an excellent present for any YA fan this holiday season. With stories from John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle in Let it Snow and Stephanie Perkins, Rainbow Rowell, and David Levithan among others in My True Love Gave To Me there will definitely be a story in at least one of these collections for every YA fan.

I hope this has helped some of you with your holiday shopping this year! Feel free to share any of your suggestions in the comments (no, really, I could do with some ideas) and happy holiday shopping!

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Features | Book Recommendations For Film Fans

Thursday, 20 August 2015

Features | Book Recommendations For Film Fans

If there's one thing I love as much as I love books, it's films (actually food and TV are pretty high too, but neither of those are relevant to this post I'm afraid.) So for today's post I thought I would share a few book recommendations based on some popular films. Because what's more fun than reading a book that reminds you of one of your favourite films? Actually, you can totally use this list the other way too and find some film recommendations based on books. Isn't that useful?

1. If you like Moonrise Kingdom or Little Miss Sunshine then you might like The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet by Reif Larsen

The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet follows ten year old cartographer, T.S., as he hitches a ride on a train across country to collect a very prestigious award. This book has a lot in common with Moonrise Kingdom, the central story of a young boy running away from home being, of course, the immediate thing that comes to mind. There is also a balance of darkness and optimism that reminds me a lot of Little Miss Sunshine, and although T.S. makes his journey alone, his relationship with his family are a huge part of the book. The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet is also illustrated with T.S.'s diagrams and drawings throughout, which links nicely with the beautiful look of both films.

2. If you like The Breakfast Club (or any John Hughes film really) you might like Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Okay so I know everyone and their mother has already read Eleanor and Park but I couldn't make a list like this without mentioning it. Eleanor & Park, like so many of John Hughes's teen films, is set in 1980s America, but the story of growing up and falling in love could be set in any time period and it would still be pretty much the same. In The Breakfast Club five very different teenagers are thrown together in detention and soon find out that they maybe aren't so different after all, and that they all have their own unique problems. In Eleanor & Park the title characters are thrown together on a school bus and they slowly learn the same lessons with the added bonus of falling in love.

3. If you like Rushmore you might like Looking For Alaska by John Green

I'm going to admit here and now that this one is probably the most tenuously linked comparison on this list. Also, as with Eleanor & Park, pretty much everyone in the world has already read this book. Hear me out though, Rushmore and Looking For Alaska have a lot of differences. For example, Rushmore Academy is not a boarding school, and there are no plays in Looking For Alaska. They do, however, share a vibe. They both have a sense of adventure and they're both about teenage boys trying to find their ways in the world. They also both feature doomed crushes and lessons learned. Also the main protagonists of both books are a little pretentious and friendless when their stories begin. Which, for some reason, is the kind of thing I like in a main character.

4. If you like Romeo + Juliet you might like Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Quite simply, these are both unique interpretations of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Whereas Romeo + Juliet sets the famous story in 90s America with guns instead of swords, Warm Bodies makes Romeo a zombie. There's really not much more to say, but if you liked Baz Luhrmann's take on Romeo and Juliet then I think you might enjoy Isaac's Marion's too.

5. If you like The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert or Hairspray or pretty much any other musical film you can think of you might like Hold Me Closer by David Levithan

Hold Me Closer is the companion novel to the equally brilliant Will Grayson, Will Grayson by David Levithan and John Green, but what makes Hold Me Closer unique is that it is not actually a novel at all. It's a script. A musical script, in fact, (although with very novel-like stage directions) written by the best character in Will Grayson, Will Grayson, Tiny Cooper. This is definitely a book for musical lovers, which I definitely am, but it's more of a Priscilla or Hairspray than Evita or Les Mis, if you know what I mean. It has its sad moments, as any good musical does, but by the end of the show Tiny makes sure you feel uplifted and positive, just like all my favourite musicals do.

So those are just a few book recommendations for fans of some excellent films. Do you have any film-specific book recommendations to add to the list? I'd love to hear them in the comments!

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Features | Thoughtful Quotes

Thursday, 16 July 2015

Features | Thoughtful Quotes

So because I'm extremely disorganised, I only just remembered I had to post today. I also have nothing to write about. I have been staring at a blank page for around half an hour, starting posts, writing about 3 sentences then giving up. I guess I have writers block. Therefore, I decided to do a post that involved no thought from me, and share some of the quotes I have highlighted on my kindle. There will be a more interesting post from me in two weeks time, I just can't think of it today. All of these quotes made me think about something in some way, though, so hopefully you will enjoy them.

"You don't drift, not if someone matters to you" - Abigail Haas, Dangerous Girls  

"It's hard to believe in coincincidence but it's even harder to believe in anything else" - John Green, Will Grayson Will Grayson

"A lot of people want to become someone, but we are scared if we try, we won't be as good as everyone imagines we could be" - Ava Dellaria, Love letters to the dead

"Double locking the front door seemed pretty insignificant compared to dying" - Non Pratt, Trouble

"Hello, my name is your potential. But you can call me impossible. I am the missed opportunities. I am the expectations you will never fulfil. I am always taunting you, regardless of how hard you try, regardless of how much you hope"  -  Nathan Filer, The shock of the fall

"If you don’t eat, you’re going to die. And more importantly, men don’t find skinny women attractive." - Louise O' Neill, Only ever yours 

"Part of growing up is making sure your sense of reality isn’t entirely grounded in your own mind" - David Levithan, Every day

"I have never fallen in love with a gender. I have fallen for individuals." - David Levithan, Every Day

"People love the idea of a paper girl" - John Green, Paper Towns

Katie x 

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News Round Up!

Sunday, 12 July 2015

News Round Up!

Since last month, a lot has happened in the world of books. I'm back at it for this month, bringing back all the stuff that's happened in the last month, and what's happening in the near future too!

But seriously, where do we start?

Perhaps it's pretty important to start with the CILIP Carnegie Medal and Kate Greenaway Award. If you're unfamiliar with the Carnegie Medal or Andrew Carnegie at all, here's a brief introduction: Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) was a Scottish philanthropist. He once said, "if ever wealth came to me that it should be used to establish free libraries." By his death, he'd paid for 2800 free libraries in the English speaking world and by his death, over half of library authorities in the UK had Carnegie libraries. Kate Greenaway is definitely someone to be reckoned with too: she studied at the Royal College Of Art, and her first book was published in 1879 and it was a bestseller. Known for her set ways of illustrating children with late eighteenth-century and Regency fashions, she died at the age of 55 of breast cancer and is buried in Hampstead Cemetery, London.

In memory of them both, CILIP (Chartered Institute for Librarians and Information Professionals) run an annual Carnegie Medal and Kate Greenaway, now the UK's oldest awards. This year's winners, as voted for by UK librarians, were Tanya Landman's Buffalo Soldier, which is based on the story of slave Cathy Williams, the only known African-American to enlist in the US army posing as a man and who served for three years before she was found out. The Kate Greenaway Award goes to William Grill for Shackleton's Journey, making William the youngest ever winner of the Award. 

If you'd like to read more, check out this press release from CILIP.

Staying on the theme of awards, on Friday the United Kingdom Literary Awards were announced and the winners were:

• For the 12-16 category: Every Day by David Levithan
• For the 7-11 category: Oliver And The Seawigs by Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre
• For the 3-6 category: The Day The Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers.

The UKLA spoke about each book, describing Every Day as a “highly original book which is handled with real integrity”, billing The Day The Crayons Quit as a “a very funny book that encourages children to be adventurous and creative,”, and on Oliver And The Seawigs, saying, "it has been written and illustrated with such wit and so many highly original ideas that it reaches out to everyone.” The awards were announced at a ceremony in Nottingham, and for more information, check it out over at The Bookseller!

The Guardian run their Children's Fiction Prize every year, and they've just announced their longlist (hot off the press this!) for the Prize, which last year went to Piers Torday. Eight books have found themselves on the longlist, and they are:

• Five Children on The Western Front by Kate Saunders
• My Name's Not Friday by Jon Walter
• An Island Of Our Own by Sally Nicholls
• The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge
• El Deafo by Cece Bell
• A Song For Ella Grey by David Almond
• All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
• Apple And Rain by Sarah Crossan

Plus, any young person can enter their Young Critics Competition too, and it's never too early to enter either! Entries have opened, and you can find out all the information here!

Like many other book lovers, I think everyone's been on the edge of their seats anticipating Tuesday 14th July, but in case you have been living under a book world record, this Tuesday sees the highly anticipated launch for Harper Lee's sequel to To Kill A Mockingbird, as Go Set A Watchman is released. Everyone has gone Harper Lee mad in the days leading up to the event, as many prepare to storm bookshops for her latest novel. There's still time to pre-order it, so make sure you guarantee yourself a copy! I myself have gone and bought To Kill A Mockingbird, having not being familiar with Harper Lee, and I intend to read it before Tuesday too!

But let's not forget a UK annual tradition in our libraries: the Summer Reading Challenge is back! The theme this year is Record Breakers, and just like last year, the goal is the same: read 6 books over the course of the summer holidays from your local library! Run by The Reading Agency, it launched yesterday and runs through until the 5th September 2015, so get any children you know registered, and show a tiny bit of appreciation for the volunteers (like me!) who are helping their local libraries make it happen. If you are one, good luck to you over the summer too!

It's come to near the end of this round up, but what incredible books have been released over the last few weeks? Here are some of my picks!

• Suicide Notes From Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten
• Lorali by Laura Dockrill
• The Potion Diaries by Amy Alward
• Because You'll Never Meet Me by Leah Thomas
• The Baby by Lisa Drakeford
• Way Down Dark by James Smythe

All curiously enough released on the 2nd July! 

That's it for this month! Let us know what stuff you want included in next month's round up by emailing bloggersbookshelf@gmail.com and I'll see you next time!

Adios booklovers! 

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Features | Top 5 beach reads

Thursday, 18 June 2015

Features | Top 5 beach reads

Source: http://dreamatico.com/beach.html

I may be a bit premature with this post since it is only June, but it feels like summer is finally here and so I wanted to make a summer themed post! I get bored quickly of sunbathing, so when I go to the beach a book is a must, but I want to be a fairly easygoing book. Here are some of my favourite stereotypical chick lit beach books.

1) Confessions Of A Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
I have to be honest, I have a bit of a soft spot for Sophie Kinsella books, but I think this one will always be my favourite. The main character, Becky, is extremely relatable, if a little stereotypical and the situations she finds herself make for some hilarious reading. Its very easy and quick to read, making it perfect for a relaxing holiday read.

2) An Offer You Can't Refuse by Jill Mansell
The concept behind this book is amazing. Lola, the main character,is offered £10,000 by her boyfriend's mum to break up with him, and due to personal circumstances she has to accept. The book follows what happens years later when her ex unexpectedly comes back into her life. I fell in love with all the characters in this book, particularly Lola, and there are quite a few plot twists along the way, making for a very enjoyable book.

3) Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
I'm not going to go too much into this because I feel like everyone already knows about or has read this book. If you haven't however, you definitely should. I love the fact that the author incorporated the idea of fanfiction into it as well, it makes the book feel very modern and also makes the main character, Cath, very relatable, as we all know what it feels like to fangirl over something.

4) The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger
Whilst I think everyone and their cat has probably seen the film version of this, but a lot of people don't know that it was originally a book. To me this seems like kind of a shame, as its actually a pretty decent book. It follows Andy on her first job as a personal assistant to the editor of a fashion magazine. Her boss, Miranda Preistly, turns out to be not quite what Andy was expecting! If your in to rom coms then this would be a good book to check out,

5) Every Day by David Levithan
If the above books don't appeal to you and you want something a bit more serious then this one might be for you. I have been waiting for an opportunity to slip this into a feature post because I absolutely love this book. In fact, I would go as far as to say it is the best book I have read this year. Every day, A wakes up in a different body. This has never been a problem before, but this changes when she falls in love. Not necessarily what I would consider a stereotypical beach book, but I didn't want this post to be completely full of chick lit/ rom com style books, and this is something a bit different.

Hope everyone's having a great summer!
Katie x

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Features | YA books that deal with real world issues

Thursday, 4 June 2015

Features | YA books that deal with real world issues

As much as I love escaping into fantasy worlds far different from the real one, some of my favourite books are those which deal with real world issues. Not only do they make really interesting, thought provoking reads but they are so important, as it provides a way of educating people on certain topics that may not necessarily be discussed in society often as they can be difficult to talk about.

Trigger warning: This post will discuss the following topics: Suicide, rape, abusive relationships, eating disorders, racism, teenage pregnancy and gay relationships. 

Suicide

There seem to be quite a lot of YA books on this topic, but the most notable is Jay Asher's 13 reasons why. Hannah has just committed suicide, but she leaves 13 tapes saying why she decided to kill herself, which is what the book centres around. This is definitely a book I would recommend reading twice. The first time I struggled to understand her motives for killing herself,as none of the reasons seemed that bad on their own, but the second time it was much easier to see how they all fitted together. I think everyone should read this book, as it really makes you think about the way you treat people. and how things that seem insignificant to you could really hurt someone else. Although it is completely fictional, it was very realistic. Another really good book that centres around suicide is Random by Tom Levine. A short book, but also thought provoking none the less. For a different perspective, Love letters to the dead by Ava Dellaria is an interesting read. Unlike the other two, it focuses less on suicide itself and more on the after effects, as it is told from the perspective of a girl who committed suicide's sister.

Rape and abusive relationships
Just listen by Sarah Dessen is a good read for looking at the topic of rape.Although it's not the main focus of the book, but it does play an important role in the story. I particularly like this book because it doesn't go into too much detail about the rape itself, but instead focuses on the after effects, making it appropriate for younger readers. Anorexia is also discussed a fair amount in the book. The topic of abusive relationships is covered in Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell. Again, it's not the main focus of the book, but it is covered, as one of the families is affected by a manipulative and abusive person.

Teenage pregnancy
I think this is one of the most important topics that teenagers need to be aware of and educated about, because in a lot of cases it's very easily preventable. One of my favourite books is Boys don't cry by Malorie Blackman. This doesn't deal with the pregnancy itself, but describes what happens when Dante is told about a baby he didn't know he had and is left to look after it completely on his own. This book is very original, as stereotypically people would expect the mum to be the one dumped with the child, and I think that is what makes it such an amazing book. It also has a gay character and focuses on some of prejudices faced by gay people. Another good read is Trouble by Non Pratt (I'm sure that has to be a fake name but it amuses me nonetheless). Fairly light-hearted considering the subject matter, but a very entertaining book.

Racism
Noughts and crosses, another one by Malorie Blackman, is the main one for this category. Despite being set in a fictional world, where white people are heavily discriminated against and black people are seen as superior, it has a lot of parallels with the real world If you like books with a lot of action, this is great read.

Eating disorders
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson is a fantastic book. It is told from the perspective of someone with anorexia. Whilst I can not say if this is authentic or not, having never experience Anorexia myself, it seems like it gives a good insight into what it might like to have the disease, and it also discusses bulimia as well. If you like plot heavy stories you might not enjoy this as it focuses a lot of Lia's (the mains character) thoughts and feelings, but for me that was one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much.

Gay relationships
I couldn't do this entire post without mentioning a John Green book. Will Grayson Will Grayson, which he co wrote with David Levithan, is by far the most light hearted and fun reads in this list, and it is also my favourite book by John Green - controversial I know since everyone else seems to obsessed with TFIOS. I particularly liked this book because it 2 of the main characters are gay. One of them is how you'd imagine a stereotypical gay guy, the other is as far away from that as possible. The fact that it showed two different images and didn't just stick to the classic stereotype makes it a really good read. Plus, with not one but two amazing authors writing it, how could it possibly be bad?

Sorry for the very long post, my posts seem to be becoming extremely rambly (is that a word? Not according to spellcheck), so thanks for sticking around till the end!
Katie x

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Boy Meets Boy | David Levithan | Reviewed by Christina

Wednesday, 6 May 2015

Boy Meets Boy | David Levithan | Reviewed by Christina

Boy Meets Boy is about Paul, an average high school student who has boy problems, friend problems - every usual kind of teenage problem apart from his sexuality. That was never in question since Paul is openly gay and everyone around him is okay with that. The book also follows several other characters, within the same friendship group, who each have their own story lines and problems.

Boy Meets Boy simultaneously entertained and disappointed me. I liked Paul - the main character. I liked how most of the characters were so openly LGBTQ* and it wasn't something that needed explaining or justifying, as some books do. Most of the story involved a love triangle of sorts and I didn't enjoy that. I could see the main drama coming and when it happened, I had no sympathy for the main character and found myself disconnecting from him. Another aspect I had a big from with was that I felt as though there were so many characters with their own issues, it was hard to connect to any of them. The book would have been much better if it had focused on fleshing out one or two of the characters, rather than kind of half creating so many and not giving them much depth.

I did enjoy reading the book and the romance aspects were swoon-worthy, but the characters were underdeveloped and the story line was kind of basic. The book was quite short and it is a good addition to LGBTQ* literature, but I wouldn't re-read this book.

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