SLIDER

WELCOME TO BLOGGER'S BOOKSHELF...


where our team of writers love to talk all things books, sharing reviews, features, lists, interviews and more.

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

NEWSLETTER

SEARCH RESULTS
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query David Levithan. Sort by date Show all posts
Love Is The Higher Law | David Levithan | Review

Wednesday, 22 May 2013

Love Is The Higher Law | David Levithan | Review


“It was like everyone suddenly knew what mattered. Money didn't matter. Politics didn't matter. Tabloid news didn't matter. No, compassion mattered. Calm mattered. Respect mattered. Did it really take something of this magnitude to make us realize this?” - David Levithan, Love is the Higher Law
Love is the Higher Law is a novel about three teenagers in New York City and their reactions and feelings about the well-known events of 9/11. We get to know what they do, how they react, and how they feel during the events that day. But we also get to follow them during the year to come after 9/11. The novel is a story about these three teenagers and how they by coincidence gets drawn info each others lives by the tragedy that is 9/11. But it's also a story about a city and it's people and how they together do their best to heal after a tragedy they could never have imagined.

Love is the Higher Law is a pretty short novel with it's 176 pages and therefore a fast read. Short novels usually leaves me wanting more. They tend to make me feel like I've missed something or like I don't get to see the whole picture. That's not the case with Love is the Higher Law. Of course I want more in the sense that I really enjoyed the book, but I mostly felt content and satisfied with the reading experience when I was done. I didn't need to know more, I just got the information that was important to this story and that was a pretty refreshing.

As a Swede I might not have the same perspective to the events of 9/11 as I might have had if I was an american. But I do remember that day and exactly what I was doing when I first got the news. So I thought it was interesting to read about that day from a new yorkers perspective. Most of all I liked that the book wasn't specifically about 9/11 and what happened that day. It was about three teenagers and how the events affected their feelings and their lives. I really enjoyed reading Love is the Higher Law. This was the first book I read by David Levithan and I truly liked his writing style. I also felt like the story and the people in this book felt believable and honest. I think I got a pretty good picture of how people in New York City were feeling the days, weeks and months after 9/11. The only thing that I might have an opinion about is that I felt like the story about the female character Claire didn't feel as strong or as the two other stories. But it might just be me and the lack of chemistry between me and Claire.

This is not the kind of book I usually pick up but I saw it in my local library and got interested because I've heard a lot of good thing about David Levithan and his novels and after reading it I'm pretty sure I'm going to read a few of his other books in the future. So I do recommend everyone to pick this book up, it's a pretty short and fast read and there's a high chance that you might really enjoy it. I give Love is the Higher Law 4/5 stars!

This post was written by regular reviewer Niina, get to know her here.

Read more »
No comments
, ,
Every Day | David Levithan | Review

Friday, 31 January 2014

Every Day | David Levithan | Review

image via goodreads
Each morning, A wakes up in a different body. There’s never any warning about who it will be, but A is used to that. Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere. 

And that’s fine – until A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because A has found someone he wants to be with – every day . . .

I’ve heard countless amounts of praise for David Levithan’s books and have meant to pick one up for ages, and I am SO glad that I picked up Every Day! Every Day is the tale of A, someone who jumps from body to body, day to day. A is not defined by gender, or sexuality, A just is.

I really enjoyed this book, but at times it didn’t seem very well thought out or the plot got a little confusing. A falls in love with Rhiannon really quickly, which you can sort of understand given his life, but what is much more surprising is how fast Rhiannon reciprocates. She hardly had any ‘freak out’ period, and as someone who is a firm believer in characters needing a ‘freak out’ period this bothered me. Also it raised a lot of questions about the precise nature of what A can do – they don’t entirely make sense beyond the simple notion of body jumping and if you have a tendency to over-think things that could ruin this book for you.

However, beyond these problems, Every Day is quite exceptional. The reader gets to glimpse a little bit of each of the different lives A gets to live each day – each so different: happy, touching, sad, harrowing, but each exceptional in an ordinary way. A touches each of these lives in a different way, some good, some not so.  A’s lives his life without being judgemental about much of the lives he inhibits, and without being overtly preachy teaches the reader a lot about acceptance. A person is not defined by the gender they are assigned, or the one that they choose. A person is not defined by their sexual orientation. A person is not defined by their body shape. A person is not defined by their lifestyle choices.

Ultimately, this is what Every Day is about, but that doesn't mean that Levithan forgoes the story to get his point across. It’s touching and I would encourage you to read it. 

This post was written by regular reviewer Kath, get to know her here.
Read more »
4 comments
, ,
Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares | Rachel Cohn & David Levithan | Reviewed by Ria

Monday, 29 October 2012

Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares | Rachel Cohn & David Levithan | Reviewed by Ria

Dash&Lily's book cover

First post nerves! Ahhh!

It’s actually very appropriate that the first of our reviews on Blogger’s Bookshelf should start with Dash & Lily Book of Dares, as this is the book that got the cogs in my head thinking ‘Hey I wanna start a book blog and tell people other than my friends, who are sick of hearing about me talk about books, about this book!’

Well here we go…

Dash&Lily's book cover1

Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares is co-penned by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn, with David obviously writing for Dash’s side of the story and Rachel for Lily’s,. Co-penning a book like this means two sides of the story is presented…with each side presented in alternating chapters.

The premise is simple. Dash, a ‘snarly toothed’ 16 year old hipster, who’s a bit of a loner and has a hatred for the festive Christmas season finds a red notebook in an old bookstore tucked into a corner of New York City. The notebook,  - spoiler alert! - , challenges whoever reads it (or dares them) to follow the instructions. The victorious reader will then be considered to be potential boyfriend material by for the author. Said author is Lily, a quirky, awkward and equally hipster-ish girl – though by the end of the book Dash definitely wins in the hipster stakes - with a charming love of everything Christmas-y and the holidays that come with it.

Dash decides to take on the challenge, out of boredom more than anything else and so it begins. The story follows on from there with the two only communicating via the red notebook with their ‘dares’ taking them all around the City. Note only do the pages of the note fill up with cryptic clues and instructions but the two also embark on very personal journeys. They pour out their souls onto the blank pages, spilling their stories, inner secrets and thoughts for the other to read, and calls into question "Why is it so much easier to talk to a stranger? Why do we feel we need that disconnect in order to connect?" - quote from Dash himself

Personal highlights were the dares themselves, which were both achingly adorable and ‘face hiding in a pillow’ cringe-worthy (mostly for Dash). The setting of the story, New York City during the cold festive season, definitely acts as an aid to push the story along and proves a charming backdrop to what is essentially a teen love story. Plus, the secondary characters, Lily’s pretty awesome Aunt, Dash’s friends (both the douche-y and downright adorable) and ex-girlfriend all add colour and random madness at times.

So my verdict? 
Dash & Lily is definitely a quick teen-ish read that does leave you with a warm fuzzy feeling inside by the end of the book. Be prepared for a little second hand embarrassment as well as frustration when things go wrong. For those not used to this genre, Dash in particular can seem pretentious as a character at times and I’m sometimes left thinking Lily may be a little delicate for him – she proves me very wrong.. 
Overall it was enjoyable and the switch between each author, filling in the blanks of the other’s story, was refreshing to read. 

Reading Soundtrack: 
The Bitch of Living: Spring Awakening Broadway Cast; It’s Time: Imagine Dragons; Same Old Situation: Chuck Criss; Sunshine: All American Rejects; Don’t Look Back Into The Sun: The Libertines

For lovers of…You’ve Got Mail, John Green’s books – Will Grayson/Will Grayson in particular, ‘coming of age’ indie films, and Gleek fans of the fanfic ‘Little Numbers’ – which was partly inspired by this book!

This review was written by regular reviewer Ria, get to know her here.

*all photos in this post (c) Ria Cagampang
Read more »
4 comments
, ,

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!

Read more »
No comments
,

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.
Read more »
No comments
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 
Read more »
No comments

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!
Read more »
No comments

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!
Read more »
No comments
Will Grayson/Will Grayson | John Green & David Levithan | Review

Monday, 30 September 2013

Will Grayson/Will Grayson | John Green & David Levithan | Review

Will Grayson Will Grayson header
Meet Will Grayson. Nerdy, lovable, an over-thinker and over cautious. 

Meet will grayson. Closed off, manic depressive and introverted…

…wait, what? Two Will Grayson’s? This is about to get complex.

Will Grayson or what I like to call uppercase Will, is a typical high school student, navigating life with his larger-than-life gay best friend Tiny Cooper, dealing with girls and his love of obscure bands.
Lower case will grayson doesn't care for much, other than conversing with his only real friend, Isaac, over the Internet. He’s a complex character, is snarky and sarcastic, with a dull and pessimistic outlook on life.

The novel alternates between the two boys stories and perspectives – don't worry you'll be able to tell the difference between the two straight away – with each playing out almost like separate short stories both in style and even typeface. That is until one cold night on the street corner in Chicago, when the two Graysons paths cross and their lives are turned upside down.

So what’s my verdict?

I'm no stranger Green or Levithan, so I knew reading their two writing styles colliding together – much like the Wills themselves – would create something a little special.

First up, upper-case Will Grayson, who leads the novel and is Green’s typical nerd boy who’s a little unlucky in love, but a likeable character. Lower-case will grayson is a whole other story. Much more complex, a little emo but saddening-ly lonely, his character is the most interesting to me.

The book is so character focused there isn't much of a plotline but that doesn't really matter too much in this context. The switch in scenes and locations are simply a backdrop to a YA story about friendship, relationships (of the hetrosexual and LGBT kind) and muddling through the minefield of being teenager.

Despite the book being called Will Grayson/Will Grayson, I feel the ‘/’ should represent a not so little character called Tiny Cooper. As upper-case Will’s best friend, he’s just as much of a main character as both of the Graysons themselves. His over the top personality and close to ridiculous antics prove to be the glue that holds the story together once two Wills meet.

The book can get heavy at times, particularly on lower-case will grayson’s chapters, but the humour is also there in sarcastic and silly doses (Green’s typical humour is particularly prevalent during his chapters). I'm also impressed with how well the LGBT aspects of the novel are handled by the two authors, the issues aren't preached by two adults but spoken and dealt with realistically through the voices of their characters.

I have a funny feeling this will be a Marmite type of novel. As I said before there’s not much of a plot to drive the stories, though in my opinion the character development alone is to keep a reader turning pages.

Reading Soundtrack:

Loser: Beck; Aftermath: Adam Lambert; Falling Apart: The All-American Rejects; When I Come Around: Green Day; Are We All We Are: Pink; Just Keep Breathing: We The Kings

For lovers of

Green & Levithan’s novels – An Abundance of Katherines & Boy Meets Boys in particular and The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

This book was reviewed by regular reviewer Ria, get to know more about her here!
*cover image via GoodReads
Read more »
No comments
, , ,
Blogger’s Bookshelf Review Round Up #8

Saturday, 15 June 2013

Blogger’s Bookshelf Review Round Up #8

19 5 - 14 6 review
*all images via GoodReads
Another month over, check out what you missed below…

Lulu Frances joined the ranks of those we’ve interviewed as part of our ‘Being A Book Blogger’ series, check out the post here.
Our bloggers also talked about our favourite book protagonists and main characters in our June Group Collaboration Post! Let us know who your faves are too!

And don’t forget to get involved in our next Group Collaboration topic! 
Summer is here and we’re craving a getaway with our ‘Wish You Were Where?’ post! 
So let us know if you could visit any place from a book, real or fictional, where would you choose and why? From Middle-Earth to Hogwarts, New York to Paris, we want to know your ideal holiday destination! 
Let us know you opinions by email, tweet us or on our GoodReads page!
Read more »
No comments
, ,
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! 

Read more »
No comments
2013 Reading Challenge Update #2

Tuesday, 25 June 2013

2013 Reading Challenge Update #2

challenge update 2

Back in January we set ourselves some reading goals for the year - five books or series we vowed to read in 2013 and a total number of books to be read over the year as well.

Welcome to our second progress update....!


Ria... 20/30 books read, 3/5 books vowed to read
I'm quite proudly powering through my reading goals, with only 10 more books till I hit my target! I also finished Brave New World and Farenheit 451, both of which I happily enjoyed, albeit they were both rather weird books. I've now bought, started and am loving Harry: A History and hope to finish/review it soon in time for LeakyCon in about 2 months. City of Bones is still on my to be read list, though I've heard some pretty rough reviews for it so forgive me if I seem a little reluctant to start...The Casual Vacancy and The Resistance are both still sat on my shelf but I'm having far too much fun discovering new authors and finding more bargain books in charity shops to care too much!


Niina... 12/35 books read
I'm doing pretty good with my reading challenge but I've only given out one 5 star rating so far, to Ashfall by Mike Mullin. Other books that I've really enjoyed this year are Love Is The Higher Law by David Levithan and The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams. My biggest disappointment so far this year is probably Blackbirds by Chuck Wending. It's not that I didn't enjoy it, but I thought I would enjoy it so much more!


Anjali... 26/40 books read, 2/5 books vowed to read
I'm feeling really pleased with my 26 books read so far! Not so pleased that only 2 of those are ones I vowed back in January to read, but nevertheless, I'm having a grand time! Last Reading Challenge Update I had already read Daughter of Smoke and Bone from my 'vow to read' list, but since then I've also read Feedback, by Robison Wells, which was on that same list. I really enjoyed the first in that series, Variant, so it was exciting to read the sequel. Sequels can often be a hit and miss I find, but Feedback was just as amazing as Variant. 5 stars, Robison, 5 stars. Despite only having read 2 out of 5, I have actually just started another from that list: The Twelve, by Justin Cronin, the sequel to The Passage. The first one was amazing, so I'm excited that I'm diving into another one of Cronin's adventures. In regards to other, non 'vow-list' books, I loved Carter Beats the Devil, by Glen David Owen. Ultraviolet, and it's sequel, Quicksilver, by R.J. Anderson were both really great too (you can read about my trip to the Quicksilver book launch here). And All Over the Place, by Serena Clarke was very good too! I haven't been sleeping as much as I should lately because of all these books...I've diagnosed myself with Just-One-More-Chapter-Itis.


Laura... 14/25 books read, 3/5 books vowed to read
I've read 14 out of 25 books so far! And have managed to read 3 book from my 5 to read list, I have now read: Miranda Hart - Is It Just Me? Sophia Kinsella - I've Got Your Number and Matthew Quick - The Silver Linings Playbook. I've actually managed to read one of those without realising it was on my list of books I vowed to read! The Sophia Kinsella book however I did purposely pre-order and waited weeks for, although I'm glad I did because I loved it! I'll be honest and say I pretty much forgot about how many books I was supposed to read this year but the number keeps steadily increasing as I delve through my 'to-read' shelf. So far I've enjoyed all the books I've finished and Goodreads says i'm 5 books ahead of schedule. - woo!


Lucy... 9/25 books read, 1/5 books vowed to read
I have read 9 books now which is slightly better but I truly believe that I will not get 37 books read by the end of the year. I've changed my goal number of books to 25 because I believe it's a slightly more achievable target. I have purchased Sever but apart from that, my vow to read books haven't been read yet. There is still six months left of the year though so hopefully, they will all be read by then. The books I have read have been brilliant however. Some of the more notable ones include Will Grayson Will Grayson by John Green and Charlotte Street by Danny Wallace. I'm also starting Game of Thrones and I am loving it so far!!! 

Erin... 31/52 books read, 1/5 books vowed to read
Even though I did hit a bit of a reading slump not too long ago I’ve still managed to pass the halfway mark. Notable favourites since our last challenge update would definitely have to be Mr Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore (review here) and Club Monstrosity (review here) although I still haven’t given out any 5 star ratings this year! Amongst the 31 books total I have crossed another one off of my ‘books we vow to read’ list. Fractured by Teri Terry was one of the sequels that I was really looking forward to this year but sadly I felt it was disappointing compared to the previous book (Slated). I’m currently working on Lord Of The Flies which was also in my five choices.

What are your reading goals for 2013?

Post by Erin / Images via Goodreads

Read more »
1 comment
,
Group Collaboration | Favourite Reads of 2013!

Saturday, 21 December 2013

Group Collaboration | Favourite Reads of 2013!

We're nearly at the end of 2013, so this month's group collaboration has us looking back at those books we fell in love with this year!
favourite 2013 reads Erin
If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch, Is It Just Me? by Miranda Hart, Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan, Club Monstrosity by Jesse Petersen, Ketchup Clouds, Annabel Pitcher
The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson, Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, Quiet by Susan Cain, The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald, The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
favourite 2013 reads Lucy
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs, The Understudy by David Nicholls, Will Grayson Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan, Charlotte Street by Danny Wallace, A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
favourite 2013 reads Kath
Wonder by R.J Palacio, Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman, Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, Cruel Summer by James Dawson
favourite 2013 reads Cat The Girl Who Played with Fire, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson, One Step Behind by Henning Mankell, Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding
favourite 2013 reads Anjali Under the Never Sky series by Veronica Rossi, Allegiant by Veronica Roth, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness, The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

Next month's post will be all about the books we vow to read in 2014! If you'd like to get involved please email bloggersbookshelf@gmail.com for details. 

Contributors - Ria, Cat, Lucy, Anjali, Erin & Kath

All book cover images sourced from goodreads.com
Read more »
3 comments
,
Being A Book Blogger | Interview with Bex, Louise & Glynis aka Hanging On Every Word

Tuesday, 10 September 2013

Being A Book Blogger | Interview with Bex, Louise & Glynis aka Hanging On Every Word

I'm really excited to share this week's interview post with you as for the first time in the series we are featuring a fellow collaborative book blog! Today we're talking to three lovely members of the Hanging On Every Word blogging team - Bex, Glynis & Louise.

Here's what the girls had to say about ebooks, favourite reviews and being part of a book blogging team...

Untitled


BB: Similarly to Blogger's Bookshelf, Hanging On Every Word is a collaborative blog. Could you tell us a little bit about where the idea came from and how you put together your team?

Bex: I decided I wanted to start a book blog but I knew I'd be unable to commit fully to it whilst working, writing my own blog, guest reviewing for My Keeper Shelf and being a mum. I tweeted out asking if anyone would be interested in getting involved and the response was phenomenal! I am also planning to be more active with the blog now I am back to being at home.

Louise: Me and Bex had talked about it quite a few times in the past because we're both book worms and constantly recommending books to each other. Eventually Bex set it at all up and where we'd talked about it on Twitter, other people saw and became interested and then there we were!

Glynis: Bex suggested it via Twitter and asked for anyone interested to let her know, so I did!

BB: What is your favourite part about being a member of a blogging team?

B: Being able to share some fantastic reads!

L: It's just really nice to be part of something as a team, blogging can help you feel really accepted and it's such a friendly hobby. It's nice that there's quite a few of us because it means the reviews are varied, for example I don't read a lot of 'classic' books but other members of the team do, so it's a real mix of book reviews. Also, not everyone always has time to blog so it's nice that when I don't have any content to go up, there's always someone else that has something written. Finally, it feels pretty cool being part of an online book club!

G: I like the variety of writing and reading styles, and it's nice to be part of a team. I like it when Bex includes her team in a #ff tweet each week!

BB: Tell us about how you got into reviewing, or which of your reviews so far are you most proud of?

G: I've been writing reviews on and off for years, but more so on a regular basis about a year ago. I like to publish my thoughts on each book I read as a way to relive the book.

L: Probably Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion, simply because I struggled with it a little. It was such a diverse book for me that I found it tough to explain, but I was happy with the end result.

B: My Soul Beach review - although that will be updated shortly with a full review of the whole Soul Beach trilogy!

BB: We're always looking for recommendations, if you had to choose 3 favourite reads of 2013 so far what would they be?

G: Skellig by David Almond, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, Witch Child by Celia Rees. All YA books!

L: Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, Rock Me by Cherie Lynn and About A Girl by Lindsey Kelk (which I've only began to read today but is already a firm favourite!)

B: Transcendence by CJ Omolulu - This just amazed me. It kept me completely captivated and I couldn't put it down! Soul Storm by Kate Harrison - The final book in the Soul Beach trilogy and a worthy ending! Brightest Kind of Darkness by PT Michelle - I reviewed this over on Lesley's blog (My Keeper's Shelf,) - such a fresh idea for a series!

books3


BB: Do you have any favourite book to film or TV adaptations?

B: I love the majority of the Agatha Christie adaptations although the most recent ones haven't been my cup of tea; so much has been changed from the books!

L: I really loved all the adaptions of Warm Bodies, Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist and Whip It. I was a bit apprehensive about Warm Bodies because the book is so serious and they totally made the film from a romcom point of view, but it was still good. My most favourite would have to be Whip It though, if even because of the sexy male lead, Landon Pigg *drool*.

BB: Back in March we talked ebooks in a post titled 'Team Paper vs Team Plastic'. Where do you stand on this debate? Are you a fan of the ereader?

B: I go through phases. Sometimes I love physical copies and other times I love nothing more than my Kindle - it is definitely my favourite when it comes to travelling!

G: I love e readers. I like that I can access a dictionary whilst reading, share a quote via social media so my reading experience is shared. However, you can't display e books on shelves in your home, you can't hold or feel the pages, you cannot come across a book and find a receipt used a bookmark that reminds you of a happy moment in time. I like both books and e books and mix the two.

L: I'm a die hard fan of books as opposed to e-readers. I can understand the benefits of them, but being such a book worm myself, to me just holding the book in my hand is comforting. It's so nice to have a physical copy of a book and I just love that people own old copies of their favourite books that they've re-read over and over the years, pages creased, corners folded down, even stains in the book (normally hot chocolate or tea stains for me!). I've also kept battered old copies of books in the hope that I can one day give them to my future children to read - just the books that have a lot of meaning to me - and have books given to me from my family! I've even got books that I can just look at to be reminded of my childhood.

BB: Now for a couple of fun questions! If you could swap lives with any fictional character for the day who would you choose and why?

G: Anne Shirley of Green Gables. I love her passion for life, she lives it to the full. Imagine living on Prince Edward Island. And of course she gets her man. Yes I'd like to swap with Anne for a day!

B: Miss Marple - I'd love to know she works all these crimes out! Haha.

L: Definitely Angela from the I Heart Series. She lives in New York, has the coolest job ever, her best friend constantly styles her with amazing clothes and she's got a gorgeous other half who is a rockstar. So jealous.

BB: Which characters, from different books/series, would you like to see cross paths in a new story?

G: This is a tricky one. How about Jonathan Strange/Mr Norrell and Harry Potter? Perhaps HP could help the two magicians dispell the eternal darkness!

books2


BB: Which book do you wish you'd written?

L: Any of the I Heart series by Lindsey Kelk. I'm not 100% sure but I like to believe that she'd travelled to places like Las Vegas and L.A for inspiration for the books, and the books are just everything I'm about. Travel, being inspired, blogging and having a hot rockstar boyfriend. Which I don't have, YET, but will hopefully one day.

B: Probably predictable but any of the Harry Potter or Hunger Games series.

BB: Finally, apart from Hanging On Every Word of course, which other book blogs or booktube channels would you recommend our readers check out?

G: Librarian Girl and fellow collaborators' book blogs of course! I also like Wear the OldCoat and Classics Club.

B: My Keeper's Shelf, Books Biscuits and Tea, Reading In The Sunshine, Curiosity Killed the Bookworm

Click here to visit Hanging On Every Word - don't forget to subscribe!


Find the girls' personal blogs:
Bex - Futures
Glynis - Librarian Girl
Louise - Inspire Magazine

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'd like to say a huge thank you from all of us here at BB to Louise, Bex & Glynis for taking part in this interview.
If you are a booktuber or book blogger and would like to be featured in a similar post we'd love to hear from you - just email us at bloggersbookshelf@gmail.com for information!

Interview & post by Erin 
Images via Hanging On Every Word & Goodreads
Read more »
2 comments
,
Blogger's Bookshelf Review Round Up #1

Saturday, 1 December 2012

Blogger's Bookshelf Review Round Up #1

29 10 - 28 11 review


Welcome to the first of our monthly round ups here on Blogger's Bookshelf. 

Missed any of our review? Never fear! Find them all here!

Plus, don't forget to check out our November collaboration post on our Favourite Genres and get involved in our next collaboration post by letting us know your Top 5 Reads of the Year. Tweet us or email us your answers by 19th December!
Read more »
1 comment
,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)
© Blogger's Bookshelf • Theme by Maira G.