My reading year so far 💥📚🤯| stats, goals, mid year freakout book tag

[@Sarahsreadingjournal]

Yes, borrowbox is such a pain to switch between accounts 😅 Would love to see a weekly reading diary! I love vlogs where people chat about what they happen to be reading for a week 😊

[@hannahlosttheplot]

@@Sarahsreadingjournal great, it's happening! 💪

[@circleofleaves2676]

Hi Hannah, from Australia. 🙂 I've just stumbled across your channel today. I completely agree with you about queer not being a genre. I'm a queer person, and I love queer rep in my books. Most of my favourite writers happen to be queer themselves and have queer characters in their stories. They're not my favourite writers for that content itself; they're my favourite writers because they are incredible writers, who just happen to be queer. It's sprinkled throughout my literary fiction, classics, poetry, historical fiction, fantasy, sci-fi, nature writing, memoir, and so on. While I don't see it as a genre in and of itself (just like classics isn't truly a genre), I think it's still good to see some sections in bookshops that have dedicated queer rep shelves, and it's really good to see the rise of more representation spread throughout books available today. Ali Smith is one of my favourite authors and am looking forward to her next book coming out this year. I had a similar reading experience with The Starless Sea in approximately the second half (can't remember exactly as it's been ages since I read it). I found The Night Circus much more immersive. I read my first Benjamin Myers this year, and have a couple of others on my shelf. Some of my favourite writers are Virginia Woolf, Jeanette Winterson, Ali Smith, Eleanor Dark, Sarah Winman, Michael Cunningham, Anne Michaels, Emily Dickinson, Barbara Howes, Robert Macfarlane, Nan Shepherd, Zeyn Joukhadar, Frederik Backman, Becky Chambers.

[@hannahlosttheplot]

@@circleofleaves2676 hello hi and welcome!! Oh I totally agree about the importance of visibility in bookstores and libraries, I think it helps people find what they need (although it always makes me laugh in my local library because there are many more queer books in there than the ones they put on the queer shelf 😅) Sounds like we have very similar taste although there are a few of your favourite authors that I am yet to get to. Sarah Winman I just know I'm going to love but I just haven't got around to her yet! Australia is a country that I always feel I should have read more from. Who are your favourite Australian authors?

[@circleofleaves2676]

@@hannahlosttheplot I met and chatted with Sarah Winman a couple of years ago at an event after her talk and she's such a lovely human as well as a wonderful writer. I've read her 4 novels and I'm so keen to see what she writes next. My favourite is her most recent, Still Life. Oof, hard to actually name a favourite Australian writer. Eleanor Dark is Australian. She was writing in the 1930's-1950's. There are many aussie books that I've loved, but not sure if the authors themselves are among my favourites. Though Lucy Treloar gets an honourable mention. I've read a couple by Treloar - Salt Creek (set in Australia) and Wolfe Island (not set in Aus.). Markus Zusak is australian (he wrote The Book Thief, which I loved), and another well deserved popular one is Cloudstreet by Tim Winton (though I find some of his other writing a bit dry, I did love Cloudstreet). Looking forward to more of your content! I lived in the UK for a couple of years in 2008/2009. Where are you based? ~ Jensha

[@hannahlosttheplot]

@@circleofleaves2676 yes, it's Still Life that most appeals to me! Amazing - I'll check out those authors 😇 I'm originally from London but I'm based up in Newcastle in the north east, been here a long time so it's definitely home now rather than London!

[@circleofleaves2676]

@@hannahlosttheplot It was the Still Life launch where I saw her, so it was mostly focused on that book. She was doing an interview style thing on stage with one person, then audience questions, book signing and chatting with readers. I started with Tin Man, and knew immediately she was among my new favourite writers. I lived in Hither Green in London. I stayed in Newcastle when I went up to see Sinead O'Connor (well, technically in Gateshead). Then travelled up to stay in Berwick-upon-Tweed, then back down to the Yorkshire Moors, Whitby, Robin Hood's Bay, Staithes. I'm quite nostalgic about the area and it was one of the things that drew me to Benjamin Myers (I've only read The Offing so far).

[@hannahlosttheplot]

@@circleofleaves2676 I've only read Cuddy by him so far, but I really recommend that!

[@jillybeanh67]

I have a kindle (because I'm stuck in their eco system a bit wish I wasn't but most of my ebooks are on there) but have recently been gifted a kobo (at my request) I really like the kobo. My library uses Libby on overdrive which means I can read them on the kobo...which I LOVE and is one of the reasons why I wanted it (that and removing myself from Amazon) I really like it so far and am happy to have switched however there are loads of ebook readers, criminolly has a range of reviews for them so would recommend having a look.

[@hannahlosttheplot]

@@jillybeanh67 oh that's really good to know, thanks! I've been eyeing up Kobo but I'm not committing yet so I'll check out their reviews!

[@jillybeanh67]

​@@hannahlosttheplotalso - I'm sort of a systems librarian (a bit lower in grade and not by name) some service providers do have ways in which libraries can feedback changes they would like to see if you're friendly enough with your library to leave feedback and they have a route to borrowbox feedback...it might also have a feedback mechanism in the app so you could feedback directly too ... Just a thought

[@bethmw28]

If you think having a duolingo friend will help spur you on / keep you accountable, I use it too and could add you / give you my name on there 😊

[@bethmw28]

Ooh I've just started the audio of sociopath by patric gagne today! I've only listened to the first chapter-ish but it's read by the author 👌

[@hannahlosttheplot]

@@bethmw28 unfortunately this has failed with most of my pals on there 😅 I simply cannot be pressured, even when I want to be. I just end up quietly resenting everyone else's streaks, it's very toxic of me 💅

[@hannahlosttheplot]

@@bethmw28 oh nice! Let me know how you find it!

[@bethmw28]

@@hannahlosttheplot 😂😂 this is very fair! It also wouldn't work for me, the only person I'm competitive against is myself and if I decide not to care, I just don't 😅