How To Get Out of a Reading Slump
blogging / Opinion Pieces / reading / The Latest

How To Get Out of a Reading Slump

Today, I wanted to hit pause on my usual book reviews and bookish articles and have a chat about what it is like to be in a reading slump when you have a book blog. As you can imagine, it can be pretty frustrating to be in a reading slump when you have a book … Continue reading

Literary Olympics: The best literary fiction books of 2020-2021
Book Reviews / Opinion Pieces / reading / The Latest

Literary Olympics: The best literary fiction books of 2020-2021

The Olympics just finished up in Tokyo, Japan. It has been, to say the very least, a very strange time. On the one hand, my brain can’t seem to comprehend that we even had an Olympics given the current state of the world right now, and then, on the other hand, I also understand the importance of having something ‘normal’.

With all that said, I wanted to have some light-hearted fun and do the 2020-2021 Book Olympics! Continue reading

‘Literary ghettos’: how do we make sure diverse authors are included in mainstream publishing?
Book Reviews / Opinion Pieces / reading / The Latest

‘Literary ghettos’: how do we make sure diverse authors are included in mainstream publishing?

I am drawing today’s discussion inspiration from author Nesrine Malik and her amazing book (seriously, go read it now!) We Need New Stories. In her chapter entitled “The Myth of the Reliable Narrator”, Malik brings up the question if and how we should judge authors by their writing. More specifically, are authors allowed to write … Continue reading

4 Easy Steps to Improve Your Foreign Language Reading
Opinion Pieces / reading / The Latest / Travel

4 Easy Steps to Improve Your Foreign Language Reading

As some of you might already know, I have lived in Switzerland for the last six years. Before that, I lived for one year in Austria, which means that I have lived in German-speaking countries for a little over seven years now. In this time, I worked in multi-lingual companies as well as completing a … Continue reading

Roxane Gay Live at the Open Air Literatur Festival in Zurich 2019
African / American / Book Reviews / feminism / Haitian / Opinion Pieces / reading / The Latest

Roxane Gay Live at the Open Air Literatur Festival in Zurich 2019

Roxane Gay’s work has been seminal for feminist and fat liberation movements around the world. She draws on her own experiences about trauma, body image, feminist ideals, and Haitian and Black identity. Seeing her talk about her two most popular books Bad Feminist and Hunger: A memoir of (My) Body. I used Gay’s feminist text … Continue reading

“When All Is Said”: a review of Anne Griffin’s knockout debut novel
Book Reviews / Irish / Opinion Pieces / reading / The Latest / Travel

“When All Is Said”: a review of Anne Griffin’s knockout debut novel

Note: plot spoilers and discussions of death by suicide. Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links. Clicking through for additional information or to make a purchase may result in a small commission. In February this year, I had the chance to go to Ireland for a long weekend. I’ve been threatening to visit Ireland for … Continue reading

Bookish Travels Around Australia
Australian / Book Reviews / Opinion Pieces / reading / The Latest / Travel

Bookish Travels Around Australia

I haven’t been able to do the blog post schedule that I like to keep here because I have been visiting my home country, Australia. If you’ve ever lived overseas, you know that visiting home is never quite a relaxing holiday. You spend half your time coordinating when to see people and the other half … Continue reading

10 Ways to Decolonise Your Bookshelf
Opinion Pieces / reading / The Latest

10 Ways to Decolonise Your Bookshelf

For those who have delved into post-colonial studies the phrase “decolonise the mind” might seem familiar. However, I also understand that post-colonial studies and indigenous studies around the globe are lacking, so there is a good chance you might not have come across this phrase. In my own words, I define decolonising the mind as … Continue reading

Life Lessons from Michelle Obama’s “Becoming”
African / American / Book Reviews / nonfiction / Opinion Pieces / reading / The Latest

Life Lessons from Michelle Obama’s “Becoming”

Michelle Obama’s memoir is a bestseller for all the right reasons. Regardless of your political affiliations and opinions, this book reflects a new era in politics. The lines between politicians and the contemporary notions of celebrities are becoming more and more blurred. The way that we consume, critique, and engage with politics and celebrities is … Continue reading

You Konmari-ed all your books, now what?
Opinion Pieces / reading / The Latest

You Konmari-ed all your books, now what?

Unless you have been living under a rock, you have heard about Marie Kondo and her tidying up as a way of life. Her two books on organising and cleaning have changed the way people structure their homes for good or for bad, depending on who you ask. Since the Netflix series came out, everyone … Continue reading