Tag: 2020

2020 reading challenge – mid-year check in

Published on by Arabella3 Comments

Well we’re past the half way point of 2020. Congratulations, it’s been quite a year so far.

Like many book lovers I decided to take part in the Goodreads reading challenge. It’s the first year I’ve ever participated with the challenge, I’m slightly ashamed to say that until December, Goodreads wasn’t even on my radar (not sure how I managed to miss it).

I set myself the goal to read 20 books this year. I fully understand that this may seen low for a book blogger and to start off with I was pretty ashamed about it. I’ve seen many bloggers who have 50-70 books as their goal, and then there’s me with a measly 20. However, over the year I’ve began to lessen some of the insecurity of it. At the end of the day I’m dyslexic and have Irlens… I can’t exactly read fast.

Anyway, with us past the mid year mark now is a good time to reflect on how I’d doing reading and if I’m on track.

Continue reading “2020 reading challenge – mid-year check in” →

Dear Social Media, lets break up

Published on by Arabella4 Comments

Dear Social Media.

I’ve known you for a while and I can say that I can’t stand you. Hate feels like too strong of a word and anyway, if I truly hated you then why do I spend so much time with you?

I guess you’re something I love to hate.

I don’t know what it is about you, maybe it’s the way you keep me entertained, maybe it’s the way you show me adventures and beautiful places I would have never imagined existed. Maybe its the funny cat videos and the cute puppies that bring a smile to my face. Maybe it’s the dopamine rush I get from people liking a picture of mine.

No matter what it is, I can’t seem to put you down.

You make me feel connected, yet I’ve never been so lonely. I can’t remember the last time I spoke to some of the people on my news feed. I don’t send them a text, I won’t meet them for coffee, why should I? I only have to scroll and I know everything they’ve done for the past year. But hours of scrolling makes me seem dull, friends I once knew pose for a photo and my loneliness only grows. I have a fear of missing out because of you. Continue reading “Dear Social Media, lets break up” →

My favorite read of 2019 – Branches

Published on by Arabella3 Comments

Since starting university I’ve read so many great books… and some not too great ones. But rather surprisingly my favorite read of this year wasn’t a part of my required reading. In my poetry class we had the opportunity to chose what collection we wanted to analyse and review. Without any hesitation I told my professor that I was going to chose Branches by Rhiannon McGavin. I didn’t even own the collection at the time, I had to order it as soon as I got back to my flat.

I’d come across Rhiannon’s work via YouTube, she has a channel called The Geeky Blond where she shares not only her poetry but general life chatter. She’s one of the people who influenced me to become a poet. I’m not sure if it’s her personality or delivery of her work that I enjoy more but either way she’s a joy to watch.

Branches is everything I love about her work, it’s the perfect poetry collection in my eyes, every poem is a pleasure to read. When reading it I have the book in one hand and a pencil in the other. Ideas I’ve had whilst reading the poems are scribbled in the margins. Some pages have big stars in the corners for the ones I really love. Words are underlined and stanzas and circled. Continue reading “My favorite read of 2019 – Branches” →