If you love books, then its a guarantee that a lot of your time will be outside of actual reading will be spent reading book reviews, buying books, talking about books with fellow book-worms…so what are the best apps to do this?   Read on for my favourite apps that will connect you with fellow readers and your next great page-turner!   For bookworms….   …Who love to track their reading   Goodreads Cost: Free Goodreads is the OG bookworm app. As well as a great place to keep track of what you’re reading, it can also help you connect with others who have the same taste in books as you do. You can also “follow” your favourites authors, and...

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While it’s always exciting when your favourite book gets made into a film, a TV is even better - usually at least 3 times as long, so it is more likely that they won’t cut up the book and omit important bits!   Here are my favourite book-to-TV picks - maybe some of your favourites are here, and maybe some new ones too.     Sanditon by Jane Austen Year: 2019-2023     Whilst everyone has seen the BBC miniseries of Pride & Prejudice, did you know Jane’s last unfinished novel was recently made into a TV show? Granted, since she didn’t finish it before she died, there is a hefty amount of story embellishment in order to fill a...

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As the writer once said, “Books really do furnish a room”. Bookshelves are a great way to show off your personality and tell visitors a little bit about who you are. But there is an art to styling bookshelves in a way that is both practical as well as pleasing to the eye. Shelves can be a way not only of storing your book collection but also to show off your favourite objects and ornaments. Whether you are a minimalist who prefers as few items of clutter as possible, or a maximalist who loves to collects trinkets, your bookshelves can tell a story to whomever walks in the door. And most importantly, it will make you smile every time you...

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1./ You’ve Got Mail (1998) While the premise might be about two people who fall in love over the early days of email, the other love story is about books. Based on the 1940 movie Shop Around the Corner, Meg Ryan runs a children’s bookstore that she inherited from her mother. It is everything you could want from a bookshop - cozy and inviting, filled with fairy lights, employees who love books…it is really the ideal independent bookshop. Meanwhile, she has no idea her email pen-pal is the director of Fox Books, the big-box store bookshop that is going to squash her little bookshop into the dust. If you haven’t seen it, don’t worry - it all works out in the end....

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Choosing a baby name can feel like an impossible task. It has to be unique, yet not so unique that it is unpronounceable or will make your child an object of ridicule in school. Names rise and fall in popularity, most usually a particular celebrity or tv show is dominating the headlines. One inspiration for naming your baby could be classic literature. Many of these names perfectly skirt the line between memorable and classic. Whilst they may not sound as modern or unique as the current trendy baby names, you can be sure that they will stand the test of time.   Anaïs Literary Inspiration: The French-Cuban Writer Anaïs Nin. French, pronounced Ah-nai-eece. Whilst it doesn’t have the easiest pronunciation,...

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Audiobooks are books too Yes, they are! Book purists might disagree, but audio is just another way of consuming books. The fact is that there are times in the day where we are otherwise occupied but are able to listen to audio. Maybe when you’re commuting, or working at your computer…make use of that time! Audible has an affordable monthly subscription with a free book token each month. You could even listen to some of your favourite books reading by famous actors. Audio recordings can really bring a story to life. So don’t let book-snobs put you off - audiobooks are great!   2. Take a book with you everywhere Haruki Murakami Quote Print. Shop Here Life involves more waiting...

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Ernest Hemingway - A Moveable Feast   Oysters and white wine "As I ate the oysters with their strong taste of the sea and their faint metallic taste that the cold white wine washed away, leaving only the sea taste and the succulent texture, and as I drank their cold liquid from each shell and washed it down with the crisp taste of the wine, I lost the empty feeling and began to be happy and to make plans." A Moveable Feast Quote Print If you’re not a fan of shellfish, this passage in Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast might just change your mind. Even if you’re not convinced, you will come away from this paragraph feeling like you were with...

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Movie adaptations of books can be hit or miss. This is especially painful for book lovers, who wince to see their favourite novels desecrated by a terrible movie version. But adaptations of classic books have been truly spectacular, loved by many who have not ever read the books.   What makes a good adaptation? Some movies stick closely to the original story and soak up the magic of the source material. Others, such as some on our list, only take the basic plot and create something else entirely.   Read on for our top 5 movie adaptations, and comment with your own favourites below!     Pride and Prejudice (2005) Austen die-hards will insist that the only acceptable version is...

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When it comes to children’s literature, you can’t beat the classics. Each generation gets a chance to explore the world of Narnia or experience seeing the world through Matilda or Jo March’s eyes. Even if you’re an adult reader, don’t discount the delight of returning to your old favourites - they are classics for a reason!   Read on for our top 5 classic children’s books….     The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett The Secret Garden’s young protagonist is sent away to live with her frosty uncle after the death of her family. Alone in a crumbling mansion in Yorkshire, she is told by a chambermaid of a secret garden, untouched since the death of her uncle’s wife....

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‘Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.’   Du Maurier’s name is synonymous with some of the greatest works of fiction - twisted gothic romances, psychological horror, nail-biting thrillers…she paved the way for the type of novels we know and love today.   Her books and short stories have been made into countless films and tv shows, including Rebecca, The Birds and Don’t Look Now. And despite her death over thirty years ago, reader’s love for Du Maurier shows no sign of slowing down - in 2021 a new adaptation of Rebecca came out, introducing a whole new generation of readers to this masterpiece of manipulation and plotting.   Daphne (right) and her two sisters   Daphne was...

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