I’ve listened to a lot of audiobooks over the past couple of years; they’re the only way I can read when I’m feeling burnt out, exhausted or unwell. I usually borrow them from my local library via Libby or BorrowBox, but I got the below via NetGalley, which enables booksellers, press and reviewers to preview books. Here’s what I thought of them. I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jeanette McCurdy, narrated by Jeanette McCurdy I’m Glad My Mom Died shows just how much we don’t know about famous people, despite what we may think. You might remember Jeanette McCurdy from Nickelodeon’s iCarly and, perhaps bec ..read more

I’ve listened to a lot of audiobooks over the past couple of years; they’re the only way I can read when I’m feeling burnt out, exhausted or unwell. I usually borrow them from my local library via Libby or BorrowBox, but I got the below via NetGalley, which enables booksellers, press and reviewers to preview books. Here’s what I thought of them. Lucie Yi is Not a Romantic by Lauren Ho, narrated by Cindy Lay I love a romantic comedy; they’re perfect for all seasons and for getting out of reading ruts. Lucie Yi is Not a Romantic is about (surprise!) Lucie: late 30s, broke up with her boyfriend ..read more

Morningside and Brunsfield are two affluent neighbourhoods in south Edinburgh. I’m biased, but I think it’s one of the best places in the city. I’m lucky to have the long and vibrant high street as my local, and so I thought I’d recommend nine great coffee shops in the area. There are many, many more, but this is a good start. I’ve also linked to their Instagram accounts, so you can enjoy even more photos of delicious coffee and food. Honeycomb & Co. Honeycomb & Co is a modern eatery serving brunch – or you can just visit for coffee and a slice of cake. They serve interesting coffees a ..read more

It’s time to put on Taylor Swift’s Red, light some candles, and curl up with a spooky book! Lucy at The Book Belle is running the Cosy Autumn Readathon from Friday 22nd to Sunday 24th October, and I’m planning to join in. I picked out some cosy books that I could potentially read – this is sequel to last year’s post, 8 autumnal books that you should read right now. Bridge of Souls by Victoria Schwab Where there are ghosts, Cassidy Blake follows. This is the third book in Victoria Schwab’s ghostly middle grade series, Cassidy Blake. The first two books are City of Ghosts and Tunnel of Bones, se ..read more

I’ve been listening to a lot of audiobooks this year. I listen to them via Libby or BorrowBox, which means they’re borrowed from my local library, or via NetGalley. I tend to read one book and listen to one audiobook at the same time. It especially helps if one’s fiction and one’s non-fiction. Here are my thoughts on a few audiobooks I’ve enjoyed so far this year. The Outrun by Amy Liptrot, narrated by Tracy Wiles This was my first book of the year. I chose it after hearing positive things about The Outrun since it was published in 2015. I loved Amy’s story, read empathetically by Tracy Wiles ..read more

I’m really loving medical memoirs right now, especially audiobooks (borrowed from my library), which are narrated by the author. I got into them a few years ago after reading Adam Kay’s This is Going to Hurt (as everyone did!) but this January I read three, and want more and more! Here are five (three that I’ve read and two that are on my wishlist) that you should pick up if you want to delve into the wonderfully messy, emotional, and often distressing world of medicine. Hard Pushed: A Midwife’s Story by Leah Hazard Leah Hazard is a truly incredible person. Hard Pushed begins with a very uncom ..read more

Since May, I’ve been in a bit of reading slump, so I didn’t get to pick up any Christmassy books before the 25th. It’s a shame because they’re one of my favourite types of books, and I look forward to reading them every year. Today, I woke up to snow in Edinburgh, so I’ve decided that it’s not too late! If you’re looking for some festive reads yourself, here are some that I hope I get to read whilst it’s still snowing. All I Want for Christmas by Beth Garrod Elle is a social media influencer. But sometimes online attention isn’t all it seems, so she decides to swap places with one of her ..read more

As soon as it turned 1st September, I was all ready to curl up with a book and a blanket. I had a look through my TBR and picked out some autumnal books – and I thought I’d share them with you too! The Haunting of Aveline Jones by Phil Hickes This spooky middle grade mystery sounds perfect for Halloween. Aveline Jones loves reading ghost stories, so a dreary half-term becomes much more exciting when she discovers a spooky old book. Not only are the stories spine-tingling, but it once belonged to Primrose Penberthy, who vanished mysteriously, never to be seen again. Intrigued, Aveline decides t ..read more

Pretending by Holly Bourne Trigger warning: sexual assault and rape. April hates men. Well, all right, she doesn’t hate men. But she does hate the way they make her feel, especially her abusive ex-partner. Pretending is essentially April’s personal journey to being able to deal with her past trauma. The sexual assault had a profound effect on her; it affects her relationships, how she copes with work, and how she thinks about herself. Going on dates with men who treat her badly is absolutely not helping, so she’s had enough. April decides to date and portray herself as Gretel – a woman who’s c ..read more

Over the past few weeks, many booklovers have listened, learned, and taken action on their unconscious bias, particularly in regards to reading diversely. It’s essential that we read about diverse experiences and amplify the voices of the people telling them. I’ve highlighted below seven books written by Black authors who write stories about the lives of Black teenagers. Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo This is Elizabeth Acevedo’s latest verse novel, told in dual narrative. It’s about Camino Rios and Yahaira Rios, sisters who discover each other’s existence when their father dies in a p ..read more