Ginge Reads

For any bookworms with a bookcase that is, frankly, getting out of hand, there is a perfect UK website that has recently been absolutely bossing the game. Need to get rid of some old books? Want to swap them out for some newer titles? Then y ou'll find your newest bookish obsession with  Bookswap UK. Bookswap UK is a fantastic website that lets you swap your unwanted books for another's second-hand ones, simply by paying for postage. For every book you send, you get a point to use on a book for yourself - it's as easy as that! 1 point = 1 book for you! Curate a wishlist so that you can get notified when a particular book becomes available for swapping, and browse the most popular swapped books for a bit of inspiration. Books are easy to post out through Hermes, and its a brilliant and economical way to refresh your shelves! @bookswapuk on Instagram Photo credits: @catchmewritingwordy For anyone new to the site, here are our top tips to help you get the most out of Bookswap...

So long 2020! With the year we've just had, I think we can safely say that we all deserve some TLC in the form of new books. And this year there are some absolute crackers due to be released. Whether you're into fantasy or non-fiction, series or standalones, it's time to break that book ban! January (26th) A Vow So Bold and Deadly (The Cursebreaker Series #3) -  Bridgid Kemmerer Bridgid Kemmerer's heart-pounding saga comes to a thrilling climax as two kingdoms come closer and closer to conflict - and an old enemy resurfaces who could destroy them all. Bloomsbury PLC , Paperback £6.39 on Amazon.com February (4th) The Gilded Ones - Namina Forna Set in a West African-inspired Ancient Kingdom under oppressive rule, Forna's breathtaking novel follows sixteen-year-old Deka and her quest to discover her destiny as a near-immortal with magical powers Usborne Publishing , Paperback £7.37 on Amazon.com (16th) A Court of Silver Flames - Sarah J. Maas Bloomsbury PLC In this hi...

Whether you're an avid reader, curious about a rave review or you just pick up the occasional book once every year, it is likely that you will have heard of (or even have an account with) Goodreads. But more recently, another website has begun to take over, and for good reason. Goodreads is an American-based book cataloguing site, where users can track their reading habits, write reviews and generally discuss the world of books. It is a wonderful place for book nerds to get recommendations and connect with bookish friends, and it has become quite prestigious in recent years.  Initially launched back in 2007, the site is now owned by Amazon and has approximately 80 million worldwide users . But with recent movements away from Amazon (particularly on platforms such as Instagram's Bookstagram ), a new website is stealing the spotlight, and it is better than ever. The StoryGraph  The StoryGraph is another bookish social media site, but which has infinitely better features. It...

Photo by John Michael Thomson on Unsplash Bookshops, charity shops and kindle stores. There are so many different places to buy your books nowadays that it can get a little overwhelming. And with the increase in sellers, there ultimately always comes an increase in competition and huge variation in prices * . But lately, the simple task of buying a book has been called into ethical questioning, and it seems more important than ever that we are purchasing from the right people.  In a recent poll on Instagram's Bookstagram , over half of the participants said that their current go-to book seller is Amazon, the American multinational technology company. On average, their book prices are far below that of the standard RRP even with delivery costs taken into account. And each week, Amazon also drops the prices of a number of its books for a day or two, meaning the final price you pay as a consumer is normally very little. It is no surprise then, that so many choose them as their prefer...

It's a sad thing to admit that when someone hears tell of a Young Adult novel, oftentimes their mind immediately flicks to unrealistic portrayals of teen romance, love-sick vampires or schoolboy pranksters. The mere mention that a book might be more suitable for a young person seems to ring all sorts of alarm bells. Yet Holly Jackson breaks all the stereotypes with her debut novel, A Good Girl's Guide to Murder. The story follows Pip, a young A-grade student, as she undertakes a school project like no other: 5 years ago, Andie Bell went missing, presumed murdered. Everyone knows that Sal Singh did it, he even wrote his confession before taking his own life. But Pip cannot bring herself to believe this. Too many of the facts don't add up and she can't let a murderer continue to run loose in Little Kilton... Jackson cleverly combines all the best parts of a heart-racing thriller without the need for gory details and profanity. Her book will keep you constantly on the edg...

If the world is my oyster then I must have an allergy to shellfish. And I don't mean to sound a cynic, Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash But my head is a prison with just the occasional conjugal visit. So I don't want to waste myself with things much bigger than those on the bookshelf. Been there, done that, but the t-shirt was just too tight For a loner with paperback eyes. Now I’m left To think and thoughts and less wuthering of heights Where conversational stares can’t hurt me. Crack the spine. I’m running through pages, splitting their seams, Stalking fiction and forgetting dreams. Paper-faced friends with inky backs are enough to escape the world and its crap While the monsters of the mind Refuse to fall quiet. I ’m not waving, I’m drowning, Frowning, clowning, counting down the days, While stone cold stoned, the world watch away.