Ginge Reads

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...

- By Bethany Lamb // Edited by Emily Holtom At the beginning of lockdown, every book-lover raced to finally clear their to-read piles, no doubt relishing the time to finally delve into the stories they'd been saving for a rainy day. It's now 3 months later and we're still mostly indoors (let's not get into that), and a lot of people have stopped reaching for a book to fill their days. Whether they've finally run out of titles, they're lost for inspiration or they simply can't stare at a page any longer, the answer to the boredom is simple: podcasts. Free to listen to and effortless to enjoy, book podcasts could be the perfect way to add another literary element to our lockdown timetables. So when you need to know what to read next (and you've exhausted The Lockdown Library ), you need another form of literary-based entertainment or you're just dying to hear opinions on the book you've just finished, here are 11 podcasts to try. Featuring:   Whe...

Earlier this month, a rare hardback edition of J.K Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone , sold for £33,000 after being found and recovered from a school skip. The copy was one of only 500 first edition hardbacks printed of the 1997 book, which well succeeded its estimated price of between £8,000 and £12,000 at the online auction on 21st May. It is the third copy found by Hanson's Auctioneers in the last 12 months. Alongside several other paperback books from the series, the anonymous seller rescued the copies in 2008 from a skip at the Buckinghamshire school where she used to work. According to the 65 year old teacher, the school was in the process of throwing away tatty books in preparation for an Ofsted inspection, something which was a fairly regular occurrence. She said: "I love books and reading and it just seemed awful to throw them away, so I picked up about five Harry Potter books. I thought they might be useful for my children or grandchildren i...

I hope everyone is staying safe and sane during these troubled times. I just wanted to hop on to wish everyone well. In such uncertain times it is important to support each other to make our lives a little bit more colourful, just like those rainbows that have been brightening up our homes. So in this spirit, if you would like to request a short piece of poetry, or simply have an idea for a good theme on which to base a piece of writing, do get in touch! I’m more than happy to write a personal piece for family members and loved ones. Alternatively, if there’s something about the world of literature which you’ve always wanted to know about, or there’s an issue that you feel isn’t discussed enough, I’d like to hear from you too! Let’s use this spare time to do something great. Stay home, protect the NHS, save lives. Emily x

Photo by Danny on Unsplash With so many countries being on lockdown due to the recent pandemic (let’s say no more), it’s no wonder that people have turned to books for a bit of comfort. Not only do they help pass the time, but for a moment, books help you to escape from the worry and chaos of the real world and transport you to a happier place. Yet for many people who usually spend their days at the office or studying and don’t have much time to sit down with a good book, it can be difficult to know what to read. So for that moment when you’ve gone through all the old faithfuls, here is a little list of tried and tested favourites, all of which are available on kindle.  Fiction: On the Other Side - Carrie Hope Fletcher When Evie Snow reaches the door of her own private heaven, she finds that she must lighten her soul before she can enter. She embarks on the journey of a lifetime, learning more about life and love than she ever thought possible. A beautiful, easy read tha...

'Birmingham Canals' Photo by Jimmy Guano via Wikimedia Commons Brummie born and Brummie bred – No one’s uprooted this household For generations. A heritage That spans, all told, Years and years on end. A nation in its own right, With rock music in the blood And spitfires in the soul. We travel the world despite Never leaving. More canals than Venice, Which wind through the streets And around the back doors Of a very German market. Now what’s mine is yours When it’s Shakespeare And his whole country just down the road. We’ve no need for Spanish When a bronzed-up bull does all the fighting And the accent speaks for itself. A little further, roam To India, where spices warm the air In a hearty curry, Then migrate to Tolkein’s Hobbit home That’s based on our own Mosely Bog. You see, even in fantasy, A Brummie stays put.

Photo by Timothy Eberly on Unsplash Watch the greens blush in crimson hues, Drunk off summer's waned warmth. Kisses on windburned cheeks That dim an African sunset  Are stained with autumn's whispers. And leaves The colour of her eyes Are wakened by the crispness of the October morn. The world reflected in a single raindrop Carrying her shy smile. Keep these moments between the pages They are not pressed leaves, They will not crumble.

Photo by Andrei Bocan on Unsplash As a speaker of both English and French, it is unsurprising that I might read for pleasure in either language. As many  multi-linguists will know, reading in your non-native language is an excellent way to maintain it, but it also provides a unique entry into whole other aspects of literature, including poetry and drama, that might otherwise be hidden. So why shouldn't others also read in a language that they may not necessarily understand? Many of us are quite content to listen to Spanish pop-songs and pay good money to see an Italian opera, so surely this in itself is evidence of the beauty of the words alone. Lyrical melodies, satisfying rhymes and clever stress patterns please the ears enough that they become number 1 hits or box-office sell-outs without the need for them to be totally understood. And then of course there are those who frequently wear French sayings on their t-shirts, without any indication or understanding of what they ...