Thoughts of a Bookworm #1: Why reading feels more trendy than it used to be.

We have all been there, seeing that one book that has been advertised everywhere. It’s been on the telly, on Twitter, Instagram and everywhere in between. So surely, this means that owning it means that we are part of the club? But somehow, no matter how hard we try, life seems to always get in front of our reading goals.

Recently, I was on social media and it seemed to me that there was some sort of favouritism to specific books. This doesn't take away how important or brilliant pieces of work they are, but maybe they have become too overrated in a short time frame? What if the people that are reviewing these types of books have become a little too biased? After all, they have all become well read in those types of genres and have probably read all the tropes that come with it.

However, I think that one of the reasons books are more on trend is Instagram (something which is a rabbit hole in itself and I'm not proud of falling into it so quickly). It seems like books are now getting the filter treatment like some of us do to our own faces because we don't feel confident in our own skins. How did we really get to this point? I don't think that I have ever seen an ugly book in all my life that it needs a primp. Whether it be tanned by the sun, crinkled by water, or has a smattering of notes inside them. These examples tell just as many tales about the books existence as well as the story within it. Why erase something that is profound at showing a human's own journey through literature?

I think that it is important to talk about how different a bookworm was before all social media and the focus of the story, rather than simply just a cover. As it seems like now more than ever there is a unspoken competition to see who has the best cover out of their competitors. Doesn't this just bring us back to the lesson that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. But I'm not sure if these days this lesson is used or ignored.

Don't get me wrong, I love books and I don't really care that much if people are picking up more books than ever since lockdown. In fact, I welcome it. It is lovely to see more people to talk about particular plot points that I wasn't able to talk about before. But maybe we should look at the whole picture of how the industry is changing how books are consumed because of this. Either way, these thoughts are not an attack on anyone, that be a reader, reviewer, author or publisher, it is just my way as a bookworm to try and make more sense of the book world and my thoughts.

Comments

Just the Two of Us (Book 2) by Ryu Hyang

SYNOPSIS Soohyuk, a pediatric emergency medicine specialist, came to Korea in search of his birth parents, wanting to sort through the muddled darkness of his past. When he met Yuna, an anxious cook, he didn't expect to fall in love. Yuna has struggled all her life to trust men after an incident in her past and spends all her time doting upon her nephew and pursuing her one true love: cooking. The last thing she expected when she met Soohyuk was that she would want to move in with him. Both took a leap of faith and found happiness. Now, it seems certain they were meant for each other. Yet, navigating the twists and turns of a real relationship proves more difficult than either of them expected. Yuna fears what her brother will say when he finds out she's living with Soohyuk. and she grapples with the changes brought on by her young nephew's recent medical diagnosis. Meanwhile, Soohyuk is tied up working hours on end at S University Hospital, fending off the hospital direc...

Blog Tour: The Beast Hunters Dark Sovereign by Christer Lende

REVIEW So we are back in the world of the Beast Hunters for a sophomore instalment where we see Ara, Khendric and Topper back on another adventure. But this time with a difference. Instead of the world building from the previous book, we get to delve into a mystery with darkness starting to make pace in the background. We meet new characters, some good and some not so much. Not only do we have the overarching themes of beasts but also political intrigue and secretive plots. It is far more intricate than the previous instalment where the characters are making decisive and confident choices. Especially for our fave apprentice, Ara. If you want to get away from the current world affairs, this book will serve as an escape from reality. What these last two books do remind me of however, is a tv show. Why I say this is because it felt kind of episodic but they both have reinvented themselves with different themes. I found this to be quite good actually. This is because it feels l...

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

I know that this has been a review which has been a long time in the making. Especially when I received the books back in August last year. So I guess, that is quite a long time. But as some of you may already know, they all pack a punch as to how big they all are in pages! So, to put you all out of your misery, here is the long-awaited review for 'The Lost Symbol'. YAY! The main plotline is based around the organisation called the Freemasons, which throughout the years have had quite a bit of controversy. Not because they may have done something immoral, but rather that no one really knows what they actually do - except for Freemasons of course. People say that they are a secret organisation. But, that is completely and utterly incorrect. They are simply an organisation with secrets. Otherwise if they are a secret organisation, why do people know that Freemasonry actually exists, rather than a conspiracy? Anyway, onto the review I go! The omniscient narrator had a m...