Thoughts of a Bookworm #2: I am a book addict

Throughout my reading life, there has always been something that has made me happy beyond measure. It's the feeling which I get from buying and collecting and placing new books on my shelf. It is even that great excitement when I have gone into my favourite bookshop and be able to walk around to buying that book that I've been eying up after half an hour browsing.

But then the pandemic happened and my reading habits changed for the worst.

At first, when the lockdown was first announced, everything was fine. I still had my last year studies at university, which were coming to a close and I had my sister with me. So, I would say I was pretty lucky compared to some of the other people that were facing the same problem of the pandemic. It is only when I finished my degree and began looking for a new job it seems my life took a little spiral and I have only come to realise this in the last few months.

Then the book requests started to enter my inbox. The inbox that I haven't looked at in over a year due to being so busy. And it was amazing at first, I was back in my element among all the things that I truly love. I had this outlet to take away some of the troubles of the present and the future.

It is only then that I had discovered Netgalley. If you don't know what NetGalley is, it is this amazing platform that reviewers, booksellers etc. can use to get early eARCS of upcoming releases for a review. As you probably will have noticed this has become one of my go-to places to get upcoming releases for blog content. That was when my love became an obsession. It wasn't just about reading books to provide reviews but having one leg up in reading the newest releases before they even came out. But the difference is that it's digital and all backed up to my phone and ereader. The real problem was Twitter.

I love Book Twitter with all my heart. It is a great community and allows for you to jump in and out, as well as keeping up with the latest book content from the publishing world. I truly love some of the people with who I follow and interact. They are amazing people and I look up to them and admire what they have done for the community. The only problem is that they tend to showcase physical books. And if any true reader understands, once you have your heart set on it, that is all your money gone without a second thought. I think I might have spent hundreds of pounds since I first entered this book space. I know what you're thinking, ouch.

So, I bet you're starting to think what happens now? How should I go about recovering from this form of shopping addiction even though it is the only thing that is keeping me sane right now? For one, I need to think about what I already have. Currently, as it stands, I have counted 247 books on my TBR pile. Most of these have been bought in the last year as a way to curb my boredom. But things are changing in little ways and looking up and I've decided that instead of buying books I will be adding a pound to my savings for every book I have read off my TBR pile. I know that this is not a way of recovering the money that I have spent, but it is a motivation to use what is already in front of me.

Are you an addict? Do you love books so much that it has taken over your life like mine? You are not alone.

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...