by Sophie Revell As a proclaimed Weird Girl in secondary school myself, I look upon the Weird Girl trope with pride and affection. Unlike other portrayals of women in media, Weird Girls are much more nuanced and accepted in film and literature ÔÇô but it hasnÔÇÖt always been this way. To understand the Weird Girl further, I looked to ÔÇÿThe TakeÔÇÖ on YouTube who divided … Continue reading The Weird Girl in Literature and Film
by Jess Macaulay. If you’re at all involved in the side of the book world where fantasy and romance exist or have found yourself on BookTok or even BookTube at some point, then it’s highly likely youÔÇÖve come across or at least heard of Sarah J Mass. A best-selling author with over 12 million copies of her books sold worldwide and translated into 37 languages, … Continue reading How to Start Reading Sarah J Maas
Shakespeare. WeÔÇÖve all been forced to study at least one of his plays whether we liked it or not. Though he was groundbreaking for his time and has undeniably had a huge influence on film and TV up until today, IÔÇÖm sure we can all agree that some of ShakespeareÔÇÖs plot choices are more than questionable. Today, two of our contributors are here to roast … Continue reading Roast a Shakespeare Play
Words by Neus Forner Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda is one of the key texts of LGBTQ+ literature out there and many enjoyed the book and the recent movie adaptation. If you, like us, want to delve more into LGBTQ+ literature and are looking for fun but emotive reads like Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda, this recommendation list is for you.┬á They Both … Continue reading If You Enjoyed Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda, Then You’ll Enjoy…
by Leah Hocking. This March, to celebrate WomenÔÇÖs History Month, which highlights and commemorates womenÔÇÖs contributions to history and society, IÔÇÖve put together a (non-exhaustive) recommendations list of books, by women and about women, which are perfect to read this month: Hood Feminism – Mikki Kendall As the front cover of this feminist non-fiction states, ÔÇÿHood FeminismÔÇÖ is an exploration of the important issues and … Continue reading Celebrate Women’s History Month with These 6 Books
by Alice Friel. For a book lover, thereÔÇÖs nothing quite like the feeling of complete submersion in a fictional world. Hours seem to pass like minutes as you greedily turn the pages, excited to discover more. We all have our favourite spot where we like to curl up with infinite cups of tea, content to pass whole days unmoving until youÔÇÖve finished your current read. … Continue reading English Literature Degrees: Does Studying Books Ruin Your Relationship with Them?
by Shivika Singh Popular culture has very often represented men and women as complete opposites to each other, who have strong conventional gender traits attached to them. While the practice of gender binarism in the media is almost systemic, the light in which it represents men and women is different, too. On one side, the typical male protagonist is heroic and masculine, unafraid to undertake … Continue reading The Girly Girl in Literature and Film
By Leah Hocking Sex, drugs, and rock and roll. ItÔÇÖs a phrase often used to describe the music scene in the 1970s, but it also aptly sums up the book Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid. The novel tells the story of a fictional band who shot to fame in the late 1970s, releasing a best- selling album and embarking on a … Continue reading Why was Daisy Jones & The Six such a hit?
Contributions by Neus Forner and Katie Waits. Neus Forner I am an avid merch collector for many of my book series, but as the huge Harry Potter fan I am, the majority of merch I own surrounds this magical world. IÔÇÖve collected a few bits and bobs from my travels to The Wizarding World in Universal Studios or the Studio Tour in London. I own … Continue reading Our Favorite Book Merch
by Clara Boon. This year I was a carer,This year I showed great strength,This year I was a worrier,This year I was scared to sit on a bench, This year I lost Clara,This year I didnÔÇÖt feel the same,This year I looked at who I used to be,Then tried to find her again, This year I was a hairdresser,A barber and a vet,This year we … Continue reading Auld Lang Sigh
The Journey is Home: Notes From a Life On The Edge is the latest book out by John Sam Jones. It follows his life from his childhood in Wales; to the decision to leave the UK with his husband after the Brexit result. Other books by Jones include Welsh Boys Too, Fishboys of Vernazza, and Crawling Through Thorns. I spoke to John about the new book, his life as a … Continue reading LGBT+ History Month: An Interview with author John Sam Jones
By Shannon Bowes-Cavanagh When the first of the Twilight saga movies were released in 2008 many teenagers rushed out to buy the Stephanie Meyer books. Whether you were an avid fan or not, everyone seemed to be caught up in the Twilight phenomenon. But why was it so popular among this generation? I think the main the reason that the books were so enticing to … Continue reading Why Twilight Captivated a Generation
By Kimberley Jones To my lover,In my whole lifetime I will never be able to express how much you mean to me,And I hope that my efforts will make you believe in our forever.Strange times have taken their toll on you and me,And has made it difficult for us to find happy memories from the year,But I have not given up, eternity we will be.I … Continue reading Poem – Valentine’s Surprise
by Phoebe Bowers. It heads a heavy breath An inhale exiled And awaiting Grey skies above the suspended bridge over the Severn. Rat infested. Bin bags out on the streets, their aborted insides exploded on the concrete. Terraced house terraced house terraced house terraced house terraced house. Fifty shades of brown, beige, and grey. Sunshine in the day. Thirty different corners bookended by your local … Continue reading Number 158
by Maja Metera ÔÇ£It canÔÇÖt be that simpleÔǪ – she thought to herselfÔÇØ┬á┬á- self-help books that changed my perspective on life If it was up to me ÔÇô I would probably send every single person for at least few therapy sessions as we do not live in a vacuum without influencing each otherÔÇÖs lives. In my opinion, psychotherapy helps not only understand ourselves better but … Continue reading Self-Help Books that Changed my Perspective on Life
Words by Catarina Vicente Image: Richmond Free Press When I read ÔÇÿThe Fault in Our StarsÔÇÖ, John Green was enjoying a newfound wave of popularity. There was a rush of adoration and praise towards the book-turned-movie, and any criticism the book received was ignored amidst a crush of positivity. For months after the movieÔÇÖs release, social media was awash with black and white photos of … Continue reading The Downfall of John Green
by Eve Davies. Literature is saturated with femme fatales: mysterious, seductive female characters whose charms ensnare men into their grasp. Her overt sexuality is her chief weapon, greed is her underlying desire, and her fate is bleak, without redemption. ItÔÇÖs a misogynistic archetype; some would say a product of the male crime writerÔÇÖs anxiety about his diminished standing in the literary landscape. To name a … Continue reading The Femme Fatale in Literature and Film
by Aruni Deraniyagala. Sitting at my desk, A hundred broken resolutions Empty pages Unopened books Staring at a wall, my mind wondering Painting pictures Writing stories A million other things IÔÇÖd rather be doing than Sitting here Imagining A million other lives I could be living right now Sleeping Eating Just messing around Music blaring in the background Coffee Chocolate I should be outside Dancing … Continue reading Exams; a poem
by Suraya Rumbold-Kazzuz Capricorn:┬á As a serious and independent person, Capricorns will often reach all of their goals and do everything they set out to do. These are some very admirable traits, but sometimes Capricorn you could do with some light-hearted fun. This is why the book┬áEverything I know about Love┬áby Dolly Alderton is great for you. The novel will feed your appetite for more … Continue reading Book Recommendations Based on Your Zodiac Sign
Jasmine Snow on Olive by Emma Gannon Olive is the debut novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author, Emma Gannon. Olive is about a woman of the same name, who is struggling to come to terms with the fact that she does not want children. As she does so, she reflects back on her University days which she spent with her three best friends and where they are today. Bea married young … Continue reading Quench’s Year in Books: 2020
