Let’s Talk: Can being a book reviewer ruin the overall enjoyment of reading?

Posted on January 22, 2017January 5, 2018 by Ashleigh

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The discussion posts are back! …sort of.

Towards the end of last year, I gave the weekly discussion posts a break. Having run them for a year, I was running out of ideas, and had too many other posts that could easily take their place. And so, coming into the new year, I’ve cut my blogging schedule down. Though it might not seem like it yet, because I’m still frantically catching up with book reviews. But anyway. The new schedule is reviews on Wednesdays, and random posts Sundays – including discussions. So the discussion posts will just arrive as the ideas do!

Anyway, the first discussion post of the year is kind of one to reflect on…

Can being a book reviewer ruin the overall enjoyment of reading?

Continue reading Let’s Talk: Can being a book reviewer ruin the overall enjoyment of reading?

Hollow City by Ransom Riggs | A lot of mighty handy conveniences, but fun to journey through anyway

Posted on January 6, 2017December 29, 2016 by Ashleigh

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Another reread for this year, to finally finish the series.

I was actually surprised by how much I forgot in this book. Because I basically forgot everything. Like, even the main, huge plot twist. Somehow they all vanished from my mind, dropping through the nooks and crannies without me even realising. So it was probably a good job I actually reread this book before going on to finish the final one. Lord knows it wouldn’t have made sense without doing so.

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Let’s talk about Hollow City!

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Title: Hollow City

Author: Ransom Riggs

Publisher: Quirk Books

Series Status: The 2nd book in the Miss Peregrine’s trilogy

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 428

Continue reading Hollow City by Ransom Riggs | A lot of mighty handy conveniences, but fun to journey through anyway

When a psychological thriller just turns way too ridiculous for me…The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Posted on December 19, 2016December 15, 2016 by Ashleigh

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Since it’s December, I thought I’d finish off at least just one more series before the end of the year and get that little last boost towards my 2016 resolution to finish some of the series I’d started.

And once again, that feeling seems to have hit where I’m going off SO many series/books this year. If you saw my reviews for the previous two books, you’ll know they have quite generous ratings. This one…well…

spoiler-free

Let’s talk about The Retribution of Mara Dyer!

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Title: The Retribution of Mara Dyer

Author: Michelle Hodkin

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Series Status: The 3rd book in the Mara Dyer trilogy

Genre: Young Adult, Psychological Thriller, Supernatural, Mystery

Number of Pages: 470

Continue reading When a psychological thriller just turns way too ridiculous for me…The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Let’s Talk: Should Publishers do more to acknowledge the work of book bloggers?

Posted on December 14, 2016January 5, 2018 by Ashleigh

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Well guys, here we are. The last discussion post of the year!

…which might actually confuse you all slightly, since I upload them every Wednesday and this is very obviously not the last Wednesday of the year. BUT after uploading a discussion post every single week for a year, I’ve come to the point where ideas are running low. So A Frolic Through Fiction is taking a li’l break from it’s weekly discussions – and with the amount of posts coming from me this December (trust me, there’s A LOT), what better time for the break than now? But don’t you worry, they’ll be back early 2017. Just need some time off to think of new topics!

And so we get to this week’s topic, inspired by the recent BEA changes.

Should publishers do more to appreciate the work of book bloggers?

Continue reading Let’s Talk: Should Publishers do more to acknowledge the work of book bloggers?

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor | A weird & wonderful world that I have no chance of describing to you

Posted on December 5, 2016December 3, 2016 by Ashleigh

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November seems to have been the month where I made my way through a lot of books I’d been meaning to get to for nearly a year. Example number 4 (after Stars Above, Between Shades of Gray and After You): Daughter of Smoke and Bone!

I GET IT. I FINALLY GET IT.

I get why everyone seems to know this book. Why it’s surrounded with hype.

And finally, I can be a part of that.

spoiler-free

Let’s talk about Daughter of Smoke and Bone!

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Title: Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Author: Laini Taylor

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Series Status: The 1st book in the DoSaB trilogy

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Number of Pages: 418

Continue reading Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor | A weird & wonderful world that I have no chance of describing to you

Let’s Talk: Do you read reviews of books you haven’t read? Or haven’t heard of?

Posted on November 30, 2016January 5, 2018 by Ashleigh

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It’s Wednesday, and we all know what that means…another discussion kinda post!

You’d think by now I’d have figured out how to start these posts. Every other post I’m relatively OK with, but discussions? Nope.

Now. I’m pretty sure we can all relate to the fact that reviews…just never seem as popular compared to other blog posts. Right? I honestly get so surprised if one of my reviews has a fair few comments and likes. And it’s understandable. Where reviews only focus on one book and one person’s opinion of it, other posts talk about more books, or just something relating to being a bookworm in general. So, at the best of times, reviews are overlooked.

But does it change depending on the book being reviewed?

Would you read a review of a book you’ve not read…or not heard of?

Continue reading Let’s Talk: Do you read reviews of books you haven’t read? Or haven’t heard of?

Let’s Talk: When are you classed as a “reviewer”? How do you decide which books to review?

Posted on November 16, 2016January 5, 2018 by Ashleigh

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Ready for a two-pronged sort of discussion, everyone?

I personally find these questions really interesting (obviously, otherwise I wouldn’t write an entire post about it). I love knowing how other people go through their reviewing process, but I never thought to much about the process of choosing which books to review. Everyone does it differently. And how often do you have to review to be classed as a “reviewer”?

Well, let’s talk…

Continue reading Let’s Talk: When are you classed as a “reviewer”? How do you decide which books to review?

October Wrap Up – The one where October doesn’t exist and I become a bear cub

Posted on October 30, 2016October 30, 2016 by Ashleigh

october

Okayy, but did October actually exist?

I’ve been thinking it September for the past month, and now suddenly we’re going into November…WHAT?! It’s nearly Christmas! ~~(Yes, I’m THAT sort of person)~~

Weirdly enough, October just felt like it didn’t exist. I have a strange feeling that I didn’t read that much, even though this wrap up shows I very obviously did. October for me was just a vague noticing of the leaves changing colour and the temperature dropping rapidly. Lord knows what I did for the rest of it.

But here we are at my wrap up for the month, so let’s find out!

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There’s also a video version of this Wrap Up on my booktube channel, where I go into my thoughts on the books a little more. Click here to check it out!

Continue reading October Wrap Up – The one where October doesn’t exist and I become a bear cub

Blue Sun by Tracy Abrey | The story of a stubborn science girl being forced to believe in folklore

Posted on September 30, 2016September 26, 2016 by Ashleigh

A folklore story set in the Isle of Man? Count me in!

And that was probably about as far as my thoughts went when considering whether to accept this review or not. And here we are today 🙂

You know the drill by now…

Let’s talk about Blue Sun!

Title: Blue Sun

Author: Tracy Abrey

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Series Status: The 1st in a series

Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy

Number of Pages: 360

Continue reading Blue Sun by Tracy Abrey | The story of a stubborn science girl being forced to believe in folklore

Let’s Talk: Which do you prefer – booktube or book blogs?

Posted on September 28, 2016January 5, 2018 by Ashleigh

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The bookish community has taken over social media. WE WILL RIIIIISSSEEEE. We’re everywhere.

But where is it most people go? Well, usually it’s either book blogs or booktube. If a bookworm wants to start their own little bookish corner on the internet, it’s usually one or the other – or both.

Aimee over at lovelybookloves inspired this discussion, when she ran this poll on twitter:

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Because when I went to vote, I actually had to stop and think for a moment. Think about what I love about each, compare them to each other, and how often I spend on each. So here’s the discussion!