A quick hello...

This is a quick hello and a few 'thank you's' and a little update really.


Firstly, thanks again to all the lovely folk who have kindly read review books and written guest reviews of them for the blog, which it's been great to share over the last few weeks or so, and thank you to the authors who've shared guest posts and taken part in interviews. 


Thank you too to Jane at Booketta's Book Blog for the One Lovely Blog Award nomination and Jacqui at Jacqui Wine's Journal for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award nomination, both very gratefully and happily received. I will try and pass them on soon. 


I've not updated the blog much lately with what I've been reading myself, or with book reviews of my own; I've found I haven't been able to write much of one for a while, for various reasons. I've been trying to write a post about why for a while now, and I keep starting it, changing it, starting again, and then getting frustrated and leaving it, then coming back. In the end I just wanted to post something, so even if this doesn't go into too much detail, it will at least be a little bit of an update.

Basically, I've ended up cutting back on blogging time recently. I got to a stage where I was finding the amount of reading and posting, that I felt had become a bit of a requirement, was becoming excessive, and when you're at the point of lying awake worrying about your book blog and the piles of books that are all demanding to be read and reviewed and end up in tears, something's not right is it? It was affecting my health negatively; such a shame as blogging had started for me as a happy hobby and something to help me with my low mood and self-esteem. But I was putting so many other people and other things above my own wellbeing. Also worrying me was the thought of all the lovely books I've bought over recent years, that I had really wanted to read, that are still sitting on my bookshelves unread.

Apologies to anyone I have let down by not reviewing your book. And I am incredibly grateful for the books that I have had the opportunity to read which I might not have otherwise discovered. I was very keen when I started blogging and never realised how overwhelming it could become if I didn't keep on top of it. I wanted to help and support authors and I thought I could please all of the people all of the time but I wasn't looking after myself. 

So many people have said to me that reading ought to be for pleasure and not be a chore or a pressure. If this means that I can't read every new book going right now and I can't manage to review stacks of new books and try to please all of the people all of the time etc then that might have to be how it is, because it's darn hard trying to do that, and then it's not always met with thanks, which can be dispiriting. 

A few events in recent months have focused me a bit, for the better hopefully. And I've come to the conclusions that, if I'm not enjoying a book, and I've given it a darn good try, it's ok to give up without finishing it. And also that I don't want to put off any longer reading books I have been looking forward to. Life is too short and there are too many books that I'd like to read. 

I had the aim of writing honest, intelligent reviews of books I wanted to read, and I hope I did manage that, at least sometimes. I still hope to post on the blog when I can, but I'm not sure how frequent this will be or how in depth the posts might be when they do appear. I hope some folk will stick with me and pop back now and then to see if I am still here :) In the meantime I'll keep reading the blogs I enjoy, there are some wonderful book blogs and book tubers and a great community out there, and I'll keep following and commenting as much as I can. 

So basically I am trying to rediscover my love of reading, for pleasure, relaxation, enjoyment and discovery, and I am trying to look after myself better and improve my health. And so far, so good. 

Something I read recently (via Blurt Foundation) that I need to listen to:

Be true to you, make sure your needs are being met, make sure you're receiving the help you so need and deserve before helping others. It's not selfish to do so. It's vital to your wellbeing.

Help yourself to feel better and you'll have so much more to give.

P.S. You're worth squadillions!

P.P.S. You might not believe us that you are worth squadillions so you're just going to have to take our word for it.