A Dutch Person's Guide to... Haarlem, The Netherlands

When I went to the Netherlands to visit my family over Christmas, I wanted to make a few day trips as well and explore the country outside of the north where my parents live. I haven't really done this since my uni days and I had a free nation-wide travel card courtesy of the Dutch government (and even then I didn't take as much advantage of it as I should've) so I was excited to see more of my history-rich and beautiful country again – and first up was picturesque Haarlem.

Highlights From the Stripes 2018 Young Adult Showcase

Stripes (the young adult arm of Little Tiger Press) has had a phenomenal 2017. Not only did they publish the host of stellar reads presented at last year's showcase, but their anthology A Change is Gonna Come, jam-packed with stories and poetry from BAME authors has made an incredible splash in the book industry, and rightfully so. Needless to say, I was very excited to see what they'll have in store for us throughout the first half of 2018! 

More Than We Can Tell by Brigid Kemmerer

Sometimes a novel comes along that doesn't only make an emotional impact but its words also makes you think. More Than We Can Tell is one of those as it's a real eyeopener about the horrible things that can go on with people behind closed doors – and a powerful reminder to really listen to those around you. Especially when people are quiet and perhaps reluctant to share, as there can be so much more going on beyond the surface that they're able to put into words.

Highlights From the Walker YA Evening 2018

It's always wonderful to be invited to a bookish bash by the lovely team at Walker YA (the young adult division of Walker Books) as their titles are among some of the most exciting within the YA landscape right now. At last year's event they presented amazing novels like Wing Jones by Katherine Webber, The Loneliest Girl in the Universe by Lauren James and Truth or Dare by Non Pratt (some of my favourite reads of 2017) and so I was thrilled to be invited once more to get a sneak peek at their 2018 publishing calendar.

The Fandom by Anna Day [blog tour]

There were a few excellent novels I read last summer that aren't published until this year and after Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan, The Fandom by Anna Day is another one that even six months down the line I'm still recommending to people because it was such a fantastic ride. It combines the geekiness of Comic Con (which I've been to so I loved reading about it and recognising bits along the way from my own experience) with an epic fantasy world. It was fun, exciting and surprising, but most of all it was a thrilling adventure – and I for one did not want it to end.

5 Easy Ways to Beat the Blue Monday Blues

Today is also known as Blue Monday. The wonderful indulgences and relaxation of the Christmas break a distant memory, this dark and often rainy day marks the first of yet another long week at work and only the halfway point to the next paycheck. While Mondays aren't my favourite day of the week normally, today I'm feeling pretty positive thanks to receiving a generous self-care package by the lovely team at Penguin Living (publishers of beautiful and inspirational titles such as The Little Book of Hygge and The Little Book of Lykke by Meik Wiking). And that prompted an idea: why not share some quick top tips to help you beat the Blue Monday blues too?

My Top 5 Reading Resolutions For 2018

I'm not normally one for making resolutions at the start of a new year because why kick them off when the calendar happens to change over and not just at any other time when you want to do things differently? However, towards the end of 2017 I decided I want to have more of a focus in my life on kindness, positivity and thoughtfulness (opposed to getting stuck on negative feelings and bad things that happen). And then I saw my friend Laura's excellent reading resolutions blog post (make sure to check it out!) and it sparked some more ideas of my own that I'd like to pursue this year. So suddenly I do have resolutions; from reading less (yes really) to returning to old favourites, here are my bookish goals for 2018.

Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan

You know a book is a good one when early buzz starts almost a year before publication date. The chatter surrounding Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan was particularly promising, and for good reason. I read this most excellent thriller back in June and have recommended it extensively online and offline since. And when a novel can stay memorable over six months and 50-odd books down the line, and I am still endlessly gushing about it to anyone willing to give me a listening ear (and even some people who don't!), you're onto a true winner.

Bananaman the Musical at Southwark Playhouse

Super heroes have been all the rage on the big and small screen in recent years. But what about the theatre? Besides the infamous Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark on Broadway, known more for its stunt troubles and extortionate budget, few flying heroes have made it onto the stage. Here in the UK we had monstrous rock musical The Toxic Avenger saving the day a few years ago and following on from its success we now have a yellow-caped, spandexed super hero battling power-hungry villains at the same venue.

A Taxonomy of Love by Rachael Allen

Abrams & Chronicle is such a fabulous publisher. With stunning noterie and kick-ass young adult reads such as Noteworthy and Seven Ways We Lie by Riley Redgate and RoseBlood by A.G. Howard, they cover a whole spectrum of my favourite kinds of books. And so when I saw the eye-catching cover for A Taxonomy of Love, I knew they had another original YA under their publishing belt that I was very excited to get my hands on!