Can you read books for free and legally? Reading is a privileged hobby, but it really shouldn't be. In fact, reading should be accessible to everyone! The barriers that prevent people, particularly those in the Global South, from accessing literature are clear manifestations of the rampant anti-intellectualism and classism that continue to prevail today. And these barriers need to be dismantled. How? I'll admit that I don't have all the answers. But one thing's for sure: telling poor and disadvantaged readers to go to poorly maintained, or outright nonexistent, libraries isn't it. ... Read the Post...
Books on the Rice: January 2021 releases from Asian authors
With more and more Asian authors publishing their stories, I guess we can say that these books are... on the rice. Wink wink, nudge nudge. 😏 But terrible puns aside, I've always had a soft spot for Asian authors and their work. Partly because it had been an Asian-inspired fantasy book -- The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco (if that's still not clear to everyone) -- that motivated me to diversify my reading. And partly because I'm a Filipino reader and seeing Asian characters on-page or on-screen never fails to feel like a tremendous gift. Either way, the fundamental laws of supply and demand ... Read the Post...
2020 Must-Have Reader Spreadsheet Template
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a reader in possession of a seemingly endless to-be-read pile, must be in want of a simple, color-coded spreadsheet. But really, all poorly made references to Jane Austen aside, keeping track of your reading can feel like an unnecessary chore. Especially when there are sites like Goodreads that can organize your books into custom shelves. As a reader, book reviewer, and creator of bookish content, having a more sophisticated system for tracking and organizing my books is a must. For example, I need to separate my unread ARCs from the unread books ... Read the Post...
7 Impossible, Unimaginable Things I Achieved In My 5 Years As A Blogger
Today marks my five (5!!!) years of blogging, and to be honest, it couldn't have arrived at a better time. 🥳🎉 If you follow me on social media, then you might have the impression that December hasn't been very kind to me (so far). And you'd be right. Outside of my blog, the real world has been kicking my ass. But I digress. Celebrating 5 Years of Blogging! My blogging journey started on December 17th of 2015. I know that it's cliché to say, but I truly did not imagine that I would stick around for half a decade. I started my first book blog (then-called That Bookshelf Bitch) because I ... Read the Post...
Free Database: 2021 Asian-Authored Books
Over 150 upcoming Asian book releases in one color-coded, lovingly organized database? I got you, friends! Admittedly, the publishing industry is a pretty fast-paced environment. For instance, when it comes to keeping track of all the titles coming out, it can get very overwhelming. Truthfully, I've been toying around with the idea of a publicly accessible database for diverse book releases, starting with Asian-authored titles, since 2019. But life, particularly college, kept eating away at my free time. However, as I reflected more and more deeply about the work that I do as an ... Read the Post...
2021 Predictions: 21 Book Releases I’ll (Probably) Never Shut Up About
Hello there! I'm Shealea, the girl who hardly ever shuts up. And speaking of, it's that wonderful time of the year where I compile all the upcoming books that I'm most excited about and gently warn all of you that I'll probably never shut up about them come next year. Or even earlier than that, if I'm totally honest. In simpler words, I'm here to share my most anticipated 2021 book releases! There's a running joke that readers tend to gush about the same five books that they love. (Raise your hand if you're guilty of this, too.) But when it comes to upcoming titles that we want to get our ... Read the Post...
Book, Line, & Sinker: 5 things you’ll find in Cute Mutants by SJ Whitby
Have you ever finished a book and thought, "Well, that was delightfully weird in the best way"? Because that perfectly sums up my reading experience with SJ Whitby's Cute Mutants. Specifically, it's an epic new release that follows the mishaps and adventures of queer teen superheroes! I read this little novel over the long weekend, in preparation for the book tour organized by Caffeine Book Tours. Furthermore, as part of the tour, I've written this blog post to help Cute Mutants find its way to its target audience. So, is Cute Mutants the right read for you? To help you decide, here ... Read the Post...
Diverse Books 101: Starter Recommendations For Diversifying Your Bookshelf (ft. signed book giveaways)
How can you start diversifying your bookshelf? And how can we encourage other readers (and even non-readers!) to pick up diverse books? But before we delve into that, I'd like to raise a small point: Online conversations about diverse books aren't enough. As someone who has been deeply immersed in the online book community for nearly five years, it's easy to forget that online conversations aren't necessarily representative of the larger conversations taking place offline. Likewise, it's easy to forget that our ability to participate in the community is a privilege not afforded to ... Read the Post...
