Top Ten Tuesday – 27.06.2017

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday is a quickie. The theme is ‘Best Books You’ve Read in 2017 so Far’. ‘Best’ is a broad word. I have chosen ten middle grade books I have enjoyed reading. Click on the title to read my review. Please note – some of these reviews are on blogspot, where I started my blogging adventure in February. As this is a reflection on the year so far, I have made a second list of ten things I have most enjoyed about joining the blogging community. 

Top to bottom, Left to Right – 

• Evie’s Ghost by Helen Peters
• Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk
• Letters to the Lighthouse by Emma Carroll
• The Amber Pendant (The Rose Muddle Mysteries) by Imogen White
• The Elephant Thief by Jane Kerr
• The Huntress: The Sea by Sarah Driver
• A Girl Called Owl by Amy Wilson
• The Painted Dragon by Amy Woodfine
• The Secret of Nightingale Wood by Lucy Strange
• Running on the Roof of the World by Jess Butterworth 

 

Ten Things I love about blogging –

•  I make notes as I read, to offer my blog readers some critical analysis. This has taught me about fiction and improved my own writing. 
• I have explored new genres, contemporary fiction especially. 
• Connecting with other newbie bloggers. Shout out to – Amy and Charlotte. Their blogs are great, and we share advice and experience, saving each other time. 
• Networking with authors on Twitter. Emerging and established authors can be generous with their time and experience. It is my ambition to publish a novel. It makes sense to listen to people who have already done so. 
• *Whispers* Free Books. Some people shrug this off. I’m not in it for freebies. My degree is in literature, I’ve read since I was a dot. I started the blog to network with other readers. Nevertheless, freebies have given me access to titles I would never have thought of reading otherwise. When I enjoy these titles, my reading preferences grow. 
• Interaction with Gen-Z. It is the first time I’ve interacted with Gen-Z. I’ve spoken to young people ready to stand up for their rights, and it gives me hope. I have also learnt that Gen-Z rely on visual communication in a way I have never done. Gen-Z is about to hit the workplace. Learn how they communicate and incorporate it into your repertoire.
• I have learnt to write for clarity. 
• I am on top of news and new releases in a way I could only have dreamed of when I worked in a bookshop. If I was good at it then, I’ve taken it to a whole new level. By a book’s release date, I might have known about it so long it feels it has been around ‘a while’. 
• Connecting with people all around the world. Where are you? Shout out in the comments below. 
• My project management skills are slowly improving. I’m getting good with that ‘schedule’ button.