About me

Hi I’m Ali

Unashamedly book mad, I collect various book editions and as a result my small house is far too full of books. There are books all over the house, and my kindle is packed with what I sometimes think of my invisible tbr. I enjoy reading on my kindle since the onset of Rheumatoid Arthritis is has made holding a book so much easier and it is kinder on tired eyes. However, nothing can replace the look and feel of a proper book, and I continue despite some difficulties to read them in the main.

I love old books, backlisted books from before the term existed, though I do still read modern books too – I mix it up a little I hope. I am probably best known for my love of VMC and Persephone books and I have special shelves for those VMC and Persephone that I have already read – there are always more on the dreaded tbr – which has its own bookcase of course. For that reason, this blog is largely a record of what I like to read – I mainly read from my own collections – rather than books that are sent to me. I do get some books sent to me and I am grateful for them but this blog was always about sharing the books I love. I don’t claim any kind of expertise or special qualification – I am merely a reader, long practised in sitting for long periods of time with a book. All I can ever do is share my reactions to a book, tell you a little about it – and hope I do it some justice.

“And it occurred to her that reading was, among other things, a muscle and one that she had seemingly developed. She could read the novel with ease and great pleasure, laughing at remarks, they were hardly jokes, that she had not even noticed before.”
― Alan Bennett, The Uncommon Reader

The book blogging community is just a joy, and so I like to take part in reading events and challenges sometimes that are hosted by other bloggers, and I have even been known to host my own. The last couple of years I have been hosting a Daphne du Maurier reading week on the week of her (and my) birthday in May – she’s a bit older than me.

In the last few years, I have started to explore some modern literature in translation – a genre I rarely read before. That has really opened my eyes to other cultures and really widened my horizons.

Review Policy:

My TBR is absolutely horrendous – and so therefore I try not to acquire too many books for review. I will consider requests to review quality literary fiction – I do not read modern crime fiction, romance, horror, fantasy or sci-fi.

If you wish to, you can contact me at heavenali 37 at gmail dot com or via twitter.

Thank you for visiting my blog, I’d love to hear from you.