Andrea Nourse's Blog, page 2

Bookstagram Chats: Episode 3 (@shelfbyshelf)

I knew I had to have Hunter of @shelfbyshelf on as a guest the instant I decided to start Bookstagram Chats. He’s one of my favorite Bookstagrammers and an all-around amazing human.

On this episode, we discuss being a reader and a writer and he shares some insider news.

Available wherever you listen to Podcasts.

Review: This is What America Looks Like, Ilhan Omar

Like many progressive Americans, I’ve followed Representative Ilhan Omar’s political journey over the last few years, but I didn’t know much about her otherwise.

Her memoir should be required reading for everyone. She tells her story of growing up in Somalia, becoming a refuge, and immigrating to America. She’s a spitfire who has dedicated her life to fighting for human rights, democracy, and doing what’s right.

She narrates the audiobook, which I loved.

I can’t recommend this book enough.

Bookstagram Chats: Episode 2 (@torrie_reads)

On this week’s episode, I had the privilege of interviewing one of my IRL friends, Torrie of @torrie_reads.

Join us as we discuss our mutual love and appreciation for the Backstreet Boys, books, and the Bookstagram community.

Available wherever you get your podcasts!

Bookstagram Chats: Episode 1 (@lilacsandliterature)

The inaugural episode of Bookstagram Chats is LIVE!

I was so excited to have Amanda of @lilacsandliterature as my first guest. We discuss everything from book pet peeves to advice for new Bookstagrammers.

Listen to it wherever you get your podcasts!

Review: The London House, Katherine Reay

I truly have a soft spot for family secrets and complicated family dynamics. The London House did all of these and did them well. I was hooked from page one.

I usually LOVE dual timeline historical fiction. There’s just something magical about time-hopping.

But this one took a different approach that I just kinda liked. The past was told through letters and diary entries. Intriguing? Yes. But it was missing some of the magic.

All in, I thought this was a good book. If you enjoy WWII historical fiction centered on family secrets, I think you’ll enjoy this one.

New Podcast Announcement!

The Bookstagram Chats Podcast is heading your way!

I am so excited to finally share this news! After months of internal debate, I’ve finally taken the first steps to make this idea a reality.

If you’re a part of the Bookstagram community, you know just how important that community is and that, sometimes, it’s more about the people than the books.

And that’s what this podcast is all about … meeting readers and sharing their stories and book lives. We all love a good Meet the Bookstagrammer post! So, why not turn it into a fun podcast where we can chat about books and learn more about the readers and people behind the ‘gram?

The trailer is up now over on the Podcast page and will be on all the platforms soon, but stay tuned for some exciting interviews kicking off at the end of November!

Here We Go, I Guess …

Well … I think I may be diving into NaNoWriMo again.

For those not familiar with NaNo, it stands for National Novel Writing Month. The idea is that you focus on writing for the full month. You “win” NaNo when you write 50K in 30 days.

I’ve been trying to find an idea to focus on, and I think I finally did. If you’ve read Out of Anywhere, you’ve met these characters before. If you haven’t, this page is a bit of a hint
…

So, brace yourself … writing updates are coming.

Review: The Heart Principle, Helen Hoang

Wow. Just wow. I enjoyed Helen’s previous two books but this one was something else. I’m not quite finished processing it, but I felt every emotion reading The Heart Principle.

I truly related to Anna and her struggle to be understood and find her voice. It was so refreshing to read her voice.

Thank you, Helen, for writing this book.

Review: Serpent & Dove Trilogy, Shelby Mahurin

I started the Serpent & Dove Trilogy last Thursday and devoured it. I kind of wish I’d read it a bit slower so I could have made it last longer, but I just couldn’t stop.

I loved Lou and Reid and Ansel and Coco and lit everything about these books.

Fantasy isn’t usually a genre I gravitate towards but sometimes, it’s just what I need.

Review: The Giver of Stars, Jojo Moyes

I did not expect to love this book as much as I did … but it was amazing.

I was instantly captivated by the story and the characters, especially the way the women were portrayed. Alice and Margery were strong women, and even when they were literally knocked down, the still fought back.

It was refreshing and just the book to pull me out of a reading slump.