Personal Posts

My Name... (& a reading update)

12:29


When I made this blog, I was 12 years old. I didn’t really understand about internet safety - I thought that putting myself out there, with my name, along with other personal information, was super dangerous, and that if I did, something really bad would happen. So, I lied about my name.
Some of my oldest friends on here will know me as Denise, but my closest friends know my real name is Dulcie. Aside from the fact that I was a scared 12 year old, no one can actually pronounce my name, so that was another reason why I kept it hidden! Having supply teachers was an absolute nightmare! It’s pronounced “dull-sea”, but you can still call me D if you want!
I wanted to share my real name on here for so many reasons, but mainly because it means that I can connect better with the friends I’ve made on here, so please feel free to message me if you want to chat about it! Also, my blog is something I’m proud of, so by using my real name, I can add it to my personal statement etc., which I’m hoping will be useful (especially if I want to get into publishing!).
As you know, I’m 16, so I’ve just had my GCSEs, hence why I’ve not been blogging for a while. I have been really stressed out but now I’ve got a really long summer ahead of me, so hopefully I will be able to get back to blogging about things I’m actually interested in!
A Reading Update:
I’ve been so busy that I haven’t been able to read as much as I would have hoped for. However, I have read some really good books recently:
Girl Mans Up
I read this a few weeks ago, and it blew me away with how much of myself I saw. I picked it up because I knew it was gay - when do I ever read any straight books anymore?! - and I definitely wasn’t disappointed. Pen’s identity was left open for us to decide, meaning that it could relate to anyone, and it was done in such a skillful way. Obviously, I’m not a butch lesbian, or genderqueer, but the struggles she had with her identity were universal, and I think that everyone could benefit from reading this book.
How to be Famous

This is the sequel to How to Build a Girl, which I read in 2015(?), and absolutely adored. I’m currently reading it now and I am loving it so much. Caitlin Moran is such a funny writer, so this novel has all of the same wit and charm that her non-fiction pieces do too. It’s refreshingly feminist, and I think this series is one that all teenage girls should read!

So how are you? What have you been reading lately? I would love to have a catch up!


Books

Autumn Catch Up & TBR

17:54

It’s been a while! It feels like forever since I’ve just sat down and talked to you. Because it’s been so long, I thought I would just catch you up on what’s been going on in my life, and share my plans for the next few months.

What I’ve been reading...

In August, I read lots of books that I really enjoyed. I read Perfume, which is my Mum’s favourite book of all time. While I didn’t love it as much as she did, I found it interesting and the writing and descriptions to definitely live up to all the buzz in the literary world surrounding them.
Another book I read for the first time was What We Left Behind. I’ve been wanting to read this ever since it came out, but I could never find it. When I did find it in a second-hand bookshop on holiday (in perfect condition!), I was obviously very excited to read it. Robin Talley can’t write a book that I won’t love, so if you haven’t read a book by her, you need to!
I also re-read one of my favourite books, The Glass Castle, with Jennifer. We read it in preparation for the film, which is already released in America/Canada (I have no idea when it’s coming to the UK though!). Both of us love the book, so it was only fitting that we read it together. I thought it was so much better this time around, and reading it with Jennifer made it even more special because she was the one who introduced me to the book.

What I plan on reading soon...

My grandma visited a few weeks ago, and she bought me a book as a present. The one I selected was Our Dark Duet, which I have been excited for ever since last summer, when I read This Savage Song. Another book I’m really excited to read is The Well of Loneliness. It’s been branded a few times as the best lesbian book ever written, so obviously I need to read it! I know it was a turning point in queer fiction, as it was banned for ages, so it will be a very important read.

What I’ve been watching...

I have been watching a lot of Netflix recently. Not too long ago, I finished Orphan Black and... wow. My girlfriend made me watch it, and I’m so glad she did, because I loved it. It was so twisted, dark, and intense - if you’re looking for a heartfelt and intriguing sci-fi to binge, look no further!
If you follow me on Twitter, you’ll know how much I adored Jane The Virgin. My sister recommended it to me, and I think it’s become my favourite show of all time. It’s so funny, quirky, and addictive - the characters feel like family to me.

What I plan on watching soon...

I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve never watched RuPaul’s Drag Race... but I plan on rectifying that very soon! My best friend adores it, and I felt very left out at pride not knowing any of the references, so I’m going to start it as soon as I can.

I trust my sister with Netflix recommendations, so the next show I need to watch is Shameless (U.S). I love the UK version (it’s set in my area too!), so I’m a little worried that it won’t live up to my high expectations, but if my sister likes it, I need to give it a go!

What I’ve been doing...

I don’t really have an excuse for not blogging in the summer holidays, except for the fact I wanted a rest. I’ve been loaded down with school work - in a few days I’m going into Year 11 (the final year of high school), so I’ll be very stressed about my upcoming exams. I want to keep busy in the new academic year, so I also have plans to join more orchestras (I play the clarinet!) and do some volunteering. I know I’ll be busy, but I’m excited for it!
I’ve also been spending more time with my friends and loved ones. I’ve been spending as much time as I can with my girlfriend (which isn’t very much, because she’s always busy!) which has been lovely. I’ve become close with a lot more people recently, so hanging out with my friends has been really relaxing.
Last weekend, I went to my first ever pride. I can honestly say it’s been one of the best experiences of my entire life. The parade was magical, but my highlight was definitely the main festival. I hugged strangers, danced to ABBA, and sang my heart out to queer anthems. Pride is an emotional time for everyone, and last weekend made me realise why. The LGBT+ community is a group of wonderful people, and I’m so proud to be a part of it.

What have you been up to recently? Have you read anything interesting?

Other

Introducing... Riot Grrrl Reads

18:51


So, if you're reading this, firstly, well done for finding my new blog address! You will have noticed that my blog name has changed, which is a pretty big step to me. The Bibliolater said a blog about books, which this blog used to be. Riot Grrrl Reads is still a blog about books, but it's also about feminism, which I'm really passionate about. The new name shows how strongly I feel about gender issues, but also how much of an avid reader I am, which I think sums me up perfectly!

 Denise, wtf are you thinking? This is a crazy idea!
Okay, so you're probably right. This is a bit of a crazy idea - I've worked so hard to get the audience and the following I have, yet changing the URL might mean I have to start all over again. But why would I want to write about things I'm not as passionate about to loads of people, when I can write about the topics close to my heart to my closest friends? This might not make sense to anyone else, but to me it feels so right. I know that I can write about feminism as well as books, and I want to write about it. That's the most important thing.

Denise, wtf are you going to write about?
I'll still be writing about a lot of the same things, so there'll still be book reviews (if I ever get round to writing them!), book recommendations and discussions about books. On top of that, I'll be writing about feminism. This will range from current issues that I feel strongly about, or just views that I have. I'm really passionate about feminism and making a difference, so I think that's the most important thing when writing a blog! I really hope you enjoy my new content.

I've been thinking about changing my blog in this way for a long time, so I'm so glad to have finally done it. I have so much more inspiration and motivation to write now, so I hope you enjoy this new path I'm taking. If you have any questions about this, or want to unfollow because you disagree with my leftist political views, that's totally fine too.

Book Tags

The Get to Know Me Tag

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Image credit to Freepik 
Thank you very much to Geraldine at Corralling Books for tagging me to do this! I love finding out more about book bloggers, and the person behind the screen (...okay, that sounds a little weird!), so I’m super excited to do this tag!

Vital Stats

Name: Denise
Nicknames: I don’t really have one? Sometimes Stephanie calles me Den, but apart from that, I don’t really have one! You can call me something short for Denise if you want, but it’s not really long enough to contract well, haha :D
Birthday: 27th March
Star Sign: Aries! Quick side note: How do you non-aries people manage when you’re reading any astrology things? Aries is always at the top, so it’s super easy to find. I can just read the top of the post, then carry on scrolling. Does it get really annoying, having to always hunt for your sign? *yelling* HOW DO YOU PEOPLE DO IT?!
Occupation: I’m in high school! I don’t do any jobs, so maybe blogging counts as an occupation...?

Appearance

Hair colour: Light brown! Some people say it’s blonde, but currently I would describe it as light brown. Sometimes when I’m camping, I do get a few blonde streaks from the sun, and I hate them!
Hair length: Super short! It probably now goes to just under my ears, but I’m hoping to get it cut super short again. I used to have really long hair (like down to my waist), but I plaited it, got it cut off, and donated it to charity, to make wigs for young girls with cancer! I like my short cut a lot more, as well as feeling good about donating my hair to a good cause ;)
Eye colour: Light brown, which maybe some gold specks in? Probably more like basic brown, haha
Best feature: Now this one is hard. Are we talking about appearance-wise? Because if so, I think my figure - I’m very tall, and quite slim with (I think!) nice curves. I feel weird saying this, though!
Braces: Nope! I never had, and I don’t think I ever will.
Piercings: I have single ear piercings in each ear, but I hardly ever wear earings. I’d love to get more though - I think when I’m older, I’d love to get more on my ear, and a nose ring! I also think eyebrow piercings look pretty cool ☺
Tattoos: NOT YET. But one day! I really want a tattoo... I don’t know what of though! I’m thinking maybe lyrics on the inside of my arm, or a beautiful floral design covering a thigh. I think tattoos are so beautiful!
Right or left handed: This is super weird, but I’m kind of both? Like, I write and brush my teeth and stuff with my right hand, but I do loads of other stuff with my left hand. I use the computer/mouse with my left hand, eat with a spoon with my left hand, and I’m left footed too!

Firsts

Best friend: I can’t really remember this one, so I think I’ll just say my sister! We’re only 2 years apart in age (she’s younger than me), and we get on really well.
Award: This is a hard one! I did dance for around the first 8 years of my life, and I did loads of exams so probably that. I have a rainbow trophy to prove, too!
Sport: I think dancing or swimming!
Real holiday: When I was really young, I went to Portugal a few times - it was lovely!
Concert: I saw Ed Sheeran on his X World Tour - I had one of the best times of my life! I’m not really a big fan of Ed Sheeran any more, but at the time, I WAS THE BIGGEST FAN EVER. I have 2 t-shirts, all his albums on CD, and 2 posters as well. I was a fan way before he was famous - even before + came out!

Favourites

Film: I don’t really have one! I love Turner and Hooch though... Hooch is the cutest dog, ever!
TV Show: DOCTOR WHO! I’m a proud whovian! However, I didn’t love the most recent series. I found the plot too predictable, and I’m not loving Peter Capaldi as the doctor too. I’m glad Clara’s going though! The first series was definitely the best, and the 9th Doctor is definitely my favourite.
Colour: For ages, I said I didn’t have a favourite colour, but now I think it’s black. (The absence of colour, of course)
Song: Okay, this is the hardest question ever. Am I allowed to pick 50? I think it might be Lie Awake by Creeper (my favourite band, gah, they’re so cool). I have a ‘favourites’ playlist on Spotify, so you can check that out here:
Restaurant: This is a hard one! I don’t have a favourite, but there’s loads of small cafes near me which are lovely ☺
Shop: B&M! If you’re British, you’ll know the greatness of this shop. It’s a HUGE chain shop, where they sell pretty much everything really cheaply. It’s more stuff instead of food, but they sell the cheapest sweets ever! I know I can always find a really great bargain there.
Books: Why, why, WHY are you asking me this, and why do you expect me to be able to answer it?! I have so many: Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock; The Perks of Being a Wallflower; and Under My Skin are a few of them. You can check out all of my favourites on my goodreads shelf here.
Shoes: None! I hate wearing shoes, because I have really wide feet. I find most really uncomfortable, so I like to go bare foot around the house. If I have to choose, I’d probably say my slippers! (which I’m wearing as we speak)

Currently...

Feeling: Content! We’ve just taken my dog on a walk in the sun, so now I’m just relaxing with some left-over Easter chocolate ;)
Single or Taken: Single!
Eating: Some Easter chocolate - a chocolate orange aka THE NICEST CHOCOLATE EVER. I feel sorry for everyone who doesn’t have it in their country - I adore this chocolate! :D
Thinking about: How much I hate pop music (the radio is on, and I’ve been hating practically every song that’s been on)
Watching: I’m not watching anything right this minute, but at the moment I’m watching Shadowhunters, which is so good! I know loads of people have been saying they’re hating it, but I’m actually really enjoying it. I’m looking forward to every Wednesday, when there’s a new episode!
Wearing: Leggings, a top, and a hoodie. Not very interesting, but comfy!

Future

Children: Nope. Never. I would not want the responsibility of looking after someone that intensely, and I don’t think I would be able to do it. Pushing soemthing that big out of me would hurt so much too! Also, I hate kids #sorrynotsorry
Marriage: Noo! No way! I do not ever want that level of comitment, and marriage means nothing to me anyway. It doesn’t mean you’ll be together forever, and (imo) is just a waste of money.
Careers: I have no idea. Maybe something to do with music, art, or design? I’d love to do blogging as a career, but I’m not sure if that would be possible. Being a music journalist would be amazing! I’d love to work in publishing as well. Or something to do with space.
Where you want to live: A big city! If it was going to be in the UK, then definitely London because of all the book events. New York or Chicago look amazing too!

Do you believe in...?

God: No. I’ve had the experience of religion, and I don’t think it’s for me. I find it hard to believe, sorry.
Miracles: No (same reason for not believing in God)
Love at first sight: Nope! (I’m starting to sound very cynical here). I think someone can like another person based on first sight, but I don’t think you can fall in love with someone by only seeing them once.
Ghosts: No! I’m really good with stuff like this, in the sense that I can watch/read any horror stuff, and it doesn’t affect me at all afterwards.
Aliens: Hell yeah! The universe is infinite, so do you really believe that there is only one planet - Earth - that has life on? Definitely not! There must be life out there, somewhere!
Soul mates: I’m not sure... I think yeah! I think that some people are made for each other, and naturally get on a lot better. This doesn’t have to be romantically, but I do think that some people just suit each other so well.
Heaven/hell: No. I’m an atheist, so I believe that death is the end.
Kissing on the first date: If both people want to, then why not? I haven’t been on a date, so I can’t speak from experience, but I don’t see why not.
Yourself: This is a really hard one for me, and I’m honestly not sure. There are times when I believe in myself, but at the moment, I honestly don’t know if I do.

I tag...

Discussions

Do you change your ratings of books?

08:00

Is it bad to change your original rating of a book? I don’t know about you, but I’m definitely guilty of this. When I come to review a book a couple of months later, my opinions have often changed, so I would change my original rating on Goodreads. This usually happens if it was book I didn’t love, or didn’t feel very strongly about - I know when I love a book!
This happened today (as of writing). I came to write my review of a book that I didn’t love (but didn’t hate either) - I didn’t have very strong opinions on it, so I didn’t think about it at all in the period of time from finishing it, and writing my review. I come to rate it, but I deduct a start from what I originally rated it on Goodreads. Is this bad? *whispers* Especially if it’s an ARC?

 On the one hand, it can be really unfair to the book to lower the rating months after initially reading. If I’d just stopped being so lazy (and written my review when I should have!), it would have been rated higher! It doesn’t seem right to me - I can’t remember the book as much as I could, so I’m not in a position to change my opinion. 

 Though, I have had longer to think about my opinions. I always rate the book almost immediately after finishing (who doesn’t head straight to Goodreads after finishing a book?), so my judgement will always be pretty rash. After having a while to muse over my thoughts, wouldn’t my opinions be more truthful, anyway?

 We’ve got to take the other end of the spectrum into account too. Sometimes I add a star to my original rating! Is that better? After having time to think about the qualities of the book, I often realise more of the good things. My rating is mainly influenced by the ending, so after having time to consider the whole book, I often realise that I enjoyed it more than I thought.





I think the main reason changing ratings is unfair is because I don’t do it for all books. Some I review straight away, and my rating stays the same forever *gasp*, whereas in others it takes me months to finally write a review (let’s just ignore this fact, okay? I’m not a bad blogger, I swear...).

 If I reviewed them all immediately, there wouldn’t be any rating changes, and all my reviews would be exactly how I thought about the book. It would be a lot more of how the book made me feel! If I waited a couple of months to review them all, I think a lot more ratings would be changed. My reviews would be much more balanced too!

 But, I like the balance of reviews on my blog! (Or I like being lazy!) I like the way that some of my reviews are my immediate reactions, and are buzzing with exactly how I felt about the book. The others are more reasonable and logical, and I like that too!

 The thing I need to do to make my ratings fairer is to not rate books straight away, unless I’m completely sure (ie a definite favourite). It’s hard to resist Goodreads though! I think I’ll still be feeling a little guilty (I always do if I rate a book badly) for changing the rating, but I am entitled to my own opinions - that includes changing what I think, too!
Do you ever change your ratings? Do you think it's bad to change the ratings of books after you've read them?

Monthly Favourites

February Favourites

07:30

I'm always really sick of February... it's cold, and nothing good usually happens. I think I enjoyed this month loads though! I also gathered quite an impressive book haul... I can't wait to read all the books I bought!

Travelling
This month, I went to Poland with the school, and had one of the best times of my life! We went to Auschwitz-Birkenau, which was a harrowing and really emotional experience, but it was definitely worth it, because it’s so important to learn about history like that. We also did fun things, like have a traditional jewish meal, and listen to a traditional jewish live band. We had some free time in the city of Krakow too, which I really enjoyed!

Clockwise from top left: Engravings done by workers in the salt mine, where they filmed Schindler's List and real old Jewish houses, chairs representing the concentration camp in the same square, a renovated Synagogue (now turned into a museum)

Music
I think this month was a pretty good month for me, in the sense that I discovered a few new bands that I’m pretty much in love with. I’ve really been enjoying Creeper’s music, and I love SWMRS’ new album, Drive North. Also, a band I’ve rediscovered my love for, Catfish and the Bottlemen, finally released some new music. It’s only one song, but I’ll take what I can get! (song featured in the playlist below)


 I met some authors!
In my home city, two of my favourite authors, Juno Dawson and Lisa Williamson, held an event, discussing LGBT+ history month. I was lucky enough to get tickets, and I had an amazing time! I think they’ve both taught me a lot about transgender issues, and I had loads of fun too. They were both really funny!

 I was super pleased to find out they were doing a signing, and meet and greet too. I got Lisa to sign her book, The Art of Being Normal, and Juno to sign her first book, Hollow Pike. It was even personalised, which makes it my first signed and personalised book! I got to take a picture with them, and although I look creepy af a bit odd in all the pictures, it gives me a nice memory of the event. 

 On the blog
I’ve been struggling to post very regularly because I’ve had a lot of schoolwork, but I have manage to schedule some posts for March, so I’m pleased about that! This month I reviewed Blood, Ink & Fire and All of the Above, and discussed the books that have changed me. I also wrapped up January, and did the Reader Confessions Tag!

 Monthly Haul

There was February half term this month, and my Grandma came over, who bought me some books, which was so kind of her. I also won two giveaways!

Bought:
How Hard Can Love Be? by Holly Bourne
The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson
Hollow Pike by Juno Dawson
Cruel Summers by Juno Dawson
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami

 Won:
Solitaire by Alice Oseman
Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy
Books I Read
This month I read 4 books, and continued reading/started 2. I enjoyed all of the books I’ve read, so even though I didn’t get through many, I think I still had a good reading month! The Books I read are:
The Art of Being Normal
Asking For It
I Call Myself a Feminist

 And the books I’m currently reading are:
The Shining (I WILL finish this in March!!)
Rebel of the Sands
Posts on the blogosphere

How was your February? Did anything exciting happen? ☺

Book Tags

The Readers Confession Tag

08:00

Thanks to Erin for nominating me for this tag!
1. Have you ever damaged your own book?
I used to crack the spine multiple times in a book, but thankfully I don’t do that any more! I also sat on the corner of Ignite Me, does that count...? Oops.

 2. Have you ever damaged a borrowed book?
Nope! I don’t borrow books very often anyway, though when I do, I try to keep the books in perfect condition. I know I would want people to treat my books with the same respect!

 3. How long does it take you to read a book?
It really depends on the book - sometimes, if I’m really gripped, I can read a book in a day or two (see Ignite Me or The Art of Being Normal!), but if it’s slow, or really long, it can take me over a week. School also plays a big factor - if I have lots of work to do, it sometimes takes time away from my reading!

 4. Books that you haven’t finished?
There’s a lot! I actually never finished Mockingjay or Angelfall, and I had to put down The Maze Runner and The Goldfinch too. I found Will Grayson, Will Grayson unbearable, The Darkest Part of the Forest boring, and Since You’ve Been Gone was not for me.

5. Hyped/popular books that you don’t like?
The first ones that come to mind are The Fault in Our Stars, The Selection, and All the Bright Places. I also didn’t enjoy Red Queen and Eleanor and Park as much as everyone else did.

 6. Is there a book that you wouldn’t tell anyone you were reading?
I have to agree with Erin on this one - I certainly wouldn’t admit to reading Fifty Shades of Grey! I wouldn’t mind sharing this on the internet, but I don’t think I would tell anyone that I was reading Anna and the French Kiss. The title is just too cringe worthy!

 7. How many books do you own?
98! (and counting!) I didn’t realise I owned so many until I counted for this question!
Some of the prettiest books I own
8. Are you a fast reader or a slow reader?
I think I’m quite a fast reader, but I don’t get through books super quickly because I don’t have much time to read. In the holidays though, there’s no stopping me! :D

 9. Do you like to buddy read?
Yes - I love it! I don’t do loads of buddy reading, but I find it so fun. I love discussing ideas and opinions on books, but I find it hard to read the books at the same time as my buddies, haha. 

 10. Do you read better in your head or out loud?
In my head! In my head, I read everything eloquently and smoothly; out loud, I stutter, cough, and sometimes even manage to choke on my own spit. I hate reading aloud with a burning passion. 

 11. If you were only allowed to own one book, what would it be and why?
Why do you make me answer this?! I think I would either go for Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock because it’s my favourite, and so beautiful, or The Bane Chronicles, because it’s a pretty long book, and never fails to make me smile! Or The Art of Being Normal, because it's one of my favourites, and it's signed and personalised!
My nominees:
Bhavya | Books n' Calm
Mishma and Jillian | Chasing Faerytales
Rachel | Rambling Reads
Geraldine | Corralling Books