The Otter Bookshelf

10/12/2023

A fantastic piece celebrating written by freelance journalist Nell Card for the Observer Magazine today.

I look forward to championing many independent bookshops when I launch this blog next year. 🦦📚

Do you have a favourite?

Cosy, curated and community-minded, the bookshops we cherish offer much more than a place to find a good read…

30/10/2023

Boo!

I hope I didn't scare you. As we enter the final two months of this calendar year, I can confirm launching this blog website is certainly not happening in 2023. However, please do not despair as I am still motivated to get it off the ground as soon as possible.

Those who know me well will be able to confirm that I am currently focusing on my day-to-day efforts of stabilising my vocational career. Something which has been affecting my progress and ability to make my mark aside from the occasional independent bookshop visit and spending my money on books that form the growing Everest in the corner of my room.

One such book recently purchased in a Wob haul is Dead Funny, a book curated by Robin Ince and Johnny Mains which is a small anthology of horror stories written by some big names in comedy such as Reece Shearsmith (infamous for The League of Gentlemen, Psychoville, and Inside Number 9), Al Murray, Stewart Lee, Katy Brand, Tim Key, Rufus Hound and Charlie Higson.

As outlined as one of my early ambitions for this project, I wanted to explore multiple voices and genres and this and its sequel (yet to arrive at the time of posting this update) I believe will serve me well as I have not read many horror books in my life nor am I a big horror movie fan. Nevertheless, I am prepared to give my opinions on an eclectic mix of literature.

Anyway, once again I truly appreciate you following this account and giving me your time to read my thoughts.

Until we meet again, I hope your Halloween is not too scary.

🎃 📚 🦦

14/10/2023

Encouraging you to embrace wherever you can today.

Last weekend, I visited two wonderful when I spent a long weekend in Brighton.

So, before returning to Derbyshire, I was honoured to do retail therapy at Kemptown Bookshop Brighton & City Books on Sunday & Monday.

As previously mentioned, this blog, after launch, will seldomly look to profile different independent bookshops I have visited & purchased & hopefully lure & encourage blog readers to go & do similar, as I feel we all should be thankful for those booksellers on our streets rather than continuing to buy from somewhat soulless global eCommerce giants & if possible give more money to small business retailers.

Although I still have no official launch date for the blog, I look forward to creating these experiences and noting my opinions, ready to share all kinds of book-ish blog posts.

As many of you know, this is due to the current instability in my working life. However, I can undoubtedly sense that light is ahead of me for getting to the next stage in my vocational path. Hopefully, once sorted, this will give me more flexibility & reassurance I can pursue this hobby blog (although donations via Ko-Fi would also be appreciated when the time comes, not mandatory).

It is safe to say my TBR pile is turning into an Everest. Still, the impending light of stability in my working career will give me more chances to embrace the many pages I want to delve through & enjoy books of varying genres & environments which I may not have ever considered.

But as I wandered the streets in Sussex, I felt glad I was given the chance to celebrate and recommend both these establishments as I came away with another nine volumes, which I cannot wait to enjoy.

This is because both have a great range to cater for everyone's interests, from children's picture books to comprehensive non-fiction.

Thank you to all who continue to support and encourage this profile, & I hope to bring further good news in due course.

Despite a bulging collection of books, I am always happy to receive recommendations of where to visit if you feel I should travel to support other wonderful emporiums.

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15/09/2023

Sorry again for not being so frequent with my updates.

Life is good, yet hectic.

While I am also still attempting to get stability in my life, there is less time I can focus on this pet project, but I am certainly keen to ensure that I get a chance at some point.

Although it pains me to not find the time and energy I want to give this, I know that someday I shall, and I cannot wait to let people visit the blog.

However, I am uploading an update today as I am delighted to receive my recent Blackwell's Bookshop order of Hazel Prior's 4th novel, Life and Otter Miracles.

I have been eagerly awaiting this book ever since I knew it was being written.

I also have Hazel's three titles previous to this, which offer warmth and joy to her readers, especially if you have a strong affection for the flightless birds, which are penguins.

So, I look forward to devouring and embracing this story for everything it offers.

I will unlikely add to my TBR mountain between now and the festive season, as we are roughly 100 days away from Christmas.

So, any books I buy between now and December will see me ask loved ones to store away for future seasonal gift sharing.

But I hope to provide more updates and things to share before then, especially when I go browsing in Brighton on the weekend of the 7th and 8th of October.

Until then, thank you for your continued support, and please do share with others who might appreciate my content in the future so that you and them can be aware of what is happening.

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07/08/2023

I won't lie; I am developing a habit of engaging in tsundoku.

If you are unfamiliar with this untranslatable Japanese word, it means 'leaving a book unread after buying it, typically piled up together with other unread books'.

Pictured is a 'small' batch of books awaiting me to flick through their pages and mentally consume.

Throughout July and several other previous months, I have either visited the occasional or browsed the likes of eBay, Wob and other methods to add to the mountain that is my TBR pile.

Nevertheless, I have no regrets about having many books waiting for me to read and devour.

Indeed, while things on the surface may graciously calm for me, I crave more stability before this project, and other opportunities entirely take more presence in my life.

So I thank anyone still looking forward to seeing the blog, supporting my presence here and on other platforms and doing their part to keep encouraging me or sharing my profile with family and friends, as it means a lot.

Soon I shall undoubtedly start clamping down on the amount I am buying as we head towards the annual Festive season in a few short months.

However, there are still many books on my wishlist if others wish to purchase me a gift or for me to familiarise myself with those I have outlined as saying I am interested in that plot based on the blurb.

So if you are willing to add to my hoard, please get in touch with me, and I am more than happy to share my Amazon.co.uk wishlist with you to select from, and I will fondly thank you when the time comes for me to review the title. However, if you decide to purchase from another retailer, I won't blame you; more praise you for your ethical decision.

Hopefully, soon, I will be ready to unveil the blog and start uploading content which gives me joy composing as much as the activity of reading and others the motivation to try and read something different or see a book through my perspective.

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31/07/2023

Thoroughly loved Adventures in Exeter - Bibliomaniac with Robin Ince: Episode 1, which is available on The Cosmic Shambles Network YouTube channel as of this evening ahead of a busy
Edinburgh Festival Fringe for the broadcaster, writer & comedian.

for all 🦦📚

Robin Ince loves books. Maybe a little too much. In this series we travel with Robin across the UK as he visits 100s of independent bookshops and libraries t...

16/07/2023

We are now over halfway through 2023, and unfortunately, I still have yet to officially launch this blog to much of my irritation, but I have a valid reason.

This is primarily due to a busy work-life balance. As well as my determination to ensure that when it does launch, I do it right rather than half-baked.

However, on a chaotic day of travelling to Bristol, I was able to continue building my TBR mountain and visit two lovely independent bookshops in the limited time I had with a friend there.

Firstly we visited The Last Bookshop making the most of the fact they had an array of different genres and books available at a maximum of £4 per title.

While at this retailer, I was grateful to find a copy of Bernard and Pat, which Robin Ince had highlighted in a recent reel on his Instagram profile, so I instantly felt I needed to take advantage of seeing it alongside two other titles which had crossed my path when browsing online.

After that experience, my friend and I made our way to Bookhaus, where I found five other books that pleased my determination to read about from a diverse range of authors and non-fiction topics.

Both shops made the trip worthwhile despite the difficulty I had on the UK railway network, and I was also grateful for spending that time with my supportive friend.

As we head towards this year's climax, I hope to have positive news about the blog. However, I am forever grateful for the support and engagement I have received on social media despite still awaiting time to write content and have somewhere to launch it.

So if you can, please continue sharing my content from this profile or other social platforms with family and friends who may be interested in seeing my deeper dive into all things bookish, as I hope to make this project a place which encourages and inspires others to pick up something different and to enjoy reading in a world which is dominated by technology.

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15/07/2023

How lovely of Robin Ince to recall his visit to my most local - Dormouse Books, which occurred last month in his latest The Big Issue column.

Shame I didn't get a chance to see him that day, but continuously thankful for his warmth and support.

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Instead of lighting bonfires online, culture warriors could benefit from independent bookshops and the stories that teach us about life

26/06/2023

Having grown up enjoying these books and the CITV series running between 1995 and 1997, and looking forward to revisiting them for the blog, certainly interested to see how this turns out. 🦦📚

Filming has begun on ‘The Famous Five’, a brand new adaptation of the classic Enid Blyton stories from Moonage Pictures (The Pursuit of Love) and Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive), co-produ…

20/06/2023

Lovely that Robin Ince was able to stop by in my neck of the woods.

Despite being unable to attend for personal reasons, it looks like the comedian, actor and writer was warmly greeted by those who attended this fantastic Dormouse Books event to start .

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17/06/2023

As a patron of many independent bookshops and hoping to visit as many as possible to reflect on my retail experience on the blog once launched I fully support .

If you would like to do the same. Consider doing the following with your local bookshop as they deserve your custom and you might uncover something new -

📕 Follow them on social media
📗 Sign up for their newsletter
📘 Pre-order a book from them
📙 Pay them a Visit
📔 Buy a book for your summer reading
📖 Purchase a gift card

Local to me this week Dormouse Books is hosting the delightful Robin Ince on Monday evening.

Unfortunately, I cannot attend myself but I know it shall prove to be a great evening 📚🦦

08/06/2023

I'm sorry I can only apologise for not sharing any updates. Life has been hectic since I saw the adaptation of The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry.

However, it is interesting to hear the headline outcome of a survey by The Publishers Association states that one in three they asked said that books offer the best form of escapism.

This ironically (to me at least) has been shared on the anniversary of me receiving my mark for my dissertation questioning 'Is the publishing industry doing enough to support the mental wellbeing of readers in the young adulthood age range?' during the early part of 2021.

The world has changed significantly in the past two years since I obtained anonymously from over 125 people their thoughts on whether books helped them with their mental health at a point in history where practically everyone's mental health was struggling somewhat for obvious reasons.

Would you agree with this headline from this survey?



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A survey by the Publishers Association found reading to be more popular than going to the cinema or browsing social media, coming second only to watching TV

13/05/2023

Once again, I have been fortunate enough to visit my local cinema to watch another contemporary piece of literature adapted for the big screen - The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry.

I have been a big fan of this book (and would recommend it to anyone looking for a very human story to read) since first purchasing the audiobook on Audible and listening to actor Jim Broadbent guide me through Rachel Joyce's poignant novel as South Devon man Harold Fry takes a unique trip to the other end of England, Berwick-upon-Tweed.

I then purchased the paperback while in the lovely St. Ives Bookseller bookshop when I celebrated the conclusion of my degree.

Shortly after, I heard a movie adaptation was in the pipeline; I was delighted to hear that the previously mentioned actor had been chosen to take on the protagonist role, as it felt like the role he was meant to play in his latter years.

My gut response to watching this adaption was that it was very well done. However, this may be because the author also significantly influenced the movie, acting both as the screenplay writer and a producer.

My full review and reflections on this will appear on the blog soon, and I look forward to typing this up entirely in time.

Still, my continuing hectic lifestyle is, unfortunately, denting progress in completing the design and development of the website - but I still have strong ambitions to launch soon.

So I am forever grateful for people's patience while I look for life to settle down before all my planned content can be published and a regular rhythm of literature devouring can take place.

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09/05/2023

Sorry once again for the radio silence - day-to-day life has been hectic, and there is still plenty to do in designing and developing the blog and many books to read.

However, I still hope to get my affairs in order so that this hobby blog can launch in due course.

But as we are now in , and it has been a decade since Nathan Filer's The Shock of the Fall was published.

A review of this award-winning novel will appear on the blog TBC.

What has been the most influential book you've read about ? 🦦📚

20/04/2023

Fantastic to listen and meet Robin Ince at Scarthin Books this evening.

Robin kindly signed my copy of his recent book Bibliomaniac.

He also kindly follows The Otter Bookshelf on Twitter, which still blows my mind, and he is optimistic about the blog's intentions.

Along with reviews of books I am steadily getting through, independent bookshops I visit, publishers I feel more people should be aware of and author profiles. I look to share my experiences in audiences with those who have written or discussed books at great length.

Therefore a full review of this evening and other future literary events I attend or stream online will be part of the blog when I launch later this year.

Please consider engaging and sharing my content on this Page or other social platforms with family and friends who may be interested in seeing my deeper dive into all things bookish.

🦦📚

14/04/2023

Finally finished reading Genevieve Cogman's The Invisible Library.

Having started this book last summer and then got distracted due to personal challenges, it feels good to have finished my first book of 2023.

This love letter to those considered bibliophiles hits some positive notes. However, it struggles in other areas. Readers should be aware that this is the first of an eight-part series (which I have yet to complete at the time of writing, only the initial novel).

Understandably, the first one will be the author trying to give their reader as much detail as possible to understand the rules and regulations of their world often, and things may only partially feel ironed out and clunky.

Other fantasy authors are well-known for providing their readerships with similar obstacles. They may lose readership due to poor ex*****on, so it is no great surprise that this could have been a lot better, but I am still willing to offer it some merits.

A full review shall appear soon after the launch of this blog at a TBC time.



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13/04/2023

I look forward to pilgriming to this 'new' local (Eagle Books Derby) next time I am in the town of my birth of .

Also now counting down the days until I see Robin Ince talk next Thursday evening at the lovely Scarthin Books.



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Book lovers can browse shelves stocked with the latest releases, crime bestsellers and sci-fi tales

06/04/2023

Today is the publication day of my friend and supporter of The Otter Bookshelf project, Ian Marchant's latest title - One Fine Day.

I look forward to receiving my copy soon to add to the TBR mountain.

The author, known for his previous works of literature detailing music, railways and pubs (all of which will also be reviewed by this blog eventually), as well as frequent appearances on BBC radio, wanted to explore his family history and, due to research, found that a distant relative (his seven-times great-great-grandfather) had also been keen to write.

One Fine Day draws a living portrait of Marchant family life in the 1720s and how their England became what we see today over three centuries later.

Please consider purchasing from wherever you buy your books or direct from the publishers, September Publishing. 🦦📚

A time-travelling, genealogical adventure, bringing pre-industrial, rural, eighteenth-century England vividly to life on the page. ‘Elegiac, consistently funny, deeply moving.’ Richard Beard A time-travelling, genealogical adventure, bringing pre-industrial, rural, eighteenth-century England viv...

31/03/2023

"Books should be friendly, and as much like magnets as possible… they should promote wondering. They should be better than good." Peter Usborne, 1937-2023

28/03/2023

Glad to see the Derby Book Festival lineup taking shape with an eclectic mix of events which should suit most people's taste in literature.

Plan your diary so that you can buy tickets within the general sale that begins on April 4th at 10am. 🦦📚🎟️

WHAT'S ON Interviews, discussions and much more ... Our Summer 2023 line-up will be announced in April, check back then for updates or sign up to our newsletter to be the first to find out what's happening

23/03/2023

As Spring begins, I plan to declutter my hectic lifestyle and start climbing the mountain that is becoming my TBR pile.

However, I have recently made several purchases to make my summit a bit more distant in recent weeks, including another haul bought on a whistlestop trip to Tyneside at the beginning of this week.

Oh well! It was a delight to step into Whitley Bay's the bound, part of the Forum Books group of independent bookshops based in the North East of England.

A trip to this part of the country had been organised earlier in the year and made sweeter by seeing Robin Ince discuss his experiences only a few days ago on Twitter.

Despite setting foot in Newcastle's Waterstones and Blackwells, I was drawn more to spend my money in this diverse and spacious bookshop.

It is a great place to spend time and money with a wide selection of titles to fulfil a range of tastes and genres.

So if you are travelling to Newcastle and surrounding settlements, I recommend the bound. Despite choosing seven titles, I still felt I could have bought another half a dozen.

A complete and in-depth look at all the independent bookshops, including this delight that I have visited since beginning the design and development of the impending blog, will be available to read at a TBC.

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06/03/2023

On a cold grey March day. I'm grateful to receive this through the post from Chinbeard Books .

Looking forward to reading Kenton Hall's novella following on from That Eaton-Jones Fellow's delight.

Also glad Robin Ince has provided the foreword 🦦📚

02/03/2023

It is , and despite an already toppling pile, I am always happy to receive people's recommendations to add to my wishlist.

So, please reply to this post with any you think I should consider 🦦📚

27/02/2023

I am happy to have visited South Kensington Books while celebrating my birthday over the weekend.

Unsurprisingly I came away with a few titles to add to my To Be Read pile, which I am looking forward to beginning to whittle down in due course once the blog is up and running enough for me to start writing content. However, I still cannot set this project's launch date.

Although squeezed into a busy environment of places to dine and on Thurloe Street within an area embracing different artistic festivities, this bookshop sells a broad mix of genres that would appeal to those interested in art, history, fashion, children's fiction & the sciences reflecting nearby cultural museums and is worth a visit if you are in that area of London.

Repeating myself, part of my aim with this blog is to attempt to read different titles that are less commonly found in most high street Waterstones and also celebrate the niche environments and curated choices of various independent bookshops, often coming away with books and titles I've never heard of but sense a level of comfort when I read the blurb or feel it will add a different perspective to my understanding of the world.

As someone who appreciates learning and diversity, I feel it is good to find books which will transport me to different places and times that I don't have knowledge of, so I look forward to diving into these along with those I also purchased at the Science Museum which will fill in some of the Science Fiction holes I had in my assortment of books which I equally cannot wait to embrace.

Full review TBC

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22/02/2023

Delighted to have booked tickets for the National Theatre production of Life of Pi.

This theatre production will be broadcast to cinemas across the UK at the end of March, so I shall be seeing it at The Ritz Cinema.

This is a rare book (published in 2001 by the Spanish-born Canadian Yann Martel) which was initially adapted for film in 2012 and then in 2019 was adapted to the stage premiering at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.

So, in due course, I'm looking forward to writing my thoughts comparing all forms of this Booker Prize-winning novel on the blog.

As I continue to develop this blog, please let me know if you know of any other books adapted to being on screen or stage that you think I should cover,

However, I have a reasonable list of notable titles and some obscure and less-known adaptations and I will also incorporate The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry, which is due to release in cinemas in late April this year.

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