Featured Blogger: Lucy from Lucy May Reads!

Hey guys! As you probably already know, throughout the month of November I’m shining a spotlight on thirty wonderful book bloggers 😊📚 If you’re not already following them, then I’d definitely recommend that you check them out – these guys are all such wonderful bloggers and all incredibly kind and supportive.

Day 9 is the turn of the wonderful Lucy (from Lucy May Reads) who posts some brilliant bookish content all about her favourite reads, her TBRs and some great reviews!

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Hi, I’m Lucy, a twenty-something-year-old English graduate living in the North-East of England. I moved from Yorkshire to complete all three of my degrees in Sunderland and I eventually settled here with my boyfriend. I have a degree and an MA in English and as of July 2016, I am also a qualified English teacher.

When I am not reading I enjoy cooking, camping and exploring new places. My boyfriend and I have a cat called Thea and a goldfish named Neville and we all live happily in our tiny flat.

I don’t have many friends who read so this is the main reason I blog. I like to share my opinions and see if others agree or disagree with me. Instead of having conversations with my friends about things they are not interested in, I’m able to join a variety of groups within one big community where everyone loves the same things as me.

Another reason I blog is so that my thoughts on a book at one particular time are logged. When I re-read the book at a later time I can compare my feelings. I can look back at how I felt the first time I read a book and see if my opinions have changed. It does happen where I love a particular happening within a chapter or I relate to a character and/or their actions and a year or two later my views have changed.

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Where did your love for reading come from?

There are two specific instances during my childhood that I remember that introduced me to storytelling and reading.

Firstly, there was my year five teacher Mrs Burton. She used to read to the whole class every afternoon for the last half an hour of school. The books she used to read fascinated me and one day I remember asking to borrow a book to read for myself. She said yes and for the entire year, I was rereading the books she read to everyone by myself.

When I moved into the next school year and onto secondary school I stopped reading. My year six teacher didn’t do much group reading and once I was in secondary school I never wanted to read. In year nine I met my new form/English teacher, Miss Needham. She was amazing! We were talking one day and she asked me why I didn’t read. After a long conversation, she handed over a book and told me to read it over the weekend. I can just remember loving it. Before I knew it, I was a part of book/reading groups and had a dream of studying English at University.

My love for reading came from these two women and for that, I am extremely grateful.

What is your favourite book that you’d recommend to anyone and everyone?

My most favourite book is Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles. I recommend it to everyone! It can be a tough read for those who are not comfortable with classic literature but I can assure you it’s one hell of a read. It’s an emotional rollercoaster from the very beginning and everyone needs to read it.

Which author (dead or alive) would you love to meet and why?

Possibly the most difficult question to answer ever!

I don’t think I can choose just one author either. The list of authors is endless.

At this time of year I do love a good classic and for that reason, I’m going to say that I would love to meet the Brontë sisters. I know I have not singled out one particular Brontë sibling but as they are related to each other I think that it is only fair that if I were to meet them I’d meet all of them together. It would be great to have afternoon tea whilst discussing the inspiration behind some of the best novels ever written.

What is the most memorable/sentimental book you have read?

Terry Nation’s Rebecca’s World is probably one of the most memorable/sentimental books that I have read. This is the first book that I ever read by myself. I wasn’t forced into reading it either. I wanted to do it which is one of the reasons the book is so important to me. This was the first book I asked to borrow from my teacher back in year five. I loved this story as a child and would love nothing more than to re-read it now!

What is your favourite genre to read and your favourite book from it?

I don’t have a favourite genre. I don’t think I have ever had one. I will happily read anything that I find interesting or that I like the sound of. The time of year, my mood even the weather heavily influence what genre I want to read. During the Autumn and Winter months, I do tend to read a lot of fantasy and classical literature.

My favourite fantasy book is A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. It’s a recent read and I fell in love with the series. I highly recommend the series.

There are too many classics to pick from but after fangirling over the Brontë sisters and imagining having afternoon tea with them I will say that Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights are two of my favourite books.

What are your top tips/tricks for fitting reading around a busy schedule?

My top tips for reading when you have a busy schedule are:

• Don’t leave the house without a book. You might have a busy day ahead of you but make the most of any free time you have.
• Use your travel time wisely especially if you use public transport. If you have a long commute then read a little. You can easily get through a chapter or two on your way to work or school.
• Go to bed an hour earlier than you normally would and read for a little while. Not only are you getting some reading done but it’s also better for you. You’re not staring at bright screens before going to sleep.
• Set reading targets for the day. Aim to complete a specific amount of chapters or pages throughout the day.

What are your top tips/tricks for writing your own work?

My top tips for writing are:

• It’s important to set targets. Give yourself a daily word count to complete but remember to keep it simple. The last thing you want to do is set a goal that is too high and impossible to reach. By keeping it reasonable not only will it keep you sane but if you do manage to exceed the target you will feel so proud.
• Put several hours to one side per week for writing. Whether you do this for an hour in the evening on a daily basis or once a week on a Sunday afternoon, create a timetable that you can stick to. You can change these weekly depending on your schedule too.

What are you reading now? What have you just finished? Are you enjoying/did you enjoy it?

The last books I read were the All Souls series by Deborah Harkness. I can’t stress it enough but everyone needs to pick this series up! I love it so much.

I am currently reading Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan. It’s been ok so far. I don’t have
much else to say about this book at the moment. I don’t know if it’s because I’m still in a reading slump but it is taking me ages to finish it and I just can’t make my mind up about it.

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If you like the sound of Lucy (and her amazing recommendations! ^) as well as all of the brilliant things she posts you can find her over on Twitter and Instagram as well as on her main blog.

I hope you guys are enjoying reading this month’s series of posts as much as I’ve loved organising and collaborating with so many amazing bloggers to create them! 💖 Check back tomorrow! x