Thursday 30 September 2021

Tips for buying secondhand books on eBay

 

1.) Book sellers will mention the condition of the book. Have a think about how important this is to                        you. I mostly buy in ‘very good’ condition, but you may feel ‘good’ condition is okay is you                            are only reading a book once.

2.) Have a think about how many times the book might be read. You may feel like paying more or less                  depending on this.

3.) Be aware some sellers do offers if you buy more than one book together.

4.) If you want to cut down on packaging, you could purchase a number of books in bulk.

5.) Check before you buy that your library doesn’t have a copy of the title.


6.) Be patient when searching for a particular title, sometimes it’s a bit of pot luck if a book is a little                    less well known.

7.) Have an idea of the kind of reading experience you are after. Do you read lots of short books which
          are cheaply available or savour more special reads?

8.) Creating a wish list can be fun and there are a few platforms this can be done on.

9.) This might seem an obvious one but be sure to check out reviews of books you are interested in. I                    look for key words or thoughts that spark my interest.

10.) If you are a keen reader, have a seasonal or monthly budget and keep to it. If you run out of budget,
          try other ideas like using the library, reading/rereading books you already own.


Thank you for reading. 
Let me know in the comments your ideas or 
which of my tips was your favourite! :-) Xx

Monday 27 September 2021

Kindle Book Recs - Self-Help, Minimalism & Green Living

 

I use my kindle quite a lot, and I’m always looking for new titles to read. My favourite themes are minimalism, self-help and green living but I sometimes branch out into other topics. 

I tend to support less well-known authors, and go for kindle books priced around £2.00 with a relatively short number of pages, for example 100 pages. It’s nice to have a selection of these type of books as they are great palette cleansers for more substantial reads.

I have picked out some of my very best favourites from the last year or so. I would recommend all of these and each have a reasonable price point. Feel free to do further research into them on Amazon. Some of these have pretty front covers too.


Minimalism Kindle Book Recs

Mini-missions for Simplicity: small actions for massive change by Courtney Carver

Simple Ways to be More with Less by Courtney Carver

The Minimalist Budget: A Practical Guide on How to Save Money, 
Spend Less and Live More by Simeon Lindstrom

All You Need is Less: Minimalist Living for Maximum Happiness by Vicki Vrint



Self-Help Kindle Book Recs

The Thriving Introvert: Embrace the Gift of Introversion and Live the 
Life You Were Meant to Live by Thibaut Meurisse

Introvert: A Scientific Explanation and Guide to an Introvert's Mind by Madge Falco

The Little Book of Sloth Philosophy by Jennifer McCartney

Be Free, Live Creatively: Tap Into Your Creative Skill and Live the Life You Want! by Srebrenica Lejla

How to Live Well: Simple and practical inspiration to enjoy your everyday life by Fiona Ferris

OFF. Your Digital Detox for a Better Life by Tanya Goodin

Find Your Passion and Live a Life you Love by Emma Jones



Green Living Kindle Book Recs

Save the World: There is No Planet B: Things You Can Do 
Right Now to Save Our Planet by Louise Bradford

The Little Book of Going Green: An Introduction to Climate Change 
and How We Can Reduce Our Carbon Footprint by Harriet Dyer

Say No to Waste: 101 Easy Ways to Create Less Waste by Harriet Dyer

SOS: What you can do to reduce climate change – simple actions that make a difference by Seth Wynes

In the Jumble: The joys of finding, buying and wearing second hand clothes by Victoria Lochhead

Thrifty and Thriving: 10 Simple Ways to Put Money Back In Your Pocket Today by Jennie Lodien


Do you use a kindle device? Which of these titles 
have you read or would like to read? :-) Xx

Sunday 19 September 2021

These are a few of my favourite things #11

 

Books:

Halloween by Joanne O’Sullivan

Described as a grown-up’s guide to creative costumes, devilish décor and fabulous festivities. This is a really great book and I appreciate that (unconventionally) it’s aimed at adults. I particularly liked the costumes and history of Halloween. The whole book made me smile; I would recommend it!

The Liszts by Kyo Maclear

Jen Campbell recommended this picture book on her YouTube channel. It’s a beautiful, whimsical and at times dark tale about a family who always write lists but they discover the joy of spontaneity. The book is gorgeous with striking illustrations and I loved the contemporary design very much.

The Science of Gravity by John Stinger

Absolutely loved this book. A perfect way to learn more about this topic in bite-size chunks. Educational and fascinating as well as making the mind boggle.

Slapstick Poems by Roger McGough

Fun, and varied poems. I liked how one moment could be quite solemn and the next playful. I thought the writing stood out on many occasions. This is the kind of the book that’s just my cup of tea.


Eat Happy by Melissa Hemsley

Firstly, the cover was what drew me in and I liked the idea of eating happy. The book is very stylised and beautifully presented. I enjoyed the introduction and how the author mentioned she likes zero-waste when cooking. The recipes seem to be the kind you find in trendy restaurants and things I would love to try. My only nag is the ingredients might be hard to get hold of. I would recommend this for inspiration or as a foodie gift. 


Earth and Space by Usborne

Really enjoyed this as it’s crammed with interesting information about earth and space science. It made me feel humbled to live on planet earth. The space section was my favourite bit as I learnt a lot.


A Victorian Portrait by Asa Briggs

This book is described as Victorian life and values as seen through the work of studio photographers. A fascinating insight into this time period and what people were like. The collection of photographs were remarkable. Some of the accounts were a little haunting. It’s not something I would normally pick up but my library lady recommended it and I can see why.



Audio Books:

This month I started getting into audio books, and I’m loving it so far. I’ve been using an app called borrow box which links to my local library. With borrow box, you can listen to audio books or read books and it’s completely free.
Beauty:

The Body Shop Almond Milk & Honey Hand Cream

I’ve tried a couple of products from The Body Shop almond and honey range now. This hand cream does a really good job of protecting and softening your hands. It’s designed for sensitive, dry hands and sinks into the skin beautifully. It features the cruelty free bunny logo.


Do any of my favourites interest you?
What things have you been loving this month? :-) Xx