Genie's Weekly News (60) - Blogging milestones, this year's AusYABloggers reading challenge, and what really makes working in a bookstore worthwhile

So it's one week into 2018 and my reading list is already growing by the day. Even as I fail to stick to my 'book buying ban' (does it ever last?), going through my bookshelves has made me realise just how many I own but am yet to read...

Yes, I really should get onto that.

In other news, coming across the old favourites from my childhood has also brought back some good memories, which brings me to something adorable that happened while I was at work the other day. 

There I was reorganising the kids' section, when a child who must have been around three or four sat down right next to me and passed me a couple of books that had been sitting on the floor, before picking one up and beginning to flip through the pages. I asked my unexpected little helper whether he liked reading, and he replied "Yes, I love books!" before going straight back to the one he was so enchanted with. He was quite happy to do that for a few minutes before his mum came back from another part of the store, and had to drag him away because he didn't want to leave!

It really can be the smallest things in life which make the biggest impact on you, and for me seeing the look of pure wonder and curiosity on that child's face is something which will stay with me for a long time. Yes, working in a bookstore is great when you get to be surrounded by books all day, share your recommendations with others and unbox the latest release you've been waiting for. But what I've found more important than all of those things are the unexpected, heartwarming moments that remind me just why reading is so important. As the saying goes, 'a child who reads will be an adult who thinks'. 

Currently Reading

This won the Stella Prize last year, and the story so far has offered some really interesting insights into what gives art the power to really connect with us. It's not the type of book to finish in a single afternoon, but I'm looking forward to seeing how it all ends.

Previous Posts

• I shared my bookish top 20 for the first half of 2018 in case your TBR wasn't big enough already

• Author K.J. Taylor stopped by with a guest post about The Last Guard

• I reviewed Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend which is a must-read for any Harry Potter fan 

Recommendation of the Week

There have been reviews at both extremes for this book, but I have to say that overall even if it is something that I didn't completely understand at first, the style was something completely different from anything I'd read before. 

AusYABloggers 2018 Reading Challenge

The annual Australian YA Bloggers and Readers challenge is back with a new format and prompts to get you started! To join in and find all the details, head to the goodreads group here. As an incentive, there will be three prize packs up for grabs - here's a sneak peek at the first one thanks to Walker Books:

We're stoked to announce our first #AusYABloggers challenge prize sponsor @WalkerBooksAus! Generously donating a pack of their most anticipated 2018 releases. Also including:

Small Spaces by @SarahLEpstein
On The Come Up by @angiecthomas
Join here https://t.co/KB0Emsv6xD pic.twitter.com/hPhAGzO4f9

— AusYABloggers (@AusYABloggers) January 5, 2018

What I've Been Watching

I didn't go into The Greatest Showman with high expectations, and I'll be the first to admit that I'm not usually the biggest fan of musical movies (with the exception of La La Land). I'm so glad to say that this movie was BRILLIANT - if it doesn't win at the Golden Globes, I'll be very surprised. Hugh Jackman suited the main role perfectly, and the storyline with the songs that are still stuck in my head was uplifting and magically executed. I don't usually say this, but this is a movie that I'd go and see again - it's that good.

In another momentous occasion, thank you to everyone who's visited Genie in a Book over the years to hit 100 000 pageviews! In the scheme of the blogosphere, it's not really about the numbers - but I'm grateful to know that hopefully other readers out there can come away from my blog with a new perspective on reading or a recommendation for something they hadn't considered before.