Update 16/04/2021: Tales from Absurdia will be covering mostly indie & self-published books. However, there are some non-indie books I wish to share with my audience.

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Exciting news!

As of January, 2021, Tales from Absurdia will be pivoting reviews towards the independent and self-publishing sectors.

More and more authors are looking beyond the traditional means of publishing. So, I want to highlight the success stories in the indie and self-publishing spheres, whilst helping readers navigate what is fast-becoming a saturated marketplace.

This will take the form of informative articles, honest reviews, helpful resources, and hopefully a few interviews along the way.

Find out why >

“Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards”
Søren Kierkegaard

To begin this 2020 Reading Review, it’s worth acknowledging that I read more books in a 12-month span than ever before.

Obviously, blogging was a key factor, as was being on furlough, which – trust me – was not the jolly holiday many like to make out.

I am, for the most part, really proud of this – especially because most were pretty good! I do have a fair bit of work to do in order to increase the diversity on my bookshelf, however.

From starting Tales from Absurdia to writing my 2020 Reading Review, it has been quite the trip! I’ve met some great people online and, in many ways, both reading and blogging has kept me sane during what has been a challenging year.

And for those who are reading this, please accept my most sincere thanks for taking time to visit my blog. It’s humbly appreciated.

Regards,
John @ TfA

Find out why >

No, the new parent life hasn’t driven me bonkers. Hear me out.

Pewp is a children’s book, written and illustrated by Kenton Blythe and Nathan C. Younger. It’s about the titular wizard named Pewp, who’s exceptionally talented but ridiculed due to his name.

He is, after all, called Pewp.

It’s an interesting premise and there are some great lessons here for children. Don’t mock the person with the different-sounding name, for a start.

But what caught my attention with Pewp is its publishing history. 

It’s a children’s book, self-published exclusively through crowdfunding instead of traditional publishing avenues.

Find out why >

eBooks are commonplace. 

You can borrow them from libraries, they only take a couple of seconds to download, and they’re easily shareable.

But when eReaders first hit the shelves in the late 2000s, something weird happened.

Find out why >

As we head into the final quarter of the year, the Stuck at Home book tag seemed like a great opportunity to reflect upon the year.

I’ve actually been on furlough for most of the year, and whilst this hasn’t been ideal, I’m thankful for it. It gave me the opportunity to reflect upon what I value most, what makes me happy (or unhappy!), and the direction I want to head in as I approach my 30s.

It gave me the nudge to start this blog, which has been a revelation. It helped me find myself again. 

I can share my love of literature and philosophy, whilst meeting some truly wonderful people online – especially Twitter.

Anyhow, thank you to Nikki Swift Reads for tagging me in this Book Tag! Do go and check her blog out – it’s a vibrant website with some really great content! Also, full credit to Ellyn @Allonsythornraxx as the original creator of this book tag!

Read more >