Book Club Social Media Review Template - Popisho aka This One Sky Day by Leone Ross
Templates to share your thoughts on This One Sky Day/Popisho
Book Club Social Media Review Template - Augustown by Kei Miller
Book Club Social Media Templates for Auguston by Kei Miller
We’re meeting for book club the first Sunday in June, and until then, here are ways you can share and save your reading experience of Augustown by Kei Miller.
Tag us in your Twitter Fleets and IG Stories with your reviews (even if you miss book club and you’re reading this long after)
Click to download images:
My Thoughts (so far)
Something I’ve Learned While Reading
Favourite Quotes From the Book
Something I Need to Learn More About
Final Review of Augustown
Book Club Social Media Review Templates - My Fishy Stepmom by Shakirah Bourne
Book Club Social Media Templates for My Fishy Stepmom by Shakirah Bourne
Here are ways you can share and save your reading experience of My Fishy Stepmom by Shakirah Bourne.
Tag us in your Twitter Fleets and IG Stories with your reviews (even if you miss book club and you’re reading this long after)
Click to download images:
My Thoughts (so far)
Something I’ve Learned While Reading
Favourite Quotes From the Book
Something I Need to Learn More About
My Starred Review of My Fishy Stepmom
3 Eco-Friendly E-Commerce Habits We've Built
I've made a lot of eco-mistakes running the Rebel Women Lit store since we started last year and I've found the best way to combat normalised poor environmental practices by designing better habits for my everyday life. Here are 3 things I've learned to do differently.
There’s an assumption that because you run an e-commerce business you’ll naturally be more eco-friendly, but nah. I've made a lot of eco-mistakes running the Rebel Women Lit store since we started last year. From practical things such as ordering books too frequently and in tiny quantities, to being apathetic about the need to build a clear & deliberate green philosophy for our bookstore. Yikes!
I've found the best way to combat a lot of my normalised poor environmental practices is by designing better habits for my everyday life. Here are 3 things I do differently in my everyday life that impacts how I function running RWL.
1. Slow Down & Plan
At one point we had an embarrassing amount of tiny book packages being imported weekly. 😫 This was great on the surface because our readers in Jamaica would get books super quickly and we felt like we could compete with local bigger (and older) brick and motor bookstores who already had a household name. But this is terrible for our carbon footprint as an org.
Now, even though I know we can do things very quickly, I try to practice slowing down. We now try to encourage pre-orders and slowing down to ensure our carbon footprint is a bit tinier.
In my personal habits I now have scheduled walks on post office days, I plan around walking when I have deliveries nearby, instead of calling a bearer, and I plan how often I order-in food from QuickPlate weekly just to cut down on my overall contribution to carbon emissions. (hot girl summer meets eco-chic! LOL)
2. Pack Cute But With Intention
I love cute and memorable packaging! My heart flutters every time someone mentions that getting books from us feels like a gift so they don’t open the books until they’re ready to start reading. Packaging is something I think a lot about because it’s Ike of the few ways I can create a tangible representation of RWL feels like until we get a physical store.
Most of our orders are wrapped in biodegradable twine and paper notes, while our Novel Tea packages all use reusable cloth bags made from recycled fabric. I spent months learning how to dry flowers and Furoshiki - traditional Japanese fabric gift wrapping- for our Mother's Day book boxes. I'm learning about other traditional packaging practices I can use (especially cute ones) in my personal life.
3. Read More (duh!)
I’ve grown up reading about saving the environment, but with very prosaic messages about recycling and not using spray cans. It became really easy to ignore these PSA campaigns and a good example about why ad agencies should commission poets and novelists 🤣 I didn’t really feel that I needed an eco-philosophy to drive my own life and for a while, I didn’t I think about it beyond things like the packaging for RWL. Now I’m learning more about the ethical impacts of the businesses we partner with and how organisations like ours, can impact and start ethical trends for other retailers.
N.K. Jemisin's Fifth Season, Diana McCaulay's Daylight Come and Olive Senior's Over the Roofs of the World are brilliant recs I'd make for understanding our connection to the environment (that doesn't feel like a PSA)
I’m sure there’s a lot more for me to learn about caring for the environment with everyday habits that will help me be a better person, and RWL a better organisation, and I can’t wait to keep you updated on new habits we develop.
I hope this helps you think of new ways to approach developing new green habits
--
Stay Lit
Jherane
All About Love by bell hooks: Bookstagram Template
Perhaps the best online pandemic trend is all the new bookstagram accounts popping up, here are some templates for this month’s book club meetup.
We’re back with Bookstagram & Twitter fleets review templates
Bookstagram Templates
Get more book(ish) digital downloads by becoming a Rebel Women Lit member
About Rebel Women Lit
Rebel Women Lit is an open book club, turned literary community, based in Jamaica. We focus on stories from women, non-binary persons, queer persons, and other voices that have been traditionally marginalised in publishing. Yes, everything we do is political and deliberate. We have a podcast, book store, free community library, youtube channel and a few awesome projects.
Meet Our RWL Community Librarian - Jess!
Meet Jess- our awesome community librarian. Find out Jess’ dream for our RWL library and/or libraries in general?
Hi I'm Jessica
(you can call me Jess)
I’m the RWL Librarian!
“Hi I'm Jessica (you can call me Jess), my pronouns are she/her & I’m the Rebel Women Lit Librarian.”
Since we launched our book club in 2017, we’ve had an unofficial library in RWL - if there is a book you wanted and someone had it, you could borrow it and return it. In January last year, Jess prompted us to make our community library official and open to everyone, and it’s one of the biggest and best things we’ve done at Rebel Women Lit.
So let’s meet the engine behind our free community library.
What’s your favourite thing about libraries?
Libraries are one of the only places left in the world where you’re not just seen as a consumer, you’re a human being. The library is a universally free place to access information and to strengthen communities, learn more about world, and become more aware and tolerant of lives and experiences different from one’s own. No matter you’re age, race, sex where you live, what you earn. It can be a place of refuge too, for adults and kids. You’re not limited to just accessing books too, they’re films, music, even video games. Whether you want to learn a language, or get help with homework, find a quiet place to read or just need access to WIFI, libraries are there to help communities in some way, and I feel that they’re taken for granted.
Which book(s) in our community library do you think everyone should read and why?
I loved The Old Drift by Namwali Serpell. I read it with the RWL book club for June 2019. I love historical fiction and magical realism so using both those themes to explore the effects of colonialism in Zambia? With multi-racial, multi-generational family characters? Mostly women? I was hooked! There’s also a bit of science fiction - it’s truly a great epic covering parts of Zambian history of colonialism, the fight for independence, the Kariba dam and environmental issues, the real-life Zambian space program and the HIV epidemic, oh my!. Finally, there’s use of the greek chorus trope where they break the fourth wall talk to the reader, but the ‘they’ are a swarm of mosquitoes, so that was interesting.
What are you passionate about other than books?
I’m passionate about environmental justice, cycling, zero waste, gardening, movies, writing (sort of). I’m in the process of starting a sustainability consulting business to serve small and medium sized businesses in Jamaica to implement zero waste practices in their business operations. I hope to help businesses be more sustainable and connect more to the environment and their consumers that works in their financial budget as well for long-term changes. In the future I also hope to start a composting service , as well for businesses and residents alike, while also educating people about soil regeneration, accessible organic gardening and truly connecting to the earth
In addition to running the RWL library, you've also been donating books to the Tom Redcam Library, how do you decide which books to donate and what's that process been like?
“I understand I can’t change the library institution here in Jamaica, but if there’s a small thing I can do to get books out there for people to discover”
— Jess, Rebel Women Lit
I do have the privilege of buying books locally and from online stores like In the U.S. , but I usually read books once and I keep them on my shelves. I kept thinking how more people could have access to the books I read, and it’ll be different genres : fiction, poetry, graphic novels/comics, non-fiction, most of them are not sold locally. You don’t really see recently published books in our libraries, so I made a commitment that for every physical copy of a book I buy, I’d buy a second copy for the Tom Redcam Library (the JLS is very strict about the physical condition of books for donation, so its just wise to buy a new copy); there’s no real selection process really.
A lot of times I buy books directly from small publishers that don’t have an e-book option, there are books I don’t like to read in e-book form, like poetry, I need to have a physical copy for me to take in the content. Otherwise I buy books from my Kindle. For the donations I just pile up a bunch that I’ve bought overtime , and when I think I have a good amount I bring them over to donate. I understand I can’t change, nor am I responsible for changing, the library institution here in Jamaica, but if there’s a small thing I can do to get books out there for people to discover. I also do my best to share books from my personal library with others.
What's something you dream about for the RWL library and/or libraries in general?
Oh so much! Making libraries, no matter in urban or the most rural areas, relevant and engaging and welcoming and comforting! I’d love for public libraries in Jamaica to carry Current, recently published books of all genres, all Libraries would have programs for helping the unhoused community and domestic violence victims get help and resources, job application services, borrowing films, and film nights showcasing Caribbean- made fils especially, services to help prospective authors launch their own books, having more books in audiobook form, even some in braille for the blind community . I’d also love to see an organic garden and park at each library, people would have access to healthy food, learn about gardening and composting, even cooking classes.
For the RWL Library I’d also love to have more electric copies, even audiobooks for making them more accessible - I’d also love for public libraries here to highlight books read by the club ‘RWL Approved’ if you will, even a children’s library selection. I’d also love (in a Post COVID-19 Jamaica at least) for RWL to partner with sites like cafes and have bookshelves with RWL library books and a little reading nook for people to enjoy them at the locations. There’s a Trinidadian instagram account called @fortheloveofreadingtt that creates community spaces for books to be read and shared: people can take and also leave books for others to enjoy. Maybe RWL can have their own space too, like a library/bookstore/cafe/community organising and event space
Speed Round:
Who/What do you find inspiring right now?:
Small business owners pushing and thriving through the pandemic
Book you're reading now:
Arid Dreams by Duanwad Pimwana
Last book you read and loved:
Heads of the Colored People by Nafissa Thompson-Spires
Ebook, Physical or Audio:
E-book except for poetry books
Favourite Literary Character:
One that has recently resonated with me is Laura Olamina from Octavia Butler's Parable Series
Become a Member of Rebel Women Lit to Help Us Sustain Our Library
2021 Reading Plans
Bookstagrammers share their no-fills 2021 Reading Plans (and what they’re looking forward to)
As much as we like mood reading, it’s almost inevitable for frequent readers to set reading goals, and on book(ish) Instagram, they’re (usually) elaborate plans of reading hundred(s) of books. We wanted to find out what some of our favourite Caribbean bookstagrammers had their bookish minds set on reading in 2021 and how they’re setting their own trends for 2021 reading goals.
TheRosePetals__
Do you have any reading and bookstagram goals for 2021?
My reading goal for 2021 is to read less. I read 75 books last year, and I questioned how much of that content I mindfully consumed. I set the goal to read less and reflect more in 2021 than I did in 2020. To help me fulfil this intention, I began journaling. The experience of writing down my reflections has been helpful in processing my emotions, digging deeper into research and background information, and responding to authors’ works with my own ideas and thoughts.
Have you started your first book for 2021 yet?
I know I just said I would read less but somehow I am on book number 4 already. I am still on vacation though. The first book was Deadly Family by Caymanian author, Elke Feuer, set in the Cayman Islands. It was refreshing to read a familiar place, and the work made me reflect on some issues in our society.
Which 2021 book releases you’re looking forward to?
I am an Angie Thomas stan, so I am excited about Concrete Rose releasing in 2021 of January! Another one I am looking forward to is Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson, which releases in February.
OddGyalReads
Do you have any reading and bookstagram goals for 2021?
I have no bookstagram goals other than sharing more fun content that will encourage others to read more and of course connecting with those in the bookstagram community. When it comes to reading I don’t want to set goals and targets, that kinda takes the fun out of it and I don’t want to get into the habit of binge reading. However I do intend to read as many bell hooks books as I can find this year. I will be joining in on the RWL reading challenge though, it looks like it’ll be super fun.
What are you reading now?
Emergent Strategy by Adrienne Maree Brown. It’s very good - it’s a challenge to the way advocacy work is being done and how NGOs are organized. Also, a reminder that if we want to see the world change the change has to start within our own live, organizations and communities
Which 2021 book releases you’re looking forward to?
Witches Steeped in Gold - Ciannon Smart
Love is an Ex-Country - Randa Jarrar
White Feminism: from suffragettes to influencers and who they leave behind - Koa Beck
A River Called Time - Courttia Newland
How Beautiful We Were - Imbolo Mbue
Di_Good_Books_Dem
Do you have any reading and bookstagram goals for 2021?
As you might have picked up from my IG Live, I’m bad at planning so I’ll spend some time thinking about this
Lol, so have you started your first book for 2021 yet?
I’ve finished 3 books for the year -Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz, Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany Jackson and Your Corner Dark by Desmond Hall
Which 2021 book releases you’re looking forward to?
I’m most looking forward to The Other Black Girl by Zakiyah Harris
RayningBooks 🇹🇹
Do you have any reading and bookstagram goals for 2021?
Bookstagram wise, I plan to just enjoy myself more and not worry too much about the aesthetic. I don’t have any reading goals because I like to keep this hobby really free of any pressures (I’m a huge productivity freak otherwise)
Have you started your first book for 2021 yet?
I read The Long, Hot Summer this year already and it was so funny! I’m currently reading Sarah J. Maas’ 2020 fantasy novel because... escapism 😂
Which 2021 book releases you’re looking forward to?
I’m dying to read The Women of Chateau Lafayette! It comes out in March and I love Stephanie Dray’s historical fiction ❤️
Do you have any 2021 reading goals are you just going with the flow?
If you’re looking for bookish inspiration to get your reading life on track this year, check out our 2021 Most Anticipated Caribbean Book Releases, and our 2021 Reading Planner