Book Community: Why I love taking part in online Readathons/Readalongs

The concept of the ‘readathon’ or ‘readalong’ is one that has gained traction as the online book community has grown. Whether ran via a blog, Instagram/Twitter account or Youtube channel, a readathon/readalong brings together people from all over the world who want to either read a selection of books corresponding to a theme/prompts, or read the same book at the same time. Functioning as an online book club, of sorts, readathons/readalongs are a staple to many readers’ months if they are a part of the online book community.

Whether it helps me tackle some of the bigger high fantasy novels on my bookshelf, or allows me to get creative and fulfil certain prompts to feel a sense of achievement, these week or month-long events often bring me closer to the book community online, and are a great way to see other people’s creativity and choices.

June brings us a number of readathons/readalongs, but one I’m incredibly excited about is the ‘Make Your Myth-Taker’ readathon, which runs from 1-30 June and involves you taking a path to ‘become’ a mythical/fantastical character. Drawing on tropes from myths, folklore and fantasy, hosts Ashleigh and Charlotte have devised a complex and creative readathon, encouraging people to dress up and ‘create’ their character. If you’d like to find out more about the readathon, I definitely recommend checking out Ashleigh’s video, and also give them a follow on Instagram and Twitter.

I don’t share my creative writing often, but I thought it would be fun to share the little bit I did write about my character, a royal spy. I may try and write more, but it was good fun to do! The sheer complexity of this readathon has really excited me, and the fact that it made me want to sit down and devise a character with a backstory, is really brilliant. I’ve also popped what books I plan to read below!

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Feyrith Tarwyn came to the court at a young age, accompanying her father on his appointment as the Royal Bookbinder. Spending her youth roaming the corridors, she befriends Saria, a fellow elf within the court and the daughter of the Queen’s closest friend, and she opens her eyes to the world of intrigue within the court. As her father gets more enrobed in the court since the tomes he binds dictate the politics of the land, she instead spends her time with Saria darting around the palace, and learning to stay out of the way and catch conversations drifting under locked doors.

Saria and Feyrith grow close as they get older, and when Saria comes of age, she is granted a high-power role, working closely with the Queen. Feyrith, nearly of age and of high education but with no social standing, still finds herself sneaking within the kitchens, drinking coffee and eating hot cakes all the while hiding in the shadows. In the evenings, she slips into Saria’s rooms where they share gossip over hot punch and attend the masked balls together arm in arm. As Saria’s power grows, Feyrith gains a reputation as her shadow, and people grow wary of letting their tongue slip around her.

One day, the Queen herself calls upon her and she offers her the role of official Royal Spy to the Queendom, on the contingency that she reports everything exclusively to her. She questions the morality of her role, the gossip she shares with Saria seeming less sinister than the work for the Queen. But the temptation of the travel and potential power that the Queen could give her in return for the knowledge is strong, but Feyrith knows that it would change her relationship with Saria forever…

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Finally, the books I’m hoping to get to are:

✨Heard Good Things: The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

✨Red, Gold or Purple Cover: The Binding by Bridget Collins

✨Secret Book: 🤐🤫 … you’ll have you have a peek on my Instagram!

✨Underhyped: This Green and Pleasant Land by Ayisha Malik

 

Have you taken part in any Readathons/Readalongs? Are you planning on getting involved in Make Your Myth-Taker? I’d love to hear your thoughts!