Many book lovers love to share their recommendations for the best things to read, whether through rating sites like Goodreads or on social media like Instagram. YouTube is another popular option for book lovers. If you’re been thinking about starting your own BookTube channel, here are some tips to get you started.

Invest In Equipment

You don’t need any fancy, expensive equipment to start a BookTube channel. When you’re starting out, you can use equipment you already have, such as your phone. Film in a well-lit area, and buy a cheap microphone to improve your audio. You can upgrade to better lighting or a better camera later on. 

Create A Backdrop

Your bookshelves could make the perfect backdrop, but don’t worry if you can’t make that work. Just choose a backdrop that is clutter and distraction-free. Test a few locations to find somewhere with good audio and consistent lighting. 

Books

Choose the books you’re going to cover. Many BookTubers concentrate on the books that they are currently reading and share reviews. It can help to choose a niche that fits the books you like to read most, such as reviewing new YA releases, or books for parents to read to their children. As well as reviews, you could also create videos on wider book themes, such as comparing the book to the movie adaption or using https://booksloom.com to find books that are often overlooked. 

You don’t need lots of disposable income or to keep buying books all the time. There are some websites that over review copies of books, or you can use your local library to get hold of new releases without spending a lot of money. Kindle also has many classics available for free. 

New and upcoming books are always popular on BookTube, there is also demand on YouTube for lists of older favourites too. Don’t feel as though you can’t share books that are a few years old. 

Think About Your Content

Reviews are a big part of BookTube, but filming a review can be harder than you’d think. You will want to clearly describe the plot, and share your opinions without giving away any spoilers. Get started by writing down a quick summary of the book. Double-check you know how to pronounce the author’s name or any difficult character names. If you do make a mistake, don’t worry. Start your thought again from a point where you can smoothly edit out the mistake. 

Make sure you know what you can and can’t share in your videos. Reading the book’s summary can be a good way to clearly explain the plot. If you’re going to give away any spoilers, make sure you state that clearly, and tell people when they are and when to skip ahead to in order to avoid them. As well as your books, make sure you understand the rules about any music or images you use on your channels and don’t accidentally fall foul of a copyright strike.

The landscape of English football has changed dramatically since VAR was introduced in the Premier League in 2019. The system brought in to reduce controversy over refereeing decisions has created plenty of controversy itself, and for the last couple of seasons, it’s felt like VAR has become more of a story than the actual football — with the Premier League odds harder to predict as a result.

As we approach the third season where VAR will be used in the English top flight, the powers that be have outlined a number of changes to the way that the system will be implemented this campaign, in a bid to prevent VAR from getting involved too regularly in decision-making. Let’s run through the changes and assess whether they will make a tangible difference in the Premier League this season.

What’s changed?

One of the main ways VAR will be used more sparingly this season is when it comes to penalty decisions over minor contact in the box. We have seen countless examples of players winning spot-kicks after VAR detects minimal contact on an attacking player from a defender.

“Contact on its own is only part of the what referees should look for,” referees’ chief Mike Riley said. “They should also ask themselves if the contact has a consequence, and then if the player used that contact to try and win a foul or a penalty. It’s not sufficient just to say: ‘Yes, there’s contact.’ I think it moves the dial back towards where we were in a pre-VAR world. We don’t want trivial things penalised.”

Another major change will involve the use of thicker lines when making offside decisions, which will create a clearer distinction between onside and offside in video replays, and help to avoid the kind of ‘armpit offsides’ we have seen so many times in previous seasons.

Lastly, handball has been revamped so that there will be no punishment for accidental offences in the build-up the goal. Handball will only punish an attacker if they score directly as a result of a handball, or immediately after.

What effects will the changes have?

For penalty decisions, we should see a decrease in the number of ‘soft’ penalties awarded for minimal contact. It will be interesting to see how referees enforce these changes. As always, much will hinge on the individual referee who is assigned to be the VAR for a particular match. What constitutes minimal contact for one referee will constitute significant contact for another, and it’s simply a fact that in a sport of subjective refereeing decisions, there will always be some kind of controversy.

The ridiculously tight offside decisions have been the bugbear of every player, coach and fan throughout the last couple of seasons. We have seen goals that appear perfectly good to the naked eye be ruled out for the most miniscule of offside margins. That should change this season thanks to the thicker lines being used to judge offside decisions. According to Riley, 20 goals were chalked off last season that wouldn’t have been under the new guidelines, so we should get to see more goals as a result!

The handball law was the most sensible to change, as goals were being ruled out for the most ludicrous of reasons – like a player accidentally handling the ball some 20 seconds before a goal was scored.

In the end, none of these changes should pose too much threat to those leading the Premier League winner odds list, but everyone wants a more free-flowing game, so let’s hope VAR will fade into the background slightly in the upcoming season.

Are you looking for a wonderful gift idea for your wife? Do you want to topple your record of gifting the best gift on her birthday last year?

We understand it is often a struggle to find something for your wife or girlfriend or fiance that she will love. But we are here to help. 

Whenever you are stuck on choosing what to buy for your wife, follow your gut. Think about what she likes and the things she values- you know it, concentrate your mind a little! ( you have the answers) 

You can either go sentimental way or practical way. If you want to give something sentimental -choose a gift that you know has a meaning or thought behind it, and your wife will love it. 

Consider what time of year it is if you want to go with a practical gift. Is it summer yet? Why not get her some beautiful bikini sets or floral summer dresses? It’ll be a hit with your wife.

And if you’re still stumped about what to get her, you’ve come to the right place because we’ve got some suggestions that will make her say, “Wow, that’s so awesome, I love it.” 

Let’s get started

Elegant Lounge Wear 

A pair of plush silk pajamas are both comfortable and attractive, and now that everyone is staying at home in their pajamas, it would be ideal if the pajamas are elegant and comfy.

Luxury Watch

The best way to show the love of your life that you cherish your time together is to get her a watch you know she’ll adore. You can get your wife a luxury watch like a Richard Mille wrist watch if you have a budget and want to go the extra mile. Roses and chocolates don’t last lifetimes, but watches do.

A Massager

Your wife’s neck and back may be screaming for help if she’s crammed behind the desk! You might hear her complaining about how much sitting in a chair hurts her muscles.

While you can’t help her with the workload, you can get her a massager. There are many compact massagers on the market today that are effective at releasing knots.

This is a functional gift, and believe us when we say that even if they are a little pricey, your wife will keep coming back to them, so the cost is justified.

A Pair Of Sneakers 

Sneakers are necessary because if your wife is going for a long commute to her office, working out, or just strolling around the neighborhood, she should have comfortable shoes. 

Good shoes are set to take people to good places, and there are plenty of options available today from various brands. Shoes that are both comfortable and very stylish.

If you feel extra special, you can get her two shoes- one lifestyle shoe and one workout shoe! (we bet she won’t have any complaints) 

Bobblehead Figurine

This is another sentimental gift that will undoubtedly be treasured.

It’s very easy to get customized bobbleheads in the style you want; all you have to do is send your photos to the bubblehead company, and they’ll customize them for you.

Isn’t it adorable to have bobbleheads that look like you and your wife? If she’s the type who appreciates emotional and thoughtful gifts, we’re sure she’ll adore this one.

Preserved Roses 

We all know that most people adore flowers, but the sad reality is that they only last two days. What you can do better is get her a beautiful bouquet of preserved roses—they last for over a year- yes, you read that correctly. 

Various companies sell these. You can check them out, and if your wife loves flowers, you know what to get her this time around.

Conclusion

The most important thing you can give your wife is love, and gifts are just icing on the cake for spoiling her on this wonderful journey.