​
I run a book dedicated Instagram page "Bloomandbooks," where I take photos of books and bookish related things. I also receive advance reader copies from publishers, both in e-book and hardcopy form, which I give honest reviews and discuss in detail on my blog: caseybloomandbooks@wordpress.com.
​
​
I have always been an avid reader and book lover so when I discovered the "bookstagram" community by accident a couple of years ago, I knew I had to join. It wasn't until about 10 months ago that I made the conscious decision to dedicate my platform to promoting more diverse books. With the aim of expanding people's reading experience and to promote the discussion of positive diverse representation in books; including race, "own voices" work, books with characters who identify as LGBTQIA+, have disabilities and/or are from various ethnicities and religions.
​
My favourite book I read this year was hands down 'The Hate U Give' by Angie Thomas, also commonly referred to by it's acronym "THUG". the story centres around Starr a 16 year old girl who is the sole witness to the fatal shooting of her best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. The story gives the reader an in-depth perspective of the life of a black teenage girl who must find her voice to speak up about her best friend's death while also facing the harsh scrutiny by the media and authorities. This debut novel is a powerful and utterly unforgettable story inspired by the "Black Lives Matter" movement. It's a story that EVERYONE needs to read. Oh and did I mention the film rights were bought by 20th Century Fox and the filming has actually just wrapped? So expect it to be hitting the big screens soon!
​
I think Perth's art scene is fantastic! It's rich in visual art, music and theatre across some great hotspots in Perth. Art and culture has the power to diversify and connect everyone, so I think it's great that platforms like GOSHI are giving young artists a voice and place to promote and discuss their art!
CASEY BLOOM
interview by: ella wylynko