The activities people most frequently associate with me are coughing* and reading, often conducted simultaneously. I’ve read since I can remember myself and never expected my reading experience to change much. And in most ways, it hasn’t – although I’m somewhat less obsessive these days than as a teenager, I still stay up until 4am if I NEED to finish a book. I still read everywhere. I still reread. I read more non-fiction and fewer mysteries than I used to, but otherwise it seems pretty much the same. I had it all figured out by the time I was seven.

Except that there have been two important developments in recent years. The first is to do with technology: the advent of e-books and e-readers that I’ve covered already. The second is also tech-related, but with a human dimension: the rise of reading platforms like Goodreads** and Bookstagram***. I joined Goodreads in 2012 and Instagram in the beginning of 2015, but discovered Boosktagram only a few months ago. I’m a regular user of both.

Goodreads is great for having an overview of your own reading and that of your friends. This is also where I do most of my research when I hear about a book I find interesting, as it has a huge database of reviews and ratings. When I feel particularly passionate about a book, I sometimes do a longer review, but usually I just give out my stars and add a few sentences for my friends. You can also follow and befriend people you don’t know, but I’m trying to limit that, as it can get slightly overwhelming. For sharing and connecting, I mostly use Instagram.

Instagram is full of people posting their current reads, mini-reviews, to-be-read piles and book hauls. Many of them are YA readers, but whatever you’re into, I’m pretty sure you can find SOMEONE on Bookstagram who shares your passion. I don’t think I’ve ever discussed books so much in my entire life as I have in the recent months. What I also like is that you can choose your level of engagement: you can go all out, doing tags and read-alongs and chats and readathons (I don’t, as a rule – not sure what some of those things are, really) or you can refrain from posting entirely and stalk in silence.

More than 3,5 million pictures on Instagram are tagged with #bookstagram and there are thousands of Bookstagrammers, so there is no way to follow all of it, unless that’s all you do. And I don’t recommend that, as it would leave no time to read. Some of the Bookstagrammers are extremely popular (many also have Youtube channels), but my only real advice regarding who to follow is not to make the decision based on the number of followers.

Here are some accounts I love – no guarantee that these would match your taste, but I recommend checking them out:

@artfulreader: if I need reading inspiration, this is the first place I look. Our tastes are similar, but not identical – perfect for finding an occasional new book or getting a push to read something I’ve been considering for ages. She reads very widely, from non-fiction to genre to poetry and that suits me well. She also makes genius literary cocktails.

@liinabachmann: I wanted to include an Estonian account and fortunately @liinabachmann makes it very easy. Her feed is one of the most elegant you’ll find on Bookstagram and her taste in books is impeccable. Expect lots of Nabokov, Murakami and other thoughtful choices. There’s also a pug.

@emmawatson: if you feel like following a celebrity, Emma Watson would be my choice. First of all, she’s Hermione. Second, she has recently started Our Shared Shelf, a feminist book club on Goodreads. I think she’s wonderful.

@endpages: she’s a great example of the Smart Young Lady of Instagram type. She reads and loves YA, but also Franzen, Tartt, Ferrante, Mantel, Woolf, you name it. Unlike me, she’s had the courage to read Yanagihara’s A Little Life already. I bow to her.

@bookiewithoutborders: if you’re looking for creative pictures and often unorthodox choices, this is for you. We share a love for Diana Henry’s cookbooks and without her, I would never have dared to read A Library at Mount Char and would consequently have missed all the fun. She specialises in hilarious, rambling comments.

@jo_rodgers: not really a Bookstagrammer, Jo runs a very popular lifestyle account. Although it’s mostly about food and travel, I found her through books. I believe her sensibilities would appeal to many people who like reading and small pleasures in life. My kind of Instagram porn.

But as I said, never mind my recommendations: if you’re intrigued, go and see if you find a soulmate or two. Or at least something to read.

* I’m almost never seriously ill, but it’s not unusual for me to cough for weeks. Or months. I guess it’s fitting that tuberculosis is the most fetishised illness in literature.
**Goodreads is like a cross between Amazon and Facebook, just without the selling and buying part.
*** Bookstagram is not a separate social media platform, but a community (very loosely speaking) of readers on Instagram. Search #bookstagram to see what I mean.

PS Although I’m not a proper Bookstagrammer, you can of course also follow me: @lifeinacoldclimate.