I'm of an age where I can remember things being kept 'for best' - the dress that was only worn once or twice a year - Christmas and a 'special' family occasion, that bottle of of my favourite Champagne or the eggshell china tea set that spends its days wrapped in newspaper, quietly waiting for … Continue reading Don't Save It 'For Best'
I can't be the only one who recalls novels read in school English Literature classes with a slight shudder. As evidence of said slight shudder, I give you The Trumpet Major by Thomas Hardy ('O' Level set book, JMB examination board, 1984). And incidentally, my sister-in-law chose 'Thomas Hardy and the Gothic' for her Masters … Continue reading For the Love of Books | 4 Books Read in School That Are Worth Re-Reading
Sometimes, as much as we want to have an endless amount of excitement and cheer for a new year, it’s dreadful. While it can seem like new beginnings and fresh starts for some of us, a new year can also feel like a starting point for a necessary change. There’s so much pressure to make … Continue reading 15 Things I'm Planning on Doing Throughout 2020
Twenty nineteen was another good year for reading. Having said that, I find myself with just three titles on my Favourites of 2019 list (last year I had six on my list): Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid: In April, I wrote that "initially I wasn’t interested in a story about rock … Continue reading For the Love of Books | Favourite Reads of 2019
Happy New Year! Final sunset of 2019 Let me begin by thanking you for reading, commenting and staying with me throughout 2019. It was quite a year. Let's also take a look at the all-important numbers: I wrote 253 posts, totalling 42,065 words. I have 138 followers. There were 1,604 comments, averaging 6 comments per … Continue reading Blog Review | 2019
I did very little reading throughout the month, but what I did read was written by Diana Gabaldon. So, in a different type of reading round-up, here's what's currently in my 'waiting to be read' pile (all were Christmas gifts): Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane: Family saga at its best. The Family Upstairs … Continue reading For The Love of Books | Currently Reading December 2019
The Outlander Series, books 4 and 5 by Diana Gabaldon: I finished book 4 this month and began wading through book 5 (my copy of The Fiery Cross has a whopping 1,412 pages; as I type this post, I am currently on page 645). I don't mind admitting that, as much as I love the … Continue reading For the Love of Books | Currently Reading November 2019
Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld: This was a reread from my bookshelf and it's a title I don't think I've ever mentioned before. The premise of this story is quite simple - it's Pride and Prejudice re-imagined for the 21st Century and it is utterly brilliant! Sittenfeld also wrote the excellent American Wife and Prep. The … Continue reading For the Love of Reading | October 2019
September means that the Season of mist and mellow fruitfulness is approaching. It also means that Shimelle is running her annual class, Learn Something New Every Day.Like the last few years, I’m recording what I’ve learned throughout September here. Day 21: Some authors appear to not want to be contactable via a mailing address. Day 22: The scrapbooking … Continue reading Learn Something New Every Day | Days 21-25
I had thought that I seemed to be slipping behind with this year long project, but I actually managed a further nine thank you letters over the last quarter, just one less that in the second quarter. As in the previous two quarters, the majority were delivered by the Royal Mail. Two were delivered by … Continue reading A Year of Thanking | 3rd Quarter Review
