I feel like I’ve been on a bit of a roll with my reading recently. Every year I challenge myself to read a certain number of books, and this year my Goodreads 2024 Reading Challenge is set at 35 books. Now I no longer read with the kids (sob) I have more time to read my own books. I miss those young adult books but my TBR pile is huge 🙂 I was delighted to receive an ARC of The Story Spinner via NetGalley. The Story Spinner by Barbara Erskine The land of the Silures, 382 AD Elen is a…
-
-
I’ve been working my way through some of my collection of Persephone books recently so was delighted to receive a copy of The Glassmaker by Tracy Chevalier to read and share with you. The Glassmaker by Tracy Chevalier Venice, 1486. Across the lagoon lies Murano. Time flows differently here – like the glass the island’s maestros spend their lives learning to handle. Women are not meant to work with glass, but Orsola Rosso flouts convention to save her family from ruin. She works in secret, knowing her creations must be perfect to be accepted by men. But perfection may take…
-
Ever since the children were born we’ve enjoyed reading festive books at Christmas. I started a Book Advent for them when they were born (you’re never too young to enjoy a book!) and we’ve carried on the tradition ever since. I love updating the books as the children get older. This year we are delighted to be reading The Enchanted Christmas Treasury which is aimed at readers aged five to eight. It features stories of ninja nans, brave pups and fallen angels finding their way back to the top of the Christmas tree, in tales that will charm everyone. The…
-
I discovered the author Kate Morton a few years ago when I read The Clockmakers Daughter and I’ve never looked back. She is one of my favourite authors and I always look forward to her latest book. Thanks to NetGalley I was able to read an advanced copy of her new book, Homecoming. I finished it in a few days! Homecoming by Kate Morton {book review} Adelaide Hills, Christmas Eve, 1959. At the end of a scorching hot day, beside a creek in the grounds of a grand and mysterious mansion, a local delivery man makes a terrible discovery. A…
-
The start of the year is usually pretty quiet for me which means I can make a great start on my Reading Challenge! For the last few years I’ve taken part in the Goodreads Reading Challenge and this year have set myself a slightly lower target which I’m hoping is realistic. Today I’m delighted to share my review of The Vintage Shop of Second Chances by Libby Page. The Vintage Shop of Second Chances by Libby Page Among the cobbled streets of the Somerset town of Frome, Lou is embarking on the start of something new. After the death of her beloved mother,…
-
I’m excited to share my first book review of 2023! This year I’ve signed up to the Goodreads 2023 Reading Challenge and set myself a target of reading 35 books. This is slightly less than last year but hopefully more achievable – as I didn’t reach my target last year. I’ve noticed the books I read with the kids are longer and we just don’t have time to read as much as we used to when they were little. Mrs Van Gogh by Caroline Cauchi She’s been painted out of history…until now Who tells her story? In 1890, Vincent Van…
-
I love to share books with my children, my daughter loves a picture book, especially non-fiction ones. We were recently gifted a copy of An Atlas of Lost Kingdoms by Emily Hawkins and Lauren Baldo, which is perfect for children aged 7-9 years. An Atlas of Lost Kingdoms Most of the places in the book have never been found – but within the pages, you will succeed where even the most daring adventurers have failed. In this copper-foiled, richly illustrated atlas of forgotten places, discover lost kingdoms, phantom islands and legendary continents that were once sought by explorers, and now…
-
My daughter came home from her first day in Year 6 with a new badge, that of Librarian! She is a real book-worm and I’m always finding her asleep next to her latest book. She reads a lot which I couldn’t be happier about and we love to read together. We were recently gifted a copy of The Mega Complicated Crushes of Lottie Brooks by Katie Kirby. I love Katie Kirby’s cartoons but I had no idea she had written books for children. The Mega Complicated Crushes of Lottie Brooks The Mega Complicated Crushes of Lottie Brooks is the third…
-
We’re currently away for a week and I was delighted to receive a copy of The Hidden Palace by Dinah Jefferies to review. This was the second novel in the trilogy about one family. You can read my review of the first book, Daughters of War, in this post. The Hidden Palace can be read on its own, but it makes frequent references to what preceded it, and I would recommend reading it first. The Hidden Palace follows on straight away from Daughters of War. The Hidden Palace by Dinah Jefferies A rebellious daughter 1925. Among the ancient honey-coloured walls of…
