• The National Trust Book of Biscuits {book review}
    What I'm reading

    The National Trust Book of Biscuits {book review}

    March 12, 2026 - By 

    I love to bake and was delighted to receive a copy of the National Trust Book of Biscuits by Linda Collister to review. As a fan of National Trust tearooms, I thought the book would be a great addition to our collection of baking books. The National Trust Book of Biscuits This tempting collection of recipes from expert baker Linda Collister includes all the classics. The book is divided into chapters, starting with Good Things to Know, and working through Nice and Easy, All About Chocolate, Something Fancy, Squares and Bars, Biscotti and Savoury. There are ginger snaps and shortbread…

  • What I'm reading

    {What I’m reading} The Seeker of Lost Paintings

    July 4, 2025 - By 

    I seem to be drawn to historical fiction. I loved the sound of The Seeker of Lost Paintings and was delighted to receive a copy to review. Unfortunately the book is not published until March 2026 but read on for my review, I promise it will be worth waiting for! The Seeker of Lost Paintings by Sarah Freethy The Seeker of Lost Paintings is an unforgettable story of love and betrayal across the decades from the author of The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy. Interweaving war-torn Rome with modern-day London, this sophisticated and thrilling historical page-turner about love, betrayal and a quest…

  • What I'm reading

    The Queen of Fives by Alex Hay

    February 19, 2025 - By 

    A few years ago I received a copy of The Housekeepers by Alex Hay to review. I really enjoyed the historical heist and the story and characters stuck with me ever since. So I was delighted to be offered Alex’s second book to review, The Queen of Fives. This is the second book I’ve read this year out of my target of 35 books. The Queen of Fives by Alex Hay Nothing is quite as it seems in Victorian high society, in the twisty and original new novel from the author of THE HOUSEKEEPERS… They whisper her name in every…

  • The Vintage Shop of Second Chances
    What I'm reading

    The Vintage Shop of Second Chances by Libby Page

    January 23, 2023 - By 

    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,…

  • Mrs Van Gogh by Caroline Cauchi
    What I'm reading

    Mrs Van Gogh by Caroline Cauchi

    January 16, 2023 - By 

    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…

  • The Mega Complicated Crushes of Lottie Brooks by Katie Kirby
    What I'm reading

    The Mega Complicated Crushes of Lottie Brooks by Katie Kirby

    September 7, 2022 - By 

    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…

  • Femina: A New History of the Middle Ages, Through the Women Written Out of It
    What I'm reading

    Femina: A New History of the Middle Ages, Through the Women Written Out of It

    August 11, 2022 - By 

    I’ve been reading a lot of fiction recently, working my way though the trilogy of books about Miss Buncle by DE Stevenson. Set in the 1930s and 1940s they were light hearted and fun, just what I needed. But I was delighted to get my hands on Femina: A New History of the Middle Ages, Through the Women Written Out of It by Janina Ramirez. The author is an art historian and TV presenter and hugely entertaining and interesting to watch. I knew I would love to read her latest non-fiction book, Femina. Femina: A New History of the Middle…

  • Catching up with my 2020 reading list
    Family Life

    Catching up with my 2020 reading list

    July 25, 2020 - By 

    Top of my list of things to do over the next 6 weeks is to catch up on my reading. I thought I would read a lot during the lockdown period but I didn’t. Home learning took up most of the week, normal household duties and taking the dog for a walk seemed to take up the rest. However I want to return to work with a few things crossed off my to do list including working through a pile of new books, making my own clothes, and taking a few online courses. So far this year I’ve read 14…

  • The Lost Lights of St Kilda by Elisabeth Gifford
    book review - What I'm reading

    The Lost Lights of St Kilda by Elisabeth Gifford

    February 1, 2020 - By 

    I felt that I wasn’t doing very well in my 2020 Goodreads challenge until I saw the front cover of The Lost Lights of St Kilda by Elisabeth Gifford on NetGalley (thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this book!). I spent 5 years living in Scotland, which is where I first heard about the magical islands of St Kilda, an isolated archipelago of islands some 40 miles off the west coast of Scotland. The Lost Lights of St Kilda is set on the beautiful and remote islands, linking one of the islands inhabitants, Chrissie, to a parallel story…