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Wife Living Dangerously by Debra Kent
Wife Living Dangerously by Debra Kent is a book I found in a second-hand book store. The title amused me and I was intrigued as to what led a wife to live dangerously. After all, so many wives lead pretty mundane lives like mine I imagine. Perhaps it is just that as the menopause strikes, I question so many of my life choices including the one to get married at all. Is it possible for a wife to live dangerously? Is doing so recommended? Wife Living Dangerously Julia is the wife in question. Due to her upbringing she has always played by the book as a good woman, wife and…
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Book review of The Missing Wife by Sheila Flanagan
As I attempt to get into a regular blogging pattern so that my readers know what to expect, I am using Mondays to focus on reading. I hope you enjoy my book review of The Missing Wife by Sheila Flanagan. Book review of The Missing Wife The book starts with a journey as we meet our heroine Imogen for the first time. I always think at public transport stops and stations that every passenger probably has quite a powerful story to tell. Imogen is making a journey from A to B but also from a relationship of coercive control with Vince to one of self-discovery and liberty. She uses a…
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How to Take Care of Your books
Photo from Thought Catalog (https://unsplash.com/photos/o0Qqw21-0NI) As a book lover, nothing beats the feeling of getting my hands on a new book. Sure, e-books cost less and take up less space when they’re in your Kindle or smartphone, but the feeling of flipping the page and immersing yourself in a whole other universe is an entirely different feeling. One of my pet peeves, though, is seeing many people mishandle their books. It’s not that people are actively destroying their books, but they’re unknowingly mishandling the books so much that it takes on damage. As a result, their books look damaged even though it’s only been a few months in their possession.…
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The Reunion book review – enjoying a murder mystery
I want to share my The Reunion book review with you. The Reunion is actually by Guillaume Musso and fortunately translated from the original French by Frank Wynne. I have a history of avoiding all school and college reunions and I know I am not alone in that. There are fears about the fact that you look so much older or perhaps have not fulfilled all your early promise. You can be haunted by thoughts of how everyone at the reunion will be doing so much better than you are. It is nonsense of course. Once I did go to a college reunion, I realised I had riches others did…
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Something to Live for – book review
Something to Live for by Richard Roper is Orion Fiction’s major debut launch for 2019. I was delighted to be asked to read the book and review it on my blog. The book deals with the themes of life and death. When describing the book to my husband I started referring to it as “my death book” but actually it is far more about how to live life well whilst we have it and how we can all forget how vital that is particularly when curveballs are thrown our way. First impressions of Something to Live for I read about 50 pages of the book and thought it was OK…
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I am your friend – a book of hope review
I am your friend is a book I cannot recommend highly enough. I think it could help people of any age from childhood to later life. It acts as a wonderful little touchstone to have nearby to pick up in random moments when you may be wobbling a bit emotionally. We all have those times and this book acts as a super quick fix to get you back on track. In the longer term with regular use, it alters your thinking so that you are more positive. At least, that is my experience. The author The author of I am your friend is Billie Bacall. Inspirational is a term people…
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3 Great Reads for Summer Holidays
Are you looking for great reads for Summer holidays? It’s always such a luxury to have the time and space to read a good book. So many women and mums struggle to find the time to read as often as they like. Summer holidays can be a great time to get back into the habit. It really is possible to get back to reading and these 3 recommended reads from Jo will get you well on the way to doing so. The Mum Who Got Her Life Back by Fiona Gibson I’ve enjoyed many of Fiona Gibson’s books in the past and have previously recommended Take Mum Out in a…
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Confessions of a Bad Mother, The Teenage Years
Confessions of a Bad Mother, The Teenage Years is the new non-fiction book from Stephanie Calman. As a mother of boys aged 18 and 13 and a daughter aged 15, I was keen to read it to pick up any wisdom or reassurance from another mum. I struggled when the children were small and it seems my challenges continue making me feel all too often I am not cut out for parenting at all even though I love them so very much. Confessions of A Bad Mother, The Teenage Years The Sunday Times called this book “an antidote to all those perfect mother manuals”. The book shares tales from the…
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The New Achilles by Christian Cameron – book review
The New Achilles by Christian Cameron was published by Orion on 18th April 2019. I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to read it so I could share an early review on my blog with you. This is a book where if you settle down and put the effort in you will be rewarded with a great read and learn lots too. About the book The book is set in 3rd century BC Greece. There is a power struggle between Macedon and Rome which is threatening to tear Greece apart. I have had a long fascination with this period and wish I had studied Ancient History in an academic…
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The Strawberry Thief – book review
The Strawberry Thief is a book that comes with strong credentials as it is written by Joanne Harris. In 2000, her 1999 novel Chocolat was adapted to the screen, starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp. She is an honorary Fellow of St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, and in 2013 was awarded an MBE by the Queen. I was expecting great things and I was not disappointed. I would not call this book a typical page turner although others do. Rather it is like a very fine French red wine that is there to be indulged in and to be savoured over time. Like the best of wines, there are undertones that…
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The Keeper of Lost Things – book review
The Keeper of Lost Things sounded intriguing as a book title so I was delighted when Sarah Cull asked if she could write a review of the book for my blog. The Keeper of Lost Things “Bone china cup and saucer – found, on a bench in Riviera Public Gardens, 31st October.” Without wanting to sound like a complete cliché, The Keeper of Lost Things is a charming read. The central thread of the story is around Anthony, an author who has lived with a broken heart for decades since losing a treasured item that he promised to always keep safe. Anthony seeks comfort in the collection of other lost objects, always…
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Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman – book review
Eleanor Oliphant is a name to capture the imagination so I was delighted to accept the offer of Amy to share her book review of Gail Honeyman’s novel Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. I empathise with Any who has set herself a personal reading challenge for the year. I have done the same because otherwise I won’t take time out for the pleasure of reading and I am determined to do more of what I love this year. “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman is a thought-provoking, fictional read that touches the heart of the reader with its underlying darkness that is a reminder of the “skeletons in…
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All Quiet on the Western front book review
All Quiet on the Western Front is a saying we hear from time to time. It is also a book and I was delighted when a blogger Elysia offered to share her thoughts and feelings about it with my readers. “All Quiet is a book that follows four 19 year old boys who join the German Army straight out of school and they soon find out that the War is not as glorious as they were lead to believe. We see the highs and the lows that these boys and their fellow soldiers face during World War 1 and we are privy to the horrors that the German army were…
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Children’s books and their life lessons
There’s something magical about children’s books. From the brilliant illustrations and imagery to the whimsical stories that unfold, nearly every person can recall their favourites from childhood. To this day, scholars, educators, and parents alike use these books as a vehicle to herald children’s imaginations and as a means to teach valuable lessons. Nearly all of our favourite classics share underlying life lessons which, as parents, we can utilize in helping our little ones develop and understand the world in which we live. Invaluable created this neat infographic that details eight classic children’s books and the powerful lessons that each relates What is your favourite children’s book? What lessons does…
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Clash of Empires by Ben Kane – book review
Clash of Empires by Ben Kane is one of those chunky books that covers things in great detail. The book is the first book in what promises to be an addictive series based in ancient history. It appealed to me because I have always wanted to study ancient history but I passed it on to my husband as he was short of a book to read and I felt he would enjoy it. He was less convinced but ended up loving it. The story The story is about when the Roman legion and the Greek phalanx, the two mightiest military formations of their time, met on the battlefield for the…
