Top Ten Tuesday: October Reads

 Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's theme is How My Reading Habits Have Changed Over Time (submitted by Lydia @ https://lydiaschoch.com)

Occasionally I do a look back at books I have read in this month over previous years and this theme seems like it would work for that quite well. So, here are some books that I have read in October over the last few years

2023 - The Christmas Love Letters by Sue Moorcroft - Reading Christmas novels is something I would never have done 10 years ago

2022 - A Year at the French Farmhouse by Gillian Harvey - This was my first Gillian Harvey book, but I have now read a further 6 books by her, and consider her an auto-read author

2021 - The Summer Cottage by Viola Shipman - In October 2021 I read two books by Viola Shipman. I would have read more but his books are a bit tricky to get on e-book here.

2020 - Beach Read by Emily Henry - I did read my first Viola Shipman in October 2020, but it was also the first time I read Emily Henry, who I definitely consider and auto-read author now, or rather auto-listen as I tend to listen to her books.

2019 - The Pearl Sister by Lucinda Riley - Another series I tend to listen to. I really must listen to the last couple of books in this series. They are a big commitment though.

2018 - Lethal White by Robert Galbraith - I really enjoyed the audiobooks of this series, but these days I don't really read this series.

2017 - A Letter from Italy by Pamela Hart - So I have been reading about Italy for a while now

2016 - The Art of Keeping Secrets by Rachael Johns - Even during my biggest reading slump, Rachael Johns was an author I read..

2015- Taken with You by Shannon Stacey - I used to read a lot of books from this author, but this was  the last one I read, and I have no idea why.

2014 - Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins - Back in the day I used to read and love the occasional YA book but it has been a while now

This week...

I'm reading

This week I finished reading A Recipe for Christmas by Jo Thomas. This isn't the first festive story I have read and it definitely won't be the last. As soon as I read the first line I knew this was a book I was going to enjoy and I was right. It's set in Switzerland and it's all about chocolate. Delicious. And the opening line:

How many Lindor chocolates can you fit into your mouth at the same time? Three isn't as easy as you may think.

Next up I started reading The Bookshop at the Cornish Cove by Kim Nash which is the fourth book in the Cornish Cove series. We all know that books about books are always fab, and so far I have been happily engrossed in this one.

On the audiobook front I finished listening to The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods which was good, without being great.  I was very excited to then start What I Ate in One Year by Stanley Tucci. 




I'm watching


Well, the America's Cup is run and won for this year. Congratulations to team New Zealand. I must confess, this is the first time I have really paid much attention to the America's Cup but my husband loves all things sailing so I suspect it might not be the last time

The new series of Dessert Masters started last week. This show comes from the makers of Masterchef and features professional pastry chefs making extraordinary creations. Everything looks absolutely amazing.

We also started watching Shrinking. We are only two episodes in but I think we will probably keep watching.


Life

There's been big changes in my world this week. I'll talk more about this in due course. Just need to do some processing about what it all means.

We did go and see the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra playing the music of John Williams on the weekend. Lots of fun.

After a year of doing Duolingo I also started French lessons this week. I intend to just do a term and then see how I feel but I did like it last week, so tres bon so far!

Posts from the last week





Weekend Cooking: Cookbooks I want to buy 




I've linked this post to It's Monday, what are you reading? as hosted by Book Date

Weekend Cooking: Cookbooks I want to buy!

We were very excited this week to receive the new Recipetin Eats cookbook, Dinner. We are avidly studying it to decide what to make first, but it is a difficult decision. And we do this knowing that we haven't made everything we would love to make out of her first book. Not for lack of trying but because we have a lot of favourite recipes that we cook regularly. As soon as I have started cooking things out of it I will be back with a review.

This week though, I thought I would mention a few cookbooks that I would like to buy. In theory, there's no reason why I can't buy them, but if I did I am not sure when I would be able to cook for them, so for the time being, they are books that I will just wish I could buy. Or maybe see if I can borrow them at the library, and then decide to buy them. Each of these authors are ones that I have already bought a cookbook from and really liked them. 

Emelia Jackson - Last year I had to have Emilia Jackson's first book, First, Cream the Butter and Sugar which I reviewed here.   Later this month her next book, Some of My Best Friends Are Cookies, comes out. I love the purpleness of the cover! I would want it just for that reason!

Theo Randall - Last year I bought Theo Randall's cookbook The Italian Pantry which I reviewed here, and my recipe of the year last was the Meatballs recipe from this book.  Theo Randall now has a new cookbook out which is called Verdura: 10 Vegetables, 100 Italian Recipes. 

Meliz Berg - One of the books I cooked a bit out of last year was Meliz Berg's Meliz's Kitchen, which featured Turkish - Cypriot cooking.  I reviewed that book here. Her new book is called Dinner Tonight.

Julia Busuttil Nishimura - Last year I bought her book Around the Table, which is an interesting mix of Japanese, Italian and Maltese recipes. Now, she has a new book out called Good Food Every Day.

I'm sure that if I went looking I would find more, but for now, this is enough!

Weekly meals

Saturday - Vanilla slice
Sunday -  Chicken Fricasee
Monday - Pork chops, mash and broccolini
Tuesday - chicken Stir Fry
Wednesday - Smash burgers
Thursday - Take away fish and chips
Friday - Chicken Shwarma

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page

This week...

 I'm reading

This week I finished One Winter at the French Chalet by Mandy Baggot, which I reviewed here. I then  read In Italy for Love by Leonie Mack. If I think about authors I would continue to read even if I was in a reading slump, then Leonie Mack would be one of those! My review for this will be up next week.

I am all about seasonal reads at the moment, although to be fair In Italy for Love is all about autumn rather than the more familiar Christmas books that you normally would be talking about when you seasonal reads. Today I started A Recipe for Christmas by Jo Thomas. This is a review book but not for a blog tour so it's fun to be able to read something by choice!

I'm watching

 
Last week I started watching a documentation about the history of Buckingham Palace. It's really interesting to see how the building which is so familiar to us all has changed over the years.


Life

We had a really lovely weekend.

On Friday night we went to a pub where they have a duelling pianos night. There are two piano players and you can just put it in requests and they will play the songs. We sang-a-long, we danced, we had a cocktail. It was a really fun night and we will do it again at some point. 

On Saturday we went to a barbecue with friends but then we made a last minute decision to see go and see Joanna Lumley live. It was well worth going to hear her listen to her talk about her years of travel. Without making too much of an obvious pun, it was Absolutely Fabulous!

Posts from the last week



Blog Tour: The Promise of Tomorrow by Samantha Tonge
Blog Tour: One Winter at the French Chalet by Mandy Baggot
Blog Tour: The Little Provence Book Shop by Gillian Harvey
Afternoon Tea Diaries - The Mackintosh at the Willow
Sunday Salon: Historical Fiction Reading Challenge - September statistics


I've linked this post to It's Monday, what are you reading? as hosted by Book Date

Blog Tour: The Village Christmas Party by Sue Roberts

 

We have quite a few birthdays towards the end of September and beginning of October, and it is only after we get past those that I start to think about Christmas. I have a feeling that Lauren, the main character from this book would be horrified that I leave it that late. After all, she has lists for her lists and she needs them as she is very actively involved in her local community.

Every year Lauren is one of the hosts for a Christmas party at the local hall. Anyone who would otherwise be at home by themselves is invited for a lovely Christmas roast with all the trimmings and some good company. 

 

Everything is going to plan for this year, until she finds out that there is an issue with the booking, and now the hall is booked for a seven year olds birthday party. Kian, the dad, is insistent that the birthday party must go ahead in the hall, and Lauren is equally adamant that she has the right to use the hall. It soon becomes clear that the only option is to share so there is a hall full of pensioners and 7 year olds. What could go wrong? And can Lauren resist the handsome Kian?

We like a good list but we don't let them rule our lives like Lauren does at the beginning of the book, and she seems to be finding it exhausting as well. Little by little Lauren is becoming a little less rigid, a little more spontaneous.

While I like the story, it was a little simpler than some of the other books I have read recently. There's a couple of subplots that help but mostly I was left looking for more from the writing. Things picked up in the second half of the book.

When I was offered this book I jumped at the opportunity because I thought I had read Sue Thomas before and the cover is super cute. When I was reading the book, I found myself wondering if I had actually done so.  It turns out I own at least 5 books by Sue Roberts, so there is no doubt that I have thought she sounds like my kind of author. At least I know now what to expect when I do get to read one of those books.

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews.  Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Books on Tour for the review copy.

Rating 3.5/5

About the Book

The smell of mulled wine fills the air as the villagers listen to carollers singing. Everyone in town is ready for the big day. But Lauren only has hours to get the community Christmas party back on track…

Thirty-four-year-old Lauren has a list for everything, especially Christmas. With her presents bought months in advance, the last thing on her checklist is the charity party she runs every year. It has to be perfect – she has seen how much the event means to the older villagers who would be alone for the holidays otherwise.

Everything is going smoothly as the local church bells ring. Until handsome Kian walks in, claiming he has the little village hall booked for his young daughter’s birthday party. Lauren nearly falls off the ladder she is using to hang fairy lights. There’s no way this is happening. Not when she’d triple-checked every detail…

As Lauren frantically tries to find another option, Kian’s insistence that she should just “relax” isn’t helping her stay merry and bright. There’s only one way to make this a festive party to remember. She has to try and work with Kian.

They clash over every detail, but as their helpers arrive, Kian’s kind and welcoming nature soothes Lauren’s shaken nerves. And his gorgeous blue eyes make her wish she’d put the mistletoe out. Until Kian mysteriously disappears…

And Lauren is left alone to keep the excitable children from running into the flaming Christmas pudding the older guests love every year. Will Kian’s chilled approach cool the celebrations? Or can Lauren and Kian put aside their differences and save the day once more?

This completely addictive and gorgeous festive romance is perfect for fans of Cathy Bramley, Tracy Rees and Heidi Swain. You will not be able to put this down once it wraps you up in its warmth and charm!

About the Author


Sue Roberts lives in Lancashire with her long term partner Derek and has had a lifelong love of writing, encouraged by winning a school writing competition at the age of 11.

She always assumed that ‘one day’ she would write a book, always having a busy household and a job, the idea remained firmly on the back burner but never forgotten.

The inspiration for her first novel came to her on a holiday to a Greek village. Her daughters had left home and suddenly the time had come to write that book!


Social Media Links

https://www.instagram.com/suerobertsauthor/
https://twitter.com/suerobertsautho



Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Sue Roberts here: https://www.bookouture.com/sue-roberts




Buy Link:
Amazon: https://geni.us/B0DDY3P3DNsocial


You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you'll love at: http://ow.ly/Fkiz30lnzdo

Sunday Salon: Historical Fiction Reading Challenge - September statistics

Every month I share some of the statistics related to the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge. I try very hard to visit every post which has been linked (time permitting) and I find it interesting to see what are the books that people are reading and reviewing! I often end up adding a couple of books to my never ending TBR list.

In terms of the books read in September, there were 50 reviews linked up for the challenge, shared by 20 participants. There were 48 individual titles reviewed, written by 45 different authors. There was just 1 reviewer who shared more than 5 reviews this month, but there were another 3 who reviewed 4 books each. Thank you to everyone who shared their links whether it be 10 or just 1.

So which books were reviewed more than once in September? There were actually two. 

The first was Hemlock Bay by Martin Edwards, the 5th book in the Rachel Savernake mystery series, which was reviewed by Margaret at BooksPlease and Cathy at What Cathy Read Next.

The second book was Ordeal by Innocence by Agatha Christie which was reviewed at Shellie Loves Books and at Laura's Reviews

Laura actually reviewed another Agatha Christie book as well, A Murder is Announced.

Susan from Reading World reviewed two books by Kimberly Nixon which were called Rock Bottom, Tennessee and Rock Bottom Rising.

The final author who had more than one book reviewed this month was Madeline Martin, who I have had on my TBR list for the longest time. Jenia from Story for Dessert reviewed her latest book The Booklover's Library while Bev from My Reader's Block reviewed The Last Bookshop in London.

Given that we are now three quarters of the way through the year, I did have a quick look at the stats for the whole year to see if we had a clear leader in terms of the books that have been reviewed the most. There were actually 5 books which have each been reviewed 3 times so it will be interesting to see if we have a clear leader by the time we get to the end of December.

I'll be back next month with the statistics for October!

I am sharing this post with Sunday Salon, hosted at Readerbuzz.

Weekend Cooking: Afternoon Tea Diaries - Mackintosh at The Willow

Welcome to the next instalment of Afternoon Tea Diaries. This time I will be sharing about the afternoon tea that we did in Glasgow. This was actually a last minute decision. We had a full day in Glasgow and we weren't 100% sure of what to do, so I booked in for an afternoon tea.

We started our day in Glasgow by catching a bus to Kelvingrove Museum, including catching a bus with a a very grumpy bus driver.  One of the exhibits was all about the distinctive style of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the famous tea rooms. Coincidentally, our afternoon tea was in one of those very tea rooms, which has been faithfully renovated in the Mackintosh style. The Willow Tea Rooms were originally opened in 1903.

Given that this was our final full day in the UK, we decided to add a glass of sparkling wine to our experience as well as our choice of tea, of which there were many, many options. The nice thing was that you could drink as much tea as you liked, and you could try as many different types of tea as you liked as well. I chose a Russian Caravan tea just because the name of it was intriguing. All the tea china was in classic blue and white, including the stand and tea pots.

I have just been looking at the website and have noticed that the menu has changed, and so it is very seasonal, but this was our menu when we visited.

And this was the stand when it arrived. As an aside I really need to remember to think about the angles so that you can seethe stand without my husband in the background! lol

And closer photos of the scones and sweet treats

As you would expect everything was delicious, but if I absolutely had to pick a favourite it would be the Peach Melba Entremet which is at the bottom of the picture. It actually sent me off on a bit of a peach obsession which resulted in my eating peach ice cream and drinking iced peach tea when we were on the next leg of our trip in Hong Kong.

Now I am thinking if there is anything peachy in the house!

Weekly meals

Saturday - Out for dinner (High Tea for dinner)
Sunday -  Zucchini, tomato and parmesan risotto
Monday - Sausage and pasta - New
Tuesday -
Wednesday - Murg Makhani (Butter Chicken) New
Thursday - Chicken Fricasee
Friday - Out for dinner

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page

Blog Tour: The Little Provence Book Shop by Gillian Harvey

I am a big fan of Gillian Harvey's books. I love how her passion for France shines through, whih really isn't surprising given that she lived there for years. I pick each one up with a great sense of anticipation, and this one was no different, although the story itself almost felt a bit different - almost sprinkled with fairy dust.

When Adeline and her young daughter Lili move to a small village in Provence, it is almost like fate played a hand. Adeline has recently learned something about herself that has changed the way she feels about her remaining family. She sees an ad in a paper for someone to work in a bookstore and before she knows it, the job is hers.

The bookstore owner is Monique, a woman who has a reputation for being a little bit "witchy", for want of a better word. She believes in gemstones and old wives tales, and she has the uncanny ability of being able to pick exactly the book that her customers need, even if they don't know they need it themselves. And she believes that Adeline has that exact same ability.

It is no surprise that Adeline moves to Provence, and soon she is looking to find the truth about her own identity, but along the way she has to question if making such an impulsive move was actually a good idea both for her daughter and for herself.  Meanwhile Monique has many secrets of her own so maybe it is time for her to make her own fresh start as well.

And there is no newcomer to France story without a bit of romance with a lovely French man right?

As always, reading a Gillian Harvey book makes me wish that I could just pop over and live in France for a while. A girl can dream can't she?

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews and the Bookish Books Challenge hosted at Bloggin' Bout Books. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley  and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy.

The Little Provence Book Shop

Everyone’s story has some magic. You just have to turn the page to find it…

As the sun rises over the little Provence village where single mother Adeline has escaped with her little girl Lili, she breathes deeply. This is their new beginning. Here, she can forget the lies her family told her. Here, she can start her story again.

Later she opens the door to the town’s tiny bookstore, where she is to work, ready to meet the mysterious owner Monique for the first time.

She expected an ordinary bookshop. But this bookstore feels somehow different… magical. Breathing in the smell of books, she feels a jolt of something. It feels like a new chapter beginning.

As she gets to know the villagers – including the handsome Andre and friendly Michel – she starts to believe in the magic of this new start. But can a runaway like Adeline ever find what she’s looking for? Or is a happy-ever-after just another fiction?

A totally gorgeous, escapist, romantic novel – set in rural Provence – by the bestselling author of A Year at the French Farmhouse and The Bordeaux Bookclub.

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/provencebookshopsocial

About the author

Gillian Harvey is a freelance writer and bestselling author who lives in France. She writes escapist fiction set in France, including bestsellers A Year at the French Farmhouse and A Month in Provence.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: @GillianHarveyAuthor

Twitter: @GillPlusFive

Instagram: @GillPlusFive

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/GillianHarveyNews

Bookbub profile: @gillplusfive