Historical Fiction Reading Challenge: October stats

 

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.

October was a very quiet month for the challenge which may be attributable to the fact that we are heading towards the end of the year. There were only 31 reviews linked up for the challenge, shared by 15 participants. There were 30 individual titles reviewed, written by 28 different authors. There were 6 reviewers who reviewed 3 or more books each. Thank you to everyone who shared their links whether it be 4 or just 1.

It might not have been the biggest month but there is still something VERY interesting in the stats.

There was only one book that was reviewed more than once this month and that was Arabella by Georgette Heyer. This book was read and reviewed by both CLM from Staircase Wit and Helen from She Reads Novels as part of their participation in the 1949 Club. I am hoping that next year I might be able to participate in the next iteration of that club. Maybe.

The other two authors who had more than one book reviewed for the challenge were Agatha Christie and Elizabeth Goudge. What I find interesting is that all of three of these authors are older titles and not recent releases.

If you enjoy reading Historical Fiction why not join us? You can find all the details here. I am starting to turn my mind to next year's challenge. I do have a couple of ideas but if you have any ideas of what you would like to see in the challenge then please do let me know in the comments! My plan is to have the sign up post for next year up in the first week of December which isn't really that far away! 

I am sharing this with Sunday Salon hosted at Readerbuzz and A Good Book and a Cup of Tea hosted at Hopewell's Library.

Weekend Cooking/Cook the Books: The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai

 

I am very happy to be hosting the current selection for Cook the Books. Before I had even been asked I had been contemplating what books I might choose if I were asked, but it still wasn't an easy decision. I studied the list of books that had been previously selected, and was happy to narrow my choice down to something Japanese, but which one? There are plenty of foodie books to choose from. In the end, I chose The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai.

This is a reread for me, and it gave me such joy to revisit the characters and the restaurant where the book is set. And I mustn't forget Drowsy the cat!

I first read this book back in 2024 and I really enjoyed it then.  Since then we have visited Japan and so reading it again also bought back a lot of memories, especially of the tasty hot pot style meals we had which were served up in such gorgeous fashion, with all the little dishes coming together to form the whole meal like below

I am very, very tempted to reread the second and third books in the series before moving onto the fourth book in the series which was recently released. Here are my thoughts about all the books in the series, as well as a couple of other selections that are fun, foodie reads.

The Kamogawa Food Detectives 

Kamogawa Food Detectives 

The Restaurant of Lost Recipes

The Menu of Happiness 

Other suggested reads

The Chibineko Kitchen by Yuta Takahasi

The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki

The Convenience Store by the Sea by Sonoko Machida

Hot Chocolate on Thursday by Michiko Aoyama

When it came to deciding what to make, I turned to a cookbook I have had for a while called Around the Table by Julia Busuttil Nishimura. She is an Australian author who has Maltese heritage, has lived in Italy and is married to a Japanese man and her cookbooks reflect this. 

This book is all about how food memories can take us back to a place and time. I was inspired by the chapter called in the Kamogawa Food Detectives called Beef Stew and I also wanted to bring back the memories we had of all the hotpots we had in Japan, which all featured thinly sliced pieces of meat which are then cooked in the tasty broth for just a couple of minutes and then eaten.

We very much enjoyed this recipe, and I can see it becoming part of our mid-week meal schedule as it is quick, easy and tasty! We only had the pickled ginger which was a really tasty addition.

I did also attempt to make some Shokupan (Japanese Milk Bread) but the less said about that the better. It turns out the yeast we had in the cupboard was 7 years out of date, so I am blaming that for the fact that we didn't get soft and fluffy bread rolls. They did taste right though, so I might have another go at making these, now that I have gone and bought some fresh yeast!

Gyodun (Julia Busittil Nishimura)

3 tbsp light soy sauce
3 tbsp mirin
3 tbsp sake
2 tsp brown sugar
1 large onion, halved and sliced
500 g piece of scotch fillet, very finely sliced

To serve

steamed Japanese short-grain rice (such as koshihikari)
beni shoga (pickled red ginger)
shichimi togarashi
finely sliced spring onion


Place the soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar and 185 ml (¾ cup) of water in a large frying pan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the onion and cook for 4–5 minutes, until soft and becoming translucent.

Add the scotch fillet to the pan and stir so that it is mostly tucked into the liquid. Now allow the beef to gently braise in the liquid with the onions until it is just cooked through, but still tender. For a cut like scotch fillet, this will only take around 5 minutes.

Divide some steamed rice among bowls and top with the braised beef and onion. Serve topped with a some beni shoga, a sprinkle of shichimi togarashi and a generous amount of spring onion.

I am sharing this post with Cook the Books, Foodies Read and Books in Translation Challenge

Weekly meals

Saturday - Beef Stew
Sunday - Beef Stew (leftovers)
Monday - Chicken Parma, Chips, Coleslaw
Tuesday - Beef and Broccoli stir fry
Wednesday - Mexican chicken
Thursday - Sausages, mash, beans and gravy
Friday -  Takeaway

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: Mrs Clutterbuck's Christmas Emporium by Nicola May (Includes UK giveaway)

 

When Mabel Clutterbuck left her home town 27 years ago, she never looked back. She left behind the grave of her husband who disappeared without a trace. She left behind her sister Clara, who she had a major falling out with and had never spoken to since and she left behind her mother, although she did at least speak to her relatively regularly. What she built in her new home was a new life building up a business as a vintage seller. She found interesting pieces wherever she could and sold them for a profit. Mabel never really fell in love again, although she did find company on occasion.

Mabel is shocked when she receives a phone call advising that she needed to come and see her mother immediately, as her sister, Clara, has disappeared. Mabel reluctantly agrees to return to Merrycombe Bay, but only until her sister can be located and returned home. When she arrives back in town she realises that not a lot has changed in the seaside town. Her mother and Clara live in the same house with the same nosy neighbours.

While Mabel visits her confused mother who often mistook her for Clara, Mabel beings to appreciate Clara's efforts. She also begins to appreciate Dave Bright, gardener at the care home and all round good guy. But Mabel isn't in town forever, so there is no point in beginning something...is there? And does she even deserve the chance to fall in love. 

Initially Mabel is quite a prickly character. Can she thaw out enough to start to rebuild her life in Merrycombe Bay, what new insights can she gain into the events of 30 years previous, and could these insights help her to start a new stage of her life, both in her family, her love life and her business.

If you are looking for a festive read that will make you smile and maybe even tear up, look no further! This book has it all.  I loved Mabel with all her quirks. I loved the Christmas shop that she started adn the way that she started to build and rebuild relationships with the people. I would love to visit Mrs Clutterbuck's Christmas Emporium to see what treasures I could find!

I hadn't read Nicola May before but I feel like I have found a new author to keep an eye out for in the future!

I am sharing this review with New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Review Blog and with British Isles Friday hosted at Joy's Book Blog. Thanks to the publisher and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy. Be sure to check out other stops on the blog tour below. And if you are in the UK, don't forget to enter the giveaway below. 

Rating 4/5

About the book

Mrs Clutterbuck’s Christmas Emporium

When Mabel Clutterbuck opens a Christmas shop in sleepy Merrycombe Bay, she has no idea how much her little emporium is about to change the hearts and minds of the people who live there.

Mabel Clutterbuck reluctantly returns to the seaside town she grew up in to be closer to her ailing mother. However, the old woman’s fading memories keep confusing Mabel with her sister Clara - the sister who sacrificed everything to care for their mother before recently disappearing without trace.

Determined to breathe new life into the old shop Clara used for her crafting endeavours, Mabel transforms it into Mrs Clutterbuck's Christmas Emporium, a magical haven filled with vintage decorations, festive treasures, and a little bit of wonder.

The true magic, however, lies in Mabel's Lucky Dip Gift Boxes. Carefully chosen for the hidden heartaches of the customers who buy them, each one brings comfort, hope, and unexpected joy. Not everyone in Merrycombe Bay is convinced, though, especially the formidable ladies of the local WI!

As Christmas approaches, an unexpected romantic encounter gives Mabel a glimpse of a future she never thought possible. And while she helps others find happiness, she begins to heal the parts of herself she thought would remain broken.

But beneath the sparkle of fairy lights and festive cheer, old wounds refuse to stay buried. Why did Clara leave Merrycombe Bay? And if she returns, will Mabel lose everything she's finally found - including the future she never thought she deserved.

Heartwarming, uplifting and sprinkled with Christmas magic, Mrs Clutterbuck's Christmas Emporium is a story of family secrets, second chances, unexpected romance, and the power of kindness.

Purchase Link - https://amzn.eu/d/0h1XusUq

About the Author 

Nicola May is a bestselling author renowned for her heartwarming and humorous romantic comedies. With twenty-three books to her name, her work has captured readers' hearts around the world, has been translated into fifteen languages and consistently ranks in the top 100 of Amazon's Kindle bestseller charts. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cream teas in her beloved Devon, hikes through nature, and occasionally places a bet on the horses.

 

Social Media Links –

w: www.nicolamay.com

i: author_nicola

fb: Nicola May Romance Author | Facebook

 

Giveaway to Win a signed Copy of Mrs Clutterbuck’s Christmas Emporium (Open to UK Only)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Gleam box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Gleam from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Win a signed Copy of Mrs Clutterbuck’s Christmas Emporium (Open to UK Only)

Classic Spin #46

Earlier this year I started participating in the Classics Spin and I have really enjoyed all three books that I have read so far so I am excited to see what the spin throws up for me this time!

The idea is that you put up a list of Classics you want to read numbered 1 to 20, the spin will happen and that is the number book that you have to read. You can find a much better explanation of the rules at the Classics Club itself, but I am sure you get the idea.

The lucky spin number will be announced next Sunday so not too long to wait to see what book the fates have selected for me. The big challenge will be to see if I can complete the read and share a review by January 3.

Interestingly I did have a number of Christmassy books on my master list, and not one of them came up when I did my random number generator! Oh well.

Here's my list

1 The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

2 Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff

3 The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Sparks

4 The House on the Strand by Daphne du Maurier

5 Maigret by Georges Simenon

6 The Moonspinners by Mary Stewart

7 The Songlines by Bruce Chatwin

8 A Room with a View by EM Forester

9 The Women in Black by Madeleine St John

10 Tales of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu

11 Any book I haven't read before by Georgette Heyer

12 Daisy Miller by Henry James

13 Grand Hotel by Vicki Baum

14 Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

15 Fellowship of the Ring by J R R Tolkien

16 Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell

17 The Plains by Gerald Murnane

18 Middlemarch by George Eliot

19 The Loved One by Evelyn Waugh

20 A Son at the Front Edith Wharton

Have you read any of these? Do we have any classics in common? Are you participating in the Spin this time?

Blog Tour: Secrets of a Winter Escape by Sue Moorcroft (includes a UK giveaway)

 

When Erin's life falls apart, she is not sure what to do. She's lost her job and realised that her relationship has no future. Her overbearing mother tries to help, but Erin needs time and space. 

Not that long ago she had met her half-sisters Jade and Rosalie for the first time and inherited a share in a beautiful pensione on the shores of Lake Como. Under the terms of her termination she gets paid for a few months on the condition that she doesn't undertake any work. What better way to fill her time than to go to Italy. It can only be for a short time as the pensione is booked out closer to Christmas but she has a few weeks at least.

Also spending time in the pensione is professional footballer Caleb. Or maybe that is former professional footballer. Caleb made a silly decision while on a stag weekend and has injured his knee. He is now in danger of losing his lucrative contract. He spends his days doing rehab at a local facility and avoiding attracting any attention. That isn't always easy as his glamourous ex WAG isn't averse to dragging his name out in the gutter press to further her career and raise her own profile.

When Caleb finds out that Erin has a background in media but with a focus on car racing, he is still wary of her. The last thing that he needs is another journalist poking around in his business but soon Erin is able to convince him to accept her help to try and rehabilitate his image, which is as necessary as the rehabilitation he is undertaking on his knee. As they work together, the spark between them grows but given that they both have issues can they see past those to what a future together might look like.

Once again, I enjoyed the way that Sue Moorcroft balances the stories of Erin and Caleb. They both have a complete story, with their own issues and they are both given the opportunity to learn more about themselves and what they may want for the future. For both of them, this means thinking about family, whatever shape it comes in. 

Whilst the title of this book doesn't scream Christmas, the cover gives a clue that it is, and it is part of what I loved about this book! I loved the way that we got to see Italian Christmas traditions as well as celebrate a Britmas (British Christmas). The town sounds so beautiful. I wish I could visit but we won't be doing another Christmas in Europe in the foreseeable future so I will just have to read about it!

I always know that I can rely on Sue Moorcroft for a really lovely read, and I am already looking forward to Rosalie's story which will be in the third book in the trilogy!

I am sharing this review with New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Review Blog. Thanks to the publisher and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy. Be sure to check out other stops on the blog tour below. And if you are in the UK, enter the giveaway below! You have to be in it to win it!

Rating 4/5

About the Book

Secrets of a Winter Escape

Will this be a Christmas to remember?

Christmas should be the most wonderful time of year. But for Erin, who's just lost the job that she loves, it's anything but. Down on her luck, the only gift she wants is escape...

So, Erin returns to Lake Como, home to the pensione she inherited from the grandmother she never met. The city sparkles with the magic of the season, and the guests provide a welcome distraction from the life that Erin has left behind.

As the snow begins to fall, Erin finds herself staying in the room next door to Caleb, an injured footballer who's eager to avoid the prying eyes of the press. With emotional baggage bigger than his suitcases, he's a complication that her bruised heart doesn't need. But when Caleb lights Erin up like Como's illuminations, will she admit that all she wants for Christmas is him?

Purchase Link - https://geni.us/SecretsOfAWinterEscape

About the Author

Sue Moorcroft is a Sunday Times bestselling author. Her novels have reached #1 on Kindle UK and Top 100 on Kindle US, Canada, Germany and Italy. She’s won the Goldsboro Books Contemporary Novel of the Year, Readers’ Best Romantic Novel award, two HOLT Medallions and the Katie Fforde Bursary. She’s a past president of the Romantic Novelists’ Association.

Her novels, short stories, serials, columns, writing ‘how to’ and courses have appeared around the world.

 

Social Media Links –

Amazon page: Sue Moorcroft

Audible page: Sue Moorcroft

Website: www.suemoorcroft.com

Facebook author page SueMoorcroftAuthor

Twitter: @SueMoorcroft

Instagram: @SueMoorcroftAuthor

Linked in: Sue Moorcroft

Link Tree: linktr.ee/SueMoorcroft

Bookbub: SueMoorcroft1

 

Giveaway to Win Signed copy of Secrets of a Winter Escape and Sue Moorcroft pen (Open to UK Only)

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome.  Please enter using the Gleam box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Gleam from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Win Signed copy of Secrets of a Winter Escape and Sue Moorcroft pen (Open to UK Only)

Top Ten Tuesday: Author Names - Elizabeth!

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week the theme is Book Characters I Wish Were Real People (And feel free to tell us why! Would you date them, be friends with them, etc.?) (Submitted by Lydia Schoch)

I am going off piste again this week. Not too long ago I did a post where I focussed on author's named Jane. This week I am doing the same, except the name that I am choosing is Elizabeth! I was a little bit surprised that I didn't even need to go and use any derivatives of the name! I got ten just using the name as it is!

Elizabeth Chadwick - I am such a fan of Elizabeth Chadwick's books. I have a few to catch up on though.

Elizabeth Vaughan - This is a blast from the past for me. I really enjoyed War Prize and the next two books when I read this series 20 years ago! Yes, really!

Elizabeth Hoyt - Another blast from the past. I don't read much historical romance these days, but I do remember Elizabeth Hoyt's books fondly.

Elizabeth Gilbert - I am not really that interested in reading most of Elizabeth Gilbert's books but I did  love this one!

Elizabeth Peters - The first series that comes to mind when I think of Elizabth Peters is the amazing Amelia Peabody series, but the Vicky Bliss series was a lot of fun too!

Elizabeth Acevedo - I loved loved loved this book, and I have bought a couple more of her books since then but still haven't read them. 

Elizabeth SaFleur - I had a lot of fun with this book too!

Elizabeth Gaskell - There are quite a few books that I could choose but I can't go past North and South.

Elizabeth Bard - Lunch in Paris? Yes please.

Elizabeth Jolley - I needed to get a least one Aussie author on the list!

Can you think of any other Elizabeths I have missed?

This week

I'm reading

I finished three books this week and started reading one other!

The first book I finished was Long Island by Colm Toibin for the GR challenge. I was sure that I had read Brooklyn years ago, but looking at my handy dandy spreadsheet, I think that maybe I only watched the movie. Anyway, I read this one and it was fine. 

Next up I read Secrets of a Winter Escape by Sue Moorcroft which is for a blog tour later this week! You always know that you can rely on this author for a good read!

I also read Every Day I Read by Hwang Bo-Reum. This is an unusual read for me. I can't think of the last time I read a non-fiction book that was originally published in a different language. This book was 53 very short essays on reading. Each essay talked about how to read more for example it talks about reading deeply, or reading in your comfort zone or outside your comfort zone. It was an easy read.

The book that I started was another blog tour. Mrs Clutterbuck's Christmas Emporium by Nicola May. I am having a lot of fun with it!

I'm watching


We had a public holiday here on Tuesday so we took advantage of the fact that we didn't have to go to work and went to the movies. We watched Pressure which stars Andrew Scott and Brendan Fraser and is all about the role that a Scottish weatherman played in lead up to D Day. If you have any interest in WWII movies then give this one a go. Here's the trailer

I also watched You Me and Tuscany on Saturday night which is a bit of fun. It features a young woman who is broke but goes to Tuscany pretending to be engaged to a man. She then meets his brother and things get complicated.


Life


We had a really quiet weekend but things will start getting busier soon.

We did book our flights to South Africa for next year which is exciting!

Posts from the last week

Top Ten Tuesday: Succint!
Blog Tour: Stuck with you for Christmas by Jen Smith
A Short History of Longans by Mirandi Riwoe
In My Kitchen: October
Six Degrees of Separation: The Fish Wife to The Kamogawa Food Detectives




I've linked this post to It's Monday, what are you reading? as hosted by Book Date, Sunday Salon hosted at Readerbuzz and the Good Book and a Cup of Tea link up hosted at Boondock Ramblings