This week....

I'm reading

Melbourne weather is notoriously fickle and we have had some really,really hot days this week with more to come. This week it just so happened that I picked up two books set in the Arctic area of the northern hemisphere, so plenty of snow and ice to cool the brain. The first of those books was The Arctic Cruise by Caroline James. Our characters sailed north to Norway chasing the Northern Lights. It was a fun read. (my review)

Then my thoughts turned to France and pastries when I read The Boulangerie on the Corner by Susan Buchanan. As I stated at the beginning of my review...you had me at boulangerie!

I stepped a bit outside of my normal reading this week and read The Housemaid by Freida McFadden. I don't normally read these kinds of psychological thrillers. I picked it up because a friend of mine recently told me that McFadden is her favourite author, and I have noticed how her books are dominated the best sellers lists around the world! Having now read one of her books, I can see why. It was gripping, twisty and turny and definitely made me want to find out what happens next. I have requested the next book from the library but there is a bit of a wait.

Finally, I started Us Against You by Fredrik Backman, which is set in a small town in Sweden. This is the second book in the Beartown trilogy and I'm enjoying it very much. I can't wait to pick it up again today.

I'm watching


I watched the first episode of the Irish show, The Walsh Sisters, which is based on the Marian Keyes books. I wasn't really sure what to make of the first episode. There was lots of drama, but I guess I always think of Marian Keyes as being funny while she tackles heavy issues. I am not sure I got the funny yet. I will keep watching too see if it picks up or not.

Recently, it was announced that the best selling books in the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series are being made into a TV series. I thought that it was probably about time that I watched the movie version which was made back in 2018, which is called Cafe Funiculi Funicula. I enjoyed it,, and liked the way that they depicted the person going back in time. It was a bit different to the book, which I guess is to be expected. I liked it, but I am not 100% sure it would have made a lot of sense if I didn't already read the series.

Here's the trailer

Life


It's a long weekend here for Australia Day. It is a bit of contentious holiday. It's not because people aren't proud to be Australian and love our great country, but the date of 26 January is seen as being harmful for indigenous Australians as it represents the day that the British came and took their land and so many of their people in the following years. I would be quite happy to see the date changed to another date that is less painful. It's been changed before and it can be changed again. I am, however, happy to have the additional day off. Work has been pretty stressful so I am grateful for the chance for one extra day to just do not much, especially seeing as we have had some pretty hot days

With the heat comes the threat of fires. Whilst I have never been close to being threatened by a really big fire, I do hate the days that you wake up and all you can smell is the lingering smoke from fires in other parts of the state. It was like that yesterday morning.

Max


Poor Maxxie boy has an eye infection so he looks a bit rough at the moment. It is getting better slowly though. You can also see how bad his blindness is getting. He is, however, still a happy boy. We will see if there is anything that can be done for him this year. With all his other health issues though we are just taking it one condition at a time!

Posts from the last week


Top Ten Tuesday: Goals

Blog Tour: The Croatian Island Library by Eva Glyn

Blog Tour: The Arctic Circle by Caroline James

Weekend Cooking: The Sweet Life Café by Helen Rolfe

Weekend Cooking: The Boulangerie on the Corner by Susan Buchanan

Sunday Salon: 2025 Year in Review



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