Top Ten Tuesday: 10 short reviews

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week the theme is Books I Want to Read by New to Me Authors (Share books from your to-read list that are written by authors you’ve never read before.)

I am going rogue today (again!) and sharing one to two sentence short reviews of books I have been meaning to review that I have read so far  this year but not yet done so!

The Goldsmith's Wife by Jean Plaidy - Read this for the Childhood Favourite theme at my F2F book club. It's been years since I read a Plaidy but it was still so good! And a really interesting story about Jane Shore, a woman who was the mistress of a king and yet ended her life in poverty. Read this for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge. (5/5 read)

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters - This book is set in 1930s US and Canada, and tells the story of a young indigenous girl who disappears one day while her family is working as berry pickers. We hear of her life but also that of her brother who was the last person to see her. Incredibly moving. A 5 star read for me. Read this for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge. (5/5 read)

We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida - I don't really like cats. I am more of a dog person, but I don't mind reading about cats in books, particularly in Japanese books where there is often a twist in the tail (see what I did there?).  I read this one for the Goodreads Spring Challenge. (4/5 read)

We'll Prescribe You Another Cat by Syou Ishida - I think that you might not quite understand what is going on here unless you read the first book in the series. The third book comes out soon and I will be reading it! Both of these books count for the Books in Translation and Speccy Fic Challenge. The translator for both books was E (4/5 read)

Past the Shallows by Favel Parrett - I borrowed this book at least 10 years ago and so when my rerad on a theme book club had a book you borrowed from someone as the theme, it was finally time to read it. Set in Tasmania, it looks at a family whose mother has died and how that event has impacted the father and three sons. I really enjoyed this one and will more from this author, eventually. This is an Aussie author and the book counts for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge. (4.5/5 read)

The Astral Library by Kate Quinn - I have loved Kate Quinn's historical fiction novels. This one is a complete change in direction. It is set in the Boston Library where a young woman find the way to live inside books. It was good, but not as good as the historical fiction. Will be interested to see where Kate Quinn goes next. This book counts for the Speccy Fic Challenge, Bookish Books and New Release Challenges (4/5 read)

The Bonesetter's Daughter by Amy Tan - This was another book club read. This time the theme was Mothers and Daughters. I haven't read Amy Tan for many, many years and I liked this one a lot. It counts for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

The Paradise Pact by Anita Heiss - I have met Australian author Anita Heiss a number of times and really like her. She is smart, opinionated, and passionate about her indigenous identity. These traits showed in the characters in this book but I didn't really connect with the story as well as I would have liked. This qualifies for the New Release challenge(3.5/5 read)

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon - I feel like Ariel Lawhon is an author I should have read before now, but I haven't. I will read more from her now. I really liked that this book was based on the life of a midwife who lived in the 1800s, and tells the story of what happens in a small town when a body is found trapped under the ice in the frozen river. I read this for the Goodreads Spring Challenge and for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge. Even though this is a short review, this book counts as a Big Book of Summer at 448 pages long. (4/5 read)

The Couples Retreat by Mercedes Mercier - This is a book that I read for a recent book club retreat that I attended. This book was set on Kangaroo Island and features a newbie police officer who is pulled into a murder investigation at a luxurious house on the island. I liked it. It isn't my normal genre but that's one of the good things about book clubs right? This counts for the New Release Challenge and was one of the books I nominated for 20 Books of Winter.  (3.5/5 read)

Phew! I feel a bit caught up now! 

Have you read any of these books? 

Top Ten Tuesday: Most anticipated Books Releasing in the Second Half of 2026

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week the theme is Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the Second Half of 2026

A Study in Sparkling by Jodi McAlister (July)- I am going to the launch of this one and can't wait!

Matcha on Monday by Michiko Aoyama (July) - This is the second book in the Marble Cafe series and is out later this week.

Time Travel for Beginners by Jaclyn Moriarty (August)- This one is a bit outside my normal wheelhouse but it does sound like fun!

The German Ward by Pip Williams (September)- I am going to a book event for this one too!

The Birthing Tree by Amanda Peters (September) - The Berry Pickers was a five star read for me so I have high hopes for this one. 

Paper Ghosts by Sarah Addison Allen (September) - I haven't actually read a SAA book in years, but I still look forward to every new release 

The Cairo Bridal Shop by Tess Woods (September) - Looking forward to this one!

Grim Tidings by B K Borison (September)- I only own one book with sprayed edges which is Good Spirits, the precursor to this book. I have pre-ordered the sprayed edges version of this book too!

Orlando by Harry Whittaker (November) - This book is set in the same world as The Seven Sisters series by Lucinda Riley. This is her son who is continuing the series. It could be great. Or it could not be. I will have to read to find out!

The Heart Note by Vanessa McCausland (December) - I have loved the Vanessa McCausland books I have read and this one sounds great too!

Looks like September is going to be a bumper month for new books! Do you have any of these on your list?

This week...

I'm reading

Another week where I just didn't find a lot of time to read! I did finish The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters which I loved, and then I started Sophie Green's book Lessons in Love at the Seaside Salon but I am probably about a quarter of the way in...maybe. I am not sure when I will be able to get back to this book now.

The problem I have is that I have multiple blog tour books this week and I have only read one which is The Silent Resistance by Anna Normann which was really good! I am going to be feeling the pressure all this week!

I was supposed to go to three bookish events over the last week but in the end I only went to one, but it was a really good one. I went to an author talk at our Shrine of Remembrance for a non-fiction book called Survival in Singapore by Tom Trumble. It is a non fiction book about some events in WWII Singapore. After the talk we attended the Last Post ceremony which focussed on the fall of Singapore which was 84 years ago yesterday.

We were also a bit nerdy. We caught the train through the new Metro Tunnel and got out at all the new train stations for a look around on the way! It was a fun day!

I'm watching


We've pretty much only been watching the Olympics ranging from curling to ice dance to moguls and the other events that the Aussies have won medals in!

We did catch most of the 2025 Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo when it was showing on free to air TV last week. It bought back such great memories of when we were there live 18 months ago. There is a military tattoo happening in Brisbane this weekend and we gave tickets to my step daughter and her partner. I am a bit jealous that they are going although the weather isn't going to be that great. 



Life

My husband isn't one for the big gestures but we have always done something for Valentine's Day. This weekend we went to lunch at a winery which is about 15 minutes away from home. We have been meaning to try this winery ever since we moved into the area. It won't take us another 3.5 years to go there for a meal again!

Posts from the last week

Top Ten Tuesday: Library Love!

Us Against You by Fredrik Backmann

Weekend Cooking: The Golden Spurtle

Historical Fiction Reading Challenge: January Statistics

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

Top Ten Tuesday: Library Love!

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week the theme is Love/Valentine’s Freebie. I am adding my own twist because while Valentine's Day is coming up, and we do always do something, February 14 is also Library Lover's Day. My Top Ten Tuesday is therefore 10 of the 21 books I have out from the library right now. These are the books that are due to be returned soonest 

First though, I thought I would share a pic of my local library which is a gorgeous building itself inside and out.  The building was opened back in 2013 but it still feels very new. This picture is a bit old as the trees have grown quite a bit. 

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters - Reading and enjoying this at the moment.

Antarctica by Claire Keegan - I am working my way through Claire Keegan's backlist

Lessons in Love at the Seaside Salon by Sophie Green - I have been meaning to try this Aussie author for a while now!

Sunshine, Lemons and Sea Salt by Donna Hay - I have cooked a few things out of this already and just bought my own copy!

In the Paris Fashion by Sophie Beaumont - I have really enjoyed Sophie Beaumont's other books so I am looking forward to this one!

The Dog Sitter by Zara Stoneley - I love Sue Heath's books so now I am reading what I can from her other author name, Zara Stoneley.

Secrets by Judi Morison - This was the Rachael John's book club choice for January.

Sit, Stay, Love by Amy Hutton - This author was an author for the day in an online book group I am in.

The Golden Hour by Kate Lord Brown - I have read a Kate Lord Brown book years ago. It must be time to read another.

The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson - I really enjoyed the last book I read by this author!

This week....

I'm reading

It's been  a quiet reading week this week. Work is crazy busy and by the time I get home it is all I can do to stay awake! 

I did finish The Resistance Knitting Club by Jenny O'Brien which I reviewed last week. 

I then started The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters. I need to finish it as I have two other books that can't be extended at the library! I have a feeling that one or both of those will be returned unread and reborrowed but we will see!

I announced over the weekend that I was going to participate in the Classics Club Spin this time around. The number that came up for the spin was #2 which means I am going to try to read The Leopard by Giuseppe Tomasi Di Lamdedusa. I am grateful that the book selected wasn't too much of a chunkster! Now I just need to read it by the end of March!

I'm watching

If you need a show to define feel good TV, the Muster Dogs is the show. The idea is that you follow a litter of puppies as they are trained to be working dogs. This series it is a mixture of collie and kelpie puppies. This time, the trainers are inexperienced so they are learning as they go along.

We have watched a little bit of the Winter Olympics. I daresay we will watch more over the next couple of weeks!

I did watch a Filippino movie this week, which is a first. A while ago I read a book called The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World. Whispers in the Wind talks about the same concept, which is that there is a phone booth in Japan where you can go to talk to those who have passed away. This story had a different focus as we met two Filipinos in Japan. Hannah was caught up in the tsunami which killed so many, and Ren is looking for his mother who abandoned him and his father many years before. It wasn't a bad watch, although it had a bit of a strange twist. 

Here's the trailer

Life

We did something a bit out of the ordinary on Friday night and went to see the Victorian Opera performance of Pirates of Penzance. It was lot of fun, and I found myself singing the tune of Modern Major General - cant sing the words because there are way too many!

Posts from the last week

Top Ten Tuesday: Books with Interesting Typology

The Girl from Lake Maggiore by Siobhan Daiko

Blog Tour: The Resistance Knitting Club by Jenny O'Brien

In My Kitchen: January

Classics Club Spin #43

Six Degrees of Separation: Flashlight to The Stowaway


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

Top Ten Tuesday: Books On My Summer 2025-2026 to-Read List

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week the theme is Books On My Winter 2025-2026 to-Read List. Of course, I live in a land Down Under my to-read list is for summer!

Bite by Bite: Nourishments and Jamborees by Aimee Nezhukumatathil - This is the current Cook the Books selection and I am listening to this on audio.

The Croatian Island Library by Eva Glyn - This will be my first blog tour for next year

Flashlight by Helen Choi - Currently buddy reading this one with Bree from All the Things I Can Read. 

The Oyster Catcher by Jo Thomas - I started this a while ago but I had to take it back to the library before I finished it. 

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters - This has been on my TBR list for a long time.

In the Paris Fashion by Sophie Beaumont - I really enjoyed Sophie Beaumont's previous Paris books so I am looking forward to this one. 

Yours Cheerfully by A J Pearce - I loved the first book in the Emmy Lake series so I have high hopes for this one.

My Big Greek Island Ex-Scape by Sandy Barker - This book comes out early next year and it sounds like a lot of fun1

The Arctic Curry Club by Dani Redd - I saw these books on someone's blog last week! This is the only one I can get in Australia

Jean Plaidy - My read on a theme book club theme for January is a childhood favourite. I think I have decided to revisit my high school reading days when I obsessively read every Jean Plaidy book my library had! Big decision is which one! I am leaning towards The Goldsmith's Wife, mainly because I have two copies of that one!