Top Ten Tuesday: That smells so good!

 Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's theme is Literary/Bookish Candles I’d Make (Pick a book and assign it a fragrance or fragrance combo that would make a nice candle.) (Submitted by Heather @ The Frozen Library)

Originally, I wasn't 100% sure I would do the topic as written but then I remembered that there are plenty of foodie scents that would work in a candle. I have also been meaning to do a foodie books post so I am combining the two! Not all of these books are foodie as such but they do have food items in their title!

The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie by Rachel Linden - I just recently read this and really enjoyed it! The main character, Lolly, makes a lot of Lemon Drop Pie in this book. Think lemon meringue pie with a small twist!

A Faraway Smell of Lemon by Rachel Joyce - This is a short story and the only thing I have read by Rachel Joyce. I do mean to read more as I love the sound of this book. Bonus is that it is set at Christmas and so we can combine the smell of lemon with the smells of Christmas.

A Crown of Bitter Orange by Laura Florand - I love Laura Florand's books so it is a real shame that she isn't publishing any more. They mostly are foodie or about perfumes and set in France. This is the third book in the La Vie en Roses series.

White Mulberry by Rosa Kwan Easton - I read this earlier this year before our trip to Japan and Korea and learnt so much about the history in the 20th century between these two countries. (my review)

Strawberry Shortcake Murder by Joanne Flake - You could use just about any book by in the Hannah Swensen series for this prompt

It was the Pie's Fault by Elizabeth Sa Fleur - This was a super fun romance that I read a while ago now which features fake dating, grumpy/sunshine tropes and delicious sounding cherry pies!

Chai Time at the Cinnamon Gardens by Shankari Chandran - This is a two for one book. Chai and Cinnamon could both be candle flavours right. It is also an excellent read!

Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown - I mean if someone likes the smell of gunpowder this could be a two for one too! I started reading this ages ago but other things go in the way and I never finished it! One day I will. 

The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly - My favourite in this trilogy was The Winter Rose but this was a great read too. And another two candle flavours title.

The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki - If I am going to do tea then it is only fair that I do coffee too! This was such a fun read when I read it last year. The next book in the series is being released in English next month and I am looking forward to it! (my review)

Do we have any candle flavours in common?

Six Degrees of Separation: The Anniversary to Equal Rites

Welcome to this month's edition of Six Degrees of Separation, which is a monthly meme hosted by Kate from Books Are My Favourite and Best. The idea is to start with a specific book and make a series of links from one book to the next using whatever link you can find and see where you end up after six links. I am also linking this post up with The Sunday Salon, hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.

This month the starting point is The Anniversary by Stephanie Bishop, which was longlisted for the Stella Prize this year.

My starting point is last year's winner of the same prize, Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens by Shankari Chandran

Another book with the word cinnamon in the title is Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown

A book that I read recently about the famous Gunpowder Plot is The Secrets of Crestwell Hall by Alexandra Walsh

I love a good book which features the house as almost a character. Another book where that happened for me was Peacock Summer by Hannah Richell

A book by another Hannah that is the very opposite of summer is Burial Rites by Hannah Kent..

And that title gives me the opportunity to finish with a Terry Pratchett book, Equal Rites.

Next month our starting point is Butter by Asako Yuzuki. I am very excited by this choice. I had requested it from the library but wasn't able to go pick it up! I am not sure that I will get to read it before June but it will be a good reminder to me to request it again.

Will you be joining us?

Six Degrees of Separation: From Rules of Civility to Venetia

Welcome to this month's edition of Six Degrees of Separation, which is a monthly meme hosted by Kate from Books Are My Favourite and Best.  The idea is to start with a specific book and make a series of links from one book to the next using whatever link you can find and see where you end up after six links.  I am also linking this post up with The Sunday Salon, hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz. 

The starting point for this month is Rules of Civility by Amor Towles. When this was announced as the starting point I boldly declared that my starting point would likely be a different author that I know I should have read but haven't. Except...it's not.

Instead, my starting point is Everyman's Rules for Scientific Thinking by Carrie Tiffany because...rules. 

My next choice is a different kind of science - cryptology - which is the science of making and breaking codes. The breaking of enemy codes during  WWII is central to The Rose Code by Kate Quinn, one of my favourite reads of 2021.

Having pondered on the words rules and codes, I found myself thinking of the words of Captain Barbarosa from The Pirates of the Carribean

And when you start thinking along the lines of pirates, this leads me to Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown, which I have been reading recently. This book features a lady pirate who is sailing the seas, intent on revenge against those who done her wrong.

Bear with me while I do a litte hop and a skip to get to my next link! I was thinking about lady pirates and the scene that came to mind was from that iconic, so bad it's good, early 1980's movie, The Pirate Movie. This was based on the musical The Pirates of Penzance, and Penzance is in Cornwall

Now there are a number of choices that could be made for books set in Cornwall. Daphne du Maurier for is an obvious choice for starters, but instead I am going to choose Ross Poldark by Winston Graham. This is the first book in the Poldark series which was adapted for TV a while ago.

My next choice is also a period drama TV adaptation - North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. Now I could share a book cover, but instead I bring you a gratuitous picture of Richard Armitage as Mr Thornton.

It's funny how often my direction changes while I am writing these posts. I start out mapping out the links nd then as I am writing the words around it, the choices change. Instead of going to a book with East in the title, I am instead going to choose Venetia by Georgette Heyer. Why, you ask? Because the abridged audiobook is one of my favourite audiobook experiences of all time. I have listened to it multiple times and still love it. And who is the narrator? Why it is Richard Armitage, which equals aural bliss!

Next month the starting point is No One Is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood. Heaven only knows where I will end up!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on my summer 2021 TBR

 

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 Summer TBR pile.

Midnight in the Snow by Karen Swan - When I started writing this post I hadn't yet started this book, but I am around two thirds of the way through and it is so good.

The Christmas Party by Karen Swan - Given that Midnight in the Snow is so good, I will definitely read more and this is one that my library had sitting on the shelf.

A Granite Springs Christmas by Maggie Christensen - Another Christmas book, this time taking me back to Granite Springs.

The Girl From Paris by Ella Carey - I'll be reading this for a blog tour in early January.

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison - I have heard so many things about this book.

Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Smith - I started this a little while ago and need to finish it.

Exit Strategy by Martha Wells = It's been a while since I read a Murderbot book so I must get back to them.

Mix Tape by Jane Sanderson - One of the girls at work mentioned this book so I am going to give it a try

Go Tell the Bees That I am Gone by Diana Gabaldon - In years gone by I would have bought the latest Outlander book the day it came out and probably have read it by now, but I do still intend to read this one. I have been invested in this story for many years.

Midnight Chicken & Other Recipes Worth Living For by Ella Risbriger - The next Cook the Books selection

Do you have any of these books on your TBR pile?

This week....

 I'm reading....

Last week I mentioned that I was starting to read a book by Karen Swan called The Christmas Secret. I finished that book last week. If I show you the two books I picked up from the library today, you should get a fair idea of what I thought of that book....

The other book that I read this week was called The Year the Maps Changed by Danielle Binks.  This is a middle grade book which is about a young girl called Fred who is trying to navigate a complicated life in 1999. She is being raised by her adoptive father who has a new partner, who in turn brings a son called Sam into the house. She also has a growing awareness of the world around her, particularly the tragic events in Kosovo which lead to a group of refugees being housed near her town.  This is very much a Melbourne book and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I now need to get a move on in reading Cinnamon and Gunpowder. The last date to post about the book is 30 November, which is approaching very rapidly.

I'm watching....

I am very excited to see that The Great is back, which we have every intention of watching, but this weekend we watched the first two episodes of Wheel of Time. I have never read the books, but my husband has. I think it is watchable, although I do know some AVID fans who are definitely not enjoying it.

I did watch a few more episodes of Midnight Diner over the weekend and I intend to watch more this week.

 

Life

We are now allowed out as long as we show our vaccination certificates whereever we go, so we took advantage and had a pub meal. It was so nice to go out, but it was busy, loud and the drinks were expensive! Maybe it is just so long to since we had a pub dinner that I had forgotten all of those things.

It was also bookclub week this week, and for the first time we were able to meet up in person, at a lovely French cafe.  There were only three of us but we had a great chat about books, music, social events and more. The next theme is Holiday, so I am not sure if I am going to count one of the Christmas books I have here, or a book about somewhere I want to visit, or maybe summer. So many options.

The other big focus for the weekend was painting the master bedroom. When we have finished there will be no more 1979 in my house, except for the front door. If we weren't going to be moving we would have changed it, but that can be the next person's thing to do.

Posts from the last week

Weekend Cooking: Pressure Cooker Spaghetti Bolognaise

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

This week....

I'm reading...

I  mentioned last week that I was reading The Great Passage by Shion Miura (translated by Juliet Winters Carpenter) which I finished this week. It was touch and go. I finished it on Friday night thinking that book club was on Saturday, which it was, but then it was postponed to next week. That, of course, means that I finished a week early.

I started reading Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown, which is the next Cook the Books selection. I have read a few chapters and so far it is a lot of fun. I think I am going to enjoy it. 

I also started reading another book yesterday, just because I could. Bree from All The Books I Can Read is a big fan of Karen Swan and has read many of her books. I have tried reading this author before but I really didn't enjoy it. However, I generally trust Bree's taste in books so I thought I would try another one. And this one, The Christmas Secret, has grabbed my attention from the first chapter. In fact, it is calling my name right now.

I'm watching...

Nothing really

Life

We went to get our second vaccination today so whilst there hasn't been a lot of  activity this weekend, things are definitely heating up on the social life front.

Posts from the last week

Blog Tour: A Mother's Story by Maggie Christensen

Music A-Z: X

Weekend Cooking: A WWII wedding cake

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

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on my Spring TBR list

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's theme is Books on my Spring TBR List. 

The Last of the Apple Blossoms by Mary-Lou Stephens - This is going to be my book club book for this time. We are doing a read on the theme bookclub as opposed to having a specific book to read. The theme this time is Spring.

The Fossil Hunter by Tea Cooper - I loved The Cartographer's Secret when I read it earlier this year so I am looking forward to this one a lot.

Outback Secrets by Rachael Johns - Even when I wasn't reading at all, I would still read Rachael John's books so I am very much looking forward to this book.

Act Like It by Lucy Parker - Having loved Battle Royale when I read it a few weeks ago, I am definitely intending to go back and read the London Celebrities series.

The Sundial by Shirley Jackson - This is going to be the group read for RIP XVI and will also will be my first book by this author.

The Vanished Days by Susanna Kearlsey - Susanna Kearsley is one of my all time favourite authors so when there is a new book coming out which is then connected to my favourites of all her books of course I am going to read this one!

Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown - This is going to be the next Cook the Books selection. I have had this on my TBR list for many years so I am looking forward to finally reading it.

A Granite Springs Christmas by Maggie Christensen - Its not too early for Christmas books yet is it? I have read the first five books in this series and this is the next one!

Flora's Travelling Christmas Shop by Rebecca Raisin - Two Christmas books in a row!! I love the way that Rebecca Raisin writes about books, food and places so I am looking forward to this one.

Go Tell the Bees I am Gone by Diana Gabaldon  - How long have we been waiting for this book? My expectations aren't huge, unlike the size of the book, I have been invested in this series for so long there is no way I wouldn't read it.

Do you have any of these books on your list?