Six Degrees of Separation: Yesteryear to The Gilded Lily

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 and A Good Book and a Cup of Tea hosted at Boondock Ramblings.

This month the starting point is Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke.

For my first selection I am choosing another title which has two words joined together to create a word that  doesn't really exist. I absolutely loved The Beforelife of Eliza Valentine by Laura Pearson when I read it a couple of years ago. The title for this book has been changed post publication to The Lives and Loves of Becca Valentine, so originally my plan was to talk about books whose titles have been changed. However, I ended up taking different direction.

A couple of weeks ago I finished reading First-Time Caller by B K Borison. This is a book which is set on a radio show where the main announcer is called Aiden Valentine. 

Another romance featuring people working on a radio show is Lonely Hearts Radio by Adeline Knight. This was an Audible original and featured an Australian radio announcer living in New York in 1999.

Moving away from romance novels, but still using the radio link my next choice is The Radio Hour by Australian Author Victoria Purman. This time the setting is 1950s Sydney

My next link is through the word hour. I am choosing The Gilded Hour by Sara Donati which is also set in New York, but this time in the late 19th century.

The word gilded is not one that comes up every day these days, but it is in a few titles, including The Gilded Lily by Deborah Swift. If I needed to keep on going from her there are any number of flower books out there, which oddly is a theme that I quite often end up with on these posts. Good job I am stopping here today!

Next month, the starting point is Land by Maggie O'Farrell

Will you be joining us?

This week...

I'm reading

This week I finished listening to Daughters of Batavia by Stefanie Koens. I have long been fascinated by the story of the Dutch ship The Batavia which shipwrecked on the shore of Australia long before the English arrived to claim Australia as their own. This one has 3 narrators, and I didn't love them all, but more about that when I write my review.

I then started I Give You My Body . . .": How I Write Sex Scenes by Diana Gabaldon which was recommended at book retreat earlier this year as being a good resource but also as being highly entertaining. I got this on Audible but it is leaving soon so I need to find some time to listen to it.

I then read The Life She Could Have Lived by Laura Pearson. I really enjoy Laura Pearson's books and this was no exception. It tells the story of one woman's life and how it changes depending on one big decision that she makes. 

Last week I did my TTT post about books I am planning to read in Spring. The Life She Could Have Lived was on the list, but the next book I started, The Phone Book at the End of the World was not. Why do I do this to myself? I finished this one on the plane

One book that was on my list was An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister. Our read on a theme bookclub theme this month is romance, and this is the book I have chosen for it. I started reading it at the airport last night and I am now about 2/3 of the way through. It's so good! And funny!

I'm watching


Nothing




Life

At the beginning of the year so friends of our move to a town called Port Macquarie which is on the mid north coast of New South Wales and we went to visit them this weekend because it was a public holiday here on Friday so it was a three day weekend.

Neither Robert or had ever been to this part of the country before and we loved it. There are mountains, rivers and the ocean, so much nature. There is sometimes that perception that we all have kangaroos and koalas in our backyards, but they really do as their house backs onto some forest. 

Port Macquarie is VERY koala friendly. Even the electronic speed checks have smiley koalas on them if you are doing the right speed and unhappy koalas if you are speeding. They also have painted koalas all around town. If we were staying in town longer I would have gone and searched for them all. I will post something about 

It is also whale migration season, so we were able to see them at various points. They were far out to sea until we got to the last lookout when they were about 500 metres out to sea but you could clearly see them breaching. It was amazing!

I will post more about this during the week but for now here is a taste of our weekend.

Posts from the last week


Top Ten Tuesday: Books on my Spring 2025 To-Read list
A Winter Wedding Adventure by Leonie Mack
Weekend Cooking: The Whisky Widow by Karen Brooks

Three Mini Reviews for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge





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 Spring 2025 to-read 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 Fall 2025 to-Read List

This list is a mix of the review books I have coming up, books I ownf and the library books I currently have on my shelf.]

The Lucky Sisters by Rachael Johns - I always look forward to a new Rachael Johns book. I have booked in to go to a Books in Bars events in October which I am looking forward to.

Christmas on Fifth Avenue by Julie Caplin - If I think about the iconic cities to spend Christmas in New York would be right up there! 

A Family for Christmas in Pelican Crossing by Maggie Christensen - I look forward to each new Pelican Crossing book. I do like seeing Christmas in Australia portrayed in books

Last Stop on the Winter Wonderland Express by Rebecca Raisin - This came out a couple of months ago but I haven't got to it yet. I am looking forward to reading it!

The Tea Planter's Wife by Dinah Jeffries - We are going on holidays to Sri Lanka shortly so I thought I would find some historical fiction to read. 

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia - It is RIPXX where we read all things spooky and mysterious. I have participated many times over the years but I didn't really have anything that fitted on my TBR shelf. I therefore borrowed this book from the library as it is the readalong book.

The Enlightenment of Bees by Rachel Linden - I recently read my first Rachel Linden book and I loved it, so I have borrowed this one from the library.

An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister - The theme for my read on a theme book club this month is romance. Whilst I have many, many, many books I could choose for this theme, I am nominating this book.

The Life She Could Have Lived by Laura Pearson - I usually really enjoy Laura Pearson's books and I don't see why this will be any different!

The Chocolate Maker's Wife by Karen Brooks - This is another author that I recently read for the first time and really enjoyed, so I have borrowed this book from the library.

Top Ten Tuesday: Animal Companions

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's theme is Animal Companions (These animals can be real or fantasy!) (submitted by P.S. I Love Books)

I was thinking about just doing a post with the word dog in the title, but it turns out I already did that a couple of years ago and I would have used a lot of the same titles! Instead, I am choosing books where there are dogs in the books. First though, here's a recent picture of our good boi, Max.

Now, onto the books!

A Snowy River Summer by Stella Quinn - Features a black labrador named Herbert.

Snowy Mountain's Daughter by Alissa Callen - There is a kelpie named Bundy in her series who just moves from place to place around town, whereever he is needed! (My review)

The Woman Who Met Herself by Laura Pearson - One of the characters, Debbie, starts walking a dog called Bonnie. (My review)

The Recipe for Happiness by Jane Lovering - Seren finds herself temporarily owning a Collie called Kez. Or is it temporary? (My review)

The Mirror by Nora Roberts - Mooks, Jones and Yoda! With all the books that Nora Roberts has written how on earth does she come up with character names and then have multiple dogs in the story too! I'm listening to this one at the moment!

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus - How could anyone forget Six-Thirty the dog? (My review)

Starting over at Starlight Cottage by Debbie Viggiano - Tilly tells her dog Cindy all her secrets. I mean, I talk to Max. I am not sure that he is that good at keeping secrets. (My review)

Hopefuly Hearts at the Cornish Cove by Kim Nash - Gladys the labrador plays a big part in this book. (My review)

A Christmas Surprise in Pelican Crossing by Maggie Christensen - When Molly the dog gets sick, Rachel takes her to the vet and meets the vet locum, Luke, who just happens to be her first love. (My review)

Muster Dogs: From Pups to Pros by Lisa Millar- I haven't actually read this but it is the book that accompanies the Muster Dog TV series, which I adore!

This week....

I'm reading

This was another week where I started more than I finished. Whilst that isn't a terrible thing it also isn't ideal, especially seeing as I haven't started that one book that I need to review this week! I guess there's still time.

As I mentioned last week, I was in Perth for the Rachael John's Book Club Retreat last weekend, and I took The Bad Bridesmaid with me to both read and get signed. I ended up finishing the book 5 minutes into my flight home, and then I tried to sleep because it was the red-eye flight. Notice I said tried, not really succeeded. I have shared a post about the retreat yesterday.

I then finished Wicket Maiden by Chrissie Harrison, which is a book featuring a woman cricketer as the sport star. I reviewed it here.

Next up was The Woman Who Met Herself by Laura Pearson, who is now an auto-buy author for me! My review is here.

On audio I finished listening to Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry. I had seen a lot of reviews saying it didn't feel like an Emily Henry romance, but it did to me!

For my next audiobook, I started listening to The Mirror by Nora Roberts, which is the second book in the Lost Brides series. I listened to the first one at the beginning of last year.

I also started reading Page Turners by Viola Shipman. Shipman's books can be very difficult to get hold of here, so when I saw that my old library system had it I decided the 40 minute drive to the library was worth it!

I also started reading Head Over Wheels by Leonie Mack. This is another sports romance, this time featuring professional cyclists! Have only read a few chapters but I am really liking it to so far!

In other news, Emma from Words and Peace has announced that she will once again be hosting Paris in July, which is one of my favourite blogging events! Check out the announcement post!

I'm watching

This week we watched all five episodes of the new Stanley Tucci show, Tucci in Italy. If you watched his previous series it follows the same format where he visits different places, they all love him, he loves the food they share and so on! There's every chance I might watch it again yet. I still enjoy watching his previous series. 

I also watched the Netflix movie, Nonnas which stars Vince Vaughan and Susan Sarandon amongst others. It tell the story of a man who wants to start a restaurant on Statton Island where all the chefs are nonnas. It was a lovely movie, made even better by the fact that it is based on a true story.

We also watched the first few episodes of Murderbot, based on the books by Martha Wells. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this. We now have to wait for each new episode to come out.

Life

I started listening to a new podcast called No One Saw it Coming which is hosted by Marc Fennell. I am becoming a big fan of Marc Fennell. He does intelligent TV and podcasts, as well as hosting the TV quiz show Mastermind. In this series, they talk about the things that kind of just happened, and no one was expecting. This week's episode was about how you can trace the roots of chemotherapy as a treatment back to a WWII attack on the port of Bari in Italy.

We had a very French weekend. It wasn't necessarily designed that way but it just happened. Last week I made chocolate eclairs. Then on Friday night we went to a French themed dinner before we went to see the arena version of Les Miserables. It was so good!

Then on Saturday, I went to a macaroon making class, which was so much fun. I am aiming to post about that for my next Weekend Cooking post.

Now, we are going to be eating macaroons and chocolate eclairs for the next few days. We had a lot of passionfruit flavoured ganache left over from the class, so I ended up using this as a glaze on some eclairs, and filling it with chocolate cream, so in effect combining the two!

Posts from the last week

Top Ten Tuesdays: Books that Feature Travel
Blog Tour: Wicket Maiden by Chrissie Harrison
The Madamoiselle Alliance by Natasha Lester

Blog Tour: The Woman Who Met Herself by Laura Pearson
Cook the Books: The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club by Helen Simonson
Sunday Salon: Rachael Johns Book Club Retreat 2025



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

Top Ten Tuesday: New to Me Authors I Discovered in 2024

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's theme is New-to-Me Authors I Discovered in 2024

I read 44 new to me authors las tyear, so I have had to try to figure our how to pick just ten. Interestingly I only had three 5 star reads last year and they were all from new to me authors, so that was an easy decision. 

The next four choices are people who I read more than one book or story from, and then I chose three Aussie authors who didn't fit into either of the previous categories!

Melissa Ashley - The first book I read last year was The Naturalist of Amsterdam and therefore it was my first 5/5 read for 2024 (my review)

Sue Heath - I loved The Secret Ingredient from this author. I am really hoping that we get something new from her in 2025. I'll be reading it. (my review)

Laura Pearson - I loved The Beforelife of Eliza Valentine so hard! I also read The Last List of Mabel Beaumont and bought just about all her other books. I will be reading her new book in the next week or so! (my review)

Hisashi Kashiwai - read both of the books that are available in English from the Kamogawa Food Detectives series last year. You can read my review of the first book here.

Gisele Stein - I read both The Anywhere Hotel and the associated short story called How Captain Found The Anywhere Hotel in quick succession

Jennifer Bohnet - I read two of Jennifer Bohnet's books set in France last year. The first was  A French Adventure (review here) and A French Country Escape (review here)

Helen Rolfe - Helen Rolfe's Skylark series is set in an Air Ambulance station and this provides a great backdrop to the stories. I read the third book this year as well. You can see my reviews for all three at this link

Sophie Beaumont - I really loved The Paris Cooking School (my review). I have her latest book, A Secret Garden in Paris to read on my Kindle.

Alli Parker - I have been talking about this author's book, At the Foot of the Cherry Tree, quite a bit recently. (my review)

Tess Woods - I read The Venice Hotel late last year and really enjoyed it!

Have you read any of these authors?

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2025

 Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's theme is Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2025

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry (April) - I expect to see this on quite a few lists today!

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros (January) - Speaking of books I expect to see on lots of lists!

Kate and Frida by Kim Fay (March) - I enjoyed Love & Saffron when I read it a couple of years ago so looking forward to this one!

Midnight in Paris by Gillian Harvey  (January) - Over the last 18 months, Gillian Harvey has become one of my must read authors so I am looking forward to this one.

The Bad Bridesmaid by Rachael Johns (January) - Rachael Johns has long been an autobuy author for me. I read the connected book to this one, The Other Bridget, in one sitting late last year. I expect to love this one just as much!

The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris by Evie Woods (March) - The description for this book could be written just for me - Paris, Baking, a bit of magic

The Many Future of Maddy Hart by Laura Pearson - The Beforelife of Eliza Valentine was one of my favourite reads of 2024. I then read The Last List of Mabel Beaumont and loved it! I have high expectations for this one.

The Jam Maker by Mary-Lou Stephens (January)- Another food based historical novel set in Tasmania!

The Paris Bookshop for the Broken-Hearted by Rebecca Raisin (February) - I love the way that Rebecca Raisin writes about books, food, and Paris!

Three Juliets by Minnie Darke (April) - I loved The Lost Love Letter by Minnie Darke. I have since read With Love from Wish & Co and listened to the Audible short stories she has written. I am very excited a new book from her.

Do you have any of these books on your list this week?

Top Ten Tuesday: Best books of 2024

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's theme is Best Books I Read in 2024

The first three are easy! These are the three books that I rated as 5/5 reads.

The Secret Ingredient by Sue Heath - I knew from the first couple of pages I was going to love this book! And I did! (my review)

The Naturalist of Amsterdam by Melissa Ashley - This was my very first read of 2024 and I loved it! (my review)

The Beforelife of Eliza Valentine by Laura Pearson- This book is the book that I recommended to the most people this year. I loved the whole concept! I also gave 4.5/5 to another book from this author. Can't wait to read her next book which I have waiting for me to read soon. (my review)

After that, it gets a bit harder as I had 15 books that I rated as 4.5/5 but I can only choose 7 more, so here goes!

The Other Bridget by Rachael Johns - This was a big book, and I read it in a day! Can't remember when I last did that! (My review)

A Wedding in the Sun by Leonie Mack - Given that I had two books by Leonie Mack that I gave 4.5/5, I had to have at least one of her books in the top ten today. (My review)

Funny Story by Emily Henry - Emily Henry is consistently good!

An Astronomer in Love by Antoine Laurain - I read several books by this author this year so it is only right that he is on this list. (My review)

Summer at Santorini Bookshop by Rebecca Raisin - I love the way that Rebecca Raisin writes about food, books, places! (My review)

Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See - I pretty much always enjoy Lisa See's books! This was no exception!

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros - I gave this a 4.5 just because of the fact that I could not put it down! I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series when it comes out!

Are any of these books on your favourite list?

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on my Summer 2024-25 to read 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 Winter 2024-2025 to-Read List. As I am an Aussie, it is currently way too hot for it be winter, so these are my summer reads!

Midnight in Paris by Gillian Harvey - I am always very excited by the news that there is a new Gillian Harvey book on the way. This one is out in January, and the cover is gorgeous!

The Chimes by Charles Dickens - I read A Christmas Carol a couple of weeks ago, and I am intending to read at least one more of his Christmas stories. Yes, there is more than one!

The Many Futures of Maddy Lawson by Laura Pearson - Spoiler! Laura Pearson is going to be on my list of favourite new authors that I first read in 2024

Venice Hotel by Tess Woods - I have actually already started this one. Now it's a question of finishing it!

Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt by Lucinda Riley and Harry Whittaker - I just finished listening to The Missing Sister. There was a three year gap between the last two books but I am not waiting that long to listen to the final book in the series.

The Mirror by Nora Roberts - This is the second book in The Lost Bride trilogy. I will also listen to this one. The question is will it be before Atlas or after it!

The Last Illusion of Paige White by Vanessa McCausland - I have loved the last two books I have read by Vanessa McCausland so I have high hopes for this one.

The Jam Maker by Mary-Lou Stephenson - This one is out in February and I am very much looking forward to it!

The Secret Paris Garden by Sophie Beaumont - I really liked The Paris Cooking School! My plan is to read this before the end of the year but we will see!

The Bad Bridesmaid by Rachael Johns - I posted my review of The Other Bridesmaid yesterday. The Bad Bridesmaid is about Bridget's best friend Fred and is out in February!

Are any of these books on your list!

Blog Tour: The Beforelife of Eliza Valentine by Laura Pearson

 

I have a question about what constitutes a review. Would it be sufficient for me to just say I LOVED THIS BOOK? I mean really loved it, as in recommending it to multiple people even before the book  was released. Loved it!

Okay, so apparently there needs to be more.

The Beforelife of Eliza Valentine has a very unusual premise. Eliza and her siblings Samuel, Lucy and Thomas are Almosts. They are the children that their mother, Becca Valentine, might have if all the stars align. They came into existence on the day that Becca was born and have been with her her whole life. They know what their dates of conception might be, but they don't know who their father is until they see him for the first time. If they aren't conceived, then they disappear from existence and if they are conceived they won't remember their potential siblings. Obviously as their date of existence approaches there is a growing degree of angst because they don't know what their fate will be and they have very little control. And things are complicated because the there are two different dads in the picture!

Through Eliza's eyes we get to know Becca. Becca is a young girl whose parents split up and she makes a poor choice, finding herself pregnant whilst still at school. She tries to make it the best of the situation and to be a good mum, but in addition to being estranged from her mum, her friends are all moving on with their lives whilst Becca was learning to be a mum. Thank goodness for her dad, who believes in Becca and who will support her no matter what!

I was completely involved in this book. There were several times where I had to put it aside because I knew that something dramatic was about to happen. However, I was then compelled to pick it up again because I needed to know what happened next.

The whole concept was completely different to anything I have read before and it was so well done!

I was less than a quarter of the way through the book and I had already bought another 3 of Laura Pearson's book. I can guarantee that this book will be on my best of list for this year!

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 Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy.

Rating 5/5

About the book

The Beforelife of Eliza Valentine

 

You’ve heard of the Afterlife. Welcome to the Beforelife.



There are four of us: Samuel, Lucy, Thomas, and me – Eliza.

We came into being the day Becca Valentine was born. We’ve been by her side ever since. What she doesn’t know yet, is that one day she might become our mother.

Then two men come into her life. Both seeking her heart. And then we realise: everything rests on Becca’s love story. Because one of the men is Lucy and Thomas’s father. And the other is mine and Samuel’s. And there’s simply no way we can all be born.

We all want her to make the right choice. We all want to be born. To hold her hand one day. To feel her stroke our hair. To call her our mother.

Then we discover there is something we can do. We can change Fate. But we only have a single chance each. How would you make sure you were born? And what if doing that isn’t what’s best for the person you already love the most in the world – your mother?

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

About the Author –

Laura Pearson is the author of the #1 bestseller The Last List of Mabel Beaumont. She founded The Bookload on Facebook and has had several pieces published in the Guardian and the Telegraph.

Social Media Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraPAuthor

Twitter (20) Laura Pearson (@LauraPAuthor) / X (twitter.com)

Instagram Laura Pearson (@laurapauthor) • Instagram photos and videos

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

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/laura-pearson

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on my Spring 2024 To-Read 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 Fall 2024 To-Read List. And because we are in opposite seasons, my list is my Spring reads

I've had a few weeks off from Top Ten Tuesday, mainly because I was on holidays. What that means is that I have a few half written posts that I might roll out at some point this year. However I am here for this one!

So, let's get started. 

A Secret Garden in Paris by Sophie Beaumont - I really liked The Paris Cooking School by this author so I am hoping to get to this one as soon as it comes out.

The Last List of Mabel Beaumont by Laura Pearson - I just read my first Laura Pearson and I Loved it! Even before I finished that book I had bought three more.

Christmas at the Little Paris Hotel by Rebecca Raisin - Christmas, Paris, and books. Check, check, check. I am there.

The Little Provence Book Shop by Gillian Harvey - Gillian Harvey has become a must read author for me!

Crying at H Mart by Michelle Zauner - This is the next Cook the Books selection.

At the Stroke of Midnight by Jenni Keer - According to Goodreads I am already reading this one, but in reality I think I shelved it unintentionally. I now fully intend to actually read it

The Venice Hotel by Tess Woods - See, I can do Italy as well as France!

The Pumpkin Spice Cafe by Laurie Gilmore - This is getting a bit of buzz in a book group I am in.

What I Ate in One Year by Stanley Tucci - pre-ordered on audio. Can't wait for Stanley to be talking just to me. Or at least that is what listening to his last book on audio felt like

Before We Forget Kindness by Toshikazu Kawaguchi - also pre-ordered on audio. This is the next book in the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series.

What books are you looking forward to?

This week...

Max

It's hard to believe but it is has been 2 years since this handsome boy came into our lives!

I'm reading

I have had a bit of a book hangover this week. I finished The Beforelife of Eliza Valentine by Laura Pearson. My review isn't due for a couple of weeks but ....spoiler...I loved it! I had bought another couple of books by her before I even made it quarter of the way through the book which is always a good sign.

I eventually decided to start reading Falling for Provence by Alison Roberts.

Finally I started read The Resistance Bakery by Siobhan Curham which I need to review in a couple of weeks.



I'm watching



This week we watched Jack Whitehall: Fatherhood with my Father. We love the travel series that Jack and his dad, Michael Whitehall have done previously, and this was more of the same. The idea for this one is that Jack has become a father himself, so he is taking a look at his own relationship with his father. They also look at what it means to be a father in the modern world.

Given that we have been away for a while we have a few Bake Off episodes to catch up on, so currently we are watching the Canadian and New Zealand series, and the new Australian series starts next week.

On Firday night I was flicking through the channels and found something called Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles. A few years ago, the New York Met Museum was hosting an exhibition about Versailles, and they invited Yotem Ottolenghi to put together a special night. He invited 5 very different pastry chefs to put their own spin on the theme. This show was combination food porn, food history and Versailles, which made it an interesting documentary.

We have been watching a bit of the Louis Vuitton Cup sailing which is the qualifier for the America's Cup.

Finally we started watching Kaos starring Jeff Goldblum, which has been very interesting. We will be finishing this week I thin!



Life

We were back at work this week which, I won't lie, was challenging. I have a lot of thinking to do about work.

Posts from the last week


Afternoon Tea Diaries: The Library at County Hall
Sunday Salon: Historical Fiction Reading Challenge - August stats



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

Top Ten Tuesday: You already own that book!

 

 

 

 

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's theme Bookish Superpowers I Wish I Had (e.g. never accidentally buying the same book twice, every book I buy would be automatically signed/personally dedicated by the author, the ability to read faster, etc.) (Submitted by Cathy @WhatCathyReadNext)

My list takes one of those suggestions and twists it just a bit. Fortunately, whenever I try to book that I already own, Kindle very gently reminds  me that I already own it! My list this week is therefore the books I have tried to buy more than one!

The Enchanted Garden Cafe by Abigail Drake - I have actually read this book, but that doesn't stop me from attempting to buy it again! (my review)

The Recipes for Love by Anni Rose - Food and romance. What isn't to love. And what's better than 1 book. Well a box set obviously!

The Other Side of Beautiful by Kim Lock - I think I first bought this after seeing Kim Lock at a reader retreat last year.

The Right Place by Carla Caruso - From memory this is another foodie book. I just read the blurb again and it does sound good!

The Last List of Mabel Beaumont by Laura Pearson - I saw this book around the place last year and bought it, and then attempted to buy it again.

Champagne for Breakfast by Maggie Christensen - I have read many, many Maggie Christensen books, but not this one! Yet.

Elizabeth's Star by Rhonda Forrest - This is partially set in New Guinea in WWII, which is a very unusual setting! 

This Has Been Absolutely Lovely by Jessica Dettmann - I read Without Further Ado last year and loved it, so now I need to read her backlist at some point.

 

The Irish Cottage by Juliet Gauvin - Maybe I should read this book soon given that Reading Ireland hosted by Cathy at 746 Books is about to start.

A Rogue of One's Own by Evie Dunmore - I can't even remember the last time I read a historical romance, and yet I still keep on trying to buy this one!