Top Ten Tuesday: Read on a theme book club

  

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's theme is Books I’m Worried I Might Not Love as Much the Second Time Around (I love re-reading, but there are some books that hit so perfectly and I loved so much that I worry reading them again wouldn’t be the same. Or maybe the books I read when I was younger wouldn’t be favorites anymore. Or maybe some books just don’t age well?).

I don't reread that much, except for certain audiobooks like Hogfather by Terry Pratchett and two Georgette Heyer books which are narrated by Richard Armitage.

Instead this week, I am going to share some of the books that I have read for my read on a theme book club. What is a read on a theme book club? And is it book club, bookclub or book-club? My book club meets approximately every 6 weeks and at each meeting we decide on a theme for the next choice. You then read whatever book you like that meets the theme rather than the more traditional method of picking a specific book that everyone then has to read

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman - This is the current theme which is Crime: Fact or Fiction. It seemed the perfect time to read a book I have had on my TBR for a while now.

The Anywhere Hotel by Gisele Stein - The theme for this was Out of My Comfort Zone, which for me was a new to me self published author. I missed the meeting for this as I was away for the weekend which was a shame as one of the other ladies read all three Fifty Shades books and the conversation was apparently hilarious.

The Naturalist of Amsterdam by Melissa Ashley - The theme for this one was A Book with a City in its name

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus - The theme for this one was Science and it was one of the few occasions where a couple of us read the same book.

Spring Clean for the Peach Queen by Sasha Wasley - The theme was Colour in the Title

The Last of the Apple Blossom by Mary-Lou Stephens  - The theme was Spring

The Bookbinder of Jericho by Pip Williams - This is the only book we have ever all read for the one meeting, and we chose to do this because some of us were going to hear her speak at Melbourne Writers Festival.

The Visitors by Jane Harris - The theme for this one was Indigenous Authors

Dreaming in French by Vanessa McCausland - The theme for this one was Australian Authors. To be fair, a lot of the authors on this list are Australian!

The Proxy Bride by Zoe Boccabella - The theme was New and I chose this one as I bought the book new, it was a new author to me and it was about starting a new life.

What themes do you think you would choose if you were in a read on a theme book club!

Weekend Cooking: Spring Clean for the Peach Queen by Sasha Wasley

This month my read on a theme bookclub theme was "books with a colour in the title", so I chose to read this book, and the added bonus is that the book is good for a Weekend Cooking post.

Charlize Beste is up and coming actress who would probably be about a C-list celebrity, but she has a particular knack of making it look like she is doing much better than she actually is. However, she moves to be more infamous than famous when she is pictured in a compromising position with a famous actor who then dies later that night. The situation is not helped when some artistic semi-nude photos are released in the aftermath.

Charlize's real name is Charlotte Benze, known as Lottie, and given the media attention that she is receiving Lottie decides that it is time to return to her home town of Bonnievale and make some changes in her life. Lottie is going to Marie Kondo her life, getting rid of her phone, all her acting paraphernalia, social media - everything. Unfortunately Lottie's feminist mother is disappointed in her and so the welcome home is less than warm. To be fair, Lottie often feels like she is a disappointment to her mother.

And so it is that Lottie finds herself staying in a run down caravan on the farm that belongs to Angus Brooker. It just so happens that Lottie is the reigning Peach Queen of the town, and Angus was her King. The contest hasn't been run for years though as the town has been going through a really hard time. Years before, the peach trees were infected with disease. For many farmers this meant ripping out all of their orchards, and replanting resistant trees or just walking away. Things are better now, but it has taken a long time for the town to recover.

Whilst on the farm, Lottie helps Angus' mum with her own de-cluttering projects and gradually Lottie learns about the Brooker's life, and also some of their secrets. It soon becomes clear that there is something not quite right with Mrs Brooker.  There are signs of forgetfulness, and Angus is worried that she is going to endanger herself by doing things like leaving the oven on, or leaving the house and getting lost. Angus is glad of the help with his mum, but otherwise he would not be best please with having Lottie around. He has been through a nasty divorce, and he now has a "policy" which basically means that he is avoiding any kind of romantic entanglements.

In the meantime, his well meaning but bossy Aunt Pris has decided that it is a perfect time to reinstate the Peach Queen contest and that Lottie is the perfect person to be the face of the contest, whether she likes it or not. After all, a little bit of scandal will be good for publicity, although publicity is exactly what Lottie is trying to avoid.

This was a really interesting story which covered a lot of subjects from celebrity to the plight of farmers, dementia, de-cluttering and starting over.  The characters were interesting to read about, and I liked the way that each of them were facing up to their issues, and how each of them were able to help the others move forward with whatever their current reality was. I also enjoyed the chemistry and banter between Angus and Lottie. For example, they had a fun game between themselves where they were hiding money that Lottie was trying to give Angus as rent and he was refusing to accept it!

Bonnievale  is based on the town of Donnybrook in the south of Western Australia. I have been there before as my cousin lives and works in the town. It is a town which is build around the fruit farms in the surrounding areas.

So what about food I hear you ask? Obviously there is lots of information about peach farming. Mrs Brooker is also a stereotypical farmer's wife in that she is a fabulous cook. Lottie really isn't,  but soon she is learning all about things like making jam, scones, plum cake and so many more different delicious sounding foods.

I thought I would share a passage from the book because it entertained me

Mrs Brooker and I spent the morning making chutney from some unripe nectarines Angus had brought down.


"Chupney, I called it for many years," she confessed when the diced onions were frying in a pot.

 

"Chupney?" I couldn't help laughing.

She smiled. "Nobody corrected me for ever such a long time. My mother taught me how to make it and I'm still not sure if she simply never noticed I was saying it wrong, or if she thought it was funny and let me be. I was still saying it as an adult, you know. I would make it with my mother-in-law She never said a word about my pronunciation either. It was Pris who broke it to me, in the end."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?

Mrs Brooker tinkled a laugh. "I was writing up the labels and she looked at me and said, "What one earth have you done? You've spelled chutney wrong!" I was confused until she told me in no uncertain terms it was a t, not a p. I didn't believe her at first, but I took a stealthy look at my old CWA cookkbook and my heart sank when I realised she was right. What a blessed fool I must have made of myself for all those years, down at a school fete or in the Progress Association meetings. Why did no one ever tell me?" She shook her head.

Have you got a story about when you have mispronounced something like this?

We are on holidays for the next three weeks so expect some "What We Ate on Holidays" posts coming up!

Weekly meals

Saturday -  Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta Bake

Sunday -  Out for dinner

Monday - Chicken Shwarma

Tuesday - 

Wednesday - Mexican Chicken and Rice

Thursday - Beef Teriyaki Bowls

Friday - Sausages, mash and broccoli

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

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on my Spring TBR

 

 

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 2023 To-Read List but because I live in a land down under this is my Spring list instead

The City Baker's Guide to Country Living by Louise Miller - This is the next Cook the Books selection

Spring Clean for the Peach Queen by Sasha Wasley - My next read on a theme bookclub theme is a book with a colour in the title and I think this is the book I will read.

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros - I think this book might be on a few lists this week.

Daisy and Kate by Meredith Appleyard - I love the cover on this one!

When We Were Friends by Samantha Tonge - This is one of several upcoming review books

Celebrations in Bellbird Bay by Maggie Christensen - You know I love spending time in Bellbird Bay

In the Greek Midwinter by Mandy Baggot - One of my friends is in Greece at the moment and I am loving her pictures

The Starfish Sisters by Barbara O'Neal - I still haven't read the last book by this author but I will

The Naturalist of Amsterdam by Melissa Ashley - I nearly read this for my science book for the last read on a theme bookclub choice.

The Heart is a Star by Megan Rogers - I went to a book shop event where this author was the secret guest for the night.

Are any of these books on your TBR pile?

Top Ten Tuesday: Series that I just sort of stopped reading

 

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This 

week the theme is Completed Series I Wish Had More Books. I have decided to twist it a little bit and talk about the series that I kind of, sort of, just stopped reading. It wasn't a conscious decision to stop, but just haven't picked up the next book in the series.... yet. In some cases it has been 10 years or more since I stopped.There's still time right?

The last book I read in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series was The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection which is book no. 13 in the series by Alexander McCall Smith. Book number 23 is due to be released this year. Just a little bit behind then.

The last book I read in the Play by Play series by Jaci Burton was Quarterback Draw which is book no. 9 in the series. It does look as though the series has ended at book no. 14. This is especially strange given that this was one of the few contemporary series I was reading a few years ago. Now I am reading lots! Just not sports ones!

I used to wait with great excitement for the next Diana Gabaldon book to come out. I would buy it as soon as I saw it in the shops. I still haven't bought the latest book in the Outlander series let alone read it!

I listened to the first two books in Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall trilogy on audio. Goodness knows when I will get to the third one.

This is another trilogy where I have read the first two books in the trilogy and meant to read the third one, Ambulance Girls At War by Deborah Burrows. I did borrow this book from the library at least twice but still didn't read it.

I read and loved Dear Banjo by Sasha Wasley, the first book in the Daughters of the Outback trilogy, a few years ago. Still haven't read the other two books in the series. I have bought other books by Wasley since then too!

I have read the first 18 books in the Virgin River series by Robyn Carr at least twice. So why haven't I read the last book that was released a couple of years ago yet.

I have read a lot of books by Lisa Kleypas over the years. The last book I read in The Ravenels series was the third book, Devil in Spring. There are now seven books in the series. One of the issues is that I just don't read a lot of historical romance any more.

I have read the first 3 books in the Study series by Maria VSnyder twice, including a couple of years ago when I read them in anticapation of moving onto the next book in the series. Still haven't  read the next book which is sometimes referred to as the first book in the Glass trilogy or as part of the bigger overall series, Chronicals of Ixia.

A series that I really can't understand why I stopped reading is the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters. I loved them so much. I read up to The Golden One, book 14, and then just stopped. I feel like I would have to reread a lot of them before I could pick up the next next book in the series. The series ended up being 20 books long.

Do you ever just stop reading a series without meaning to?

Top Ten Tuesday: Books with Names/Character Names in the Title

 

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week the theme is Books with Names/Character Names In the Titles (Submitted by BookLoversBlog and Lucy @ Bookworm Blogger)!

To create this list I went back to my handy dandy spreadsheet, started at the latest book and found 10 books. This is a fun topic though, and I am sure I could go back further and find another 10 titles without trying too hard! In fact, I am pretty sure you could do a list just featuring one or two names!

Flora's Travelling Christmas Shop by Rebecca Raisin - I could have chosen one of several of Rebecca Raisin's books (review)

Matilda Next Door by Kelly Hunter - This was part of two quartets set in a small Australian country town, and all of the books had character names as titles. In the end I chose this one because Kelly Hunter is an author I love to read. (review)

Miss Graham's Cold War Cookbook by Celia Rees - I read this book 18 months or so ago now and I really enjoyed it. It is set in the immediate aftermath of WWII and it was a really enjoyable read. (review)

Henrietta's War by Joyce Dennys - This book was originally published as a series of letters during WWII. 

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn - I guess technically I could have featured The Rose Code here too but let's change it up a bit and choose this one instead.

Dear Banjo by Sasha Wasley - The main character of this book's really name is Willow Patterson, but she is affectionately known as Banjo, hence the title.

Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta - Oh, an opportunity to feature a Melina Marchetta book! I'll take that.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman - I suspect this book might be on a few lists this week!

Circe by Madeline Miller - Circe is the daughter of a god and this book tells her story.

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir - I nearly forgot this one!!

And a bonus one just so I can share this video...

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl - This was already a magic book but right back at the beginning of the pandemic, Taika Waititi gathered together some of his famous friends and shared the story of James and the Giant Peach and it was so much fun! Here's the first episode

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Books Releasing In the First Half of 2022

 

 

 

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 First Half of 2022. 

An Island Wedding by Jenny Colgan (May) - Can't wait to revisit Mure!

Book Lovers by Emily Henry (May) - I have enjoyed both of Emily Henry's previous books and expect the same with this book!

Again, Rachel by Marian Keyes (February)- It will be very interesting to revisit the Walsh family after all this time.

The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn (March) - The Rose Code was one of my favourite reads of last year so I am really looking forward to this one.

A Caravan Like a Canary by Sasha Wasley (March)- I haven't read last year's book by this author yet, but that doesn't stop me looking forward to this one.

Snowy Mountain Cattleman by Alissa Callen (February) - I loved the first book in this series!

The Murder Rule by Dervla McTiernan (May) - It will be interesting to see how this book is as the author is moving away from her previous series which is set in Ireland. This book is set in the US.

The No-Show by Beth O'Leary (April) - Reminds me that I haven't read her last book yet.

One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle (March) - I haven't read any of this author's books but I do think they all sound good. This one sounds particularly good!

The Italian Island by Daniela Sacerdoti (January) - I loved The Lost Village by this author. I do have a couple of other books by her to read too.

What new books are you looking forward to?