This week.....

I'm reading

Back to work this week, so in theory I had less reading time! I did still manage to get through several books.

I had started Somewhere Beyond the Sea by T J Klune last week and I finished that book, which was one of my Goodreads Summer Challenge selections. I liked the book, but it did feel a bit preachy.

I then read A Secret Diary in Rome by M A McLaughlin for a blog tour. My review will be up later this week!

Then I moved onto Mixed Signals by B K Borison. I am working my way through all of Borison's books, and only have one more book to read before her new book comes out in October. 

The last book I started this week was One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle, which is another challenge selection. I have been meaning to read Rebecca Serle for a long time! After this book, I only have one more challenge book to read. I do know what I am going to read, I just have to read it

Did you notice that three of these four books had author names with just initials! That's a bit of a funny coincidence!

I'm watching


We didn't start anything new this week




Life


Why is it when I return from holidays I often get sick! Pushing on though. No time off work as things are ramping up on the project I am involved in.

On Saturday I went to the inaugural Readings Romance event (Readings is a bookstore chain here in Melbourne). The even featured the always amazing Dr Anita Heiss as a guest speaker, and then there were two really fun panels. The first talked about the meet-cute and the second was about mis-matched characters! There was swag, a paper cup of bubbles, great conversation and lots of books lovers in the room!

Posts from the last week


Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Places
Italy and Forever by Leonie Mack
Kate and Frida by Kim Fay
Sunday Salon: Aussie Authors Mini Reviews




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

This week....and last week!

I'm reading

I was in Bali last week, so this week's post is really all about the things that I have done over the last two weeks! Because we deliberately didn't over schedule too much, I did get quite a bit of reading done. First though, how cute is this mural that we saw near a bookshop in Ubud! Ubud is home to the Sacred Monkey Forest so there are references to monkeys everywhere!

Before we went away, I finished reading The Little Porto Book Club by Rebecca Raisin. I always enjoy Rebecca Raisin's books, and this was no exception. It was, however, exceptional and I loved it! a 5/5 read for me. You can read my review here.

I then started reading And Now, Back to You by B K Borison but I didn't finish it until we were on the plane! My library book went on a plane ride! This book is the second book in the Heartstrings series and I am already looking forward tto the next book which is out in February next year! It was the first book I tagged as Want to Read in 2027! I read this book because I wanted to but also because it fit one of the GR Summer Challenge categories!

Next up I read Kate and Frida by Kim Fay, which is connected to her previous book Love and Saffron, and also was eligible for one of the GR Summer Challenge categories. 

Next up was Italy and Forever by Leonie Mack, the final book in the Wedding Planners series, which I have really, really enjoyed! 

On the plane home I finished reading Three Juliets by Minnie Darke which the last book I needed to read for 20 Books of Winter this year. It is one that I actually started reading for last year's event but I didn't finish it! I had to start again but I sped through it this year! I really enjoy Minnie Darke's writing and this was no exception. 

I then decided to read The Vanishing Cherry Blossom Bookshop by Tokuya Asokura, mainly because I thought it would count for the Women in Translation month. Turns out, it doesn't because the author is a man, but never mind! It still counts for a couple of other challenges!

Finally, I started reading Somewhere Beyond the Sea by T J Klune! It's early days yet, but I am enjoying being back in that world!

While I was away the Classics Spin selection was announced! I am going to be reading The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith! Just have to go and pick it up from the library so I can get started on it!

I'm watching

I didn't watch anything while we were away, not even on the plane. Before we left we did watch the Masterchef Australia grand final

We also finished watching Bake off the Professionals.

It was exciting to see that the Great Australian Bake Off is back, so last night we watched the first two episodes! Now we have to wait for the new episode to come out each week!

Life

We spent all of last week in Bali. We stayed in Ubud and it was lovely. We tend to have go and out see all the things holidays, but we tried to only have a couple of days where we were busy. The rest of the time it was massages and pool and just doing whatever time, including plenty of reading time!

One of the treatments I had was a Japanese Head Spa and I am now obsessed with where I can go to get another one! It was such an amazing experience! Of course, it costs about a quarter of the price in Bali compared to at home but never mind!

I mentioned on my Weekend Cooking post that Bali wasn't somewhere I was all that interested in visiting until around 18 months ago or so. I saw some pictures and realised that I didn't like the reputation as being full of partying Aussies and that was why I wasn't that interested in going but that I really had no idea about the actual country. It was so interesting to learn about the culture and food. Could have done without the traffic though!

Posts from the last week

Top Ten Tuesday: On this day...
Classics Spin #45
Weekend Cooking: Truffled Chicken with Champagne Sauce
Top Ten Tuesday: Series Reading
Blog Tour: The Little Porto Book Club by Rebecca Raisin
Weekend Cooking: What We Ate on Holiday: Bali
20 Books of Winter: August recap and wrap up!


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: Free books!

 

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week the theme is Books That Live in My Head Rent-Free (submitted by Emma @ damppebbles.com).

I am focussing on the word Free in this and choosing to share the next ten books that are due back to the library. I know it isn't really free. I mean I pay rates and taxes which pay for it, but no money changes hands when I visit the library so it is as good as free!

The Island of Mists and Miracles by Victoria Mas - I finished this yesterday and liked it!

The Palace Women by Jennifer Ryan - And started this one today!

How to Fake it in Society by K J Charles - This one sounds like fun!

The Paradise Heights Craft Store Stitch up by Kate Solly - I am going to an author event with this author tomorrow night!

Delicious: Love to Eat: Around the World in 120 Delicious Recipes by Valli Little - My selection for the current Lambs Ear Cookbook Club

And, Now, Back to You by B K Borison - Looking forward to this one!

Better Than the Real Thing by Brooke Crawford - I have run into this author a number of times at bookish events.

A Far-Flung Life by M L Stedman - I really need to read this one before I have to return it.

Somewhere Beyond the Sea by T J Klune - This should be a fun read!

Kate and Frida: A novel of friendship, food and books by Kim Fay - Loved the previous book I read by this author 

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Books Releasing During the Second Half 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 Most Anticipated Books Releasing During the Second Half of 2024


Let's get started!

Dirrayawadha by Anita Heiss (July) - I really enjoyed this authors last book, and after meeting her in person last weekend, I am definitely even more keen to read this one.

There are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak (August) - I only heard about this last week but I immediately added this to my list. I loved her last book and this one sounds just as good!

A Love Letter to Paris by Rebecca Raisin (July) - I have this book to read in the next couple of weeks, perfect for a post for Paris in July!

The King's Messenger by Susanna Kearsley (August) - OMG! A new Susanna Kearsley book. I am ready!

Tonight by Nagi Maehashi (October) - Nagi's first cookbook, Dinner, was my cookbook of the year for 2023 and we still cook at least one thing from it every week, if not more. I am already saying that I expect this new cookbook to take that honour this year! 

Before We Forget Kindness by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (September) - I went and listened to Toshikazu Kawaguchi speak at Melbourne Writers Festival last month. He announced that this book was coming so I immediately pre-ordered the audiobook. I have listened to the previous books in the series on audio so there was no reason to do otherwise with this new book.

What I Ate in One Year by Stanley Tucci (October) - Remember last February when I went a bit crazy over Stanley Tucci? Of course I have pre-ordered the audio of this book! When I listened to Taste, it was almost like he was whispering in my year!

The Restaurant of Lost Recipes by Hisashi Kashiwai (October) - I really enjoyed the first book in this series and can't wait to read this one!

Somewhere Beyond the Sea by T J Klune (September) - I suspect that this book might appear on a few lists this week!

A Certain Kind of Starlight by Heather Webber (July) - I really enjoy Heather Webber's books so I am hoping to get to this book soon!

Are any of these books on your list this week?

Top Ten Tuesday - Water, water everywhere!

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's theme is Water (This can be covers with water on them, books with bodies of water in them, titles with bodies of water in them, etc.)

I did a water themed TTT post a couple of years ago, but it turns out I have read ten more books with water related titles since them so there is no duplication.

Second Chances in Bellbird Bay by Maggie Christensen - To be fair I could have had 7 books just from this series as the word Bay is in every title. (review)

Hopeful Hearts at the Cornish Cove by Kim Nash -  With a bonus lighthouse playing a key role in the story. (review)

An Island in the Sun by Kate Frost - Islands are surrounded by water so they totally count. This one is set on the Portuguese island of Madeira. (review)

Far Across the Ocean by Suzie Hull - A part of this book was set in Madagascar which is quite an unusual setting. (review)

The House on the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune - Loved this book!

An Island Wedding by Jenny Colgan - This is set in the very far north of Scotland

The Custard Tart Cafe by the Sea by Isabella May - I promise you the words by the Sea are really on the cover! You just have to look closely! (review)

Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak - This is set in the Mediterranean island of Cyprus

A Granite Springs Christmas by Maggie Christensen - Another big series by Maggie Christensen which is set in the fictional town of Granite Springs

The Lights of Sugarberry Cove by Heather Webber - I like a book with a touch of magical realism! (review)

Maybe I will have another set of watery books in a couple of years time. 

Six Degrees of Separation: Friendaholic to Forever in Blue

 

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's starting point is Friendaholic by Elizabeth Day.

The last book that I finished reading was The Silver Ladies Do Lunch by Judy Leigh which is all about lifelong friendships in a small village near Oxford. I reviewed this book a couple of days ago.

The word lunch made me think of the Luncheon of the Boating Party by Susan Vreeland, which in turn made me think of the Renoir paintings we saw when we were in Paris, but let me get back on track.

I really enjoyed the books I have read by Susan Vreeland so I am going with another of her books, Clara and Mr Tiffany, which is all about the creation of Tiffany glass lamps. (My review)

Another book with the word glass in the title is Sea Glass by Maria V Snyder

This then links to The House in the Cerulean Sea by T J Klune through the word sea

For my final link I have chosen Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares because cerulean is a shade of blue. (My review)

I don't always try to link back to the starting point but given that Forever in Blue is the fourth book in the Sisterhood of Travelling Pants series which is all about friendship, I think it ties back nicely.

Next month the starting point is Time Shelter by Georgi Gospodinov and translated by Angela Rodel.

This week....

I'm reading....

It's been a big reading week here. I think I finished five books which is pretty much unheard of these days. Normally I am lucky to finish one book a week.

So, what did I read?  Firstly, I read Escape to the French Farmhouse by Jo Thomas. I picked this book up because I thought it was another book which I needed to read for a blog tour this week. Only problem is that the book that I needed to read for the blog tour was similarly titled A Year at the French Farmhouse by Gillian Harvey. However, before I realised my mistake I was at least a third of the way through Escape to the French Farmhouse and I was really enjoying it, so I kept going.

I then thought I needed something a bit different before I read another French Farmhouse book. I have been meaning to read House on the Cerulean Sea by T J Klune for the longest time and it seemed to be a good time to read it. I really enjoyed it and I am very much looking forward to reading more from this author.

After that genre change, I was ready to read the correct book for the blog tour, A Year at the French Farmhouse by Gillian Harvey. I will be posting my review for this book in the next couple of days. It will be a good one!

Finally, I received the Amazon First Reads email yesterday and one of the options was a short story by Alice Hoffman. It's somewhat shocking, but I have never read Hoffman, even though I do love some magic realism. The story is called The Bookstore Sisters, and it is very short, but I really enjoyed it. Going to have to make an effort to read more by her. At least there are plenty to choose from..

Finally, after the gritty realism of Working Class Boy by Jimmy Barnes, I needed a palate cleanser, so I am listening to The Stand In by Lily Chu, narrated by Philippa Soo. It is a much lighter listen. I already know that I am going to listen to more by Lily Chu!

I'm watching...

I was looking at the films available for the British Film Festival and I noticed a documentary titled Lancaster about the role that Lancaster bombers played in WWII. It said that the documentary is from the makers of Spitfire. Now, my hsband loves Spitfire planes and so I had to go and find that documentary film so that is what we watched on Friday. I have also bought tickets to go and see Lancaster on the big screen.

Life

Not a lot to tell this week that I can think of.

Max

It's fair to say that Max has settled in quite well. We have had him for just under a month now, and he keeps us mostly entertained. Every now and again he gets in trouble but we are quick to forgive him. This week he has learnt how to entertain himself with a tennis ball. It's better when we throw the ball for him, but he can move the ball around enough to chase it himself. He has also learnt to tip his water bowl over. Lucky we have tiles.

In this photo you can see two of his favourite things.....socks and dried leaves.

Posts from the last week

Top Ten Tuesday: Fancy Fonts

Historical Fiction Reading Challenge: September Link Up

Weekend Cooking: What I Baked In My Kitchen in September

Six Degrees of Separation: Notes on a Scandal to The Last Queen

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

Top Ten Tuesday: Authors I havent read but want to

 

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week the topic is Authors I Haven't Read but Want To! To be fair, I could have done many posts just on this theme, but let's start with these authors and just one book from their backlist that I think I shoud read.

Maggie O'Farrell - Hamnet is the  book that is calling me the most. I have purchased this on audiobook but haven't even downloaded it yet.

Karen Brooks - I own this one too.

Santa Montefiore - I currently have this book out from the library. We'll see if I actually read it.

C S Harris - I have owned this book for at least ten years....never read it.

Elizabeth Wein - I have lost count of how many times I have had Code Name Verity recommended to me, but I still haven't read it.

Carly Schabowski - I love this cover so much!

Fiona Davis - I am pretty sure when I do finally read Fiona Davis, I will love her.

Elin Hildebrand - and same for this author!

Fredrik Backman - One day I will get to this book

T J Klune - This book has been calling my name for a couple of years.

Would you recommend any of these authors to me, and if so, which of their books should I start with?