Chris's bookshelf: all en-US Wed, 07 May 2025 12:20:49 -0700 60 Chris's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Hot Basque 25620872 An alternative cover edition exists here.

Three women, three passions.
It’s summer once again in Biarritz and Caroline is trying out her matchmaking skills. She’s invited best friend Jill to come for a holiday and meet a certain man she has in mind. Caroline and Edward found true love in the Villa’s magical setting one year ago, so who knows what might happen when Jill O’Toole meets Antoine Arantxa?
The table is set, the candles are lit, the guests arrive. Two seconds is all it takes. Stand back for the instant sizzle, the red-hot flambé, the spicy chilli samba! Our man is a sexy Basque, as hot as the famous local peppers, while Jill, with her red Irish hair and voluptuous curves, is no shrinking violet. Plus her hormones haven’t had a night out for six months.
As playtime starts at the Villa, there’s fun in store and not a cloud on the horizon. Best of all, scheming sister Annabel is now living in Germany. No way she can cause trouble this year, she has a new life as wife and mother. She’s busy becoming a society matron, getting to know Julian’s colleagues and their wives.
And welcoming a new member of the group.
He’s handsome, rich, Italian and has a passion for fast cars.
His name is Claudio.

]]> 387 Laurette Long Chris 0 currently-reading 4.38 2015 Hot Basque
author: Laurette Long
name: Chris
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/07
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Coconut Chronicles: Two Guys, One Caribbean Dream House]]> 23266384
Renovating their little corner of paradise proved to be a crash course in how Vieques works—and how it doesn’t. Very few projects went according to plan, and many veered alarmingly off course. Along the way they learned a number of unforgettable lessons: concrete houses can have termites; five-foot iguanas aren’t necessarily more afraid of you than you are of them; emergency rooms don’t always stock medical supplies; and a property manager who paints your house orange instead of yellow may resign in a huff when you point out his little boo-boo.

The Coconut Chronicles is a lighthearted account of Patrick’s and Michael’s battle to create order out of chaos in the not always relaxing tropics.]]> 278 Patrick Youngblood Chris 5 4.27 2014 The Coconut Chronicles: Two Guys, One Caribbean Dream House
author: Patrick Youngblood
name: Chris
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at: 2025/05/06
date added: 2025/05/06
shelves:
review:
Oh gosh, how I loved this book! It's everything I enjoy in a memoir: it's well-written, humorous, travel, relocating to another country, and colorful local characters. Patrick and his husband Michael visit Vieques, a small island off the Costa Rican coast, fall in love with the place and buy a home they can't afford. I know, blah, blah, everything goes wrong, and they can't afford it, right? Wrong! They scrape together money to get it into a fit state to rent out, but the process of doing so, and the eccentric characters they encounter along the way make for an entertaining and hilarious story. I laughed out loud so many times reading this book. I'm late to bed - again - because it's a real page turner and I just had to finish it, and write this review. My only disappointment is that Patrick has never written a sequel, and I really want to know what happened next. Definitely recommended. A fabulous, fun read.
]]> <![CDATA[Death on the Danube: A New Year's Murder in Budapest (Travel Can Be Murder, #1)]]> 48497063 Who knew a New Year’s trip to Budapest could be so deadly? The tour must go on � even with a killer in their midst�

Recent divorcee Lana Hansen needs a break. Her luck has run sour for going on a decade, ever since she got fired from her favorite job as an investigative reporter. When her fresh start in Seattle doesn’t work out as planned, Lana ends up unemployed and penniless on Christmas Eve.

Dotty Thompson, her landlord and the owner of Wanderlust Tours, is also in a tight spot after one of her tour guides ends up in the hospital, leaving her a guide short on Christmas Day.

When Dotty offers her a job leading the tour group through Budapest, Hungary, Lana jumps at the chance. It’s the perfect way to ring in the new year and pay her rent!

What starts off as the adventure of a lifetime quickly turns into a nightmare when Carl, her fellow tour guide, is found floating in the Danube River. Was it murder or accidental death? Suspects abound when Lana discovers almost everyone on the tour had a bone to pick with Carl.

But Dotty insists the tour must go on, so Lana finds herself trapped with nine murder suspects. When another guest turns up dead, Lana has to figure out who the killer is before she too ends up floating in the Danube�

Introducing Lana Hansen, tour guide, reluctant amateur sleuth, and star of the Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mystery Series. Join Lana as she leads tourists and readers to fascinating cities around the globe on intriguing adventures that, unfortunately for Lana, often turn deadly.]]> 191 Jennifer S. Alderson Chris 0 currently-reading 3.97 Death on the Danube: A New Year's Murder in Budapest (Travel Can Be Murder, #1)
author: Jennifer S. Alderson
name: Chris
average rating: 3.97
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/06
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Tell Me About It: Memoir of a Psychotherapist]]> 40109207 174 Pinny Brakeley Bugaeff Chris 5 3.85 Tell Me About It: Memoir of a Psychotherapist
author: Pinny Brakeley Bugaeff
name: Chris
average rating: 3.85
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/05/03
date added: 2025/05/03
shelves:
review:
I wasn't sure how I would feel about this book. Many of the memoirs I read are travel based, and humorous, so this would be out of my comfort zone. However, I loved it. Short stories dealing with one patient at a time, and talking through their difficulties, and how she worked with them, were fascinating. And I loved that she tied up the endings, so you weren't left wondering "what happened next?" Dealing with people suffering from mental illness isn't an easy job, and Pinny was honest about some of the problems she encountered on a personal level. This is a well-written, easy to read book, and although some of the stories have darker themes, it's an enjoyable read, that I would definitely recommend.
]]> <![CDATA[Last Train to Cairo: Touring Egypt in the 21st Century]]> 57939343 362 Paul Q. Cohen 1736954814 Chris 5 Egypt after the Revolution

I love Egypt. I visited there several times in the 2000s. The Nile Valley, Luxor and Cairo, and loved the history and the people. So I was both fascinated and saddened to see the changes wrought by the revolution of 2012/13, as described by Paul in this interesting and entertaining book. The fact that he and his girlfriend chose to travel around the country by normal public transport, rather than just flying everywhere, so they could meet people, and see the country, spoke a lot for them. However, one thing I disagreed completely with Paul's opinion. Abu Simbel is one of my favorite places in the world. Please don't let his description of this amazing temple prevent you from visiting there. I can't say that I applaud their decision to travel during Ramadan, as I think they missed out on a lot of experiences. But I really enjoyed this book. ]]> 3.93 Last Train to Cairo: Touring Egypt in the 21st Century
author: Paul Q. Cohen
name: Chris
average rating: 3.93
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/29
date added: 2025/04/29
shelves:
review:
Egypt after the Revolution

I love Egypt. I visited there several times in the 2000s. The Nile Valley, Luxor and Cairo, and loved the history and the people. So I was both fascinated and saddened to see the changes wrought by the revolution of 2012/13, as described by Paul in this interesting and entertaining book. The fact that he and his girlfriend chose to travel around the country by normal public transport, rather than just flying everywhere, so they could meet people, and see the country, spoke a lot for them. However, one thing I disagreed completely with Paul's opinion. Abu Simbel is one of my favorite places in the world. Please don't let his description of this amazing temple prevent you from visiting there. I can't say that I applaud their decision to travel during Ramadan, as I think they missed out on a lot of experiences. But I really enjoyed this book.
]]> <![CDATA[Uprooted: A New Life in the Arizona Sun]]> 59361262
Expecting a desert, Linda is surprised to find Prescott surrounded by pine-covered mountains, lush canyons with clear, cold creeks, and best of all, several new friends willing to show it off to her. Her new friends also share her love of music and even provide some romance in her life, although she holds out hope for a boy she had liked in Syracuse who joins the Navy.

When her father begins a new job in Tucson, he moves there until the house in Prescott is sold, taking Linda with him so she can job hunt. She learns about a Forest Service job on Mt. Lemmon and jumps at the chance, realizing the one constant in her life is her love for the outdoors and nature.

In this prequel to Summers of Fire, Linda learns, in her quest for independence, she’s not made for mediocre employment. That fateful move to Prescott sets her off on a career path that not only changes her life forever, but helps open the world of fighting forest fires to women.]]> 311 Linda Strader Chris 0 to-read 4.25 Uprooted: A New Life in the Arizona Sun
author: Linda Strader
name: Chris
average rating: 4.25
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Two Grandmas in Spain (Blue Jacket Travels #2)]]> 231767847 362 Karen O'Connor Chris 5 5.00 Two Grandmas in Spain (Blue Jacket Travels #2)
author: Karen O'Connor
name: Chris
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/04
date added: 2025/04/25
shelves:
review:
Another wonderful book from Karen. I loved her first memoir, and how much she enjoyed the experience of visiting Spain, and in particular Malaga, for the first time. In this second book, she has a new traveling companion, her grandchildren's other grandma. I loved the whole experience: from pre-travel worries and preparations, to actually getting onto Spanish soil again. It was a special visit for the second grandma, who was born there and had waited over 60 years to return. From Castelldelfels to Madrid, Cordoba, and of course Malaga itself, Karen's love of Spain, the people, and places continues. Nice to meet a couple of characters from book one again, too. Karen is really getting Spain into her blood, and it sounds like she's ready for trip three (hopefully another book, then!) The book is a nice mix of travel, food and interesting experiences - even though things don't always go to plan, Karen is quick to adapt, and go with the flow. A very satisfying and enjoyable follow-up to book one, and I'm already anticipating book three.
]]> Special Delivery 227925201 A dangerous mission. A second chance.
Actually, scratch that. No chance.

Dix’s career as a trooper in the Federation army is unblemished � until the day he disobeys a direct order and strikes an officer.

Now Dix has a choice. Face a life of hard labour that promises to be brutal and short. Or accept a mysterious invitation to join a black-ops mission in hostile terrain.

The plan sounds simple, if horribly dangerous. Fetch a fearsome weapon from a secret location and deliver it to a distant planet, whose population is under the chilling yoke of the Federation’s rival empire, the Axis. Do it without getting caught, or implicating the Federation, and Dix’s transgressions will be forgiven.

But the weapon turns out to be unlike anything he could have expected, and Dix’s troubles have only just begun.

'SAS Rogue Heroes' x 'Starship Troopers' � Special Delivery introduces a ragtag crew of misfits and malcontents on a space mission with more holes than a blaster-riddled corpse. It’s a fluid, easy-reading, military-action Sci-Fi adventure, perfect for fans of Tanya Huff and John Scalzi.]]> 263 Rex Burke 191669408X Chris 5 Not your normal delivery

I love Red Burke books. I got hooked on the Orphan Star series, and yes, if you read this, Rex, I still want a continuation. This is more hard edged. The characters use curse words (gosh, soldiers swearing - what's that all about?), but it's still a Rex Burke book. Good plot with plenty of twists, well rounded and engaging characters, fascinating story. I loved it, and definitely recommend it. And unless you're writing more Orphan Star books, I'd love a follow-up to this story please, Rex. ]]> 4.18 Special Delivery
author: Rex Burke
name: Chris
average rating: 4.18
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/24
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves:
review:
Not your normal delivery

I love Red Burke books. I got hooked on the Orphan Star series, and yes, if you read this, Rex, I still want a continuation. This is more hard edged. The characters use curse words (gosh, soldiers swearing - what's that all about?), but it's still a Rex Burke book. Good plot with plenty of twists, well rounded and engaging characters, fascinating story. I loved it, and definitely recommend it. And unless you're writing more Orphan Star books, I'd love a follow-up to this story please, Rex.
]]> <![CDATA[Land Of Rivers And Trees (The Journey Book 13)]]> 230889803 From Amazon bestselling author Craig Briggs, The Journey continues with book thirteen in the series, LAND of RIVERS and TREES.

Dark clouds of uncertainty hang over Craig and Melanie’s future in Spain as the spectre of a no-deal Brexit looms. Can Craig set the record straight before an unknown criminal past puts paid to them taking back control?

When newly introduced regulations threaten to scupper Craig’s winemaking aspirations, he and Melanie embark on a quest to learn new skills. Little do they know it will require the patience of a saint and the understanding of an unfamiliar language, but sterner tests lie ahead.

Rising costs and falling reservations raise questions about the viability of their holiday rental property. After much soul searching, they decide to turn the page and put their beloved house on the market but, with only days until the first guests of the season arrive, an unexpected water pump failure adds to their woes. Will they find a solution in time?

Challenges come and go, but their love for their adopted homeland remains unwavering. From chocolate and churros to drinks and nibbles, cathedrals and castles to rivers and beaches, Craig and Melanie’s life is an ever-changing collage of people, places, sounds, and food.

Craig’s flowing writing style and detailed descriptions take the reader on a memorable journey that will remain with them long after the final page has been turned.]]> 359 Craig Briggs Chris 5 Changes Ahead

After many years of living in Spain, the perils of Brexit threaten to put an end to Craig and Melanie's life there, and there is trouble with their rental property, too. Luckily for us readers, this means an intriguing story, that is a pleasure to read. In the same vein as the other twelve books (how can that even be possible?) we enjoy life in the Briggs household, and meet some favorite characters. But this book is a little different, as there are challenges to be met by them both if they want to continue living their comfortable life in Galicia. I loved this book. It's equally as enjoyable as the previous books in the series, and there's plenty of interest with visits to different places, and lots of food and wine to sample. Looking forward now to book 14, which Craig has promised is in the pipeline.]]> 4.59 Land Of Rivers And Trees (The Journey Book 13)
author: Craig Briggs
name: Chris
average rating: 4.59
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/20
date added: 2025/04/20
shelves:
review:
Changes Ahead

After many years of living in Spain, the perils of Brexit threaten to put an end to Craig and Melanie's life there, and there is trouble with their rental property, too. Luckily for us readers, this means an intriguing story, that is a pleasure to read. In the same vein as the other twelve books (how can that even be possible?) we enjoy life in the Briggs household, and meet some favorite characters. But this book is a little different, as there are challenges to be met by them both if they want to continue living their comfortable life in Galicia. I loved this book. It's equally as enjoyable as the previous books in the series, and there's plenty of interest with visits to different places, and lots of food and wine to sample. Looking forward now to book 14, which Craig has promised is in the pipeline.
]]> <![CDATA[On Two Legs and Three Wheels: The Travel Adventures of a Couple Overcoming Age and Disability]]> 223625900 On Two Legs and Three Wheels answers that with an emphatic, "Yes!"

Multiple sclerosis disabled the legs of the author's wife twenty years ago, making her rely on a mobility scooter, and now both the author and his wife are in their seventies. But none of that stopped them from traveling. On two legs and three wheels, they have traveled to twenty countries and twenty states. Perseverance, ingenuity, and flexibility have enabled them to overcome virtually all obstacles. These characteristics are on full display in the two dozen tales of their travels to locales as diverse as Alpine peaks, Caribbean beaches, desert canyons, and urban boulevards, via planes, trains, cars, buses, and ships.

Their adventures will inspire disabled and older people to keep traveling, while engaging in activities that thrill fully abled partners, as well. And their travel tales will delight and entertain readers of all ages and physical conditions.]]> 349 Cary D. Lowe Chris 0 to-read 4.40 On Two Legs and Three Wheels: The Travel Adventures of a Couple Overcoming Age and Disability
author: Cary D. Lowe
name: Chris
average rating: 4.40
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/14
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Biarritz Passion 22026026 No thanks.
It’s an offer that’s just too good to be true, especially when it comes from your sister. Your baby sister Annabel, beautiful, charming and utterly manipulative.
The last thing Caroline MacDonald needs right now is to be a pawn in one of Annabel’s devious schemes. With her self-confidence in tatters after a disastrous love affair, Caroline is struggling to take back control of her life.
But then she meets the man behind the invitation, Edward Rayburn. He’s rich, he’s classy and he is sizzlingly sexy. From the erotic shock of their first encounter, Caroline’s life changes, gathering speed and plunging her into a world where everything is different and full of possibilities.
In the stunning setting of the Villa Julia, high on the hills above Biarritz, she finds her faith in herself returning as she discovers the joy of new friendships and confronts the power of true passion.
But while Caroline is learning to love and trust again, her sister has a different agenda. For Annabel, loyalty takes second place to self-interest. Deceit and betrayal are mere tools for getting what she wants.
And so, while Caroline’s heart is telling her one thing, her instincts warn her a hidden drama is being played out, nothing she can put her finger on, just a chilling feeling in the air...

EXTRACT FROM ‘BIARRITZ PASSION�
‘CDZԱ.�
Something in the tone of his voice sent chills along her skin. She dimly heard the band begin a soft romantic tune, felt Edward’s heartbeat pick up under her hand, had the sensation of swooning, falling, down down down, like a shooting star. If he hadn’t reached out to hold her she would have dropped. Then she was in his arms, enfolded in a warm private world. They moved slowly, circling beneath the plane trees which flung leaf patterns over them like a magic net. She was a prisoner. Her blood tingled, inflamed by the fever coming from that hard body pressing its length against hers. She closed her eyes and danced, seeing nothing, letting herself be guided like a blind woman, Edward’s arms encircling her, protecting her, the infection in her blood mounting as his throbbing flesh pressed against hers. Just the touch of the hairs on his arm, feather-light against her bare skin, was enough to send electric pulses racing through her veins.
She gradually became aware that they had stopped. The music was still playing. Opening her eyes she saw that the other dancers continued to revolve around them like figures in a dream. Her eyes sought his face, but it was in shadow, there was only the gleam of his teeth, white against the dark skin.
Without a word he led her from the dance floor, beyond the tables, towards the trees. She realised they were going away from the square and into the shadows of the adjoining streets.
They stopped beside a low wall which enclosed a public garden. She could make out the vague shapes of benches dotted here and there among the bushes. Edward leaned back against a tree and drew her close. It was uncannily dark and quiet after the bright lights and music. A breeze rustled the leaves overhead. She started to shake.
‘You’re cold.�
His voice came out of the shadows and he held her more tightly against him.
‘No, not cold.�
Was that her voice?
‘Do you want to go back?�
His voice sounded different too, low, charged.
Her stomach churned. The teasing ambivalence of their former relations had vanished, replaced by something urgent, dangerous, a force she was incapable of resisting. A barrier had broken.
]]> 362 Laurette Long Chris 5 3.93 2014 Biarritz Passion
author: Laurette Long
name: Chris
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/10
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves:
review:
Wow! I didn't expect to enjoy this half as much as I did. I'd read the author's memoir, and was captivated by it, but could she write fiction too? Well yes she can! I found this book difficult to put down, (work constraints meant I had to) but I absolutely devoured it. I loved the story, the setting, and the characters were so well-drawn. I'm looking forward to book two.
]]> <![CDATA[Beckie's Boathouse Bistro: An uplifting summer read (The Blossomwood Bay Series Book 8)]]> 219465036 Welcome to Beckie's Boathouse Bistro, the final book in the Blossomwood Bay series.

Escape to the gorgeous English Riviera!

When Beckie Robinson is mistaken for a waitress at a swanky gallery evening, she knows things have to change, and with trade at her aunt’s beloved Boathouse Bistro at an all-time low, now is the perfect time to do that. But switching her comfortable life reading about other people’s adventures instead of having one of her own is a daunting prospect.

Handsome but heartbroken Sam Sheriden is struggling to manage Dovedale Lodge, a rustic retreat in the picturesque Devonshire countryside. He only signed up to handle the water-based activities, and now he’s found himself running the B&B, six log cabins, and a fishing school with a skeleton staff who would prefer not to be there either.

With the future looking bleak, can Beckie and Sam work together to turn Dovedale Lodge into a must-visit destination, or will it have to close its doors forever, forcing the LARP-obsessed chef out of a job, and the Dovedale Dippers to find a new, less exhilarating hobby? Will Beckie take a leap of faith and embark on an epic adventure, or will she head back to her quiet life in Blossomwood Bay, where � unbeknown to her - there’s an earth-shattering surprise waiting for her?

Join Beckie � along with the other girls from the Blossomwood Bay series - as she navigates the rollercoaster ride that the Blossomwood Bay fire instigated, and enjoy a story filled with fun, friendship, and a Dash, Dollop & Drizzle of heart-warming romance.]]> 302 Daisy James 1914304381 Chris 5 4.54 Beckie's Boathouse Bistro: An uplifting summer read (The Blossomwood Bay Series Book 8)
author: Daisy James
name: Chris
average rating: 4.54
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/01
date added: 2025/04/04
shelves:
review:
I've loved the Blossomwood Bay series, so it was with a mixture of sadness and excitement that I approached this, the final book of this series. Well done, Daisy - you really pulled it off. Not only did Beckie get her own intriguing story, but all the loose ends from the previous books were tied off. Well-written: I loved meeting the characters from the previous books and finding out how their stories had developed. And I really couldn't put it down - I had to stay up well past my bedtime to get to the exciting conclusion. I definitely recommend this book, but you need to read the rest of the series first.
]]> <![CDATA[Between Worlds: An Expat’s Quest for Belonging]]> 228563504
From age four, when she nearly loses her mother on a Tokyo train platform, through harrowing military evacuations from Pakistan and Bangladesh, Inga's childhood is marked by constant change and adaptation. She attends nine schools before high school, learning to make friends quickly while knowing each goodbye might be permanent. In Peru, she faces life-threatening illness while her father works in the remote Sechura Desert. Back in California, she struggles to fit into suburban life, carrying the invisible scars of her expatriate youth.

Through it all, she grapples with questions of identity and belonging. Is home the place where her doll Chuz sits on her bed, or is it somewhere deeper within? How does a child process trauma when the adults around her treat upheaval as adventure? And how does that child grow into an adult capable of lasting relationships?

Written with unflinching honesty and vivid detail, Between Worlds captures both the privilege and the pain of a Third Culture Kid's experience. Aksamit's story illuminates the complexity of growing up across cultures while offering hope for finding connection and belonging. This intimate memoir will resonate with anyone who has ever felt caught between identities or searched for a place to call home.]]> 261 Inga Aksamit 1955018774 Chris 5 4.94 Between Worlds: An Expat’s Quest for Belonging
author: Inga Aksamit
name: Chris
average rating: 4.94
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/26
date added: 2025/03/28
shelves:
review:
What must it be like to grow up as an expat, not just in one country, but moving every few years as your father's work takes you? And not just moving because of work, but through war? Inga and her mother have to journey half way across the world when Inga is only four years old, and she has an experience that stays with her for her whole life. Adapting to live in one country, learning the ways and making friends, only to move on again. And the place her parents call "home" is unfamiliar and possibly a little scary. This is Inga's story, well told and incredibly interesting. I can't imagine being able to deal with all the changes, but she takes it - mostly - in her stride. With her favorite doll as one constant in her life, Inga moves from West Pakistan to Peru, East Pakistan, America and Indonesia. From childhood to adulthood we see the world through her eyes, and her feelings. I really enjoyed this book, and definitely recommend it. What I didn't realize until I got to the end, was that Inga had written another memoir I read and enjoyed: Highs and Lows on the John Muir Trail is a completely different kind of story, and I was fascinated to realize she had written two such contrasting memoirs.
]]> <![CDATA[Musings from a Pandemic: PETER BARBER’S MUSINGS. BOOK TWO (Peter Barber's Musings)]]> 220417980 Musings from a Another laugh out loud episode from the life of Peter Barber.

In the midst of a global pandemic, one man transforms the chaos of quarantine into a laugh-out-loud adventure. Musings from a Pandemic captures the comedic highs and lows of lockdown life, from unraveling baffling government guidelines and the absurd antics of world leaders, to discovering joy in the little things.

Whether he's grappling with supermarket sneezes, lamenting closed pubs, or contemplating the sudden importance of toilet paper, the narrator finds humour in the strangest places. With sharp wit and relatable insights, this diary highlights the absurdity of pandemic life and reminds us that sometimes the best way to survive is to laugh.]]> 200 Peter Barber Chris 0 4.55 Musings from a Pandemic: PETER BARBER’S MUSINGS. BOOK TWO (Peter Barber's Musings)
author: Peter Barber
name: Chris
average rating: 4.55
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/28
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter, #6)]]> 58613345
As in all wars, life goes on. Sixth-year students learn to Apparate, and lose a few eyebrows in the process. The Weasley twins expand their business. Teenagers flirt and fight and fall in love. Classes are never straightforward, though Harry receives some extraordinary help from the mysterious Half-Blood Prince.

So it's the home front that takes center stage in the multilayered sixth installment of the story of Harry Potter. Harry struggles to uncover the identity of the Half-Blood Prince, the past owner of a potions textbook he now possesses that is filled with ingenious, potentially deadly, spells. But Harry's life is suddenly changed forever when someone close to him is heinously murdered right before his eyes.

With Dumbledore's guidance, he seeks out the full, complex story of the boy who became Lord Voldemort, and thereby attempts to find what may be his only vulnerability.]]> 672 J.K. Rowling Chris 0 4.58 2005 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter, #6)
author: J.K. Rowling
name: Chris
average rating: 4.58
book published: 2005
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/20
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Silver Chair (Chronicles of Narnia, #4)]]> 65641 Jill and Eustace must rescue the Prince from the evil Witch.

NARNIA...where owls are wise, where some of the giants like to snack on humans, where a prince is put under an evil spell...and where the adventure begins.

Eustace and Jill escape from the bullies at school through a strange door in the wall, which, for once, is unlocked. It leads to the open moor...or does it? Once again Aslan has a task for the children, and Narnia needs them. Through dangers untold and caverns deep and dark, they pursue the quest that brings them face to face with the evil Witch. She must be defeated if Prince Rillian is to be saved.]]> 243 C.S. Lewis Chris 5 3.96 1953 The Silver Chair (Chronicles of Narnia, #4)
author: C.S. Lewis
name: Chris
average rating: 3.96
book published: 1953
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/20
date added: 2025/03/20
shelves:
review:
I've always loved this book. Nice to reunite with the reformed Eustace, and the Marshwiggle Puddleglum is a sheer delight.
]]> <![CDATA[Snowflake Goes to Western Australia: a Travel Memoir (Snowflake Travel Memoirs)]]> 229035848 132 Shirley Read-Jahn Chris 5 4.00 Snowflake Goes to Western Australia: a Travel Memoir (Snowflake Travel Memoirs)
author: Shirley Read-Jahn
name: Chris
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/20
date added: 2025/03/20
shelves:
review:
Interesting travel memoir detailing Shirley and her husband Horst's trip from New South Wales along the south coast of Australia, and to Perth on the west coast. I admit to not knowing a lot about the geography of Australia, and much of it was new to Shirley too, so the facts that pepper her story were of great interest to me. For instance, the largest cattle station in Australia is 8,880 square miles, which seems awfully big, and a Google search puts it about the same size as the US state of New Jersey. That's just ONE cattle station! Thanks for educating me Shirley. I was impressed by the fortitude in dealing with the native fauna, particularly the flies, and Shirley's excitement at meeting with kangaroos and camels. And all the "big" statues of everything from kangaroos to galahs. All in all, an enjoyable read. Definitely recommended.
]]> <![CDATA[The Horse and His Boy (Chronicles of Narnia, #5)]]> 84119 The Horse and his Boy is a stirring and dramatic fantasy story that finds a young boy named Shasta on the run from his homeland with the talking horse, Bree. When the pair discover a deadly plot by the Calormen people to conquer the land of Narnia, the race is on to warn the inhabitants of the impending danger and to rescue them all from certain death.]]> 224 C.S. Lewis 0439861365 Chris 5 3.92 1954 The Horse and His Boy (Chronicles of Narnia, #5)
author: C.S. Lewis
name: Chris
average rating: 3.92
book published: 1954
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/16
date added: 2025/03/17
shelves:
review:
This has always been my least favorite Narnia book. The story of Shasta and the horse Bree is very entertaining and well-written, and I enjoy the read, but I'd still rate it bottom of the seven books. Onward to The Silver Chair, which is one of my favorites.
]]> <![CDATA[The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Chronicles of Narnia, #3)]]> 140225
The Dawn Treader is the first ship Narnia has seen in centuries. King Caspian has built it for his voyage to find the seven lords, good men whom his evil uncle Miraz banished when he usurped the throne. The journey takes Edmund, Lucy, and their cousin Eustace to the Eastern Islands, beyond the Silver Sea, toward Aslan's country at the End of the World.]]> 248 C.S. Lewis 006112527X Chris 5 4.10 1952 The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Chronicles of Narnia, #3)
author: C.S. Lewis
name: Chris
average rating: 4.10
book published: 1952
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/13
date added: 2025/03/13
shelves:
review:
This has always been my favorite Narnia book. I still love it 50+ years since I first read it.
]]> <![CDATA[Prince Caspian (Chronicles of Narnia, #2)]]> 121749
Narnia . . . where animals talk . . . where trees walk . . . where a battle is about to begin.

A prince denied his rightful throne gathers an army in a desperate attempt to rid his land of a false king. But in the end, it is a battle of honor between two men alone that will decide the fate of an entire world.

Prince Caspianis the fourth book in C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, a series that has become part of the canon of classic literature, drawing readers of all ages into a magical land with unforgettable characters for over fifty years. This is a stand-alone novel, but if you would like to see more of Lucy and Edmund’s adventures, readThe Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the fifth book in The Chronicles of Narnia.]]> 240 C.S. Lewis 000720230X Chris 5 3.99 1951 Prince Caspian (Chronicles of Narnia, #2)
author: C.S. Lewis
name: Chris
average rating: 3.99
book published: 1951
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/11
date added: 2025/03/13
shelves:
review:
I'm on a Narnia kick at the moment. One of my favorite series ever.
]]> <![CDATA[The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia)]]> 132080146 180 C.S. Lewis Chris 5 4.27 1950 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia)
author: C.S. Lewis
name: Chris
average rating: 4.27
book published: 1950
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/09
date added: 2025/03/13
shelves:
review:
I first read this when I was about 10 or 11 years old, and it's as good now as it was then.
]]> <![CDATA[A Long Walk Home: One Woman's Story of Kidnap, Hostage, Loss - and Survival | Judith Tebbutt's extraordinary memoir of her time in captivity in Somalia.]]> 19008854 375 Judith Tebbutt Chris 5 4.19 2013 A Long Walk Home: One Woman's Story of Kidnap, Hostage, Loss - and Survival | Judith Tebbutt's extraordinary memoir of her time in captivity in Somalia.
author: Judith Tebbutt
name: Chris
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/05
date added: 2025/03/08
shelves:
review:
Imagine you go on vacation with your husband, you've had a wonderful week on safari, and you go to spend an idyllic relaxing time on a tropical island. Perfect, yes? Except you wake up in your beach hut to find your husband grappling with a man, and another man takes you away at gunpoint. Judith's ordeal at the hands of Somali pirates lasted 192 days. Days where she was starved, living in isolation and intimidated by her captors. This is a fascinating, in some parts heart-rending, but strangely uplifting story: how Judith kept her health and sanity together while living in terrible conditions is a miracle. I couldn't put this book down. Definitely recommended reading.
]]> <![CDATA[3 Sisters 3 Weeks 3 Countries (Still Talking): A Humorous and Heartfelt Memoir]]> 60132926
"Why would sisters want to take such a long trip together?" The Moore sisters were often asked this question, to which came their same, unwavering "Why not?"

It all started when one sister gave a siren call for travel to her two sisters. In response, they started packing; almost that fast. As their journey unfolds, it reveals many things, including how after a fifty-some year break of sharing a childhood room they must adapt to living with each other once again; how hard can this be? Well, it's only a matter of time, though in ever small increments, before they begin sliding sideways. So how do these Golden Girl-ish Moore sisters handle 'sideways,' and so far from home?

You don't have to be a sister to read this book. Readers will be pulled in by the emotional range these sisters experience, including love, frustration, laughter, and angst. Before you know it, you will find yourself rooting for the Moore sisters as they find their way through the sister quagmire.]]> 278 Elizabeth Moore Kraus 1667806106 Chris 5 3.89 3 Sisters 3 Weeks 3 Countries (Still Talking): A Humorous and Heartfelt Memoir
author: Elizabeth Moore Kraus
name: Chris
average rating: 3.89
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/01
date added: 2025/03/06
shelves:
review:
Traveling for three weeks, to three different counties, with your two sisters, sounds like it could be an inspired idea or an unmitigated disaster: especially given their proclivity for "stomping off" when upset. But the three Moore sisters pulled it off, with partial thanks to the idea of each sister being in charge of one country. I enjoyed the rapport between the sisters, and the humor from their situations and their shared memories. Part travelogue and part reminiscence, both parts mesh seamlessly making an interesting and enjoyable story.
]]> <![CDATA[Five Are Together Again (Famous Five, #21)]]> 557208 218 Enid Blyton 0340796359 Chris 5 3.97 Five Are Together Again (Famous Five, #21)
author: Enid Blyton
name: Chris
average rating: 3.97
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/17
date added: 2025/02/23
shelves:
review:
Finally finished my reread of the Famous Five's adventures, and thoroughly enjoyed them again in my later years
]]> <![CDATA[Safari Ants, Baggy Pants And Elephants: A Kenyan Odyssey]]> 35090663 The long-awaited sequel to Susie Kelly's US & UK Amazon #1 ranking memoir I Wish I Could Say I Was Sorry More than 40 years after leaving Kenya, Susie unexpectedly finds herself returning for a safari organised by an old friend. With her husband Terry, Susie sets off for a holiday touring the game reserves, but what she finds far exceeds her expectations.In this, her seventh, travelogue, she takes readers from five-star hotels to luxury tents in the wilderness, and to poverty in Nairobi's slums, describing a journey of joy, excitement, discovery, nostalgia, of new friendships and encounters of the very close kind with Kenya’s majestic wildlife.Forgotten memories come flooding back as she revisits the scenes of her childhood and adolescence, so movingly portrayed in her popular memoir I Wish I Could Say I Was Sorry, many of them changed beyond recognition.Written in her characteristic laid back style, this is a travel tale that will appeal to all those readers who have enjoyed Susie's previous books, as well as anybody who has lived in or dreams of visiting Kenya, the magical land Susie still thinks of as ‘home�."Hemingway 'I never knew of a morning in Africa when I woke up that I was not happy.' That is how I feel about Kenya. You feel at once insignificant and amazing, just for being there. This magnificent, beautiful country, birthplace of mankind, owner of my heart." Susie KellyAnybody thinking of taking a safari holiday in Kenya, or who would like to take an armchair safari to Kenya, will love this vivid, moving and entertaining read]]> 262 Susie Kelly Chris 0 to-read 4.19 2017 Safari Ants, Baggy Pants And Elephants: A Kenyan Odyssey
author: Susie Kelly
name: Chris
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Enid Blyton the Mysteries Collection (Enid Blyton Collection)]]> 36166467 512 Enid Blyton 060356805X Chris 5 4.56 Enid Blyton the Mysteries Collection (Enid Blyton Collection)
author: Enid Blyton
name: Chris
average rating: 4.56
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/09
date added: 2025/02/23
shelves:
review:
I always thought I liked the Famous Five better, but I'm loving the Five Find Outers(and dog) just as much.
]]> <![CDATA[The Mystery of the Spiteful Letters (The Five Find-Outers, #4)]]> 557265 227 Enid Blyton 140520396X Chris 5 4.10 1946 The Mystery of the Spiteful Letters (The Five Find-Outers, #4)
author: Enid Blyton
name: Chris
average rating: 4.10
book published: 1946
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/15
date added: 2025/02/15
shelves:
review:
I hadn't read this for 50 years, so I couldn't remember the culprit, which made it an exciting read.
]]> <![CDATA[Five Go to Demon's Rocks (Famous Five, #19)]]> 319975 256 Enid Blyton 0340796332 Chris 5 4.01 1961 Five Go to Demon's Rocks (Famous Five, #19)
author: Enid Blyton
name: Chris
average rating: 4.01
book published: 1961
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/12
date added: 2025/02/15
shelves:
review:
Not one I'd read before. Not as exciting as some of the Five's adventures, but an enjoyable read.
]]> <![CDATA[Tail Wags and Whiskers: Pet Tales of Love, Joy and Chaos from Forty Years of Cats and Dogs]]> 199532923 For anyone who ever loved a fur baby, Tail Wags and Whiskers chronicles a 40-year marriage and the cats and dogs that romp, yip, and purr their way throughout.Starting in 1980 and working its way to the present, Tail Wags and Whiskers shows how animals come into our lives, not only teaching us resilience, patience, and devotion, but also marking the passage of time. In fact, many a family’s most fun, treasured memories are entwined in the deeds—and yes, misdeeds—of their pets.Part memoir, part unintended instruction manual, Tail Wags and Whiskers is often funny, sometimes poignant, but always tender and heart-warming.After you’ve read it, you’ll want to give your fur babies an extra-long hug!"What appeals about Stone's gentle, humorous memoir is her empathy with the parade of endearing and sometimes maddening fur-babies who have traipsed through her life, to the detriment of her sofas and the enrichment of her heart." —Publisher's Weekly]]> 230 Laurie Stone Chris 4 4.58 Tail Wags and Whiskers: Pet Tales of Love, Joy and Chaos from Forty Years of Cats and Dogs
author: Laurie Stone
name: Chris
average rating: 4.58
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/13
date added: 2025/02/14
shelves:
review:
Tales of family pets. From the first kitten as a young married couple, through pregnancy, young children and empty nesters, there have always been cats or dogs, or both. All with their own endearing characteristics. I have to admit, when she likened one of her dogs to a Biewer Terrier I was quite excited, as that's the dog I have. Pet lovers will enjoy reading about the fun, and inevitable tears involved in being a pet parent.
]]> <![CDATA[The Convenient Marriage. Illustrated]]> 217272080 Horatia’s elder sister, Elizabeth, was initially intended to marry the Earl, but she is in love with another man. To prevent her sister's unhappiness and to secure her family's future, the determined and headstrong Horry proposes to Rule herself. Intrigued by her audacity and charmed by her youthful innocence, Rule agrees to the marriage.
As Horatia navigates her new life as the Countess of Rule, she finds herself entangled in the sophisticated and sometimes treacherous world of London society. Her marriage of convenience soon faces challenges, including the machinations of the devious Lady Massey and the return of Rule's former flame, the beautiful and manipulative Lady Caroline.
Despite the obstacles, Horatia's pluck and honesty win over the initially distant Rule, and what began as a pragmatic arrangement gradually blossoms into a true and tender love. Along the way, there are duels, misunderstandings, and plenty of witty exchanges that keep the reader thoroughly entertained.
Heyer's vivid characters, sparkling dialogue, and meticulous historical detail make The Convenient Marriage a captivating read. The novel is a perfect example of her talent for creating engaging and romantic stories set against the backdrop of the Georgian era, making it a must-read for fans of historical romance.]]> 307 Georgette Heyer 6178454414 Chris 5 4.53 1934 The Convenient Marriage. Illustrated
author: Georgette Heyer
name: Chris
average rating: 4.53
book published: 1934
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/11
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves:
review:
I'm sure I must've read this, but if so, it was long enough ago that I'd forgotten the plot. Different to the usual Regency romp in that the marriage was near the beginning of the story. I really enjoyed it.
]]> <![CDATA[Five Have a Mystery to Solve (Famous Five, #20)]]> 17494 280 Enid Blyton 0340796340 Chris 5 3.97 Five Have a Mystery to Solve (Famous Five, #20)
author: Enid Blyton
name: Chris
average rating: 3.97
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/10
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves:
review:
I've not read the later books in the Famous Five series. Apparently, our library didn't stock them. I really enjoyed this story.
]]> <![CDATA[Longing for Africa: Journeys Inspired by the Life of Jane Goodall. Part Two: Kenya]]> 45301522
“With a title like this, of course, I was compelled to read this beautifully written book! A fascinating and adventurous life, spiced with danger, and with a love story thrown in. You can’t go wrong.� Jane Goodall, Ph.D., DBE. Founder, the Jane Goodall Institute. UN Messenger of Peace. “This swept me away. Ann Schrank writes like a magical spider, spinning continental webs that ensnare the reader. There’s flavor, fragrance, wit, perseverance, and pinpoint observational awareness. Owning a great story doesn’t guarantee being able to tell it well. It’s a gift with which Ms. Schrank is lavishly endowed.� Richard Bangs. TV host and producer and author of numerous travel books. “Each chapter brims with anticipation and springs alive with poignant description. A girl reveals in a glance the story of her desperate hunger, told in words so intense we can smell Africa, from the spices to the rotting fruit. Teeming with historical overview and literary flourish, Longing for Africa reads like Graham Greene plus romance.� Cathy Luchetti. Author of Women of the West, Children of the West, and Men of the West. “A memorable story of love, loss and Italian cooking, Schrank’s descriptions of the Palmucci’s Sunday lunch table had me dining right there alongside her. Schrank is a skillful storyteller, writing with compassion and fondness for the people who care about Africa and those who have come to call the continent home.� Robyn Keene-Young. Author and wildlife documentary producer.]]> 196 Annie Schrank Chris 5 Kenya touched her heartstrings, and although life takes her back to her homeland in the US, the longing to return never leaves her. Arriving back in Kenya, I was struck by her bravery. Going off for weeks at a time to take photos and live with the natives is an act consistent with that of her hero, Jane Goodall. Suffering hardship and privation without complaint is something I admire because I know I couldn't do it. And there is an incredible love story, too, which leads her to discover the sad state of orphaned girls in Africa.
This is an amazing book: it's Africa as it was in the 1970s, and life was very different then. I absolutely loved it. I usually read two books at a time, but I couldn't put this one down. Annie's story, and the stories she tells of the people she meets, will stay with me for a long, long, time. I know this is a book I will reread in the future. Thank you Annie, for sharing your story with us.]]> 4.64 Longing for Africa: Journeys Inspired by the Life of Jane Goodall. Part Two: Kenya
author: Annie Schrank
name: Chris
average rating: 4.64
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/07
date added: 2025/02/07
shelves:
review:
I am in love with Annie Schrank. Not in a Sapphic way, you understand, but with her attitude, her determination, and her unrequited love for a country she had only visited for a month. I honor her for her courage and empathy, and her ability to take everything Africa threw at her without flinching.
Kenya touched her heartstrings, and although life takes her back to her homeland in the US, the longing to return never leaves her. Arriving back in Kenya, I was struck by her bravery. Going off for weeks at a time to take photos and live with the natives is an act consistent with that of her hero, Jane Goodall. Suffering hardship and privation without complaint is something I admire because I know I couldn't do it. And there is an incredible love story, too, which leads her to discover the sad state of orphaned girls in Africa.
This is an amazing book: it's Africa as it was in the 1970s, and life was very different then. I absolutely loved it. I usually read two books at a time, but I couldn't put this one down. Annie's story, and the stories she tells of the people she meets, will stay with me for a long, long, time. I know this is a book I will reread in the future. Thank you Annie, for sharing your story with us.
]]> The Convenient Marriage 32106 272 Georgette Heyer 0099474425 Chris 5 3.63 1934 The Convenient Marriage
author: Georgette Heyer
name: Chris
average rating: 3.63
book published: 1934
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2025/02/03
shelves:
review:
This is not a Regency romance, but a Georgian romance. But that doesn't matter, because it's full of fun and frolics. Duels, intrigues, highwaymen, parties, and fashion intermingle into a fabulous story.
]]> Devil’s Cub. Illustrated 217249955 Dominic's latest escapade involves a scandalous attempt to elope with the beautiful but morally dubious Sophia Challoner. However, his plans go awry when Sophia's sensible and courageous sister, Mary Challoner, decides to intervene. Determined to protect her sister's honor, Mary takes Sophia's place, setting off a chain of events that neither she nor Dominic could have anticipated.
The plot thickens as Dominic, infuriated by Mary's daring substitution, kidnaps her and takes her to France. What follows is a thrilling and often humorous adventure filled with misunderstandings, duels, and unexpected romance. As the two characters clash and connect, they find themselves developing a deep and genuine affection for each other, challenging their preconceptions and societal norms.]]> 314 Georgette Heyer 6178454406 Chris 5 Devilish Old Shades

I love this book, the sequel to my favorite Heyer, These Old Shades. Vidal, the son of Justin and Leonie is as wicked as his father was in his prime. I definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoyed These Old Shades, and you will find many of your favorite characters from that book make an appearance in this one. ]]> 4.82 1932 Devil’s Cub. Illustrated
author: Georgette Heyer
name: Chris
average rating: 4.82
book published: 1932
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/30
date added: 2025/01/30
shelves:
review:
Devilish Old Shades

I love this book, the sequel to my favorite Heyer, These Old Shades. Vidal, the son of Justin and Leonie is as wicked as his father was in his prime. I definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoyed These Old Shades, and you will find many of your favorite characters from that book make an appearance in this one.
]]> <![CDATA[Five Go to Finniston Farm (Children's Choice)]]> 64728439 0 Enid Blyton 1858480337 Chris 5 3.50 1960 Five Go to Finniston Farm (Children's Choice)
author: Enid Blyton
name: Chris
average rating: 3.50
book published: 1960
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/28
date added: 2025/01/28
shelves:
review:
Exciting adventure with the Famous Five. I'd not read this one before, and thoroughly enjoyed it.
]]> <![CDATA[Two Old Fools Fair Dinkum: The seventh page-turning memoir from the New York Times bestselling author]]> 222098480 "If you enjoyed The Durrells and James Herriott, you'll love the Old Fools series."

Life is good. The grandchildren are thriving despite swallowing magnets and sticking crayons up their noses. Joe and Vicky plan a road trip with their dog, Lola. However, after disturbing dingoes, entering zombie zones and breaking the law, they learn life on the road is rarely relaxing.
Meanwhile, farmers anxiously watch their fields turn brown as a terrible drought grips Australia. Even worse, bushfire season arrives early, and flames rage across the land.
Will love and laughter be enough to keep the Two Old Fools and their family safe from harm?

Fans of James Herriott, Gerald Durrell and Bill Bryson will enjoy this memoir from New York Times bestselling author, Victoria Twead.
Book 7 of the Old Fools series, with photos and recipes.]]> 361 Victoria Twead Chris 5 It's been a long wait for the follow-up to Two Old Fools Down Under, but it was worth the wait. Vicky and Joe are still enjoying life Down Under, and spending time with family, and their dog Lola, but there are health concerns. It doesn't stop them deciding to spend time exploring Australia: their part of it anyway. There are some weird place names over there! but I enjoyed learning more about the country. I loved the interactions with Indy and Winter, the two young grandchildren, which added lots of humor to the book. But there is a dark side too, with drought and wildfires threatening. And a new virus creeping out of China.]]> 4.63 Two Old Fools Fair Dinkum: The seventh page-turning memoir from the New York Times bestselling author
author: Victoria Twead
name: Chris
average rating: 4.63
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/26
date added: 2025/01/26
shelves:
review:
I was lucky to get an advance copy of this book, but this is my unbiased opinion.
It's been a long wait for the follow-up to Two Old Fools Down Under, but it was worth the wait. Vicky and Joe are still enjoying life Down Under, and spending time with family, and their dog Lola, but there are health concerns. It doesn't stop them deciding to spend time exploring Australia: their part of it anyway. There are some weird place names over there! but I enjoyed learning more about the country. I loved the interactions with Indy and Winter, the two young grandchildren, which added lots of humor to the book. But there is a dark side too, with drought and wildfires threatening. And a new virus creeping out of China.
]]> <![CDATA[The Secret, Book, & Scone Society (Secret, Book, & Scone Society, #1)]]> 34200152 From New York Times bestselling author Ellery Adams comes the first in an intriguing new series set within a quirky small-town club where the key to happiness, friendship—or solving a murder—can all be found within the pages of the right book . . .

Miracle Springs, North Carolina, is a place of healing. Strangers flock here hoping the natural hot springs, five-star cuisine, and renowned spa can cure their ills. If none of that works, they often find their way to Miracle Books, where, over a fresh-baked “comfort� scone from the Gingerbread House bakery, they exchange their stories with owner Nora Pennington in return for a carefully chosen book. That’s Nora’s special talent—prescribing the perfect novel to ease a person’s deepest pain and lighten their heaviest burden.

When a visiting businessman reaches out to Nora for guidance, she knows exactly which novels will help. But before he can keep their appointment at Miracle Books, he’s found dead on the train tracks.

Stunned, Nora forms the Secret, Book, and Scone Society, a group of damaged souls yearning to gain trust and earn redemption by helping others. To join the society, members must divulge their darkest secret—the terrible truth that brought each of them to Miracle Springs in the first place.

Determined to uncover the truth behind the businessman’s demise, the women meet in Nora’s cramped and cozy bookstore to share stories and trade support. And as they untangle a web of corruption, they also discover their own courage, purpose, and a sisterhood that will carry them through every challenge—proving it’s never too late to turn the page and start over . . .]]> 322 Ellery Adams 1496712390 Chris 0 to-read 4.09 2017 The Secret, Book, & Scone Society (Secret, Book, & Scone Society, #1)
author: Ellery Adams
name: Chris
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Longing for Africa: Journeys Inspired by the Life of Jane Goodall Part One: Ethiopia]]> 39911051
“With a title like this, of course, I was compelled to read this beautifully written book! A fascinating and adventurous life, spiced with danger, and with a love story thrown in. You can’t go wrong.� Jane Goodall, Ph.D., DBE. Founder, the Jane Goodall Institute. UN Messenger of Peace. “This swept me away. Ann Schrank writes like a magical spider, spinning continental webs that ensnare the reader. There’s flavor, fragrance, wit, perseverance, and pinpoint observational awareness. Owning a great story doesn’t guarantee being able to tell it well. It’s a gift with which Ms. Schrank is lavishly endowed.� Richard Bangs. TV host and producer and author of numerous travel books. “Each chapter brims with anticipation and springs alive with poignant description. A girl reveals in a glance the story of her desperate hunger, told in words so intense we can smell Africa, from the spices to the rotting fruit. Teeming with historical overview and literary flourish, Longing for Africa reads like Graham Greene plus romance.� Cathy Luchetti. Author of Women of the West, Children of the West, and Men of the West. “A memorable story of love, loss and Italian cooking, Schrank’s descriptions of the Palmucci’s Sunday lunch table had me dining right there alongside her. Schrank is a skillful storyteller, writing with compassion and fondness for the people who care about Africa and those who have come to call the continent home.� Robyn Keene-Young. Author and wildlife documentary producer.]]> 177 Annie Schrank Chris 5 4.42 Longing for Africa: Journeys Inspired by the Life of Jane Goodall Part One: Ethiopia
author: Annie Schrank
name: Chris
average rating: 4.42
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/22
date added: 2025/01/23
shelves:
review:
The child Annie longed for Africa. She made scrapbooks with pictures gleaned from magazines, and longed to see colorful tribesmen and hordes of animals. The adult Annie discovers the reality of life in Ethiopia after a ten year drought, and uprisings against the emperor Haile Selassie. The dust, the squalour, and the primitive conditions are really not what she was expecting. But this is a joyous book, as Annie learns the ways of the country: and, thanks to a handsome Italian, the ways of love. I know I wouldn't have been able to live the way she did, and I was impressed by the way she fitted in, and took things in her stride. What an amazing adjustment for a young woman to make. Definitely recommended reading, and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.
]]> <![CDATA[The Parthenon Paradox: Rivers of Redemption (The Parthenon series Book 3)]]> 223216118 Caught in a whirlwind of legal battles, village gossip, and cultural clashes, Peter and Alex must navigate the absurdities of Greek bureaucracy, rebuild their lives, and face the ultimate will they seek revenge or choose forgiveness?
With laugh-out-loud humour, heartwarming resilience, and a love story at its core, A Parthenon Paradox is a memoir about finding hope in the rubble, embracing life’s imperfections, and discovering that even in the darkest moments, there’s room for laughter and love. A tale of resilience, redemption, and the unyielding charm of Greece.]]> Peter Barber Chris 5 This is a story of wickedness, pure generosity, and love. But it's not a fairytale. (Although a wicked witch and some good fairies are involved). It's all unbelievably true. Battling Greek bureaucracy is not for the faint-hearted, and Alex and Peter have a real fight on their hands. But through everything, their humor, faith, and above all, their love for each other shines out like a beacon. And the sense of community and their love for their Greek village is real. I loved this book. Really, really, loved it. Peter's words got into my mind and my heart. It's a very powerful book, and is a book that will stay with me for a long time. I honestly think this is the best thing Peter has written.]]> 4.75 The Parthenon Paradox: Rivers of Redemption (The Parthenon series Book 3)
author: Peter Barber
name: Chris
average rating: 4.75
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2025/01/22
shelves:
review:
This was the book Peter HAD to write. A few days after the launch party for A Parthenon in Pefki, the village was hit by a storm of biblical proportions. The damage was unbelievable, and Peter and Alex feared they had lost their beautiful home.
This is a story of wickedness, pure generosity, and love. But it's not a fairytale. (Although a wicked witch and some good fairies are involved). It's all unbelievably true. Battling Greek bureaucracy is not for the faint-hearted, and Alex and Peter have a real fight on their hands. But through everything, their humor, faith, and above all, their love for each other shines out like a beacon. And the sense of community and their love for their Greek village is real. I loved this book. Really, really, loved it. Peter's words got into my mind and my heart. It's a very powerful book, and is a book that will stay with me for a long time. I honestly think this is the best thing Peter has written.
]]> <![CDATA[It Started with Malaga: A memoir of Spanish travels (Blue Jacket Travels Book 1)]]> 221801844 Follow Karen in her favourite blue jacket as she explores the city, makes new friends and falls deeper in love with Spain.
Fans of The Lonely Planet series, Bill Bryson and engaging travel memoirs will thoroughly enjoy this book.

"Karen O’Connor’s first travel book is a delight. It invites the reader to share her excitement, apprehension and complete fascination with the vibrant city of Malaga." Joan Fallon, author of Spanish Lavender.]]> 324 Karen O'Connor Chris 5 4.75 It Started with Malaga: A memoir of Spanish travels (Blue Jacket Travels Book 1)
author: Karen O'Connor
name: Chris
average rating: 4.75
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/21
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves:
review:
When Karen decided to join her son on a trip from America's north west, to Spain's Mediterranean coast, she didn't realize what she was beginning. She'd never even heard of Malaga, yet she was planning a week alone there while her son attended a conference down the coast in Marbella. Having only passed through Malaga (the airport and a jumping off point to Granada ), I now wish I'd visited it properly. Karen describes her plans for tours, trying to learn the language,and booking accommodation before she goes. Very sensible, I'd do the same if I was visiting a new country where I didn't speak the language. She beautifully describes her travels, down to the little details that make you feel you're there with her. Almost, but not a guidebook, it's too personal for that. I enjoyed traveling with her, and sympathized with the amount of steps she walked each day. I'm sure there will be a sequel, as she's already planning her next visit. I can't wait.
]]> <![CDATA[A Bloodthirsty Scrape and a Midnight Escape (Shiraz Jones Marine Rescue Mysteries)]]> 223371945
Now, her glittering life of film premieres and celebrity parties is overshadowed by police questions and whispers of scandal. To make matters worse, her best friend is hiding something, her husband seems more focused on securing a new superstar than supporting her, and, to cap it all, her beloved curling wand is missing.

Reluctantly swapping stilettos for sleuthing, Shiraz tries to identify the killer, only to find the biggest secrets lie with the people she trusts most. And when a shocking betrayal shakes her world, she faces an impossible decision.

Should she hide the truth, or flee London before the clock strikes midnight, and she becomes the next victim?]]> 106 Simon Michael Prior Chris 5 4.25 A Bloodthirsty Scrape and a Midnight Escape (Shiraz Jones Marine Rescue Mysteries)
author: Simon Michael Prior
name: Chris
average rating: 4.25
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/10
date added: 2025/01/20
shelves:
review:
Fabulous prequel to the Shiraz Jones series. It provides a pleasing back story, which fills in a lot of loose ends and explains why she arrives in Redcliff on Sea at the start of A Murderous Clamour At Redcliff Manor. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
]]> Return to Kirrin 40813668 Enid Blyton did not write this book. Touching, humorous and affectionate, this unofficial novel will delight anyone who wonders how their favourite characters might have grown up and coped in a changing world.]]> 0 Neil Howlett 1999812018 Chris 5 Lashings of nostalgia

Interesting and fun book, speculating on the lives of the Famous Five when they were adults at the end of the 70s. I enjoyed it. ]]> 4.17 Return to Kirrin
author: Neil Howlett
name: Chris
average rating: 4.17
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/19
date added: 2025/01/19
shelves:
review:
Lashings of nostalgia

Interesting and fun book, speculating on the lives of the Famous Five when they were adults at the end of the 70s. I enjoyed it.
]]> <![CDATA[A Yorkshire Lass: The Early Years]]> 203867450
A Yorkshire Lass: The Early Years is the prequel to Kookaburras, Cuppas & Kangaroos: A Yorkshire Lass Down Under in the '60s.]]> 52 S. Bavey Chris 4 4.75 2023 A Yorkshire Lass: The Early Years
author: S. Bavey
name: Chris
average rating: 4.75
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/11
date added: 2025/01/11
shelves:
review:
Having read Kookaburras, Cuppas, and Kangaroos, I was interested to read this short prequel detailing Elizabeth's early life in Yorkshire. An area I know reasonably well, being a Yorkshire lass myself, I was fascinated by life on a farm in the 1950s. A good introduction to the Kookabarras book.
]]> <![CDATA[A Villa in Sicily: Cannoli and a Casualty (A Cats and Dogs Cozy Mystery #6)]]> 57832083
Audrey Smart, 34, has made a major life change, walking away from her life as a vet (and from a string of failed romances) and moving to Sicily to buy a $1 home—and embark on a mandatory renovation she knows nothing about. She finds herself busy running the town’s new shelter, while also renovating her own problematic home—and dating again.

Audrey’s love life is heating up, and when his prominent Sicilian family invites Audrey to a family feast in Palermo, it’s an offer she can’t refuse. It’s everything she needs: new friends, a huge, new family, and food to die for.

But la dolce vita isn’t what it seems. When Audrey overhears word of a looming mafia vengeance hit, the only person pleading for the life of the innocent target is her. With just a few days to prove they have the wrong man, can Audrey assuage their anger and discover who really killed the mafiosi?

Finding herself in the middle of two rival mafia families, Audrey can’t help but wonder: is she in way over her head?

A laugh-out-loud cozy packed with mystery, intrigue, renovation, animals, food, wine—and of course, love—A VILLA IN SICILY will capture your heart and keep you glued to the very last page.]]> 214 Fiona Grace Chris 4 4.24 2022 A Villa in Sicily: Cannoli and a Casualty (A Cats and Dogs Cozy Mystery #6)
author: Fiona Grace
name: Chris
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/10
date added: 2025/01/10
shelves:
review:
I have loved the other books in this series, but this just didn't cut it for me. The main story is out of the village, and our heroine is not looking after animals and running the vet clinic. Also, I found another main character to be unbelievable after what happened to her. (No spoilers) But the mystery itself was well-written. I was sure I knew who dunnit, but was totally wrong. I'm looking forward to the next book, and hoping it gets back on track.
]]> <![CDATA[Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing]]> 59641216
So begins the riveting story of acclaimed actor Matthew Perry, taking us along on his journey from childhood ambition to fame to addiction and recovery in the aftermath of a life-threatening health scare. Before the frequent hospital visits and stints in rehab, there was five-year-old Matthew, who traveled from Montreal to Los Angeles, shuffling between his separated parents; fourteen-year-old Matthew, who was a nationally ranked tennis star in Canada; twenty-four-year-old Matthew, who nabbed a coveted role as a lead cast member on the talked-about pilot then called Friends Like Us. . . and so much more.

In an extraordinary story that only he could tell—and in the heartfelt, hilarious, and warmly familiar way only he could tell it—Matthew Perry lays bare the fractured family that raised him (and also left him to his own devices), the desire for recognition that drove him to fame, and the void inside him that could not be filled even by his greatest dreams coming true. But he also details the peace he’s found in sobriety and how he feels about the ubiquity of Friends, sharing stories about his castmates and other stars he met along the way. Frank, self-aware, and with his trademark humor, Perry vividly depicts his lifelong battle with addiction and what fueled it despite seemingly having it all.

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing is an unforgettable memoir that is both intimate and eye-opening—as well as a hand extended to anyone struggling with sobriety. Unflinchingly honest, moving, and uproariously funny, this is the book fans have been waiting for.]]> 250 Matthew Perry 1250866448 Chris 5 3.89 2022 Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing
author: Matthew Perry
name: Chris
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/08
date added: 2025/01/08
shelves:
review:
It's a truism that many comedians have a darker side. The sad clown is not a myth, unfortunately. And Matthew Perry - Matty - is a wonderful comedic actor, who we all fell in love with when he became Chandler Bing in the sitcom Friends. Sadly, the warm and funny man was addicted to pills, drink and cigarettes. This book doesn't pull any punches. In the first few lines of the book, he tells us that he should be dead, but by the end he is cautiously optimistic about his future life. Tragic that 18 months or so after publication he would die. The story of Matty's life, from unaccompanied minor to a star of one of the most popular shows on TV is riveting. Sad, yes. Hilarious, also yes. But it's spiritual too, and takes us through the mind of an addict from the highs, to the depths of withdrawal and rehab. I loved Chandler Bing. And having read this book, I love Matty, too. I just wish he could've had the happy future he wished for.
]]> <![CDATA[From Nettles to Nightingales: The Story of a French Garden]]> 214568015 The journey begins when two horticultural innocents, Laurette and her French partner Sylvain, leave the big city of Toulouse for life in the country. Carried away by the song of a nightingale and a glass of rosé, they take on a daunting garden challenge. But as they learn to work with nature rather than against it, a different challenge arises. While their wasteland begins to thrive and bloom, Laurette must prepare to say a painful goodbye to her mother.
From Nettles to Nightingales is a celebration of life, love and everything that comes with them. In this paean to French culture and the joys of the natural world, the reader is transported on an adventure with the author and her partner, and the corner of paradise they create.]]> 378 Laurette Long 1804430641 Chris 5 What a delight this book is.]]> 4.85 From Nettles to Nightingales: The Story of a French Garden
author: Laurette Long
name: Chris
average rating: 4.85
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/04
date added: 2025/01/04
shelves:
review:
Yes, this is a book about the inception and creation of a garden, but it is so much more. Like a butterfly, the author flits from Proust to Baudelaire, from Monet to Hockney. We are treated to a feast of flowers, and a bouquet of philosophers. From Paris to Toulouse to Yorkshire, from Renaissance to Baron Haussman, it is a treasure trove of memories and minutiae. You open the book, and don't know if you will be digging a trench up a hill, or perusing the bouquinistes of the Rive Gauche in Paris. This is not a book to be read in a day, this is a book to be savoured, like a delicious meal. You don't bolt down the first course and rush on towards dessert; you sit and digest, and enjoy and absorb what you have just read. I digested this book over a number of days, and thoroughly enjoyed it.
What a delight this book is.
]]> <![CDATA[The Adventurous Four (Adventurous Four #1)]]> 862897 Enid Blyton 1858480442 Chris 5 3.98 1941 The Adventurous Four (Adventurous Four #1)
author: Enid Blyton
name: Chris
average rating: 3.98
book published: 1941
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/04
date added: 2025/01/04
shelves:
review:
Thrilling adventure set in WW2, thoroughly enjoyed it.
]]> The Circus of Adventure 151464508 207 Enid Blyton Chris 0 5.00 1952 The Circus of Adventure
author: Enid Blyton
name: Chris
average rating: 5.00
book published: 1952
rating: 0
read at: 2024/12/31
date added: 2025/01/01
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Circus of Adventure (Adventure, #7)]]> 17498
Why on earth did Bill have to bring the wimpish Gustavus with them on holiday? Neither Jack nor Kiki the parrot like the boy at all. But when Gustavus is kidnapped, along with Philip, Dinah, and Lucy-Ann, Jack must bravely follow them to a faraway country and unravel a plot to kill the king.
]]> 192 Enid Blyton Chris 5 4.13 1952 The Circus of Adventure (Adventure, #7)
author: Enid Blyton
name: Chris
average rating: 4.13
book published: 1952
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2024/12/31
shelves:
review:
Enjoyed this as much as I did the first time I read it as a child.
]]> <![CDATA[Five on a Hike Together (Famous Five, #10)]]> 735321 176 Enid Blyton 0340796243 Chris 5 Totally enjoyable read. 4.02 1951 Five on a Hike Together (Famous Five, #10)
author: Enid Blyton
name: Chris
average rating: 4.02
book published: 1951
rating: 5
read at: 2024/11/04
date added: 2024/12/31
shelves:
review:
Totally enjoyable read.
]]> <![CDATA[Snowflakes at the Hummingbird Hotel (The Hummingbird Hotel #3)]]> 58514422 Welcome to the Hummingbird Hotel!

When Corfu’s newest hotelier Abbie Coleman is asked to host a fun-filled creativity retreat for a group of am-dram enthusiasts rehearsing for that year’s pantomime, she pulls out all the stops. With pottery classes, painting sessions, wreath-making and flower-arranging - along with a few meditation sessions from the hotel’s resident fitness guru � she’s hoping that this time her guests� planned production of Cinderella will not descend into a comedy of errors.

But this is the Hummingbird Hotel, and the words ‘plain-sailing� and ‘hassle-free� do not feature in the script. So when a lovingly painted Christmas wreath acquires a few unusually shaped floral additions, and a prized Greek vase is moulded into something a little more risqué, Abbie must once again partner-up with local winery and vineyard owner, the movie-star-handsome Nikos Angelopoulos, to unmask the culprit and ensure the story of the hotel has a happy ending.

Can she turn turmoil into tranquillity? Or will her time on Corfu be over before its begun?]]> 316 Daisy James 191430411X Chris 5 Drama and Snowflakes

When a theatre group come to stay at the Hummingbird Hotel, Abby has made sure everything will run smoothly. But will fate step in to send her plans awry? I had so much fun finding out, and joining Abby and my old friends from the previous books. As usual, Daisy spins a spellbinding yarn, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Happily I can now move on to the next book. ]]> 4.46 Snowflakes at the Hummingbird Hotel (The Hummingbird Hotel #3)
author: Daisy James
name: Chris
average rating: 4.46
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/20
date added: 2024/12/20
shelves:
review:
Drama and Snowflakes

When a theatre group come to stay at the Hummingbird Hotel, Abby has made sure everything will run smoothly. But will fate step in to send her plans awry? I had so much fun finding out, and joining Abby and my old friends from the previous books. As usual, Daisy spins a spellbinding yarn, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Happily I can now move on to the next book.
]]> <![CDATA[The Secret of Spiggy Holes (Secret Series, #2)]]> 547564 163 Enid Blyton 184135144X Chris 5 4.01 1940 The Secret of Spiggy Holes (Secret Series, #2)
author: Enid Blyton
name: Chris
average rating: 4.01
book published: 1940
rating: 5
read at: 2024/11/03
date added: 2024/12/15
shelves:
review:
Another thrilling adventure with the Famous Five. Taking me back to my childhood.
]]> <![CDATA[Vereeniging Fares South: Travels by Barge Through the Netherlands]]> 221262284
The quest for a new home for her beautiful historic barge, Vereeniging, takes her to the quiet town of Oudenbosch in the Dutch province of Brabant and later, in 2023, to an even more fitting harbour in Zeeland. This book is the story of how she came to the decision to leave her 'watery nest' and the journeys that took her and her partner, Koos, steadily south through the Netherlands.]]> 174 Valerie Poore Chris 5 5.00 Vereeniging Fares South: Travels by Barge Through the Netherlands
author: Valerie Poore
name: Chris
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/11
date added: 2024/12/11
shelves:
review:
I have traveled many kilometers with Val and Koos on the Shoe (the Hennie Ha). Okay, virtually, through Val's delightful books: but such is the power of Val's writing that you feel as if you are traveling along with them. So it was with huge delight that I embarked on these journeys on her historic old barge, Vereenigen. Oh what joy to go faring along the rivers and canals of Belgium and The Netherlands! After the peace of lockdown in 2020/1, the Oude Haven in Rotterdam has become too noisy, and after many happy years there, the decision is made to move to somewhere quieter. I love the descriptions of faring along the canals, and the scenery and sights they see. And the occasional worry that something is going to go wrong. Unfortunately, circumstances mean that they have to move a second time; hopefully to a permanent home. But it means we get to fare along again, which is a huge treat. Val's descriptive prose takes you along with them, and you can almost feel the rain, and peer through the mist. It's quite unnerving to look up and find yourself on your couch, and not puttering along a Belgian canal. I hope the fates are kind, and Val and Koos get to fare further afield on Vereenigen, and please, take us with you Val!
]]> <![CDATA[Fat Dogs and French Estates, Part 6]]> 220978583 When a devastating event rocks Jack and Beth’s world, the joy of a new arrival is just what they need. But it doesn’t last long. A dark cloud looms, threatening the community and their beloved Le Palizac. Their future looks grim. Resolute, they join forces with friends to tackle the menace. Meanwhile, Beth is persuaded to navigate the perils of yoga classes � in French.
Laugh, shed tears, share fears, and join in the fun. Vive la France!]]> 328 Beth Haslam Chris 5 4.67 Fat Dogs and French Estates, Part 6
author: Beth Haslam
name: Chris
average rating: 4.67
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/06
date added: 2024/12/06
shelves:
review:
It's always a total joy to return to France with Beth, Jack, and all their animals. Life at Le Palizac is never dull, and this book covers a gamut of emotions from laugh out loud moments to sobbing into my Kleenex. The usual cast of colorful characters are there: I love Nathan the forester, and the dishy vet, Dr Arnaud. And the animals too. I adore Max, the soppy and accident prone "mutt," and his sister Aby, and there are some new additions, too. Rural France has some real characters, and Beth is an expert at describing them so well that you feel like you know them too. But there is a worry that their way of life could be changed irrevocably, and a looming pandemic on the horizon. Another masterpiece of amazing storytelling by Beth. As always, I want it to be twice as long, but there is a hint that we may get a Fat Dogs Part 7. Please don't leave it too long, Beth.
]]> <![CDATA[Christmas Fun in the Snow and Sun: Seasons Greetings from the Alps, the Caribbean and New York]]> 222133780 Buy this gorgeous, fun, and feel-good romance for a glamorous and cozy read this Christmas!

It’s only two freezing weeks before Christmas, when glossy-magazine staff writer Emily receives the shock news of a fat redundancy package and notice to fly to Luxembourg to interview hot entrepreneur Julian. Happy to oblige, she accepts the offer of all-expense paid sojourns to blinding snow and sizzling sun in the French Alps, the Caribbean, and New York. Hot on her heels is Batler journalist Charlotte Field, who turns up on every corner looking to usurp her plans.

Can Emily keep up the dreaded mortgage on her London flat, navigate the challenges of filing copy, the nuance of interior design, find love, win over her new man, land a new job at Torrés Blast, and be back in Sussex for Christmas Night?

Whether you like Quality Street, or Roses chocolates, for fans of Annabel French, Daisy James, T.A Williams and Julie Caplin - and Bridget Jones too!]]> 193 SM Rose Chris 5 5.00 Christmas Fun in the Snow and Sun: Seasons Greetings from the Alps, the Caribbean and New York
author: SM Rose
name: Chris
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/06
date added: 2024/12/06
shelves:
review:
A few weeks before Christmas when Emily's boss tells her she's surplus to requirements, he sweetens the blow with a good remuneration package, and one final project - in Luxembourg, expenses paid. She has to write an article on an up and coming entrepreneur, who also happens to be very sexy. From Luxembourg to skiing in France, to sunshine in the Caribbean and snow in New York, the author carries the story along with great panache. Will Emily get her story - and her man? And what about the rival journalist who she keeps running into - what's that all about? This story kept me entertained from beginning to end. I'm hoping that the author has more to give us, as I really enjoyed this book. Perfect for beach reading, or snuggled under a duvet with a blazing log fire and a glass of mulled wine.
]]> <![CDATA[Christmas Fun in the Snow and Sun: Seasons Greetings from the Alps, the Caribbean and New York]]> 222136814 245 SM Rose 0645849243 Chris 5 5.00 Christmas Fun in the Snow and Sun: Seasons Greetings from the Alps, the Caribbean and New York
author: SM Rose
name: Chris
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2024/12/02
shelves:
review:
A few weeks before Christmas when Emily's boss tells her she's surplus to requirements, he sweetens the blow with a good remuneration package, and one final project - in Luxembourg, expenses paid. She has to write an article on an up and coming entrepreneur, who also happens to be very sexy. From Luxembourg to skiing in France, to sunshine in the Caribbean and snow in New York, the author carries the story along with great panache. Will Emily get her story - and her man? And what about the rival journalist who she keeps running into - what's that all about? This story kept me entertained from beginning to end. I'm hoping that the author has more to give us, as I really enjoyed this book. Perfect for beach reading, or snuggled under a duvet with a blazing log fire and a glass of mulled wine.
]]> <![CDATA[Daydreams: The Stories and Poetry of John Cornelius Rogers]]> 221980660 Imaginary snakes, Ouija board experiments, World War II and Nursing Home Sex Scandals
John Cornelius Rogers, a narcoleptic war veteran, experienced emotions so strong they made him collapse. You would, too, if you discovered sex scandals in nursing homes, saw snakes come out of the wall while you were eating dinner, and uncovered a murder using a makeshift ouija board. Join John in the journey through his prose and poetry, silly and sad...

15% of the profits from sales of this book will be donated to the charity Narcolepsy UK.

Previously published ‘Daydreams and Memoirs and Poems by John Cornelius Rogers�

"An often funny, witty and sometimes poignant series of anecdotes and poems that capture the everyday life of one John Cornelius Rogers. I love reading about events that both reverberate worldwide when we read about John Rogers' training during World War Two, to the microcosm of family life." � Fantasy Book Nerd

"Daydreams and Nightmares offers a wonderful first person account of a fascinating time in history, told through wild, varied vignettes, and evocative poetry." � K. R. R. Lockhaven

"So enjoyed it including the poetry. A 5* from me." � Judith Benson

"Rogers writes in a very engaging manner, witty, thoughtful and taut. I laughed out loud in several places, very keen eye for the absurd!" � Sally Beety]]> 220 S. Bavey Chris 5 5.00 Daydreams: The Stories and Poetry of John Cornelius Rogers
author: S. Bavey
name: Chris
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2024/12/02
shelves:
review:
After reading Ms Bavey's previous memoir about her grandfather's life, I was fascinated to find out about her father. This is an entertaining look into his life, which was shaped by his narcolepsy and the drugs he had to take to counteract it. I enjoyed the stories of WW2 and his reactions to the aftermath, and his experiences in teaching. Interspersed with poems and short stories, this is an entertaining read.
]]> <![CDATA[The Secret Mountain (Secret Series #3)]]> 54547477 169 Enid Blyton Chris 5 Secret Mountain

I might have read the book for the first time more than fifty years ago, but it's still a fabulous story.]]> 4.40 1941 The Secret Mountain (Secret Series #3)
author: Enid Blyton
name: Chris
average rating: 4.40
book published: 1941
rating: 5
read at: 2024/11/25
date added: 2024/11/25
shelves:
review:
Secret Mountain

I might have read the book for the first time more than fifty years ago, but it's still a fabulous story.
]]> <![CDATA[Getting Sauced: How I Learned Everything I Know About Food from Working in TV]]> 199590629
Her story goes behind-the-scenes into the wild world of food television production to give the reader a seat at the VIP table as she shares the dish behind each dish. But her story isn’t a straight line from culinary school to cooking show producer. Karen grew up in Long Island, the daughter of a woman who thought that a combination of Lipton Soup Mix and orange juice made the best basting liquid. Her journey from Mrs. Paul’s Fish Sticks to Michelin star dinners takes the audience along for a glutton-to-glamour ride from Sunday family take-outs of Moo Goo Gai Pan to the Swiss Alps for spit-roasted wild boar, and eventually into the Food Network kitchens where she learned all the secrets of how to prep a turducken for television.

Along the way, encounter a culinary Who’s Who � Emeril Lagasse, Julia Child, Bobby Flay, Susan Feniger, Jacques Pepin, Jean Georges Vongerichten, Buddy Valastro, Martha Stewart, and more, to name drop a few. Each in their own way taught Karen not only how to cook, but how to cook with love and enthusiasm.]]> 268 Karen S. Katz 1636983103 Chris 5 4.39 2024 Getting Sauced: How I Learned Everything I Know About Food from Working in TV
author: Karen S. Katz
name: Chris
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/11/19
date added: 2024/11/19
shelves:
review:
I watch Food Network a lot. I mean A LOT. Look on my TV planner, and at least 80% of the shows are cooking shows. So I knew I was going to love this book, and I was right. Going behind the scenes of Emeril Lagasse and others was amazing. Karen was an executive producer in the early days of Food Network and her stories are fascinating. Many famous names - Bobby Flay and Martha Stewart, anyone? - but there are also tales of her home life with a mom who couldn't cook, and of her married life too. Anyone who enjoys food will get something out of this book, and there's a recipe at the end of each chapter. Well-written, engaging and entertaining.
]]> The Five Acre Forest 61742347
The Five Acre Forest inspires that hope.

In transit from the globe-trotting life of an aid worker, Trish Nicholson came upon an eroded dune beside a lake in New Zealand’s far north and felt a strange attachment. The following year, she abandoned her Celtic roots and returned to plant a thousand trees.

Twenty years on, the author shares the physical and emotional trials and triumphs of transforming the dune into a five acre forest, and describes the lives of its native trees, birds and insects, enchanting us with local legends and her nature photography along the way.

Woven into Nicholson’s personal narrative is the deep-time story of an extraordinary landscape of dunes, lakes, swamps and beaches formed from an ancient shared geological ancestry.

Heel-on-spade nature writing that is also lyrical, passionate and full of wonder’]]> 196 Trish Nicholson 1800466668 Chris 0 currently-reading 0.0 The Five Acre Forest
author: Trish Nicholson
name: Chris
average rating: 0.0
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/19
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[An Icelandic Adventure: One Family’s Mostly Successful Quest for Puffins, Pleasure, and Perfect Pizza]]> 219878202
The outpouring of lava from the recent volcanic eruption threatens to stop them from reaching the famous Blue Lagoon. Will they make it? And will they see any puffins before it’s time for them to depart?]]> S. Bavey Chris 5 4.65 An Icelandic Adventure: One Family’s Mostly Successful Quest for Puffins, Pleasure, and Perfect Pizza
author: S. Bavey
name: Chris
average rating: 4.65
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/11/10
date added: 2024/11/10
shelves:
review:
Iceland is probably not a country most of us have visited, or contemplated visiting, but after reading Sue's book you may change your mind. Unlike Sue's previous books (which I've loved), this is a personal memoir of a family trip to Iceland. Not only do you get to travel around the island with her, her husband and two older kids and enjoy the various places they visit, Sue provides lots of interesting facts and history, along with Icelandic pronunciations. Not the easiest language to get your tongue around! Most appreciatively, there are photos at the end of each chapter, which has saved me multiple trips to Google, to see these fascinating places. From lava fields to waterfalls, flowers to foxes, Sue's descriptive prose takes you along with them. There's a useful index at the end of the book, with links to the places they visited and stayed, if you do decide to follow her footsteps. A fabulous read, and definitely recommended.
]]> <![CDATA[Hold my lead, I've got a tail to tell]]> 219115594
Compile a book on rescuers� stories!

Hold my lead, I’ve got a tail to tell, is a collection of short stories written by those who have rescued dogs from a life they didn’t deserve.

Initially rescued by Kelly at Immingham Dogs Home, all the dogs featured have had a mixed start in life. Some settle quickly, others take time, and the new owners have to delve deep into their body language and habits to ensure the dogs settle and are happy.

As one writer says, �Now, if you think adopting a rescue dog is all heartwarming moments and wagging tails, let me tell you about the ninth circle of doggy housebreaking.�

If you are thinking of rescuing a dog, you’ll learn a lot from these stories. For those who have adopted, you’ll nod your head in agreement.

All proceeds go to Immingham Dogs Home.]]> 177 Alison J Moore Chris 0 currently-reading 5.00 Hold my lead, I've got a tail to tell
author: Alison J Moore
name: Chris
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/09
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Five Go to Mystery Moor (The Famous Five, #13)]]> 17483


Cover illustration: Richard Jones]]> 248 Enid Blyton 0340796278 Chris 5 4.01 1954 Five Go to Mystery Moor (The Famous Five, #13)
author: Enid Blyton
name: Chris
average rating: 4.01
book published: 1954
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/01
date added: 2024/10/29
shelves:
review:
Always enjoy reliving my childhood with the Famous Five, and this is another exciting adventure.
]]> <![CDATA[Zoya's Gift: Building a Bridge to a Global Family | A Memoir]]> 181355643 315 Gail McCormick 1647426839 Chris 5 4.76 Zoya's Gift: Building a Bridge to a Global Family | A Memoir
author: Gail McCormick
name: Chris
average rating: 4.76
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/27
date added: 2024/10/27
shelves:
review:
I couldn't put this book down. It gripped me from the first page. Gail's infertility becomes a catalyst to rebuild a childhood dream of helping to bring peace and understanding to the world. The children she and her husband assist through an international program become almost family, and over the years the links grow stronger, allowing Gail and her husband Mike some unique experiences. I loved her writing style which drew me in, and made me want to know more. I applaud her honesty, and willingness to allow us into her deepest feelings. I like books that make me think, and reevaluate my ideas, and this book did that. Thanks, Gail. This book will stay with me for a long time.
]]> <![CDATA[The Coronavirus Chronicles. Texts from dad. : Hilarious adventures of a non PC dad in isolation during the first coronavirus lock down.]]> 55979063 151 Peter Barber Chris 5 4.07 The Coronavirus Chronicles. Texts from dad. : Hilarious adventures of a non PC dad in isolation during the first coronavirus lock down.
author: Peter Barber
name: Chris
average rating: 4.07
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/22
date added: 2024/10/23
shelves:
review:
Oh those miserable days of spring 2020, when the Covid virus reared its ugly little head, and the world went into isolation. Well some of it, anyway. Living in Texas, we didn't have such a restrictive lockdown as the UK, so it's always interesting to see how others coped. Apparently, by daily walks for essential supplies - mostly beer. Peter is always amusing and entertaining, and this book made me chuckle. I bought the original Coronavirus Chronicles, but is has now been rereleased as Musings on a Pandemic. Hopefully they've corrected the typos and punctuation, although that didn't prevent me enjoying the book.
]]> <![CDATA[Chloe's Cornish Christmas (Blossomwood Bay, #7)]]> 214952780 Welcome to Chloe's Cornish Christmas, the seventh book in a brand new series from the author of the Hummingbird Hotel series and the Cornish Confetti Agency series.

Join Chloe Campbell as she spends the festive season in snowy Cornwall.]]> 301 Daisy James 1914304357 Chris 5 4.49 Chloe's Cornish Christmas (Blossomwood Bay, #7)
author: Daisy James
name: Chris
average rating: 4.49
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/23
date added: 2024/10/23
shelves:
review:
I so love this series, and I'm sad it's getting towards the end - apparently the next book will be the last one. But I'm dying to find out how it all resolves. I loved Chloe's Christmas adventure, across the border into Cornwall. As always, it's well-written, and Daisy draws you into the story. I always have difficulty putting these books down, and this was no different. Roll on next summer, and the next and final book. I've already preordered it.
]]> <![CDATA[Five Go Down to the Sea (Famous Five, #12)]]> 557229 248 Enid Blyton 034079626X Chris 5 3.99 1953 Five Go Down to the Sea (Famous Five, #12)
author: Enid Blyton
name: Chris
average rating: 3.99
book published: 1953
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/18
date added: 2024/10/20
shelves:
review:
Fabulous Famous Five Adventure.
]]> Secrets of the Watch House 209200395 Cornwall, 1934.

Violet Ellis is living in the shadows of her father’s ruined reputation. So, when wealthy widower James Atherton offers her employment, she immediately begins the treacherous journey to his home on the remote Cornish island of Aoife’s Bay � despite the bone-chilling allegations surrounding his late wife Elizabeth’s death.

In James’s company, Violet begins to feel the love that has been missing all her life. But when anonymous letters start to plague the bay’s residents, threatening to expose what really happened to Elizabeth, Violet feels the hostility towards her grow. She has an unsettling sense of being watched in her new home, and as the mysteries of the island draw her in, she starts to fear she might never find a way out …]]> 480 Jenny Ashcroft 0008469075 Chris 5 Secrets....

I loved this book. The more I read, and the more the story unravelled, the more fascinated I became. I honestly didn't want to put it down, but work and sleep called. And now I've finished it I have to read the beginning again. .....]]> 4.15 Secrets of the Watch House
author: Jenny Ashcroft
name: Chris
average rating: 4.15
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/14
date added: 2024/10/14
shelves:
review:
Secrets....

I loved this book. The more I read, and the more the story unravelled, the more fascinated I became. I honestly didn't want to put it down, but work and sleep called. And now I've finished it I have to read the beginning again. .....
]]> <![CDATA[One Text Away: A Doctor’s Indecent Proposal (Journeys Through Life Book 5)]]> 215544526
Will the doctor’s enticing compliments threaten Tammy’s resolve to remain a faithful wife, causing her to destroy her marriage? Or will she have enough self-control to resist Adonis’s charm?]]> 95 Tammy Horvath Chris 5 4.77 One Text Away: A Doctor’s Indecent Proposal (Journeys Through Life Book 5)
author: Tammy Horvath
name: Chris
average rating: 4.77
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/04
date added: 2024/10/05
shelves:
review:
I'm sure many of us have been tempted to see if the grass really is greener on the other side of the fence, but when you get propositioned by a doctor, that's a whole different ball game. I've read all Tammy's previous books, so I do know something of her life. I was fascinated by this story, especially as she was facing a serious health scare at the same time. Well-written and thought provoking, I really enjoyed this and definitely recommend it.
]]> <![CDATA[Five Get Into Trouble (Famous Five, #8)]]> 557220
But just when they thought their troubles were over, the gang find themselves held captive and in terrible danger! Who will come for them now...?]]> 246 Enid Blyton 0340796227 Chris 5 4.01 1949 Five Get Into Trouble (Famous Five, #8)
author: Enid Blyton
name: Chris
average rating: 4.01
book published: 1949
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/02
date added: 2024/10/02
shelves:
review:
I'm reliving my childhood rereading the Famous Five, and it's always a joy to come across a book I haven't read before.
]]> <![CDATA[High Tea and the Low Down: An American's Unfiltered Life in the UK]]> 181328924 A Transatlantic Adventure Fueled by Tea and Hedgerow Fruit

When American Claire Craig Evans married a charming British man, there was a cost for the snappy banter and countless offers of she had to uproot life as she knew it and relocate to the UK. Who wouldn’t want to move to an enchanted island where mysterious women with dewy complexions made jam in thatched cottages with millennia-old lichen attached?

Sure, experienced American expats offered nuggets of wisdom (“Bring over a lifetime supply of taco seasoning!�) but they weren’t even mild comfort as Claire tried to avoid death, jail, and wayward sheep while learning to navigate zebra crossings and drive on the “wrong� side of the road.

The allure of a jet-setter lifestyle vanished as fast as Air India sent her Samsonite to Delhi instead of London Heathrow. Would more tea help her figure out how long she’d been wearing the single pair of underwear in her possession? (That was the jetlag talking. They do have underwear in the UK, too.)

High Tea and the Low Down is a keenly-observed memoir full of laugh-out-loud moments as Claire experiences the reality of English living. If she couldn’t even pass a pub quiz, how would she ever pass the infamous Life in the UK test, the high-stakes hurdle required to stay on British soil (and with her husband) indefinitely?]]> 309 Claire Craig Evans 1961542013 Chris 5 3.86 High Tea and the Low Down: An American's Unfiltered Life in the UK
author: Claire Craig Evans
name: Chris
average rating: 3.86
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/01
date added: 2024/10/02
shelves:
review:
As a Brit who moved to the US from the UK, I can sympathize with Claire moving the other way. Things are not as similar as you might expect. I chuckled at many of her exploits and adventures. Those huge coffee mugs! And the concessions! But I really enjoyed her visits to stately homes and historical buildings, and her description of the Yorvik centre was hilarious. I just have one issue with the book. Claire kept talking about "Island Life", which to me conjures up Jamaica and the Caribbean. Yes, I know that Britain is technically an island, but after 50+ years of living there I don't know anyone who lives there who thinks of it that way. Anyway, setting that aside, it's a funny and well-written book which I can definitely recommend.
]]> <![CDATA[A Gift of Dragons: Illustrated Stories]]> 6315497 For more than thirty years, Pern has conjured visions of brave men and women mounted upon the backs of dragons. As anyone knows who has been touched by the storytelling magic of Anne McCaffrey, to read of the exotic world of Pern is to inhabit it—and to experience its extraordinary dragons is to soar aloft with them and share their dazzling adventures. Now, A Gift of Dragons brings together three beloved stories and a thrilling new tale of Pern in a single volume illustrated with beautiful artwork by Tom Kidd. In “The Smallest Dragonboy,� Keevan is the youngest dragonrider candidate, determined to impress a dragon when the next clutch of eggs hatches. But what transpires will surprise everyone—Keevan most of all. In “The Girl Who Heard Dragons,� a young girl’s rare ability to communicate with dragons puts her family in danger and will bring her face to face with her greatest fears—and with her most secret desire. The “Runner of Pern� is a girl named Tenna, who follows family tradition by delivering messages—and who will find her destiny on the mossy traces that runners have used for centuries under the dragon-filled sky. And finally, a very special an exciting new Pern adventure, published here for the first time, fresh from the imagination of Anne McCaffrey.]]> 304 Anne McCaffrey Chris 5 Dragon Gift

What a joy! I thought I'd read all Anne McCaffrey's dragon stories. Although I had read K'van's story, and part of Aramina's story, the other two were completely new to me. Fabulous tales, adding to Pernese history. I thoroughly enjoyed them. ]]> 4.43 2002 A Gift of Dragons: Illustrated Stories
author: Anne McCaffrey
name: Chris
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2002
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/27
date added: 2024/09/27
shelves:
review:
Dragon Gift

What a joy! I thought I'd read all Anne McCaffrey's dragon stories. Although I had read K'van's story, and part of Aramina's story, the other two were completely new to me. Fabulous tales, adding to Pernese history. I thoroughly enjoyed them.
]]> <![CDATA[The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris]]> 60466965 Paris, 1940: War is closing in on the city of love. With his wife forced into hiding, Jacques must stand by and watch as the Nazis take away everything he holds dear. Everything except his last beacon of his beloved bookshop, La Page Cachée.

But when a young woman and her child knock on his door one night and beg for refuge, he knows his only option is to risk it all once more to save a life�

Modern Juliette and her husband have finally made it to France on the romantic getaway of her dreams � but as the days pass, all she discovers is quite how far they’ve grown apart. She’s craving a new adventure, so when she happens across a tiny, abandoned shop with a for-sale sign in the window, it feels fated.

And she’s about to learn that the forgotten bookshop hides a lot more than meets the eye�

A heartbreaking tale of love and loss in war, perfect for fans of Kate Quinn and Rachel Hore.]]> 400 Daisy Wood 0008525250 Chris 0 to-read 4.50 2022 The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris
author: Daisy Wood
name: Chris
average rating: 4.50
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Beasts in My Bedroom 213808985
These exciting encounters illustrate how they help to fuel Malcolm’s passion for such animals and form the basis of his lifelong love of them. Readers will be enthralled to share his experiences.]]> 129 Malcolm D Welshman 1035851806 Chris 5 5.00 Beasts in My Bedroom
author: Malcolm D Welshman
name: Chris
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/23
date added: 2024/09/24
shelves:
review:
Malcolm is obviously an accomplished vet, but he is also an accomplished writer, drawing you into his childhood and explaining where his obsession with animals began. Unlike most children, Malcolm's experiences with animals were quite exotic, as his veterinarian father was posted to Nairobi. So instead of tadpoles and newts, it's snakes, monkeys and camels alongside the more usual family pets. This is publicized as a children's book, but this adult really enjoyed it. It reminded me of the young Gerald Durell and his fascination with animals of all kinds.
]]> <![CDATA[Unusual Adventures Traveling Through Life: A Memoir of Frugalness to Financial Freedom]]> 179845589
Laura began her memoir in the summer of 1995, when she walked into a summer party and met the love of her life, Sasha. Their whirlwind courtship started them on an adventurous journey.

Along the way, Laura created six careers and used frugalness and thrift to find financial freedom while battling anxiety.

They looked at what they wanted before marriage and chose a path. That meant pooling their finances, paying off debt, and ultimately deciding to work half the year while traveling in a recreational vehicle (RV).

There were a few distress signals along the way. The self-doubt and anxiety of job jumping as an environmental geologist, computer trainer, and small business owner gave Laura insomnia. Yet those experiences allowed her to follow her dream to work as a Park Ranger for the National Park Service.

When she retired from the rat race of full-time work, she was 38. They lived in the truck camper of 24 square feet before the season of the bugs forced a change of RV. With a new-to-them fifth-wheel toyhauler, they found a togetherness few married couples find.

There were still bumps in the road, no matter who was driving. So, Laura created a website and blogged about their travels, finances, and full-time living in an Laura & Sasha's Excellent Adventure . It was her way of being creative in a small space. It allowed friends and family to see the beauty of national parks and remote nature areas few saw. This memoir presents their adventures to their twentieth wedding anniversary.

Come along for the ride and learn how to do this lifestyle too.]]> 349 Laura Jevtich Chris 4 4.50 Unusual Adventures Traveling Through Life: A Memoir of Frugalness to Financial Freedom
author: Laura Jevtich
name: Chris
average rating: 4.50
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/23
date added: 2024/09/24
shelves:
review:
Laura and her husband Sascha give up their home to spend their time traveling around the US in an RV, and I appreciated that they wanted to see places properly, and not just as tourists. Interesting tales of working in National Parks, spending time with family etc. Useful tips for anyone contemplating a similar lifestyle, and wondering how they can afford it. Is it really living the dream? Read it and find out....
]]> Travels with Audrey 180351414
Join Max and Freddie, two naive university graduates, as they attempt to coax a retired NHS ambulance named Audrey along the historic Silk Road from Oxford to Beijing.

To avoid placing their first foot on the corporate ladder for just one last summer, Max and Freddie made the impulsive decision to embark on a road trip of a lifetime through some of the most dangerous countries known to man. While our endearingly clueless drivers stumble and fumble, Audrey soldiers on, steering us through harrowing crashes, shakedown schemes, and even a heart-stopping encounter with the Taliban. You'll be on the edge of your seat, rooting for Audrey as she proves that sheer determination can conquer even the most daunting challenges. This epic saga is more than just a travel memoir; it's a testament to resilience, a tribute to the human spirit, and proof that sometimes, the vehicle knows the way better than the driver. Get ready to ride shotgun on the most extraordinary journey of a lifetime.]]> 249 Max Shepherd-Cross Chris 5 Travels and Fun

Two recent university graduates want to delay the start of joining corporate life. Not for them the beaches of Ayia Napa or backpacking to Thailand: a drunken night decides them to travel across Europe and Asia - in a converted ambulance. This is a fabulous book. Yes, there are a few drunken moments - these are two guys in their early 20s - but mostly it's an intelligently written account of driving across some of the most inhospitable countries (both in terms of weather and politics) in the world. Kazakhstan anyone? Max does a great job of explaining the history and current political situation of the countries they cross. But it's also about the experiences they have, the beauty they see, and the people they meet. Definitely a recommended read. ]]> 4.52 Travels with Audrey
author: Max Shepherd-Cross
name: Chris
average rating: 4.52
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/22
date added: 2024/09/22
shelves:
review:
Travels and Fun

Two recent university graduates want to delay the start of joining corporate life. Not for them the beaches of Ayia Napa or backpacking to Thailand: a drunken night decides them to travel across Europe and Asia - in a converted ambulance. This is a fabulous book. Yes, there are a few drunken moments - these are two guys in their early 20s - but mostly it's an intelligently written account of driving across some of the most inhospitable countries (both in terms of weather and politics) in the world. Kazakhstan anyone? Max does a great job of explaining the history and current political situation of the countries they cross. But it's also about the experiences they have, the beauty they see, and the people they meet. Definitely a recommended read.
]]> <![CDATA[A Spook in the Dark at Alnchurch Park: An English Seaside Small Town Paranormal Cozy Mystery (Shiraz Jones Marine Rescue Mysteries Book 5)]]> 218539089 Trouble haunts Marine Rescue volunteer Shiraz Jones as she’s inadvertently immersed in a spooky investigation.

Lady Dulvington is convinced a restless spirit is haunting her country house, Alnchurch Park, and she asks Shiraz to investigate. In return, she agrees to donate a significant sum to Redcliff Marine Rescue.

Shiraz believes the apparition is of human origin, and she begins questioning suspects. Then Lady Dulvington employs a professional paranormal investigator, and Shiraz finds herself feuding with him as they each try to convince her their theories are correct.

But once Shiraz stakes out the ruins of the old house, she makes an unexpected discovery. Will she unearth the real reason for the ghostly phenomena?]]> 263 Simon Michael Prior Chris 5
Halloween is my favorite time of year, and what better way to start it off than a ghostly tale? Continuing this fabulous series of cozy mysteries, Shiraz, Emily, and Oscar are investigating a haunting at a ruined Elizabethan manor house. Ghostly apparitions have been seen, and terrifying sounds have been heard. I loved the ghost story, but I also enjoy the marine rescue parts, which are what makes this series unique. I find it really interesting to discover what marine rescue is really about, and Simon's expertise is apparent. Well-written, engaging, and a real page turner, I couldn't put this book down, and I loved the ending. It appears I'll have to wait until the new year for the next in the series, so a good excuse for me to curl up and read them all from the beginning again.]]> 4.88 A Spook in the Dark at Alnchurch Park: An English Seaside Small Town Paranormal Cozy Mystery (Shiraz Jones Marine Rescue Mysteries Book 5)
author: Simon Michael Prior
name: Chris
average rating: 4.88
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/19
date added: 2024/09/19
shelves:
review:
A Spook In The Dark

Halloween is my favorite time of year, and what better way to start it off than a ghostly tale? Continuing this fabulous series of cozy mysteries, Shiraz, Emily, and Oscar are investigating a haunting at a ruined Elizabethan manor house. Ghostly apparitions have been seen, and terrifying sounds have been heard. I loved the ghost story, but I also enjoy the marine rescue parts, which are what makes this series unique. I find it really interesting to discover what marine rescue is really about, and Simon's expertise is apparent. Well-written, engaging, and a real page turner, I couldn't put this book down, and I loved the ending. It appears I'll have to wait until the new year for the next in the series, so a good excuse for me to curl up and read them all from the beginning again.
]]> <![CDATA[The Accidental Plus One: Travel Tales from a Trailing Spouse (The Accidental Plus One Series)]]> 216835855 A burnt-out media executive. A chance to leave it all behind. Can she take that leap into the unknown, or is she doomed to fail?Alison was stuck going nowhere. Her shiny career had well and truly lost its lustre, despite the money her TV bosses were offering. Nothing would make up for the sacrifices she’d made these past fifteen years.

When she spotted an opportunity for her other half Down Under, could she leave behind a well-paid job and all that was familiar to up sticks?

When the restoration on the couple's dream home became unaffordable, they were off once again, crisscrossing the planet in a whirlwind journey of love, life, and passports.

The Accidental Plus Travel Tales from a Trailing Spouse is a heart-warming and humorous true story, that proves sometimes love leads us on the most unexpected journeys. If you like stories about brave but foolhardy risk-takers, quirky characters, and amusing tales from departure lounges and arrival halls, you'll love this fun, globetrotting adventure.]]> 242 Alison Ripley Cubitt Chris 5 4.26 The Accidental Plus One: Travel Tales from a Trailing Spouse (The Accidental Plus One Series)
author: Alison Ripley Cubitt
name: Chris
average rating: 4.26
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/12
date added: 2024/09/12
shelves:
review:
I loved Alison's Misadventures In The Screen Trade, so I knew I would enjoy this book. The screen trade is no longer cutting it for Alison, but her husband (a university professor and Bryan Brown lookalike) gets the chance of a job on the other side of the globe. I love Alison's sense of adventure, packing up and joining her husband in many new placements, from New Zealand to Boston, Mass and many places in between. But she doesn't just sit back and do nothing. I enjoyed her tales of working as a relocator, and the italicized comments giving us the inner workings of her mind made me smile knowingly. If you've read Misadventures you'll love this continuation of Alison's story. If you haven't (why not??) you'll still enjoy this book as it works as a stand alone. Thoroughly enjoyed it, definitely recommended.
]]> <![CDATA[The Mystery Series Collection 1: Books 1-3]]> 74813304 Whenever there's a mystery, the Find-Outers are on the case! A brilliant bumper collection, from bestselling author Enid Blyton.The Mystery of the Burnt CottageSomeone has set fire to Mr Hick's cottage, but who could it be? Fatty, Larry, Daisy, Pip, Bets and Buster the dog have their very first case to solve. But it's not easy being detectives with policeman Mr Goon telling them to "clear orf". The Find-Outers are determined - they have to solve the mystery before Mr Goon does!The Mystery of the Disappearing CatA prize-winning Siamese Cat has been stolen, and all evidence points to the Find-Outers' friend Luke. Fatty Larry, Daisy, Pip and Bets know Luke is innocent, but how can they prove it? The Find-Outers have another mystery to solve!The Mystery of the Secret RoomPip discovers a room in Miss Crump's old empty house isn't empty at all - someone has been using it! It's the perfect mystery for Fatty to put his new talent for disguises to use. Now it's up to Fatty and Pip along with Bets, Larry, Daisy and Buster the dog to find out who has been using Miss Crump's old house.]]> 438 Enid Blyton 1444970240 Chris 5 Fun with the Five

I first read these books many years ago as a child. I'm now old enough to enjoy fairy tales again, as CS Lewis said. ]]> 5.00 The Mystery Series Collection 1: Books 1-3
author: Enid Blyton
name: Chris
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/08
date added: 2024/09/08
shelves:
review:
Fun with the Five

I first read these books many years ago as a child. I'm now old enough to enjoy fairy tales again, as CS Lewis said.
]]> Third Loch from the Sun 214517310 Secrets come in all shapes and sizes

Jake has left it late, and the only summer job he can find is on the remote Scottish island of Elsay. Still, that sounds fine � the work isn’t too hard, the pay’s all right, and the scenery is great.

But he soon has second thoughts about staying. His boss, Fraser, is clearly a bit of a rogue, while Fraser’s cute but snippy daughter, Alva, takes against him from the start. And the oddball characters in the local pub aren’t exactly welcoming.

Then Jake stumbles on an extraordinary secret that changes everything that’s known about the universe. A secret he can scarcely believe. A secret that Alva and the island recluse, Ruan Strang, have sworn to protect at all costs.

As the mystery deepens, the questions only mount � and none of the answers make any sense. Plus, Jake’s falling for Alva and she still hasn’t so much as smiled at him.

One thing’s for certain � he’s not going anywhere until the full, fantastic truth is revealed.

From the author of The Wrong Stop comes a SciFi fantasy adventure set on a dreamy Scottish isle. Stuffed with larger-than-life characters, it’s perfect for fans of island mysteries, with crackling dialogue and a will-they-won’t-they romantic edge.]]> 252 Rex Burke 1916694063 Chris 5 4.37 Third Loch from the Sun
author: Rex Burke
name: Chris
average rating: 4.37
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/06
date added: 2024/09/06
shelves:
review:
I read the first book in Rex's Orphan Star series, and was immediately hooked on his brand of tongue in cheek humor, and his incredible storytelling that draws you in from the first page. This is a stand-alone book, and another fabulous story. The secret on the remote Scottish island is so well told, that I only put the book down for sleep and bed. Definitely recommended.
]]> <![CDATA[The Good Karma Café (Living the Dream)]]> 216718756 Welcome to the Good Karma Café where kindness, community and cake are all on the menu.

After being jilted by her fiancé, Zoe Bennett has been mending her broken heart in the beautiful island paradise of Bali. With local restaurant owner Agatha providing a listening ear, she confides that she’s worried about going back to what’s left of her life in London. To her surprise, Agatha suggests she has just the opportunity for her � to manage her old café in the picturesque village of Poppleton in the Cotswolds.

Although reopening the café won’t be easy, Zoe is determined to make the most of her fresh start and throws herself into the challenge. She quickly makes new friends, including her charming artist-cum-gallery-owner neighbour Dylan Spencer, and focuses on making the café a welcoming place for the community � from hosting floristry workshops to pizza-making nights and even the local knit-and-natter group.

But with property developers circulating, can Zoe find the recipe to make her Good Karma Café a success? Or will she once again find herself alone, homeless, and without a future?


Please The Good Karma Café was previously published as Katie's Cornish Kitchen.]]> 265 Daisy James Chris 5 Cake and Karma

Another winner from Daisy. What a delightful story, played out in Bali and the Cotswolds. Zoe is my favorite character in this series, and I love her attitude to life. Fabulous book. ]]> 4.68 The Good Karma Café (Living the Dream)
author: Daisy James
name: Chris
average rating: 4.68
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/04
date added: 2024/09/04
shelves:
review:
Cake and Karma

Another winner from Daisy. What a delightful story, played out in Bali and the Cotswolds. Zoe is my favorite character in this series, and I love her attitude to life. Fabulous book.
]]> <![CDATA[Living A Boy's Adventure Tale: Coming of Age in the 1980s]]> 218311156 What can a boy get up to?
The London suburbs, 1980. Chris was no stranger to a sense of purpose; to right and wrong. His days followed a course formed by school, music, sport, and his rambunctious peers, but he itched for more than just a comfortable life.

He dived headfirst into mischief and mayhem; finding athleticism, girls, and chance romance. Sandy beaches and craggy mountains beckoned, and a cheeky travel trip around Europe by train; and he endured trials on the way to becoming an elite parachutist.

Could he seek meaning and learn resilience, despite the setbacks and turmoil of adolescence, and was it possible to steer a route through challenge and failure, and come out on top? And would life ever be the same again?]]> 252 Chris Chute 0645849227 Chris 5 Boys Adventure

Chris's life from childhood to almost adulthood. Brought up in a fairly upper middle class family in the 70s and 80s he has a fairly comfortable life. I loved the tales of his childhood: attending church (his grandfather was a clergyman) and school, and details of family life. Not a privileged life, Chris started to earn money delivering newspapers, and sung in the church choir. Vacations were definitely basic, but he has a flair for descriptions and you can imagine yourself there. As he grows older I enjoyed reading about his sports prowess, and his initial fumbling with girls. Military life also beckons, and foreign travel, which makes for a completely different second part of the book. Compulsive reading, I wholeheartedly recommend this book.]]> 5.00 Living A Boy's Adventure Tale: Coming of Age in the 1980s
author: Chris Chute
name: Chris
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/03
date added: 2024/09/04
shelves:
review:
Boys Adventure

Chris's life from childhood to almost adulthood. Brought up in a fairly upper middle class family in the 70s and 80s he has a fairly comfortable life. I loved the tales of his childhood: attending church (his grandfather was a clergyman) and school, and details of family life. Not a privileged life, Chris started to earn money delivering newspapers, and sung in the church choir. Vacations were definitely basic, but he has a flair for descriptions and you can imagine yourself there. As he grows older I enjoyed reading about his sports prowess, and his initial fumbling with girls. Military life also beckons, and foreign travel, which makes for a completely different second part of the book. Compulsive reading, I wholeheartedly recommend this book.
]]> The Good Servant 59344708 Good woman.
Good servant.
She tried to be them all�

1932. Dunfermline, Scotland.
Marion Crawford, a bright, ambitious young teacher, is ready to make her mark on the world. Until a twist of fate changes the course of her life forever�

1936. Windsor Castle.
At first this ordinary woman is in a new world, working as governess to two young princesses, in a household she calls home but where everyone is at a distance. As the course of history changes, she finds herself companion to the future Queen, and indispensable to the crown. And slowly their needs become her needs. Their lives become hers.

It’s then she meets George, and falls in love for the first time. Now Marion faces an impossible choice: her sense of duty or the love of her life.]]> 544 Fern Britton 000822529X Chris 0 to-read 4.11 2022 The Good Servant
author: Fern Britton
name: Chris
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Exploring Mountains and Beaches: Journeys Beyond Borders. Adventures Worth Pursuing. (Journeys Through Life Book 4)]]> 214570640 What do you hold dear in life? For Tammy Horvath, it’s the relentless pursuit of connecting with others, exploring new horizons alive with wonder, and seizing every moment while she checks off items on her bucket list.

As Tammy explores mountains and beaches in paradise, she’s fueled by the allure of new cultures, creating memories that have made her who she is today. Throughout her island adventures to the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, and Curacao, as well as hikes through national parks in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, surprises lurk at every turn—from navigating floods to fending off avian ambushes. Embracing the chaos, Tammy turns each misadventure into a story worth telling.

Join Tammy on this journey beyond borders, where each step brings her closer to the beauty of life.]]> 134 Tammy Horvath Chris 5 5.00 Exploring Mountains and Beaches: Journeys Beyond Borders. Adventures Worth Pursuing. (Journeys Through Life Book 4)
author: Tammy Horvath
name: Chris
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2024/09/01
shelves:
review:
Having read the author's previous books, which cover some harrowing experiences, it was refreshing to read this book detailing some of the trips she has taken over the past few years. From Turks & Caicos Islands to the Canadian Rockies, with husband Mike of traveling with family and friends, these are short stories - almost travelogues. I enjoyed Tammy's impressions of places, and her introspectives into her thoughts. Well-written and edited. I recommend this book.
]]> A Young Lady's Miscellany 58531048 What's a girl of fourteen to do when she finds herself alone in the world with no one to guide her? Why, follow the Victorian self-help guide, 'A Young Lady's Miscellany', of course! The trouble is, the advice it offers proves less than helpful in a contemporary context. Muddling through, often with disastrous results, she finds a friend in her recently widowed grandmother, the door to whose small house is always open. Inept at any job she is able to get and pursued by a slew of unsuitable suitors, she must instead spend a decade navigating her own miscellany in order to come of age.]]> 294 Auriel Roe 1838316019 Chris 5 4.67 A Young Lady's Miscellany
author: Auriel Roe
name: Chris
average rating: 4.67
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/08/31
date added: 2024/08/31
shelves:
review:
What a delightful book. Auriel's childhood means she spends a lot of time with her grandmothers, one of whom has the original Young Lady's Miscellany. Packed with useful - and not so useful - information, it is a guide to Auriel when she goes into the world. I enjoyed the tales of her childhood growing up in the north west of England, and learning about some of the customs. I was engaged by the chapter headings, which could've come straight out of the eponymous book. Well-written and entertaining, I definitely recommend this book.
]]> <![CDATA[Twin Landing (Odyssey Earth #2)]]> 180351047
The mission is not exactly going to plan for the New Earth settlers. Captain Juno Washington is feeling the pressure, and Reeves, the know-it-all AI, seems strangely out of sorts.

Meanwhile, the missing teenage castaways are coming to terms with their situation.

Dana, Karlan and Manisha are figuring out how to survive on an uncharted alien planet � they just need to work out the rules.

Dervla, Poole and Bryson can’t wait to explore, and are ready for adventure.

Which leaves their unwilling adult caretaker, Jordan Booth, with nothing much to do except complain � campfire cooking, outdoor showers, do not recommend.

As the unknown planet starts to give up its secrets, and new arrivals threaten the mission, friends become separated and family ties are tested. In the end, it all comes down to trust.

Who’s on your side? Who’s got your back? And who’s coming to the rescue?

If you like feelgood, character-led SciFi with heart and humour, then you’ll love Twin Landing . Perfect for fans of snappy dialogue, snarky space crew, strong, relatable characters, slow-burn action, and coming-of-age, found-family adventures.

Follow the Odyssey Earth story across three galaxy-spanning books � Orphan Planet , Twin Landing , and Star Bound .]]> 340 Rex Burke 1916694012 Chris 5 5.00 Twin Landing (Odyssey Earth #2)
author: Rex Burke
name: Chris
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2024/08/26
shelves:
review:
Loved book one, and went straight into reading book two. I love that we can follow the adventures of the teenagers and Jordan on Planet Dave, and the rest of the crew and the main spaceship on New Earth. Just as amusing as book one, but with a few twists that I didn't expect, that leave me wanting more. Please, Rex, let's have book three soon. And don't let that be the end of the series. I want this one to go on and on.
]]> <![CDATA[A Smuggler's Cave and a Watery Grave: An English Seaside Small Town Cozy Mystery (Shiraz Jones Marine Rescue Mysteries Book 4)]]> 217924512 Redcliff Marine Rescue volunteer Shiraz Jones is adrift in uncharted waters. A prominent local resident has died in extraordinary circumstances, and not everyone’s sorry.

Then a mysterious rowing boat lands by night at Smuggler’s Cove, and Shiraz’s questions multiply as everyone becomes a suspect. Who are the three shadowy figures unloading boxes? Why are seemingly innocent boat owners creating alibis for themselves? And how does a five-hundred-year-old English custom connect these events?

Because the real mystery’s deeper than the ocean off Redcliff. And once Shiraz begins to piece together the clues, she uncovers an international operation bigger than she could’ve ever imagined.]]> 295 Simon Michael Prior Chris 5 4.87 A Smuggler's Cave and a Watery Grave: An English Seaside Small Town Cozy Mystery (Shiraz Jones Marine Rescue Mysteries Book 4)
author: Simon Michael Prior
name: Chris
average rating: 4.87
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/08/24
date added: 2024/08/24
shelves:
review:
This is my go-to cosy mystery series. Simon has a real production line going to get these books out so quickly. But don't think that diminishes the quality. Far from it. They are well thought out, witty, and immensely readable. This fourth book is definitely the best of the bunch, as far as I'm concerned. We've got to know the characters, and I'm really enjoying the marine rescue training, and how Simon ties it into the plot. There are so many twists and turns, I really had no idea whodunnit. And a little bird tells me book 5 will not be too far away. Fabulous news. I can't wait.
]]> <![CDATA[The Enchanted Wood (The Faraway Tree, #1)]]> 17491 213 Enid Blyton 0749748001 Chris 5 4.24 1939 The Enchanted Wood (The Faraway Tree, #1)
author: Enid Blyton
name: Chris
average rating: 4.24
book published: 1939
rating: 5
read at: 2024/08/22
date added: 2024/08/22
shelves:
review:
Reliving my childhood. Lovely to meet Moonface and Silky in the Faraway Tree again..
]]> <![CDATA[The Secret Summer Escape (Living the Dream series)]]> 217090143 Can one magical moment change Ellie’s life forever?

When struggling actress Ellie Bradshaw is told by a celebrity director that her performance is wooden and she should get herself back to acting school, she’s devastated. Even her waitressing job at Bistro Angélique can’t raise a smile this time, and she wonders whether it’s time to shelve her dreams and return home to Oxford.

Marc Bouvier, the bistro's handsome French owner with a penchant for collecting shiny culinary appliances, is desperate for Ellie to stay, and to keep producing the delicious desserts their customers swoon over, otherwise the bistro will have to close.

And then it happens�

That one magical moment that changes the direction of Ellie’s life forever.

But will that be the glittering success of her acting career? Or helping Marc to save the little French bistro with her quirky pâtisserie? Or maybe the director of fate has something a little more romantic in mind for Ellie...

Please Note: The Secret Summer Escape was previously published as Bella's Little French Bistro.]]> 268 Daisy James 1914304330 Chris 5 4.50 The Secret Summer Escape (Living the Dream series)
author: Daisy James
name: Chris
average rating: 4.50
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/08/22
date added: 2024/08/22
shelves:
review:
Daisy writes the best summer romances, perfect for a day at the beach: or if you're in Texas, escaping the heat in the AC. Loved this book with its mix of baking and adventure.
]]> <![CDATA[The Perfect Summer Wedding (Living the Dream)]]> 205885613 Sophie-Louise Henshaw, fashion designer to the stars, is excited!

Her exquisite, glittering silk gown has been shortlisted in a nationwide competition to design the wedding dress for celebrity actress Lilac Verbois who is marrying her musician boyfriend, Finn, in a no-expense-spared ceremony in just four months' time. But just as all her dreams are about to come true, disaster strikes and she rushes home � forgetting to submit the paperwork!

Years ago, when Sophie left sleepy Somersby for the bright lights of London, she never expected to return. And there’s one man in particular she’d hoped never to see again; Noah Drake, the childhood-sweetheart-turned-rock-God who turned her life upside down.

Now she's back in Somersby, can she put the past behind her to forge a new future? Or will Noah's reappearance force her to reassess her decision to stay?

A fun-filled romantic comedy, perfect for the summer holidays.

Please note: The Perfect Summer Wedding was previously published as If the Dress Fits and has been updated and re-covered for 2024]]> 251 Daisy James Chris 5 4.43 The Perfect Summer Wedding (Living the Dream)
author: Daisy James
name: Chris
average rating: 4.43
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/08/18
date added: 2024/08/22
shelves:
review:
I've enjoyed every Daisy James book I've read, and this didn't disappoint. The story of Sophie and Noah is beautifully told, and all the characters are well-written and believable. A wonderful summer read.
]]> Just Ignore Him 56110351 'A simply astonishing achievement. The quality, depth, emotional power and terrifying honesty of Alan Davies's story-telling take the breath away' Stephen Fry

'This hugely affecting book is brave, insightful and, at times, funny about things it is hard to be funny about' Jo Brand

The story of a life built on sand. In the rain.

In this compelling memoir, comedian and actor Alan Davies recalls his boyhood with vivid insight and devastating humour. Shifting between his 1970s upbringing and his life today, Davies moves poignantly from innocence to experience to the clarity of hindsight, always with a keen sense of the absurd.

From sibling dynamics, to his voiceless, misunderstood progression through school, sexuality and humiliating 'accidents', Davies inhabits his younger mind with spectacular accuracy, sharply evoking an era when Green Shield Stamps, Bob-a-Job week and Whizzer & Chips loomed large, a bus fare was 2p - and children had little power in the face of adult motivation. Here, there are often exquisitely tender recollections of the mother he lost at six years old, of a bereaved family struggling to find its way, and the kicks and confusion of adolescence.

Through even the joyous and innocent memories, the pain of Davies's lifelong grief and profound betrayal is unfiltered, searing and beautifully articulated. Just Ignore Him is not only an autobiography, it is a testament to a survivor's resilience and courage.]]> 209 Alan Davies 1408713292 Chris 5 4.65 2020 Just Ignore Him
author: Alan Davies
name: Chris
average rating: 4.65
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2024/08/17
date added: 2024/08/18
shelves:
review:
The Alan Davies between the covers of this book is not the Alan Davies that millions of us know and love from QI and Jonathan Creek. This is the Alan Davies who lost his mum when he was six years old, desperately clinging on to his fractured memories of her. This is the Alan Davies who was betrayed by a family member, disdained by his father and siblings. The Alan Davies who in spite of - or possibly because of - his upbringing became the person that we love: comedic actor and quick-witted comedian. I was shocked by the disclosures in this book. I'd never guessed that Alan had such a hard childhood. But this isn't A "pity me" book, rather a retrospective of scenes and incidents from his life, culminating in an understanding of what happened. Definitely recommended reading.
]]> The River of Adventure 87556130
justice at last?

... Courtenay Rule Enid Blyton Society .co .uk [Suggest a different description.]]]> 0 Enid Blyton Chris 5 Adventures Along the River

I initially read this book many, many years ago, but it is just a.exciting and as much fun as it was back then. ]]> 4.43 1955 The River of Adventure
author: Enid Blyton
name: Chris
average rating: 4.43
book published: 1955
rating: 5
read at: 2024/08/14
date added: 2024/08/14
shelves:
review:
Adventures Along the River

I initially read this book many, many years ago, but it is just a.exciting and as much fun as it was back then.
]]> <![CDATA[The Runaway Bridesmaid (Living the Dream)]]> 205498834 Rosie Hamilton thinks that being a bridesmaid for her spoilt little sister Hannah can’t get any worse.

But discovering her boyfriend kissing the bride, ten minutes before Hannah is due to say ‘I do�, is the icing on the sequinned wedding cake � and Rosie’s cue to pack her bags. She throws her bridesmaid bouquet in the air and flies from the bustling New York metropolis to the sleepy Cotswolds village of Somersby. Her late Aunt Bernice’s cosy countryside cottage, Willowbrook Lodge, is the only place that’s ever felt like home.

Now, for the first time in her life, and with the help of her beloved aunt’s Bake Yourself Better journal, Rosie must put herself first for a change � and decide what she really wants. Will that be suave and sophisticated solicitor, Angus, or the quirky, fun-loving sous chef, Charlie?

A delightful romance, perfect for fans of Rosie Green and Jessica Redland.

Please The Runaway Bridesmaid has been updated and recovered for 2024.]]> 269 Daisy James 1914304306 Chris 5 4.48 2015 The Runaway Bridesmaid (Living the Dream)
author: Daisy James
name: Chris
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2024/08/13
date added: 2024/08/13
shelves:
review:
From the high life of New York's financial maelstrom to a quiet Cotswold village in England, Rosie needs to get her life in order. Fleeing an emotional and heartbreaking situation, she finds solace in a simpler life. I loved this story, well written and with many twists and turns to keep you wondering. Will Rosie turn in her glamorous but exhausting high flying life for the English countryside? I had so much fun finding out.
]]> <![CDATA[Here To There And Back Again (The Journey Book 12)]]> 217029443 From Amazon bestselling author Craig Briggs, The Journey continues with book twelve in the series, HERE TO THERE AND BACK AGAIN.

A new year sends shockwaves rippling through Craig and Melanie’s peaceful existence, and events in the UK threaten to overshadow the forces of nature. When car troubles leave them stranded, one good turn deserves another.

Expensive repair bills and falling income put a strain on their finances. Undeterred, Craig adds the final piece of the jigsaw to his winemaking equipment and, despite her reservations, Melanie is clearly impressed. From grafting grapevines to replacing crankcase breather systems, learning on the job has its rewards, but is rarely straightforward.

When it comes to organising a landmark wedding anniversary and milestone birthday, Craig is up for the challenge. Clandestine manoeuvres and meticulous planning keep everything under wraps. From the banks of the river Douro to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, everything goes to plan. Closer to home, in the village of Canabal, friends and neighbours provide them with some unforgettable memories.

Decisions we make dictate the path we take and, without consent or approval, the actions of others have put Craig and Melanie’s future in jeopardy. How will they respond, and will they ever take back control?

Craig’s acute observations and descriptive narrative offer readers the opportunity to join them on their journey through Spain and beyond.]]> 354 Craig Briggs Chris 5 4.49 Here To There And Back Again (The Journey Book 12)
author: Craig Briggs
name: Chris
average rating: 4.49
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/08/10
date added: 2024/08/11
shelves:
review:
Ah, time to sit down and enjoy another slice of Galician Life with Craig and Melanie. As ever, this details a year in their life, but there are a few difficulties along the way, with car woes, and political upheavals ahead. I love how resourceful Craig is: he seems to make light work of any problems. His wine making hobby continues apace, and it's fascinating to see how it has improved over the years. I always enjoy joining Craig and Mel on their travels around Spain and Portugal, and this book has plenty of adventures. And food, so much delicious food! Melanie is a whizz in the kitchen. A couple of "Easter eggs" stood out for me on a personal level. A mention of a historic figure from my birth city of Kingston upon Hull, and a mention of the White Rose Shopping Centre in Leeds, which I watched being built, and was literally two minutes away from my home. As ever, I only have one complaint about the book: I just want it to last longer. Another fabulous addition to the Living The Dream series.
]]> <![CDATA[Get Your Cow Out of My Kitchen!]]> 146926952 110 Catherine Hudson 1637840306 Chris 5 4.80 Get Your Cow Out of My Kitchen!
author: Catherine Hudson
name: Chris
average rating: 4.80
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2024/08/08
shelves:
review:
Catherine's love of animals shines through this collection of short stories. From insects to lizards, cats to cows, Catherine has adopted or cared for most of them. I enjoyed reading about her animal filled childhood, but sympathized with her mother, who endured a parade of animals through her house. I have to admit though, that as much as I loved this book, I missed out one chapter. I'm sorry, but me and tarantulas don't mix, so I had to shudder and move past. That said, the remainder of this book is a joy. Taking us up to the present day, Catherine's life has been full of the joy of caring for a myriad assortment of animals, and is a beautifully written book.
]]> The Valley of Adventure 81308822 198 Enid Blyton Chris 5 4.83 1947 The Valley of Adventure
author: Enid Blyton
name: Chris
average rating: 4.83
book published: 1947
rating: 5
read at: 2024/08/03
date added: 2024/08/06
shelves:
review:
Another wonderful adventure from Enid Blyton. I'm really enjoying reading these books from my childhood. Very exciting and well-written story.
]]> <![CDATA[A Landslide, a Bride and a Fatal Ride: An English Seaside Small Town Cozy Mystery (Shiraz Jones Marine Rescue Mysteries Book 3)]]> 215540598 Redcliff Marine Rescue volunteer Shiraz Jones unwittingly opens a cold case when she discovers a vintage sports car buried in a landslide.


When a 1976 storm destroyed Golden Beach Village, its secrets remained entombed. Now it’s up to Shiraz to unearth what really happened on that fatal night.

A retired newspaper reporter shares his recollections, and she begins to piece together the facts. Her investigations lead her to a factory town in the north of England where more of the mystery unravels.

But not everyone is who they seem to be. And forty-seven years after the event, one of Redcliff’s residents would prefer to let sleeping dogs lie.]]> 295 Simon Michael Prior Chris 5 4.86 A Landslide, a Bride and a Fatal Ride: An English Seaside Small Town Cozy Mystery (Shiraz Jones Marine Rescue Mysteries Book 3)
author: Simon Michael Prior
name: Chris
average rating: 4.86
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2024/08/06
shelves:
review:
Oh how I am enjoying this series! I've read cosy mysteries for years, and these books are right there at the top. Shiraz and her pal Emily are still training to become marine rescuers, but this is not the focus of this book. A landslide uncovers a decades old mystery, and Shiraz just has to solve it. Add in a possible romantic partner or two, and you have a perfect recipe for an intriguing and exciting story, that kept me on the edge of my seat until the end. Looking forward to book four, and seeing if there are any romantic developments.
]]> <![CDATA[Tears of Jupiter: The Cosmos and the Camino]]> 63048623 314 Shima Shanti Chris 0 currently-reading 3.80 Tears of Jupiter: The Cosmos and the Camino
author: Shima Shanti
name: Chris
average rating: 3.80
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/02
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> El Maestro: Lady Goatherder 2 212190717 Life was good, and although often penniless, the couple filled their days with dogs, cats, goats and horses.
Then, suddenly, everything changed. Devastating, unbelievable news threatened to snatch away their happiness and transform their lives forever.]]> 226 Diane Elliott Chris 5 4.67 El Maestro: Lady Goatherder 2
author: Diane Elliott
name: Chris
average rating: 4.67
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2024/08/02
shelves:
review:
When Diane wrote book one, I saw so many fabulous reviews for it, and thought it really couldn't be that good. It was. Now, having read book two, I am in awe of Diane's ability to tell a story. She wrung the gamut of emotions through me. Anyone who keeps animals knows they are going to outlive them, and Diane sensitively and emotionally deals with their passing. There is human interest in the book too. The Maestro Antonio, the inimitable goatherder, plays a big part in this book, as he did in book one. But the "bit part" players are well-written too. I'm not going to give any spoilers, but believe me when I say you won't want to put it down until you get to the end, and then you'll want to read it again, and hope Diane is penning a third book. I really can't recommend this book highly enough. If I could give it more than five stars, I would.
]]> <![CDATA[The Island of Adventure (Adventure series #1)]]> 54662809 350 Enid Blyton Chris 5 4.48 1944 The Island of Adventure (Adventure series #1)
author: Enid Blyton
name: Chris
average rating: 4.48
book published: 1944
rating: 5
read at: 2024/07/31
date added: 2024/07/31
shelves:
review:
How delightful to find a new to me adventure after all these years. Loved it.
]]>