Reading/Books

The 91 Interesting Books I Read in 2022

How? How did I manage to read 91 books in one year. Well the biggest factor is that life changed a heap I guess. Between job searching here in Denmark and then Rex starting at nursery there was time for... Continue reading →

31 Inspiring Blog Prompts for January

I don’t know about you but some months, I think this is the month that I’m going to get this blogging thing back on track and then I get brain freeze and can’t think of anything to write about so,... Continue reading →

Book Review: The Post Office Shop by K.T. Dady

“Welcome to Pepper Bay. A small close-knit community where you’ll find chocolate box cottages, quaint shops, love, drama and a happily ever after” The Post Office Shop follows Tilly and Rory. Tilly is almost fifty, peri-menopausal, a widow and pretty... Continue reading →

Books I Read in June and July

Normally this would be just one month at a time but I realised that I haven’t done one for a while so you get two months in one go, here are the books I read in June and July. I’ve... Continue reading →

2022 in Books: The Forgotten Guide to Happiness by Sophie Jenkins

It is said not to judge a book by its cover. The Forgotten Guide to Happiness was one of those books that I did judge and picked it based on the front cover – how pretty is it? Sometimes happiness... Continue reading →

Twelve Months, Twelve Reads, Twelve Friends
22 Goals in 2022

I saw this over on Facebook so shared it and got some book recommendations from my friends. The idea is you have twelve months, and each month has a book so twelve reads and then twelve friends suggest them to... Continue reading →

Book Review: The Psychology of Time Travel by Kate Mascarenhas

In 2021, I set about challenging myself to read 40 books. Some were shorter quick reads that I read within a day or so, others were longer that took me a week or two to get through. Part of this... Continue reading →

November Goals – The Finish Line
Monthly Goals

It's a new month, so it's time to share my goals for the month. I'm hoping by putting them out there on the internet I will be held that bit more accountable! Continue reading →

November Goals – Check-in
Monthly Goals

It's a new month, so it's time to share my goals for the month. I'm hoping by putting them out there on the internet I will be held that bit more accountable! Continue reading →

Hello November (November Goals)
Monthly Goals

It's a new month, so it's time to share my goals for the month. I'm hoping by putting them out there on the internet I will be held that bit more accountable! Continue reading →

The Week Just Gone – Week 35

When I was away, I kept thinking about how I sum up what I've been up to in a week when it's been a quiet week or no big adventures. So here we go... Week 35 (30th Aug to 5th September) Continue reading →

Books Read in 2021

These are the books that I’ve read in 2021. You can see further information and reviews over on Goodreads. The Little Christmas House by Tracy Rees (Hopley Village #2) The Psychology of Time Travel by Kate Mascarenhas Real Men Knit... Continue reading →

Books: The Gift of Cockleberry Bay

One great thing about lockdown/isolation is that I’ve been able to read more. When I was offered an advanced reader copy of The Gift of Cockleberry Bay, I jumped at the chance. But with juggling homeschool, I read this back... Continue reading →

Books Read in 2019
This post includes affiliate links

We’re into December now but I might still add more to this list but here are the books I’ve read in 2019. Each title has a link to Amazon should you wish to buy it and a link to the... Continue reading →

Crazy Tidying!!

Back in 2015, I purchased The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying by Marie Kondo and started reading it. I think the saying thank you to my clothes was the thing that put me off at first although I was still excited... Continue reading →

Books Read in 2019

These are the books that I’ve read in 2019. You can see further information and reviews over on Goodreads. Christmas at the Little Knitting Box by Helen J. Rolfe (New York Ever After) The Christmas Cookie Club by Ann Pearlman... Continue reading →

Decluttering Your Mind… A Quick Thought…

Sometimes I just want to throw out a random thought or a few and see if anything comes back. At the moment, I’m reading The Bullet Journal Method by Ryder Carroll. I’ve just started the chapter “Decluttering Your Mind” and... Continue reading →

The Monthly Review: July

I stumbled across Belle’s review posts over on her blog by accident and decided to attempt to revive my own Monthly Review posts. This is July’s monthly review. You can see others here. At the end of each month, I write... Continue reading →

Books Read in 2018

These are the books that I’ve read in 2018. You can see further information and reviews over on Goodreads. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman Cold Feet, Hot Summer by Emma St. Clair Year of Yes: How to... Continue reading →

Currently… 5th June

This last week has been half term so there’s been no preschool and no church groups. There’s also been a Bank Holiday in the mix too. Here’s Currently for this week… Currently… Watching This week I watched the Grey’s Anatomy... Continue reading →

Currently…3rd October

The image below and the Currently prompts from RUKristin. Watching… I’m still working my way through Voyager. It’s often been on in the background while I’ve got on with other things. I’ve been watching Strictly Come Dancing although I’m not so excited... Continue reading →

Cover Reveal – Found by Elle Field

You know how some books finish and they make you want to throw the book across the room or snuggle down in bed and stay there until you can read the next one, that was kind of the end of... Continue reading →

Saving Bletchley Park 

When I was younger, my Dad would tell me about Bletchley Park and I think I would pretend to listen but really my brain was off elsewhere but the thing is I think something must have sunken in and got... Continue reading →

Currently…25th January 

This post was originally started using the Currently prompt from RUKristin. Have a good week! It’s the last Monday in January already!! Where did this month go? Already one twelfth through the year!  Currently…Watching I finished the Harry Potter series.... Continue reading →

Currently…18th January

This post was originally started using the Currently prompt from RUKristin. You can get all sorts of You can find that here. Have a good week! Currently… Watching The Post-Christmas Harry Potter revision continued this week with watching more of the films.... Continue reading →

Currently…14th September 2015

Currently… Watching Chris was out at a church event on Thursday so I spent the evening blogging and watching TV. I started with an episode of Criminal Minds (ones I’d figured out which ones I’d seen and which I hadn’t!).... Continue reading →

Book Review – His Endless Love

Another book I read while on holiday was His Endless Love by Samantha Sali. In comparison to the other two books that I read while on holiday this was very different (I read the rest of The Boatman by Jonathan... Continue reading →

Book Review: The Boatman by Jonathan Holt

A while back I was sent a copy of this book and to be honest at first I didn’t get into it at all. Crime fiction is normally one of my go to books but at the time I don’t... Continue reading →

Books: Lost by Elle Field

“I’m starting to realise that age is just a number, but Tabitha pointed out I’m only saying that because I’m twenty-five, engaged, and have my life together. (Touch wood things stay that way.)” Arielle is back! OK, she’s not on... Continue reading →

Let Your Blog Shine: Make a List of Your Favourite Books

Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis What would cause an eighteen-year-old old senior class president and homecoming queen from Nashville, Tennessee, to disobey and disappoint her parents by forgoing college, break her little brother’s heart, lose all but a handful... Continue reading →

Lost (Cover Reveal)

Pre-order here: Amazon UK | Amazon US There are a couple of book releases that are coming in the next few months that I am super excited about. I’m extra excited that I get to be part of the cover... Continue reading →

Currently…2nd November

Currently… image from rukristin Watching: Strictly Come Dancing Forever NCIS: Los Angeles NCIS Grey’s Anatomy Doctor Who (Both new series and old Matt Smith episodes) House University Challenge Criminal Minds Reading: Eleven Doctors, Eleven Stories. Yes I am a Whovian... Continue reading →

TAG, you’re it. Get to know me.

I was tagged by Elle in the “Get to know me” meme, so here it goes! Tell us 5 random facts about you: 1. I can play descant, treble, tenor, bass and sopranino recorder. I own one of each apart from... Continue reading →

April 21: Currently…

Currently… image from rukristin Watching: Fringe (Season 1) Rizzoli and Isles (Season 4) Reading: Rizzoli and Isles: The Apprentice by Tess Gerritsen (all finished) Coming Clean: A Memoir by Kimberley Rae Miller (author of thekimchallenge.com and read in less than... Continue reading →

AtoZ Challenge: I is for…Interests

I is for….Interests Originally I had planned a different post but between life generally taking over my week seemed to run away so technically I’m writing this on Sunday and then back dating it. So I decided to change it... Continue reading →

AtoZ Challenge: F is for…Films

F is for….FilmsThis weekend was a unexpected mass film weekend. On Sunday evening, Chris and I went to see Noah at the cinema then this evening we went to see Divergent. As you may have heard, Noah has had it’s... Continue reading →

March 4: Geli Voyante’s Hot or Not….(Kindle Offer)

Today’s actual post follows shortly but following an email I received today I had to spread the word. Back in September and again in October I wrote about my friend Elle and her fabulous second book “Geli Voyante’s Hot or... Continue reading →

New Years Eve – 5am ish

It’s unusual that people see this early on NYE. Normally they are expecting to stay up late and see the following morning in. Well why am I up, well a combination of things, it’s either the cold making me breathe... Continue reading →

December 2 – This Weekend I…

Joining with Sar from [Life of Love] and Syndal from Synfully Delicious.  This Weekend I… went over to Interchange with my Mum. The Range opened a new store in Bedford so we went for an explore after some of our... Continue reading →

geli voyante’s hot or not

I am so excited to be able to host Elle on her book tour for the release of her second book Geli Voyante’s Hot or Not. I have been able to 1. How long have you been writing? Ever since... Continue reading →

geli voyante’s hot or not list

  My beautiful friend Elle is about to release her second book and I’m so excited and blessed to have been asked by her to join in the cover launch today. Having read Kept back in April when it was... Continue reading →

friday questions #8

I’m going to do my best to get Friday Questions going again on a regular basis. If you join in leave your link in a comment or send me a tweet – I’m @girltaristhan on Twitter. 1. What book are... Continue reading →

what i’ve been doing…..

This week is pretty much about being at home and spending as little money as possible while I’m not really earning it. Then again tomorrow it’s Alpha and we’re serving dinner and at some crazy point last week I got... Continue reading →

books: kept by elle field

A while back I made friends with someone called @ellefie on Twitter. We’d chat about anything and everything – usually books as we’re both massive book worms (just look at our Goodreads pages for that!!) One of the conversations we... Continue reading →

bible…

Continue reading →

friday questions #5

1. What book are you currently reading? I’m trying to finish Dracula by Bram Stoker for Book Club next is Three Men in A Boat by Jerome K. Jerome. 2. Who did you hug today? Chris – he’s so huggable!... Continue reading →

twentysix: what i did today

The crazy weather was set to continue this weekend. The weather was warning that we were going to have rain and snow last night but instead it was a bit of rain and sleet. According to my phone we had... Continue reading →

seventeen: onehundredwords #73

You can get more information and join in here. The prompt for this week is …the notes from the piano…. I felt the warmth of the sun across my face through the window. Lying in the middle of the floor... Continue reading →

ten: epic review

  I’m sure this is the kind of post that you’d write at the end of the year but it’s taken me this long to get my head around blogging again given how unproductive December was! Favourite Songs (in no... Continue reading →

eight: onehundredwords #72

I haven’t taken part in 100 Words since about August (I had to look at my old posts to work it out!). I’ve decided that with 2013 – I’m going to try and join in some more. You can get... Continue reading →

three: review – december

Books About Falling In Love by Yaritza Garcia Bah, Humbug! A Romantic Comedy Novella by Heather Horrocks The Girl in the Converse Shoes by Yaritza Garcia City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments) by Cassandra Clare You Had Me At Hello... Continue reading →

364: Resolutions and Goals

Each year people make resolutions. They decide to quit smoking, to stop biting their nails, to drink less alcohol (usually while under the influence of a NYE hangover) or they decide to loose those stubborn ten pounds that won’t go... Continue reading →

284: #WednesdayWonderings

We live in a world where we have a bunch of information at our fingertips – we unlock our phones and Google to our hearts content, but what about all those random questions, why was I looking and what did... Continue reading →

263: Guest Post: Desert Island *Books*

Sometimes an idea starts one way and transforms into something else and this is that idea. I asked Sally-Jayne via Twitter “Which five books would you take with you to a desert island”, I don’t listen to BBC Radio 4... Continue reading →

242: The Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge

On Saturday I couldn’t go to Bedford Park Run as Chris had the car and I hadn’t woken up in time to walk there (or catch the bus via town). I caught up with blog reading and found this on... Continue reading →

098: Review: March

March Books Read Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris (Sookie Stackhouse Book 1) Heat Wave by Richard Castle Interrupted by Rachel Coker The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club by Wanda E. Brunstetter Films Watched The Hunger Games Month in Bullets My blog... Continue reading →

077: Book Review: Interrupted by Rachel Coker

4 out of 5 In fifteen-year-old author Rachel Coker’s young adult debut, young Allie Everly’s life is changed forever by the illness and death of her beloved mother and subsequent adoption by an older woman in Maine. Bitter and feeling... Continue reading →

075: Book Review: The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club by Wanda E. Brunsetter

4 out of 5 Amish widow Emma Yoder’s first quilt class brings the most unlikely people together. There’s Star, a young woman yearning for stability; Pam and Stuart Johnston, a struggling couple at odds in their marriage; Paul Ramirez, a... Continue reading →

054: I Love Lists Thursday

  Last week my new toy arrived. I’m on my second book so far and so this week we have two lists – first the books I have read on my sparkly new Kindle followed by my wishlist. Lots of... Continue reading →

011: The Fault *Not* in Our Stars

I would class myself as a Nerdfighter – if you don’t know what a Nerdfighter is please look here. So John Green who is one half of VlogBrothers is an author. He writes Young Adult (YA) books which are probably... Continue reading →

The Friday Read: No 20

The Book You Plan To Read Next There is a whole pile of books that I plan to read next – whether I’ll actually manage to read them is a whole other thing. The Lord of The Rings by J.R.R.... Continue reading →

The Friday Read: No 19

A Book You Wish You’d Written/Genre You Wish You Could Write in Ultimately I kind of wish that I could write a story that someone would want to pick up and read. I completed NaNoWriMo last year and keep meaning... Continue reading →

The Friday Read: No 18

Your favourite biography/autobiography I am sure there are more that have made me laugh to the point of nearly falling out of bed but the ones I remember are Billy and Brave Mouth by Pamela Stephenson (both also made me... Continue reading →

The Friday Read: No 17

A Book You Have Started But Never Finished Oh I am pretty sure that there are many of those. Here are just a few: Labyrinth by Kate Mosse Dawn of Avalon by Anna Elliott Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen... Continue reading →

The Friday Read: No 16

A book you are embarrassed about liking I don’t think there are any lol. I guess to some people it would be embarrassing that I like the Twilight Series. It would also be embarrassing to others that I’m 25 and... Continue reading →

The Friday Read: No 15

What makes you pick up a book of the shelf / borrow or buy a book? I would think that the cover does play a huge part in it but then again I’ve stood in the second hand/rare book store... Continue reading →

The Friday Read: No 14

Your Favourite Supporting Character in a Novel. Neville Longbottom in Harry Potter – he spends the whole series just being in the background and popping up here and there but then then in the last few chapters or so of... Continue reading →

The Friday Read: No 13

Your Favourite Travel Book I don’t actually know lol. I tend to get a new travel guide each time I go to another city. I have a Paris on by Moleskine which is more of a notebook with maps and... Continue reading →

The Friday Read: No 12

A Book You Think It Should Be Compulsory For Everyone To Read This is a tough one because something I like isn’t necessarily every one else’s cup of tea. So I would suggest The Diary of A Young Girl by... Continue reading →

The Friday Read: No 11

A Book You’ve Been Told You Should Read But Never Will I love reading – I’ll try anything once so within reason I’d read anything once. I guess there are books out there that I refuse point blankly to read... Continue reading →

The Friday Read: No 10

Your Favourite Classic I’m not sure I really have one to be honest. I keep trying to read Austen as if it would make me brainier or something lol. Then again Austen is the 1700/1800s answer to the modern day... Continue reading →

The Friday Read: No 9

Books I Am Currently Reading This is seriously a bad question. At present I have the following in progress: For Women Only by Shaunti Feldhahn (Chris suggested it after one of the talks at Grapevine this year), My Life in... Continue reading →

The Friday Read: No 8

Your Favourite Non-Fiction Book I’m going to say that The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom is my favourite non-fiction book – it’s not a happy story in what happens but at the same time it’s inspiring and somehow that... Continue reading →

The Friday Read: No 7

Your Favourite Fictional Hero In my eyes the person I am going to pick isn’t fictional – she’s actually non-fictional but there are atheists out there who would disagree with me and would say that she is fictional and that... Continue reading →

The Friday Read: No 6

Your Favourite Genre of Books I don’t think I have a favourite one. I read alot of Crime/Mystery and Fantasy books so I guess those two would become my favourites. I think the main reason I like the Crime/Mystery ones... Continue reading →

The Friday Read: No 5

The Last Book You Read I am the worst person for reading 2 or 3 books at once – I think the most I got to was 4 and then decided it was taking the mickey so I needed to... Continue reading →

The Friday Read: No 4

The Book You Have Re-Read The Most Often Okay so here I’m going to quote a film and it’s because it always springs to mind whenever someone asks me about re-reading the same book. (Then again I couldn’t decide which... Continue reading →

The Friday Read: No 3

Your Favourite Book From Childhood I briefly touched on my favourite childhood books last week when I was talking about The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. I was trying to think if there were any particular books I remember... Continue reading →

The Friday Read: No 2

The Most Inspiring Book You’ve Ever Read I would say that one of the most inspiring books I’ve read is The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. I’m pretty sure that I’ve written about the book in the past either... Continue reading →

Books Read in 2011

These are the books that I’ve read in 2011. You can see further information and reviews over on Goodreads. (I’m sure I read other things in 2011 but I was still getting the hang of tracking my reading on Goodreads... Continue reading →

Books: An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

I started this post but then I had to reboot my phone and it got wiped – I have no idea why as it was saved. Anyhoo… So John Green is a writer from America – hence my reasoning that... Continue reading →

Guest Post 7: 3 Things to Know About Jane Austen

I love Jane Austen. The BBC Adaptation of Pride and Prejudice is one of my favourites (it’s much better than the film version for sure!). I found this post on Caitlin’s Blog – I spoke to her nicely and she... Continue reading →

Book Worm… I am!

As most of my friends know I love reading! Can’t get enough of it! I love reading all sorts of books – obviosuly I have my favourites but I read anything. I found this website called LibraryThing. It’s where you... Continue reading →

The Friday Night Knitting Club

I bought this book from a well-known supermarket about a week or so ago. At the speed I read books, I don’t like to spend too much on books that I’ll finish in a couple of days. I started reading... Continue reading →

Reading Blogs – Follow the Trail

Ok so I love reading blogs. I blame it on the fact that my Mum is so nosey and so it must be hereditary. I love following the trail to read new blogs. This trail goes like this, pick a... Continue reading →