TAG - How I Read My Books

The fabulous Luke Harkness tagged me in this post a little while back, and I was excited to join in! Make sure you check out Luke’s post over at LukeHarkness.com.

DO YOU HAVE A CERTAIN PLACE AT HOME FOR READING?

No. I usually read in the living room on the sofa, or in bed, but I’m not particular about a certain place.

CAN YOU JUST STOP READING OR DO YOU HAVE TO STOP AFTER A CHAPTER/A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PAGES?

I much prefer to stop at the end of a chapter, which is why I love short chapters. But I have been known to fall asleep halfway through a chapter, and have to pick up where I left off the next day.

BOOKMARK OR RANDOM PIECE OF PAPER?

I have a fab bookmark collection, but I’m also lazy so if I don’;t have. Bookmark to hand, I grab the nearest thing to me! I’ve used receipts, clothes tags, sweet wrappers etc. I do love a good bookmark though.

MULTITASKING: MUSIC OR TV WHILE READING?

Not at all. Well if someone else is watching the TV or has music on it doesn’t bother me, my husband sometimes plays his Xbox while I read. But I couldn’t do both.

DO YOU EAT OR DRINK WHILE READING?

Almost always have a drink with me while reading, usually tea or coffee. I sometimes snack while reading, but mostly just have a drink.

READING AT HOME OR EVERYWHERE?

Anywhere really. I love taking a book out with me places, I always have one when I have hospital appointments etc. I always take one to the diabetic clinic with me and realise after I get my eye drops in that I can’t read a thing, so end up just holding it!

ONE BOOK AT A TIME OR SEVERAL AT ONCE?

 I used to be a one at a time girl, but since joining Bookstagram and my Book Group, I always have at least 2 on the go. Right now I am reading 2.

READING OUT LOUD OR SILENTLY IN YOUR HEAD?

Silently. If I read out loud I get muddled up and say words wrong lol.

DO YOU READ AHEAD OR EVEN SKIP PAGES?

NO! But I have been known to let me eyes wander down the page when something exciting is going on and spoil things for myself.

BREAKING THE SPINE OR KEEPING IT LIKE NEW?

Like new if I can, which is why I prefer hardbacks sometimes. They’re easier to keep looking new. But I do think that a fully broken spine is the sign of a well read book. Like my daughters Harry Potter and The Philosophers Stone book, she read it to death!

DO YOU WRITE IN YOUR BOOKS?

No. Well, the only ones I have written in are cookbooks, and that’s to work out the sugars and calories in half recipes etc. I don’t like writing in my other books.

Thanks for looking at my post, and thanks so much to Luke for tagging me! Make sure you check out Lukes post on his blog. Also follow him on Twitter and Instagram! 

Blog: LukeHarkness.com

Twitter: @luke_harkness

Instagram: @luke_harkness

A Girl Made of Air by Nydia Hetherington

This is the story of The Greatest Funambulist Who Ever Lived..

Born into a post-war circus family, our nameless star was unwanted and forgotten, abandoned in the shadows of the big top. Until the bright light of Serendipity Wilson threw her into focus.

Now an adult, haunted by an incident in which a child was lost from the circus, our narrator, a tightrope artiste, weaves together her spellbinding tales of circus legends, earthy magic and folklore, all in the hope of finding the child... But will her story be enough to bring the pair together again?

Beautiful and intoxicating, A Girl Made of Air brings the circus to life in all of its grime and glory; Marina, Manu, Serendipity Wilson, Fausto, Big Gen and Mouse will live long in the hearts of readers. As will this story of loss and reconciliation, of storytelling and truth.

I’d bought this book back in January and just haven’t had time to read it. I’m so glad I got round to it. I’d recently read Circus of Wonders by Elizabeth MacNeal so was quite looking forward to reading another circus style book. How different the two books are! A Girl Made of Air is so good, its lovely, heartwarming, sad, heartbreaking, uplifting and magical all at the same time. 

Mouse is a child, thrown into such a strange life where she isn’t wanted and pushed aside. Her parents are close by but don’t have anything to do with her. Serendipity Wilson comes along and everything changes for Mouse. She has someone who loves her, someone who looks after her, they live together in Serendipity’s tent. I loved how the author always made Mouse use Serendipity Wilson’s full name, there was something very old worldly about it. 

I loved the way Mouse describes the circus world, the way she sees things from under the caravans when she’s hiding away watching the world. She sneaky, and knows exactly where to go and how to stay away from people. The love she brings when she talks about being on the wire, you can tell it makes her feel special and gives her joy. And the way she talks about Serendipity Wilson, she is very specia to her and you feel it through the pages. 

I liked the adult mouse talking to the reporter, giving her views of what happened back whe she was a child, talking about the missing child and her time trying to find her. I loved the house with the rollercoaster on top, the thought of something so fun like that was great. 

But there was also great sadness in the book, there were a few times I welled up a little, Nydias descriptive and heartfelt writing of these moments were so well written it dug deep down and made you feel it so much. 

I loved this book, a huge 5 stars from me. I’m hoping Nadia writes more and I would definitely read any more of her books. 

Dial A For Aunties by Jesse Sutanto

ARE YOU...DEAD?'

OH MY GOD. I THINK HE IS.

When Meddy Chan accidentally kills her blind date, she turns to her aunties for help. Their meddling set her up on the date so they kind of owe her.

WELL, THAT DIDN'T QUITE GO TO PLAN.

Although hiding this goddamn dead body is going to be harder than they thought especially when her family's wedding business has THE biggest wedding of the year happening right now.

IT'S PRETTY BAD TIMING REALLY.

It turns out the wedding venue just happens to be managed by Meddy's ex, aka the one who got away. It's the worst time to see him again, or...is it? Can Meddy finally find love and make her overbearing family happy?

I received a proof copy of this book from the publisher, thanks ever so much!

I read this over 2 day, I drank it in and it was just what I needed. Sitting in the sunshine reading a book that had me giggling out loud to myself. This book is so funny, it’s so crazy that its brilliant. I really really loved it, and wait until you meet he Aunties, they are brilliant. 

There are 4 Aunties: Ma (Meddy’s mum), Big Aunt, Second Aunt and Fourth Aunt. I love them so much. I can just imagine them, I had visions of them all in my head as I was reading. They seem so much fun. I think Jesse wrote these characters perfectly and I wouldn’t change a a thing about them. Their relationship is so strange, they love each other but are always in contest with each other too. 

Meddy is the main character, and we know from the blurb that she accidentally kills her date (you’ll see what happens when you read it, I say when because I know you’re going to). The craziness of what ensues afterwards had me both laughing at the absurdity of it all, whilst also sitting on the edge of my seat wondering when they were going to get caught! There is an absolute hilarious moment with text messages and emojis, and it made me giggle so much, its so real.

Please read this book, you will love it, and it will make you laugh. I would definitely read sequels to this about the aunts as they were by far all my favourite characters. 

Don’t Let Him In by Howard Linskey

Eriston is a small town.

It's the kind of place where everyone knows your name - and your secrets.

Rebecca hasn't been back in years, but she grew up in the shadow of the dark local legend. There have always been deaths in Eriston - more than can easily be explained. People dying in their houses, behind locked doors.

Her father Sean had always warned her of the dangers. Don't let him in.

When Rebecca returns, she discovers that her father wasn't willing to let the legend lie. He was on the verge of uncovering the town's darkest truth.

He thought he was on the trail of a killer.

Sean knew too much. Now he's dead.

Rebecca could accept her father's death.

Or she could risk her life by carrying on his work . . .

I received a copy of this book from the publisher Penguin Michael Joseph in return for an honest review.

I got right into this book. I loved the fact that it’s set up North near my home town of Newcastle, and it mentions loads of places I know. It’s actually set in the fictional (I think) town of Ericsson, just outside of Newcastle on the coast. 

Rebecca’s dad dies, and she returns home to sort out his funeral etc. But gets more than she bargained for when she finds what he’s been up to. 

I really enjoyed this. It grabs your attention and makes you wonder who the killer is. There are a few choices and I didn’t guess correctly. I liked the way the book moves between the story and letters from the killer to Rebecca, that put an interesting spin on it. The book also stays in the present with no chapters moving to the past. I did like the little nods back to when Rebecca was younger though.

I would definitely recommend this book, and I would read more of the authors work. A good thriller, fast paced and gripping.

Thanks again to Penguin Michael Joseph for my e-arc.

WWW Wednesday 19.5.21

It’s been a few weeks since I’ve done a WWW Wednesday post, so this one will be for the last 3 Wednesdays!

WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Taking on a World of Worlds and asks 3 questions:

What are you currently reading? What have you recently finished? What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading? 

I’m reading 2 book at the minute. Our book group are reading Lace this month by Shirley Conrad, and so far we have read 3 parts (we split it into 5 this time as it’s so big), and it’s causing quite a stir. Lots of controversial topics and we are having good discussions about it. I’m also reading Heidi Swains Summer at Skylark Farm and loving it.  She is getting to be my new favourite author.

What have you recently finished?

Since this is for the last few weeks, I have finished 4 books. I read The Perfect Lie by Jo Spain, The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave, The Murderess by Ivan Jenson and Don’t let Him in by Howard Linskey. The first 3 were blog tour books.

What do you think you’ll read next?

I think next I will move onto The Twenty Seven Cub by Lucy Nichol which is a Netgalley read, and Famished by Anna Vaught which is a collection of short stories.

Thanks for stopping by, sorry it’s been so long!! Until next time :)

Summer Reading Challenges

 This year I’m taking part in a lot of challenges , 21 in 2021 x 2, 12 friends 12 books, A-Z 2021. But I’ve decided to add 2 more into the mix! I was pointed towards these on Twitter and they look fab. See below for details and where to find them, and how to join in of course! I’m crossing them over a little and adding some of the Netgalley ones to the Books of Summer challenge, kill two birds with one stone!

20 Books of Summer

hosted by Cathy Brown over at https://746books.com/

You can find her on Twitter at @cathy746book and Instagram at @cathy_746books

The rules are simple, read and share! There are photo logos for 10/15/20 books of summer. The challenge runs from 1st June to 31st September.

Check it all out and sign up here:

https://746books.com/2021/05/08/20-books-of-summer-21-share-your-sign-up-posts/

Here is my 20 books of Summer list!

☀ Victoria Park by Gemma Reeves

☀ Big Girl Small Town by Michelle Gallen

☀To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

☀ Because Of You by Dawn French

☀ The Push by Ashley Audrain

☀Ghosts by Dolly Alderton

☀ Mince Pies and Mistletoe at the Christmas Market by Heidi Swain

☀ The Girl Who Reads on the Metro by Christine Feret-Fleury

☀ The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin

☀ The Island Home by Libby Page

☀ Dog Days by Ericka Waller

☀ A Girl Made of Air by Nydia Hetherington

☀ The Young Team by Graeme Armstrong

☀ The Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Rofley

☀ The End of Men by Christina Sweeney-Baird

☀ Hostage by Clare Mackintosh

☀ The Puppet Show by M.W Craven

☀ Meet Me In Another Life by Catriona Silvey

☀ The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain

☀ Songs in Ursa Major by Emma Brodie

2021 Summer Netgalley Challenge 

hosted by Bookstacks and Golden Moms over at https://bookstacksngoldenmoms.com/

Find them on Twitter at @BookstacksMoms and Instagram at @bookstacksngoldenmoms

The goal is to get through as much of your Netgalley shelf as you can, and lower that ratio!! The challenge runs from June 1st - Aug 31st. Check out the post here:

https://bookstacksngoldenmoms.com/summer-netgalley-challenge/

And remember to use the hashtag #bookstacksnetgalleysummer21 

Here is my 2021 Summer Netgalley Challenge list!

☀ The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood

☀ The Long Long Afternoon by Inga Vesper

☀ The Absolute Book by Elizabeth Knox

☀ Dog Days by Ericka Waller

☀ The Jigsaw Man by Nadine Matheson

☀ The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain

☀ The End of Men by Christina Sweeney-Baird

☀ The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Davila Harris

☀ The Last Goodbye by Fiona Lucas

☀ Lie Beside Me by Gytha Lodge

☀ The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr

☀ The Spiral by Iain Ryan

☀ Tall Bones by Anna Bailey

☀ Where We Belong by Anstey Harris

☀ Madam by Phoebe Wynne

☀ Dear Child by only Hausmann

☀ The Thing Place by C.D. Major

☀ Ruthless Women by Melanie Blake

☀ The Wild Girls by Phoebe Morgan

☀ The Coffin Makers Garden by Stuart Macbride

☀ Meet Me in Another Life by Catriona Silvey

☀ Hostage by Clare Mackintosh 

☀ Five Strangers by E.V. Adamson

☀ The Blood Divide by A.A Dhan

☀ The Pasenger by Daniel Hurst

☀ Songs in Ursa Major by Emma Brodie

☀ The Island Home by Libby Page

☀ Unbreak Your Heart by Kate Marsh

☀ Goodnight Mr Tom by Michelle Magorian

☀ This Fragile Earth by Susannah Wise

WWW Wednesday 28.4.21

 

Hi again and thanks for coming back to look at this weeks WWW Wednesday. This is a meme hosted by Taking on a World of Worlds, and asks 3 questions: What are you currently reading? What have you recently finished? and what do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading? 

I have 3 books on the go right now. our Tsudoku Squad May read of Lace by Shirley Conrad. We started this a week early with there being 3 Saturdays this month, as Lace is huge! I’m also reading The Perfect Lie but Jo Spain for a blog tour next month, and I still have A Del of a Life on my bedside table too.

What have your recently finished reading? 

I only finished one book this past week which was Heidi Swains The Cherry Tree Cafe. An absolutely birlliant book which made me go and buy the next 2!

What do you think you’ll read next?

Next I think I may move onto Heidi Swains second book, Summer At Skylark Farm.

I’m not reading much right now so I’m hoping to get back into it this week.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope I’ve inspired some new reads for you!

Circus of Wonders by Elizabeth Macneal

1866. In a coastal village in southern England, Nell picks violets for a living. Set apart by her community because of the birthmarks that speckle her skin, Nell's world is her beloved brother and devotion to the sea.

But when Jasper Jupiter's Circus of Wonders arrives in the village, Nell is kidnapped. Her father has sold her, promising Jasper Jupiter his very own leopard girl. It is the greatest betrayal of Nell's life, but as her fame grows, and she finds friendship with the other performers and Jasper's gentle brother Toby, she begins to wonder if joining the show is the best thing that has ever happened to her.

In London, newspapers describe Nell as the eighth wonder of the world. Figurines are cast in her image, and crowds rush to watch her soar through the air. But who gets to tell Nell's story? What happens when her fame threatens to eclipse that of the showman who bought her? And as she falls in love with Toby, can he detach himself from his past and the terrible secret that binds him to his brother?

Moving from the pleasure gardens of Victorian London to the battle-scarred plains of the Crimea, Circus of Wonders is an astonishing story about power and ownership, fame and the threat of invisibility.

I received a copy of this from the publisher Pan Macmillan, and Netgalley in return for an honest review.

We read this as our Tsundoku Squad Books group April book, and we changed it up a little this month. Instead of splitting it into 4 parts and chatting each week, we decided to split it into 2 parts and chat every 2 weeks. To check out Em’s collective group review and her thoughts click this link https://emandherbooks.com/2021/04/25/circus-of-wonders-elizabeth-macneal-spoilers/

I loved this book, like really loved it. I love stories about the Circus (I wouldn’t go to an animal circus and have never been to one), and was pulled into the dreaminess and magic of it all.

The book is 2 different stories, one is sadness and the shame felt of being different, the sadness of being unseen and seen at the same time, then there’s the magic, love and friendship of the Circus and the performers. Nell grew up knowing she was different, and covered herself in long dresses so no one could see the birthmarks. But when her father sells her to a circus to be one of Jaspers ‘freaks’, everyone sees her. 

I loved Nell. Such a loving girl who wanted nothing more than to be seen as normal. I loved how at home she seemed amongst the others in the Circus, how she cared for them. And her love for Toby was so true. I didn’t like Jasper, he was an arse. But it made for a good baddie if that makes sense. The way he treats the performers as if they’re his pets, something he controls and owns was horrible. Yet in a way you feel for him deep down, you get a kind fo understanding of what went on back when he was in the war, and he turned out the way he did.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and if you like stories of the circus then this is definitely for you. I’d love to see a sequel and see where it goes!

Thank you again to Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for my advanced copy, no as always the author, Elizabeth Macneal.

First Line Friday 5.3.21

 

Hey!

First Line Friday to a day, which is a meme hosted by Hoarding Books. You post the first line (or lines if you mus haha), from your current read, or the nearest book to you right now. Here’s mine this week, it’s from Bright Burning Things by Lisa Harding.

There she is, lethal and irresistible, my high-kicking side kick, and there goes that minx of a song, ‘Impossibly Beautiful’, and there is  the sky so high and the light so bright and the sand warm velvet beneath the soles of my bare feet, and here comes the rush, an intense feeling of connection with all that is right and good with this world: my son’s sticky hand in mine as he stares at the sky, my dog trotting alongside, his black coat glinting in the sunlight.

March ARC Madness

 It’s March!! Already! I feel like February flew over. 

This month I am going to try to read only ARCs and proofs, as I have a huge backlog of them and I’m starting to get book guilt leaving them all there. So I’ve made a template for myself and I’m going to tick them all off as I read. Hopefully I will get through a few of them and will improve my netgalley ratio, and my guilt haha!

I wonder how many I can get through? 

Let’s see in 31 days time eh?!

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie

'Beware! Peril to the detective who says: "It is so small - it does not matter..." Everything matters.' After the Great War, life can never be the same again. Wounds need healing, and the horror of violent death banished into memory. Captain Arthur Hastings is invited to the rolling country estate of Styles to recuperate from injuries sustained at the Front. It is the last place he expects to encounter murder. Fortunately he knows a former detective, a Belgian refugee, who has grown bored of retirement …

This is my first ever Agatha novel, and I decided to go with Poirot over Miss Marple as I heard so many good things from my books friends about these books. Well they were right (as always), I really enjoyed this one, I took a litle while to get into at first but once I did, I was quite happy.

Poirot is a funny little man, and I loved the way he always said he knew what was going on, or who the culprit was etc, then wandered away or just stopped talking. He kept me guessing from start to finish, I often backtracked on who I thought done it, and then changed my mind again haha. 

The narrator Mr Hastings was good, seemed very eager to be of assistance to Poirot, and got equally frustrated and excited around him.

I’m definitely going to read the next Poirot and if I enjoy that one too I will carry on with the series. 

Meet Me in Hawaii by Georgia Toffolo

Where an ocean of love awaits

Malie Pukui doesn’t believe in happy ever after. After a tragedy caused her to flee her family and friends in Devon she found a fresh start in Hawaii. Here, working at a surf school, she can give back to those in need and try to overcome the greatest loss in her life.

Moved around foster homes throughout his childhood, Todd Masters has worked hard to be able to offer a brighter future to young disadvantaged children. Now he has his own charitable foundation working with a surf school in Hawaii, a job he loves, but he still can’t put his past behind him.

When Malie rescues Todd from the sea a spark ignites between them, and the two wounded souls find a common ground. But amidst the surf, sunsets and sizzling kisses, can Malie let go of her past and risk something she’d locked away forever… her heart?

I received a copy of this from the publisher Mills and Boon and Netgalley in return for an honest review.

I was very excited to get an e-arc of this one as I loved Georgia’s first book Meet Me In London. Meet Me In Hawaii was just as good. It’s set where Meet Me In London ends, but carries on with Malie, who was a best friend to Victoria, the main character in the first book. 

I liked Malie, I loved her lifestyle. How nice would it be to wake up and wander down to the sea, practise your favourite thing; surfing, then spend the rest oft he day teaching this to others. The descriptions of the surroundings were so lovely, and it made me feel all warm and sunny reading this.

I think I liked Tod better than I liked the guy in the first book (Oliver), he seems sweet. He’s kind and cares about the kids he works with. I also quite liked Malie’s godfather, and could picture him perfectly. 

The story kind of reminded me of the first one, girl meets rich boy and falls in love, but what’s wrong with that! We all need a lovely easy bit of romance don’t we.

It does mention spoilers from the first book so make sure you have read that one before picking this one up. I hope because of the way it was written about another of the friends, that Georgia carries this on and writes each of the next ones about each of the other 2 friends. 

Thank you to Mills and Boon, Netgalley, and as always, the author Georgia Toffolo.

January Book Wrap Up

 Hey

Today is January 31st so we’ve made it another month! Hope everyone is well and have been doing lot of reading! This month I have read 12 books! I know, that’s the most I’ve read in a month in ages!!! One of them was an online short story but it was on Goodreads so it counts haha.

5 stars - 7

4 stars - 3

3 stars - 1

2 stars - 1

The Captive By Deborah O’Connor ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Can We Talk About Consent by Justin Hancock ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Fake by Roz Kay ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

As Good As It Gets by Romesh Ranganathan ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Our Little Cruelties by Liz Nugent ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

The Last Thing To Burn by Will Dean ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Just Ignore Him by Alan Davies ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

The Englishman (short online story) by Douglas Stuart ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Love at the northern Lights (Tsundoku Book Group read) ⭐ ⭐

Effie’s House by Raven McAllan ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Meet Me In Hawaii by Georgia Toffolo ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Had you read any of my January reads? What did you think of them? Let me know.