The Willoughby Book Club #4

Hello!

Yesterday my fourth Willoughby Book Club arrived and this is the first one of the year’s subscription I paid for in the wonderful Black Friday deal.

I really need to get reading my Willoughby Book Club books so I think I will aim to read one a month so they don’t just sit there on the ever increasing TBR pile.

So here is my January book

Nina Cattermole had an unusual death: head-butted by a horse as she protested against the local Devon hunt. The official verdict? It was a freak accident. But when another hunt saboteur is found dead in a ditch on the day of Nina’s funeral, local DC Den Cooper is sent to investigate. It soon becomes clear that this is not another accident. Charlie Gratton has been trampled to death by a horse, the blows struck with such precision that they could only have been delivered by an animal under the control of an experienced rider. It seems that Charlie, a practising Quaker, has been murdered. As Den tries to solve the case he finds himself drawn in to an insular Quaker community and a village divided by loyalties and past misdeeds….

Another author I have not come across but the book does look exciting.

I still have a subscription code that will give you 10% off if anybody is interested. The link is here. The code expires on the 25th February 2021.

I am so excited to have a new mystery book each month for 2021 and I can tell it will be a nice surprise especially during lockdown.

Happy reading.

Friday Poetry: Charlotte Bronte

Hello and Happy Friday!

I hope everyone is well and getting to read lots of good books.

My chosen poem this week is by one of my favourite authors Charlotte Bronte.

Life

Life, believe, is not a dream
So dark as sages say;
Oft a little morning rain
Foretells a pleasant day.
Sometimes there are clouds of gloom,
But these are transient all;
If the shower will make the roses bloom,
O why lament its fall?
Rapidly, merrily, 
Life's sunny hours flit by,
Gratefully, cheerily
Enjoy them as they fly!
What though Death at times steps in,
And calls our Best away?
What though sorrow seems to win,
O'er hope, a heavy sway?
Yet Hope again elastic springs,
Unconquered, though she fell;
Still buoyant are her golden wings,
Still strong to bear us well.
Manfully, fearlessly,
The day of trial bear,
For gloriously, victoriously,
Can courage quell despair!

Charlotte Bronte

Happy Reading

This and That Thursday

Hello!

Welcome to the first This and That Thursday of 2021.

I will be honest as we are back in Lockdown yet again I am doing the same old things but I have had some highlights.

Before Lockdown I popped over to see my cousin and dropped off his Christmas presents. I obviously did not go in but thankfully the two dogs came out of the house to see me and I had lots of fuss off Daphne the Shar Pei and Daisy the Westie.

Christmas Decorations

The Christmas decorations were all taken down this week as well which I never enjoy. I always leave it for as long as possible before I take the decorations down as I always find it so depressing and the house always looks so bare once they are down.

Exercise

This week has involved lots of nice walks and I have been getting back into my exercise by doing lots of cycling on the exercise bike and strength workouts. It has been nice to get back into fitness but I must admit I am finding it harder to get back into the healthy eating after Christmas and New Year.

Studying

Today I have spent nearly all day researching and writing an assignment. There is nothing more frustrating than trying to find a reference that you know exists but you can’t find it! An hour later I found the reference and managed to write a bit more of the essay.

Nintendo Switch

For Christmas my husband got me the game 51 Worldwide Games. This has been great because it has meant we have lots of games we can play together. I must admit I am a little bit obsessed with the fishing game and the darts. My old headmaster would be proud of my new found darts skills as during a school summer fair he tried to teach me how to play darts but I made more holes in the school gym wall than the darts board.

Piano and Ukulele

I have just started looking at the new Grade 6 piano syllabus and have chosen some pieces to learn and I must admit so far I am really enjoying the new challenge. I’ve been practicing the ukulele again and I am determined that 2021 will include some ukulele exams.

So there is my week so far. I hope everyone is having a good week so far.

Happy Reading.

Mid Week Quote: James Herriot

Hello!

I hope everyone is doing well. We are in Lockdown number 3 so I thought today’s quote would be one attached to a cute picture of our cat Lyra. Lyra has taken to squeezing between my husband and myself on the sofa and finds this her absolute favourite spot at the moment so I have gone for a related quote.

Cats are connoisseurs of comfort.
James Herriot

Happy reading and stay safe.

A New Reading Challenge

Hello!

I have decided to give myself a new reading challenge for 2021 and because it is not one that dictates what books I should read I believe it is a very likely challenge that I could complete in a year.

So what is the challenge I hear you ask?

Well my challenge is to read my height in books. I am 5 foot 7 inches so it is rather a big challenge but I also have some very big books I have to read on my TBR pile so hopefully I will manage it.

When I do my monthly wrap up I will also update on the height of the books and the total so far. I really hope I manage this challenge as I am quite excited about it.

Please let me know if you are doing the same challenge or another weird and wacky challenge.

Happy Reading

Goodreads Monday: 4/01/2021

Goodreads Monday is hosted by Lauren’s Page Turners. All you have to do is show off a book from your TBR that you’re looking forward to reading.

Hello!

Time for my first Goodreads Monday of 2021. First, I will be honest my TBR pile is huge so it is always a tricky decision which book to choose. I’ve seen some fab reviews of my chosen book so I definitely plan on reading it this year.

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

At a gala party thrown by her parents, Evelyn Hardcastle will be killed–again. She’s been murdered hundreds of times, and each day, Aiden Bishop is too late to save her. Doomed to repeat the same day over and over, Aiden’s only escape is to solve Evelyn Hardcastle’s murder and conquer the shadows of an enemy he struggles to even comprehend–but nothing and no one are quite what they seem.

Deeply atmospheric and ingeniously plotted, The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a highly original debut that will appeal to fans of Kate Atkinson and Agatha Christie.

Also titled as The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle.

Now I will be honest I am not keen on TV programmes or films that do the whole repeating time thing, so I will wait and see whether I will enjoy reading something with the same storyline.

So that is my Goodreads Monday. Please drop me a comment if you have also taken part in Goodreads Monday and I will head over for a visit.

Happy Reading.

The Weekly Brief

Happy Sunday.

I hope everyone’s 2021 has got off to a good start. I am reading two books that I absolutely love and can’t put down which is always good.

So here are my posts from this week.

Currently Reading

Love these two books so much. Dissolution is my buddy read so I am holding back from blitzing it which I could easily do as I am enjoying so much. Leviathan Wakes is excellent and I think I will be reading the next in the series straight away and I hope it will be as good.

Books Acquired

No new books this week as I am restraining myself and trying to reduce my TBR pile slightly. I do plan on doing some preordering though as I always like a surprise book in the post occassionally.

I hope everyone has had a good week.

Happy reading and stay safe.

Friday Poetry: Jackie Kay

Hello!

I will be honest I keep forgetting it is Friday, so it is lucky I have remembered the Friday poetry post. On Sunday the limbo will end because it is all back to work and the break is sadly over but this does mean I will know what day of the week it is.

My chosen poem this week is one by Jackie Kay and I have chosen it as I think it is perfect for New Year.

Promise

Remember, the time of year
when the future appears
like a blank sheet of paper
a clean calendar, a new chance.
On thick white snow
You vow fresh footprints
then watch them go
with the wind’s hearty gust.
Fill your glass. Here’s tae us. Promises
made to be broken, made to last.

Jackie Kay

Happy Reading!

2020 in Review

Well 2020 has gone so it is time to look back and see how it went.

Firstly, I would like to say a massive thank you to all my followers for supporting my blog and encouraging me. I would also like to say a massive thank you to all my fellow bloggers for writing such fantastic posts that have kept me entertained through 2020 and have also made me buy and read some books that I would have never thought of reading.

I read 71 books in 2020 and was really pleased with that result as I had a reading slump in January and February that made a dent in my reading time so I was concerned I would not reach my reading goal. Lockdown 1 and 2 helped because it gave me more time to read – about the only bonus of the lockdowns.

I also discovered that I think my favourite genre is now historical fiction, it was always fantasy and sci-fi but I think historical fiction has taken over. I still love fantasy and sci-fi though and the first two books I am reading in 2021 are from the genres historical fiction and sci-fi so I am having a nice balance.

I read 18,043 pages in 2020 so I obviously read longer books than 2019 as I only read 15,902.

The longest book I read was Katherine of Aragon: The True Queen by Alison Weir at 624 pages.

The shortest book I read was Letters from Fairyland by Charles Van Sandwyk at 24 pages.

My average book length was 254 pages.

I haven’t actually got a favourite book of 2020 but I have a favourite series instead and that is the Six Tudor Queens series by Alison Weir. I love this series and I can’t wait for the last book in the series and will definitely be reading more books by Alison Weir.

Sadly, my Waterstones Challenge has had to be put on hold because I am shielding as much as possible due to Covid and underlying health issues.

So I think that is about a wrap of my 2020. I have some great plans for the blog in 2021 and can’t wait to get reading and blogging.

Happy Reading!