High Teas and Get Togethers

Wow in May 2018 I did lots of reading and had lots of celebrations. Started the month with a High tea to farewell a staff member then a Mother's Day High Tea with family members then a 40th birthday celebration for a family member. Lots of fun times with family and friends and lots of birthday for family members. Finished the month with a few days at my favorite resort.

The books I was reading at the time were:

 Grandghost by Nancy Springer

I loved this ghost story. It was about an artist who writes children’s books. Beverley is getting old she lives on her own and her agent will only consider her work if it can be delivered in a digital format. Beverley has an old phone and a very slow modem. She is starting to get forgetful and is afraid of getting Alzheimer’s like her mother. Her two daughters live too far away to regularly visit and she does not get along with her next door neighbour.

Beverley longs for a grandchild and to console herself she starts painting a young girl.

When things get to much for Beverley she goes out to her back yard and digs up old bricks that had been buried long before she bought the house. One day while she is digging up bricks Beverley finds a small child’s skeleton. After the discovery, Beverley’s life changes. Beverley starts to believe she is being haunted by the child and she needs to convince the police and her daughter’s that she fit and able to look after herself.

This was a ghost story about family relationships and child abuse. I loved the way this was written and how Beverley interacted with her neighbour, the police and her family members and new friends.

The Year That Changed Everything by Cathy Kelly

This was a book about families and relationships. As usual Cathy Kelly wrote a good story. I always like the way Cathy writes. The Year That Changed Everything was set in Ireland in the present time. Three woman celebrate special birthdays. Callie turns 50, Sam turns 40 and Ginger turns 30.
Callie has a perfect life and lives in a mansion with a spoild daughter and a controlling husband. Things change on her birthday and Callie needs her friends and family to get her life back.
Sam turns 40 and has a baby on her birthday - but being a parent is not easy and she needs her family to help.
Ginger is betrayed by her friends on her 30th birthday.
I love the ending in this book.

A Place For Us by Harriet Evans

A book about families, relationships and secrets. Set in 2012 and 2013 mostly with some flashbacks between the 1940's to 2012. 

Book of Colours Robyn Cadwallader

This was a historical novel set mostly in London in 1320 to 1322.

John Dancaster has been commissioned to illustrate a book of hours for Lady Mathilda. John is assisted by his wife Gemma, apprentice son and two Journeymen who have finished their apprenticeship. Throughout the book is a description of how a book is illustrated with details of how colours are sourced and mixed. There were lots of descriptions about people involved in illustrating books and their life.

I loved the way life in London in 1321 was described, also the descriptions about how people lived and worked.

John and Gemma struggle to complete the book of hours and they employ Will to help. Will is haunted by his past but helps Gemma keep her secret safe.