More Holidays, Renovations and Good Books

We had a few days at a resort not far from where we live. Lots of time swimming in the pools. I really like the smaller heated pool. I find that I lot of people sit around the pool reading but not swimming so it was just me and Bill in the water. As I swam around in the pool I was sneaking looks at what people were reading. The books I was reading in December 2018 were all about book shops,books and the joy of reading.

The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay

This was a novel about books, families and relationships. Madeline inherits her Aunt’s house and bookshop. For many years Madeline was too busy working as a lawyer to take time to visit her Aunt but after inheriting the Printed Letter Bookshop, Madeline gives up her life as a lawyer and gets to know the two women working in the bookshop. Gradually Madeline starts to

This story is told from the point of view of Madeline, Clare and Janet and how their lives revolve around books, reading and their desire to follow their dreams.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Book Love by Debbie Tung

This was a graphic novel, 146 pages of comics, illustrations and quotes about a girl who loves books and reading. I loved the main character. I was able to identify with her. I work in a library and love books, reading, book stores and libraries.

My favorite page was page 14 when the main character is sad because she has finished her book. I also liked page 42 when the main character is to trying look at titles of books people are reading. On page 132 the character gets a bit confused because she is reading more than one book at a time. I like to read more than one book at a time sometimes I read three books at the same time.

Every page reminded me of what I love about reading.

Knocked Up Cinderella by Julie Hammerle

This was about a Principal of a private school. Erin is 40 years old and has just broken up with her boyfriend. She is entered in the Bachelorette Auction dressed as Cinderella to help raise money for the school’s Athletic Academy.

Ian Donovan, a confirmed Bachelor bids for Erin. I loved the characters and the humor in this romantic novel. This was about relationships and families.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

The Hopes and Dreams of Lucy Baker by Jenni Keer

Lucy Baker lives in a small flat in Lancaster Road, in Renborough. Lucy’s neighbour Brenda Pethbridge is nearly 80 and is starting to get dementia. Brenda loves knitting and dabbles in a bit of magic.

Lucy is single, loves knitting and needs to find a man to partner her to her Mother’s 50^th birthday.

Brenda gives Lucy a magic silver locket. Brenda claims the locket will help Lucy find love and gain more confidence in standing up for herself.

Lucy’s friend Jess is very interested in in Lucy’s locket. Lucy and Jess try a few spells to help Lucy find love. The spells don’t always work the way they are meant too but when Lucy starts wearing the locket, she gains confidence and starts standing up for herself in her work place where there is a lot of playful tricks, a bit of sexual harassment and some bullying.

I loved the humour and the way the characters interacted. This was about families and relationships. It reminded me of the diary of Bridget Jones.

In November and December 2018 we were busy doing some house repairs and cleaning. Bill finally around to sanding the kitchen benches and in the last week of December we went to visit our son and helped him with some painting and repairs for a house he had just bought. We had a fun family week ending with a family Christmas. Lots of laughs. Lots of hard work. Lots of swims in the pool.

Family, Memories and Holidays

Things don't always go the way you want. So make the most of what you can with what you want.

Early in November Mum was in hospital for a few days. Spent some time sitting with her on Sunday and Monday. Her dementia is getting worse I don't think she new who I was but when she saw Bill on Monday she said "your Bill have you come for the bill". We had a bit of a laugh that she could recognize two different types of meaning for Bill's name. Bill always wears his Rural Buying hat because he says Mum remembers his hat better than his face.

It was a worry leaving Mum on her own she tended to wander around and I was worried she would upset some of the other patients. She was in a four bed room and the other patients were men. The nurse said they keep an eye on everyone in the room. But I think Mum was left on her own a lot.

Books I was reading Early in November 2018

Botanist's Daughter by 

This was an Audio Read from R.B. Digital. I loved this book, the sort of book I like to read. It is mostly a historical fiction set in Australia and Cornwall. Anna inherits her grandmother's house in Sydney. The renovators find an old box and sketch books in the wall. Anna sets out to discover who owned the books.

The Biographer's Lover by Ruby J. Murray

Set mostly in Geelong and Melbourne. It is about a young woman writing a biography of Edna Crammer, an unknown artist.

Edna has secrets, her family has secrets and the biographer struggles to make sense of the available information to complete the biography. It is about artists, families and secrets.

Bill chopped down the mulberry tree in the back corner of our back yard. The mulberries were never any good, and the roots were interfering with underground water and sewerage pipes.

Bill was cutting up the stump in slabs one of the slabs looked like Australia, my granddaughter claimed the slab for herself and Bill helped her add Tasmania to the bottom. It is on our back fence for now.
My granddaughter wants her mother to move to a bigger house she wants a bigger bedroom. We had a lot of discussion sending each messages. I told her some history of what it was like trying to get a house loan in the 70's.

In mid November I had trouble with irregular pulse, fast pulse and sometimes really slow pulse and high blood pressure. Had a holter monitor and found nothing wrong.

We had  few days away staying at a resort it was a bit cold to swim in the resort pool but I still had a swim. Good to get away and have a bit of luxury.

I did a lot of reading in November the books I was reading included a few eBooks from NetGalley.

Forgot My Name by J.S. Monroe

A psychological thriller about a woman who can’t remember her name, she turns up at house in a small Wiltshire Village claiming she lives there. Her handbag, identity documents, keys and phone have been stolen. She remembers the house and the layout of the rooms but nothing recent.

This book grabbed my interest from the start, it was about identity, memory loss, families, friendship, murder, revenge and grief.

 Beautiful Strangers by Camile Di Maio

A ghost story set mostly in 1958. Kate Morgan travels from San Francisco to Southern California to get a job at Hotel del Coronado on the small Island of Coronado.

Kate’s grandfather has dementia and often starts telling Kate about his early days at Coronado but all he can remember is the beautiful stranger and that Kate should go to Hotel del Coronado and find the beautiful stranger. He is insistent about finding the beautiful stranger but can’t remember why.

At the hotel Kate meets famous people and discovers that the hotel has a ghost. This novel was a ghost story about families, romance and relationships. I loved the ending and the interaction between Kate and her family and the people she met.

Problems With Technology

Why is it when you are in a rush and need to get something done on your computer quickly, then things are likely to go not as you plan and leaves you muttering "Why Me"

You would not believe this run of misfortune.

One night I thought I would go online on my laptop just to quickly do something.

I had just turned on the laptop button when the phone rang - I went to answer it. It was a guy saying hello Mam, I am from Telstra. I told him "I do not believe you" he hung up. I went back to my laptop it was in the middle of doing something and there was a message "Do Not Turn Off" After it had finished I tried to log on with my usual password and I got a message saying something was wrong and I should reset my PIN. I tried to reset my PIN and I got a message saying something like "It would not be a good idea" So I cancelled but still could not log on.

I restarted the laptop and tried forgot my password - same result - reset the PIN. So I decided to reset.

It wanted the last 4 digits of my phone number so it could send me a code. I got my phone but the battery was flat and I could not find my charger. I eventually found the charger, I got the code and typed it in and up came a box to reset the PIN. I tried to type the same as I had before but the keyboard was locked and I could only type numbers.

I got a pen to write some notes but the pen was leaking black ink and I got it all over my hand and notebook and phone. Ink everywhere. Eventually I asked google for help and got lots of different answers. I picked one of the answers and was finally able to log on to my laptop many hours later. 

Things continued to go wrong. The next day we invited a few friend for dinner I was cooking roast lamb and baked vegetables. The power went off and we had to finish cooking dinner on the BBQ and put candles every where outside and inside. It made a fun dinner and reminded us of similar times when other the years when the power was off.

Needless to say I needed a bit of fun light reading. 

 

The Art of Running in High Heels by Rachel Gibson

This was a romantic comedy. Lexie was a star on a reality TV show- Gettin' Hitched. Just before she was to walk down the aisle she fled. A friend Jimmy was waiting with his float plane to take her to small town in Canada. Another passenger on the plane was Sean Knox, a Seattle Chinooks' biggest star.

Sparks fly between Lexie and Sean as the media try to locate Lexie. A good fun romance.

The Fragments by Toni Jordan

Set mostly in Brisbane in 1986 and New York in the 1930's. Caddie Walker is a Brisbane Book Seller she goes to see an exhibition of the Karlson Fragments. She has a conversation with two people while waiting in the cue to enter. One elderly woman makes a comment that drives Caddie to follow clues to learn more about Inga Karlson who died in a fire in New York in 1939.

Caddie is not the only person trying to find out more about Inga Karlson and the Fragments. I loved the descriptions of Brisbane in the 1980's.

  

Kate Morton a favorite Author

I loved this book

The Clock Maker's Daughter by Kate Morton

I love Kate Morton's books, this one was set in the UK, mostly in the present time and the 1860's. Elodie Winslow is working as an archivist in London and starts researching the contents of an old leather satchel, an old photograph and a sketch book. In the sketch book there is a drawing of a house. The style of the house and its situation on a bend in the river sparks a long forgotten memory of when Elodie was a young child and her mother would tell her a bedtime fairy story about an old house.

Elodie's search for answers leads her to her great uncle Tip. Tip tells Elodie that the fairy story about the house on the bend in the river came from him and that he used to tell the fairy story to Elodie's mother.

I like the way the history of the house and the people who lived there was gradually told through multiple voices of the people who lived in the house.

Just Before I Died by S. K. Tremayne

This was set in the present time in the UK in a small village near Dartmoor National Park. Kath and her husband Adam and daughter Lyla live in a house on Huckerby Farm, close to the moor.

Kath is trying to remember the day she nearly died, Lyla is upset by what she saw and Adam blames Kath.

This was about families, secrets a secret stalker, an evil stalker and the lonely moors, Creepy.

Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarity

This was set in Australia in the present time. It was about nine people who needed to change their lives. They book into a health retreat but soon find out the retreat is more than they expected. This was about families, loss and grief.

Table For Eight by Tricia Stringer

This was set in the present time mostly on board the cruise ship Diamond Duchess. Ketty Clift is on a ten day cruise of South Pacific Islands. She is assigned a table that seats 8 people. Christine and Frank are a young couple cruising with Christine’s father, Bernard. Maude and Celia are cruising together. There is also Jim who is cruising on his own.

Ketty tries to make everyone happy but soon finds they all have secrets and hidden agendas. This novel was about relationships, families and cruising.

Don't You Cry by Mary Kubica

Set in Chicago and in a Michigan harbor town in the present time. Quinn'e room mate Esther disappears in the middle of the night. The police are not very interested. So Quinn asks her friend Ben to help decipher the clues left behind  in Esther's room.

In a small harbor town in Michigan, Alex working in a coffee shop and is attracted to a young woman who frequents the coffee shop. 

He notices her interest in the building across the road from the coffee shop. Each day Alex discovers a little more about the mysterious young woman and her interest in the abandoned house near where Alex lives.

This story was told by Alex and Quinn over four days. It is about family relationships, friendships, revenge and identity.

The Girl He Used To Know by Tracey Garvis Graves

Annika watches how other people behave and interact and tries to copy. Sometimes she gets it right. I loved the way Annika’s character was developed.

This novel switches between Annika and Jonathon and describes their relationship in 1991 and 2001.

I loved the ending. This novel was set mostly in Chicago in 2001 and 1991. Annika is working as a librarian, she is out shopping when she accidentally meets Jonathon, an old boyfriend from 10 years ago.

The chance encounter sparks memories of their relationship and what went wrong.

Annika has autism, she has a good memory, is good at chess but struggles in social situations.

Her roommate, Jannice helps her get through College. After College Annika is on her own and has to learn how to socialize.

Families, relationships and lost souls

Taking a chance to catch up with books I have been reading.
Going back through my reading journal to August and September 2018 I was reading some good books and enjoyed spending time at a family get together to celebrate my Aunties 80th birthday. (She had not long retired from being a nurse). In September my reading turned to grief, ghosts 

Desert Nurse by Pamela Hart

I enjoyed this book and recommended it to a few library patrons  and some family members.
This was a romance set mostly during the First World War. In Taree, Sydney and Egypt.
Evelyn Northey wants to become a doctor but her father refuses to let her have the education she needs and also her inheritance that will help pay for her education.
Evelyn gains nursing skills helping her father who is a doctor in his country medical practice.

The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes by Ruth Hogan.

This was another book I really enjoyed in August 2018.
Masha can not move forward or enjoy her life. Her young child was lost and presumed dead twelve years earlier. Masha spends her days trying to drown herself or talking to the souls in the local cemetery.
One day she meets an old woman and befriends another woman who has lost a child. Both woman help Mash mend her broken heart.

My reading in September took a turn to murder, secrets, ghosts and lost souls a library patron recommended that I would love a book, she kept reminding me about the book so I eventually read

Before I Let You In by Jenny Blackhurst

It was about friendship, relationships, stalking and murder. Karren is a psychiatrist, she has a deep secret from her childhood and a lover who has a secret. Her two best friends Bea and Eleanor have troubles. Bea has trouble committing herself to a relationship and Eleanor struggles to juggle being a mother and housewife and caring for her school aged son,

Karren takes on a new patient who knows too much about Karren and her life.

Song of the Damned by Sarah Rayne

A Phineas Fox Mystery published by Severn House 2018.

Phineas Fox is a music historian and researcher. He was asked to visit Cresacre School and help authenticate an Opera that was written by Gustav Tulliver. As well as investigating the opera Phineas also investigated an old mystery about the Creasacre Convent that was previously the site of the Creasacre school and the disappearance of a group of nuns in 1790’s.

This is a psychological murder mystery.  About the Chandos family that previously owned the land where Cresacre School is located, the Convent at Creascre and an old cottage in the grounds of Creasacre School. An old diary reveals some of the history of the Chandos family. It is set mostly in the present time and 1790’s.

Another book I enjoyed was about ghosts, families and inheritance

The Ghost Tree by Barbara Erskine

One of my favorite authors this one had every thing I love to read about. History, old diaries and ghosts.
Mostly set in London and Edinburgh, Ruth returns to her family home in Edinburgh, her father is dying and Timothy Bradford is living in the house caring for her father. After her father dies Ruth has trouble getting Timothy to leave.
Ruth discovers old diaries, letters and papers that had belonged to her ancestor Thomas Erskine.
As Ruth unravels Thomas Erskine's life story, she has to deal with evil Timothy and an evil ghost from her family tree who haunted Thomas and is now haunting Ruth.

Still reading books about people and their struggles Mary Kubica and Sharon Bolton  books hit all the right spots for me.

When the Lights Go Out by Mary Kubica 

This is a novel about two women. Eden in the late 1990's and Jessie in the present time. It is set mostly in Chicago in the present time. Jessie is a young woman whose mother is dying. After her mother's death Jessie tries to enroll in a college course but is told the Id she is using is the Id for someone who has died.

Jessie struggles to find out who she is. She can'r find her birth certificate or any papers that prove her identity.

Jessie sells her mother's house and finds somewhere else to live, all the while suffering from sleep deprivation.

There are flashbacks to the late 1990's to Eden, another young woman who is desperate to become a mother.

I loved the characters and how they interacted with others. I loved the ending.

Every Lost Lie by Mary Kubica

Clara's husband is killed in a car accident, Maisie, her four year old daughter was in the car and following the accident Maisie has a deep fear of black cars and a bad man.

Clara is convinced that her husbands accident was not an accident and tries to uncover the cause.

In the process she discovers her husband Nick had secrets. This was about grief, secrets and family relationships.

Badges earned from NetGalley