I’ve always been a reader, the longer the book the better. I like disappearing into vast tomes or, better still, series. If I’d been asked, as a child, if I’d like a collection of short stories, my answer would have been an emphatic no. It would never have occurred to me to read something that might only take minutes to complete, instead of hiding under the bedclothes into the dark hours, with a torch, desperate to read just one more page – or chapter – or volume. I did O level (GCSE in new money) English Lit at school. Not a great success. It wasn’t the books we had to study so much as being told what we supposed to think about them and how we should interpret them. I must say it did force me to read one Dickens novel from start to finish (Hard Times), which was an achievement because I like nearly all Victorian novelist, but can’t abide Mr Popular Sentiment. I’d much sooner read Mrs Gaskell’s North and South that Dickens’ Hard Times, both about the industrial north, trade unions et

  Def initely   worth 5* If you haven’t heard of a liberty bodice, believe that half-a-crown is something to do with impoverished royalty and never had the experience of slapping a television to stop the grainy black and white picture from rolling, then this series might not be for you. Please give it a go, though – I’ve suspect that most of it will still resonate no matter where you were brought up! Book 2 looks at shopping and food after the end of WWII and how they’ve changed over the decades. From farthings to Green Shield stamps; from beef dripping sandwiches to Babycham, and beyond. The Rat in the Python is about Baby Boomers who, in the stability following the Second World War, formed a statistical bulge in the population python. It is a personal snapshot of a time that is as mystifying to my children as the Jurassic Era - and just as unrecognisable. My intention is to nudge some long-forgotten memories to the surface, test your own recollections and provide information and stat

  Book Descriptions: "Poetry readers willing to walk the road of grief and family connections will find  Grief Songs: Poems of Love & Remembrance  a psychological treasure trove. It's a very accessible poetic tribute that brings with it something to hold onto--the memories and foundations of past family joys, large and small." ~Diane Donovan, Midwest Book Review "Grief Songs: Poems of Love & Remembrance  is a passionate ode to loved ones lost and an intimate portrayal of one family's shared grief. It holds the key to solace in home photographs and illustrates just how special our singular moments can be. ~Toni Woodruff, Independent Book Review "A beautiful, personal collection of family photos and poems that express the author's most inner feelings. Nostalgic and heartfelt, Gauffreau's poems are written in the Japanese style of tanka, simple, thoughtful, and full of love. Filled with wonderful memories of the past." ~Kristi Eli

    I gave Amanda in Alberta: The Writing on the Stone 5* Book Description: "Be prepared to learn a lot about the culture while you follow Amanda on her adventure.”—Laura Best, author of Bitter, Sweet. “What a great way for a young person to learn about a culture and to be inspired to experience other countries themselves."—Irene Butler, author of Trekking the Globe with Mostly Gentle Footsteps. Amanda is delighted to show Leah around Alberta during her visit from England. They take in the Calgary Stampede, go on a cattle drive, visit Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, spend time with the dinosaurs at the Royal Tyrrell Museum and explore the crazy Hoodoos. When Amanda finds a stone with a unique mark on it, she doesn't think it's important until everyone seems to want it - including a very ornery cowboy. Is this stone worth ruining Leah’s holiday and placing them both in danger? Spend time with Amanda as she explores her own country while attempting to deciph

#TuesdayBookBlog #bookreview for A Hundred Tiny Threads: Howarth Family Saga Series Prequel by Judith Barrow @judithbarrow77 #familylife #historicalfiction #saga

   I received an ARC of Hard to Forgive from the author in return for an honest review  I gave the book 5* Book Description: Long held secrets… A lifetime of guilt… A woman abandoned. Her ex now married. How long will she wait to exact her revenge? Betrayal, birth, and bereavement. Dora Smith had faced it all by the age of twenty. Alone, she tracks down her former lover planning to reveal everything to him, and his new wife. But with their first child on the way she can’t bring herself to rock their relationship. Instead, she plays the long game, watching, waiting, wanting him to put a foot wrong. Never dreaming it would take a lifetime. Then, another love is lost. Is this the tipping point that pushes Dora into a spiral of self-destruction. Or, had that been triggered long before? My Review:  I have now read all three of  this fascinating series by Georgia Rose.   Hard to Forgive  is the third story and I am looking forward to find out out more about the characters who live in the vil