Books I've read 2024

This is the full bookcase - top two shelves are my Raymond E Feists, Jodi Picoults and other books I want to keep. Middle shelf is the TBRs. Fourth shelf is a selection of to keep books. Bottom shelf is cookbooks and admin stuff.

The TBR shelf.

I've signed up for The Big Green Bookshop adult subscription so I'll get a new book each month! I get my great nieces and nephew the kids one for their birthday and Xmas pressies (Simon alternates the ages so they can all share) and decided they shouldn't get all the fun!!

January

A Spark of Light - Jodie Picoult

The Comfort Book - Matt Haig

Ladysmith - Giles Foden

A Column of Fire - Ken Follett

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe - Fannie Flagg

When I moved into this flat (16 months ago!!!) I put some of my taller books on a different shelf under the window. As I'm doing the whole TBR thing I thought I'd better have a look and check what was on the shelf - discovered a load of books I'd completely forgotten about, which I've now moved over so had to take the photo's agin!!! I may have also discovered books on Vinted so have bought a couple of sets as well 😏

February

The Space Between Us - Doug Johnstone (BigGreenBookshop)

The Husband's Secret - Liane Moriarty

Aurora - David Kopek (BigGreenBookshop)

Divergent - Veronica Roth

Insurgent - Veronica Roth

March

Allegiant - Veronica Roth

Four - Veronica Roth

Black Rabbit Hall - Eve Chase

Prince of Tides - Pat Conroy

April

The People on This Platform 5 - Clare Pooley

Matrix - Lauren Groff (BigGreenBookshop)

Messy - Tim Harford 

Spangled Unicorn - Noel Coward

Noughts & Crosses - Malorie Blackman

Knife Edge - Malorie Blackman

Checkmate - Malorie Blackman

Double Cross - Malorie Blackman

May

Godkiller - Hannah Kaner

Then my world got turned upside down…

September 

The Match - Harlan Coben

The Butterfly Room - Lucinda Riley

All Of Us Are Broken - Fiona Cummins

The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul - Deborah Rodriguez

Skyward Inn - Aliya Whiteley 

October

Daughter - Jane Shemilt

The Whispering Muse - Laura Purcell

The Wedding Dress - Danielle Steel

No Season but the Summer - Matilda Leyser

Kate Grenville - Restless Dolly Maunder

2024 was not a good year!!! But the bookcase is looking emptier and I think I only bought one physical book all year which was on a gift voucher as a present. The bookcase did get re-arranged when I moved it so it's a bit different to when I started!

33 books read...

The bookcase at the end of the year

The bottom two are the main TBR shelves. 

On to 2025...

Books I've Read 2023

 

The TBR shelf - ready for shrinking!!

January
Oops - not a good reading month!

February
Spare - Prince Harry
One Corpse Too Many - Ellis Peters

March
Monk's Hood - Ellis Peters

The Virgin in the Ice - Ellis Peters

The Devil's Novice - Ellis Peters

A Prisoner of Birth - Jeffrey Archer

April

The Raj - Donald H Robinson

Smiley's People - Le Carré

Eyesore's Little Book of Gloom - A.A. Milne & E.H. Shepard

Georgia O'Keeffe - Paintings

A Little Book of House Messing Feng Shite - Anna Crosbie

Lessons in Chemistry - Bonnie Garmus 

May

The White Queen - Philippa Gregory

Windswept and Interesting - Billy Connolly

My Grandmother Sends Her Regards and Apologies - Fredrik Backman

June

The Omen Machine - Terry Goodkind

Munich - Robert Harris

Living with the Enemy - Freddie Knoller with John Landaw

Stormbreaker - Anthony Horowitz

Point Blanc - Anthony Horowitz

Skeleton Key - Anthony Horowitz

Eagle Strike - Anthony Horowitz

Scorpia - Anthony Horowitz

Ark Angel - Anthony Horowitz

July

Snakehead - Anthony Horowitz

Ten Things I Hate About Me - Joe Tracini

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry - Rachel Joyce

The Cruel Sea- Nicholas Monsarrat

Bones to Ashes - Kathy Reichs

This Much is True - Miriam Margolyes

The Amazing Edie Eckhart - Rosie Jones

August

What should you do with your life - Po Bronson

September

All the Broken Places - John Boyne

Starry Starry Night - Marcia Willett

Win - Harlan Coben

The Betrayals - Bridget Collins

October

Liam's Story - Ann Victoria Roberts

Tuf Voyaging - George R. R. Martin

The In-Between - Hadley Vlahos, RN

Outbreak - Melissa F. Olson

November

Armageddon Rag - George R. R. Martin

Hold Tight - Harlan Coben

Simple Matters - Erin Boyle

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow - Gabrielle Zevin

I moved all the furniture around so it looks different - the bottom shelf is cook books so they don't count!!!

Books I've Read 2022

This is a picture of my TBR shelf/pile - my aim...to shrink it by the end of the year!!! 

January

The Book of Two Ways - Jodi Picoult

Drama Queen - Sara Gibbs

The Tattooist of Auschwitz - Heather Morris

Little House on the Prairie - Laura Ingalls Wilder

February

Julie & Julia - Julie Powell

The Cat that Overcame - Helen La Penta

Superstar India: From Incredible to Unstoppable - Shobhaa De

Rites of Passage - William Golding

March

The Botanist's Daughter - Kayte Nunn

Sleeping Murder - Agatha Christie

April

Anne of Green Gables - L M Montgomery

Next - Michael Crichton

May

Killing for Company - The Case of Dennis Nilsen - Brian Masters

June

Double Cross - James Patterson

Many Different Kinds of Love - Michael Rosen

The Key to Rebecca - Ken Follett

July

The Railway Man - Eric Lomax

August

Where the Crawdads Sing - Delia Owens

September

A Promised Land - Barack Obama

October

The Robber Bride - Margaret Atwood

Fatherland - Robert Harris

November

Velocity - Robin Tamblyn

Bridgerton...The Duke & I - Julia Quinn

December

A Slow Fire Burning - Paula Hawkins

That's 24 books read and out of the building!! However, because I changed buildings (moved house) I can't do a comparison photo!! So below is the TBR shelf at the new place. You'll notice the shelf is shorter but it's two books deep!!

Lets see how looks at the end of 2023!!

New Year - Same Me

Have I made any New Year Resolutions - no

Do I have a 'word of the year' - no

Have I set any 'intentions' - no

Right now getting through each day is achievement enough for me!!!! It's only 11th and this year has already thrown a couple of curve balls my way so I'm making no plans ;-)

Will I try and be a bit healthier - yes

Will I succeed - who know

Will I beat myself up if I'm not - probably - but I'll try and be kind to myself - and if that's all I manage this year - I'm good with that!

#FundingFlo - The outcome

Well what can I say, other than a HUGE Thank You to everyone that helped boost Flo's adoption grant. The final total for the MACC fundraiser was $1111 - AMAZING.

In total the campaign raised $127,694 split over 110 children waiting to be adopted - how incredible is that?

Flo now has a total of $1883 to help her on her way to finding a family.

Books I've read 2021

I fell off the reading wagon in June of 2020 when I went back to work after the first lockdown so I'm trying to get back on it this year. I've joined a FaceBook book club so I'll tag the monthly book too - looking forward to reading something that I probably wouldn't pick myself.

Sophie Cousons - This Time Next Year (January book)

Chick lit 6/10

Dean Nicholson - Nala's World

The story of a guy cycling the world who finds a kitten on his travels 8/10

Alan Davies - Just Ignore Him

Autobiography, tough subject matter 10/10

Alan Davies - Teenage Revolution

Talking about the 'icons' of his life from '78 to '88 7/10

J.M. Barrie - Peter Pan (& Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens)

Didn't like the characters, the story or the writing style! 3/10

Geraldine McCaughrean - Peter Pan in Scarlet

The official sequel to Peter Pan - I preferred it, but not much! 5/10

Caroline Kepnes - You (February book)

Creepy stalker story didn't really enjoy it but couldn't put it down! 6/10

Michael Connelly - The Black Ice

A Harry Bosch, US detective, novel. Enjoy these lots 8/10

Michael Palin - Erebus: The Story of a Ship

This is the history of the ship Erebus from building in 1824 to it's wreck being discovered in 2014 and all that happened in between 10/10  

Michael Connelly - Lost Light

Another Harry Bosch. Ending seemed a bit rushed 7/10

Michael Connelly - The Night Fire

Another Harry Bosch. I do love a good detective novel 8/10

Jenny Eclair - Camberwell Beauty

Urban living with friends you learn to hate. Didn't like the writing, didn't like the story, didn't like the ending! 1/10

Matt Haig - The Midnight Library (March book)

A book about choices, regrets and embracing life. Loved it 9/10

Bernardine Evaristo - Girl, Woman, Other (June Book)

Follows the lives and stories of 12 very difference women. Another goodie 9/10

Tara Isabelle Burton - Social Creature

Female friendship taken to it's toxic extreme 5/10

Christy Lefteri - The Beekeeper of Aleppo (April book)

The story of a journey to a new life. Not entirely sure what all the hype was about although I did like it. 6/10

Blake Pierce - Once Chosen

A Riley Paige Mystery (Book 17) The last in a series of FBI agent cases. 6/10

Elly Griffiths - The House at Sea's End

Murder mystery featuring an archeologist (third in a series) - makes a nice twist on the normal police procedural, will look out for her other books - 7/10

Steve Cavanagh - Fifty Fifty (May Book)

A courtroom based whodunnit with many twists. First time I've come across this author but will keep an eye out for more. 7/10

Theresa Breslin - Remembrance

How the Great War changed the lives of a group of youngsters from a Scottish village. Another author I'll keep an eye out for. 7/10

C J Sansom - Tombland

Only discovered half way through that this is book 7 in a series!! Works fine as a standalone too (luckily!) An 800 page beast based on historical events in the 1500s. I enjoyed it but I don't think it really needed to be so long! 6/10

Glendy Vander - Where the Forest Meets the Stars (August Book)

Really enjoyed this one and wasn't 100% sure where it was going to go which is always good! Quite a light read and maybe a bit chick lit (there's some boy meets girl etc!) 7/10

Jews Don't Count - David Baddiel

This was a short read but very interesting/enlightening.  Baddiel points out how there appears to be a hierarchy of racism, with anti-semitism being at the bottom and how the furore around slights to those who are black, disabled etc far outweighs anything that comes up when the same is aimed at Jews. 7/10

Gone For Good - Harlan Coben

I've enjoyed all the Harlan Coben books I've read and this was no exception. A well written whodunnit with quite a few twists I didn't see coming. 8/10

#FundingFlo - fundraising starts here

Better late than never!! This is the first of the fundraisers for Flo's adoption fund.  I signed up to the Reece's Rainbow Miracle of Adoption Christmas Campaign or MACC for short!! The idea is to try and boost your chosen child's adoption grant by $1000. But maybe, more importantly, get them and the other waiting children SEEN. Who knows who might see a post and find their son or daughter!

Anyway, without further ado - here we go...

In this badly decorated envelope is a £50 note. 

As you know our banknotes have serial numbers and the last two digits of that number must fall between 00 and 99. The below grid covers all those numbers. 

You can buy a number (or more) for £1 and once they are all sold I will reveal the last two digits on the £50 and if you've got them it's yours!! Sound good? Please message me with the number(s) you'd like and if they are still available we'll sort the payment. I'll be posting this on different platforms so please do message first to make sure your numbers are still available. I'll keep you updated on how it's going! Fingers crossed this fist one goes well!

Who could resist helping out this face...

Flo - An Update

Actually that's not really a fair title as listings aren't updated very often so there isn't really any update on Flo herself.

There is an update on my side though - I have signed up to be a MACC Warrior for her this Christmas. MACC is the Reece's Rainbow Miracle of Adoption Christmas Campaign - with the aim being to raise $1000 for your child's grant between Nov 1st and Dec 31st, as well as making the child visible so that their family may see them. I'm working on a couple of fundraising ideas so keep an eye out.  I'm also asking that anyone that may get me a Christmas present gives money towards Flo's grant instead (either direct or via me but not before Nov 1st!)

Every night, when I'm tucked up in bed, I say to myself 'Goodnight Flo, I love you' and silly as it may seem I truly hope on some level she knows there's someone so many miles away rooting for her. I found out that this month she will turn 5. I don't know the date so I'll be adding a 'Happy Birthday' every night this month.

Guardian Angel

I'm nervous writing this although I'm not entirely sure why. I think some of you will be surprised. Some of you may wonder why this is the first you're hearing about this. Anyway, here goes...

I follow quite a few adoptive families on Instagram. It started with a couple, and from their recommendations, has grown. They cover adoptions from all over the world, single and multiple, additional needs and typical needs. Over the last year or so I've very vaguely wondered about adoption (and I mean VERY vaguely) but it's always been a 'not for me'. I'm too selfish, I like my lie ins, my lazy do what I want days, not having to think or worry about anyone else - besides, I can only just look after myself let alone a small person entirely dependant on me!

So back to these people I follow. Every so often they might share a picture of a waiting child. A lot of the children available for international adoption have some form of disability. I would look at the pic, think 'oh, they're cute' or 'it's such a shame' and then click on through to the next picture or story. At least I did until one of the accounts shared Isabella's picture. (Isabella may be her birth name or may be a name given to her by her caregivers at her orphanage)

I scrolled on by and caught up with the posts from everyone I follow but that little girl had lodged herself in my heart. I went back to the post and looked at the other pictures, and that was it - I fell hopelessly and helplessly in love with this little girl nearly five thousand miles away. But still I told myself it wasn't for me and got on with day to day life.

But she'd wiggled her way in and it seemed she wasn't going to go anywhere. I found myself lying in bed wondering what I would call her if she were mine (from what I've seen the majority of internationally adopted children are given new names). Was she a Kerry, or a Tina, maybe a Betty or Tess? I could see her as a Daphne, but strangely not a Daph. Carly stuck for a few nights. But I settled on Florrie, Flo for short! I started wondering if maybe this wasn't so far fetched. 

International adoption is EXPENSIVE and time consuming - every step of the way. With multiple agencies involved, normally at least two trips to the home country of the child, home studies, masses of paperwork to complete and supply, court dates and officials from what can be very different cultures having to work together! I don't have money to throw away and know that a countries qualifying criteria for adoption can be extensive and strict so I thought my first step was to see if I would meet the criteria set by Flo's home country.

I didn't expect it to be so hard to find out what the criteria would be - I did my own research and found some info but it always referred to income in $ so thought there must be a UK version somewhere. Using the $ information as a guide I was 90% sure I wouldn't qualify but I needed to be 100%. 

Lying in bed at night I would think of Flo and hope that she was safe and happy and being well looked after. Scarily I could even imagine myself introducing her to people as 'my daughter'! What had come over me?

After contacting several organisations (one of which was my local adoption agency) and not get anywhere I was finally put in touch with someone who had the answer - and it wasn't what I wanted to hear - I would fail the criteria on at least three points. I wouldn't be Flo's Mum.

What else could I do to help Flo find her family, or her family find her. Despondently clicking around the Reece's Rainbow website I stumbled over their Guardian Angel scheme.

The main aim of the program is to get the child noticed in the hope her family will see her. You don't have to fundraise towards the child's adoption grant but it always helps!! So here was my way to help.

So I guess that's the point of this long, rambling, personal post - Are you Flo's family? I know, that's a big ask. But you could help just like I am. Could you share this post, or maybe the link to her profile on Reece's Rainbow. Could you spare a few pounds to grow her grant to lower the financial burden on her new family? There is a donate button on her page which takes you through to PayPal. There may be fees involved as donations are in $ - if you'd like to donate I'm happy to receive the money and make a single donation and deal with any fees (unicorncr@icloud.com is my PayPal)

Obviously I want to help Flo but maybe there is another child on the Reece's Rainbow site that might steal your heart and you could become their Guardian Angel?

I know I don't have many subscribers and I doubt many people just stumble across this blog but who knows, this might just be enough to make a difference. At least I've tried, and I will keep on trying until Flo's family find her...

Did I really want it...

You know that scene in Friends, where Rachel thinks she's pregnant, takes a test and gives it to Phoebe and Monica. She's been trying to decide how she feels about being pregnant, does she want a child etc etc. When the time has passed and the result is visible Phoebe tells Rachel that it's negative - and in that moment Rachel realises that yes, she does want a baby. It being taken away crystallises her feelings. Phoebe then admits its actually positive and she'd played the trick on Rachel so help her sort out her feelings.

I've just been told that something I had been dithering about, did I want it, what were my motives, would it change my life, if so how, was I being selfish etc etc etc, is legally not an option - and in that moment, reading that email, I knew that yes, I really did want it. 

So now I have to decide where to go from here...

(and yes this is deliberate vague and no I won't expand on it!)

Books I've Read 2020

I'm going to update this with the books I read this year - just because I fancy a record!

Around the World in 80 Days - Michael Palin
Sanctus - Simon Toyne (Book 1 of a trilogy)
Pole to Pole - Michael Palin
The Key - Simon Toyne (Book 2 of the trilogy)
The Five - Hallie Rubenhold
Everything I Know About Love - Dolly Alderton
The Tower - Simon Toyne (Book 3 of the trilogy)
How to Stop Time - Matt Haig
Messy - Tim Harford (part way through)
Homecomings - Marcia Willett
Everybody died, so I got a dog - Emily Dean
Full Circle - Michael Palin
A Spark of Light - Jodi Picoult
Kill Your Friends - John Niven
Crossing Point - Michael Connelly
He Said / She Said - Erin Kelly
Ghost - James Swallow
One Cornish Summer - Liz Fenwick
Harbour Street - Ann Cleeves
Old Baggage - Lissa Evans
Fevre Dream - George R. R. Martin

A Very British Murder - Lucy Worsley

Dancing in the Dark - Maureen Lee

Campaign Widows - Aimee Agresti

The Woods - Harlan Coben

Broken Greek - Pete Paphides

Life's What You Make It - Phillip Schofield

Project 333 - Courtney Carver (part way through)

Enter Wild - Carlos Whittaker (part way through)

The Snow Geese - William Fiennes (part way through)

Lockdown Love Notes - Day 70 - 01/06/20

• Lockdown nails
• Re-arranging (again)
• A(nother) lockdown treat (Warriner Leather Works)

70 days - that's TEN whole weeks!

Lockdown Love Notes - Day 69 - 31/05/20

• Naughty treats
• Comfy old shoes
• Garden time

Lockdown Love Notes - Day 68 - 30/05/20

• The arrival of my #buyastrangerabook books
• Flowers on the tomato plant
• Takeaway chicken and wedges from Izzys Lounge

Lockdown Love Notes - Day 67 - 29/05/20

• More urban exploring
• A new top
• Cheese scones

Lockdown Love Notes - Day 66 - 28/05/20

• The sun and shadows on my planter
• DIYing a fix for the broken sash window
• Reduced pizza (38p) tarted up with carrot top pesto, some ham and some extra cheese

Lockdown Love Notes - Day 65 - 27/05/20

• Making the bed before carrying on with the day
• Shorts weather
• Sweet potato stew - a new recipe

Lockdown Love Notes - Day 64 - 26/05/20

• Shadow stripes on skirt stripes
• Turning right for a change
• Re-usable ice cubes

Lockdown Love Notes - Day 63 - 25/05/20

• Homemade Costa Coffee Rocky Road Bites
• Bar Keepers Friend
• Strawberries and cream

NINE weeks!

Lockdown Love Notes - Day 62 - 24/05/20

• Teeny tiny Lobelia flowers
• Blackbird having a bath in the pond
• Rest of the washing from yesterday all dry, ironed (where absolutely necessary) and put away