N is for Nadal (A-Z Challenge 2026) 16/4/26

The A-Z home page can be found here.

My theme this year is authors that I've read. More about the books I've read than the authors themselves.

I'm an avid reader. I'm a member of 2 in person reading groups through my local library. I'm gradually working my way through an old BBC reading list of 100 books (I'm about half way through) and I'm taking part in the online 52 Book Club Challenge for the third time this year where the challenge is to read 52 books over the year based on 52 different prompts. You can also find me on Goodreads here.

The N authors I've read are:

• Nadal Jay
• Nadin Joanna
• Nally James
• Nesbo Jo
• Ng Celeste
• Nicholls Adam
• Nicholls David
• Niffennegger Audrey
• Noble Elizabeth
• North Freya
• Norton Graham
• Norton Mary
• Nugent Liz

Not as many names on this list and and in terms of most books read Norwegian Jo Nesbo tops the list with 10 books, The Thirst, (Harry Hole #11) earning 5 stars.

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger also got 5 stars.  This started off slowly for me then I started to really enjoy it. Not my usual genre and wasn't really sure how to categorise it. It's a love story, a ghost story and it's also about the relationships between twins.  I also learned a lot about Highgate Cemetery.

Many of you may know her for The Time Traveller's Wife which I read a long time ago so I don't have a rating or review for that one but I know I enjoyed it.

I've read a couple of books by Graham Norton better known for being a TV presenter, and was pleasantly surprised by them.  

No real adult classics here but The Borrowers by Mary Norton is definitely a children's classic that I loved.

Do you have a favourite children's classic?

Start here

M is for Mackie (A-Z Challenge 2026) 15/4/26

The A-Z home page can be found here.

My theme this year is authors that I've read. More about the books I've read than the authors themselves.

I'm an avid reader. I'm a member of 2 in person reading groups through my local library. I'm gradually working my way through an old BBC reading list of 100 books (I'm about half way through) and I'm taking part in the online 52 Book Club Challenge for the third time this year where the challenge is to read 52 books over the year based on 52 different prompts. You can also find me on Goodreads here.

The M authors I've read are:

• Mackie Bella
• Mackintosh Clare
• MacMillan Gilly
• Magnanti Brooke
• Mallery Susan
• Mankell Henning
• Mansell Jill
• Margolyes Miriam
• Marks Rachel
• Marsh Henry
• Marsh Katie
• Martel Yann
• Martin Madeline
• Marwood Alex
• Mason Richard
• Matthews Carole
• May Peter
• McAllister Gillian
• McBeth Collette
• McCullough Colleen
• McDermid Val
• McEwan Ian
• McGregor Jon
• McInerney Monica
• McNish Hollie
• Michaelides Alex
• Milne A A
• Money-Coutts Sophia
• Montgomery L M
• Moorcroft Sue
• Morgan Ann
• Morgan Sarah
• Morgenstern Erin
• Moriarty Liane
• Moriarty Sinead
• Morrey Beth
• Morris Heather
• Morrison Toni
• Morton Kate
• Moyes Jojo
• Murakami Haruki

Another mixed bunch of authors here with Carole Matthews being the most read with 8 titles.  A quick scan of the titles would show them to be chick lit but with a bit of depth.  I gave many of them 4 stars.

A few classics on there - who doesn't love Winnie the Pooh?  Plus some titles many of you will recognise:

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Atonement by Ian McEwan

Anne of Green Gables by L M Montgomery

The Tattooist of Auschwitz & the sequel Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris (Both 5 * in my opinion.)

All of the Me Before You series by Jojo Moyes although the first one is definitely the best.

A couple of books fell outside my usual remit:

Do No Harm by Henry Marsh who worked as a neurosurgeon, this book outlines case studies and shows how difficult it can be when one mistake can change a patient's life in a devastating way or even result in death.

Nobody Told Me: Poetry and Parenthood by Hollie McNish 

Loved this book. Hollie kept a diary from the start of her pregnancy until her "Little One" reached the age of 3. But more than just a diary, it's also full of poems. She really captures the ups and downs of parenthood and manages to convey in words so many of the trials and tribulations and the joys of becoming a Mother. Great poems but her prose is beautiful too.

I also enjoyed Miriam Margolyes' autobiography "This much is true" but it wouldn't be to everyone's taste.  Miriam is a bit like Marmite, you either love her or hate her. For me she is ok in small doses. As your friend, she would always have your back but you'd never want her as your enemy. She's also very crude.

A few other 5 star books on this list:

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Homecoming by Kate Morton

Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides (Great twist in this one.) and

Saving Missy by  Beth Morrey.

Are you good at spotting the twists before they come?

PS Toni Morrison appears on the above list and I did start "Beloved" by her but I could not get into it.  I hate giving up on books but it really wasn't doing it for me so I passed.

Wednesday Hodgepodge - 15/4/26

Joyce provides the questions each week, we prepare our answers and then we link up here.

1. Big week in the US of A...do you do your own taxes? What's something you've found 'taxing' lately?

Thankfully we don't have tax returns to do - our life isn't that complicated.  Although we do have to keep an eye on the codes issued by the Tax Office as they're not always correct.

Keeping up with normal blogging while doing the A-Z challenge is taxing.  I've let a few of my regular things go during this month but if Joyce can still find time to prepare the Hodgepodge then I can make time to post my answers.

2. When it comes to travel are you a last minute packer or a lay it all out a week in advance type? Do you struggle to pack light? Share a packing tip that has worked for you.

I'm in between.   I don't pack too far in advance but I do lay it all out before it goes in the suitcase.  My tip - make a list of EVERYTHING you need to take with you.  I can pack light if I have to.

3. April is National Grilled Cheese Month. Hmmm...who knew it got its own month? Do you like a grilled cheese sandwich? What ingredient do you add to take yours to the next level?

I don't tend to grill a sandwich - I'll pop it in a toastie bag and into the toaster.  I often use something like these but the cheese has to be matured cheddar.

4. There's a well known quote that says-

'A ship in the harbour is safe, but that's not what ships are built for." John A. Shedd

Is constant growth necessary or do you think it's more important to prioritize stability and peace in your life?

I don't think growth has to be constant and yes stability and peace are good things to have but sometimes we do need to step outside our comfort zones or we'd never experience anything new or test our capabilities.

5. Let's wrap this up with a fun spring this or that-

daffodils or tulips  Both
lemonade or iced tea  Builder's tea please (English Breakfast)
gardening or hiking  Hiking
ladybugs or butterflies  Butterflies
umbrella or raincoat  Raincoat
floral patterns or polka dots  Either but I tend to wear more stripes than patterns.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Today it's letter M on the A-Z challenge.  Yay, half-way there! 

L is for Lagercrantz (A-Z Challenge 2026) 14/4/26

The A-Z home page can be found here.

My theme this year is authors that I've read. More about the books I've read than the authors themselves.

I'm an avid reader. I'm a member of 2 in person reading groups through my local library. I'm gradually working my way through an old BBC reading list of 100 books (I'm about half way through) and I'm taking part in the online 52 Book Club Challenge for the third time this year where the challenge is to read 52 books over the year based on 52 different prompts. You can also find me on Goodreads here.

The L authors I've read are:

• Lagercrantz David
• Lapena Shari
• La Plante Lynda
• Larsson Stieg
• Le Carre John
• Lee Harper
• Leith Prue
• Leon Donna
• Lewis C S
• Lewis Susan
• Lindstrom Eric
• Linskey Howard
• Llewellyn Julia
• Logan T M
• Low Shari
• Lupton Rosamund

Well a tie again for most read author on my L list between Lynda La Plant all featuring the female detective Anna Travis and Susan Hill who also writes crime fiction but many of her books that I've read focus on family situations and relationships.

TM Logan comes closely behind these 2 with 6 books which have all been good page turning thrillers.

There's one on there by Prue Leith who in my opinion should stick to cooking.

I'm trying to work my way through Narnia but so far I've only managed the first two. 

Several Le Carré books and Stieg Larsson's Millennium series are all there including #4 which was written by David Lagercrantz.  I felt it blended well with the first 3 but it was a bit too futuristic for me with lots about the development of AI.  I am not a fan of AI, probably because I don't know enough about it.

Are you a fan of AI.  Do you use it when blogging and if so how?