These weekly prompts are provided by Linda and the link up is here. Thanks Linda.
Well the idea of these posts is that we don't really think about them too much - just get writing and see what flows. I'm having a hard time thinking what to write about this word. I know what it means but what to write about it?
In contrast, when I know what I'm going to write I can waffle on for ages. I've just recently finished the A-Z challenge during April and had a lovely time waffling on about authors and the books that I've read. Reading is another thing I could talk about for ages. I love reading and proper books mainly although I will read e-books too. In fact I've just downloaded one from the library to read.
I'm trying to work through my TBR pile but failing miserably. That's what happens when you join two reading groups and you're also doing a challenge based on 52 prompts for the year. Thankfully the reading group choices have worked for prompts on the list so I'm keeping the number of books I need to read over the year manageable. I can usually get through a book a week without too much trouble. Depending on the book of course. Some of the reading groups choices have taken a while! Not because they're particularly long but because they weren't as enjoyable. The discussions on some of the books have been interesting.
Oh and there has been contrast there with people either loving or hating a book!
Phew got that in eventually.
1) It's been a pretty uneventful week here, with just the usual activities like my keep fit class and the Foodbank sessions but sometimes it's just nice to have a quieter week and not feel like I'm chasing my tail.
2) A more motivated week - I've done more walking and I've been trying to eat more healthily. Hubby has also listened and reduced the size of my dinners. It's easy to slip into the habit of cooking too much and then just eating it - until you get on the scales and realise the combination of too much food and not enough exercise is leading to weight gain! I've also been going to bed earlier.
I managed to spot one of the terrapins that live in the lake on one of my walks. There are two and they can sometimes be seen out on a branch taking in the sun but I could only see this one, just under the surface of the water.
3) A long chat with my cousin last night. She was struggling with something she was crocheting so I was able to offer advice on that but then we had a good catch up. This particular cousin is the closest thing to a sister for me. (Along with all my lovely SILs too.)
4) Going to bed earlier has meant more reading time so I've managed to finish both the books for the Book Club groups so now I can read something from my TBR pile - except that a book was recommended in a magazine recently and I was able to get the electronic version of it from the library. That TBR pile is never going to go down lol.
5) A good visit to the optician today. My prescription has changed slightly but even if it hadn't I would still have to get new glasses as I broke the arm on my current pair last week. But all the tests looked fine - they do a retina scan, pressure check etc. My new glasses won't be ready for a couple of weeks but I've managed to tape the arm of my current pair so I can still wear them.
Have a good weekend all.
Well it's been a while since I posted about books (not including all the 26 A-Z posts I've recently done!) so I have a few books to talk about which I read during April. Firstly:
The Distant Echo by Val McDermid
This series features Karen Pirie a Detective working on cold cases. Having seen a televised version of Karen Pirie and read #6 in the series I decided it was worth checking out #1. It didn't disappoint although Karen Pirie has quite a minor role in this book.
Set between two time periods, 1978 and 2003, it started with a crime that happened in 1978 where a group of 4 friends stumble onto the body of Rosie Duff who, by the time the police arrive, has died. She had been raped and stabbed. The police initially treat the friends as witnesses but as they struggle to find the murderer they try to establish if one of the four could have murdered Rosie and treat them as suspects.
With suspicion aroused repercussions follow but eventually the case is left unsolved.
25 years later a review of cold cases, including the Rosie Duff murder stirs up memories and 2 of the original witnesses/suspects die in suspicious circumstances. New evidence comes to light and the remaining 2 try to clear their names and find out who the actual murderer was.
I enjoyed the book as it didn't keep switching between the time periods - we had the earlier events and then moved forward. And it came to a satisfactory conclusion. I'd liked to have seen more of Karen in the book but I'll be looking for #2 in the series at some point to see how she progresses. 4 stars
Next was:
Show me the bodies: How we let Grenfell Happen by Peter Apps
This book ticked a prompt on the 52 Book Club challenge as it will pair with another book I'm intending to read. Basically it's read 2 books by authors related to one another.
Not my usual sort of read but it was written by someone who attended the same school as my sons - in the year between them.It's not an easy read and there is quite a bit of repetition about the fire testing regulations for the cladding panel but the author had clearly done his research well, including talking to many of the survivors who had horrifying stories to share. 5 stars
One of the prompts for the 52 Book Club Challenge is:
Well the top grossing film in the year 1959 was Ben Hur! This immediately conjured up images of Romans and chariot races. I haven't watched the film but I knew that much at least. Reading more about it I discovered that betrayal was a feature of the story so I went for:
Betrayal by Kate Furnivall
Could you kill someone? Someone you love?
Paris, 1938. This is the story of twin sisters divided by fierce loyalties and by a terrible secret. The drums of war are beating and France is poised, ready to fall. One sister is an aviatrix, the other is a socialite and they both have something to prove and something to hide.
I enjoyed the book although some of it was a bit predictable. 4 stars
My final read during April was:
Hotel du Lac by Anita Brookner.
Well I'm not sure how to start reviewing this book. It's supposed to be a classic and it won a Booker prize. It's also been described as a love story.
Firstly it's hard to pin down when the book is set. It was written in the 80s but it seems that the setting is the 50s. The main character, Edith Hope, is a romantic novelist who has been advised by her sister and friends to spend some time away in Switzerland at the Hotel du Lac. Eventually we find out why but details are vague.
I found the book dull and slow. There is a lot of descriptive text about furnishings, weather and, to be fair, some of the other people staying at the hotel but not about the important events in Edith's life. I found it hard to get my head around Edith's character. There is also a lot of misogyny in this book.
This is an edited version of the review I posted on Goodreads which included spoilers. I read it for a book club. It will be interesting to see what others thought of it. I gave it 1 star!
Thankfully it ticked off another 52 Book Club Challenge prompt.
I'm currently reading Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg which was my other book club's choice but also ticks off another prompt:
So far I've been able to pair quite a few of the book club reads to the 52 Book Club Challenge which makes things a little bit easier.
Apologies for the odd formatting where I've copied from Goodreads. It's too late in the day to go back and edit it. Goodnight!
