Wednesday Hodgepodge - 18/6/25

Joyce provides the questions, we provide the answers and you can join in the fun here.

1. Summer officially begins this week (in the northern hemisphere)...what was your favourite thing to do in the summer when you were a kid? What do you like most about summer now? 

I loved daytrips to the beach and going to the forest for blackberry picking.  Now I love that on the very hot days I don't have to work and can sit around doing nothing if I want.

2.  Something you'll celebrate this summer? 

We'll celebrate having the family all together again for a couple of weeks.  We also have a wedding to attend on Saturday with most of our extended family there.

3. Summer tastes like? Smells like? Sounds like? 

Strawberries, Freshly cut grass, Birdsong - the parakeets in our garden are being particularly vocal at the moment.

4. June 18th is National Splurge Day...what's the last thing you splurged on? What might you splurge on today? 

I can't remember what I last splurged on but we're planning to get some new garden furniture which will definitely be a splurge.

5. Share a favourite summer quote, saying, song lyric, or meme. 

Well one that applied when I was young of course was "School's out for summer!"  It isn't quite there yet for UK schools - still another 2-3 weeks to go.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Definitely summer here now - we're enjoying a nice hot spell of weather.

Friday's Fave Five - 13/6/25

Susanne reminds us every week to take a pause, look back on the week and find the things we're grateful for.  Sometimes that's easy, other weeks I find it more of a struggle but I'm definitely grateful to Susanne for keeping us on track.

You can find out more here.

1)  41 years married!  Our anniversary was on Monday and we celebrated by taking a slow walk up to Chingford and having lunch at the Forest Hotel which is quickly becoming a favourite of ours.  Excuse the order of the photos

My sticky toffee pudding - doesn't look that special but it tasted divine.

Hubby's Chocolate Delice.  It doesn't need to be huge - the chocolate is soooo rich.  I've had it before which is why I opted for something different this time.

This is the cheap steak option - I didn't opt for any extra sides as I wanted space for the pudding - we don't usually eat big lunches but the walk there (about 2 miles) had given us an appetite!

And this was Hubby's main - Olive and tomato stuffed chicken ballotine.

He also enjoyed a starter of a caesar salad with anchovies.

The Hotel and Restaurant only re-opened in January after a major refurbishment but seems to be doing really well.  For a Monday lunchtime it was quite busy and we hadn't booked but we were able to get a table.  It has a good atmosphere.

2.Apps!  I went to the library on Wednesday and I didn't have my card with me.  (I actually think I might have lost it 😢) But I was quickly shown how to check the book out using the library app on my phone!

3.  Loyalty schemes - I made use of a 20% discount voucher this week and an additional £5 off as it's my birthday month from Lakeland this week.  There were a few bits I'd been meaning to get so this spurred me on to order them before the discount expired.

4.  It's raining as I write this.  (9pm)  It's been another lovely sunny, hot day today - it's been a good week weatherwise but we do need some rain.  I'm grateful that it's coming overnight and not affecting any plans.

5.  I'm grateful for a clean and tidy house.  My brother and his wife were due to visit on Wednesday so always a good incentive to be prepared for visitors.  Unfortunately my SIL was unwell and we're going to have to rearrange but I'm grateful that the main house is now tidy.  The garden room and garage are still full of things that need to be elsewhere but I'm working on that.  My daughter is gradually working her way through her boxes of stuff (with a little encouragement - as in "here is today's box for you to sort" when she's here working lol.)  I'm also gradually giving away all the children's clothes etc. we had here.  We often get bags left by charitable groups to put items in and then they collect it from your doorstep so another bag went this week.

I also put a box of books out the front today and about 1/3 of them had been taken by this evening.  I plan to keep that topped up and out front on dry days.  Little and often is the plan.  But at least now it doesn't feel so overwhelming.

I even managed to get more knitting done - Maisie's jumper just needs one sleeve finished.

Have a good weekend all.

Wednesday Hodgepodge - 11/6/25

It's Wednesday so time for the Hodgepodge - Joyce provides the questions and we post our answers and link up here.

1. June 10th is National Herbs and Spices Day. Besides salt and pepper what herb or spice container do you reach for most often? Is there a spice you truly dislike? What's a recent dish you made that called for more than salt and pepper?  

Well Hubby does most of the cooking in this house and he gets through a lot of salt and pepper - I have to restrain him on the salt because I have high blood pressure - well I don't because it's controlled but too much salt is a big no for me.

He will also use tarragon often as well as garlic and ginger.  My most used spices would be cinnamon and ginger - they're in the banana bread recipe I use.  And of course we use oregano a lot in pasta dishes.

One thing we avoid more now is paprika - we have a family member with an allergy.

2.  It's been said 'variety is the spice of life'...in what way is this true for you? Elaborate. 

Being retired no two weeks are usually the same - yes there is routine but being able to change plans at the drop of a hat is great after years of the day to day sameness of work.

3. What's something in your life that adds 'spice' (excitement, intensity) even if also comes with challenge or unpredictability? 

The only thing I can think of that fits  is visiting (or at the moment preparing to host) my son and his family in the US - definitely exciting.

4. If you could instantly master one skill or hobby, what would it be and why? 

That's a hard one!  Probably being able to play an instrument - I have no musical skills whatsoever.

5. We're halfway through the year...what's one book, movie, or activity you've loved this year that you'd recommend to others? 

Well I can't stick to one - these are the books I've given 5 stars to so far this year:

Drive your plow over the bones of the dead by Olga Tolgardczuk

Heartstone by C J Sansom

Not a Happy Family by Shari Lapena &

Take my Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

You can find my Goodreads page here with review details etc.

The activity I'd recommend is volunteering if you can - I love volunteering at our local Food Bank and feeling part of the community.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Well I should have been busy preparing lunch for my brother and his wife today but unfortunately she is unwell so we've had to postpone.  I'm sure my daughter who is working from "Mum's Home" today will appreciate the extra food and yummy dessert I made - well at least I hope it's yummy - chocolate trifle with raspberries.

And there's banana bread!  The grandkids will enjoy that later I'm sure.

Fridays Fave Five - 6/6/25

Every Friday Susanne reminds us to look back on our week and find the things we're grateful for.  We link up here.

Here are the things I am grateful for this week:

1.  Family time last Sunday - we had our daughter and her family here for lunch.  The weather was nice and a lot of football was played.

2.  Our dishwasher.  I'm also grateful for a Hubby that cooks - even this week when he was a bit under the weather but....he is the messiest cook I know but of course he cooks so I clean up.  So yes I'm grateful for the dishwasher.  He made a lovely fish pie this evening but the kitchen looked like a bomb site after lol.

3.  Time to knit.

Maisie's skirt is knitted - just needs some buttons and the ends and seam done.

And I've made a good start on the jumper.

4.  Patience.  We had a nice afternoon with Grandson Nathan today.  He's been a bit under the weather this week and off school so he came to us today to give Mummy a break.  I managed to get some homework done with him but it did require quite a bit of patience.  He wanted to play football but we did the homework plus some reading while Grandpa was out shopping and then they played football.  I find it easier to have patience with the Grandkids than I probably did with my own kids - trying to juggle home, work and kids wasn't easy.

5. Time to garden.  We've had showers on and off this week but this afternoon was nice and dry and not too warm so I was able to get some weeding done in the garden.

I really do love having the time to do the things I enjoy but also the time to volunteer and feel like I'm giving back to the community.

Have a good weekend all.

Wednesday Hodgepodge - 4/6/25

Joyce provides the questions, we provide our answers and then join up here to see who else is taking part.

1. What do birthdays look like in your house? How are they celebrated? Any special traditions? What about birthdays growing up? 

Not that exciting now there's just the two of us oldies at home, although we did have a family tea party for Hubby's 70th recently.  When the kids were little I can remember having lots of kids in the house and making cakes and playing games etc. but these days it seems like parties tend to be held at venues and cost a fortune.

2. Someone is sending you a dozen roses...what colour are you hoping for? Are you someone who gets accused of seeing the world through rose coloured glasses? Is your accuser correct? Elaborate. 

Well the obvious choice would be red but I'd be happier with pink.  I don't think I have rose coloured glasses.  I do have ones that adapt to the sun though ;)    

3. June 4th is National Cheese Day...will you celebrate? What's something (besides a burger) you make in the summer months that calls for cheese? 

I won't make a point of celebrating but I do like cheese - not blue cheese though or soft cheeses generally.  I'm more a mature cheddar person and of course parmesan for the pasta dishes.  I usually use soft cheeses in desserts - who doesn't like a cheesecake?  I also like to make quiche, more so in the summer months.

4. 'tis the season...any weddings on your June calendar? What's the first word that comes to mind when I say marriage? 

Yes, another of our nieces gets married this month so we have that to look forward to.  We're also celebrating 41 years of marriage next week and the word that springs to mind is - well actually there are a few words, love obviously, commitment, patience, in fact it's probably worth checking out what I vowed to do all those years ago lol.

5. What are you most looking forward to this June?  

The end of it - because then it will be July and we'll be closer to seeing our son and his family who will be visiting from the US.  Not that I'm counting the days of course.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Took a nice walk in my area today - depositing some books in the Little Library boxes, collecting a book from the library and checking on the swans etc at the lake.

Spotted this family of baby Coots - there are actually 6 but one took off into the water

And this strange looking pair which are Ringed Teal ducks.

Friday's Fave Five - 30/5/25

Woohoo it's Friday and I'm here on time with my Fave Five post.  Susanne keeps us on track, reminding us each week to look for the blessings we've had, post them on our blogs and then link up here.

Thank you Susanne.

1.  Extended family.  Last Saturday we were at the wedding of our niece Megan.  She is the daughter of Hubby's brother.  It was such a lovely day and the feeling of love throughout the day was wonderful.  All Hubby's siblings, partners, their kids and partners were there with just a couple of exceptions - our son and his wife in the US for obvious reasons.  I blogged about it in more detail here but here's a picture of the happy couple - and they definitely are a happy couple.

2.  Sunshine after the rain.  We had much needed rain earlier in the week but now the sun has returned and it's warming up.  Summer is coming.

3.  Flowers on my tomato plants - that means tomatoes right?  I only have a couple of plants that my neighbour gave me but I'm keeping them watered and they get plenty of sun.

4. My online purchases arrived:

Now I can prepare my yarn for my next projects.

A dressy strap for my Fitbit for evening/event wear.

Thankfully the watch strap also came with a tool to remove links from the strap - I had to take out five to get it to fit my wrist and it's still far from tight.

5) Despite getting the yarn winder above today I've already started another project with some cotton yarn I already had:

Regular visitors will remember Maisoe, made for my granddaughter:

I thought it would be nice for Maisie to have a change of clothes so I'm making her a skirt and jumper.  I started it at the Knit and Natter session this week.  

Whether she will keep them on not is another matter.  My daughter informed me earlier that Maisie is currently naked lol.

Have a good weekend all.

Wednesday Hodgepodge - 28/5/25

Joyce asks the questions, we provide the answers and we all join in the fun here.

1. What's your favourite room in your house and why? 

I'd have to say my dining room.  It's not huge but it's where we eat (obviously) but also work /play on our laptops which really should be called table tops.  It's open to the kitchen so you can chat with the cook (Hubby) and has doors into the living room so it's pretty much the hub of the house.  Plus you can see into the garden and watch the birds.  It's where I am right now.

2. What's something that will instantly annoy you? 

People calling me "Wend" especially those that don't know me that well.  I have NEVER said "my name is Wendy but you can call me Wend".  I'm not particularly fond of my name but I really hate it being shortened.  Even my Mum used to do it.  Thankfully the one person who has never done it is my Hubby.  Ironically he is Nicholas but we all call him Nick (which is how he introduces himself) although if his Mum called him Nicholas he knew he was probably in trouble lol.

3. May 28th is National Hamburger Day...will you celebrate? How do you like yours? If you're not cooking at home is there a favourite place you like to go for a burger? Did you ever work in a fast food  restaurant? 

No I will not celebrate but I will have a burger occasionally when we eat out - particularly at a pub.  I like it cooked through  but not overdone.  I've never worked in a fast food restaurant or wanted to.

4. What are three scents you like? 

The perfume I wear (Light Blue by Dolce & Gabbana)

Lavender

Coffee (even though I don't drink it!)

I was also going to add babies - that unique smell of a newborn baby but so often babies often smell of what's in their nappy (diaper) lol.

5. What do you miss most about being a kid? 

Not much really.  I guess the freedom from responsibility was quite nice.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I'm looking forward to starting a new knitting project and I love being able to order things online - waiting on delivery of a yarn winder - I have skeins of yarn that need winding for both the next two projects and I don't think Hubby will want to sit holding them for me and I couldn't find anything in the house that I could improvise with.  And who doesn't love a new toy?

I also ordered a bracelet style strap for my Fitbit for when I wear it going out - wish I'd thought of it before last Saturday's wedding but at least I'll have it for the wedding we're going to next month.

I also found some diffuser oil refill.  I'm all about reusing, refilling recycling etc when I can.

Enjoy the rest of the week all.

How can it be Monday? 26/5/25

It's been a while, again!  The days seem to be flying by and I need to be more mindful about making time to blog.  My blog serves as a journal of my life so I need to keep up with it.

But life gets busy sometimes.  Last Sunday (18th) was the annual Spring Festival in Highams Park.  I volunteer for the Planning group behind that so was there from 8 am in the morning helping get things set up - which involved a lot of moving equipment around and putting up signage etc.

Then when the main organisers from the Food Hub group arrived I helped them set up their stall and then volunteered there for the rest of the day (apart from an hour or so for a lunch break).  I didn't get home until after 5 pm and had managed over 16,000 steps!

Needless to say last Monday was a quiet day!

On Wednesday I was at the Food Hub taking in a delivery and then at the Food Bank session on Thursday as usual.  I did manage a couple of walks during the week and managed to catch sight of the new cygnets on the lake.

These pictures were taken on the 18th and (I think) it was the first outing for the cygnets.

These pictures were taken yesterday (25th) - aren't they cute.  This pair of swans are fairly new to the lake and it's the first time they've nested here.  It will be interesting to see if they chase the cygnets off when they are fully grown of if they will allow them to remain with them.

Friday found us "enjoying" Nathan and Ella's school fete.  It was noisy and hectic but we did join them for a nice dinner afterwards at their house.

On Saturday we were here!

Celebrating the wedding of our niece Megan to Freddie.

                                                

Hubby (Nick) on left with his brother Bernard.

22 of the 23 cousins - our son in the US was the only 1 missing.

L-R Our daughter Rebecca, her wife Victoria and cousins Geraldine & Natalie

It was a wonderful day.  They are such a lovely couple and the atmosphere was just so joyful.  The reception venue was the Catholic Club that we've been to for many events, but they had totally transformed the garden by hiring the marquee and everything was lovely.  My SIL (the Mother of the Bride) has a great eye for detail as has her DIL who is an artist and did all the artwork for things like the seating plan, place settings, Order of Service etc.  They had also laid on coaches to transport guests from the church to the reception venue.

And the rain held off.  We've had such lovely weather recently but on Saturday it rained in the morning and it was quite cloudy and grey in the afternoon but the bride did not get wet!

Needless to say yesterday was another quiet day - we were up reasonably early to prepare breakfast for our elder son and his wife who were here for the wedding but they left soon after to pick up their boys and head off to the Peak District as it's half-term for the boys this week.

So that's me caught up again.  I'm off to bed now as I have to be up early tomorrow to collect food for the Foodbank from one of the nearby supermarkets, then it's on to Keep Fit with tea and cake afterwards at my friend Catherine's as it's her birthday.

I love being retired!

Wednesday Hodgepodge - 21/5/25

Joyce provides the questions for the Hodgepodge and we all join in here.  

1. May 20th is World Bee Day...what's something that's kept you 'busy as a bee' lately? 

Trying to clear my house of all the things that don't belong in it!  It's a work in progress.

2. Do you like honey? What's something you make or enjoy that calls for honey? 

I don't dislike honey but I'm not a huge fan and I can't think of anything I make that calls for it.

3. "Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body." Proverbs 16:24

What's a proverb you love, or one that speaks to you or has helped you in some way? 

The Bible is full of Proverbs, a whole book in fact, if that helps with your answer. The word proverb is defined as 'a short pithy saying in general use, stating a general truth or piece of advice'. 

Well I do possess a Bible but I couldn't quote you from it.  I do like the one Joyce has quoted but I'd probably use that sentiment in the phrase "if you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing".

4. Tell us about a 'sweet' moment in your life recently that filled you with joy, gratitude, or peace. 

We had quite a good chat online with the Grandkids that are in the US at the weekend.  They're only 4 and almost 7 so chats aren't usually lengthy but it is always good to be able to talk to them.

5. When you were a child, what did you want to 'be' when you grew up? How close did you come to that? 

The only career I can remember seriously thinking about was to be a Radiographer.  I was the swot that was good at Maths and liked Science at school lol.

I came nowhere close to that - I took my final exams at school, decided I'd had enough education and opted out of University.  I found myself a job in an accounts department and didn't look back.  I don't regret it as if I'd followed my original plans I wouldn't have met my lovely Hubby and had my family.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

On the theme of bees - my lavender plants are doing well and I love how they attract the bees!

Friday's Fave Five - 16/5/25

It seems an age since I was here this month after blogging every day in April so I was determined to join in with Susanne and others today to look back on the good things in the last week.  You can find out more and see other participants here on Susanne's blog.

1)  Celebrating our daughter's birthday.  Her birthday was actually on Tuesday but we went out for lunch last Saturday to a country pub.  The food was good and the dessert Hubby and I shared was delicious - a Biscoffi cheesecake.  Yum!

The birthday girl got her own special one!

2)  We finally have all the beds in the right place!  We've been changing them around so that we can accommodate the grandchildren better when they stay.  We got rid of one double bed - collected by our council.  We moved the other spare double bed into a different bedroom and now we have twin beds in one room.

This one is now fully assembled and made up.

3)  Also on Saturday I helped with the setting up of a stall for our Knitting group to sell yarn at a Vintage Fayre being held at the library.  We'd had lots of yarn donated and although it didn't all get sold they raised just over £400 which will be split between the local Food Bank and the Macmillan Cancer Support charity.

4)  Sunday was another busy day - doing a Yard Sale at home.

We didn't sell a great deal but it's helped us get a lot of sorting done so now I can get on with finding places to donate things to.  I found a local Baby Bank and dropped some things off today and there is a charity collection in this area on Monday so I'm planning to bag some clothes up for that.  Then we'll work on keeping the local "Little Libraries" stocked up with books.  

5) And there was some down time too this week - I got some reading done.  I managed a lake walk this evening and one lot of ducklings are doing well.  They're definitely bigger and there still seem to be 8 although I couldn't get a photo of all of them together.  Hopefully the other set are doing ok although I didn't seem them today.

Plus, I finally finished my knitted blanket:

It needs washing and blocking but I'm pleased to have finally finished it. 

Definitely a good week!

Have a good weekend all.

Wednesday Hodgepodge - 7/5/25

Joyce provides the questions, we provide the answers and we link up here to compare notes!

1. Let's compare this May to last May. What's changed? What remains very much the same? 

Essentially things are still the same here - Hubby and I are enjoying being retired and building our lives in what still feels like a new home although we've been here well over 4 years now.

The big change though is that our younger son and his family are now living in the US so the Other Side of the Pond.  Last May saw the beginning of that move when DIL Elizabeth and Grandson Rory left for Vermont in May while my son Michael and Grandson Vinny remained here finalising things before the family were reunited in July.

They had all been living with us since the beginning of May and we were backwards and forwards to their flat preparing it for renting out.  Vinny was only 3 then and although there were good reasons for splitting the family at the time it was hard for him to understand so it was hard for everyone.

But they are now happily settled in their own home in Vermont, both have jobs and the kids are settled in school and Kindergarten.  And of course we had a lovely visit with them at Thanksgiving.

2. What's something you may do this month? 

Finish sorting out the spare bedrooms.  We've been playing musical beds and changing the arrangements - switching a double bed for twin beds for when the family visit us.  The Grandkids are getting older and bigger - they've outgrown the toddler bed we have.  So far we have managed to get rid of the double bed - the council took it away yesterday.  Hopefully by the end of the month we will have bought the twin beds we need and got the rooms straight.

3. Mother's Day is approaching (in the US of A)...in what way(s) are you like your mother? 

I expect my kids would say that I share a lot of my Mother's mannerisms.  

4. Did you have a favourite book as a child? What was it and why was it a favourite. 

I had quite a few favourites:

Little Women,

What Katy Did (and the sequels)

Famous Five

Black Beauty

I've always loved reading.

5. Are you more of a tortoise or a hare? Explain. 

I think I'm a bit of both.  I can procrastinate a lot and move slowly on things - so like a tortoise but when something really needs to get done I can turn into a hare.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

After a long spell of good weather it turned really chilly at the beginning of this week.  I had to put a jumper on yesterday.  We did manage a walk around the lake on Sunday though and spotted another group of ducklings - we counted 13 but it was impossible to get a picture of all of them together they were moving around quite fast.

We also spotted these two ducks which we hadn't seen before - apparently they are Ring necked Teals.

Book Reviews for April 2025 (Books #20 - #27)

Well April passed by in a bit of blur while I was doing the A-Z Challenge.  Despite being busy I managed to read 8 books but I didn't get around to posting the reviews.  I've combined them all here in one post.  

My favourite of the month was "Not a Happy Family" by Shari Lapena and my least favourite was "Trial by Fire" by Danielle Steel.   Some reads were easier than others.

  The Last Bookshop in London: A Novel of World War II by Madeline Martin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

August 1939: London prepares for war as Hitler’s forces sweep across Europe. Grace Bennett has always dreamed of moving to the city, but the bunkers and drawn curtains that she finds on her arrival are not what she expected. And she certainly never imagined she’d wind up working at Primrose Hill, a dusty old bookshop nestled in the heart of London.

Through blackouts and air raids as the Blitz intensifies, Grace discovers the power of storytelling to unite her community in ways she never dreamed—a force that triumphs over even the darkest nights of the war.

This was a nice easy read, despite covering a very difficult time in London. Definitely a feel good book.

View all my reviews

Not a Happy Family by Shari Lapena
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In the quiet, wealthy enclave of Brecken Hill, an older couple is brutally murdered hours after a tense Easter dinner with their three adult children. Who, of course, are devastated.

Or are they? They each stand to inherit millions. They were never a happy family, thanks to their vindictive father and neglectful mother, but perhaps one of them is more disturbed than anyone knew. Did someone snap after that dreadful evening? Or did another person appear later that night with the worst of intentions? That must be what happened. After all, if one of the family were capable of something as gruesome as this, you'd know.

Wouldn't you?

Really enjoyed this book - kept me turning the pages. An horrific double murder brings to light many secrets shared by the Merton family and people close to them. Lots of possibilities as to who could have committed the crime some more credible than others. They are definitely not a happy family.

View all my reviews 

Big Sky by Kate Atkinson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jackson Brodie has relocated to a quiet seaside village, in the occasional company of his recalcitrant teenage son and an aging Labrador, both at the discretion of his ex-partner Julia. It’s picturesque, but there’s something darker lurking behind the scenes.

Jackson’s current job, gathering proof of an unfaithful husband for his suspicious wife, is fairly standard-issue, but a chance encounter with a desperate man on a crumbling cliff leads him into a sinister network—and back across the path of his old friend Reggie. Old secrets and new lies intersect in this breathtaking novel.

This is my second book by Kate Atkinson and, like the first, it took a while to get into and I found the multiple characters a bit hard to keep track of but gradually I became hooked. Perhaps all her books are like that.

Anyway another enjoyable read and although the subject matter (sex trafficking) is quite dark it wasn't done too graphically.

View all my reviews 

The Girl at the Lion d'Or by Sebastian Faulks
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In mid- Thirties France, seeking asylum from her past, a penniless orphan, Anne, turns up as a waitress at a tatty hotel by the sea. Befriended by the local landowner, Charles, Anne entrusts him with the highly charged scandal that in the Great War left her parentless. Her longing to be loved seduces him into tackling his own problems -- trauma at Verdun, decrepit estate, childless wife -- with a courage matching hers.... 

I feel I should be able to say more about this book after all Faulks is an acclaimed writer. But….it’s not my favourite of his by a long way. It felt slow almost to the point of boring. There is beautiful prose and great description (of some things) but I didn’t take to the characters and it just didn’t move me in the way that Birdsong did. The blurb above is also, I feel, a bit misleading. I didn’t feel Charles was particularly courageous at all.

View all my reviews 

A Dedicated Man by Peter Robinson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A Dedicated Man is the second novel in Peter Robinson's Inspector Banks series, following on from Gallows View. A dead body. Hidden secrets. Banks will find the truth. The brutally murdered body of a supposedly well-liked local historian is found half-buried under a dry stone wall. But who would kill such a thoughtful, dedicated man? Young Sally Lumb, locked in her lover's arms on the night of the murder, tries to find the killer herself. But her good-intentions only leads to more danger. And when Chief Inspector Alan Banks is called to investigate he soon discovers that disturbing secrets lie behind the seemingly untroubled façade . . .

The second in the DCI Banks series and another solid crime procedural. Always a bit tricky when you've seen the televised versions of novels, especially when the main character doesn't match the image created in the book version. Will be interesting to see if subsequent novels align with the TV series. The ending of this one didn't feel that suspenseful to me.

View all my reviews 

Trial By Fire by Danielle Steel
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The life of a Parisian woman changes in a heartbeat when she’s trapped by wildfires in Napa Valley. Born to a French mother and American father, graceful Dahlia de Beaumont has been sole owner and CEO of the venerable family perfume business based in Paris since her early twenties, following the death of her parents. For twenty-five years, after losing her young skier husband in an avalanche, her life has centered on running Lambert Perfumes and being a devoted single mother to her four now-adult indecisive Charles, volatile Alexa, kind-hearted business visionary Delphine, and dreamy artist Emma. 

Now fifty-six, she has an “arrangement” with a married French man but has been questioning that relationship. Dahlia comes to San Francisco on a routine business trip to check on her stores in the States. But shortly after her arrival, brush fires ignite in Napa Valley. Watching the sweeping devastation on the news, Dahlia is moved to help. But doing so will bring unforeseen consequences that endanger not only her life, but her entire future. 

Forced to remain in San Francisco in the aftermath, she will make unexpected connections while also fighting to protect all she has worked for. What Dahlia learns will provide a new perspective of her life, forever changing what really matters to her and what comes next for her journey.

I last read a Danielle Steel book in 2019, before to that I'd have to look back prior to 2010. I don't think another of her books will make my list. I have certainly enjoyed her books in the past but this had so much repetition early on that I nearly gave up on it.

Plus points? Well it ticked the "Climate Fiction" prompt for the "52 book club" challenge - just! (There was a lot written about fires in California but not really much about them being caused by climate change or how that needs to be addressed.) Thankfully it was also a quick read.

Minus points? It needed much more editing. It was very predictable and it just felt formulaic to me.

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The Boy from the Woods by Harlan Coben
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thirty years ago, a child was found in the New Jersey backwoods.

He had been living a feral existence, with no memory of how he got there or even who he is. Everyone just calls him Wilde.  Now a former soldier and security expert, he lives off the grid, shunned by the community - until they need him.

A child has gone missing. With her family suspecting she's just playing a disappearing game, nobody seems concerned except for criminal attorney Hester Crimstein. She contacts Wilde, asking him to use his unique skills to find the girl.

But even he can find no trace of her. One day passes, then a second, then a third.  On the fourth, a human finger shows up in the mail.

And now Wilde knows this is no game. It's a race against time to save the girl's life - and expose the town's dark trove of secrets...

Harlan Coben books have yet to disappoint me. This is another fast moving thriller with lots of threads to keep track of.

It starts with the missing girl, leads on to a missing boy and along the way there is an historic scandal affecting current lives in a complicated manner.

Lots going on. Perhaps my only criticism is that there might be too much going on – sometimes less is more but I still couldn’t stop turning the pages.

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