J is for Jakob (A-Z Challenge 2026) 11/4/26

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 J authors I've read are:

• Jakob Juno
• James P D
• James Peter
• Jane Corry
• Jeffrey Diane
• Jewell Lisa
• Johnson Alan
• Johnson Milly
• Jonasson Jonas
• Jones Christina
• Jones Wendy
• Jonsson Ulrika
• Joyce Rachel

Well a few more authors for J and I had to read the one by my namesake (Juno Jakob) titled Atticus. This book details living with schizophrenia, in particular during hospitalization. It's a hard read in that it's graphic - bad language occurs frequently throughout the book and it's dark. But it feels truthful and although sad at times it is also hopeful. Atticus is a fox that appears in the main characters hallucinations.

The book was recommended to me by one of my DILs as it was quite short and fitted a prompt for the 2025 52 Book Club challenge.

Lisa Jewell is my most read author on that list but despite not having many authors on the list there are a few quirky titles:

The Hundred-year-old man who climbed out of the window and disappeared (Jonas Jonasson)

The thoughts and happenings of Wilfred Price, Purveyor of Superior Funerals (Wendy Jones) and

The Unlikely pilgrimage of Harold Fry. (Rachel Joyce)

The Harold Fry was a book club read which I enjoyed and it has since been made into a film which I hope to get around to watching at some point.

There's also an autobiography on there (Please, Mr Postman by Alan Johnson a former MP.) which is not my usual genre and I definitely wouldn't recommend this one. It covers a relatively short period of his life when he worked as a postman and was heavily involved in the union. It was soooo boring. A good snapshot of life at the time but it certainly didn't make me want to read about any more of his life!

Do you enjoy autobiographies?

Friday's Fave Five - 10th April 2026

It's Friday again so time to link up with Susanne here to share the things we're grateful for over this past week.

1)  Firstly I'm grateful for Susanne for providing this link up each week, even when things aren't always going smoothly for her, setting us all a good example and making us think.

2)  A meal out with my daughter and her family last Saturday.  

It's nice now they're that bit older and the restaurant is quite child friendly.

3)  Our son and his family were here from Sunday until yesterday so having grandchildren around is definitely a fave.

4)  Automatic machines that make life easier - the dishwasher was on the go a lot this week and I've got through a lot of washing today and I haven't even started on the bedding and towels yet.

5)  A very lazy day today.  I've got some sort of cold virus going on and haven't felt great since yesterday.  Today I've taken advantage of having a quiet house to ourselves and spent most of the day reading this:

I'd started it a couple of days ago and finished it today. I'm going to have an early night and recharge my batteries.

Have a good weekend all.  I'll try and get around to your blogs tomorrow.

I is for Ironmonger (A-Z Challenge 2026) 10/4/26

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 I authors I've read are:

• Ironmonger John
• Irving John
• Ishiguro Kazuo
• Ivey Eowyn

Well that's a short list and between those 4 authors I've only read 6 books so Irving takes the prize this time.

I read Ishiguro's "Never let me go" a while back so it doesn't even have a rating or review on my Goodreads page.  I remember I found it disturbing but the fact that I had to look at other reviews on Goodreads to remember more about it shows it probably wasn't a 5* book for me.  

John Ironmonger's "Not forgetting the Whale" was a magazine book recommendation I read back in 2016.  I can't remember too much about it other than that the main character was a man running away from a disastrous work situation and ending up on a beach.  Also ending up on the beach was a whale.  It wasn't my usual sort of read but I clearly enjoyed it as I gave it 4*.

A more recent read was The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey.

I loved this book.  It’s a fairy tale for adults filled with joy and sadness.  It also beautifully outlines the harshness of Alaska and the difficulties early settlers faced.  It details the relationships between husband and wife and parents and child as they battle to make a life for themselves in the brutal climate.

And now to Irving. I've read 3 of his books.

1) "A Widow for One Year" 

To say this is a story about a woman (Ruth) who had been a widow for one year wouldn't be wrong but the book is about so much more than that.  The book details Ruth's life but also covers much of her parents' lives and more.  Irving includes in his book whole sections that feel superfluous to Ruth's story.  He writes paragraphs where many writers would use a sentence.

I'm not sure if I think Irving is a great writer but he's definitely clever.  The book isn't a page turner like a thriller would be but I did want to keep going and find out how things turned out for Ruth and the other characters in the book.  He's also not shy about including details of the sexual relationships of his characters and indeed in this book there is a lot of information about the Red Light district of Amsterdam.  This might not be to everyone's taste.

2)  "A Prayer for Owen Meany".

It took me a month to read this book!  John Irving does not mince his words.  This is the story of Owen Meany, a small person with a strange voice and a calling.  

It's the 3rd book by Irving that I've read and although they've all impressed me they've all felt too long.  This is a very slow story of Owen Meany's life as told by his best friend John Wainwright.  I'd like to say it gathers momentum to a satisfying ending but it doesn't.  Irving takes his time.  He goes into great detail about everything.  Set in America there is a lot of information about the Vietnam war and what was going on in America around that time.   But the events revolving around Owen Meany are in the past for the narrator so we also get his views on American politics in the 1980s.  There is also a lot about religion in the book, particularly the different churches in America.

I'm glad I made it to the end but it wasn't a compelling read for me.  I hate giving up on books so I persevered.  I've given it 4 stars because I couldn't in all honesty recommend it for reading without a lot of caveats but the way Irving pulls this story together is impressive.

Looking at my review of Owen Meany I had to check out which other book of his I'd read as it wasn't listed on my Goodreads page!  Turned out to be "The World According to Garp".  Another tome.

Are you good with reading long books or would they be a non starter for you?

H is for Haig (A-Z Challenge 2026) 9/4/26

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 H authors I've read are:

• Haig Matt
• Hallett Janice
• Halls Stacey
• Halton Linn B
• Hamer Kate
• Hannah James
• Hannah Kristin
• Hannah Sophie
• Hannigan Emma
• Hardy Thomas
• Harmel Kristin
• Harnetiaux Trish
• Harper Jane
• Harpman Jacqueline
• Harrington Carmel
• Harris Anstey
• Harris Joanne
• Hart Emilia
• Haruf Kent
• Hawkins Paula
• Hawley Noah
• Hayden Torey L
• Hayder Mo
• Hayes Samantha
• Heatherington Emma
• Heller Joseph
• Heminsley Alexandra
• Henderson Meg
• Henry Veronica
• Hepworth Sally
• Herbert James
• Higashino Keigo
• Hilderbrand Elin
• Hill Melissa
• Hill Reginald
• Hill Susan
• Hogan Faith
• Hogan Ruth
• Hogle Sarah
• Honeyman Gail
• Hooper Enna
• Hoover Colleen
• Hopkins Cathy
• Hornak Francesca
• Hornby Nick
• Hosseini Khaled
• Howells Debbie
• Hughes Kathry
• Hunter Alice
• Hunter Cara
• Hurley Andrew Michael

Susan Hill is my most read H author - I've read 10 of hers - all the Simon Serrailler detective series which of course is my favourite genre. (Although she has written other stand alone books.) 

Most of the other authors I've probably only read 1 or 2 of.

I have read 3 by Hannah Kristin who most people will have heard of.  I loved "The Nightingale" which got 5* and although I really enjoyed "The Women"  I did feel the main character had too many disasters in her life for one person so that brought it down to 4* for me.

There are a couple of Hardy classics on there, "Far from the Madding Crowd" and "Tess of the D'Urbervilles". 

A couple of other 5* were "Eleanor Oliphant is completely Fine" by Gail Honeyman and "The Keeper of Lost Things" by Ruth Hogan.

Books that got a lot of hype but didn't over impress me were:

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover and

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.  There was just something about the main character in this one I couldn't take to.

Another one that took me a while to read and wasn't that enjoyable (but was on the BBC list) was "Catch 22" by Joseph Heller.  That was a real slog.

There's also a Japanese writer on there - Keigo Higoshino which was a first for me.  A different take on a crime novel set in Tokyo.

One that also stands out was the dystopian "I who have never known men" by Jacqueline Harpman.  This was gifted to me and I must admit I wouldn't usually choose dystopia but I was impressed by this one.

Are you a fan of dystopian novels?

Wednesday Hodgepodge - 8/4/26

Joyce asks the questions and we provide the answers and then we link up here.  Come join the fun.

1. Egg on your face, putting all your eggs in one basket, a good egg, walk on eggshells, nest egg, or a tough egg to crack...which eggy idiom currently applies to your life in some way? Explain

I like to think I'm a good egg - I do a lot of volunteering at the local Food bank as well as being the main organiser of 2 book clubs and I like to help people when I can.  I can be a tough egg to crack sometimes - I don't find it easy in new situations.  I also sometimes feel I'm walking on eggshells.

2. April 7th is National Beer Day...are you a beer drinker? If so do you have a favourite? Beer battered fish, beer bread, beer can chicken, beer brats...which one sounds good to you? Have you made any of these? 

Definitely NOT a beer drinker but I do like beer battered fish.  I've not made any of those things listed.

3. Do you have siblings? What's the best thing about being your sibling? If you don't have siblings, what would you say are the pros and cons of being an only child? 

Well I think I have the worst of both worlds.  I have siblings (2 brothers) but there are big age gaps between us so we're not that close and I often feel bad about that and growing up I often felt like an only child.  I'd definitely rather have siblings than not though.

4. How do you feel about floral scents in products? Do you have a favourite?

I don't have a favourite and I'm not bothered one way or another although I do wish they wouldn't keep inventing products that are so unnecessary like fabric conditioner "scent boosters" !

5. What's one thing in your home that begins with the letter G that you would say is a keeper, something you'll hold on to? Tell us why. 

Well that would have to be guitars.  We have at least 4 in the house, all belonging to Hubby and if I tried to get rid of any of them I think he'd be filing for divorce.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

We also have grandchildren in the house this week - they're definitely keepers!

They were pleading for something at the time but I can't remember what!

G is for Gardner (A-Z Challenge 2026) 8/4/26

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 G authors I've read are:

• Gardner Lisa
• Garmus Bonnie
• Gayle Mike
• Gerrard Nicci
• Gerritsen Tess
• Gill Jay
• Glen Joanna
• Goddard Robert
• Golding William
• Grace Celina
• Grahame Kenneth
• Grann David
• Gray Alex
• Greaves Abbie
• Green Cass
• Green Jane
• Green John
• Green Linda
• Greene Graham
• Gregory Philippa
• Grey Iona
• Griffiths Elly
• Grisham John
• Groff Lauren
• Gudenkauf Heather
• Gunderson Christine

John Grisham takes the prize for most read G author.  I've read at least 24 of his books and watched several that have been made into films (e.g. The Firm, The Pelican Brief, The Client).  

I haven't read any of his Theodore Boone books and there are obviously quite a few missing from my list but despite the recurring themes of justice and the legal system there's never been one that has disappointed me.

There are a few other of my usual crime genre writers on this list, Tess Gerritsen, Alex Gray and Elly Griffiths.  Plus a few classics - Brighton Rock by Graham Greene, Lord of the Flies by William Golding and The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame.  I also read  The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene which I think has put me off ever reading him again.  I also couldn't bring myself to watch the recent televised version of Lord of the Flies.

One of the stand out books from the G list for me is Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. This was a 5 star read for me.

Other 5 star rated books included Half a World Away by Mike Gayle, a real tear jerker and The other half of Augustus Hope by Joanna Glen.

Are you a John Grisham fan?

F is for Faulks (A-Z Challenge 2026) 7/4/26

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 F authors I've read are:

• Faulks Sebastian
• Feltz Vanessa
• Fforde Katie
• Fielding Helen
• Filer Nathan
• Finch Paul
• Fitzgerald F Scott
• Flock Elizabeth
• Flowers Ashley
• Flynn Gillian
• Flynn Katie
• Foley Lucy
• Forster Kate
• Francis Clare
• Frank Anne
• French Dawn
• French Nicci
• Furnivall Kate

Nicci French is my most read F author (with 10 books) although of course that's actually 2 people writing together - Nicci Gerrard and Sean French, a married couple.  Most of the ones I've read feature Frieda Klein, a psychotherapist.  I read one of that series and was hooked so I worked my way through all of them.  "Waiting for Wednesday" even got 5 stars.  I do love a crime thriller.

I loved Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks but didn't enjoy A Week in December nearly as much.  

I enjoyed Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn and have read another couple by her.

Classics are The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald and The Diary of Anne Frank.  

There are a couple of autobiographies on there too.  Vanessa by Vanessa Feltz and Dear Fatty by Dawn French.  I'm not a great reader of biographies but a few have slipped in here and there.  

I also read "Because of You" by Dawn French which is fiction.  My review was, "This is definitely well written in terms of characterisation but the story is not unique and I really didn't find the ending plausible.  To me the ending was tied up neatly with a bow on top and life isn't usually like that.  I certainly engaged with the characters and I did enjoy it but it felt a bit light in places given the seriousness of the story." (The blurb reads: As the old millennium turns into the new, two very different women give birth to two very similar daughters.

Hope leaves with a beautiful baby girl.
Anna leaves with empty arms.)

I sometimes think authors who are also celebrities can trade on their name and popularity.  Or maybe it's just the publishers who do that but I can't help wondering if celebrities submitted their books under an anonymous pseudonym whether they would actually get published.

What do you think?

E is for Eclair (A-Z Challenge 2026) 6/4/26

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 E authors I've read are:

• Éclair Jenny
• Edwards Kim
• Ekback Cecilia
• Eliot George
• Elliot Kendra
• Elliot Laura
• Elliott Lexie
• Ellis Janet
• Ellwood Nuala
• English Rachael
• Evans Lissa

Not so many on the E list and I’ve only read one book by each of these authors!  Some of them go back to pre- Goodreads so they don’t have a star rating or reviews.

One book that does stand out, although not in a good way, is “The Butcher’s” Hook by Janet Ellis – I only gave it a 1 star and my review was,

“I read this as a book club challenge and that was the only thing that kept me reading. I really didn't like this book. The main character was a horrible person and I didn't find that all the things she did were plausible or believable.

It was set in Georgian London and was very gloomy. I'm glad to be able to say I finished it but that's about it.”

Maybe one to give a miss lol.  But there is a classic on there “Middlemarch” by George Eliot which I read for the BBC challenge but again there’s no rating or review.

I rated “Day of the Accident” by Nuala Ellwood 5 stars but didn’t enter a review.  It’s a thriller so it probably had some good twists in it for it to merit that rating.  But having read it back in 2019 I couldn’t tell you how it ends.  I think that is one downside to reading a lot of books – it’s hard to remember them all.

Have you finished any one star books?  Or are you happy to DNF a book?

Weekly Photos - 29th March - 4th April 2026

Oh my goodness, keeping up with the A-Z challenge and my regular posting is proving a challenge too far!  

I'd already decided to pause my "In the News" posts during April but this week I've missed my Read then Write post and the #SoCS post.  That was partly due to being away overnight on Thursday.  By the time we got back on Friday I was really tired but I did manage my Friday Fave Five's post.  Yesterday though we needed to get some shopping and then we were out for a meal with my daughter and her family which left little time for blogging.  Thankfully my A-Z posts for A to G were already done and scheduled to post so I had a bit of breathing space.  The remainder of the posts are all done in draft form with the outlines done but I still need to go in and add the body of the posts.  Hopefully I'll get a few more done today before my son and his family arrive because once they are here I won't have a lot of spare time!  They're planning to stay until Thursday.

But there's no A-Z post due today so I'll get on with my photos post - although as usual I've had to be a bit creative.

On Sunday I completed 2 months (60 days) of taking a collagen supplement.  My hair is definitely better and I think my joints are improving.  I'm going to be sticking with it.

I also finished this jigsaw.

Monday we had birthday cake with Grandson Nathan who turned 9 on Tuesday.  (The family were away on Tuesday so we celebrated early.)

I started this book on Tuesday - it's for the evening book club.

Wednesday I had to check on Milo, my daughter's cat.  

Such a hardship lol.

I also found time to do my usual NYT puzzles and managed to achieve the following:

 

I got to a streak of 247 previously on Wordle and was determined to get to 250.  There were a few scary days leading up to this where I was on guess 6.  (If you know you know lol.)  The April Fools' Hat was for the spelling bee.

Thursday we celebrated the life of my SIL - wife of my eldest brother.

Friday I took a picture of this as I was lacking inspiration.  I bought this a couple of weeks ago along with another book for a friend.  Of course I did not need another book but there was a deal on 2 books so how could I resist? Especially when this is such a talked about book.

        

And yesterday we had dinner with my daughter, our DIL and our youngest and eldest grandchildren.  Nathan was happy to pose, Ella was being a big shy.

Phew!  All caught up.  

Happy Easter everyone.

D is for Dahl (A-Z Challenge 2026) 4/4/26

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 D authors I've read are:

• Dahl Roald
• Darbon Leslie
• Davies Emma
• Daly Paula
• Deaver Jeffery
• Delaney J P
• Dewar Isla
• Dexter Colin
• Diamond Katerina
• Diamond Lucy
• Dickens Charles
• Diffenbaugh Vanessa
• Dillon Lucy
• Doerr Anthony
• Dolan Eva
• Donoghue Emma
• Donovan Kerry J
• Doughty Louise
• Douglas Claire
• Douglas Louise
• Drummond Elizabeth
• Duguid Sarah

There is a tie for my most read D author – I’ve read 6 books by Jeffery Deaver and Lucy Diamond. Very different authors.

The ones I’ve read by Deaver all feature Lincoln Rhyme and unusually I’d seen “The Bone Collector” film before I’d read the book. But I then carried on and I’ve read books 1-5 and 8 in the series. I must track down 6 & 7 at some point.

Lucy Diamond’s books would probably be cast as chick lit but they do have a bit more depth to them than most.

A couple of classics on there by Charles Dickens. I started with his “A Christmas Carol” which is of course quite short but then I moved on to “David Copperfield” mainly because I wanted to see if all the hype around “Demon Copperhead” was warranted and that meant reading the Dickens first. All 900+ pages of it! And soooo many characters. It ticked a box on the BBC list of books too.

And who cannot have read something by Roald Dahl if you have children?

As for 5 stars the one that stands out for me is “All the light we cannot see” by Anthony Doerr which I must get around to watching on the TV as some point.

One that I have read and seen the film of is “Room” by Emma Donoghue.

Do you tend to read first then watch or does the order not matter to you?

Friday's Fave Five - 3/4/26

It's Friday so time to reflect on the week and link up here on Susanne's site with other like minded bloggers.  

Trying to do the A-Z Challenge and keep up with regular blogging posts is not easy but these Friday posts are important as they make me stop and think about what I need to be grateful for - there is always something.  This week these are the highlights:

1)  Our clocks went forward last weekend and although that meant an hour less sleep, the days are now lighter and seem longer.  

2)  We had a big donation from our neighbouring parish last Saturday and from a local business during the week so we had enough Easter eggs to give out at the Foodbank for all the families we support.  

3)  Grateful that we were able to attend my SIL's funeral yesterday and catch up with both my brothers, my other SIL and my niece and nephew.  It was a long drive up to the funeral but we made it in time.  The roads in Lincolnshire require concentration!  It was a lovely cremation service and my brother seems to be coping well.

4)  Rather than coming straight home from the funeral we decided to stay overnight at our son's in Nottingham.  Although cutting across country to him took us nearly as long as it would have done to get home!  Not really but it was over 2 hours.  Worth it though to catch up with him and our 2 grandsons.  Our DIL was at a friend's overnight but came back this morning so we had time with all of them and played a lot of games.  

5)  A knit and natter meet up on Wednesday evening - this time at the local pub.  Nice to enjoy a glass of wine while getting some knitting done and catch up with friends.

Happy Easter everyone.

C is for Callaghan (A-Z Challenge 2026) 3/4/26

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 C authors I've read are:

• Callaghan Helen
• Campbell Karen
• Candlish Louise
• Cannon Joanna
• Carel Eric
• Carr Charlene
• Carroll Claudia
• Carroll Lewis
• Carruth Jane
• Casey Anne-Marie
• Chamberlain Diane
• Chambers Clare
• Chevalier Tracy
• Child Lee
• Christie Agatha
• Clark-Platts Alice
• Clarke Angele
• Cleeves Ann
• Clegg Bill
• Clinton Bill
• Coben Harlen
• Cohen Tammy
• Colman Rowan
• Colgan Jenny
• Connelly Michael
• Connolly John
• Coolidge Susan
• Cooper Emma
• Cornwell Patricia
• Corry Jane
• Cotterill Colin
• Cousens Sophie
• Cox Sara
• Crawford Susan H
• Cumming Charles
• Cummins Jeanine
• Cutts Lisa

Lee Child wins for the letter C, I’ve read 21 of his Jack Reacher books, mostly in order but I am a few missing which I’ll probably catch up on at some point. I still can’t get my head around the casting of Tom Cruise in the role though. (Apart of course from his money and his clout.) But yes I have watched the films.

I’ve probably read more Christie than I have logged on Goodreads but many of them were read when I was in my late teens/early twenties. I did read one recently – Who Killed Roger Ackroyd? Unfortunately it was disappointing as I mistakenly ordered an edition that was specifically aimed at readers where English isn’t their first language. Consequently it was abridged and simplified. I did not enjoy it at all.

I also think I’ve probably read more of Patricia Cornwall’s Kay Scarpetta series than I’ve got recorded, another series I was working my way through.

Harlan Coben is another favourite, he rarely disappoints and Michael Connelly also makes my list quite often.

Of course these are mainly crime stories in one way and another but I enjoy Diane Chamberlain’s books for a take on a moral dilemma.

An author that I didn’t pick for myself initially was Charles Cumming – I was gifted Box 88 and loved it so I searched out a few more of his spy thrillers.

I must also give a shout out to Lewis Carroll – his Alice in Wonderland book gave me inspiration for a previous A-Z challenge.

The daftest book from the C’s though has to be “Grandad there’s a Head on the Beach” by Colin Cotterill. Set in Thailand and told in a first person POV it’s bonkers. If this was ever made into a film it would be fast and furious and completely farcical. Which is a shame given that at the heart of the story is the awful way Burmese people are treated in Thailand and used as slaves in the fishing trade. But I just couldn’t get on board with it. It took me 10 days to read this book and it’s only just over 300 pages long! It probably wasn’t helped by it being the 2nd book in a series but I’m certainly not going to read the first or the last.

Which is the silliest adult book you’ve read?

B is for Backman (A-Z Challenge 2026) 2/4/26

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 B authors I've read are:

• Backman Fredrik
• Bailey Lily
• Baldacci David
• Ballantyne Lisa
• Barclay Linwood
• Barker JD
• Barton Fiona
• Baumeister Roy F
• Bayard Ines
• Beckerman Hannah
• Beirne Olivia
• Bell Cindy
• Billingham Mark
• Binchy Maeve
• Bjork Samuel
• Blackhurst Jenny
• Blake Fanny
• Blatty William Peter
• Blyton Enid
• Bowen Rhys
• Boyd William
• Bradford Barbara Taylor
• Bramley Cathy
• Bronte Charlotte
• Brookmyre Christopher
• Brown Carolyn and Dan
• Burley WJ
• Burnett Frances Hodgson
• Burton Jessie
• Butland Stephanie

David Baldacci takes the prize for the most books for letter B. 24 in total and counting. I do like his books.

Close behind though is Mark Billingham with 19. All of which are the Tom Thorne series – an English police detective which has also been a TV series here in the UK.

Although the list doesn’t include all my books – only those that made it onto Shelfari and then subsequently Goodreads. I’ve probably read more Enid Blyton books than I’ve logged. Of course they’re very dated now but our grandkids have still enjoyed “Noddy” stories.

I did enjoy reading Maeve Binchy when I was younger and you’ll notice Barbara Bradford Taylor on the list too. Who didn’t want to read about women of substance? And of course I’ll be watching the new TV version of it that airs in March starring Brenda Blethyn who I loved in “Vera”.

I loved all the Dan Brown books and of course I’ve watched the various films.

I recently finished The Muse by Jessie Burton which I enjoyed more than The Miniaturist.

A bit light on classics though, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte is probably the most noted one.  I had hoped to have Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte on there by now but I've started it twice and don't seem to be able to get through it. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett is on there but I must confess to only reading that for the first time in 2024 but I loved it. One of my few 5* ratings.

I’m a bit stingy with 5* ratings. One deciding factor with me as to whether a book is 5* rather than 4 is would I recommend it to others to read with no reservation?

What makes a book 5* for you?

Wednesday Hodgepodge - 1/4/26

Joyce provides the questions, we compile our answers and we link up here.  Come join the fun.

1. March is rolling on out of here. Sum up your March in ten words or less. 

Windy, wet, cold, sunny, warm, sometimes all the same day!

2. Are you afraid of heights? When was the last time you found yourself dealing with a height, and did it make you nervous?

I don't think so.  I've never really tested the theory to any extreme although I did have to lean out of a second storey window once when there wasn't actually a window in place.  I was being shown why the telephone lines weren't working properly - the roof on a school extension building had been put on the telephone line.  I did think I should have been wearing a hard hat but the height didn't bother me.

3. What's a word you struggle to spell on a regular basis, and sometimes need to double check before writing it down? Use the word in a sentence that tells us something about your April calendar. 

Well not wanting to brag here but I don't usually struggle with spelling (although typing is another thing altogether lol)  We're actually taking part in a quiz in April organised by the local wine bar so I might struggle with the names of wines!

4. Love 'em or hate 'em, with Easter comes the sweet treat known as Peeps. So... do you love 'em or hate 'em? Speaking of peeps, what's your favourite way to have chicken? 

I don't hate marshmallow but it's not a treat I would automatically choose - not so common here in the UK either.  When I think of PEEPS I think of Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans - I might be retired but Health & Safety is hard to forget when you've been responsible for it at work.

I pretty much enjoy chicken however it's cooked - especially if I haven't done the cooking.

5. This week's Hodgepodge lands on the first day of April, which happens to be National Poetry Month. Do you like poetry?  Share a favourite line or two from one of your favourite poems. What makes this one a favourite? 

I don't dislike poetry but it's not something I usually read so I don't have a favourite to share.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

There were some good April Fool jokes floating around this morning but April signifies the A-Z challenge for me.  I'm hoping to keep up with my regular posts too such as the Hodgepodge but as usual I'm not as prepared as I wanted to be.  I always used to work well under pressure though.  Trouble is when you're retired there is usually very little pressure! But I do love a challenge.

A is for Aaronovich (A-Z Challenge 2026) 1/4/26

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 A authors I've read are:

• Aaronovitch Ben
• Adams Douglas & Milly
• Ahern Cecelia
• Alcott Louis M.
• Alderman Naomi
• Alger Christina
• Ali Monica
• Anderson Celia
• Andrews V C
• Archer Jeffrey
• Arlidge M J
• Arnold Johann Christoph
• Ashe Lucy
• Ashley Tricia
• Ashton Juliet
• Atkins Dani & Lucy
• Atkinson Kate
• Atwood Margaret &
• Austen Jane

The standout author on this list for me is M J Arlidge – I’ve read 10 of his books which all feature Detective Helen Grace and are set in the south of England.  I love a good crime thriller and these haven’t disappointed.

I loved Louisa May Alcott’s books as a child – Little Women etc. and I can also remember reading the Flowers in the Attic series by V C Andrews.  I was a little surprised to find my 13 year old reading Flowers in the Attic from her Catholic school library though.

At the time I started preparing this post (June 25!) I’d only managed to read Pride and Prejudice by Austen despite having the complete works.  I’ve earmarked 2 more to read by the end of the year for the 52 Book Club challenge.

I do like to stretch myself.  Hitchhiker’s guide to the Galaxy is an example of that.  Not my usual choice but it's on the BBC list.  Not my usual genre of crime fiction or chick lit but it was a fairly easy read.

Funny how with some authors you can love one of their books but hate something else.  (Although I very rarely DNF (did not finish) a book.  Both Cecelia Ahern and Monica Ali fall into that category.  I enjoyed Ahern’s PS I love you but almost DNF A Place called here.  Monica Ali’s debut Brick Lane was quite good but her novel Untold Story was another one that was a slog.

I read Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and found it quite chilling.  I haven’t managed to watch much of the TV series though but I would like to read The Testaments at some point. (Although I’d probably need to reread Handmaid’s Tale first to refresh my memory!

So these are my A authors.  Have you read any of their books?  What’s your favourite genre?

PS I’ve now read Sense and Sensibility by Austen and I have Mansfield Park on my “to read” list for this year’s 52 Book Club challenge.

In the News this Week - 31/3/26

is taking a break!

I hadn't taken the time to prepare a post and honestly, the news is just to awful to write about at the moment.  And.... tomorrow the A-Z Challenge starts.

Thankfully I have a few posts done and set to post so that's given me a bit of breathing space. But I do need to get a few more posts prepared so that I'm ahead of myself especially with Easter coming and a visit from our Nottingham family on Sunday for a few days.

We're also away overnight on Thursday for a funeral so time is slipping away.  

Hopefully normal service will be resumed in May when the A-Z challenge is over and maybe there might be better news to relay.  

I'm also trying very hard to beat my Wordle unbroken sequence.  It's getting a bit tense lol.

A bit of Waffle - 30/3/26

Well its nearly time for bed so this will be a short waffle.  I'm feeling quite tired tonight - our clocks went forward this weekend so I lost an hour but I've also had a couple of nights where Hubby's snoring has nearly had me decamping to the spare room.  His CPAP machine came up with an error message on Saturday so he wasn't able to use it on Saturday night or last night.  This morning I suggested he turned it off for a bit - as in completely unplug it and also check the water chamber was installed correctly.  Turns out it works the same as the computer - when in doubt turn it off and on to reboot it and it magically solves the problem.  Hopefully it will still be ok tonight and I might sleep better.

It's been 2 months now since I started taking a collagen supplement and I do think I'm usually sleeping better.  It might be more due to taking the collagen in a milky drink before bed than the actual collagen but it's still a win for me.  I also think my hair has improved and more recently the aches in my lower back and hips have been less.  I think my knees might be beyond redemption but we'll see.

I'm also trying to get more into the habit of reading when I go to bed than reaching for my phone.  I have soooooo many books to read.  I've just finished the one the afternoon book club chose so now I'm moving on to the book the evening group picked. 

Tonight we had a quick visit to wish our Grandson Nathan Happy Birthday for tomorrow - they have plans so we won't see him on the day.  I can still remember every detail of the day he was born and the difficult first few months.  (He was very premature.)  But tomorrow he will be 9!  I'm sure he will have cake tomorrow but there was cake today too!

💖

Weekly Photos 22nd to 28th March 2026

Hmm not the best week for photos!

This was Sunday morning.  The parakeets were waiting for food.

Monday - these were over a week old then but still looking ok.

Tuesday was the day I did some jobs in the garden.  A tidy shed area and fairy lights!

Wednesday - nothing to see here! I forgot to take a picture :(

Thursday - I took this on my way home form the Foodbank.  I just liked the cloud formation in the blue sky.

Friday - progress on the jumper and Mr (or Mrs) Squirrel having a feast just after I had filled the bird feeders up.  He/she just seems to know somehow when there's new food.

Saturday morning v Saturday late evening.

I thought it might have actually gone past midnight but according to my camera I was still on Saturday - just - when I put the last piece in.

I find doing a jigsaw quite relaxing but it's also a bit addictive.

I'm still not quite in the habit of taking a photo every day but I have already taken one today so that's next week started.