Some books that I've enjoyed recently - June 2025

I decided it's time again for another post about some books that I've loved recently! I track all the books that I'm reading over on Goodreads, and these are books that I've awarded a five star rating. 

First up are a couple of re-reads:

All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr is one of my favourite books, and I've read it several times. It's set mainly in Saint Malo in occupied France and follows the story of Marie-Laure, a young blind woman and Werner, a young German man. Their stories are told through flashbacks as they grow up, and their stories collide when Marie-Laura begins to work for the resistance using her radio and Werner is enlisted to use his talent with the devices to track them down. It's really well written and I enjoy seeing the very different stories come together.

I also re-read Ladder of Years by Anne Tyler. Delia is a 40-something woman who, when out at the beach one day with her unappreciative family, goes for a walk and doesn't come back. She starts a whole new life, finding her own place to live, a job and new friends, which is something that I think many people have fantasised about! There's a lot to unpick about her relationship with her husband and how she has found herself at that point and although I don't find the ending particularly satisfying I do find it an enjoyable read

Next a couple that I picked up in charity shops:

The Skeleton Key by Erin Kelly was a book that I had never heard of, but I was interested to read it because it is inspired by the puzzle book Masquerade by Kit Williams which I remember reading about when I was younger. Masquerade was a picture puzzle book which contained clues leading to a buried golden hare. In this book, the narrator's father has created a similar book which contains hidden clues to various parts of a golden skeleton. Over the years people have become obsessive about finding all the pieces, in particular the final missing pelvis, and some even believe that they need to kill her in order to complete the skeleton. I did find the book a little long and rambling, but the excitement of the story was enough to keep me caught up in it!

Then I spotted The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré which I was keen to read. Set in Nigeria, it tells the story of a teenage girl called Adunni who longs for an education but instead is married at the age of 14 by her father, after her mother has died. She manages to run away and finds work as a maid, and although her situation there isn't much better she is determined to improve herself. It's a difficult read in terms of the content, but it's very well written and kept me hoping that Adunni would find her escape and have the happy ending that she deserved.

Finally a couple that I've inherited:

My copy of The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy belonged to my Grandma, and I retrieved it recently when visiting my Mum. It contains all three novels and two interludes and it's a long read - it took me several weeks! It was a little difficult to get into at first because there are many characters (often with the same names) and complicated relationships, but I'm glad that I stuck with it because once I got going I really enjoyed it. It follows the members of an upper middle class English family at the beginning of the 20th century. I enjoyed it for the well-written and fleshed out characters, the descriptive settings, and how it reflected a changing society.

Hurricane Force: The Story of the Storm of 1987 by George Hill was one of my Dad's books, a non-fiction account of the Great Storm which hit mainly southern England in October 1987. It was a few days before my 8th birthday and I do have some memories of that night - hearing the roaring wind, a tree falling down on the main road, my poor Dad's greenhouse being flattened - but it was really interested to read about the wider events in both my area and further afield, as well as across the Channel. The book was written soon after the storm and it is rather pessimistic when it talks about the long-term impact of the storm. I do remember the huge uprooted trees in the forest, but I feel like the recovery from the storm wasn't as bad as was predicted, for example Chanctonbury Ring near me was significantly damaged but it was replanted and is now pretty much regrown. Although of course it has been nearly 40 years, time flies!

Quite a varied selection of books this time I think!

Photo credit Josh Hild via Unsplash

Some books that I've really enjoyed recently

Welcome to one of my regular posts, when I share some of the books that I've read recently and have particularly enjoyed. I track all of the books that I read over on Goodreads. 

Moby Duck by Donovan Hohn

This read was inspired by our visit to the Frost Science Museum in Miami last year. I had heard the story of the bath toys that were lost from a container ship back in 1992 but I was interested to learn more. I took a quick photo of this book in one of the display cases, meaning to look it up when we got home. I forgot of course, and only came across the photo a few weeks ago. It looks as though the paperback is out of print, but I managed to find a decent second hand copy. 

The book charts the story of the Friendly Floatees spill, when a storm in the North Pacific Ocean washed twelve shipping containers overboard, including one filled with 28,000 bath toys. Usually only the ducks get a mention, but there were also plastic turtles, beavers and frogs. Oceanographers have used them to track ocean currents, based on where they were washed up over the next few years. 

The author (despite leaving behind a very heavily pregnant wife and subsequently a tiny baby, which did annoy me a little bit!) follows their journey on a variety of interested oceanic voyages, even visiting the factory in China where the toys were made. It's a long book and the narrative meanders about a bit but I quite like that style of writing and it's an intriguing story. I loved reading about the different ships that the author travelled on and the people that he met. It's also an important read when it comes to spreading the word about the negative impact of plastic in the ocean.  

The Christmas Book Hunt by Jenny Colgan

This was a free short story from Amazon First Reads this month, although in fact it's more of a short novel. The story involves the search for a long lost book and two people who are desperately hunting it for different reasons. It's not that complicated a plot, but I loved the descriptions of indulgent locations at Christmas time, and all the festive details. A real Christmassy read.

The Day Shelley Woodhouse Woke Up by Laura Pearson

This was a Kindle book borrowed from the Amazon Prime Library. Shelley Woodhouse wakes up in a coma knowing that she's there because her husband assaulted her, and she can't understand why the police haven't come to see her. But she has forgotten things too, and as time passes her memories start to come back, although she isn't sure which of those memories she can trust. It's one of those books when a mystery is revealed a little bit at a time, and gradually you come to realise what is really going on. What I particularly enjoyed about this book was that I felt the pacing was perfect - sometimes a back story is played out too slowly which leaves me frustrated (like a book that I'm reading at the moment!) I really liked it.

Some books that I've enjoyed recently

My To Be Read pile at the moment is huge! I recently got back into using our local library, I have a friend that regularly passes me piles of books, and I have a huge stash borrowed from my Mum, along with a few others that I've picked up here and there. I'm not daunted though, I love having a selection of books to choose from and work my way through. 

Here are some excellent books that I've enjoyed recently. All are written by women, all have one or more female protagonists who are both intelligent and creative, and three have the word 'book' in the title which is always a big draw for me!

The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell

I don't read many psychological thriller type books, but I have enjoyed several by Lisa Jewell and this one was gripping! It's about a teenage mum and her boyfriend who disappear on a night out, and a new resident who starts to uncover clues to the disappearance. I felt that there were lots of different ways that the story could play out, and it really kept me guessing.

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

This romantic comedy is a bit of a twist on the 'uptight city girl moves to the country and falls in love with a handsome local' trope which I liked, as I've read many books that follow plot! Maybe it's a little predictable, but it was a really enjoyable read with plenty of romance, a traditional bookshop that needs a helping hand, and a few twists and turns.

Yellowface by R. F. Kuang

I've been wanting to read this for ages, and I wasn't disappointed. The book tells the story of a failed writer who witnesses her rival die in a freak accident and takes the opportunity to update and publish her unfinished novel. The catch is that she's a white author rewriting a story about Chinese history, she makes her own biased revisions to the story, and she publishes it under a version of her name which makes her appear Chinese. It's beautifully written, really engaging, and I always love an unreliable narrator. Lots of insights too into the cut throat writing industry, and how some authors and up at the top while others fade into obscurity.

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell

Maggie O'Farrell is a favourite author, so I was pleased to spot this recent release at the library. It's a historical novel, inspired by the poem My Last Duchess. In sixteenth century Florence, sixteen year old Lucrezia is married off to a Duke, and the story charts Lucrezia's childhood, as well as jumping ahead to when she starts to suspect her husband is going to try and kill her. It's beautifully written, quite long and slow moving and although the outcome is made clear from the beginning, the ending isn't quite as expected. 

The Book Share by Phaedra Patrick

This was a fun read about a housekeeper and aspiring author who finds herself entrusted with finishing her employer's final novel. I don't have any aspirations to write a book of my own but I love reading about people who do, and imagining what it would be like to be a writer. It was a simple and quick read, humorous, with plenty of engaging characters.

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

This was a magical story and beautifully written story about a mysterious bookshop and the three people that it brings together. It was a really enjoyable read and I loved all the characters as well as the literary references and the unusual story. Great for a bit of escapism.

Photo credit Lenin Estrada via Unsplash

RHS Collage the Botanical World - craft book review

This week I've been having fun with a wonderful book that I've been sent to review - RHS Collage the Botanical World. This book is unique collection of over 1000 botanical themed images from the RHS archives. Printed single sided on thick, glossy pages, these elements are the perfect starting point for creative collaging. With gorgeous pictures covering all sorts of themes including flowers, fruits and vegetables, insects, gardening tools, leaves, mushrooms, greenhouses, there's plenty here to get the creative juices flowing.

At the beginning of the book you can find plenty of useful tips and advice along with some colourful inspiration. For example, don't just cut out and assemble every image that takes your fancy, instead take some time to look at the different perspectives and lighting, and also think about limiting the colour palette so that the finished collage doesn't become overwhelming. 

Although at first I hated the idea of cutting into the book, once I had braced myself to cut out my first image I couldn't stop! I snipped the pictures out roughly until I had a small pile, then I spent time with a smaller and sharper pair of scissors to cut them more neatly. Some of the images are very fiddly, so you need to decide whether to cut them down right to the edges or leave a small border. You also might need to use a scalpel for some of the interior areas.

It's relaxing and meditative - both when you are flipping through the book to select your images and then while you concentrate on the cutting out, enjoying a close up look at the picture as you do so.

At the end of the book there's a great selection of different backgrounds that you can use for your collage. Some are vintage and muted, others are modern and vibrant. I was a little hesitant about where to start and I found it much easier to think about adding collage to an existing background rather than being faced with a blank page.

I can see myself using this collage collection in two ways. The first is to enhance my illustrated journal, and because I often write about what is happening in my garden I spotted plenty of images which would work perfectly. For example these plump tomatoes, pretty sunflowers and ripe apples. 

Secondly is to use the images to make my own collages in my scrapbook, and this was something that I really enjoyed having a go at. I chose a background of some large rocks so that I could play around with the scale of my collage. I took inspiration from one of the example images at the beginning of the book that used mushrooms as a landscape feature, and cut them to look as though they were growing among the rocks. Then I added vegetable greenery at the bottom and images of a woman and a bird to balance it out! I had a lot of fun choosing my images and thinking about where to place them, and I'm definitely going to be making some more fun collages!

If you fancy having a go at this yourself, you can click here to order a copy of the book!

Craft book review - Sew Mindful Cross Stitch

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review

Today I'm sharing a lovely new craft book - Sew Mindful Cross Stitch by Sophie Crabb. Cross stitch is one of my favourite crafts, and I've shared many of my cross stitch projects here on the blog, as well as some of my own designs. One of the reasons that I enjoy cross stitch is because it's a craft that I can really absorb myself in. The time flies by, and I love the feeling of accomplishment as a project comes together.

Cross stitch is definitely a mindful craft, and so I loved the idea of this book which aims to show the importance of crafting and the impact that it has on our mental wellbeing.

The book opens with a comprehensive introduction to cross stitching for beginners. Everything is covered - tools and materials required, the different types of thread and fabric, how to read a pattern, using hoops and frames and different stitching techniques. All the steps are fully illustrated to make it easy for complete beginners.

The book goes on to discuss the act of mindfulness, and some techniques for mindful cross stitching. I loved this section because it really emphasised to me how important it is to find an activity which can help you to switch off from the world and really relax and focus your brain on one thing. The first of the 22 projects in the book are small and ideal for beginners. The patterns are easy to follow, so you can really focus on how you feel as you are stitching, the feel of the fabric and thread and the sound of the thread pulling through the holes.

The remaining projects in the book are grouped by theme - Positive Affirmations, Self-Care Stitches and Mindful Messages. Alongside each project the author has included a short paragraph explaining what the project means to her, which I found really interesting to read. There are so many designs in the book that it's easy to pick the ones which really resonate, and give you something to think about while you are stitching.

The book finishes with some tutorials for finishing off your cross stitch pieces so that they can be displayed. There were some really helpful tips, especially for when it comes to framing a piece in an embroidery hoop which I sometimes find tricky. 

I really enjoyed the opportunity to think a little more about how the mind and body link, and how mindful crafting can help to have a profound and positive impact on mental wellbeing. The projects in the book are simple yet effective and are perfect for beginners and more experienced cross stitchers alike. Even if, like mine, your cross stitching stash is too full at the moment to start new projects, it's also a really lovely read and gave me lots of things to think about. I'm definitely going to have a go at some of the smaller projects in the book first when I'm looking for a break from a larger piece!

Some books that I've enjoyed recently

Lately I've been a bit stuck with my reading. I'm currently working through Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson which although interesting has become a bit of a slog. So I've been mixing it up a bit with a few 'chick lit' freebies from Amazon, which are fun to read but not very satisfying and rarely make it into my 5* category on Goodreads!

But there have been a few books which I've really enjoyed lately, and so I thought I'd share them in case you are looking for any reading inspiration.

The Cazalet Chronicles by Elizabeth Jane Howard

The Cazalet Chronicles is a series of five books (The Light Years, Marking Time, Confusion, Casting Off and All Change). It's a long and detailed family saga which chronicles not just the large Cazalet family but also their household staff and friends, taking place from just after the Great War until the 1950s. I borrowed the first book from a friend and then had a bit of a break before I was able to borrow the remaining four books from my Aunt. They are big books and there are a lot of characters to keep track of (there are handy family trees and character notes at the beginning of each volume which I often had to refer back to). The books are beautifully written, going into great detail about the everyday happenings of daily life. Sometimes it seems mundane, and sometimes the characters are going through huge life changing events. I just wanted to keep on reading! I'm definitely going to look out for my own copies of these books because I can see myself returning to them in the future, they are great comfort reading when you want to become absorbed in a story without having to concentrate too much. 

The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides

This is one of those books which I've always meant to read, and so when it appeared in the Amazon Prime library I downloaded it straight away. It looks as though the film was recently re-released, and so the book is currently popular again as it has found a new audience via TikTok. I really enjoyed the book, I'm always drawn to books with an unreliable narrator (like most books by Kazua Ishiguro who is one of my favourites) which reveal the story through glimpses and leave the reader to put the full story together in the best way that they can. It's a sad and sometimes disturbing book, and I can see why people can still relate to it today.

My Year of Meats by Ruth Ozeki

I discovered Ruth Ozeki by chance last Christmas when I had a Waterstones voucher to spend, and I'm so glad that I did. I loved both The Book of Form and Emptiness and A Tale for the Time Being and so I added this one to my collection from a recent Wob order. It follows Jane, a documentary maker who finds herself producing a television series aimed at Japanese housewives, aimed at encouraging them to cook and eat more meat from American suppliers. There is also a parallel story of a young woman in Japan who is trying to please her husband, who is involved in the programme, by preparing the recipes for him. But as Jane works on the programme she discovers more and more disturbing information about the meat industry and realises that she can't continue to promote it to Japan. It's made clear that the book is a work of fiction, but there are definitely some real life issues to highlight about the meat industry both in America and around the world, and it made me glad that I'm now vegetarian!

Photo credit Prasanna Kumar via Unsplash

Some books I've enjoyed recently

Over the summer I didn't read as much as I usually do. I reached almost the bottom of my to be read pile which was great, but then left me feeling a bit unmotivated when it came to reading! I spent a while browsing the Amazon Prime Reading library and free Kindle books which filled up my Kindle, but most of the books that I read were a little bit uninspiring and repetitive, books read to pass the time rather than to make me think.

Luckily a friend has lent me some books and the ones that I've read so far have been brilliant! The first was The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan. It was described on the cover by India Knight as "A Handmaid's Tale for the 21st Century" which instantly appealed, as The Handmaid's Tale is one of my favourite books. I wasn't disappointed. It's a dystopian tale about women who have been deemed bad mothers and unable to care for their children properly. They are removed from their families and sent to a special institution to see whether they are able to learn the skills that they need to be good mothers and have their children returned to them. It's a gripping story, and one which stayed in my mind long after I'd finished it.

The second was Lullaby by Leila Slimani. Once I started reading I realised that I had read it before, but it was good enough that I wanted to re-read it! Another one about mothers, this is the story of a nanny to a wealthy Parisian family. You already know the outcome from the first few pages, and it's chilling how the story turns from perfection to horror. 

One of the free Kindle books that I did quite enjoy was Woke Up Like This by Amy Lea. It was one of this month's Amazon First Reads, so if you have an Amazon Prime account and a Kindle you can currently download it for free. It's about two 17 year old high school arch-enemies who wake up to find themselves flung into a future when they are 30 and about to get married. It's a very easy light-hearted read in the vein of the film 30 Going On 30, perhaps a little more Young Adult than the books I usually go for but it really entertained me for a little while!

Photo credit César Viteri via Unsplash

Finally I'm going to cheat a bit and add a book that I'm currently reading. Last night I started the new biography Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson. We recently bought a Tesla and we are interested in following the progress of SpaceX but I don't really know much about Elon Musk or his personal story, apart from all the Twitter controversies! I read an excerpt from the biography over the weekend and found it really interesting so I ordered the book, thinking that probably the rest of the family would enjoy reading it too. It's really good! I was reading it for almost three hours solid last night and it's very well written. I'm currently up to around 2007 and learning about the argumentative early days of Tesla and the first unsuccessful rocket launches and I've learned so much about Musk and his companies. I'm not normally a reader of biographies but I'd definitely recommend this one so far. 

What have you been reading lately? I'd love to hear some recommendations!

Some books that I've enjoyed recently

I read a lot, and every now and then I like to share some of the books that I have particularly enjoyed in case anyone is looking for reading inspiration!

Here are some books that I have loved over the past month or so:

A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki

Having really enjoyed The Book of Form and Emptiness I was very keen to read more by Ruth Ozeki and I wasn't disappointed. This book is slightly biographical and tells the story of a Canadian author who finds a journal washed up on her local beach, written by teenage girl Nao who grew up in America but has reluctantly moved with her family to Japan. Ruth is pulled into Nao's story and tries to learn more about her and the story that she is telling, and the whole thing is beautifully written.. 

Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver

I've loved The Poisonwood Bible for years and have re-read it many times, so I can't believe it has taken me this long to read another book by Barbara Kingsolver! Set in southern Appalachia in a remote forested location, the book follows several different characters and appeals to many of my reading interests - an isolated cabin in the woods, peace and quiet, a love of reading, observing nature through the seasons and working towards a goal, as well as some romance. I loved the descriptive text and the way that the voices of the different characters shone through.

A Year of Marvellous Ways by Sarah Winman

Set in Cornwall just after WW2, we meet Marvellous Ways, a ninety year old woman who has lived a remote existence for most of her life. She's ready for one last adventure when she meets Freddy Drake, a young soldier returned from the war with a letter to deliver. As well as being beautifully written the book was also incredibly poignant and really brought home how the war traumatised a whole generation of people from all ages and backgrounds.

The Birdcage by Eve Chase

This was a gripping read, three adult half-sisters are brought together by their famous artist father to the windswept Cornish cliff house where they spent their summers as children before tragedy struck. There are lots of secrets to uncover and it kept me wanting to read more!

Mrs de Winter by Susan Hill

This one wasn't my favourite I must admit, but I love, love, love the book Rebecca and I was intrigued to read a 'sequel' so I thought I'd include it here. It was an enjoyable read but it lacked the writing style of Daphne du Maurier and so it couldn't compare in that respect. The thing I love most about Rebecca is the way that much of the action in the book doesn't happen, it's all in the narrator's imagination. This sequel didn't use that technique at all, although the narrator does admit that she doesn't live in her own thoughts much as she used to. It was also a little bit too convenient, with almost every character from Rebecca being brought back and their story updated. When I first finished it I felt a little sad that I had read it, but a few weeks on I can see that it wasn't that terrible and I did enjoy it.

Photo credit Florencia Viadana via Unsplash

Some books that I've enjoyed recently

I read a lot, and every now and then I like to share some books that I've particularly enjoyed in case anyone is looking for some reading inspiration!

My list this time is quite short because one of the books that I loved was The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. Normally I can read a book in a couple of days, this one took me two and a half weeks, and I enjoyed every minute! My edition of the book is an old one of my Grandma's, so as far as I know it's the unabridged version with tiny text and nearly 800 pages. I couldn't find any information on the translator, but I found it mostly easy to read and understand. I did start to get a bit confused in the middle section as lots of plans were being put into place and different characters were interacting, so I found a website with some really good chapter summaries and analysis so I didn't miss anything.

It's a long and complicated tale of revenge after Edmond Dantès is wrongly thrown into prison. After his escape he inherits a fortune and exacts powerful revenge on the three men that put him there. The plans for his vengeance are being laid before you even realise what is going on, and the story is full of twists and turns and co-incidences which lead to a satisfying conclusion. I really enjoyed being engrossed in such a long novel and I felt quite bereft when I had finished it, I've been reading some non-fiction for a while as I don't feel ready to move onto another story just yet!

Before this I really enjoyed The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki. This was a book that I picked up before Christmas when I had a Waterstones voucher and I wasn't sure what to buy. I'm so glad that I picked this one! It's another long book, the story of fourteen year Benny who struggling to cope after the death of his beloved father. 

He begins to hear the voices of the inanimate things that surround him and so he takes refuge in the library where he meets a cast of unusual characters. I also related to the character of his mother who is trying to work on her hoarding problem. She picks up a book called 'Tidy Magic' which introduced a very funny Marie Kondo-esque character. 

It was a really enjoyable read about. Among many other subjects it covered our attachment to material possessions and books, both subjects which interest me a lot!

Finally I loved Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr, another one of my Waterstones purchases. I was more confident about this one because I really enjoyed All The Light We Cannot See and I wasn't disappointed, this was a brilliant book. The story takes place over three different time periods - past, present and future - and five different main characters. All of the narratives are linked by an ancient text which exists only in fragments and we see the impact that this story has on all the different lives. It's an amazing book, beautifully written, and I enjoyed reading every page.

If you want to see what I'm reading you can follow me on Goodreads!

Some books that I've enjoyed recently

I read a lot, and every now and then I like to share some of the brilliant books that I've enjoyed recently, just in case anyone is looking for some reading inspiration! I track all the books that I've read on my Goodreads account, and these are some of the recent books that I have awarded five stars.

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

I read this book a long time ago and so I knew that I would enjoy it, but I had forgotten most of the plot! It's a long read full of mysteries and twists and turns, with the story told as a series of accounts by different narrators. Despite its size it kept me wanting to read more and I was interested to see how the story would unfold. The book is also a really interesting look at women's rights not that long ago, being married off to whoever their male relatives chose and then expected to hand over their fortune to pay their new husband's debts.

The Sea by John Banville

I chose this book as one of my second hand Christmas book haul gifts as I'm always drawn to Booker prize winners, and this one lived up to expectations. It wasn't a long read but I wasn't sure about it at first. It was a little slow to get going until I got into the author's style. The full mystery isn't revealed until the very end, although there are clues throughout, and it certainly kept me guessing until the end.

The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood

Another short read from my second hand haul, this is a retelling of the of the Odyssey myth from the perspective of his wife Penelope. It also features a Greek chorus of her hanged maids who give their own opinion on events through songs, ballads and poems. It was an easy and enjoyable read even though I didn't know as much about the original myth as I probably should!

The Post-Birthday World by Lionel Shriver

This story introduces Irina, a woman who is in a happy and safe long-term relationship but one night is tempted to kiss another man who represents a more exciting alternative. At this point the story splits and alternate chapters follow Irina's life after she has made each choice. I love the film Sliding Doors and this book is very similar, especially as you try to work out which is the better choice, as it's not always obvious.

An Artist of the Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro

I love Kazuo Ishiguro, and although his books cover a wide range of themes and geographical locations there's just something about his writing style that draws me in. This book is set in post World War II Japan, narrated by an aging painter who is reflecting on his career during the war as a political artist. Like in many of his books the protagonist is an unreliable narrator, and so you are never quite sure exactly what has happened. I found it very readable.

Some books I've enjoyed recently

I read a lot, and every now and then I like to share some books which I've read recently and particularly enjoyed, all books that get a five star rating on my Goodreads tracker. It's a really varied selection this time, and I hope that it gives you some reading inspiration!

The Shuttle - Frances Hodgson Burnett

This one had been in my Kindle to be read pile for ages. I enjoy hunting through the free Kindle books and downloading all the ones that take my fancy, especially if they are by an author that I like. Frances Hodgson Burnett is the author of The Secret Garden and A Little Princess, both of which I love, so I thought I couldn't go wrong with this one. But it isn't a children's book as I assumed, it's actually quite a long read!

The book looks at the relationship between the US and England at the beginning of the 20th century, and in particular American heiresses moving to England to marry impoverished aristocrats. They gained a title and prestige, and the aristocrats were able to use their money to restore their estates. The shuttle of the title is an analogy for the ships that cross back and forth between the two countries, creating more and more threads and pulling them tightly together.

The book follows the story of a very rich but naïve young American multi-millionairess who marries an English man who mistreats her, distancing her from her family while he spends her money on his own pursuits. When her much younger sister reaches adulthood she travels to England to see her and find out why she has cut ties with her family. 

The confident and beautiful young woman arrives when her sister's husband is fortuitously away, and uses her money to rebuild both her sister's confidence and her home and estate. She forms relationships with the other local landowners, they both enter fully into society, and she forms a romance of her own. 

I really loved this book. I particularly enjoyed reading about how the house and estate were brought back to their former splendour. The book also felt very modern in it's approach to domestic violence and psychological manipulation. It was a really good read.

The Children of the New Forest - Frederick Marryat

Another of my free Kindle classics, and one that I had been wanting to read for a long time! The book is set during the English civil war, starting in 1647 when when King Charles I has been defeated and has escaped to the New Forest. The home of one of his supporters is burned down and his four children believed killed, but they escape and hide in the forest in the cottage of a local man. They disguise themselves as foresters and manage to live successfully from the land. They have lots of adventures as well as romance, and are eventually able to reclaim their titles and place in society.

It's a children's book so it's easy to read, but it deals with quite complex issues. I wasn't particularly familiar with that era in history but the book made it all really easy to follow and inspired me to do a bit of my own reading about the period!

My Hygge Home - Meik Wiking

Another fantastic book from the author of the original Little Book of Hygge. It's a lovely hardback book with plenty of cosy photographs and illustrations, all about how to make your home that little bit more hygge. I loved the idea of needing a Viking chair - a place to sit with your back against a wall, preferably in a corner, where you feel safe from attackers. It made me realise why I feel so comfortable in my favourite spot on the sofa in my study! Lots of really good ideas, and a great book to flip through. 

The Lido - Libby Page

This was a quick read but well worth it. It tells the story of Rosemary who has spent her life swimming in her local lido in Brixton. When it is threatened with closure a local young reporter is sent to cover the story and the two of them become close friends. It's a story about friendship and community and I found it a really heart warming read. It left me with a tear in my eye!

The Secret History - Donna Tartt

I think this was the third time that I've read this book - it's one of my favourites! We recently visited Athens and all the classical history surrounding me made me want to read it again. It's a classic of the 'dark academia' trend - an aesthetic which I've seen is very popular on social media. It's an idealised version of higher education and study - libraries, candles, ink pens, dark furniture, piles of books and papers and so on.

The book is set at a university in New England and tells the story of a group of classics students, detailing the events which lead up to a murder and what happens afterwards. It's a really gripping read, really well written and I could read it over and over!

Book review - It's Christmas Everywhere by Hannah Barnaby, illustrated by João Fazenda.

Today I'm sharing a beautiful new Christmas book. It's Christmas Everywhere by Hannah Barnaby and illustrated by João Fazenda is a festive board book for young children. The shaped book opens up to form a beautifully illustrated Christmas tree, and each double page spread introduces readers to some of the different ways that people celebrate Christmas around the world. The book tells the simple story of a plain pine tree that longs to be a real Christmas tree, and so there's a particular emphasis on the way that trees are traditionally decorated in different countries.

I love learning about festive traditions from different places, and this book shares interesting facts in a really engaging way. Younger children will enjoy the simple rhyming story, and older children (and adults!) will enjoy learning some fascinating festive facts. For example, in Mandarin the world for apple sounds similar to the word for Christmas Eve and so apples form a key part of the decorations!

This is a wonderful book to keep by the Christmas tree for children to pull out and explore. It would also be a perfect addition to a Christmas Eve box, and can be brought out year after year to enjoy together.

The books that I read on holiday

Over half term I was lucky enough to enjoy a wonderful week away in Athens. There was plenty of sightseeing of course, but we also had some time to chill out and I was able to make an excellent dent in my "to be read" list! 

I decided to concentrate on the out of sight books that I have piling up on my Kindle, and I thought I'd share what I read as I can recommend them all. As a bonus, all of these books were free for me as an Amazon Prime member, either borrowed from Prime Reading or from the monthly Amazon First Reads selection. 

The Beautiful Little Things - Melissa Hall (Prime Reading)

A heart-warming Christmas novel about a family that has fallen apart after the death of a beloved wife and mother. The book follows the family as they gather for Christmas both before and after their loss and how their relationships change as they deal with their grief. It was a good read and although maybe slightly exaggerated in both the highs and the lows it kept me interested and wanting to find out how all the characters would fare.

The Bookstore Sisters - Alice Hoffman (First Reads)

A short story about two sisters that have grown apart but come together in their parent's old bookshop. It's a very sweet and magical story, and I can't resist any story about books and bookshops!

Winter Cottage - Mary Ellen Taylor (Prime Reading)

One of my favourite genres, what I like to call 'inherited house romance'. This one ticks all the boxes - a woman inherits a house from a mysterious stranger in a distant location, a handsome local man is on hand to help her with any renovation assistance and to introduce her to the close-knit community, a backstory is revealed piece by piece as the story progresses, a secret romance is brought to light, and a happy ending takes place as the heroine discovers her place within the story. I've read lots of books like this that are all very similar, but I still love them!

Yellow Crocus - Laila Ibrahim (Prime Reading)

A story about slavery  and a young woman who is separated from her own son to be a wet nurse for Lisbeth, the privileged daughter of the slave owning family. As Lisbeth grows the two women become close despite each taking a very different journey. The story discusses the reality of slavery but it is told in a simple way which makes it very effective.

Well Behaved Wives - Amy Sue Nathan (Prime Reading)

Set in 1960s America in a world of rich young women that are brought up to be nothing more than the perfect wives for their successful husbands. There was a great deal of emphasis on the fact that these women were very much inferior to their husbands and relied upon them for absolutely everything. Perhaps this was emphasised a little too much, but the story was told well and it does make you realise how much a woman's place in the world has changed in just a few decades. 

A Feather on the Water - Lindsay Jayne Ashford (First Reads)

I've read plenty of Second World War historical fiction but this angle was new to me - a story set in a Displaced Persons camp at the end of the war. When the war had ended it was a massive logistical exercise to help all the traumatised people that had been displaced by the events of war and to help them get back to where they wanted to be, whether that was their original homeland or somewhere new. The story follows three women who each have a different reason for helping out in the camp, and by the end of the book they have managed to make sense of their own pasts and move forward to enjoy a hopeful future.

Book review - What a Shell Can Tell by Helen Scales, illustrated by Sonia Pulido

Regular readers will know that I love beachcombing and hunting on beaches for treasure, so when I was offered the chance to review this gorgeous book I knew that it would be right up my street! What a Shell Can Tell by Helen Scales and illustrated by Sonia Pulido dives into the world of shells and the creatures who inhabit them, from the common and familiar to the weird and wonderful.

The book is aimed at young readers, but I think that it would make a wonderful addition to the bookshelf of anyone that has an interest in the sea and its creatures. 

Each double page spread asks a a question about what we can learn from a shell, for example what can a shell's pattern tell you, or what can a shell tell you about where it lives. There's a handy spotters guide to help identify different types of shell and the book is packed with fascinating information, presented in an easy to understand format and full of gorgeous, colourful illustrations. It's designed to connect observations to scientific explanations, looking at what you can see and learning about what that means.

I love hunting for shells and have quite a collection, but I realised that I didn't really know a great deal about them, and I've found this book enormously informative. I was particularly interested in finding out what you can learn about shells from their patterns and textures and it has really made me think more about the shells in my collection. 

 

I would absolutely recommend this lovely book, not just for children but for anyone that wants to learn more about the world of the ocean and seashore. Sharing this book is a great way to connect with your child as you explore the beach together.

Some of my favourite book themes

This post contains Amazon affiliate links

I read widely - newly published books and older classics, female and male authors, historical and contemporary. I flit between easy reads and more complicated texts. However I find that I'm often drawn to the same themes, and here are some that I've been enjoying recently:

The inherited house renovation romance - A woman inherits a house from a distant or unknown relative, usually at a point in her life where she is going through a life change. The house has an idyllic  location in a small town, often by the sea. It's run down and old fashioned but still habitable. While sorting through the possessions left in the house she discovers hidden secrets and learns more about herself and her history. There's usually a romance involving a handsome local man who is helping with the building work or connected to the house in some way.

I've enjoyed lots of books with this theme, two very recent examples are The Candid Life of Meena Dave by Namrata Patel and The Vanishing Tide by Hilary Tailor (both Amazon First Reads and will be published on the 1st June 2022.) I also liked The Sea Gate by Jane Johnson.

Opening a bookshop (see also café, sweetshop) - A woman going through some sort of life change decides to move in a new direction and open up a bookshop or similar. She usually has some sort of help to get started, for example she inherits or is given a lot of books or other relevant supplies. She is greeted with distrust by the locals, including the inevitable eligible bachelor, but she wins everyone over and becomes part of the community. 

Some examples - The Bookshop on the Corner and The Bookshop on the Shore by Jenny Colgan.

The middle aged woman reinvention story - A mother to older teenagers realises that now her children have grown and no longer need her she has forgotten to live her own life and doesn't know where to start. Sometimes prompted by meeting an old flame. So she does something drastic - often upping and leaving her family, meeting new people and finding new interests.

From my recent reads - Worn Out Wife Seeks New Life by Carmen Reid, Ladder of Years and Back When We Were Grown Ups by Anne Tyler.

Time travel and repeated chances - There are many books with these themes, but I like stories where time travel is used as a device to see the same story from different viewpoints, or to see how something might have turned out differently.

Some older reads - The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger and Life After Life by Kate Atkinson (both of which have recently been dramatised for television). Also Should We Stay or Should We Go by Lionel Shriver which explores various different results caused by one decision.

On a similar note, immortality or having a second chance to try something - for example How to Stop Time by Matt Haig, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab, Meet me In Another Life by Catriona Silvey.

Photo credit Gülfer ERGİN via Unsplash

These are just some of the books I've been enjoying. If you've read any books similar to those mentioned above then I would love to hear your recommendations!

The books that I read on holiday

When I'm packing for a holiday I always spend a lot of time deciding which books I'm going to take with me. Different types of holiday require different reading material, and on our recent beach holiday, bookended with twelve hour flights, I knew that I would want to take lots of easy light reading with me.

So today I'm sharing all the books that I read on holiday in case you are looking for some summer reading inspiration. I've included links to the Kindle versions of the books, because at the time I downloaded them all of these books were either free or part of the Amazon Prime Reading library.

The Saturday Morning Park Run - Jules Wake

I've only actually ever run a Parkrun once but I love the concept, and so this book stood out to me immediately. It's the story of Claire who lives for her job, but after she is signed off work with stress she discovers that there is much more to life. She befriends an active older lady and a handsome young man who has recently lost his own stressful job. They work together with the local community to set up a new park run in their area, and it's a really lovely story about finding the things that are really important, forming new and unexpected relationships with others, and creating a positive work life balance.

The House on Blackberry Hill - Donna Alward

This book forms part of one of my favourite easy reading genres which I call the "inherited house renovation romance". I'll soon be sharing a few of my recent reads with this theme - a young woman at a crossroads in her life unexpectedly inherits an old house in an idyllic location from an unknown relative. She arrives to prepare it for sale, meets a handsome young man who helps with the building works and in the process uncovers all sorts of family secrets. This book also features a paranormal twist, and although it was fairly predictable it was also an enjoyable light read. 

The Easy Life in Kamusari - Shion Miura

I really enjoyed this short book about Yuki Hirano, who has just left high school when his parents enrol him against his will in a forestry training programme in a remote mountain village. At first he feels like an outcast and attempts to run away back to the city, but after a short while he finds himself deeply connected to the community and the forests. It's a fairy tale story with a healthy dose of magic realism, a tale about living in harmony with nature and a really charming read. It's also has some really interesting information about the work of a forester and how forests are maintained.

The Story of Our Secrets - Shari Low

I've read a few books by Shari Low and always find then nice, easy reads with interesting characters and stories. This book switches between Colm who is dying of a brain tumour, and Shauna his wife several years after his death, as she and her close group of friends come to terms with his loss and their own complicated relationships. The characters have messy lives and I found them a bit difficult to relate to, but I enjoyed seeing how the story unfolded and how situations resolved themselves.

Dopamine Detox - Thibaut Meurisse

I'm very interested in the topic of dopamine addiction and how smartphones, social media and so on are designed to keep us hooked, overstimulating us and generally destroying our ability to focus. This short guide isn't particularly ground breaking, but it's a really good introduction to the topic and has some great tips for completing a successful dopamine detox, whether that's removing all distractions for a short period or just focussing on one or two areas of your life for the longer term. I like to read books like this from time to time to remind me that there is much more to life than scrolling, and that will hopefully give me a nudge in the right direction!

Review - A new series of crafting books

I received these books in exchange for a review.

Today I'm sharing a review of some lovely craft books in a new crafting series from Pen and Sword. There's a huge range to choose from covering all sorts of arts and crafts. I chose Colourful Fun Embroidery, Modern Brush Lettering and Floral Embroidery.

All three books are beautiful to look at and filled with gorgeous photographs. Each has a detailed introduction by the author sharing with their personal stories of crafting and what it means to them. In addition all the books make a connection between crafting, mental health and wellbeing which I really liked. There are clear discussions of the best supplies to use for a project as well as places to buy them. Then they each include plenty of projects with detailed step by step instructions, graded according to difficulty so that you can work through them and improve your skills. 

Below I'll share a detailed review of each book.

Colourful Fun Embroidery by Clare Albans

This book features 24 gorgeous projects which aim to bring some colour and fun into your embroidery. After a brief introduction to the basics, the projects are divided into three sections - Crafternoon projects which take only a couple of hours, Medium Makes which will take a little longer, and Pick Me Up Projects which are longer term projects that you can work on as and when you need something to occupy yourself.

I loved all of the projects in the book, and I'm lucky enough to have a good selection of embroidery thread in different colours and fabric, so I was able to make a start on a small project straightaway. I decided to create a simple embroidered mini hoop. The project in the book uses the word 'yay' but I decided to change to the word 'calm' to hang above my desk for when I'm feeling overwhelmed.

I've not worked on anything like this before but it was simple and quick to do, I easily finished it within an hour or so and now I have a lovely new piece of art to look at!

All of the projects in the book are clearly described with plenty of step by step instructions and at the back you can find all the templates that you need. There is plenty of room for your own interpretation of a project and if you have a reasonable craft supply stash then you can easily work with what you have already without needing to purchase anything new. Many of these projects would make lovely colourful gifts and are calming and fun to work on.

Modern Brush Lettering by Becki Clark

I've never tried brush lettering before but I really love the style of it so I thought this might be a fun new craft for me to have a go at.

The book is aimed at beginners so it starts with the complete basics. I didn't own a brush pen so I bought the one recommended by the author, and I do have some watercolour brush pens which I'm hoping to try out with some of these projects. The book starts with the basic techniques and brush strokes which you can build on, just some simple mark making exercises. I worked my way through these, then I moved on to copying some of the practice phrases. I didn't find it easy at first and I'm a bit wobbly, but I'm really pleased with how well I managed to get on with it! It's a really mindful craft and in fact there is a chapter about mindfulness and how the repetitive strokes of the lettering focus your concentration and let you lose yourself in the moment.

I can imagine the enjoyment and satisfaction that you would have in working on a series of projects, for example a set of gift tags or cards. The book contains 20 project ideas which are grouped by season. I can see myself using the technique this Christmas for things like tags, place names, cards and so on. It's such a simple craft but you can make some really lovely things. I'm looking forward to developing my brush lettering technique so that I can become much freer and confident in my style, and this book is definitely going to help me with that.

Floral Embroidery by Teagan Olivia Sturmer

I particularly loved reading the introduction to this book, and about how the author was inspired to create these floral designs by both her grandmothers along with a love of flowers and Shakespeare.

This book contains ten modern embroidery projects inspired by nature, each linked to a quote from Shakespeare, which are designed to be worked through in order. The first projects are simple and suitable for beginners, then as you go through the graded projects your skills will improve, you will add in different stitches, and you can build on the techniques that you've learned as you progress to more complex projects.

I'm looking forward to making a start on these projects when I've had time to assemble the materials that I need. The book has a very clear chapter on materials which is really helpful as I've not worked on this type of embroidery before. It also makes it very clear how to transfer the design from the book to the fabric, and there is a detailed stitch guide as well as different ways that you can finish off your hoop. The final chapter has some advice for coming up with your own floral embroidery patterns which is really helpful because once you have worked through the designs in the book you will be filled with inspiration for your own future projects!

These are all really lovely books and I'd recommend them to any crafters, whether you are looking to build on skills and experience that you already have or wanting to try something new from scratch.

You can see all the books in the series here - Arts and Crafts books from Pen and Sword.

Book review - Atomic Habits by James Clear

This post contains Amazon affiliate links

Like many people, I approached the New Year with a plan for self-improvement and a few ideas in mind. I'd seen lots of habit trackers on social media, and thought this idea would be really helpful to me as I love making lists and setting myself targets and goals.

I identified four things that I wanted to work on. Eating my five fruit and veg in a day, exercise, playing the piano and meditating. Exercise is the only one that I didn't plan to do daily - I count exercise as a reasonable cardio workout for forty minutes or so and I just don't have the energy for that every day! Instead I just wanted to track how often I managed it.

In addition I decided to choose two habits just for January. These were writing a blog post every day (not publishing, just writing and scheduling) and not looking at any news websites and apps. I was particularly interested to try avoiding the news websites because I have been feeling recently that that constantly scrolling through news headlines and articles has a very bad effect on my mental health.

Photo credit Phrophsee Journals via Unsplash

While I was looking for ideas on habit trackers and how to make them work I couldn't avoid hearing about the book Atomic Habits by James Clear. It seemed to be the definitive work on the subject, and I read so many good reviews that I treated myself to a copy with some Christmas money. I'm really glad that I did, because I found this book so helpful and motivating.

The premise of the book is that by making tiny changes, atomic habits, in your daily routine you can see remarkable results. 

I discovered that this book is packed with useful and interesting information. It's easy to read and understand, and all of the ideas make perfect sense. 

I found the concept of habit stacking particularly useful. I had noticed that I've been doing this already - I am lucky to have good teeth but last year, after a visit to the dentist and being kindly reminded of the fact that I'm not getting any younger, I decided to make more of an effort with daily flossing. I bought a new pack of dental floss and every evening after I brush my teeth I now floss. Because I'm already brushing my teeth every evening without fail, it was easy to add this extra step and I haven't missed a day since I started. 

So habit stacking is looking for something that you always do every day without even thinking, for example brushing teeth, eating lunch or doing the school run, and then adding a habit that you will always do at that time. Some examples from the book - "after I pour my cup of coffee each morning I will meditate for one minute" or "after I sit down to dinner I will say one thing I'm grateful for that happened today". 

You can then combine this with a second strategy called temptation bundling, which makes your habits become more attractive. So you do something unappealing, for instance for me that might be cleaning a bathroom, then you can do something that you enjoy afterwards, like sitting down with a book and a biscuit.

There are also some great tips for avoiding complacency. For example I want to practice the piano every day but I don't want to just sit down and play for ten minutes, I want to demonstrate improvement. So I am working on learning and memorising some pieces that I enjoy playing. The book has some really good tips on how to avoid getting stuck in a rut.

One thing that I really liked about this book was that I could identify with most of the situations described. Sometimes this type of book can be aimed at someone in a corporate environment, looking to improve their performance in the workplace. I can't relate to this at all. But I could relate to the habits that were being described in this book - simple every day things like exercise, eating more healthily, taking more time for yourself whether through meditation, reading or a digital detox. I also liked the focus on self-improvement and working towards goals and targets. 

So how am I getting on with my habits nearly three weeks in?

I'm pleased to say that I'm doing really well, although the one habit that hasn't stuck is filling in the daily habit tracker! After a few days I had the habits that I wanted to work on stuck in my head and I had worked out a routine for all of them. To my surprise I didn't feel the need to tick boxes.

Eating five fruit and veg - I started off with an app to track this but got fed up filling it in. I planned ahead, drinking orange juice for breakfast, making and eating two portion soup for lunch and aiming for two servings of veg with dinner. After dinner, if I've missed out I will have an apple or some dried fruit.

Exercise - I already had a good routine of exercising at least three times a week so I've been trying to fit in at least one extra trip to the pool.

Meditation - I've started doing meditation using an app straight after lunch and this fits in really well with my day. I just have to be careful not to fall asleep, this has happened several times! I feel like I'm definitely improving with keeping my focus.

Piano practice - During the the half an hour before school pick up works well for me. But if I miss it I have time after dinner to fit some in. I've completely memorised one piece and have another that I'm nearly there with.

Writing a blog post every day - This is going really well, and I'll be sharing my progress on this at the end of the month!

Avoiding the news websites and apps - Finally, this really has made a massive difference. I don't feel that I've missed out as my family keep me up to date and I've also watched the news on television a couple of times. The challenge isn't about avoiding the news entirely, it's just the mindless scrolling and anxious waiting for updates to stories.

If you are looking to make some simple changes to your life in order to see some great results then I would really recommend giving Atomic Habits a read. I found it very helpful and although some of the ideas were things that I was already intuitively doing, it helped and motivated me to see them written out and have the psychology behind them explained.