chaliepud

Yep.

Congratulations!

I've hit my Goodreads target of 35 so hopefully will add a few more to that. I am hoping to be less busy with work/life next year and as a result read a bit more, but will have to wait and see how that pans out!

Great idea for a thread, Virginia! How lovely to read what lovely years some of you have had, though I was sorry to hear that you had such a horrid year, Laura, I hope that 2018 is much better for you. 2017 has been pretty good to us, I still have my Obi dog, despite a big scare a month or so ago, he has bounced back and though slow he is still enjoying life in his own special way. My two eldest both did well in their A Levels/GCSE's, my son didn't fancy university so is working as an estate agent locally, and enjoying it, whilst my daughter has started at Sixth Form college, studying Psychology, Photography and to my delight, English Lit! My little man, though not so little now, just lives for his football and PS4, and goes to school because I'd go to prison if he didn't! I've had two wonderful holidays, the first to Amsterdam with my daughter as a treat for working her for her exams, and the second with the whole family to Split, Croatia; what an amazing place, we will definitely be returning at some point, the scenery is beautiful, there is so much to do and it is still relatively clean and unspoilt. The only downside was injuring my knee in June playing netball, I really messed it up and am still having physio. It is slowly getting better though and there are people all around me dealing with far worse. We are planning to go skiing in February though, not sure how that will go! Have a fabulous Christmas and a happy and healthy 2018 everyone!

Thank you, I'd better get an up to date list together!

I wouldn't mind having a go, it may also encourage me to participate more in the forum, I haven't been around as much as I'd like this year.

Ah, you are very welcome Diane, enjoy xx

With Vitamin D you need to make sure you take a good quality supplement, many of them are synthetic and just create expensive urine! I take a natural D3 supplement and my Vit D levels are excellent now.

Dark Matter by Michelle Paver was set in the Arctic..I was terrified. I bought her new book today, Thin Air, this one is set up a mountain, hopefully it won't be as scary!

So sorry to hear your news, Madeleine, rest in peace little one x

Went to see Dunkirk at the cinema last week with my 16 and 12 year olds, a very powerful film, very little dialogue which you would expect from men who are physically and emotionally exhausted. Very deserving of the excellent reviews it has had so far. Yeaterday we saw Valerian, a bit young for me, perfect for my 16 year old daughter and a bit too lovey dovey for my 12 year old son!

I suppose there's only one way to find out? I won't be trying any more though as I have no more on my TBR shelves. I am a third of the way through The Little Pieces of You and Me by Vanessa Greene, an easy read but good so far.

I just kept thinking it would eventually pick up, but it didn't, there wasn't one character I liked, or that I thought was realistic for the time and situation. Never mind, just a blip in my reading year! Well, different books suit different people, at different times, so don't let my experience put you off! I've only read 2 Picoult books, this one and The Storyteller and in my opinion the ending has let them both down. I'm not averse to a surprising ending but for me there has to be some realism. I didn't get past the first chapter, in fact probably only the first few pages, the language was too offensive too soon and it just wasn't for me.

Another update: A book you read in school A book from your childhood A book published over 100 years ago A book published in the last year - It Ends With Us - Colleen Hoover A non-fiction book A book written by a male author - Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave A book written by a female author - The Italian Girl - Lucinda Riley A book by someone who isn’t a writer - When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi A book that became/is becoming a film - The Boy on the Bridge by M.R.Carey (assuming!) A book published in the 20th Century - Outlander - Diana Gabaldon A book set in your hometown/region A book with someone’s name in the title A book with a number in the title A book with a character with your first name - The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson (thanks @Janet) A book someone else recommended to you A book with over 500 pages - Our Song by Dani Atkins A book you can finish in a day A previously banned book A book with a one-word title - Mischling by Affinity Konar A book translated from another language A book that will improve a specific area of your life - Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms by Datis Kharrazian A memoir or journal A book written by someone younger than you A book set somewhere you’ll be visiting this year - The Little Pieces of You and Me - Vanessa Greene An award-winning book A self-published book

I've just given up on Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada, I was finding it so dull! Such a shame as I had so looked forward to it, but I just couldn't get past 200 pages.

I have 11 days off work as kids have broken up for the summer so determined to try and catch up here and do some reading - but no buying! I only work three days a week but I constantly seem to be chasing my tail and not getting everything done, let alone much for pleasure. Still, I mustn't complain, I've only been back from Amsterdam for a couple of weeks and in 4 weeks we are off to Croatia. Unfortunately I am still suffering with my knee, the MRI showed that I have ruptured my anterior cruciate ligament, along with a torn meniscus and sprained collateral ligament and a tiny compression fracture to my tibia, not good, but my doctor is hoping that it can be sorted by physiotherapy but he isn't too confident. Still, I can still walk the dogs, if just a bit slower so it could be much, much worse! I hope everyone else is well and having a good summer, or winter if you're on the other side of the world.

My youngest broke up for the summer today (the other two finished last month after exams) so family tradition dictates that we go out for dinner, Byron's Burgers for us this evening, I love their courgette polenta fries! Yum!

I've started watching Outlander, I'm thoroughly enjoying it, though it is very loyal to the book so I always know exactly what is going to happen! I can't decide now whether to read the second book or wait for second season...

You're very welcome, Diane, how lucky that we enjoy similar books!

Grill paws?! Obi and Jojo are not impressed!

Unfortunately not, I am rubbish with reviews but it must have been good to get a 5/5, it would have helped that it covered some wartime history. Of course I haven't given up on you, you'll get to Human Traces when you're ready, I don't think the cover does it any favours though, we are all more drawn to the brighter and more interesting ones.

It does sound rather unprofessional Athena, I've found doctors do that sort of thing a lot, I've had it when giving birth! When I had Charlie we had a junior doctor in with us for quite a period (including the finale!), he kept Steve amused teaching him how to play tunes on the stethoscope...I was pretty drugged up though so I may not be remembering it accurately! I haven't been on here much lately, life has been so busy with work, kids exams and just life in general. I took up netball a couple of months ago which I was loving until I injured my knee, 11 days on from the injury and it is still painful and swollen, I can't fully straighten it or bend it so am currently waiting for an MRI to see what I've done to it. Annoyingly this time next week Maddie and I will be in Amsterdam and we were planning on doing lots of walking, we will have to see how that goes! Before that we have her prom on Thursday, I can't wait to see her in her dress, hair and nails done, she is beautiful anyway (I know I'm biased but she really is!) so she will be stunning on Thursday. I hope everyone has had a good week and will have even better weekends. Happy birthday June and any others I may have missed.

Hi frankie, I read The Dandelion Years 18 months ago and thoroughly enjoyed it, so much so I gave it a 5/5 star rating! I have a couple of her other books on my shelves so I may give one of them a go now as I have just finished my latest read.

I've been soooo busy recently that my reading has slowed down a little but I did finally finish Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (3.5/5) and have started Remembrance by Theresa Breslin, a little predictable so far but a nice easy read.

Since I started eating Paleo I have had to try and get over some food dislikes, broccoli for one, I only started eating that a few years ago as the appearance always makes me think of brains , I can't go near cauliflower for that reason. Mushrooms and olives too, I can just about manage tiny pieces if they are in something else but the texture is just...yuk! I can now eat sauerkraut and sort of like it, and avocado if I eat in when the texture is right, I love the flavour and know they are a superfood so I make the effort. THANKFULLY, baked beans are a no no on Paleo so I don't have to try them, they are indeed the devil's food! Even the smell makes me nauseous, thankfully only one of my three kids ikes them!