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Poppyshake's Reading Year 2015


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I read The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (although I have to admit, it was mainly for the main characters name … you know why :giggle2:) and I did like it, but I haven't been inclined to read any more since.  I might give it a go at some point, but it's not at the top of my list :blush:

 

According to IMDB, Neal Street Productions are developing a television series, and they produced Call The Midwife and The Hollow Crown series, so perhaps it will be another production for the BBC?  They have produced other television series for other companies, as well as film and stage productions, but they look to have a pretty good track record, so hopefully they'll do Flavia justice. :)

 

In a moment of horror, I've just realised that I haven't been in here and wished you a happy new reading year :doh:  Please accept my sincerest and most grovelling apologies :flowers2: … and some cookies to make up for it!

:JC_cookies: 

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I read The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (although I have to admit, it was mainly for the main characters name … you know why :giggle2:) and I did like it, but I haven't been inclined to read any more since.  I might give it a go at some point, but it's not at the top of my list :blush:

Ha ha .. yes .. brilliant name for a heroine  :D I can put the book on a pile for you Claire .. there's no hurry to read it .. I need to start a new pile for you  :D 

According to IMDB, Neal Street Productions are developing a television series, and they produced Call The Midwife and The Hollow Crown series, so perhaps it will be another production for the BBC?  They have produced other television series for other companies, as well as film and stage productions, but they look to have a pretty good track record, so hopefully they'll do Flavia justice. :)

Ooh .. exciting .. well, fingers crossed then :) The key is .. finding the right Flavia. 

In a moment of horror, I've just realised that I haven't been in here and wished you a happy new reading year :doh:  Please accept my sincerest and most grovelling apologies :flowers2: … and some cookies to make up for it!

:JC_cookies: 

Oh .. not to worry .. I knew you were wishing it  .. happy to have the cookies though *munch munch* :hug:

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Invitation to the Waltz by Rosamond Lehmann

 

Synopsis:  A diary for her innermost thoughts, a china ornament, a ten-shilling note, and a roll of flame-coloured silk for her first evening dress: these are the gifts Olivia Curtis receives for her seventeenth birthday. She anticipates her first dance, the greatest yet most terrifying event of her restricted social life, with tremulous uncertainty and excitement. For her pretty, charming elder sister Kate, the dance is certain to be a triumph, but what will it be for shy, awkward Olivia? Exploring the daydreams and miseries attendant upon even the most innocent of social events, Rosamond Lehmann perfectly captures the emotions of a girl standing poised on the threshold of womanhood.

 

Review:  I absolutely loved this .. thank you so much Janet for getting it for me :hug: It's quite a simple story really (written in the 1930's.) Olivia has just reached seventeen and has been invited to her first ball, her mother has bought her some lovely flame coloured silk which will be made up into a gown and she's been given some money too which perhaps she can spend on adornments. It's the writing though that makes the story outstanding .. it's just gorgeous and you savour every word. Because of it and because it is mostly written about her, I become so attached to Olivia .. I really thought I had lost a friend when I got to the end of it and was sad not to know how things progressed with her (though I gleaned from the foreword that there is a sequel .. so on the list it goes then :D) Though seventeen year old's would normally be champing at the bit at the thought of their first ball, Olivia is full of doubts. She is excited but she's also part dreading it. Even on her birthday morning she is anxious and sees her birthday breakfast as something to be got through. This spoke to me loud and clear as I'm a bit odd (no .. really :D) in that sometimes birthdays and Christmas's etc oppress me. I love presents of course .. who doesn't .. but I find it a trial to open things in front of people. When I hear about people opening all their prezzies together .. or particularly opening them one at a time in front of each other .. I want to cry because this sort of thing makes me want to shrivel. My family just laugh at me about it but here was someone in fiction that knew exactly how I felt. We had bonded before the first chapter was finished. There was a bit near the end too .. where Olivia described being agitated and she said 'I get hot from nervousness. I get .. you know .. fussed and then I feel like a boiled lobster' which just cracked me up .. I told Alan and he just nodded and said .. yes .. we'll write that on your gravestone :D 

 

I found it all so touching, all the business about the gown being made (and really ... I just wanted her to get something nice made up but she wasn't assertive enough .. plus she was too trusting, too diffident and too friendly .. it's like at the hairdressers .. they don't take you seriously if you're too friendly .. they take their eye off the ball. Sorry  :blush2: I'm digressing again  :blush2:) When she does get to the ball there's all that bother about filling up her programme (for these are genteel days) and all the mortification of waiting to be asked to dance or trying to hide so as not to appear a wallflower or being grateful when a totally unsuitable person has asked you. Olivia has a sister who is prettier, more vivacious and perfectly at home at a ball. They are the best of friends .. however .. if she were my sister .. I'd have wanted to shove her in a cupboard until home time :D;) I may have made Olivia sound soppy which she isn't at all, she's naive and a little sensitive but very intelligent, very intuitive and a great reader .. so someone to be admired I think :D

 

Loved the story and adored the writing. Everyone .. even the minor characters .. were brought splendidly to life. It's very witty as well as being deliciously .. but not frighteningly .. stream of conscious. Splendid stuff.  

Loved it with a very big L!!  

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Wow you're off to a great start this year Kay. I love how organised and neatly colour-coded your lists are! I also love the sounds of Mystery In White. Congratulations you are the first person to inspire me to add to my wish list this year :D

 

Have a great reading year :)

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Note: I've had to butcher some of my own emoticons before sending this off...

 

 

Hello my dear! I may be late in commenting on your new log, but not  in the least bit un-thrilled about it. Your log is most likely going to be the most dangerous one when it comes to adding to my wishlist...  :hide:
 
I hope you have a darn fine reading year in 2015, and a fabulous one in all other respects, too!  :friends3:
 

Love, light and peace as dear Spike would say xx

 
Excuse me ignorance, but who is this Spike? I only know one Spike, and he's a vampire in Buffy the Vampire Slayer -TV series and I don't think he's the kind to wish any of those things upon anyone...
 

The Shameful Reckoning of My Books TBR    
 
 
Burnett, Frances Hodgson - The Secret Garden
Flynn, Gillian - Gone Girl
Haig, Matt - The Last Family in England
Lindgren, Astrid - Karlson Flies Again
Lindgren, Astrid - Karlson on the Roof
Waters, Sarah - Fingersmith
Welsh, Irvine - Trainspotting



Oh you have such many wonderful books on your TBR pile! Those ^ are the ones I've loved the most. I hope you shall like them when you get to them =)
 
 

Norton, Juster - The Phantom Tollbooth


This will be the year when I WILL read this book. Is it on your TBR because of Kylie? =) I mean thanks to Kylie? :giggle2:
 

I think I was pretty good in not buying too many books .. too good in fact plus I've had a bit of a clear out and taken some books to the charity shop so there is actual space on my bookshelves .. plus I was bought a new bookshelf for Christmas


 
A bookcase?! Wohoo, what a fantastic Christmas present!   I'd like to see some pics, please :smile2: Have you filled it up already? :giggle2: 
 
 

It's going straight back to the shop if that's what's expected of it   


:lol: Haha!
 
 


The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly by Sun-Mi Hwang


 
What a wonderful review, and by the sounds of it, a wonderful novel! This is going on my wishlist =)

 

Mystery in White by J. Jefferson Farjeon

 
I really love the sound of this one, it's going on my wishlist!!
 
 
Lucky for you, I already have the first Alan Bradley novel on my wishlist, as well as the Invitation to the Waltz, so I don't have to blame you for all of my wishlist books :D 
 
 

 Even on her birthday morning she is anxious and sees her birthday breakfast as something to be got through. This spoke to me loud and clear as I'm a bit odd (no .. really ) in that sometimes birthdays and Christmas's etc oppress me. I love presents of course .. who doesn't .. but I find it a trial to open things in front of people. When I hear about people opening all their prezzies together .. or particularly opening them one at a time in front of each other .. I want to cry because this sort of thing makes me want to shrivel. My family just laugh at me about it but here was someone in fiction that knew exactly how I felt. We had bonded before the first chapter was finished. There was a bit near the end too .. where Olivia described being agitated and she said 'I get hot from nervousness. I get .. you know .. fussed and then I feel like a boiled lobster' which just cracked me up .. I told Alan and he just nodded and said .. yes .. we'll write that on your gravestone

 

My kindred spirit! I used to hate opening presents in front of other people, too, so I know how you feel!  :friends3:   I guess when I had a boyfriend who wanted to see me open his presents, I had to start learning to cope with it. I'm better at it these days but if I was up to me, I'd be alone to open my presents :blush: 

 

Oh you boiled lobster, you!  :hug:

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I do understand how you guys feel.   :hug:  Our son's girlfriend doesn't like opening presents in front of people either.  

 

We do the whole open them one at a time, but we opened hers to us and she opened hers from us before she came to us in the afternoon on Christmas day as we didn't want her to feel awkward. 

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Glad that you liked The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag, poppyshake! I loved the first one, and this one is all ready in by e-reader. Flavia is one of a kind, but sometimes she makes me a little scared of her ....I wouldn't like to get the wrong side of her, her and the chemistry lab :mellow:  :unsure:  

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I completely understand the anxiety about opening presents in front of people. I'm not very good at hiding my disappointment. Like this year when my parents got me a giant, gaudy, plush pink unicorn which they thought I wanted because I took a silly picture with it in a toyshop. I tried, but I think they knew I didn't want it. :blush2:

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What a great review. I'm so glad you enjoyed it.

 

You really do have such a marvellous way with words. 

Awww .. thanks Janet  :smile2: and thanks again for getting it for me .. how clever you are :hug:

Invitation to the Waltz sounds great. :) Olivia reminds me a lot of myself (except I would have found a way of getting out of going to the waltz altogether—what a nightmare!) Great review! 

Thanks Kylie :) Ha ha yes .. she was looking forward to it in some ways but she was a bit too anxious to really enjoy it plus things didn't go exactly to plan .. but then she thought they wouldn't .. poor Olivia.

Wow you're off to a great start this year Kay. I love how organised and neatly colour-coded your lists are! I also love the sounds of Mystery In White. Congratulations you are the first person to inspire me to add to my wish list this year 

 

Have a great reading year :)

Thanks Andrea *takes a little bow* :D I do hope you enjoy it .. happy to send it to you if you'd like .. just pm address :smile:  

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Hello my dear! I may be late in commenting on your new log, but not  in the least bit un-thrilled about it. Your log is most likely going to be the most dangerous one when it comes to adding to my wishlist...  

I am hoping to abandon books this year and therefore not do too much damage to your wishlist. I have a cunning plan (more later!)

I hope you have a darn fine reading year in 2015, and a fabulous one in all other respects, too! 

You too my love *hugs*

Excuse me ignorance, but who is this Spike? I only know one Spike, and he's a vampire in Buffy the Vampire Slayer -TV series and I don't think he's the kind to wish any of those things upon anyone...

Sorry Sari :blush2:  it was a bit random. I was referring to Spike Milligan .. British comedian and author .. gone from us now but still remembered for the absolute loon he was. I have a couple of his books on my TBR. He suffered terribly with his mental health .. I saw a documentary about him last year .. he always signed his letters 'love, light and peace'.  

Oh you have such many wonderful books on your TBR pile! Those ^ are the ones I've loved the most. I hope you shall like them when you get to them =)

I'm sure I shall. I always think Fingersmith will make me blush  :blush2: I didn't see the adaptation but I heard it was racy .. or am I thinking of Tipping the Velvet? Anyway, it doesn't take much .. I'm listening to her new book The Paying Guests and its already making my cheeks hot :D Lord .. I've led such a sheltered life :D

This will be the year when I WILL read this book. Is it on your TBR because of Kylie? =) I mean thanks to Kylie?

Yes .. and I did start it two years ago but then was ill and it was hard to pick it up again because it threw me back into remembering but I am over that now. The thing is .. I got quite a way into it but feel I should go back to the start as it's so involved .. I need to get into the swing of it again .. very clever wordplay etc. I owe it to Kylie to give it my undivided  :smile: 

A bookcase?! Wohoo, what a fantastic Christmas present!   I'd like to see some pics, please. Have you filled it up already? 

 Well .. it's not as easy as that .. for one thing I wanted it painted (I'm such a pain in the ****) and for the other .. no .. it's not even half full and that's mainly because I'm being fussy about the spines again  :blush2: I'm not colour co-ordinating them or grading them but I only want pale colours because it's in our bedroom and swathes of red will look all wrong. Consequently I've pillaged a lot of my other bookcases and everything is in a real state and all over the place. I don't mind having gaps though and I do quite like having other things on bookcases too (or junk as some people would have it !) I will take a pic .. in daylight probably tomorrow. Alan was a bit disappointed that I couldn't fill it up but as I said .. you need room .. it's no good filling up all your bookcases .. where would you put any new acquisitions. I need to look for new acquisitions now (I'm not daft :D)

What a wonderful review, and by the sounds of it, a wonderful novel! This is going on my wishlist =)

You will love the little hen I'm sure :hug:

I really love the sound of this one, it's going on my wishlist!!

Again, I think you'll like it  :blush2:

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Lucky for you, I already have the first Alan Bradley novel on my wishlist, as well as the Invitation to the Waltz, so I don't have to blame you for all of my wishlist books :D

Ooh .. well done .. you've spotted these gems already. Think you will enjoy them .. I think it's a definite that you'll enjoy Invitation to the Waltz .. I can't think who wouldn't .. well maybe men wouldn't .. men that like splatty things I mean. There's a lack of that in it I have to admit :D

My kindred spirit! I used to hate opening presents in front of other people, too, so I know how you feel!  :friends3: I guess when I had a boyfriend who wanted to see me open his presents, I had to start learning to cope with it. I'm better at it these days but if I was up to me, I'd be alone to open my presents :blush:

I'm okay if it's fairly low key .. and usually okay if it's just Alan or me .. or if it's just one or two people. If it's a big get together and everyone's looking then it makes me want to curl up and die!

Having said that I can get odd about it at Christmas when it's just Alan and me .. he just laughs at me and fetches the Bucks Fizz :D

Oh you boiled lobster, you! :hug:

:smile2: Flustered is my default setting.

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smiley_lobster_zpszdgvt8yb.gif

 

I do understand how you guys feel.   :hug:  Our son's girlfriend doesn't like opening presents in front of people either.  

 

We do the whole open them one at a time, but we opened hers to us and she opened hers from us before she came to us in the afternoon on Christmas day as we didn't want her to feel awkward. 

Bless you for being understanding :hug: I'm sure she really appreciated it. It's a lovely thing to do if you enjoy it but pretty horrendous if you don't. 

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Glad that you liked The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag, poppyshake! I loved the first one, and this one is all ready in by e-reader. Flavia is one of a kind, but sometimes she makes me a little scared of her ....I wouldn't like to get the wrong side of her, her and the chemistry lab :mellow:  :unsure:  

Ha ha .. no .. me either :D I like that about her though .. or it makes me laugh so much in the context of the stories. The trouble she went to with those chocolates .. and then she wasn't in the least bit concerned .. whereas I the reader was completely on edge about it. The minx! :D

I completely understand the anxiety about opening presents in front of people. I'm not very good at hiding my disappointment. Like this year when my parents got me a giant, gaudy, plush pink unicorn which they thought I wanted because I took a silly picture with it in a toyshop. I tried, but I think they knew I didn't want it. :blush2:

Oh bless you. It's not that for me .. it's just the whole spotlight thing .. and perhaps the saying and the doing the right thing. For someone who can be quite loud and noisy I'm also someone who likes to be just background. We went to a party just before Christmas and got up and danced a couple of times with friends and family, but then someone thought it would be good to call names out .. and then you had to do a solo spot :o .. only for a few secs but I just couldn't. Most people were happy to .. but my feet were welded to the spot and I wanted to immediately sit down. You feel like such a killjoy then. I have never ever karaoked either .. that's the stuff of nightmares! Alan says I have an over active cringe gland!  :D 

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I have the same anxiety over opening gifts in front of people. I think you said it best, its a spotlight kinda thing. I don't like to be the center of attention and where I feel every facial expression is being analysed. 

 

Thankfully I don't tend to get any these days unless they come through the post  :D

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I have the same anxiety over opening gifts in front of people. I think you said it best, its a spotlight kinda thing. I don't like to be the center of attention and where I feel every facial expression is being analysed. 

 

Thankfully I don't tend to get any these days unless they come through the post  :D

I feel a lot more normal now  :D 

 

Prezzies through the post are the very best sort! 

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I felt like that at christmas last year. My boyfriend spoilt me rotten, he said he did it because he knew I had a rough year and wanted to make up for it. Last year we tried something different with everyone taking turns opening gifts, well I was still going with just half my gifts open when everyone else was done. :blush: I just ended up handing the rest of my gifts out for the others to help open. :giggle2:

 

Felt rather uncomfortable at the time.

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Yes .. and I did start it two years ago but then was ill and it was hard to pick it up again because it threw me back into remembering but I am over that now. The thing is .. I got quite a way into it but feel I should go back to the start as it's so involved .. I need to get into the swing of it again .. very clever wordplay etc. I owe it to Kylie to give it my undivided  :smile: 

 

Well .. it's not as easy as that .. for one thing I wanted it painted (I'm such a pain in the ****) and for the other .. no .. it's not even half full and that's mainly because I'm being fussy about the spines again  :blush2: I'm not colour co-ordinating them or grading them but I only want pale colours because it's in our bedroom and swathes of red will look all wrong. Consequently I've pillaged a lot of my other bookcases and everything is in a real state and all over the place. I don't mind having gaps though and I do quite like having other things on bookcases too (or junk as some people would have it !) I will take a pic .. in daylight probably tomorrow. Alan was a bit disappointed that I couldn't fill it up but as I said .. you need room .. it's no good filling up all your bookcases .. where would you put any new acquisitions. I need to look for new acquisitions now (I'm not daft :D)

 

Aw, you don't owe me anything!  :friends3:

 

Ooh, lots of exciting changes to your books! I can't wait to see pics when you've finished. :) I love that you've pillaged other bookcases so you can make your new one look the way you want. :D

 

We went to a party just before Christmas and got up and danced a couple of times with friends and family, but then someone thought it would be good to call names out .. and then you had to do a solo spot :o .. only for a few secs but I just couldn't. Most people were happy to .. but my feet were welded to the spot and I wanted to immediately sit down. You feel like such a killjoy then. I have never ever karaoked either .. that's the stuff of nightmares! Alan says I have an over active cringe gland!  :D 

 

Oh gosh, that would have been a nightmare for me. There is no way I would have danced solo. And I wouldn't have given a damn if it made me look like a party-pooper because I would have been pretty annoyed with the person who tried to force me to do it. :angry: It annoys me when others don't consider that people have different personality types and might not be as comfortable in the spotlight. Sorry if I sound grumpy; I'm speaking from too much recent experience.  :irked:

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I also understand not wanting to open gifts in front of others. I also feel a bit embarrassed and such, and find it hard to hide disappointment too if the present isn't what I had hoped it would be. It does depend on who I'm with as I'm more comfortable with some people compared with others.

 

I celebrated Christmas with my boyfriend's family once, and they do gifts for Christmas, so we all had to open up presents together (sometimes at the same time as well). I had no idea what to expect so it was a bit difficult sometimes.

 

Btw, I echo the request for a photo of your new book shelf, once it's finished and such :).

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I felt like that at christmas last year. My boyfriend spoilt me rotten, he said he did it because he knew I had a rough year and wanted to make up for it. Last year we tried something different with everyone taking turns opening gifts, well I was still going with just half my gifts open when everyone else was done. :blush: I just ended up handing the rest of my gifts out for the others to help open. :giggle2:

 

Felt rather uncomfortable at the time.

Awww :hug: It's very difficult when that happens .. I'm sure they all understood though the reasons for it. I know what it feels like .. on the one hand you're being spoilt .. on the other you're being tortured  :blush2: 

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Aw, you don't owe me anything! 

:hug: Oh I do .. and anyway I want to make you happy  :friends0: .. and I know reading it will (plus I was enjoying it .. so it will be a pleasure :)

Ooh, lots of exciting changes to your books! I can't wait to see pics when you've finished.  I love that you've pillaged other bookcases so you can make your new one look the way you want.

Alan helped me collect books from other places in the house .. though he was under strict instructions NOT TO TOUCH THE COLOURED SHELF!!! :D I've taken a pic .. I'll put it up in a min. It's not a full length bookcase .. just a little set of shelves. I don't have room for any floor to ceiling ones .. it's one of my biggest disappointments in life. Though I do have a cabinet which could be changed out for one .. Alan will need some persuading  :blush2: 

Oh gosh, that would have been a nightmare for me. There is no way I would have danced solo. And I wouldn't have given a damn if it made me look like a party-pooper because I would have been pretty annoyed with the person who tried to force me to do it. It annoys me when others don't consider that people have different personality types and might not be as comfortable in the spotlight. Sorry if I sound grumpy; I'm speaking from too much recent experience.  :irked:

The thing is .. and I know they mean well .. it takes me a lot of time to whack up the ginger ( :D .. great PG Wodehouse expression) to get up on the dance floor in the first place. There needs to be a fair few people already on it for a start .. and I know it's all done in the name of fun and that but just let me do things my way please .. and then I'll feel comfy. People just don't get it .. some people I mean .. and they take shyness for grumpiness etc. 

Yes .. they see us as party poopers when .. from our pov .. they're pooping on our party experience :D Big hugs Kylie :hug: parties can actually be no fun at all :( 

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I also understand not wanting to open gifts in front of others. I also feel a bit embarrassed and such, and find it hard to hide disappointment too if the present isn't what I had hoped it would be. It does depend on who I'm with as I'm more comfortable with some people compared with others.

 

I celebrated Christmas with my boyfriend's family once, and they do gifts for Christmas, so we all had to open up presents together (sometimes at the same time as well). I had no idea what to expect so it was a bit difficult sometimes.

 

Btw, I echo the request for a photo of your new book shelf, once it's finished and such :).

Nothing worse than having to do this in front of your in-laws in my experience .. they don't understand you as well as your own family. In a previous life I had to open presents .. one at a time .. with my in-laws .. you open yours and then you go and fetch one from under the tree and give it to the person it's meant for etc etc. Everyone loved it ... bar me :blush2:  It took ages as well .. and it was random .. so the misery of it was heightened. Honestly, I sound like such an ungrateful article  :blush2: I know the object of it all was to have a nice time .. I didn't that's all :D I always want to say .. please can I take my presents to my room .. or preferably .. home .. thank you .. Merry Christmas! .. and run away :D

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Here is the new bookshelf  .. you will notice it's not full .. that will be remedied but I will leave room for other stuff because .. I like it that way :blush2: I tried not to be too anal about the spines .. just light colours and pastels in the main .. red and black looked wrong because the bedroom is sort of pastel shades .. or French shades anyway (duck egg and all that Laura Ashley style nonsense :blush2: ) I've got to repair the other shelves now .. the ones in the attic bedroom are practically stripped bare  :o This is all good news .. I have room for more books therefore I should really buy some  :blush2: I will hit the charity shops soon and see what I can unearth. Yes because my TBR really could do with being added to  :rolleyes:  :D Once sorted I think I will take pics of all my bookshelves and put them here :) It might aid me in finding a book .. should I forget where it is :D 

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