Marie H

The manga Devils and Realist by Madoka Takadono is the closest thing I can think of. Set in a mansion, rather than a castle, with human against demons. I've only read the 1st volume, but I enjoyed it.

I've been saving up the recent Mandolorian episodes, so I'm going to have Mandolorian fest of 6 to watch this week

Yahoo, finish the Christmas shopping this morning, and quite a lot of people thought the same, as it was busy at 6.20am. No queuing outside Sainsbury's, thankfully.

Listened to I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue, online version, and I laughed so much! Brilliant half an hour.

They bring me words I like to read! It's your favourite publisher of 2020! Dean Street Press. DPS revitalise golden age crime fiction and what they refer as Furrowed Middlebrow; sort of gentle humour and ‘storm in a tea cup’ (with best bone China, naturally) middle class lives. Your favourite book that somebody read to you! It's your audiobook recommendation of 2020! Broken Homes by Ben Aaronovitch, narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith. Terrific narration, and the shock towards the end!! I'd rather rub broken glass into my eyes! It's your book that wasn't worth bothering with in 2020! Middle England by Jonathan Coe (which I abandoned early. Life’s too short). They make Holmes look like a stuffy Victorian! It's your favourite literary character of 2020! Mary Bennet in The Other Bennet Sister. Not everyone are Elizabeth or Jane, or Lydia either. I'm now stalking them on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram! It's your author of the year, 2020! Jodi Taylor. I've read all their works, darling! It's your most read author of 2020! Ben Aaronovitch. Damn you Ben, for producing so many graphic novels and novels, and so damn good stories! The real world is so much better, you know? (not in 2020 it isn't!) It's your non-fiction recommendation of 2020! Lonely Courage: The True Story of the SOE Heroines Who Fought to Free Nazi-Occupied Franc by Rick Stroud. (As it says on the tin. The remarkable women who were dropped into France in WW2. Very interesting)

Reading update is Music in the Hills ( Dering Family #2) by D E Stevenson. At last, I’m enjoying this book, and the characters are better, and plenty to dryish humour. Read 77% of The Hanging Tree (Rivers of London #6) by Ben Aaronovitch. Also enjoying this one, but some rather slow in parts, with too much of the details re. police procedure, so it drags on, for me. Finished with Rivers of London Vol. 2: Night Witch (Rivers of London graphic novels #2). So now I know what is doing on when Grant, Nightingale et. al. are talking about when are referring to The Russians. The story was good, and good to know more details about Varvara Sidarovna (the Night Witch from "Broken Homes").

The Mitford Girls were fascinating, but people you hope never meet! Though Deb seemed reasonable in her later years.

Hydrogen

This Is The Day - The The

Monday 4th sounds good to me, when all the festivities are out of the way

Oh, now I remember Wallington picking limpets from the shore, but after cooking, they were disgusting and rubbery.

I’d forgotten about the girlfriend, and don’t remember if she actually arrived in the end. I think Wallington had a better “relationship” with Delia Smith and her One is Fun cookbook really. Most memorable disaster when he didn’t have anything to eat, as Boogie had peed on the box of matches. I think Boogie had some lovely raw bacon for supper .

Wow, Poinsettia Alaska looks to be HUGE! .

Sad to hear that Charley Pride, who rose to fame in the 1960s, has passed away on Saturday from complications of Covid-19. I listened his music in the 70s, as my Dad loved his music.

Boogie Up The River: One Man and His Dog to the Source of the Thames was good too, and the same vein as 500 walkies. It’s a long time since I read these books, 1987ish. I think I have read the Destination Lapland book, but I’m not sure; but it isn’t as memorable as 500 walkies/Boogie up the river.

Yes, reading Tales from the Folly was a mistake, and I’m trying not to do that again. Especially I’m trying to read the RoV graphic novels, in the right order with the RoV novels, which is nearly bleedin’ impossible!

500 Mile Walkies is one of my very favourites . Always a good book to read when you need something to cheer you up.

Finished Don’t Tell Alfred by Nancy Mitford, and this means I have finished The Penguin Complete Novels of Nancy Mitford. I have to admit that the last novel was a slog to finish, and I skimmed through the last third of the novel. Parts of the book were funny, but too much was a farce, rather than a comedy. More bitterness than sweet as a farce, which made me feel that this novel was very disappointing.

Quite enjoying Hannah Rothschild House of Trelawney. Seems to be a modern day version of The Pursuit of Love/I capture the Castle type of novel. Also recently reading Ben Aaronovitch The Hanging Tree (Peter Grant/Rivers of London #6) Music in the Hills (Dering Family #2) by D.E. Stevenson seems a little too soothing, as I am falling asleep at this one . Just a little too twee, at the mo.

White

This was the first time that Jodi made me cry too! #8 was just spectacular, all the time. I thought that the first book very disappointing, but after #2 & 3 I was hooked. Yep, they do get better every time, and #8 was just brilliant!

Yes, not going to the library has meant I have worked reducing Mount TBR this year too.

I had to look this in the dictionary for Ptomaime... . And I hope I never use it, but it’s a great word! Corpse

After two exciting audiobooks, I think I need something more soothing for listening. So I’ve decided to go for House of Trelawney by Hannah Rothschild. Summary The seat of the Trelawney family for over 800 years, Trelawney Castle was once the jewel of the Cornish coast. Each successive Earl spent with abandon, turning the house and grounds into a sprawling, extravagant palimpsest of wings, turrets and follies. But recent generations have been better at spending than making money. Now living in isolated penury, unable to communicate with each other or the rest of the world, the family are running out of options. Three unexpected events will hasten their demise: the sudden appearance of a new relation, an illegitimate, headstrong, beautiful girl; an unscrupulous American hedge fund manager determined to exact revenge; and the crash of 2008. A love story and social satire set in the parallel and seemingly unconnected worlds of the British aristocracy and high finance, House of Trelawney is also the story of lost and found friendships between three women. One of them will die; another will discover her vocation; and the third will find love.

Finished listening to Jodi Taylor's An Argumentation of Historians (Chronicles of St Mary's #9). What a brilliant book, and damn, can Jodi Taylor pulls out the stops this time; this has been the best ever this time!! . Not a dull moment, it's exciting from start to finish.