Madeleine

Very windy last night and today, but dry so far.

Yes got cloudy here too, seems to be quite windy now as well.

I've just got "The Waters of Eternal Youth" by Donna Leon, and also indulged in the 30th anniversary edition of Barbara Erskine's "Lady of Hay". Shouldn't have I know but hey

Pancakes are difficult aren't they, and that stuff you buy as a mixture, that's in a bottle and you're just meant to shake it .....ugh, went like wet cement, absolutely vile!

Yes ebook sales do seem to have plateaued out, and I notice that Waterstone's and Smith's have stopped selling e-readers now.

I've got Ashes of London on my tbr pile, glad you liked it. Have you read "The American Boy" by the same author? One of my all time favourites, it's lovely.

Mr blue sky - Electric Light Orchestra

Foam

Same here, just in time for the weekend, typical!

I like her Vicky Bliss books too, they're good fun and have nice settings, and some great characters, especially her boss, who is the world's worst "spy".

That's interesting Will, thanks for that. Someone on another forum has pointed out that "hallway" has been in use since the 1870s.

I was a bit disappointed in the Little Paris Bookshop as well, maybe it was the translation, I found it a nice read but a bit "twee". I didn't like the last Narnia book either, very depressing!

Last night I finished "Some Veil Did Fall" by Kirsty Ferry, a dual time frame novel set in Whitby, alternating between the present day and the 1860s. Becky is a journalist and is covering one of the regular Goth Weekends held in Whitby, and whilst there she bumps into (literally) a young man who is the brother of her best friend; they go for a coffee together and she finds he's now working as a photographer in the town. He invites her back to his studio for a look around and she can't resist trying on a gorgeous Victorian dress, but whilst she's wearing it and he's taking a couple of photos of her, she starts to feel she isn't alone. Then she discovers some antiques which he uses for props, and when she returns to her hotel, a former large house, she keeps getting that same feeling again. She starts to find out who originally owned the antiques, and as she does so we start to get the story of what happened 150 years ago, as a historical love triangle mirrors Becky's own situation, for as things start to develop nicely with Jonathan, her former boyfriend Seb turns up, and he won't accept that their relationship is over. I enjoyed this, it's a bit predictable but I enjoyed the atmosphere, and the historical story became more engrossing as it went on. Seb was, as usual in these books, a pretty bog standard villain, but there were a few twists, and I found Jonathan and Becky likeable, as well as their pre-decessors back in the 1860s. Apart from a few Americanisms which jarred (funny as we've been discussing this on another thread), I liked it and would recommend it to anyone who likes a dual time frame novel. I've added this to my English Counties challenge for North Yorkshire, as it's set in Whitby and around the surrounding moors. 8/10

Just collected All the little Liars by Charlaine Harris, and A Perilous Undertaking by Deanna Raybourn

I loved The night Circus.

Nice and sunny so far, but meant to rain at the weekend, typical.

Diamonds - Rihanna

Pretty dreary here too, very grey.

Spray

Crazy for you - Madonna

Howards' End by E M Forster

I've read a couple of her older books and really enjoyed them, glad you liked the ones you've read (haven't read those, think I have Dream Street somewhere!)

I'm halfway through this series and really enjoy it too, much better than Twilight! Great escapism.

16's not that hot! Oh yes, forgot to mention, had a couple of very frisky squirrels in the garden as well, full of the joys of spring

Went on a bit of a spree at the weekend: Tricky 22 by Janet Evanovich I found You by Lisa Jewell The Velvet Fountain by Victoria Fox 3 books by Marsali Taylor, crime stories set on Shetland (will check the titles)