lunababymoonchild

I’ve also picked up a Bargello kit that I got for my birthday (in February). It’s a plant pot holder. This is as far as I’ve gotten.

I did the very first Sudoku to be printed -allegedly - in Great Britain in the Daily Mail. Was hooked immediately. Got bored with it eventually but have found, again courtesy of the Daily Mail (my brother buys it for my father), Super Sudoku which is Sudoku that goes from 1 - 12 and Kurosu, which is giant noughts and crosses. Japanese puzzles for me, then!

My current favourite joke: What's the difference between in-laws and outlaws? Outlaws are wanted!

Ozzy Osbourne, legendary singer/founder member of Black Sabbath who were in turn founders of the British Heavy Metal genre of music - not everybody’s taste I know but he was a legend before he became a reality TV star.

Hello and welcome to the forum

I’m sorry to hear this, I hope all goes well

I’m sorry to hear this. All the best to you, I know what it’s like to have eyesight problems and not be able to read

That is described in her biography

I’ve seen these reports too. I haven’t read the book either but have to say that if I had I’d be disappointed to find that it was substantially untrue, so yes, I do think that non-fiction should be true as far as possible

Embarking on my annual read of Thomas Bernard. This year it’s Extinction.

Yes

Cathryn Kemp, A Poisoner’s Tale

The Diary of a Madman, Nikolay Gogol Not the best choice after The Asylum, perhaps, but this short story did give me a taste of Gogol before I launch into a novel of his. I'm glad I did as it was excellent! Diary excerpts from a minor clerk who is clearly going insane, talking dogs and the same dogs writing letters to each other for example, ending with where he ends up. Excellent writing. Only 23 pages long but conveyed so very much about Russian society of the day in addition to the poor man's descent into insanity. Recommended.

The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls, Emilie Autumn I read this as an e-book and this is significant because it contains links to Emilie Autumn's website. It also contains clues to a real-life treasure hunt for "The Quest for the Spoon of the Royals." should you wish to follow them. I didn't so can't say anything about that. I did, however, download a free Diary on PDF and free printable papers (also on PDF) that goes with the book. Everything takes place in an Asylum/psychiatric ward. In the present Emilie Autumn is admitted to a psychiatric ward because she attempts suicide by overdosing on the anti-psychotic drugs prescribed for her Bipolar disorder. This is how the book starts. She describes the conditions in said psych ward, some of which are harrowing, in a secret diary. She is only allowed the notebook at certain times of the day and, of course, it's being read by the staff. Virtually right away Emilie finds a letter in her notebook from a girl with her name and description who was admitted to an insane asylum in England in the Victorian era, for attempting to kill herself (or did she?). These letters continue and life in said asylum is described by the Victorian Emilie, which is also harrowing. However, are the letters real or is present-day Emilie making this up/hallucinating? Are the conditions in the psychiatric ward real or is present-day Emilie making them up/hallucinating? The answer is in the book. And, unfortunately not much has changed in the treatment of women and girls admitted to psychiatric care (asylum) since the Victorian era. Emilie has much to say on that subject and she's probably right, having been so admitted herself. The Victorian aspect is portrayed in the reasons for incarcerating women and girls in that era and their treatment thereof. There is a story here and it's compelling. It also comes to an end. As for the present timeline, the reader is left with a series of journal entries that are titled Typed Out and of Interest. I enjoyed the book for what it was. I found it well written and believable and Emilie Autumn does make valid points through out without making it a platform on which to stand or distracting from the entertaining read. And I haven't read an Asylum novel for ages. Worth the time, in my opinion. Oh and there are also illustrations.

Time to discuss the next theme for the group read. Discovery was nominated from last time and I nominate History. Other nominations welcome

The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls, Emilie Autumn. I"m submitting this for the Time category because the story takes place both in the present and in the Victorian era.

I can’t remember much about Oranges, however, reading her biography nothing struck me as familiar. She writes, imho, very well and her biography is absolutely shocking in the way she was treated by her mother (and not just because Jeannette is a lesbian, she didn’t find that out until later).

I took that to mean that because there was nobody left he was the closest thing to a relative. I enjoyed it though and will have a look at the next one (out in July)

The joys of parenting 😃

I read that when it came out and I also read her autobiography Why Be Happy When You Can Be Normal.

Yes, I noticed that about the riding. What irked me the most was that although Hermione was mentioned in the end what wasn't mentioned was if she got married or not, and I wanted to know. Pixie checked Cavill Pengower's grave and discovered that he didn't die early (so she did affect the timeline) but no mention was made of Hermione Swift and whether or not Cavill noticed a difference after Pixie left and therefore didn't marry her. Pixie convinced him to stay and thus he didn't die but nothing else was mentioned. Unless it comes up in the next book.

Currently reading The Asylum For Wayward Victorian Girls by Emilie Autumn

Diane Setterfield, The Thirteenth Tale. This is a book about two women in whose lives books are more important than anything. One is a woman who grows up in a bookshop and learns the trade and who personally reads a great deal and authors some obscure papers and the other woman is a successful and famous author. What we read about is the life of the first one until she meets the second one and then we get both their lives. The second woman wants the first to write her biography. It's a fantastic tale, about two sets of twins and the thirteenth tale, supposed to be in an already published book, which is never written down but becomes available. It suited my Gothic preferences and was utterly compelling. I only wish I'd read it earlier. Well plotted, well written and all of the answers given at the end. Recommended.

I would hope so. The last contact I had with the Church of Scotland (28 years ago) that particular minister was the same pig-ignorant, bad mannered, selfish, narrow-minded, bigoted, arrogant piece of work that I’ve come to expect from their clergy - I spoke to a neighbour and she said that that particular minister was indeed so afflicted, I had thought it was just me. During that time I encountered a Catholic priest who, young though he was, was extremely warm and understanding (we’re not Catholic, it’s a long story). The contrast was astonishing. I will never attend the Church of Scotland again. Not considering Catholicism either.