Janet

Thanks. I’m really enjoying the new job. And I can’t deny it’s really, really good not to have to get up early or to have to work both days of the weekend. In the last 20 years I’ve done 14 (not consecutively) years of working Saturdays and Sunday so I’ve definitely done my time. He is thoughtful. I feel a bit mean now as locals call it Weston-Super-Mud because the tide goes out for miles and the beach is muddy rather than sandy when it’s out. It’s really called Weston-Super-Mare. It’s a typical British seaside town though. A bit tacky – but lots of people love it. Some of our place names are odd (I grew up near a place called Thong, and there is a river in Dorset called the Piddle ) - but then Kylie has names like Wollongong and Mullumbimby so it’s not just us!

That’s okay –it can be hard to keep up with all the blogs. She’s not bad! I’m a lucky girl. It’s lovely, isn’t it. I read it on my Kindle though – although that’s the cover that shows up for Kindle. Your cover isn’t the most attractive. I know – it’s really quite exciting! I’ve read a few now and really enjoyed them.

Thanks Gaia I've only read the first few pages (in my lunch hour) but I think I'm going to like it.

Thanks, Kylie. I think I'm going to a large shopping centre in Essex next weekend so hopefully they'll have a Waterstone's. I am going to start The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruis Zafon today.

I forgot to say that I had an absolute disaaaster yesterday, dahlings. Okay, maybe not, but it was annoying. I had some Waterstone's gift cards for Christmas and a couple of book tokens as leaving gifts from my very lovely ex-Tesco colleagues, so yesterday when I went into Bath I spent a fairly long time browsing in Waterstone's and settled on two titles to buy (I don't like spending them quickly - I love them and I enjoy the anticipation of spending them almost as much as the actual act of doing so), but as I headed for the tills I remembered that I'd decided not to take my handbag and my backpack with me so I just took the latter and... you've guessed it... the cards were in my handbag. Aaaaargh! At least I realised before I'd got to the tills but I was so annoyed with myself. Grr!

Yesterday I started The Young Ardizzone by Edward Ardizzone and I finished it today. What a gorgeous book! I will write a proper review at some stage, but I loved this so much! Ardizzone is probably my favourite illustrator (even more favourite than the wonderful Quentin Blake or the equally wonderful Ernest Shepard) so I treated myself to this - and it was a real treat as I don't think I've ever paid £12 for a paperback but this was worth every penny - not just for the content but for the beautiful book. It's the Slightly Foxed paperback edition. I can see myself buying more (even though I think they're quite an extravagant purchase). I already have my eye on a couple of other titles.

I tried a Terry Pratchett many, many years ago but didn't get on with it (it probably wasn't the right choice - I possibly thought it was a standalone book when it was part of a series? I don't recall now). My reading has changed considerably so maybe I should give him a go again some time? I like the idea of the character of Death. I liked the personification of him in The Book Thief.

Thanks all - it's good to have your support. That's the wonderful thing about fellow Bookworms - you understand things like this. Having mulled things over I think I'm going to leave a blank space in my blog for The Dynamite Room in the hope that I have some inspiration, because I haven't reviewed anything I've read since (and I like to do my reviews in order) and I'm concerned I might forget what I was going to write about those too! It won't be until the weekend some time though.

I finished The Family from One End Street by Eve Garnett today. It was very enjoyable. I'm horribly behind with my reviews. My big stumbling block is The Dynamite Room. I loved it, so the review should be easy, right. And yet I can't seem to assemble any coherent thoughts about it.

I saw this on Facebook today and for some reason it made me think of you!

Aww, bless you - I'm sure you can really. I looked at that in Tesco recently - I do hope you enjoy it.

Are you talking to it now?!

I quite disliked When the Green Woods Laugh, Ian. Like your discomfort at Primrose's portrayal in Oh! to be in England, I found bits of it quite distasteful, especially . whilst my brain can rationalise that they are 'of their time' it did make rather uncomfortable reading at times. None of them quite lived up to The Darling Buds of May for me. I shall be interested to read your thoughts about the last one.

If he's decided to dress up and you can afford a costume then maybe it would be good to encourage him to dress up?

Thanks. I hope you enjoy it. I was a bit naughty (and extravagant ) as I had the paper book and then bought it on Kindle! I had it on my Wish List but I ordered it for a friend for her birthday... knowing she'd probably lend it to me to read anyway... but it didn't arrive in time so I bought something else for her - but then I bought it on Kindle because it was only £1.99 and I wanted to read it on my Kindle because I was going on a bus journey. I think I might give the book to my friend anyway.

A great book haul for your birthday, Kay. I read The Mesmerist by Barbara Ewing back in 2009 I enjoyed it very much, although I can't actually remember much about it now! It was ever thus...

Claire's idea is great. I can't think of anything else so simple and pretty normal for someone unkeen on dressing up.

Thank you, you lovely people. I'm feeling better than I was but I'm still wiped out. I missed work on Monday but I'm going to go in tomorrow... although I imagine it'll be a long day! I finished Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey today. I only started it at 1.30pm yesterday! It *nearly* got a 5/5 but I think it's probably a 4/5. Either way I enjoyed it very much.

I had an email from Penguin about these a few weeks ago, and they also posted about them on their Instagram. They're gorgeous, aren't they!

Thanks, Kylie and Claire. I would have stayed downstairs but it's too cold at this time of year. I reckon I managed about 4 hours last night so I'm going to take it easy for today and just do some ironing later. (I like ironing! ).

Wow, I had no idea (I've never used the 'latest posts' feature). That's bad. :/

Thanks, Noll. I can't sleep... but on the plus side, I'm about a third of the way through it already!

You can see spoilers in that feature?! That's a bit of a flaw!

Yay - I'm glad you enjoyed it. I thought it was great.

I haven't posted in here for over three weeks. I'm feeling a bit flustered. I've been poorly since Saturday evening (I'm on the mend now, but boy did I feel rough) and I'm behind with my reviews. I'm not even sure if I can remember enough about the books I'm behind on reviewing to write a review! I did manage to finish The Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory for Book Club (and over a week early, so no last minute cramming this time - yay!) which was okay. I've also finished Book 1 of Middlemarch by George Eliot, which is a Counties Challenge challenge and a group read (I forget which county but I think it's one of the Midlands?!) and which I think we're starting to discuss soon? I started Elizabeth is Missing by... Someone ( I'm still not right with it!) on the bus home today after meeting my Mum for lunch in Bath. So far so good, although I think I overdid it in terms of venturing out today as I feel utterly washed out. I ought to go to bed, but someone put the bedrooms upstairs in our house and it seems a long way to walk. Sorry for the self-indulgent post! As you can probably tell I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself today!