Hayley

Hi Cath, welcome to the forum . Which of his books have you liked? I also didn't think I'd like Stephen King, until I read The Green Mile and loved it, but I've ended up never finishing a couple of others I've tried.

I'm sure my boyfriend was watching a video on this exact subject a few weeks ago. If you think the book is good I'll have to recommend it to him!

Thank you! It's something I really wish I was better at. I know what you mean about associating it with a chore, but it does feel very different embroidering a picture than it does repairing things (not that I can do much more repairing than sewing up a hole! I even just use wonder web for hems).

This just reminded me of an interesting point I heard someone make once - that serialised fiction was the Victorian version of soaps! (although personally I love Victorian serialised fiction and have never been able to get into soaps...)

In a direct update to my last post here I did buy the mini hoops and on an evening when I was feeling a bit stressed and couldn’t focus on my book I made this: It’s definitely not perfect (and I did regret deciding to use metallic thread because it’s so frustrating!) but I’m really quite happy with it. The hoops are different shapes and sizes, some are very small circles. If anybody has ideas for other (Christmas related) things I could try to embroider I’d love to hear them! Bear in mind that I’m new to this though

Aww that sounds lovely! Presents to yourself should definitely count towards Christmas organisation . I made a Christmas decoration last week. It’s not perfect, but I think it was a good start. I’ll post it in the crafting thread soon. I’d like to get ideas from other people on what to try for the next one!

Thank you Read-a-thon with a stack of new books is extra fun . I hope you enjoy them. I have an absolute week of chaos until Friday at about 8. After that I am 100% putting extra reading time aside for the read-a-thon! I want to finish Lady Audley’s Secret.

Or do they... . I like the added element of mystery we get from the very different perspectives of Frey and McGray!

Your review sums it up perfectly Madeleine and I agree with the above - as you've probably noticed I also love the Rivers of London series! I think Frey and McGray might appeal to those who prefer a more 'realistic' / less fantasy novel though, despite the fact that it does involve supernatural themes.

I was going to recommend that after reading the first post! Such a weird story, but a good one.

The last day of October and I definitely won't be finishing everything on the challenge today! I am loving Lady Audley's Secret far more than I expected too, I just don't have enough time to read to the end today. I'm looking forward to jumping in to the thread on the book once I am done though!

I'm so glad you liked it too! And don't have a fireplace . I love the relationship Frey and McGray have. It only gets better!

There's an excellent audiobook of The Lord of the Rings, the one narrated by Rob Inglis. I don't usually listen to audiobooks but my boyfriend has the whole series and I love them. He just has the perfect voice for those books. Very appropriate for Halloween are you enjoying it? It's one of those books I've noticed many times but never actually picked up.

Porphyria always reminds me of the poem Porphyria’s Lover which is pretty freaky! Wow they really wanted to pack a lot into a short piece there didn’t they Thanks for pointing that one out, it was interesting! I hadn’t thought much about how vampires were presented during the Enlightenment. I wonder what Bram Stoker would have thought of our modern representations!?

That's so nice though because you'll still have the excitement of exploring next time too! I hope all the books in your current borrowed stack are good .

Aww! He knew the way to your heart was books . Yay! I hope you continue to enjoy it! That must have felt good! Had much changed since you were there last?

That's really lovely . “Hope” is the thing with feathers - That perches in the soul - And sings the tune without the words - And never stops - at all - And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard - And sore must be the storm - That could abash the little Bird That kept so many warm - I’ve heard it in the chillest land - And on the strangest Sea - Yet - never - in Extremity, It asked a crumb - of me. Hope is the Thing with Feathers by Emily Dickinson

That's what I think too! I can't wait to find out the actual ending!

I forgot about that bit . Still less cringey than 'have they got any chips' in the film version though...

Oooh what's your theory!? I have one too but I'm definitely not sure about it!

I loved The Hobbit but I did actually read it as a child (well, probably a teen, I can't exactly remember!). I absolutely love the very first bit of the book, describing hobbit holes. If I could live in a fictional world, I think I would like to be a hobbit . I can see why it would feel disappointing if you were expecting more LotR. I had no other context for The Hobbit when I started it. Wow, congratulations! Do you have an aim for the end of the year?

Seconded! The mystery of McGray's sister is becoming increasingly intriguing, I suspect we're in for a shock reveal in the final book!

I'm really looking forward to finding out the ending! I love that the mystery seems pretty clear-cut at the beginning, you think you see where it's going, but it becomes increasingly complex and uncertain as we go! That's brilliant. I think we can call the first Victober on BCF a success then . If I know I'm getting to a particularly good part I also just don't even start reading before bed. I am not that disciplined when it comes to books... buying them or reading them

I have this book and I'm glad I read your review because it sounds a bit different to what I expected! I'm actually glad that it seems to be a lighter read than I thought, I expected it to potentially be quite depressing with the plague theme! I didn't know you did that. It must be incredibly frustrating. There's so much that's stupid and broken in the system. But that makes people who keep going to try to change those injustices even more special and appreciated Also one I really want to read!

I love this quote from Carmilla: 'But dreams come through stone walls, light up dark rooms, or darken light ones, and their persons make their exits and their entrances as they please, and laugh at locksmiths'. That is definitely true about vampires and entertainment, I can't say I've ever read a boring book with a vampire in it! And that means you've finished the challenge Luna! It's not even the end of the month . Which was your favourite of the three? I'm still going with Lady Audley's Secret and still really enjoying it. I've had to be strict about putting it down at the end of a chapter so I don't end up going to sleep too late (I've had a busy work week!). Hoping to have a lot more reading time today, once I've caught up on neglected house things.