Hayley

Just googled Olive, Mabel & Me and now I also love those dogs . I'm just over half way through The Witch House by Ann Rawson. I don't think it will take me much longer to finish it, I've reached a pretty tense part! I'm thinking of going for something with a fantasy twist next. Maybe Jasper Fforde. I usually read quite a lot in October but I just didn't this year, so hopefully I can make up for it this month!

Sorry, we don't allow members to post links until they have at least ten posts (and as long as it isn't promotional). I don't read a lot of horror but when I do I much prefer atmospheric descriptions over gory ones. I don't think I've ever read anything by M.R James though, I'll have to have a look for something

Ah, that's a shame. Hopefully you'll be able to enjoy the whole thing this time

Hi Ianto, welcome to the forum! It's great that you've started to get back into reading. What have you been reading recently?

Wow, that is an epic book haul! I strongly approve Also, 2666 is huge! How many pages is it?

Hi, welcome to the forum. I haven't read the book you mentioned but can I just check that the moment with the golf club wouldn't spoil the plot for anyone who hasn't read it yet? If it does then we have a 'spoiler' function, you just click the eye icon in the toolbar type into the box. You won' be able to edit your posts yet but if you let me know I can do it for you

Ok, I've signed up for the new hosting plan! Just waiting for them to get back to me now. Once I have a scheduled time for the change I'll post an announcement. I've been assured that it's a quick process, we shouldn't be offline for more than a few hours when it happens

Oooh that is frustrating. It's not a book I've read but the premise does sound familiar. Can you remember anything about the cover?

Shockingly I've only read three books since my last review. But, on the plus side, I suppose that does mean I'm not too far behind on reviews! Ah, this year. I said in our 'fixes' update that I'd talk a bit more elsewhere about why I haven't been as active on the forum recently, so I'll put that in here. The basic reason is that things have just been really busy and stressful. I took on some work that had a really tight deadline (that's done now) and then things just went a bit mad. My niece has been having a difficult time at school since the schools went back and then her mom discovered that she'd been hanging around with some really not nice kids. I won't go into detail but you can probably imagine. I realise that might sound like an odd thing for me to be very stressed about but I've always been very close to my niece. I looked after her when she was little and she still comes to my house nearly every day after school (her school is just down the road from me and her mom is a teacher so she doesn't get home until later). I know teenagers have to make their own mistakes but it's really quite heart-breaking to see someone you love make the kind of bad decisions that you know will impact their future, and not being able to do anything. And scary knowing that they don't see the danger in things (and people) that are so clearly dangerous. Anyway, I've spent quite a lot of time, nearly every day, talking to my mom and my sister about the situation as well as racking my brain for solutions that I know don't really exist. I think all I can really do is be there for her to talk to, give her the best advice I can and hope. I've probably mentioned before that one of my sisters has aspergers and she suffers from very severe anxiety that she has to take medication for. Sometimes though she still has bad patches. Generally it's health anxiety. She sort of becomes convinced that she has a serious illness. It's really horrible and upsetting for her because she does know that it's irrational but it can take a long time to shake it off. On a selfish note it's quite frustrating to deal with, because we end up having the same conversation, with me answering the same questions about whatever it is she thinks is wrong every day, often more than once a day. Generally I just deal with it, because I'm quite used to it happening, but sometimes when it's already been a stressful day and it's late at night and I just want to sleep I do kind of want to put my head under the duvet and pretend it's not happening. But then I do feel terrible for feeling that way because it's really not her fault and I know it feels much worse for her having to deal with it. Then there are the sort of worries that I can't directly do anything about, but they're just on the edge all the time. One of my sisters best friends has been suffering from cancer and sadly passed away last week (nobody really knows what the new lockdown will mean for her funeral). I haven't been able to see my nan since the first lockdown (she's in a nursing home and they haven't allowed visitors at all) and she's not well with a temperature but the doctor won't come out because of COVID (which she's already had and recovered from - quite amazingly since she struggles with her breathing at the best of times). The career I thought I wanted to move into after I got my degree is just... not in a good place at the moment. So many people are losing their jobs and I know I have some big decisions to make about what I actually want and how much I want it. Together it's just been really emotionally draining. I'm sure all the depressing news hasn't helped. By time I finished doing all the things I really needed to do and got off the phone to all the other people around me who are worried about the things going on I was exhausted and just wanted to go to bed. But now the deadline has passed and I got the work done, it's been half term and I'm happy that we seem to be getting somewhere at last with the forum fixes! I hope all of that doesn't just sound like a mass of complaining. I'm not really a complaining kind of person. I know things could be a lot worse and I really do have so much to be grateful for. But I also know I have really been missing for a while and I thought I should explain. Now I'm going to read The Witch House by Ann Rawson, about a ritual murder and a woman wrongfully accused, and then I'm going to warm up some cherry pie. I'll come back to the missing reviews and post them in a chunk like I did before

In keeping with the rubbish year I'm on an abysmal 19 out of my target of 50. Time to find out how many books I can read in two months!

Update: they got back me me a lot quicker than I expected and it's looking very promising. There are a few more details to go through before it's a definite solution but those crossed fingers seem to be working so far!

I just wanted to give you all an update on what's happening 'behind the scenes', so to speak, of the forum. I know I haven't been as active as usual on here for a few weeks (that was for a variety of reasons I'll post about elsewhere) but I have been busy trying to find the best solution to the issues we've been having. I'm sure most of you remember the serious issues we had, first when we kept being kicked from the server, then the failed update and the very long downtime we experienced as a result. At the time I mentioned that things weren't completely fixed and that I'd been advised to get in touch with a web developer if I wanted the issues to be fully resolved. Well (after discovering just how expensive web developers can be!) I did find someone who seemed like they could help us. Only, they were very busy at the time, and then they were on holiday, and then a job was taking longer than expected, and a few weeks ago they told me there was no way they'd be able to get back to us until well after Christmas. So, I started looking for a different solution. The people who made the software that the forum uses do also host websites, but I didn't go with them originally because a) they were more expensive and b) the software license that Michelle passed on to me was a self-hosted license, and I wasn't sure how easy it would be to change that. But (and this has become a very big and important but) we would have tech support if we could move. For the last week or so I've been in contact with the software developers and moving does sound possible. Somewhat ironically though, the thing holding us back from that move at the moment is related to the thing that caused the original issue. We have an enormous database. And nobody knows why. During the update fiasco we also ended up with multiple copies of our files, which just made things worse. It means that the amount of space we're using would require the kind of hosting package used by big businesses. The kind of packages that are over £100 a month. But we don't need to be taking up anywhere near so much space. Someone from the software company is going to be taking a look at our files and databases, to see how much disc space we actually need. I'm hoping we might know the answer tomorrow or Monday, so keep all your fingers crossed that it's good news! Hopefully this will finally be the answer to our problems and also secure the forum for the future. If not, it will be back to the drawing board, but we'll get there eventually

I have Bone China on my shelf, I'm really looking forward to reading it! I loved The Corset by Laura Purcell but I actually felt like the ending of that felt rushed too. I've seen it categorised as horror, would you say it is actually scary or does it just have a spooky atmosphere?

Oooh yay! I hope the foxes are in it, I love them. [Edit: I expanded the description and I see they are in it ] Are the novella's usually that expensive though? I can't remember paying £12.99 for the last one...

Brilliant would you prefer an ebook or physical copy?

I've recently been in touch with the daughter of an author who sadly passed away last year. The daughter, Sarah, was given the rights to her father's autobiography and has since had it published (with Figtree Industries). Sarah is now looking for readers to give an honest review of the book (on their choice of platform) in exchange for a free copy (either physical or ebook). If you are interested in reviewing the book please let me know either via personal message or by replying to this thread. Further details of the book, from the press release, below: 'Beyond the Mayflower Steps - One Man's Journey to Womanhood' 'A touching story filled with social history, depicting Freds' life in Plymouth in the 1940s, 50s and 60s, capturing his journey through life, from his birth in Plymouth at the end of World War II, through a postwar childhood into adulthood, when he travelled around the country and across to Europe as a vagrant in the late 1960s, returning to Plymouth to find a place to call home. He then struggled for 17 years with the knowledge that he was a woman trapped in a mans' body and made the painful decision to leave his family and begin gender reassignment in 1986.' What Others Are Saying "I couldn't put this book down! Reading Joy's story made me laugh and cry. It's a beautifully written and honest insight into her life and a wonderful historical piece! I think everyone should read this book to gain understanding and compassion and no doubt it will be of great help to many people going through similar experiences. It was easy to give this book 5 stars and I'm sure that Joy would be so happy and proud to know her story is out there!" Rebecca R. "I highly recommend this book. It is a heart-felt autobiography full of insight and reflection on the journeys we take in life. The narative is always compelling, but at times this book was hard to read due to the truths being relayed. Joy's story is written in a startlingly honest way; even in the darkest moments, when it would be all too easy to gloss over a fact, Joy gives us everything. I have learnt more about the human condition from reading Beyond the Mayflower steps." Michael P. "Beautiful inside and out. Revealing writing and bound in its lovely cover. Something to treasure truly." Aurelie E. About the Author Joy was born in Plymouth in 1945 and was taken into care aged 4. She identified with her ‘sisters’ from an early age and was confused when she realised she was different from them. She struggled to understand the conflicting feelings inside her until the 1980s when things finally came to a head and she knew he had to become the woman she felt she was born to be. In the first instance, by writing this memoir, Joy sought to put the events of her life to rest. Her daughter thought it had the potential to raise awareness and help other people understand why someone is compelled to make the change. 'This book is my father's legacy and I hope that it can help others, their families and friends who have taken the same lonely path he did. When my father transitioned in 1989, there was virtually no understanding of gender dysphoria and little support for my mum and I and it was a very traumatic, confusing, isolating time for us. I only wish there had been a book I could have read that might have helped us to understand what was going on inside my father's mind and why he was compelled to make the changes that hurt us all so very much.' Sarah Connor (Daughter)

What an interesting mystery! I wonder if it’s the same James Porter who wrote ‘A Prince of Anahuac’. It would be the right time period. Does it have any information about where it was published or printed?

Hi Paul, welcome to the forum. What an amazing find! Unfortunately we don’t have any book valuing experts or contacts here, but there are a couple of bookshops selling ‘A New Work of Animals’ etched by Samuel Howitt through Abe books. Charles Russell in Cirencester has it listed at £375 and Symonds Rare Books in London has one for £700. It might be worth contacting them?

Hi Katty, welcome to the forum! I think we all have that bad book buying habit here .

I forgot to check the page number but I finished the first two stories in The Ladies of Grace Adieu. It’s nowhere near as much as I hoped but it’s been a weird weekend! I’m glad you’re feeling better! My niece is fine, thank you. Her year group is huge so it’s very unlikely she’s even been in contact with the person who tested positive. I did really enjoy what I managed to read! It seems like everyone enjoyed what they read over the read-a-thon so that’s good!

I hope your stomach will start to feel better soon! And I hope everyone is enjoying their reading! I started The Ladies of Grace Adieu yesterday but only managed to squeeze about 15 pages in before I went to bed. My niece has been sent home from school for two weeks because someone in her year tested positive for Covid. I’m her ‘bubble’ and her mom was at work, so I had to help her to sort out her online schoolwork (luckily she had English!). I think I’m really going to like the book though!

I just saw your post and thought ‘woah, it’s been a month already!?’ But you’re right, it’s because we moved the last read-a-thon forwards a week that it feels so soon since the last one. I wouldn’t mind moving it again if you’d prefer, but I’m also happy to join in if it’s this Friday. I think I want to read The Ladies of Grace Adieu by Susanna Clarke for it

Hi Margaux, welcome to the forum! I wouldn’t say The Handmaid’s Tale is an easy book to read. If you can read that comfortably I don’t think you’ll struggle with many books in English (unless, maybe, they are old and use outdated language). What type of books do you like?

These were brilliant answers, thanks for getting involved in the thread everyone! Just as it's beginning to turn suspiciously autumnal, we have a summer giveaway winner: Brian.!

I will, thank you I did get to sleep eventually! You know when you just start thinking of a million things when you need to go to sleep? The book helped to distract me from thinking about anything else, but the ending was so tense! I have the next book in that series, The Darker Arts, and I'm leaning towards starting that now. I'm glad you enjoyed most of your reading! I hope today's is as good I read up to the third book in the Chronicles of St Mary's series and I really should go back to it. Especially now I know the ending of the seventh book is so good . I'm glad you're enjoying Moon Over Soho now! It's been quite a while since I read it but I think I remember feeling like it got a lot better further into the book. It had a lot to live up to after the first one didn't it!?