chaliepud

47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind. This is my one at the moment. I went to a positivity talk at the spa yesterday and a calming breath is in for four seconds and out for six.. I just need to see if it works when under stress with children, husband etc etc...

You're welcome Laura, I have them pinned up in my kitchen so I can glance a them every day. I am making an extra effort to be positive at the moment. They certainly are Gaia.

Good luck with your reading this year. Your teenage years are the perfect time to experiment with your reading, I read everything from Enid Blyton to Thomas Harris and Thomas Hardy.

I'm nearly half way through Julie and it's been great so far (despite it missing 30 or so pages! It is an uncorrected manuscript copy so I should've checked first) I've caught up now though and it is very very good. Hope you're having a good 2014 so far.

I just added my Kobo and Kindle app (iPad) books to my TBR list on the first page of this blog, thankfully there are not to many of them as there are now 112 reads for me to get through. I know it's not massive by some standards on here but it is for me!

Yes, reading should most definitely not be stressful, I wish you a very enjoyable reading year Alex! It was rather emotive, you'll be ok in the beginning and middle of the book I should think though.

Well, she was 713 this morning so all good, hope it lasts though I'll need to get up at 645 on Monday anyway as the kids are back to school! Obi is getting to the age where he likes a quiet life and Dylan tends to sleep most of the day, he may not even notice we're gone! I didn't notice any other errors so hopefully the Finnish translation won't be too bad. I'll keep an eye on your book blog for your thoughts. I must stop NOW! I've also bought a couple of Kobo books and some for my iPad kindle app too! Thank goodness, or that would've been another 2 books to add to the list! EDIT: It worked, thanks Sari!

I've just seen your other message above! I'll have a look tomorrow as Steve has just nabbed my laptop so I'm back on my phone!

Steve doesn't take them, maybe I phrased that wrong.. I sneak them away so he doesn't see them! It was fabulous, we're hoping to do it again some time. The quoting is fine when I just want to reply to one paragraph, but I can't seem to separate them to reply to different paragraphs in the same message..

How are you doing the quoting Sari, it's not working for me!!

We're an empathetic lot aren't we! I'm loving looking at my books, although I have to admit a few have been sneaked where they can't be seen by Steve, sadly he doesn't 'get' my need for books. He hardly reads himself so I suppose it is understandable when he sees so many books I haven't yet read! The spa break was WONDERFUL! I haven't felt that relaxed for year, I had a massage, facial, a session in the thalassotherapy pool, my eyebrows shaped and a nice swim in the pool. The meals were lovely, plentiful and healthy, I just need to try and maintain it now I'm home! It was indeed!

Hee hee! I had to google it in Waterstone's to make sure I got it right!

Thanks Janet. Yes I saw it in the paper today (I didn't know she was married to Kingsley Amis), she was 90 and the fifth book was only published in November, I'm hoping it was the final one! I think no challenges is the way forward, I don't want to set myself up to fail! Reading definitely shouldn't be something that stresses us!

It's a lovely looking hardback and only half price in Waterstone's at present, so a bargain too! Thanks Gaia, I loved The Book Thief too. I have found another one too! I started Brass Ring last year and didn't finish it as my mojo was struggling so.. Will try again this year. Thank you in advance for The Bay at Midnight. Yes, just at the end for me too, but like Michelle I don't cry too easily.. A few exceptions were The Book Thief, The Boy in the Striped PJ's and Night Road.

That's the one! Your turn..

Well, even though I am away for a couple of days I couldn't resist nipping into a Waterstones on my way to Champneys, and found a lovely one in Berkhamsted. I treated myself to a few lovely books and don't feel too guilty as three were on my wish list! More Than This - Patrick Ness The Underdog - Markus Zusak Slated - Teri Terry The Lower River - Paul Theroux (has anyone read this as I only came across it today and it appeals?) I'm also about a third of the way through The Invention of Wings (thank you Michelle) and thoroughly enjoying it.

I'm so excited, today I am off to meet my friend for a night away, my first in approximately 10 years without Steve and/or kids. We are meeting for a nice lunch and maybe a little light shopping (there may be an independent book shop if the website is up to date), then we are going to Champneys in Tring for an overnight stay with a couple of treatment, a swim, sauna, jacuzzi. The food is supposed to be healthy and nutritious (just what I need after Christmas!) but they do have wine thank goodness, just one glass will be lovely. What I am most looking forward to though is a lay in, no kids or dogs shouting to be fed and walked. I'm sure I'll miss them all but a recharge of the old batteries is most definitely needed.

You beat me Gaia.. It's a great book Julie, and a diverse number of us on here have agreed on that so there's a good chance you'll like it too!

Excellent, I'll post it over the next few days hopefully as I am away tomorrow and Friday, I do hope you like it, and I hope your cat (Molly?) can't smell the dogs! She could be most displeased!

I think I may try The Stand first of the King's. or maybe Under The Dome, as that storyline appeals. Of the Steinbeck's I will probably read OMAM first as I enjoyed that when I read it for school. I don't remember Obi being an early riser but then I had a 2 year old daughter and soon after had another baby so probably didn't sleep much anyway! On school and football days it's not an issue, but I would dearly love a lie in on a Sunday! Still, I am away with a friend tomorrow for one night so will make the most of that, what's betting I can't sleep! Happy New Year Ulrika Thanks James, I am at present very optimistic of a successful year of reading, happy new year to you and your lovely family.

Definitely The Book Thief although I am a little nervous as I loved the book so much. Same goes for the Divergent film.

I want that picture! I've not read any Austen (Ooh maybe it's aimed at me! ) but I love the sentiment..