I saw this book months ago (between lockdowns), and bought it instantly. I hadn't heard about it. I didn't know anything about it. It had me at dictionary. And lost words. And when I got home and actually read the blurb, it had me all over again. Here is my review. The Dictionary of ...
Book review: The Two Lost Mountains – Matthew Reilly
I seem to have developed a book review theme: books that make me jump up and down in excitement upon arrival. The latest was I Give My Marriage a Year. This time, it's The Two Lost Mountains. (And, coming soon to a blog near you - this one, ...
Book Review: I Give My Marriage a Year – Holly Wainwright
I jumped up and down when this book arrived. My husband took one look at the cover, arched an eyebrow, and asked, "Should I be worried?" No, he shouldn't be. I'm planning to give my marriage a lifetime. But a new Holly Wainwright book? Yes, ...
25 years without you
In February, my family reached a milestone. The kind you don't want to reach. 25 years since my father died. I wrote some words back then, and you can read them all here. Those words included mention of a song I was writing for my dad, one ...
Lucky number 13
The number 13. For some, it's an unlucky number. For others, an ironic take-that-superstition lucky number. For me, it's neither. But it's an important one nonetheless. Through no fate or design, the number 13 and its components and multiples pop up ...
25 years
Today marks 25 years since my dad died. 25 years. As recently as four years ago, I wouldn't have expected this day to hit me this hard. I knew it would hurt, and that I'd miss him. But, growing up, the big milestones and celebratory days were ...
I Love My Mum Because – book review and GIVEAWAY!
Every Father's Day, my kids get their dad a book about how awesome he is. Sometimes it's an interactive book, one to which they've added photos or drawings. Sometimes it's a song. Sometimes it's just a beautiful story, with beautiful illustrations to ...
The Librarian of Auschwitz – Antonio Iturbe (translated by Lilit Zekulin Thwaites – book review)
I read The Librarian of Auschwitz in January. Review spoiler alert: it's incredible. It floored me. I immediately wrote this review, then immediately thought that it didn't do justice to the book. So it (immediately) sat here in my drafts folder ...
The Lost Man – Jane Harper (book review)
Hello! And welcome to a new book review. One I was planning to publish last week, allowing you plenty of time to adjust your Christmas shopping and wish lists accordingly. Oops. Life is a tricky little thing sometimes, isn't it? Oh well. I'm sure ...
Th_ B_ach
So, guess what? I'm currently doing a writing course! It's long overdue; I wish I'd done it a long time ago. But I'm doing it now, and I love it, and it's great, and I love it, and I wish it would never end, and I love it. I have always worked ...
The Cook and the King – Julia Donaldson and David Roberts (book review and GIVEAWAY)
Hi! I'm back. With another book review. And this time, I have THREE copies to give away! So let's fast-forward the intro and get right into it, shall we? --- The Cook and the King / Julia Donaldson and David Roberts (Macmillan Children's ...
Lonely Girl – Lynne Vincent McCarthy (book review and GIVEAWAY)
It's been more than a year between book reviews. How did that even happen? I've been reading. I've been enjoying reading. I just haven't gotten around to sharing that enjoyment with you all. Well, this time I am. AND I have a copy to give away! ...
The kindness of strangers – part three
Almost nine years ago, I started my day much like any other. I woke to a screeching alarm. I showered, got dressed, ate breakfast, brushed my teeth and walked out the front door. I headed to the train station. I squeezed my way onto a packed, ...