Happy Halloween

 Hi guys ! Happy Halloween ! It would not be Halloween without a Halloween list of my favourite fear inducing reads so here is my list for this year with some reappearances of some old favourites :

1: NOS4R2 by Joe Hill

2:The Woman In Black by Susan Hill

3: Dracula by Bram Stoker

4: Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin

5: Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

6: 14 by Peter Clines 

7: Misery by Stephen King

8: The Shining by Stephen King

9: It by Stephen King 

10: The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson

Wishing you a spooktacular Halloween !  

In My Mailbox

In my mailbox today for review is this fab book:

I Am Thunder by Mohammad Khan 

Reading This Week

Hi guys! Hope you are having a lovely Monday . I was at the library last week where I picked up some more awesome cookery books and a few other bits and bobs . I tell you , there is nothing like autumn weather for making you want to pull out the cookery books  and make something hot and nourishing . I am still working my way through the cookery books from my blog post of last week and I can truly say I found more then just  a few gems to cook in those books. Ahhhh books and good food , the perfect  pair for the cold months . 

Also , in other news  have you seen "A Quiet Passion "  ,featuring Cynthia Nixon where she plays the poet Emily Dickinson ?  I am hoping to watch it this weekend and I can't wait! I love books about authors/ poets  and books or bookshops ..... sigh .... I only wish there was more of them. I might post a review on here when I finish it . 

Anyway my lovelies have a great day.  

Competition Goodies

Hello lovelies ! I recently entered a competition on Instagram that MissBohemia and Littlebookwormig were running . I was the very lucky winner and here are the gorgeous bookish goodies I picked as my prize . 

If you enjoy bookish goodies or like to buy them as gifts for your book loving friends MissBohemia has an Etsy shop where there is oodles of loveliness ! 

Reading This Weekend

When I looked out my window this morning and it's truly grim , it looks like any minute now there should be a Demogorgon or two lurking around or at the very least a few Dementors flying  , it's all misty and grey and has all the ingredients for a truly great Stephen King book. 

That being said , when it is a bit yack outside it's time to cosy up inside and catch up on some reading and watching some awesome tv in the form of the "Stranger Things" . Are you guys watching this show ? It's truly wonderful ! Set in the 80's with a knock out plot and bloody brilliant cast . It's everything you could want from a show ! The first season was incredible and season two is just as great . If you have not already , check it out! 

So , back to book business ;0) here is a peek at what I am reading this weekend .......add cocoa .....tea ,  and a blanket and I am sorted  for the weekend . 

Reading This Weekend

Hi guys! Did you all get through the storm of last week? Hopefully you did without too much fuss . 

I picked up some awesome library books today that I am hoping to read through this weekend and a bit of next week . I am always more interested in cooking in the autumn/ winter months more so then the summer time so I like to try out some new cookery books this time of year and see what recipes catch my interest . 

I also got a good mystery( who does not love Jessica fletcher) and a book about a bookstore ( that title peeked my interest straight away ) . Anyway guys this is what I will be reading , I hope you have lots of lovely reading planned too especially if we are getting another storm coming , it might be time to batten down the hatches with a teapot and stack of books if it heads your way   :0)

Midnight At The Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew Sullivan 

Mary Berry Everyday

Murder She Wrote , The Ghost And Mrs Fletcher by Jessica Fletcher, Donald Bain and Renée Paley Bain

Avoca Cafe Cookbook 

Mary Berry Cooks The Perfect 

How To Hang A Witch by Adriana Mather. Review

This is a story based around a teen girl called Sam , we quickly learn that her father is in hospital with a serious problem and she has to move house with her stepmother to Salem , home to the Salem Witch trials back in the day . Being a new girl in town  has its problems too when a certain group of bitchy girls at school all related to those persecuted in the witch trials of the past decide to make her unwelcome . 

This was so much fun , it had just the right amount of historical details combined with modern day problems making it an all round great read with interesting characters and a fresh new look at a modern day witch hunt . Go read this!!

I received this book for review from the lovely people over at Lovereading4kids.co.uk

.

This book has already been published in the US and now thankfully it is reaching our shores ! Yay! 

This book is being published in January 2018 and will be available then from Lovereading4kids.co.uk and all other good bookstores then . 

Below please find a link to the lovereading4kids.co.uk website : 

http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/

 

Hurricane Ophelia

Hi guys . As it seems we are starting the week with a great big hurricane ( let's hope it fizzles to a bit of a breeze by the time it reaches us ) please stay safe , charge phones and don't take unnecessary risks. Keep pets and loved ones safe until it passes. Nothing is worth the risk if it does prove to be a hurricane hitting us. If ever there was a night for some hygge it's tonight .

Reading This Week

Hi guys! Hope you are all having a lovey weekend. I have been struggling a bit this week with reading. Every time

I open a book and try to read my mind keeps wandering and no matter how many times I drag it screaming back off it goes again . 

So , that being said I have read one book and listened to two . Reviews will be up over the next couple of days for those , but below are the books I am hoping to finish this coming week , all are started , and are really good .. now if I can just make my head sit still ( so to speak) . 

Kiss Carlo by Adriana Trigiani

Arsenic and Old Books

by Miranda James

In This Grave Hour by Jacqueline Winspear

Cosy Autumn Days

This is the time of year I love getting cosy and as I have been enjoying different types of exercise this year , when I am not exercising I like to get comfy and pull out these goodies .

I love meditation , it really does take practise to get the hang of it and some days it works better then others but I find if I can pop an eye mask on top of my lids while I am doing it then it helps centre me a bit more and the lavender scent is calming . You can find these on most pharmacies or have a look on Amazon or Etsy for some really cute ones .

The weather is sunny one minute and lashing rain the next so you don't know what way to dressage the minute so the one thing that is consistent with me in my day is some lip balm . Even if you don't have the time or the inclination to do anything else pop some on your lips ! Your lips will appreciate it ! This wind plays havoc on all skin . Help it out as much as you can before the even colder weather gets here . 

I have been listening to "IT" by Stephen King on my audible app, its very good ! I am hoping to get to see the movie before it leaves the cinema if I can find someone to go with me  that is not afraid of clowns ;0)

Have you heard about Lagom? I have been coming across lots of books about it recently and it seems to be this years hygge. 

Lagom simply put means enough, not too much , not too little , just enough . 

I am also listening to Lagom : The Swedish Art Of Living A Balanced And Happy Life by Niki Brantmark. I am really enjoying this book, it's a really cosy read , perfect for this time of year full of information , tips and hints. 

I have not been journaling on a daily basis these past few weeks , I have been doing it weekly , but between one thing and another I had to put daily journaling to one side . I was feeling a little overwhelmed for a while and I could not put my finger on what was causing it so I went back to basics with my life in every way to see if I could rectify the situation and I think I have . Sometimes you get stuck in a rut in life with food or relationships or sometimes you just don't know why you are in a funk at all , it's at times like this it's important to go easy on yourself and write down what's bothering you, what options you have and a plan to go forward. Baby steps guys, baby steps! 

I have been using meditation for the horrible 

Anxiety and panic attacks and I have come across some good apps online  . I would say that guided meditations are a very personal choice and the narrators voice is important so I would say have a look yourself for one that you enjoy . 

Headspace , Relax And Rest are two good ones but there are loads more to choose from , it is really all about preference. .

Now when anxiety is making an unsocial visit I find listening to podcasts very useful , stick in some headphones and take 15 minutes to ground yourself again . Below are some of the podcasts I like to follow :

1:The Lavendaire Lifestyle

2:From The Heart( conversations with Yoga girl) 

3:The Slow Home Podcast

4:Meditation Station

 

The Woman In The Window by A.J Finn. Review

This was a deeply disturbing read for many reasons , the main character is a lady doctor who is agoraphobic who also has a drink problem and is also abusing medication , you understand from early on that she has been through something traumatic and she is still struggling to cope but is fooling herself . My heart went out to her , she is really caring to those who she comes into contact with but that proves to be dangerous one day when she sees something happen with her camera across from where she lives . You kind of don't know if the narrator is reliable because  of her drink and drug daily use so as the story progresses you are on a dark journey full of jaw dropping surprises with her .

This was a very good story with a very surprising ending that I had not guessed at all. I loved it and if you love a good thriller then this is the one for you !  Excellent!

I received this book for review from the lovely people over at Lovereading.co.uk

This book is being published February 2018

And will be available from lovereading.co.uk

And all other good bookstores then . 

Below please find a link to this book on the lovereading website :

https://www.lovereading.co.uk/book/9781943142347/isbn/The-Woman-in-the-Window-A-Psychological-Suspense-Novel-an-Alexandra-Mallory-Novel-by-Cathryn-Grant.html