Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Comforting Cozy Mystery Audiobooks


I like to read every day , but if there is ever a day when for whatever reason I don't want to read a book or can't pick up a book then I listen to audiobooks . Audiobooks are great to have on in the background when you have to do other things or when in the bath or shower when you don't want to risk getting your actual book wet. 
I have listened to quite a few audiobooks over the years and below are the cozy mystery audios that I recommend. If you can recommend any I would love to know in the comments. 
As always ,have a great day xxxxxx

Murder of a Barbie and Ken by Denise Swanson
Nickeled and Dimed by Denise Swanson

Heirs and Graces by Ryhs Bowen
D is for Deadbeat by Sue Grafton
Real Murders by Charlaine Harris

Death by Cashmere by Sally Goldenbaum
Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs by Molly Harper

Roast Morten by Cleo Coyle


Calamities In Flipping Bodbury. Review.


I was so thrilled when I got to review Calamities in Flipping Bodbury by Georgina Edwards and Verity Stew , I had a really good feeling about it when I saw the beautiful cover of a typical Cotswolds scene. 

If you were a fan of EF Benson or P G Wodehouse then I think you will enjoy this book set in a small village in the Cotswolds. I love reading about small town life and it's inhabitants and this did not disappoint as there were some very amusing characters amd scenes in this story. Each chapter told us more about a different family or group in the village and the humour and the plot were what had me smiling throughout . I truly did not want to see the story end. If you enjoy books about small town/ village life with a good dose of humour then you cannot go wrong with this book . Loved it! 

I received this book from the lovely people over at Austin Macauley Publishers. 
Below find a link to this book on their website.

Monday, August 18, 2014

Reading And Cold Weather



Hi there buddies! It's a rainy Monday in my part of the world and I am thinking about the books I am planning to read this week. As you might know I am listening to a few audiobooks right now and they do take a little while longer then reading the actual book so you may see some books below you have seen before in my "Reading Right Now "Blog Posts.
In other news.... I have been going to the library regularly lately....I get the urge to do this about this time every year, the end of the summer feels like it is drawing in quickly and the cravings for books and tea and hot chocolate begin like clockwork again. Anyone else thinking of stews and mashed potatoes??????????????? Walks in cold dry weather while being wrapped up warm and cosy?????
I do read and buy some books and go the library in the summer ,but it is the Autumn and Winter I do this a lot more often. I don't know why that is but it is very comforting when it's grey and raining outside. Who has not enjoyed a good haunted house story when there is a gale blowing outside, it really sets the mood.
Grab yourself a cup of tea or coffee and have a look at the books I will be  reading this week. Let me know in the comments what you are reading right now and if you are enjoying it.

Calamities in Flipping Bodbury by Georgina Edwards & Verity Stew. Review Book. 
Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman
The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton
Tender is the Night by F Scott Fitzgerald 
Still listening to Doll Baby by Laura Lane McNeal. I truly adore this!

Have a lovely day my friends x x x

Friday, August 15, 2014

The Love Curse Of The Rumbaughs by Jack Gantos. Review



Hi guys! This book grabbed my attention from the shelf, the cover is splendid and slightly eerie which made it all the more intriguing .
The book is aimed at older readers and I would say that is a good call as it does have a more adult theme throughout of a gory, grizzly nature.
The story is about a young girl called Ivy, Ivy has a love curse , it's not like any curse you probably heard of before , it's one of a darker more creepy nature. If you are an adult reading this and you have enjoyed the movie Psycho for instance, then you will likely enjoy this a lot. 
The characters in this story are unusual and quirky so I immediately wanted to know more about them, the plot kept me interested and it felt eerie throughout , I never felt safe for some of the characters for the entire book which I loved as I could not guess how it was going to end. I loved this creepy little read and you will to! For older children or adults , both will enjoy.


Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Blah days and Books

💐Today was one of those summer days that is really warm one minute and lashing rain the next so if you happen to be out in it you have the good fortune to get drenched to the skin while getting heat stroke into the bargain. Anyway as the title says it was a bit of blah day , cheerless and well blah..so in order to end the day on a better note books, food, snacks, and a little pampering are called for.

There is nothing like tea and a biccie to give you a lift unless of course you are intending to run a bath and drink your tea there... Now your talking! Add a book and a facemask, some music and a candle and I am well on my way to a good nights sleep .


I am completely absorbed in reading Tender is the Night right now...I wish I had realised sooner how awesome this book is.... These characters ...WOW!!!! I love watching the relationships unravel and its anybody's guess how it all will end. Rosemary is a character that I both love and hate. Her mother....well she is a bit of an odd one...  Her guidance is a bit bizarre but she makes a great secondary character . Have any of you guys read this book? The main couple in the book are electric, they have real charisma , it's engrossing to read about them if slightly like watching a car crash.You guys probably know by now that I am a fairly speedy reader but I am taking my time with this book. 

Me and cutie patootie

I got some Audible books recently too so expect a haul and reviews over the weekend. 
Have a lovely Friday x x x x x


Laughter in the Darkness


Last night I was finding it hard to get to sleep as usual so I decided to go on Facebook for a few minutes and reply to some messages etc. I was so incredibly shocked and saddened when I came across Robin Williams face on my news feed with a headline that he had died. At first I thought it could not be real , that it must have been a horrible mistake, no way could this funny sweet man be dead, this man who I grew up watching on television. Unfortunately it was to be true and hearts all over the world broke when they heard the news. Death is always sad but somehow for someone to take their own life who gave so much joy and laughter to others seems like a double blow.

 Depression  is a difficult if not impossible illness for some people to understand unless they have experienced it for themselves. It is not just being sad , and people cannot just forget about it or shake it off , it engulfs and darkens you to everything light and fun in the world and for me I have always called it a dark cloud and when the dark clouds came in I would sink deep into something so black I could hardly see my way back up from it. Sometimes I have almost needed to be held up until I had the strength to do it for myself, sometimes that took weeks ,sometimes months. It is always there in the background waiting for a time when I am vulnerable so I do everything I can physically do to try and keep those clouds from catching up with me by not smoking ,rarely drinking,keeping fit, exercising almost every day, eating nutritionally good food as much as possible, talking to people , writing, reading, drawing and keeping away from things that help trigger the return of those dark and dismal days. It is a tiring battle and there have been some very dark days that I did not see myself coming out off but with a lot of counselling,medication etc I am here now today and that's great , I only take each day as it comes ,and that's okay with me.
Tonight I will be watching some Robin Williams movies, reading some of his quotes and feeling grateful that I am still here where as depression and suicide has taken too many wonderful people from this world.
Mr Williams , thank you for the laughter and the movies that I will continue to watch again and again,and may you rest in peace.


Below please find a link to the Aware website which helps with coping with depression
http://www.aware.ie/

Monday, August 11, 2014

Reading This Week



Hi guys! Here are the books I have planned to read or to finish reading this week. What are you guys reading? Let me know in the comments below. Have a great evening x xxxxxx
Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

Dead in the Stacks by Zana Hart
The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton
Finishing up this wonderful book by Laura Lane McNeal.