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Showing posts from December, 2022

Review; Mosaics and Magic by Nancy Warren

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Earlier this year I read the paranormal cosy mystery Mosaics and Magic by Nancy Warren and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads Beware the crystal ball... When Lucy and Rafe are given a crystal ball as a wedding present, she’s shocked when it foretells doom. For the newlyweds, this was supposed to be a time of joy and celebration. But when a terrible accident befalls one of their wedding guests, Lucy and Rafe must postpone their honeymoon. And as the evidence begins to unravel, it becomes clear this was no accident. Lucy and her undead knitters must navigate punting on the Cherwell River in Oxford, complicated and contentious relationships among their guests, and clues that don’t make sense. It may have looked like a random tragedy, but as every knitter knows, when you place the separate strands in a certain light, there’s always a distinctive pattern. This is book 14 in the Vampire Knitting Club series. There's no blood, gore, swearing or sex, just quirky cha...

Let's Talk Bookish; 2022 Reading & Blogging Reflections

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It's the last Friday of the year and time for the last Let's Talk Bookish for the year courtesy of  Book Nook Bits and the topic of the week was 2022 reading and blogging reflections. Here's the further prompts for this week. Happy almost New Year’s Eve! How many books did you read in 2022? Did you meet your reading goals? What were some of your favorites? What were your least favorite books you read this year? How did you feel about your blogging in 2022? What are your favorite posts you wrote in 2022? What are some of your favorite posts from the community that you read this year? I managed to read a little over 100 books this year, so I fortunately managed to meet my reading goals. Some of my favourite reads this year were She's Magic and Midnight Lace by Ann Marie Eleazer, The Story So Far by Jane Eklund, A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness, and The Exorcist's House by Nick Roberts. Two of my least favourite reads this year though were Come, My Pet by K...

Book Tag; Ringing in the New Year Tag

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I came across the Ringing in the New Year Tag over at  Lala's Book Reviews and I decided to play along as it looked like a fun tag. Rules: Link the person who tagged you! Link the creator of the tag: Bookmark Chronicles ! Answer the questions! Tag some friends! The Questions: Best Book And/ Or Series That You’ve Read in 2022? One of several favourite reads this year is The Girl With Salem In Her Eyes by Ann Marie Eleazer Authors That You’ve Recently Found And Would Like To Read More Of In The New Year? I recently discovered Darcy Coates thanks to a horror FB group and would love to read more of her books. Most Anticipated Book Turned Movie/TV Show? Ehm, none? I honestly don't keep track of books turned movie/TV show. Name A Character That You Wouldn’t Mind Sharing A Kiss With At Midnight? Alright, I might be weird, but I'm answering Dracula for this one. How Many Books Do You Hope To Read In 2023? I hope to read 100 books in 2023. Will You Participate In The Goodreads Read...

Top Five Wednesday; Favorite Books of the Year

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It's the last Wednesday of the year, and thus time for the last Top Five Wednesday post courtesy of  the Top Five Wednesday Goodreads group and the theme of the week is fittingly enough favourite books of the year. I've read several good books this year, so I decided to pick five random titles. Here's my picks. Gallows Hill by Darcy Coates The Exorcist's House by Nick Roberts The Girl With Salem In Her Eyes by Ann Marie Eleazer The Story So Far by Jane Eklund Murder in a Mill Town by Helen Cox

Review; La Petite Mort by Olivia Blake

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Earlier this year, I read the paranormal novella La Petite Mort by Olivia Blake and today I'll post my review of the book. Description from Goodreads After the death of her estranged grandmother, Marisa Marrero finds herself bequeathed a surprising inheritance: a house in the New Orleans French Quarter, left to her with a variety of bizarre conditions attached. Among the surprising consequences of Marisa's acceptance is a friendship with a man called Jack St. Germaine, an alleged alchemist who may or may not be hiding a questionable history, and a series of encounters with Elisabeth Clavier, a vampire known for hunting mortals for sport. As Marisa struggles with who to trust, she leans towards Jack, especially after a demon arrives at her doorstep claiming Elisabeth was the one who sent him. But when Marisa's power grows and Jack can no longer provide her answers, a night with Elisabeth leaves Marisa wondering if she made the right choice. This novella was originally publi...

Omtale; Vi snakket ikke om Holocaust av Irene Levin

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Tidligere i år leste jeg boka Vi snakket ikke om Holocaust av Irene Levin og i dag kommer omtalen av boka. Beskrivelse fra Goodreads For noen år siden, da Irene Levin ryddet i sakene etter sin avdøde mor, fant hun noen skrevne ark. De dukket opp litt her og der, noen i en bokhylle, andre i en bunke med gamle kvitteringer. Først virket det som usystematiske skriblerier, alt fra lange fortellinger med en begynnelse og en slutt, til korte brokker, nærmest som huskelapper. Etter hvert begynte Irene Levin å gå grundigere gjennom notatene. Et nytt bilde av Fanny Raskows historie avtegnet seg, preget av selvbebreidelser fra krigen. Under datterens oppvekst i etterkrigstiden var de traumatiske hendelsene hele tiden til stede i hverdagen. De ble bare ikke snakket om. Hvorfor ble det slik? Irene Levin er akademiker og har også tidligere jobbet med taushet som fenomen. I Vi snakket ikke om Holocaust bringer hun temaet inn både i sin personlige og profesjonelle historie: Hvordan var det å være jø...

Review; RAF Centenary Experience by James Holland

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Earlier this year, I read the non-fiction book RAF Centenary Experience by James Holland and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads RAF 100 celebrates and commemorates 100 years of the Royal Air Force. With unique access to the RAF's historic archives, James Holland uses photographs and documents to bring the story of the people, planes and missions to life as never before. From its genesis in the horrors of the First World War, when pilots were open to the elements in craft made of little more than wood and fabric, to the infamous air battles of the Second World War, through to the life- saving missions carried out in today's trouble zones, RAF 100 looks at the men, women and aircraft that are at the heart of this great service. My Thoughts on the Book While it was well researched, I almost felt it was only scratching the surface a little bit, but then again, if it wasn't a condensed version of 100 years of history, it would probably have been over a th...

Review; Moominland Midwinter by Tove Jansson

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Earlier this month I read Moominland Midwinter by Tove Jansson and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads Moomins always sleep through the winter - or they did until the year Moomintroll woke up and went exploring in the silent, snow-covered valley where the river used to scuttle along and all his friends were so busy in summer. My Thoughts on the Book As I'm one of those who grew up with the Moomin characters, I found this book really charming. It's a heartwarming read with some funny and/or philosophical moments that Moomin fans recognise and it's a perfect book to read in the wintertime.

Review; Stockings and Spells by Nancy Warren

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Earlier this year, I read the paranormal cosy mystery Stockings and Spells by Nancy Warren and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads A Holiday Market With crafts, toys, hot chocolate And a killer! The Vampire Knitting Club decide to take part in Oxford’s Holiday Market, selling exquisite hand knit scarves, sweaters and gift items. Their most popular item is the hand knit Christmas stocking, brightly colored and extra long to squeeze in a few extra small gifts. But when a sales clerk in another booth is found strangled with one of the stockings, Lucy Swift and her undead detectives are on the case, determined to find out who would do such a terrible thing. And why. In the meantime, Lucy’s working hard at her spell book, learning to be a witch, with the help of her black cat familiar and her new assistant. Meritanum is a three thousand year old Egyptian witch and she’s having trouble with some of the concepts of modern life, such as traffic, Smart Phones and anything...

Book Tag; My Favorite 2022 Blogging Moments Tag

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I came across the My Favourite 2022 Blogging Moments Tag over at  Hammock of Books and I decided to play along. Rules: All the answers must be about your blog posts Please link back the original creator of the tag so she can see all your posts! You don’t have to provide just one post for each question, you can provide as many as you want so long as they were written in 2022 If you haven’t written a post that matches one of the questions, choose one that relates to it as close as possible Tag 5+ bloggers so they can share their accomplishments too! And make sure you read the posts they share! Now, over to the questions: What’s Your Favorite Book Review My favourites are  Coconut & Sambal  and  The Girl With Salem In Her Eyes . What’s Your Favorite Discussion Post? My favourite is probably  Pros and Cons of Historical Fiction . What’s Your Favorite Fun Post? The blog post that caught my mind immediately was  My Favourite Place To Read In The Autumn Wha...

Top Five Wednesday; Books to Have When Snowed In

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It's Wednesday and time for another Top Five Wednesday post courtesy of  the Top Five Wednesday Goodreads group and the theme of the week was books to have when snowed in. Here's my five picks. Playing with Matches by Michael Faudet The Girl With Salem in Her Eyes by Ann Marie Eleazer She's Magic & Midnight Lace by Ann Marie Eleazer A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness Chocolat by Joanne Harris

Review; She's Magic & Midnight Lace: Poems and Poetic Spells by Ann Marie Eleazer

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Earlier this year, I read the poetry collection She's Magic & Midnight Lace: Poems and Poetic Spells by Ann Marie Eleazer and today I'll post my review of the book. Description from Amazon Ann Marie Eleazer has always considered herself a bit ancient, haunted and otherworldly, who enjoys enchanted flights through the dark fairy tales and magical places she's been drawn to since childhood. She's Magic & Midnight Lace is a beautiful collection of poetry and prose, or as author, Ann Marie Eleazer says, Poems and Poetic Spells. Each page is filled with her writings that will charm you and leave you spellbound. " She's Magic & Midnight Lace has over 200 hand-selected pieces from the soul of the author that will lure you in, giving you a better understanding of the mystery of the darkness, and have you believing just how magical life really can be. My Thoughts on the Book I really loved this collection and I feel I can't do it justice. It's dark,...

Mailbox Monday; December 19th 2022

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It's Monday and perhaps it's time for another Mailbox Monday post courtesy of the book blog Mailbox Monday . Here's the Christmas-themed books I've recieved in the mail lately. Sherlock Holmes & The Three Winter Terrors by James Lovegrove Murder in the Snow by Gladys Mitchell Death Comes at Christmas by Gladys Mitchell Murder For Christmas by Francis Duncan Sherlock Holmes & The Twelve Thefts of Christmas by Tim Major Murder at the Theatre Royale by Ada Moncrieff Twelve Motives for Murder by Fiona Sherlock A Shetland Christmas Carol by Erin Green

Review; Away! Away! by Jana Beňová

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Earlier this year, I read the novella Away! Away! by Jana Beňová, which allows me to cross off Slovakia on my World Literature Project, and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads Sometimes running away is the bravest option. Or, so believes Rosa, who ditches her husband and home and takes off on the road. Along the way, she encounters the owner of a puppet theater who’s on a mission to conquer the world with his performance of The Snow Queen. Which character from this old fairy tale will Rosa identify with? With Gerda, searching fruitlessly for her lost love? With Kai, who flees home and his beloved one day without a word? Or with the Snow Queen, who seems to stand aloof above it all? With magnetic, sparkling prose, Beňová delivers a lively mosaic that ruminates on human relationships, our greatest fears and desires. My Thoughts on the Book This is a book about escaping. Not only relationship(s), but also rules and societal expectations among other things. The prose...

Review; The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister

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Recently, I read the novel The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister and today I'll post my review of the book. Description from Goodreads From the author of Reese Witherspoon's Book Club pick The Scent Keeper comes a "heartbreakingly delicious" national bestseller about a chef, her students, and the evocative lessons that food teaches about life. Once a month on a Monday night, eight students gather in Lillian's restaurant for a cooking class. Among them is Claire, a young woman coming to terms with her new identity as a mother; Tom, a lawyer whose life has been overturned by loss; Antonia, an Italian kitchen designer adapting to life in America; and Carl and Helen, a long-married couple whose union contains surprises the rest of the class would never suspect. The students have come to learn the art behind Lillian's soulful dishes, but it soon becomes clear that each seeks a recipe for something beyond the kitchen. And soon they are transform...

Let's Talk Bookish; Banning Books

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It's Friday and perhaps time for another Let's Talk Bookish post courtesy of  Book Nook Bits and the topic for today was banning books. Here's the further prompts for today's topic. Do you think banning books is fair? Should students be allowed to read what they want and be able to get it from their school library? In a more broad sense, how do you feel about books that have been “banned?” Do you think that it’s a crime to ban a book, no matter what it contains, or are there cases where it’s alright? I can't deny I'm not a fan of banning books and think that student should be able to read whatever they want, but of course within reason. One shouldn't hand out Fifty Shades of Grey to a nine year old (but I suspect that trilogy isn't in a normal school library). That said, as I've once upon a time worked as a library assistant at a combined public/school library, there was a few occasions when very young kids wanted to read the Twilight Saga and I st...

Book Tag; The 12 Days of Christmas Book Tag

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I came across The 12 Days of Christmas Book Tag over at  A Little But A Lot and I decided I wanted to play along. ON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE. The partridge stood alone in the pear tree. What is your favourite stand alone? A Pair of Silver Wings by James Holland ON THE SECOND DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: TWO TURTLE DOVES. Love is in the air! Who is your one true pairing? Not directly bookish, but gotta love Morticia and Gomez Addams (Anjelica Huston & Rául Julia-style) ON THE THIRD DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: THREE FRENCH HENS. In the spirit of threes, what is the best trilogy you have read? The Winternight Trilogy by Katherine Arden ON THE FOURTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: FOUR CALLING BIRDS. Since series usually consist of four or more books, what is your favourite series? The Vampire Knitting Club by Nancy Warren ON THE FIFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: FIVE GO...

Top Five Wednesday; Books To Gift

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It's Wednesday and perhaps time for another Top Five Wednesday post, courtesy of  Top Five Wednesday Goodreads group and the theme of the week was books to gift. Here's my five picks. She's Magic & Midnight Lace by Ann Marie Eleazer Braised Pork by An Yu The Secrets of the Lazarus Club by Tony Pollard Murder by the Minster by Helen Cox The Little Bookshop of Love Stories by Jaimie Admans

Top Ten Tuesday; Books on My Winter 2022-2023 To-Read List

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It's yet another Tuesday, so perhaps it's time for another Top Ten Tuesday post courtesy of  That Artsy Reader Girl and the theme of the week was books on my winter 2022-2023 to-read list. Here's my ten picks. Steinansiktet by Ivar Aase White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson Voodoo Dreams by Jewell Parker Rhodes Payback's A Witch by Lana Harper The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt Black Mouth by Ronald Malfi The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield The Fisherman by John Langan The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix