Tag Archives: fiction

Sunday Post

Book Review -The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett

Library Book

Genre: Contemporary/Royal

Number of Pages: 120

📖PLOT SUMMARY FROM GOODREADS📖

Led by her yapping corgis to the Westminster traveling library outside Buckingham Palace, the Queen finds herself taking out a novel by Ivy Compton-Burnett. Duff read though it is, the following week her choice proves more enjoyable and awakens in Her Majesty a passion for reading so great that her public duties begin to suffer. And so, as she devours work by everyone from Hardy to Brookner to Proust to Beckett, her equerries conspire to bring the Queen’s literary odyssey to a close.

💭THOUGHTS💭

This book has been on my list for a while and what with May being Royal themed books I decided to borrow it from the library (via the Libby app). There was a bit of a wait on it so I have only just managed to get it read in time (writing the review not quite so much!).

The writing was good and kept my interest most of the way through. I did however start to waiver near the end. Luckily it was only a short story so that didn’t seem to matter and I managed to get to the end without too much bother. There were the odd words that I had to look up and some sections where I had to concentrate on what was being said more than others, which added to the story.

The book was interestingly made up of just one chapter. That chapter was then split up into sections which were clearly indicated by a space between the ‘end’ paragraph and the first two words of the next paragraph being in capital letters.

The characters were interesting. The main one was the Queen. It was interesting to follow her and her thoughts and feelings. The other characters had minor roles that added interest to the story and helped to highlight further what the Queen was going through.

Lastly the settings. These were lightly mentioned, but as they had a royal connection they were interesting and added nicely to the Queen’s story.

Overall an interesting book.

⭐Rated 3.5/5⭐

#bookstagram #instabook #bookphotography #igbooks #ilovereading #bookhaul #bookhoarder #bookaddiction #bookstoread #whattoread #fortheloveofbooks #bookblogging #bookpics #weekendreads #bookrecs #booknerdproblems #bookpictures #bookstagram #amreading #booksbooksbooks #instablog #booknerds #bookphotos #bibliophile #bookreview #library #royal #contemporary

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Stacking The Shelves

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Welcome to my Stacking The Shelves post hosted by Reading Reality. This week I signed up for a Blog Tour:

Rum Affair by Dorothy Dunnett (click for link to Goodreads)

Book Description From Goodreads:

“This mystery is told from the point of view of the ‘Bird’; Tina Rossi, a famous coloratura soprano who arrives to sing at the Edinburgh Festival, only to find a murder victim in a cupboard, whilst at the same time her lover, top scientist Kenneth Homes, has gone missing. Saved from the long arm of the law by Johnson Johnson, a world renowned portrait painter and enigmatic solver of mysteries, Tina joins him on a yacht race to the Hebrides – there are connections anyway as Homes was conducting top secret research in the area. Here, though, there is yet more trouble and the mystery deepens as Johnson’s yacht ‘Dolly’ nears the island of Rum, where it turns into a race for life rather than prize money. This is the first title in the Johnson Johnson series and in common with the remainder involves an intricate plot and solution which is far from immediately obvious.”

I am due on the Blog Tour for this book on 27 June so keep your eyes peeled for my review!

What have you been stacking your shelves with this week?

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First Line Friday – Marple Twelve New Mysteries

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It’s First Line Friday! Hosted by Reading Is My Superpower,you write the first line of the book you are currrently reading.

Today I have chosen my current library book Marple Twelve New Mysteries (click for link to Goodreads):

Book Description From Goodreads:

A brand-new collection of short stories featuring the Queen of Mystery’s legendary detective Jane Marple, penned by twelve remarkable bestselling and acclaimed authors.

This collection of a dozen original short stories, all featuring Jane Marple, will introduce the character to a whole new generation. Each author reimagines Agatha Christie’s Marple through their own unique perspective while staying true to the hallmarks of a traditional mystery.

Naomi Alderman
Leigh Bardugo
Alyssa Cole
Lucy Foley
Elly Griffiths
Natalie Haynes
Jean Kwok
Val McDermid
Karen M. McManus
Dreda Say Mitchell
Kate Mosse
Ruth Ware

Miss Marple was first introduced to readers in a story Agatha Christie wrote for The Royal Magazine in 1927 and made her first appearance in a full-length novel in 1930’s The Murder at the Vicarage. It has been 45 years since Agatha Christie’s last Marple novel, Sleeping Murder, was published posthumously in 1976, and this collection of ingenious new stories by twelve Christie devotees will be a timely reminder why Jane Marple remains the most famous fictional female detective of all time.

First Line:

“‘ I wonder, sometimes, if there isn’t a concentration of evil in small places.'”

Would you carry on reading based on that first line?

I have read 3 of the 12 stories so far. All 3 were enjoyable and I am looking forward to reading the rest!

#firstlinefridays #bookstagram #bookish #instabooks #ilovebooks #readinglist #bookblog #readmore #reads #currentread #booknerdigan #readingaddict #avidreader #newread #readallthebooks #booksta #booksandbooks #readaholic #booksparks #booksarelife #bibliophile #bookwormlife #reader #beautifulbooks #bookphotograph #bibliophile #library #missmarple #mystery #agathachristie

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May Monthly Wrap-Up

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I have had an excellent reading month this month. A few of the books I read were children’s books, but sometimes it is nice to have a bit of variety on the Blog! I also did quite well for 5 star reads. I had a quiet start to the year with very few 5 star reads, but it seems to be picking up a bit now. We shall see how long it lasts!

What I have been reading this month:

May 2023 Reading List

My Favourite Book of May 2023

My Book Reviews:

Book Review -The Coronation of King Charles III by Vlasta Sopociova

Book Review -The Tiger Child by Joanna Troughton

Library Book Review – Royals by Rachel Hawkins

Library Book Review -The Boy Who Would Be King by Michael Porpurgo

Random Things Tours – Book Review – Sylvia by Maithryi Karnoor

Random Things Tours – Book Review – The Medici Murders by David Hewson

Library Book Review – Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins

Library Book Review – The Adventures of Paddington – The Crown Jewels Caper

Library Book Review – A Year of Nature Poems by Joseph Coelho withKelly Louise Judd (Illustrations)

Book Review – Queen Charlotte by Julia Quinn and Shonda Rhimes

My Sunday Wrap Up Posts:

Sunday Post – 7 May 2023

Sunday Post – 14 May 2023

Sunday Post – 21 May 2023

Sunday Post – 28 May 2023

I hope that you have enjoyed my reviews and other posts. Here’s to next month!

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New Month New Goal! Reading Goal for June

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Reading Goal For June: Cosy Mystery

I was struggling for a new goal for this month, until I saw that I hadn’t yet set a Cosy Mystery goal. I love a Cosy Mystery so I am looking forward to achieving this!

Here’s to a successful reading month!

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Places My Books Have Taken Me This Month – May 2023 – plus a one word review for each!

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We all know that books can transport us to other places, worlds and times. So where have I been to this May? Click the titles for my book review:

The Coronation of King Charles III by Vlasta Sopociova

Place: London

One Word Review: Itinerary

The Tiger Child by Joanna Troughton

Place: India

One Word Review: Origin

The Medici Murders by David Hewson

Place: Venice

One Word Review: Revenge

The Boy Who Would Be King by Michael Porpurgo

Place: Scotland

One Word Review: Learn

Royals by Rachel Hawkins

Place: Scotland

One Word Review: Perspective

Summer Wedding by Sarah Morgan

Place: Corfu

One Word Review: Protect

Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins

Place: Scotland

One Word Review: Find

The Adventures of Paddington The Crown Jewels Caper

Place: London

One Word Review: Mishap

Summer At The Ice Cream Cafe by Jo Thomas (review due 8 June)

Place: Pembrokeshire Coast, Wales

One Word Review: Home

Queen Charlotte by Julia Quinn and Shonda Rhimes

Place: London

One Word Review: Appearance

Mainly a UK based month this month. Seeing as this month’s theme was Royal this isn’t really a surprise.

Where have your books taken you this month? Would you read these books based on their place and one word review?

“book”, “read”, “book review”, “book blog”,”recommended”, “easy read”, “don’t miss out”, “reading slump”, “what should I read next”, “what book do you recommend”, “regency romance”, “royal”, “children’s books”, “historical fiction”, “Indian Literature”

Time Travel Thursday

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It’s Time Travel Thursday! This is where I take a look back at what I was reading this time last year (or the year before or the year before that…).

This day in 2022 I was reading:

Random Things Tours – Book Review – War Babies by Rachel Billingham

Book Review – Distant Stars by Kassandra Garrison

Library Book Review – Secrets of the Mummy Concierge by Tiffany Norris

Book Review – Book Lovers by Emily Henry

A real mix of books here; Romance, Historical Fiction and Non-Fiction. I have a feeling that both the library book (Secrets of the Mummy Concierge) and the author’s request book (Distant Stars), came up quite close to each other so I ended up with lots of books on the go!

What were you reading this time last year?

#bibliophile #igreads #currentlyreading #bookreview #instaread #lovetoread #booksarelife #readingisfundamental #whatimreading #bookreviewer #bookaddicts #bookpost #tbrpile #justread #bookishphotography #whattoreadnext #readallday #bookworms #booksofinstagram #bookwormproblems #bookaholic #bookpic #newreads #booknerd #timetravelthursday #pastreads #summerreading

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Book of the Month – My Favourite Book Of May 2023

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Library Book Review – Royals by Rachel Hawkins

Book Description From Goodreads:

“Meet Daisy Winters. She’s an offbeat sixteen-year-old Floridian with mermaid-red hair; a part time job at a bootleg Walmart, and a perfect older sister who’s nearly engaged to the Crown Prince of Scotland. Daisy has no desire to live in the spotlight, but relentless tabloid attention forces her to join Ellie at the relative seclusion of the castle across the pond.

While the dashing young Miles has been appointed to teach Daisy the ropes of being regal, the prince’s roguish younger brother kicks up scandal wherever he goes, and tries his best to take Daisy along for the ride. The crown–and the intriguing Miles–might be trying to make Daisy into a lady . . . but Daisy may just rewrite the royal rulebook to suit herself.”

It was a very close one this month, with a number of 5 star reads. I struggled to choose just one from my 5 star list, but in the end went for this.

What has been your favourite book this month?

#bookstagram #bookish #instabooks #ilovebooks #readinglist #bookblog #readmore #reads #currentread #booknerdigan #readingaddict #avidreader #newread #readallthebooks #booksta #booksandbooks #readaholic #booksparks #booksarelife #bibliophile #bookwormlife #reader #beautifulbooks #bookphotograph #bibliophile #bookofthemonth #romance #royal

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Goodreads Top 5 Wednesday – Books Featuring Cats and Dogs

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Welcome to Top 5 Wednesday! Hosted by Goodreads T5W group this week it is Books Featuring Cats and Dogs. I don’t read many books featuring cats and dogs, so some of them are a bit lose!

Book Review – Baking and Entering by Janet Butler Male

This book features a talking cat.

Random Things Tours – Book Review – Daisy and the Dazzling Dachshunds by Janey Clarke

This book features Dachshunds (as the title indicates!) and a puppy farm.

Library Book Review – Spring At Blueberry Bay by Holly Martin

One of the main characters has a dog – this is a bit lose, but I was struggling!

Library Book Review – Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

There is a sort of cat/creature that resembles a pet cat that features in this book!

Orbit Tour – Book Review – Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

The main character has a creature that is sort of a pet dog.

What books are on your list?

“book”, “read”, “book blog”, “easy read”, “don’t miss out”, “fiction”, “entertaining”, “what should I read next”, “what book do you recommend”, “books with cats”, “books with dogs”