Book Loving Blog

 Todays review is all about one of the most beautiful books I've read and that is "Wilding" (the illustrated guide).  I brought this using a book voucher my Godmother kindly gifted me for my birthday, from a local independent bookshop. As soon as I saw the beautiful illustration of a hare in lino print on the cover, by extremely talented illustrator Angela Harding, I knew I had to have it.  I'm sure I actually read Wilding as a book on my kindle in 2020. It is the true story of how an Estate of 3,500 acres in West Sussex stopped traditional farming practices to 're-wild' their land. More on this can be found here, a link to Knepp's website:  Knepp Background The result is that many rare and beautiful creatures have found their way to Knepp, creatures that due to intensive farming methods, fertilisers, human changes to waterways or lack of food chain, simply had nowhere else to go and their numbers were declining. These include Peregrine Falcons and Purple ...

 Hello hello! It's been a little while since I last wrote. I've been off my reading game and have started writing more posts online about disability awareness and I guess that has been taking up more of my headspace of late. I hope whoever is reading this is doing really well and quite frankly surviving and thriving in this 29 degree heat that is unheard of in the UK. Finally people are getting their BBQ's out without being laughed at. Today I want to review a book that I first spotted when having a wonder around the beautiful Storyhouse library in Chester quite a few months back now. I was marvelling at the large array of books on offer in the beautiful space and Growing Goats And Girls caught my eye.  The cute cover illustrations and the cosy blurb wanted me to get a cup of tea and start reading there and then but alas, I couldn't. I asked Jack to take a picture as I knew I would forget the title in three minutes tops and then when at home ordered a copy second-hand. ...

 Today I wanted to review a book that my Dad and I listened to on the car journey from Staffordshire to Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire to visit Roald Dahl's former home village.  As someone who grew up reading and being read to, Roald Dahl and Spike Milligan were two people if you had asked me aged eight, who I would like to meet, I would have answered, them. I love Matilda and Charlie And The Chocolate Factory in particular. Quotes such as "all the reading she had done had given her a view of life that they had never seen" and "however small the chance might be of striking lucky, the chance was there", made me feel like Dahl's words were truly speaking to me and me alone, and that, is the brilliance of a great writer.  When I was around seven or eight I won a competition on the Roald Dahl website. I can't remember the question, though I remember the answer was "The Twits". A couple of weeks later a parcel wrapped in paper turned up in the sl...

 Hello, I hope you're well and enjoying this very lovely June.  Today I wanted to write about a book that is by far the best one I've read so far this year, and that is Lucky, by Louise Thompson.  I have known of Louise since I was about fourteen years old, when Made In Chelsea first hit our screens and I loved the drama and craziness of the reality show. I didn't know much about her life, but I had recently seen interviews where she discussed having an extremely traumatic birth, with multiple life saving operations and how this resulted in severe PTSD. My Mum was driving me to a hosptial appointment and had "Lucky" playing via audio book and I was hooked. I got home and brought the audio book straight away, finishing it in the next three days.  It is so honest, so raw, so necessary (as someone who was born at 29 weeks due to complications with my Mum's pregnancy, that meant she was high risk and stayed in the hosptial for 3 months post birth), so devastating,...

 This book had been on my 'To be read' list for quite some time before I picked up a copy. I have seen it in the 3 for 2 offer at Waterstones whilst back in Liverpool and was drawn to the title, which so alluring and beautfiul. The lively yellow lemon tart 🍋 on the cover didn't hurt either, I love covers that are different and a little arty, such as is the case with author's such as Clare Chambers.   I found this one on WOB (formally World Of Books) and knew I should pick up a copy for only a few pounds. I read it quickly and I have a few thoughts... The premise of the book is that Edi is diagnosed with terminal cancer and Ash, her best friend since childhood is living life, helping Edi and dealing with this diagnosis. Ash, whilst understanding the awfulness of the situation also understands that Edi will always be a massive part of who she is and who she will become, even if she is no longer living.  Things I liked about this book: 1) The author manages to turn one...

 Hello,  I realise I haven't written on here for almost 3 years, I have written book reviews but quickly forgot about this little blog that I created in 2021 in the spur-of-a-moment, completely dedicated to books. So I thought... I would jolly well use it. April was a month of writing, attempts at picture-books and entries into multiple different creative writing and poetry competitions, meant I didn't have the extra energy to read. This status-quo has now changed and reading is firmly back on the agenda for the time-being. This reading includes books I have read and then forgotten about and re-read. The good part of having a memory like mine - that doesn't remember intricate details about plot and storyline but remembers intrinsically if I loved a book or if it was 'okay' - is that I can re-read a book a year later and see it with fresh eyes.  I think even if you have a much better memory than me and books stay with you, re-reading is something worth while as you w...

 I have to say after seeing this book recommended in various magazines, it was initially the art work of tangerines on the cover that attracted me. When I saw this book in my little local library I couldn't believe my luck as usually I would have to order a novel in from other libraries. I snatched it up there and then and after two to three weeks of reading I have many thoughts...  The plot is at once cozy and sad. Set in 1950's suburban London it follows Jean, a 40 year old reporter for a local paper who leads a very simple life. Due to her elderly Mother not wishing to venture out of their house, it presents Jean missing social interactions with her work colleagues and corralled to a 5pm curfew in order to cook tea and help her Mother to wash her hair every day.  The monotony changes however, when a member of the public writes in as a response to a story claiming that they have had a 'virgin' birth. As Jean resolves to uncover the truth behind the statement she sees ...