Category: books

Book Review

Hey guys 👋🏼

Happy October!

Here is another book review from my monthly Book Club meeting.

I haven’t done one of these in a while as our meetings have been a bit different. Our July meeting was a trip to see ‘Where the crawdads sing’ as the book had been read at Book Club previously, and I have read it and loved it.

August/some of September was devoted to out next read, the one I will be talking about – ‘One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest’.

We decided to go for a classic for August as we all expressed a wish to read more of them! So someone chose One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest.

If you have ever read it (or indeed any classics tbf) they are a bit harder to get into so we gave ourselves longer to read it, seeing us through August and most of September, meeting last week.

So, let’s get into it!

One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest

SYNOPSIS

‘In order to escape the prison labour, McMurphy, a Prisoner, fakes insanity and is shifted to the special ward for the mentally unstable. In this ward he must rise up against a cruel nurse, Ratched.’

THEMES

•Stigma and Mental Health

•Power

•Masculinity/Feminity

•Human Dignity

PROS

It’s a classic and it is always nice to add a few of them to your repertoire.

I really enjoyed the characters and found them to be very interesting, likable, endearing and charismatic – for me, they are one of the best bits of the book.

I also really like how thought provoking it is, in its themes and the way it conveys them through plot devices, imagery and the characters themselves.

CONS

It’s quite a slow burner, a slightly arduous start to the story and a story where ultimately not alot happens (considering the book is over 300 pages.)

It is also written in a very confusing way, sort of disjointed with A LOT of dialogue.

Also, the font is tiny. You feel as if you have read alot but haven’t got very far at all.

I also much prefer a book when there are short, clearly defined chapters – this one didn’t which was a shame!

Rating out of 5:

☆☆☆☆☆ (2.5)

Would you recommend it?

Y / N

Have you read this book? What are your thoughts? 💭

by Categories: books, Life, UncategorizedTags: Leave a comment

What have I read so far… 2022 edition 📚

Hi guys 👋🏻

We are halfway through 2022 (HOW!?!) So I thought I would do a halfway round up of what I have read so far…

So far…

Harry Potter and the Philosphers Stone: Minalima Illustratred edition

I know what you’ve done by Dorothy Koomson

Cometh the Hour by Jeffrey Archer

22 Britannia Road by Amanda Hodgkinson

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling

Her majesty the Queen investigates… The Windsor Knot by SJ Bennett

Trust me by T M Logan

The Sanitorium by Sarah Pearse

The Land of Stories: An Authors Odyssey by Chris Colfer

The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley

Love, Locked down by Beth Reckles

Nalas World by Dean Nicholson

This was a man by Jeffrey Archer

Midnight is a lonely place by Barbra Erskine

Walking on Sunshine by Giovanna Fletcher

Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister

The Summer Fair By Heidi Swain

The Baby is not mine by Oyinkan Braithwaite

The Donor by Clare Mackintosh

1. My Favourite book so far: ‘Wrong Place, Wrong Time’

This is an absolutely fantastic book. It had me at the synopsis – never have I sent a synopsis to so many people because it sounds SO good. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I didn’t want to put it down. The characters and their relationships were lovely and it was a great reading experience.

2. The most gripping so far: ‘Wrong Place, Wrong Tim’ & ‘The Hunting Party’

These were both brilliant books for making you say ‘Just one more page’. There was lots of drama, lots going on and lots to keep enticing you to the end.

3. My Least Favourite so far: I know what You’ve done.

Simply because I didnt find it as gripping as Dorothy’s other books and I found the characters less likeable. It did have a good few twists though.

4. Easiest to read: ‘Love Locked Down‘

It was weird reading a book about the madness that was the beginning of the pandemic but it was quite cool reading about something that you’ve actually been through in a relatively light hearted way. I liked the variety of characters.

5. One I would recommend: ‘Wrong Place, Wrong Time.’

The time loop and just the sheer depth of the plot ans suspense made it a fantastic reading experience. I really enjoyed her writing style.

What have you been reading recently?

What has been your favourite book so far?

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

by Categories: books, Life, UncategorizedTags: Leave a comment

A very exciting book club meeting 📚

Hey guys 👋🏻

So something pretty awesome happened this month and if you are a bookworm like me you’ll definitely appreciate how cool this is!!!

On a book club page on Facebook I read this Synopsis…

‘It’s every parent’s nightmare.
Your happy, funny, innocent son commits a terrible crime: murdering a complete stranger.
You don’t know who. You don’t know why. You only know your teenage boy is in custody and his future lost.
That night you fall asleep in despair. Until you wake . .. . . and it is yesterday.
Every morning you wake up a day earlier, another day before the murder. Another chance to stop it. Somewhere in the past lie the answers, and you don’t have a choice but to find them . . !’

This book is called ‘Wrong Place, Wrong Time.’ By Gillian McAllister.

Never have I read a synopsis and thought OMG I NEED TO READ THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW – it intrigued me so much!! I also immediately sent this synopsis to so many people because I knew they would think the same!!

I put this book forward as a suggestion at Book club last month… everyone went for it and I subsequently tweeted about it being our chosen book on my Twitter page for this blog… and then this happened…

😱😱😱

I never thought the author herself would tweet me asking to join our meeting. I was shocked!!

After lots of sorting out (and stressing out behind closed doors by me 🤦🏼‍♀️🙃) it all went off really well.

Gillian was lovely to chat to and was really eager to answer our questions and listen to our thoughts on her book.

It was interesting listening to everyones views and perspectives on the book, with her added into the mix. It was also great to get some background information on how she came about her ideas and the thinking behind certain areas of the plot, the chatacters etc.

It just added a different dimension to our usual meetings and it was fascinating to get a real authors perspective on something you’ve just read (and thoroughly enjoyed!) As well as the writing process as a whole.

I’m so glad I was able to organise it successfully and that everyone really enjoyed themselves.

I already know that I will be scouring my local library for some more of her books asap.

The power of Books, Blogs and Twitter 📚🌟

Have you read the book? Or any of her other ones?? What did you think??

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

by Categories: books, Life, UncategorizedTags: Leave a comment

Harry Potter Birthday Haul ⚡

Hey guys 👋🏻

So, its finally happened – I’m in my 30’s 🎈

It was our 31st Birthday earlier this month and I thought I would share with you some of the cool Harry Potter bits that I got given.

Let’s go!

Some of these recipes look super cool – I do love baking so fingers crossed I can do them justice. They will be fun to try nether the less.

These two items were on my list, from my husband. The Triwizard tournment top is really cool and understated and I love that you can choose your Hogwarts house (Gryffindor ofc) and get your name on the back.

The fourth HP film is one of my faves too.

I also loved this little Niffler badge, its so pretty and cool! Plus, Nifflers are adorable.

Have you seen the new Fantastic Beasts film?? It’s great!!

I also got this cool illustrated copy of the book ‘The Tales of Beedle the Bard’. I love these illustrated versions, they are such a cool item to add to my collection.

The illustrations are beautiful and I find them way more interesting to read than the originals now 😂

And finally, I got a really cool Hogwarts house towel. This is ideal for when I go swimming at my local pool.

Fun Fact: My Hogwarts House on Pottermore, last time I did the quiz, was Ravenclaw.

You can’t beat a little HP Haul!

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

by Categories: books, Celebrations, harry potter, LifeTags: Leave a comment

Book review 📚

Here is my April Book Club Book Review.

The Hunting Party By Lucy Foley

SYNOPSIS

A group of old Oxford friends celebrates their annual reunion at a lodge in the remote Scottish Highlands. With an impending blizzard on the way, the nostalgia ends abruptly when one of them is murdered.

THEMES

•Friendship •Jealousy •Betrayal

PROS

•Short Chapters, my favourite kind • Very gripping, interesting Chapters •You learnt lots of new information about the characters here and there which added to the twists and turns of the book – and there were a few!!

CONS

•There are a lot of different characters that make up the friendhship group, in this story. It got a little confusing at the start remembering who was married to who, who was bestfriends with who, how did they meet etc. I made lots of notes on the back page of the book.

Would you recommend it?

Yes / No 👍🏻

Rating out of 5 Stars?

☆☆☆☆☆

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

by Categories: books, Life, UncategorizedTags: Leave a comment

Book Review 📚

Here is my March Book Club Book Review.

The Sanitorium by Sarah Pearse

SYNOPSIS

Elin, A British Police Officer, taking a break from work, visits Le Sommet hotel in the Swiss Alps – the hotel was previously a Sanitorium.

Soon into her visit we learn of family trauma, fractured relationships – and then people start to go missing… people are being picked off, but who is the culprit??

THEMES

•Dishonesty •Deception

PROS

•Short Chapters •Gripping •A Page Turner • Lots of Twists & Turns

CONS

•Poor Character Development •Anti-Climatic Ending (in my opinion)

Would you recommend it?

Y/N 👍🏻

Rating out of 5:

☆☆☆☆☆

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

by Categories: books, Life, UncategorizedTags: Leave a comment

Book Review 📚

So, I’ve always wanted to be part of a Book club and this week that dream came true.

A lovely local cafe near me runs a book club and I found out about it after having a chat with the cafe owner. I was so excited when she mentioned that they run one as its a lovely little cafe and easy for me to get to. My twin sister joined with me.

It was SO awesome!! I can’t wait for the next meeting and to start our new book.

I’ve decided that since we will discuss these books in more detail, these will be the books that I do a little review of. This means I have one a month to write about/recommend (hopefully) to you guys.

So, here is the first book that I read for the book club… February 2022!

22 Britannia Road By Amanda Hodgkinson

SYNOPSIS

This book follows the story of Janusz, Silvana
and their son Aurek from Poland.
The story goes back and forth from the past, when they first met, when war broke out, and during the war, as well as the present when they are trying
to rebuild their lives after the war.
We find out how it has
affected them, their relationship, and
their relationship as a family,
as well as the secrets that they
have carried along the way.

THEMES

•Family •Survival •Love •War

PROS

•Easy to read
•Interesting insight into
the impact of war on the
women and children.
•Mixture of past & present.

CONS

•Quite sad in
parts
•Geography of
Ipswich wasn’t spot
on

Would you recommend it?

Y/N 👍🏻

Especially to anyone who lives in the local area of Ipswich.

Rating out of 5:

☆☆☆☆☆ 4/5

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

by Categories: books, Life, UncategorizedTags: Leave a comment

Bookcase tour 📚👉🏻

Hi guys 👋🏻

So, I started the new year by giving my bookcase a little reshuffle.

Here are the different shelf arrangements…

1. The Harry Potter Shelf

This is obviously a must 🤪

It’s a mixture of my copies of the book series as well as other illustrated versions and books about the wizarding world and films.

2. The tbr Shelf

My ‘to be read’ (tbr) shelf is all of the books that are on my list to read. It’s rather extensive at the moment – who else has a problem with being unable to stop buying books?! 🤪

It’s got quite a nice mix of different genres to choose from, from easy readers, Thrillers, Autobiographies, Novels, Romances, Fantasy etc.

3. Recommendations Shelf

This shelf is my go to when anyone asks for a recommendation. I get asked for recommendations quite a bit so they are handy to grab.

4. My Favourites Shelf

These books are some of my alltime faves. Most I have read more than once.

Some of my favourites include ‘Bridget Jones’ – ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ – ‘Animal Farm’ – ‘The Land of Stories Series’ and ‘Goodnight Mr Tom.

This one kinda spills onto two shelves – special mention to Heidi Swain whos books almost have a whole shelf to themselves now haha.

5. My Childrens Book Shelf

Working with Children as well as being an Auntie means that I can appreciate a good picture book. I have some classics as well as just random ones I have picked up on the way. These are a mixture of Fiction and Non Fiction.

I love colour co-ordinating my shelves too, I have done this with my ‘tbr list’ as there is quite an array of different books and covers.

This always looks pretty cool.

How do you organise your bookcase?

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

by Categories: books, home decor, Life, UncategorizedTags: Leave a comment

Reading round up… 2021 📚

So, here is my final reading update of 2021, July – December.

[Disclaimer: I’m not that fast a reader sometimes, it comes in fits and spurts, and I’ve had lots of revision to do, so its not as long a list as I’d like]

All my lies are true By Dorothy Koomson

A springtime affair by Katie Fforde

Be careful what you wish for by Jeffrey Archer

The Catch by T.M Logan

The Skylight by Louise Candlish

The little dreams of Lara Cliffe by Milly Johnson

A baby at the beach cafe by Lucy Diamond

The Land of Stories: Beyond the Kingdoms by Chris Colfer

A country escape by Katie Fforde

Mightier than the sword by Jeffrey Archer

The Invisable Girl by Lisa Jewell

Underneath the tree by Heidi Swain

The Road Trip by Beth O Leary

Dying for Christmas by Tammy Cohen

I wish it could be Christmas everyday by Milly Johnson

Baby it’s cold outside by Emily Bell

Which books have you enjoyed the most this year??

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

by Categories: books, Life, UncategorizedTags: Leave a comment

Realistic Goals for 2022

Hey Guys 👋🏻

‘I don’t know about you, but I’m feelin’ 2022′

A big HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!

So, here is a little (realistic/not too intense) list of goals for 2022, that I would like to work into my day to day life.

  • Walk more
  • 11,000 steps (min) a day
  • Drink 3L (min) a day
  • Take more photos with people (whether they like it or not 😂)
  • Read 10 pages (min) of any book a day
  • Spend less time on my phone
  • Start writing a book
  • Do more ‘meat free’ meals/days
  • Go to bed earlier!!
  • Pass my driving test

Pretty basic really – but good to jot it down.

I thought the ‘reading 10 pages (min)’ was a really good one as I sometimes get so overwhelmed with the number of books I have or how I don’t have time to read a chapter, that I just end up not reading al all! So 10 pages is a good goal for each day, a bit of calm time and if I want to keep going great – if I only have time for 10, its better than nothing!

I definitely need to up my water game again – I really does make you feel so much better.

The going to bed earlier is probably going to be the hardest but hey, we’ve gotta start somewhere.

Have you set any goals for 2022?

What are they??

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

by Categories: books, LifeTags: Leave a comment