Category: books

Blogmas Day Three: Festive Reads 📚

22 days to go!

Because the only thing better than cosy, Christmas, snowy vibes… is thise things in a book!!!

So, here are some Christmas books to get that festive cheer flowing.

Heidi Swain

I LOVE Heidi Swain’s Christmas books the most. Is it even Christmas without a trip to one of her magical

‘Mince Pies and Mistletoe at the Chrisas Market’

‘Sleigh Rides and Silver Bells at the Christmas Fair’

‘Snowflakes and Cinnamon Swirls at the Winter Wonderland’

‘The Winter Garden’

‘Underneath the Christmas Tree’

Sarah Morgan

‘The Christmas Escape’

‘One More for Christmas’

‘The Christmas Sisters’

Jo Thomas

Finding Love at the Christmas Market

Milly Johnson

‘I wish it could be Christmas everyday’

Victoria Walters

‘Coming Home to Glendale Hall’

‘Hopeful Hearts at Glendale Hall’

Karen Swan

‘Together by Christmas’

‘Midnight in the Snow’

Lizzie Lane

‘A Christmas Wish’

and some thrillers if you like something a bit darker…

Trish Harnetiaux

‘The Secret Santa’

Alex Pine

‘The Christmas Killer’

Tammy Cohen

‘Dying for Christmas’

Have you read any of these??

Any other recommendations, let me know!

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas Day Two: Advent Calendars 🎄

Day Two: Advent Calendars… Because who doesn’t love an advent calendar!?

So, here are mine!

This was only £4 (reduced from £8) in Primark.

How cute is it!?!

It has little pouches for you to add your own treats. I picked up little chocolate rectangles, from Wilko, for me and my husband.

They fit in nice and snuggly.

And number two…

It is a Harry Potter Pop Up Calendar.

I found this in my favourite local book shop – in town. Isn’t it amazing 😍

You’re sensing the theme now right…

If you’ve been around here before or know me you’ll know I’m HP mad – so yeah… they are both Harry Potter advent Calendars 🤣⚡

This was a bit pricey but so worth it. You get this beautiful pop up book and on the base are little doors to open.

Each door has a little hanging decoration to hang on the pop up tree.

It’s beautiful and reusable each year!! Amazing.

What advent calendar do you have?

23 days to go!

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas 2021 🎄

Hey guys 👋🏻

It’s that time of year again… yup, you guessed it… Blogmas is back!

If you are unfamilar with ‘Blogmas’ it is 25 posts in December, one for each day leading up to Christmas Day.

Lots of Festive Fun, Books, Ideas, Treats and just general Merryment!

So, come along for the journey!

I will be posting on…

Instagram: Roseannes Blog

Facebook: Roseanne’s blog

Twitter: @RoseannesBlog

25 days to go!

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Holiblog: Summer 2021

Hi guys 👋🏻

I thought I would start up the holiblog series again, for this summer.

Here is how I have spent the later part of July, since the summer holidays began.

It’s been a fun start.

H a pp y • H o li da ys •

Saturday 17th July 2021

Out for a sunny walk, near our flat. We discovered a new part of the park.

Sunday 18th July 2021

  • Big Kids
  • 💙
  • Moooooo
Fun at Alton Water enjoying the sunshine, mini golf, walking and ice cream.

Monday 19th July 2021

Breakfast with my friend Gemma & her boys.

Tues 20th July 2021

  • 💙
  • Snacks!
  • The cinema really started to fill up
The boys first visit to our flat in over a year and a half 😍

Wed 21st July 2021

  • Summer Reading Challenge
  • Sharing stories
  • Reading
  • 💙
The start of my Summer Reading Challenge Volunteering. Signing up these guys and meeting for lunch at the bakery.
  • Hot Dog Party 🎉🌭

Sat 25th July 2021

  • Coffee and a book
  • Sushi 😍
A chilled out Saturday. A bit of me time.

Mon 26th July 2021

  • Walking on the Heath
  • Lunch 🍽
Meeting up with Dan, a long walk followed by lunch.

Tues 27th July 2021

  • Wolves Wood
  • Walkinga
  • I made a friend 🐸
A walk in the woods together, followed by Arts & Crafts with Evie and lunch at Sainsburys with Charlotte.
Painting at Pennikity Pots with my friend Steph and her boys.

Wed 28th July 2021

  • Summer Reading challenge week 2
  • The Waterfront
  • Dinner at the Bistro with Louise, Kerry & Rach.

Sat 31st July 2021

  • The boys first sleepover in over a year and a half . Dinner and lots of games.

What have you been up to so far, this summer? ☀️

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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What I’ve read so far… 2021 Edition 📚

Hi Guys 👋🏻

I thought I would do a halfway through the year, book update!

Every year I have done a reading challenge of sorts, and this year, instead of monthly or quarterly updates I thought I would do two Six month updates.

So, here is my first reading update of 2021, January – June.

[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]

January – June 2021

The Winter Garden By Heidi Swain

The Land of Stories: A Grimm Warning By Chris Colfer

Because of You By Dawn French

The Lido By Libby Page

Push by Ashley Audrain

The Holiday by T.M Logan

A Taste of Home by Heidi Swain

Only Time Will Tell By Jeffrey Archer

The Sins of the Father By Jeffrey Archer

Until Next Weekend By Rachel Marks

The Dead Fathers Club By Matt Haig

Saving the Day By Katie Fforde

The Motive By Khurrum Rahman

Best Kept Secret By Jeffrey Archer

My favourites so far are, of course the Heidi Swain novels ‘The Winter Garden’ & ‘A Taste of Home’ as well as ‘Until Next Weekend’ ‘Push’ & ‘The Holiday’ which I could not put down. I love that feeling.

The suprise was the Harry Clifton series by Jeffrey Archer, the perfect example of not judging a book by its cover.

Have you read any of these books??

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Half Term Diary 🌞

Hi guys 👋🏻

Disclaimer: (Its a bit late, sorry!)

Another half term has been and gone! How are we already half way through 2021!?!

It was a fun half term and the first one with more restrictions lifted, so I thought I would share what I got up to.

Let’s take a look!

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕤𝕥 𝔹𝔹ℚ 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕊𝕦𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕣

Saturday 29th May 2021

  • 1st BBQ
  • Make a wish
  • Bramford
  • Dude

𝔽𝕦𝕟 𝕒𝕥 𝕁𝕚𝕞𝕞𝕪’𝕤 𝔽𝕒𝕣𝕞

Sunday 30th May 2021

Fun at Jimmy’s farm with Tim, Noah, Cakes, Evie, Charlotte & Wes
  • Tim made a friend
  • ♡
  • Meerkats
  • The Woods

ℂ𝕒𝕗𝕖, ℂ𝕒𝕜𝕖 & 𝔾𝕒𝕞𝕖𝕤

Monday 31st May 2021

  • Bank holiday cake
  • Holywells
  • A much needed pit stop on our walk
  • Holywells

‘𝕄𝕖 𝕋𝕚𝕞𝕖’ 𝔻𝕒𝕪

Tuesday 1st June 2021

  • Back in my spot
  • Cafe Nero, reading & a treat
  • Back to the cinema, with Tim

𝔻𝕚𝕟𝕟𝕖𝕣 (𝕚𝕟 𝕒 𝕡𝕠𝕕) 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕞𝕪 𝕗𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕤 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕞 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕜

Wednesday 2nd June 2021

  • ♡
  • Loaded fries

𝔸 𝕕𝕒𝕪 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕓𝕠𝕪𝕤 💙 & 𝕊𝕦𝕡𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕖 𝕓𝕚𝕣𝕥𝕙𝕕𝕒𝕪 𝕕𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕜𝕤

Thursday 3rd June 2021

  • Twister
  • Natural creativity
  • Art in the park
  • My boys ♡
  • The EYFS team
  • Lots of drinks

𝕀𝕔𝕖 ℂ𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕞 𝕊𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕒𝕖𝕤 & ℚ𝕦𝕚𝕫 ℕ𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥

Friday 4th June 2021

  • Quiz night
  • I-Scream Sundaes
  • Primark hoodies to the rescue

ℙ𝕚𝕔𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕦𝕡 𝕞𝕪 𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕤𝕥 𝕔𝕒𝕣

Saturday 5th June 2021

‘Ted’

𝔹𝕣𝕦𝕟𝕔𝕙 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝔽𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕤

Sunday 6th June 2021

  • Giant biscoff & banana pancakes
  • Iced Lattes at Cult

How was your Half Term?

What did you get up to??

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Bookish Birthday Presents 📚

Hi guys 👋🏻

I though I would share my little book themed birthday presents from a few weeks ago.

Two of the books I picked put myself and the rest was a suprise!

Lets take a look.

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕕𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕗𝕒𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕔𝕝𝕦𝕓 𝕓𝕪 𝕄𝕒𝕥𝕥 ℍ𝕒𝕚𝕘

ɪ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴇxᴄɪᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴇᴇ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ʙʏ ᴍᴀᴛᴛ ʜᴀɪɢ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱʜᴇʟꜰ, ɪɴ ᴍʏ ʟᴏᴄᴀʟ ʙᴏᴏᴋꜱᴛᴏʀᴇ. ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ᴏɴᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴᴇꜱ ɪ ᴘɪᴄᴋᴇᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ ꜰᴏʀ ᴍʏꜱᴇʟꜰ, ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍʏ ꜱɪꜱᴛᴇʀ ɢᴀᴠᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴇ.

ᴛʜɪꜱ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ꜱᴏᴜɴᴅꜱ ᴠᴇʀʏ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴇꜱᴛɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴡᴀꜱ ɪɴꜱᴛᴀɴᴛʟʏ ɪɴᴛʀɪɢᴜᴇᴅ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜꜱᴇ ᴏꜰ ʜᴏᴡ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ɪ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏᴇᴅ ‘ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪᴅɴɪɢʜᴛ ʟɪʙʀᴀʀʏ’.

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕙𝕦𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕪 𝕓𝕪 𝕃𝕦𝕔𝕪 𝔽𝕠𝕝𝕖𝕪

ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪ ᴘɪᴄᴋᴇᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ. ɪ ꜱᴀᴡ ᴛʜɪꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴀʟʟ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴀ ꜰᴀᴄᴇʙᴏᴏᴋ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ɢʀᴏᴜᴘ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪ ᴀᴍ ᴀ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʙʟᴜʀʙ ʟᴇꜰᴛ ᴍᴇ ɪɴᴛʀᴜɢᴜᴇᴅ ᴛᴏᴏ. ɪ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴀ ᴍᴜʀᴅᴇʀ ᴍʏꜱᴛᴇʀʏ.

𝕋𝕠𝕘𝕖𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕓𝕪 ℂ𝕙𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕞𝕒𝕤 𝕓𝕪 𝕂𝕒𝕣𝕖𝕟 𝕊𝕨𝕒𝕟

ᴍʏ ꜱɪꜱᴛᴇʀ ᴄʜᴏꜱᴇ ᴛʜɪꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ꜰᴏʀ ᴍᴇ. ɪᴛꜱ ᴀ ʟᴏᴠᴇʟʏ, ʟɪɢʜᴛ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛᴇᴅ, ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴛɪᴄ, ꜰᴇꜱᴛɪᴠᴇ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ. ɪ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋꜱ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜɪꜱ. ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇɴ’ᴛ ᴅᴇᴄɪᴅᴇᴅ ᴏꜰ ɪ’ᴍ ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪᴛ ꜱᴏᴏɴ ᴏʀ ᴡᴀɪᴛ ᴜɴᴛɪʟ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴇꜱᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴘᴇʀɪᴏᴅ!

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕝𝕚𝕖𝕤 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕥𝕠𝕝𝕕 𝕓𝕪 ℍ𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕥 𝕋𝕪𝕔𝕖

‘ꜱʜᴏᴄᴋɪɴɢ, ᴅᴀʀᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀᴅᴅɪᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ.’ – ɪ ᴘɪᴄᴋᴇᴅ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴜᴘ, ᴜꜱɪɴɢ ᴍʏ ʙɪʀᴛʜᴅᴀʏ ᴍᴏɴᴇʏ, ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴍʏ ʟᴏᴄᴀʟ ᴛᴇꜱᴄᴏ ᴇxᴘʀᴇꜱꜱ (ɪᴛ’ꜱ ᴅᴀɴɢᴇʀᴏᴜꜱ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ɴᴏᴡ ꜱᴇʟʟ ᴀ ꜱᴍᴀʟʟ ꜱᴇʟᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ʙᴏᴏᴋꜱ!!) ᴀꜱ ꜱᴏᴏɴ ᴀꜱ ɪ ꜱᴀᴡ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀꜱ ɴᴀᴍᴇ ɪ ᴡᴀꜱ ɪɴᴛʀɪɢᴜᴇᴅ ᴀꜱ ɪ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏᴇᴅ ‘ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ ᴏʀᴀɴɢᴇ’.

ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ᴀ ᴛʜʀɪʟʟᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ’ᴍ ɪɴᴛʀɪɢᴜᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴇᴇ ɪꜰ ɪᴛꜱ ᴀꜱ ɢʀɪᴘᴘɪɴɢ ᴀꜱ ‘ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ ᴏʀᴀɴɢᴇ’. ɪ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ɪ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀɪɴ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴛɪᴍᴇ!!

𝕆𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕓𝕚𝕥𝕤:

𝔸𝕟𝕚𝕞𝕒𝕝 ℂ𝕣𝕠𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕄𝕚𝕟𝕚 𝕄𝕒𝕘𝕟𝕖𝕥𝕚𝕔 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕞𝕒𝕣𝕜

ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ꜱᴜᴘᴇʀ ᴄᴜᴛᴇ. ɪ ɢᴏᴛ ᴛʜɪꜱ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴍʏ ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ ᴡʜᴏ ɪ ᴘʟᴀʏ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴀᴍᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ.

ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ɪᴅᴇᴀʟ ᴀꜱ ɪᴛꜱ ᴍᴀɢɴᴇᴛɪᴄ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴀɴ’ᴛ ꜰᴀʟʟ ᴏᴜᴛ… ᴘᴇʀꜰᴇᴄᴛ ᴀꜱ ɪ ᴄᴀʀʀʏ ᴍʏ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴀʟʟ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍᴇ.

𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕍𝕠𝕦𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕣

ᴍʏ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ʟᴏᴠᴇʟʏ ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅꜱ ɢᴏᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴀ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴠᴏᴜᴄʜᴇʀ!!! ꜱᴏ ɪ ᴄᴀɴ’ᴛ ᴡᴀɪᴛ ᴛᴏ ɢᴏ ᴀɴᴅ ʙʀᴏᴡꜱᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱʜᴇʟᴠᴇꜱ, ʜᴇᴀᴠᴇɴ 😍

𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲??

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘀𝗼, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸??

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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🌸 Books: April Throwback 🌸📚☀️

Hi guys 👋🏻

Christmas, Spring/Summer are my favourite times of year to read and as I was enjoying my book this afternoon it got me thinking about this time last year…

April 2020 was a both a confusing and enlightening time for me (It sounds strange I know, stick with me)

Lockdown was fully in swing at this point, Pandemic – WHATTTT, very confusing! But, amongst the madness of Lockdown, for the first time in probably 11 years I had time… time to do the things I enjoyed, unapologetically, emphatically and with a new found appreciation for them.

And with this feeling and freedom in place I got such a heightened enjoyment from the novels I was reading. It of course helped that they were bloody brilliant books… so, lets take a walk down memory lane…

🌸

April. This seems to be a good month for me in terms of discovering new books, especially ones that turn into firm favourites, that I always recommend when someones asks me; ‘Do you know of any good books?’

🌸

In the midst of the OG Lockdown…

I read ‘The Silent Patient’ in a day I was so enraptured by it, gripped to the last page…

We also had another Heidi Swain release, which always makes a month amazing (& this sunny seaside stay is one of my faves of hers) ‘The Seaside Escape’

…and I found another firm fave and cosy number in ‘The Flat share’ which has lead me to many brilliant books by Beth O’Leary as a result.



Fast forward to today…. & I’m thoroughly enjoying ‘The Lido’ by Libby Page. Its a cosy, feel good book that restores your faith in community, friendships (unconventional & not) and yourself along the way.



I’m so invested in this story, its endearing characters and community that I know I’ll be sad when it ends and we aren’t spending our time together anymore (if you know, you know!)

I want to see how it all plays out but I don’t want to say goodbye.

You know you’ve got a good’un when thats the case.

I’m super looking forward to the end of the month as I have a few Preorders coming my way and I’m SO EXCITED!!

They are:
~A Taste of Home by Heidi Swain
~The Road Trip by Beth O’Leary
~Until Next Weekend by Rachel Marks

(& a new Sarah Morgan book at the end of May 🙌🏻🙌🏻)

All we need is for this sunshine to stay, Covid to be kept at bay and a nice cold drink to sip as we enjoy these brilliant books!

📚 Happy Reading 📚

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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World Book Day 2021!

World Book Day snuck in just in time, before the first Lockdown last year, this year wasn’t to be… so, how does your lockdown World Book Day look??

It’s such a shame that we haven’t been able to fully immerse ourselves, as we usually would, at work but it was lovely seeing all the children sharing books, picking them out, listening to stories and writing.

I love watching children enjoying and getting involved with reading a book, it is one of my favourite parts of my job!

So, that was part of my lockdown World Book Day.

I’ve also been sharing a few of my book favourites over on my blogs Instagram (Roseannes Blog)

I also took the opportunity (via Skype 😥) to read my nephews a few stories for World Book Day

We read ‘I need a new bum’ and ‘The Dinosaur that pooped the past’ some silly & fun books!!

And of course I’m going to make sure that I do one of my most favourite things tonight… cosy down with a good book and just relax and enjoy it.

Whatever you are doing, I really hope that you are getting a moment to read a page or two of a book and you are able to forget about anything else that is happening, just for a moment, whilst you do.

Happy World Book Day Everybody!

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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The Winter Garden: A Book Review ❄📚

Hi Guys 👋🏻

It’s time for another book review.

I want to start doing more of these this year and I think I might try and do a review, on a book I have read, at the end of each month.

So, here is January’s edition and it’s a great start.

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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