Deckchairs

Deckchairs

Quote

The true university these days is a collection of books.
-Thomas Carlyle

Friday, 31 December 2010

December Roundup


Thanks to my friend holgachick for this frozen leaves photo taken last year. It has been pretty frozen here in Britain this month so it is a good picture to start with. Here is how the reading went this month...
Read - 1 book
Completed - The Distance Between Us by Maggie O'Farrell (finished earlier today!)
Currently Reading -
Blindness by Jose Saramago
Caught by the Water: A Collection of Words on Water by various authors
TBR Pile - Currently at 87 (according to Goodreads) with 6 new ones after the Christmas gifts were added...
The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned by Walter Mosley
The Summer Book by Tove Jansson
The Natural Navigator by Tristan Gooley
One Day by David Nicholls
No and Me by Delphine de Vigan
Challenges - will be covered in the next post Looking back and looking forward
Wishlist Additions
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
Discoveries - Some lovely new blogs from the Book Blogger Holiday Swap...
Events -
I will be doing my end of year wrap up with loads of lovely lists and statistics (love it!) in my next post. Wishing you all a Happy New Year. Stay safe and happy!
Bold
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Poetry Books reviewed at The Octogon



There seem to be a few Poetry titles that I have talked about in the past so I have given them their own section for reference. Click on the title for the review...







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Previously reviewed books at The Octogon - 2010


A very colourful map to accompany this year of literary travels during 2010. Click on the titles to read the review...
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Previously reviewed books at The Octogon - 2009


This map illustrates all of my literary travels during 2009. Click on the book titles to go to the review...
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Previously reviewed books at The Octogon - 2008


This colourful map catalogues all of the countries I visited during my literary travels in 2008. Click on the book title to take you to the review...
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Sunday, 26 December 2010

Book Bloggers Holiday Swap - my presents


I was a good girl and opened mine yesterday and what a lovely surprise...my Secret Santa had sent me the following presents...
2 books -
The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton (which I have wanted to read for ages), and
Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned by Walter Mosley
plus 2 lovely Christmas Tree decorations that look handmade.
There was also a lovely Christmas card that included the details of my Santa. Thank you so much Annabel Gaskell from Gaskella for my presents which are all lovely. Not only have I got some excellent new books to read, but also another book blogger to call in on.
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Saturday, 25 December 2010

Merry Christmas


Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas. I hope Santa has brought you lots of books and you are getting to spend time with those you love.
I have opened my book blogger holiday swap gift and will cover it at length tomorrow in my post, but just to say it was a very generous present and lots of fun to take part in.
This photo of a real snowflake is from a book all about them called The Snowflake: Winters Secret Beauty by Kenneth Libbrecht and photos by Patricia Rasmussen and you can read more about it by clicking the link.
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Sunday, 19 December 2010

A Meme


I did this meme last year and thought it was good fun, and then saw it again over at Stuck in a Book so I have done another with this years books.
You have to answer the questions using the titles of the books that you have read throughout the year. Try not to repeat your answers. It can be a bit tricky and some answers need a little bit of imagination, but here goes...
Describe yourself The Blue Fox (Sjon)
How do you feel? The Deeper Secret (AnneMarie Postma). Also used this one last year but I finished it in January.
Describe where you currently live The Magic Apple Tree (Susan Hill)
If you could go anywhere, where would you go? A Month in the Country (J L Carr)
Your favourite form of transportation Ship Fever (Andrea Barrett)
Your best friend is Emma (Jane Austen). My best friend is not called Emma but it is the only title that fitted!
You and your friends are The Girls (Lori Lansens)
What's the weather like? To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
You fear The Suspicions of Mr Whicher (Kate Summerscale)
What is the best advice you have to give? Atonement (Ian McEwan)
Thought for the day The Mystery of Grace (Charles de Lint)
How would you like to die? The Distance Between Us (Maggie O'Farrell)
My Soul's present condition An Awfully Big Adventure (Beryl Bainbridge)
How would you answer?
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Sunday, 12 December 2010

Book Blogger Holiday Swap: an update


Just a quick message to say that my Secret Santa package has arrived and looks very exciting. I haven't opened it yet but hope to post a picture of it in the next few days. I am old fashioned so will open it nearer to Christmas itself but I have had a good feel/rattle/smell. As soon as it is open I will blog about it, I just wanted my Secret Santa to know it has arrived safely with many thanks. Exciting!
My package went off in the post last monday and hopefully, snow permitting, has reached its secret destination.
Stay warm wherever you are!
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Sunday, 5 December 2010

November Roundup


This photo was taken by my friend (holgachick) recently up in Northumberland where they have had about 10 inches of snow. There has been some snow here in the North West but not nearly as much. Time to recap my reading for November.
Read - 1 and a quarter books.
Completed - 2 books...
The Magic Apple Tree by Susan Hill
Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
Currently Reading -
The Distance Between Us by Maggie O'Farrell
Caught by the River: A Collection of Words on Water (various authors)
TBR Pile - currently at 82 (according to GoodReads) with 2 books added...
Through the Kitchen Window by Susan Hill
Through the Garden Gate by Susan Hill
(I have become a bit of a fan!)
Challenges - finished Cranford for my 'read another Elizabeth Gaskell' directional reading challenge from January.
Wishlist Additions -
The Distant Hours: A Novel by Kate Morton
The Last Days of Ptolomy Grey by Walter Mosley
The Crossing Places: A Ruth Galloway Mystery by Elly Griffiths
Half a Life by Darin Strauss
Discoveries - More country living books by Susan Hill from the '80s
Events - The Book Blogger Holiday Swap (see my sidebar). Mine is parcelled up and ready to go to its surprise destination. Such a great idea and thanks to Nicole from Linus's Blanket for hosting this.
Christmas is well and truly on its way. Hope you are warm and toastie where you are!
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Hay on Wye

Hay on Wye