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What I read in July
I’ve had a lot on in July, naming moving house and attending music festivals! However, I’ve still found the time to read. Here is a round-up of the main books I read in July. The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow Based on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, this is the story of Mary Bennet, the plain and quiet middle sister who likes to read and play the piano. Treated unkindly by her mother, and with few friends in the world, her life becomes a precarious round of visiting her married sisters, with little to look forward to. Janice Hadlow reimagines what Mary’s life might have been like and grants her…
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Dining on the River Seine with Bateaux Parisiens
My trip to Paris was quite a long time ago, but I feel the quality of the food (and the whole experience) of my lunchtime river cruise warrants a place on this blog. I really wanted a special dining experience whilst visiting Paris and the Bateaux Parisiens Seine River Lunch Cruise was just the thing! Four courses, a glass of champagne, and plenty of wine (they really didn’t believe in moderation). Just to add that if you don’t drink alcohol, there are soft drinks and water alternatives. The starters were gorgeous: For the main course, I had the beef, whilst my boyfriend had the salmon: For dessert, we both had…
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April reading round-up
Welcome to my April reading round-up! This month, I read three very different books that explored complex themes and kept me engaged until the very end. From a thought-provoking exploration of family dynamics to a thrilling spy novel and a captivating work of historical fiction, I covered a lot of areas in my reading. “Lone Wolf” by Jodi Picoult “Lone Wolf” by Jodi Picoult is a novel about a family grappling with difficult decisions in the aftermath of a car accident that leaves the father, Luke Warren, comatose. The Warren family must decide whether to continue life support or let Luke die, but they are divided on what the right…
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Eating my way through London: El Pastor
El Pastor is my kind of place. Mexican food with a buzzy vibe- what’s not to like? One thing to note is- El Pastor does not accept bookings. So be sure to bring a phone and scope out places in the area for a drink whilst you’re waiting. They are good about taking your number and texting you when a table becomes available, so there’s no having to hang about in the rain. Just be aware that wait times can be around two hours. What to eat? Tacos of course! I would definitely recommend getting a few types and mixing it up with the other people you’re dining with. The…
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A Little Book Round-up
Such a long time since I’ve written a post. Therefore, I thought it would be a good time to talk about what I’ve been reading over the past few months and my book recommendations. The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins I loved this book! It’s a British period drama with a black woman at the core. The book is set in early 19th-century London with the plot following Collins’ heroine, Frannie, a slave-turned-servant who travels with her owner from a Jamaican plantation to 1800s London, where she finds herself accused of the brutal murder of her master and mistress. Frannie is an extremely well-written character with shades of…
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Book Review: The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont
I read this book as I am a big fan of Agatha Christie’s work and was interested in her life. It was a fascinating look at not just the events surrounding Agatha Christie’s mysterious disappearance, but also how women were viewed at the time. There’s some great plot twists later on in the novel too. In 1926 Agatha Christie went missing for eleven days. Her mother had recently died and her husband was having an affair with another woman and planned to leave her. In 1926, Agatha Christie went missing for eleven days. Her mother had recently died and her husband was having an affair with another woman and planned…
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Christmassy Reading
Happy new year! Hope you all had a lovely Christmas and a pleasant start to 2023. I have been quiet on here over the past few weeks, as I’ve been cosying up with a few books over the Christmas period. One of the things I love about this time of year is the opportunity to spend time lost in a good book. I also tend to get given books as gifts for Christmas. Here are some of my picks of what I have been reading: And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. The definitive murder mystery tale, ten strangers are summoned to an island and find out that someone…
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November Book Roundup
So we say farewell to November and start to look towards December and some Christmassy offerings. Before we go full-pelt into the Christmas season, here is my monthly book roundup. How was your November? Did you manage to read everything you wanted to? This month I read ‘Rebel Ideas: The Power of Diverse Thinking’ by Matthew Syed. I also read ‘The Christie Affair’ by Nina de Gramont (review coming soon) and finished ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ by Suzanne Collins. I am a massive fan of The Hunger Games series, so absolutely loved the prequel. It was a bit of a whopper, but after the first 100 pages or…
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Sunday Photo
Ladies View, County Kerry, Ireland
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The Spy Glass Inn, Ventnor
I’m a sucker for a beautiful view, and the Spy Glass Inn in Ventnor, on the Isle of Wight, has that in spades. When you’re standing on Ventnor Cove with its sheer cliffs and turquoise waters, it’s hard not to feel like you’ve found your way into paradise. And that’s exactly what we felt when we visited the Spy Glass Inn, a local pub with great food and an amazing view of Ventnor Cove The portions are generous, and the food is tasty—we both have big appetites but struggled to finish our plates of calamari and chips. They served standard pub grub, but it was very filling and the seafood…
