Reading roundup 02/10/24

Posted on 02/10/2024 by The Librain

We have arrived at the first post of October already! This year is just flying past. I have finished one book this week and am about halfway through another. Here is the book cover…

The Stranger From Berlin by Melissa Amateis

This book, The Stranger From Berlin by Melissa Amateis, was a random choice from our Library Service’s ebook catalogue. I thought that the blurb seemed intriguing and I must admit that I also liked the cover! Anyway, this is the blurb…

“She doesn’t know if she can trust him. But she’s determined to save him . . .Nebraska, 1943:

Jenni Fields’shusband Danny was killed in action two months ago. Now pregnant with another man’s child, Jenni is determined to keep her secret from the small community of Meadow Hills.  Man Koenigfled Germany in 1938, escaping the Nazis and leaving behind a dark secret of his own. Employed to translate a historic German-language diary, Max moves to Meadow Hills, but the overly patriotic community isn’t happy to have a German in their midst.   When the diary goes missing, the whole town thinks Max is the thief. And when local businesses and landmarks start being vandalized with German graffiti, the residents naturally point the finger his way.   Jenni is the only one who believes Max is innocent. Clearly, the diary holds information someone in the town would rather keep quiet. What happened in Meadow Hills all those years ago? And will Jenni be able to prove Max’s innocence before it’s too late?”

This was a great read and I was surprised to find out that it is the author’s first book! Here is my response on Goodreads…

The Stranger From BerlinThe Stranger From Berlin by Melissa Amateis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It has mystery, danger, intrigue and romance all rolled into a gripping tale about how prejudice and fear of discovery can whip up a community until the members are prepared to commit horrors upon the innocent. The author also writes an excellent and courageous heroine in this story.

The setting is a small town in Nebraska during WWII. The people live with a dark and evil secret that has been casting a dark cloud for many years. A German professor, Max, who has travelled to America to escape the war in his home country takes a job in the town. He is racked with guilt from past actions and the truth about these unfolds slowly. A range of despicable acts are committed in the town and Max is blamed for them. Only one person, Jenni, who is protecting her own secrets, believes in his innocence. All of these strands lead to an explosive conclusion.

I will definitely look out for this writer’s next book.

View all my reviews

The book I am now reading is a real science fiction classic. It’s quite long, so I will probably only manage this one book before next week’s post.

Happy Reading to you all!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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Friday post 27/09/24: two nice outfits and a hairdo!

Posted on 27/09/2024 by The Librain

As I write this post I am sitting up in bed feeling a real sense of achievement! I have actually managed to go out twice this week – whoop!

OK, the first time, yesterday, was for a doctor’s appointment. But, today it was for a haircut and a lovely lunch. Elder Son accompanied me on both occasions, as I need his help and reassurance. I have become quite weak and wobbly. Anyway, I treated him to a lovely “Lemon Mess” pudding after the main course 😊.

I decided to try a little experiment with my outfits for these two events. First I chose navy and turquoise as the two main colours, then selected some items in those colours…

Turquoise and navy items from my wardrobe

The suede shoes and the twinset are from Lands’ End (the colours are much closer than in the above collage. The navy linen trousers are by Cotton Traders, the navy t-shirt by Sainsbury’s Tu and the metallic navy handbag is by Massacecesi.

I then chose a range of jewellery and two scarves which would compliment these items:

Turquoise enamel and gold bangle by Halcyon Days
Hera bangle by Liberty of London
Blue enamel and gold bangle by Halcyon Days
Australian opal and rose gold brooch
Blue topaz and gold earrings
Peacock feather brooch

So here is a quick photo of Thursday’s outfit:

Outfit of the day 26/09/24 with Hermès’ Bateau Fleuri gavroche

And this is the cute little scarf:

Bateau Fleuri gavroche by Hermès (45cm)
Outfit of the day 27/09/24 with Hermès’ La Promenade de Platon scarf
Hermès’ La Promenade de Platon in a necklace knot
Outfit of the day 27/09/24 with Hermès’ La Promenade de Platon scarf

As you can see above, my visit to the hairdresser went well – I think so anyway!

This is a picture of the lovely scarf. It was my first Hermès purchase:

La Promenade de Platon by Hermès (90cm)
La Promenade de Platon by Hermès (90cm)

I think that is all for now. The experiment kept me amused, so I might try it again. Now, which colours should I choose next time?

Happy Weekend to you all!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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PS. If you would like more information about these two scarves, including colourways, detailed photos, scarf ties, background information and so on, please look at these posts below:

  1. Scarf of the moment: Bateau Fleuri
  2. Scarf of the moment: La Promenade de Platon

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Reading roundup 25/09/24

Posted on 25/09/2024 by The Librain

Well, it’s Wednesday once again, so time for my weekly post about my reading. This week I decided that I really should finish a book that I had put aside for a while (if you can say that about ebooks!)…

Black Sun Rising by Celia Friedman

Yes, I finally finished Black Sun Rising by Celia Friedman, #01 The Coldfire trilogy. Here is the blurb:

“Over a millennium ago, Erna, a seismically active yet beautiful world was settled by colonists from far-distant Earth. But the seemingly habitable planet was fraught with perils no one could have foretold, and the colonists found themselves caught in a desperate battle for survival against the fae, a terrifying natural force with the power to prey upon the human mind itself, drawing forth images from a person’s worst nightmare or most treasured dreams and indiscriminately giving them life.

Twelve centuries after fate first stranded the colonists on Erna, mankind has achieved an uneasy stalemate, and human sorcerers manipulate the fae for their own profit, little realising that demonic forces which feed upon such efforts are rapidly gaining in strength. Now, as the hordes of the dark fae multiply, four people – Priest, Adept, Apprentice and Sorcerer – are about to be drawn inexorably together for a mission which will force them to confront an evil beyond their imagining, in a conflict which will put not only their own lives but the very fate of humankind in jeopardy …”

That seemed intriguing! To be honest, I am unsure how I feel about the book, probably because it took me so long to read it. I did give it four stars. Perhaps I was being generous. Anyway, this is my review on Goodreads…

Black Sun Rising (The Coldfire Trilogy, #1)Black Sun Rising by C.S. Friedman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This must be the first time that I have read a Fantasy/Science Fiction crossover. Friedman melds the two genres together in quite an interesting way, especially in her scene setting. The descriptions of the planet where the story takes place are a novel mix with alien creatures as well as “fae” forces and powers which act upon the planet and its inhabitants.

Unfortunately, some of the characters are less well drawn and the plot often drags in places, which is why I put the book aside for a while. The last third, or thereabouts, was probably the best part, but I am not sure whether I will read the rest of the trilogy.

View all my reviews

Now I am going to return to the book I am currently reading…

Happy Reading to you all!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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PS. By the way, on my wanders around the web I came across this list of the late David Bowie’s favourite books on the New York Public Library’s site. I must admit that I haven’t read many of them – he must have been far more erudite and intellectual than I am! Anyway, it’s certainly a very interesting list…

In Memoriam: David Bowie’s Top 100 Favorite Books

By Lauren Weiss, Social Media Marketing Associate

January 11, 2016

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Friday post 20/09/24: final Summer outfit?

Posted on 20/09/2024 by The Librain

So Friday has come around again and here is this week’s post. I haven’t been able to leave the house and have spent most of my time in bed. To keep Lovely Husband company, I try to go downstairs every afternoon to watch some TV with him and do the household chores that I am still capable of. On Monday, for example, we have our weekly Tesco delivery and I am able to assist with that quite a lot. LH now uses a stick, so finds it very difficult to carry things. Of course Elder Son is fit and able to help and he gives us a lot of support – we are very grateful for this.

I did manage to to put together a nice outfit on one of my better days. Here is the collage…

Outfit of the day 16/09/24 with Jaipur Blue Throwover by One Hundred Stars

This is what the throwover by One Hundred Stars looks like from the back…

Jaipur blue throwover by One Hundred Stars

I will now have to think about more autumnal outfits as the days cool. The linen, fine fabric kimonos, cotton dresses, sandals and vests will begin to make way for my cotton knit twinsets, jeans, shoes and boots…

AND

Scarves!!!!! Bring out the Hermès again! (And some others).

Time to sort them out, ready for wearing. This is a great example…

Sous le Charme d’Orphée double sided silk scarf by Hermès

Happy Weekend to you all.

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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Reading roundup 18/09/24

Posted on 18/09/2024 by The Librain

Welcome to my weekly post about the books I am reading. Last week, I finished another reread of a Guy Gavriel Kay book: The Last Light of the Sun. Then I had trouble choosing my next book with a few false starts. Finally, I decided to return to a book I was reading before the recent episode of depression. Unfortunately, I still haven’t finished it yet, so will have to write about it next week (assuming that I do get to the end).

So, that’s all my reading news!

Here’s the cover of the GGK book:

The Last Light of the Sun by Guy Gavriel Kay

Happy Reading to you all!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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Friday post 13/09/24: with two lovely kimonos

Posted on 13/09/2024 by The Librain

Welcome to this week’s Friday post! I managed to wear a couple of pretty outfits recently. Both were based on kimono jackets that were purchased from One Hundred Stars.

These are the jackets…

Kimonos by One Hundred Stars

To go with the kimonos I chose sleeveless vests (one white, one grey, both Lands’ End), trousers (navy Cotton Traders, grey Cotswold Collection), suitable earrings and the same necklace for both. Here are the collages for each outfit…

First the blue outfit:

Outfit of the day 01/09/24 with China Tree kimono jacket by One Hundred Stars

And the second:

Outfit of the day 08/09/24 with Ancient Columns kimono jacket by One Hundred Stars

I’ve just noticed that I have almost the same expression in the above photos! Not sure how I did that.

Anyway, I think that is all for now, so I wish you a Happy Weekend!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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Reading roundup 11/09/24

Posted on 11/09/2024 by The Librain

Welcome to my blog! I enjoyed my week’s break and have now uploaded this post about the books I have read. Regulars will know that I have been taking comfort in rereading some of the works of my favourite author, Guy Gavriel Kay. Last week, I decided that I was ready to try something new and so I chose this book…

Fractal Noise by Christopher Paolini

The book was Fractal Noise by Christopher Paolini, #0 Fractalverse series. I read #01, To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, back in 2021 and found it interesting and intriguing, if extremely long, (here is my post about it) so I thought that this would be worth reading.

Here is the blurb…

“July 25th, 2234: The crew of the Adamura discovers the Anomaly.

On the seemingly uninhabited planet Talos VII:a circular pit, 50 kilometers wide.

Its curve not of nature, but design.

Now, a small team must land and journey on foot across the surface to learn who built the hole and why.

But they all carry the burdens of lives carved out on disparate colonies in the cruel cold of space.

For some the mission is the dream of the lifetime, for others a risk not worth taking, and for one it is a desperate attempt to find meaning in an uncaring universe.

Each step they take toward the mysterious abyss is more punishing than the last.

And the ghosts of their past follow.”

This is my response on Goodreads…

Fractal Noise (Fractalverse #2)Fractal Noise by Christopher Paolini
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Having read Paolini’s gargantuan book To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, I was pleased to come across another in the series. As this is a prequel I was interested to see what the author would do. Thankfully, this book is a lot shorter!

The plot is a classic travel story, but one set on a planet with an extremely hostile environment: a dry, rocky desert plain with a powerful headwind. A small group of astronauts attempt to walk, dragging their equipment, towards a gigantic alien created hole in the ground. The tension between the travellers, aggravated by accidents, mistakes, malfunctions and aggressive behaviour is very well written and builds steadily towards the final ending. The noise made by the hole punctuates the writing and the increasing volume suffered by the astronauts is shown by increasing the size of the font. I could easily imagine how dreadful something like that would feel!

There is some controversy about the cover (AI) which has affected some of the book’s ratings, which seems to me to be quite unfair to the author.

View all my reviews

I have now returned to another GGK book, which I have almost finished. After that, I will choose a book from my library queue.

Happy reading to you all!

Love and best wishes,

Anne 

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Update 04/09/24: taking a short break

Posted on 04/09/2024 by The Librain

Lovely Husband and I have a week on our own because Elder Son is away. For that reason, I have a lot more to do and so I am taking a short break from writing this blog. If all is well, I will be back for next week’s Reading Roundup post.

Love and best wishes,

Anne

❤️

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Friday post 30/08/24: with my brightest scarf again!

Posted on 30/08/2024 by The Librain

So, Friday has come around again and this is the final post of August 2024! I have one outfit to share. In last Friday’s post I showed you my brightest scarf: Au Coeur de la Vie. Here is a reminder…

Au Coeur de la Vie by Aline Honoré for Hermès
Au Coeur de la Vie by Aline Honoré for Hermès

I wore it today with a navy dress from Lands’ End, some pretty earrings, Hotter sandals and a Halcyon Days turquoise enamel and gold bangle. The scarf was tied in an asymmetric wrap.

Outfit of the day 30/08/24 with Hermès’ Au Coeur de la Vie scarf

These are the bracelet, earrings and sandals mentioned above – such pretty colours!

Turquoise enamel and gold bangle by Halcyon Days
Multicolour earrings
Sandals - Flare aquamarine multi - Hotter
Sandals – Flare aquamarine multi – Hotter

I must try to wear some other nice outfits next week. My Summer dresses need to be worn before the weather cools!

Happy Weekend to you ll!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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Reading roundup 28/08/24

Posted on 28/08/2024 by The Librain

This week’s post is very short and, hopefully, sweet! I am still reading Guy Gavriel Kay’s wonderful trilogy, The Fionavar Tapestry, and am immersed in the final book, The Wandering Fire…

The Fionavar Tapestry series by Guy Gavriel Kay

If you have been following my recent posts, you may remember that I am trying to comfort myself after suffering an episode of severe depression. I decided to return to my most favourite writer and reread the books that I haven’t reread before, if you see what I mean. Some of his works are my cashmere blanket of reading: Tigana, A Song for Arbonne, and The Lions of Al-Rassan. When I reread these, as I have done many times, I feel wrapped up in a jewel-like world of familiar places and characters; taken out of myself, leaving my fears and worries behind.

Reading The Fionavar Tapestry again after all these years has been really wonderful. The books were written in the mid-1980s when I was in my late 20s/early 30s. Reading them again now I am in my late 60s has given me a new perspective. Some parts of the plot and characters have stayed in my memory, but others have opened up to me as if they were new. The whole experience has been uplifting and regenerative.

When I finish the final book I will try to choose something new to read. Perhaps I will find just the right book on the Library’s ebook service? I hope so.

Happy Reading to you all!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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