Friday is here and it’s going to be hot in this part of the UK later on today (I am writing this in the early morning). So, it’s time for a reveal! Some extremely expensive retail therapy has helped to lift my mood…
Ooh! One of those orange boxes and it’s a larger one than usual!
It’s cute inside!
Yes, I’m making you wait…
The ribbon is cute too…
Oh, I’ll stop teasing you. Here is the scarf…
Gorgeous colours!
Yes, it’s Tulipomanie designed by Aline Honoré for Hermès. This time it’s a cashmere/silk giant triangle. The purchasing code is H363964S 03, the dimensions are L 188 x H 94 cm, and the colours are Vermillon / Bleu Cobalt / Fuschia. Here are the images from the Hermès website…
Tulipomanie giant triangle by Hermès
Here are some closeups in a slideshow format…
I haven’t worn anything quite like this for years! Before my hair went grey, it was a mid-reddish brown and I sometimes wore shades of red and orange. Will this swamp me now that I am grey and ill? Do I care?
Well, I am not sure. I was intending to model the scarf today with some of my Autumn/Winter clothing, such as cashmere jumpers and a couple of wool dresses. However, it is far too hot to do that. The weather is due to cool down over the next week, so I will try to take some photos for next week’s post. I am also updating the Tulipomanie Scarf of the Moment post as many of you are aware. I have already uploaded the giant triangle colourways and I will add in some paragraphs and photos about my new purchase when I am able to.
Anyway, here is a taster: my new giant triangle with a cobalt cashmere v-neck from John Lewis…
Tulipomanie giant triangle with John Lewis cobalt cashmere v-neck
The colours in the image above are a little brighter than in real life, on this screen. The blue on the scarf is much closer to that of the jumper.
Phew! It’s really beginning to heat up now. Cue scorn from people who live in much hotter climates than I do! Our houses here are just not built for hot weather and we don’t get it often enough to justify air conditioning. I hope my fan does the trick today.
Welcome to this week’s post. I must apologise because this is going to be as unsatisfactory as last week’s! Unfortunately, I have been very ill and have really struggled to read books. In addition, I have made some poor choices. I don’t think that my low mood has affected my response to these books, but perhaps it has.
I managed to finish one, but the other has been put aside after I read a third of the book and I may return to it later. Here is the first cover:
To Make Them Pay by M A Comley
This is the book that I finished: To Make Them Pay by M A Comley, #03 DI Sam Cobbs series. The blurb seemed to be interesting enough…
“A Lake District thriller.
A twisted mind can be deadly…
When Brian Coltman is murdered after a night out with a friend, DI Sam Cobbs and her team need to find the motive behind the gruesome crime.
Intrigue and false starts threaten the investigation until a second body is found.
With her husband on the missing list, does Sam have what it takes to find the killer before they choose another victim, with one intention… to make them pay.”
I wrote a very short response on Goodreads. OK, I wasn’t feeling well!
This was an OK kind of read. I found the relationship between the main character and her sidekick irritating and the plot rather predictable. I don’t think I will return to the series.
After this, I was so pleased when I found a book by one of my favourite authors, Adrian Tchaikovsky:
Cage of Souls by Adrian Tchaikovsky
This stand alone book, Cage of Souls, sounded really interesting…
“The sun is bloated, diseased, dying perhaps. Beneath its baneful light, Shadrapar, last of all cities, harbours fewer than 100,000 human souls. Built on the ruins of countless civilisations, Shadrapar is a museum, a midden, an asylum, a prison on a world that is ever more alien to humanity.
Bearing witness to the desperate struggle for existence between life old and new is Stefan Advani: rebel, outlaw, prisoner, survivor. This is his testament, an account of the journey that took him into the blazing desolation of the western deserts; that transported him east down the river and imprisoned him in the verdant hell of the jungle’s darkest heart; that led him deep into the labyrinths and caverns of the underworld. He will meet with monsters, madman, mutants.
The question is, which one of them will inherit this Earth?”
Just my kind of book, I thought. Well, I managed around 30%, but really struggled to even reach that point. Anyway, I have decided to set it aside for a while (perhaps forever) and look for something that will hold my interest whilst I am struggling so much. I haven’t written a response on Goodreads because I thought it would not be fair.
Hello to you all. I must apologise once again for the low level content this week. The reason is that I have been more ill than usual with very difficult mental issues. I am hoping that I will recover enough to write properly next week.
Here is a lovely new season Hermès scarf to keep you going:
Tulipomanie giant triangle by Hermès H363964S 08
Oh, go on then, I think I can just manage to post another one…
Sous le Charme d’Orphée cashmere/silk shawl by Hermès H244177S 04
Note: I have updated the following Scarf of the Moment posts with the new scarf formats which have become available in the Autumn/Winter 2024 collections:
I hope you find these posts useful and interesting. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you find any errors in these posts or have additional information. I try to keep them updated so that they can provide helpful information.
Apologies dear friends and visitors! I have been very unwell for most of last week and have been unable to concentrate on reading. Having made several false starts I have not finished a book, which is very unusual for me.
I am beginning to feel better so I hope that I can return to a book in the next few days.
Hello and welcome to my blog. Regulars will know that I am a fan of Hermès shawls, scarves, twillies, and so on…! It is always exciting to see the new season’s designs and colourways as they appear. Yes, the fashion world unveils the Autumn/Winter season as early as this. Anyway, some interesting designs are beginning to appear on The Purse Forum, where they will be discussed and modelled for several months.
If you are a fan, it would be worth your time to follow this thread: …..Hermès Fall/Winter 2024 Scarves….. – there are some really gorgeous items! The prices are very high at the moment (I didn’t buy anything from the Spring/Summer season for that reason), but I must admit that something has caused my heart to flutter. I wonder if I can save up?
Anyway, here are some images to whet your appetite. Please note that these are all different sizes: 70cm, 90cm, 140cm etc.
Effet Kaléidoscope(Gianpaolo Pagni) H243800S 05 shawlStately Wheels (Stuart Patience) H004163S 02 scarfBagage à main (Rosa Maria Unda Souki) H004119S 04 scarfTulipomanie (Aline Honore) H363964S 11 giant triangleLes Folies de Faubourg (Elias Kafouros) H004147S 03 scarfMontura de Gaucho (Antonio Carrau) H244185S 01 shawlSous le Charme d’Orphée (Alice Shirley) H244177S 01 shawlLes Roues de Phaéton Bandana (Pierre Marie) H244170S 07 shawlJungle Love (Robert Dalett) H361876S 04 giant triangleEmile et une Nuit (Virginie Jamin) H004162S 07 scarf
Phew! So many lovelies, but I haven’t shown the one I am captivated by…
So, we are already in the second half of the year and I hope everyone is enjoying their reading. I had a bit of a 👍 and a 👎 kind of week, in that one of my two books was brilliant and the other, well, 👎👎👎👎👎!!!
Here is the first…
The Death of Dulgath by Michael J Sullivan
Yes, I have been enjoying The Riyria Chronicles by Michael J Sullivan so much that I had to read the third book in the series: The Death of Dulgath.
This is the blurb…
“Three times they tried to kill her. Then a professional was hired. So was Riyria. When the last member of the oldest noble family in Avryn is targeted for assassination, Riyria is hired to foil the plot. Three years have passed since the war-weary mercenary Hadrian and the cynical ex-assassin Royce joined forces to start life as rogues-for-hire. Things have gone well enough until they’re asked to help prevent a murder. Now they must venture into an ancient corner of the world to save a mysterious woman who knows more about Royce than is safe and cares less about herself than is sane.
From the best-selling author of The Riyria Revelations comes the third installment of The Riyria Chronicles. Although part of a series, it’s designed to thrill both new readers looking for fun, fast-paced fantasy and Riyria veterans wishing to reunite with old friends.”
For me, this was the best book in the series so far and worth the full five stars on Goodreads. Here is my response from that site:
I think this must be my favourite of the series so far, and I will definitely carry on reading. These books are a brilliant mix of terrific characters, an ingenious plot, dark humour and a little magic “something” that makes them gripping and unputdownable! Out two heroes become embroiled in a dark mystery with some new and interesting characters. Does everything turn out OK? Well, you would have to read these books yourself to find out!
After that I thought that I would take a short break from the series and try something new…
The Cold Call Killer by Emmy Ellis
My chosen book was The Cold Call Killer by Emmy Ellis, #01 DI Bethany Smith. Let’s have the blurb…
““Hello?” “Good afternoon. I’m calling from Bishway Solutions, and I’d like to offer you a free trial for justice served—” “Haven’t you got anything better to do than phone people up, bugging them to—” “Haven’t you got anything better to do than having an affair?” “Who the hell is this?” “You need to watch your back.”
The line goes dead.
Detective Bethany Smith is called out to 21 Bladen Avenue, the home of Jason and Georgia Holt.
It’s one of the worst murder scenes she’s ever seen.
In the middle of the living room, Jason lies motionless in front of the fireplace. He’s been opened up like a can of tuna. His innards have been removed. His face is pulp.
Jason’s wife found him. No one should ever have to see their spouse like that.
Days later, in another home across the city, a young woman answers the “How does it feel to have killed someone while you’re in the process of removing their baby?”
It’s the last call she’ll take.
An exhilarating crime thriller with a shocking ending you won’t see coming.”
I thought that seemed interesting and readers had rated it as 4.16 stars on Goodreads, so I downloaded it to my iPad’s Kindle app. Now I am going to write my response here as I don’t want to put it on Goodreads:
”To be quite honest, this is one of the worst crime books that I have ever read. Judging by online reviews and ratings, I am in a minority, but I can see that there are some people who agree with me. The writing is clunky and basic, the main characters are not well described, and the plot is illogical and over the top. The murders are gruesome and almost ridiculous. So much is piled on and on that I, as the poor reader, felt overwhelmed. There is no mystery in the book because we know who the murderer is from the beginning.
Why did I waste my precious reading time with this? I have no idea!”
No, I won’t be reading more books in the series!
For my next read I have chosen a book recommended by a Facebook fantasy readers group. I hope this one is worth my time. I will let you know in next week’s post.
Friday is here again! Not that it makes much difference when you have retired. Anyway, I am feeling quite proud of myself today. You see, yesterday I managed to go out by myself! That is such an achievement for me these days. Because I spend so much of my life in bed, I am developing agoraphobia. I feel so scared to leave the house. It’s where I feel safe and comfortable.
So, I had planned to go into town and get my hair cut. I was nervous about going, but Elder Son usually comes with me as a support. Our local bus service is very infrequent, so we also have to use taxis. Since my stroke in 2019 I am unable to drive. ES helps me negotiate everything and I am so grateful. We also had plans to go to a café after my haircut for a treat!
Well, plans don’t always work out, do they? I am not going to explain what happened, but I ended up going on my own and the café visit didn’t happen. I did wear a lovely outfit, though!
Here are the usual before and after photos…
Before and after pics 27/06/24
Yes, I finally was able to wear the lovely Ancient Columns outfit by One Hundred Stars. This is a reminder of how the two items, a kimono and a dress, look…
Ancient Columns dress by One Hundred Stars
Ancient Columns kimono by One Hundred Stars
I had planned the whole outfit: bronze leather sandals by K Shoes, gold earrings, enamel and rose gold bangle by Liberty of London, and a silver and pewter leather Diane handbag by Massaccesi…
Outfit of the day 27/06/24
We will definitely have to plan another trip into town, after all I must have an opportunity to have tea and cake! Oh, and wear another lovely outfit that I have planned in my head.
Welcome to my weekly reading post. Every Wednesday I write about the book(s) I have read during the previous week. I usually finish one or two (my pace has slowed down a lot since I had a stroke in 2019). Also, I log all of my books on Goodreads with a short response. I wish I had been able to do that during my over 60 years of reading. What a list I would have!
Here’s the first of the week…
The Rose and the Thorn by Michael J Sullivan
Having really enjoyed the first book in Michael J Sullivan’s series, The Riyira Chronicles, last week, I went straight on to book two: The Rose and the Thorn. This is the blurb:
“A dear friend is brutally beaten. Two thieves want answers. Riyria is born.”
“One year earlier, two thieves were saved from certain death by the compassion of a stranger. Unable to forget the woman who saved their lives, Royce and Hadrian now return to Gwen DeLancy and are shocked when she refuses to speak to them. Baffled, the two thieves discover Gwen has been brutally beaten by a powerful noble–beaten so badly she can’t face them. But Gwen doesn’t know about Royce’s past, doesn’t understand how much he cares for her, and doesn’t realize what he is capable of–but she’s about to find out.”
I was unsure whether this second book would be as gripping as the first one, but it was. Here is my response on Goodreads…
This was an enjoyable and satisfying read. I loved the developing relationship between the two main protagonists, Royce and Hadrian, which brings a touch of humour. There were more POV characters who became a gripping part of the plot with a lot of plotting! All in all, I am starting to love these books as they are a great way to escape a difficult life.
I may take a break for a while, but will soon return to Sullivan’s brilliant books.
Next, I decided to read a book from my library ebook app. The book has been made into a TV series and has had a lot of attention and hype…
The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
The book was The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris. I didn’t expect to enjoy this book exactly, given the subject matter, but I did hope that I might learn something new and be somewhat affected emotionally. This is the blurb (very detailed, for once):
“The Tattooist of Auschwitz is based on the true story of Lale and Gita Sokolov, two Slovakian Jews who survived Auschwitz and eventually made their home in Australia. In that terrible place, Lale was given the job of tattooing the prisoners marked for survival – literally scratching numbers into his fellow victims’ arms in indelible ink to create what would become one of the most potent symbols of the Holocaust. Lale used the infinitesimal freedom of movement that this position awarded him to exchange jewels and money taken from murdered Jews for food to keep others alive. If he had been caught, he would have been killed; many owed him their survival.
There have been many books about the Holocaust – and there will be many more. What makes this one so memorable is Lale Sokolov’s incredible zest for life. He understood exactly what was in store for him and his fellow prisoners, and he was determined to survive – not just to survive but to leave the camp with his dignity and integrity intact, to live his life to the full. Terrible though this story is, it is also a story of hope and of courage. It is also – almost unbelievably – a love story. Waiting in line to be tattooed, terrified and shaking, was a young girl. For Lale – a dandy, a jack-the-lad, a bit of a chancer – it was love at first sight, and he determined not only to survive himself but to ensure that Gita did, too. His story – their story – will make you weep, but you will also find it uplifting. It shows the very best of humanity in the very worst of circumstances.
Like many survivors, Lale and Gita told few people their story after the war. They eventually made their way to Australia, where they raised a son and had a successful life. But when Gita died, Lale felt he could no longer carry the burden of their past alone. He chose to tell his story.”
Very poor writing about an interesting and heartbreaking (true?) story. I managed to finish, because I wanted to know how everything turned out, but it was an effort to read the dry, stilted prose. It felt like reading a terribly bad translation.
There are so many better books about these horrific events and I definitely won’t stir myself to read her other books in the series.
If any of you have read this book (or any of the others that I write about each week), I would love to know your own responses. Please comment if you want to.
Hello and welcome to today’s post. There isn’t really a theme today, more like bits and pieces. I have bought a new “dress”, planned an outfit that I sadly didn’t wear, wore a different outfit to watch TV with Lovely Husband, and got dressed in another that only lasted a few minutes before I fainted!
So, let’s go through all of this in order:
Here is my new “dress”…
Cotton nightdress by Lands’ End
Yes, I was looking for a cotton jersey midi length dress for the warmer weather and I found this in the Lands’ End sale! But it’s a nightdress, you say. It is, but it also works as a dress perfectly well and I will wear it as such 😂🤣😂🤣.
I am intending to wear it with suitable scarves and jewellery, especially this new-to-me scarf that I wrote about last week…
Roseraie mousseline scarf designed by Christiane Vauzelle for Hermès
Now, let’s look at the lovely planned outfit that I didn’t wear. Elder Son and I had decided to go into our local town, run a few errands and then have an indulgent lunch. Unfortunately, I was feeling very ill on the day and couldn’t go. This is the clothing I was hoping to wear, with lovely silver accessories:
Dress and kimono in Ancient Columns by One Hundred Stars
Diane handbag by Marco Massaccesi
Well, of course I wouldn’t have looked like the model, but I am really looking forward to wearing this ensemble as soon as I have the opportunity.
Moving on, I did manage to get dressed and go downstairs to watch a TV programme with LH. I wore an old navy t-shirt, linen trousers by Cotton Traders, lapis lazuli earrings and my Hermès 70cm scarf: Au Royaume d’Helios. Here are the scarf and the earrings:
Au Royaume d’Helios by Matthieu Cossé for Hermès
Lapis lazuli earrings by Noqra Designs on Etsy
And here I am wearing them…
Outfit of the day 17/06/24 with Hermès’ Au Royaume d’Helios scarf
Yesterday, I was planning to go down and spend some time with LH, but it was not to be. Anyway, this is the dress that I wore:
Leopard print dress by Marks and Spencer
Phew! Well that was a longer post than I expected! I will definitely try to wear some nice outfits next week, although if the temperatures soar I may end up sitting in front of a fan in only my vest and knickers (and, no, I won’t take a selfie!!!).
Hello, and welcome to this week’s post. Unfortunately, I am not feeling very well today. Elder Son was going to take me out for lunch, but I had an awful coughing attack last night and then woke up with horrible nausea etc. this morning. Anyway, I have read a great book this last week, so I will write about that.
Recently, I joined a Fantasy and Science Fiction group on Facebook. There are loads of posts every day and so many tempting recommendations! It’s rather overwhelming. I have downloaded several ebooks already and decided to read one last week…
The Crown Tower by Michael J Sullivan
The book was The Crown Tower by Michael J Sullivan (#01 The Riyria Chronicles). The book is part of a series, which was written after another series set in the same world. I decided to read the books in their chronological order, instead of their publication order.
First, we have the blurb:
“TWO MEN WHO HATE EACH OTHER. ONE IMPOSSIBLE MISSION. A LEGEND IN THE MAKING.
A warrior with nothing to fight for is paired with a thieving assassin with nothing to lose. Together they must steal a treasure that no one can reach. The Crown Tower is the impregnable remains of the grandest fortress ever built and home to the realm’s most valuable possessions. But it isn’t gold or jewels the old wizard is after, and this prize can only be obtained by the combined talents of two remarkable men. Now if Arcadias can just keep Hadrian and Royce from killing each other, they just might succeed.”
That really doesn’t say enough about the book! Let’s just say that I really enjoyed it – I am already half way through the sequel. Here is my response on Goodreads:
I really enjoyed this book and am so pleased that I have found the author! It’s great when you come across a “new to you” writer who has created several well received and recommended series.
I loved the relationship between the two main male characters, the parallel plot with the female characters, the dark humour, the scene setting and the unexpected (by me) twists in the story. It is all very well done!
I am now really looking forward to reading more books set in this world!
Former professional school librarian, now retired through chronic illness. Trying to keep cheerful by reading, drinking lots of tea, blogging my new life, and my love of bling!
The Librain
The Librain......retired 
Dear Lauren, thank you so much for this kind and lovely comment! Love & best wishes, Anne XXX