Reading roundup 26/01/22

Posted on 26/01/2022 by The Librain

Welcome to this week’s Reading Roundup! I hope you are reading some great books.

I have read two really different books over the last week. They were chosen randomly from the Library Service’s ebook catalogue. This is the first one…

The Devil and the Dark Water
by Stuart Turton

The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton is a detective/mystery set on a 17th century Dutch ship sailing the high seas. Very different from my usual choices. This is the blurb:

“A murder on the high seas. A detective duo. A demon who may or may not exist.

It’s 1634 and Samuel Pipps, the world’s greatest detective, is being transported to Amsterdam to be executed for a crime he may, or may not, have committed. Traveling with him is his loyal bodyguard, Arent Hayes, who is determined to prove his friend innocent.

But no sooner are they out to sea than devilry begins to blight the voyage. A twice-dead leper stalks the decks. Strange symbols appear on the sails. Livestock is slaughtered.

And then three passengers are marked for death, including Samuel.

Could a demon be responsible for their misfortunes?

With Pipps imprisoned, only Arent can solve a mystery that connects every passenger onboard. A mystery that stretches back into their past and now threatens to sink the ship, killing everybody on board.”

Well, that sounds intriguing, doesn’t it? I saw that the author had won a prize for his first book and that this one was his second. This is my response:

The Devil and the Dark WaterThe Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I suppose it really deserves 3 and 3/4 stars.

This was an intriguing and, for the most part, an interesting and enthralling tale set on the high seas. Murder and mayhem take place on a 17th century Dutch sailing ship travelling across the Indian Ocean on the way to Amsterdam. I suppose you could call it a maritime locked room mystery, with the ship itself being the locked room.

I enjoyed reading about the characters and the setting but, for me, the whole book was a little too long and I found myself losing interest at times. At one point, I even put the book aside and read something else, then returned to it later. Now, this is most probably my own issue, as other reviewers have awarded the full five stars.

Anyway, the book is certainly different and has plenty of surprises in the plot that will hold most readers’ attention.

View all my reviews

After this, I again chose a book based on the blurb and came up with this…

Station Eleven
by Emily St John Mandel

It’s just as well that I read the blurb, because the cover used on the catalogue (not this one) was dire! Anyway, here is the blurb:

“Set in the days of civilization’s collapse, Station Eleven tells the story of a Hollywood star, his would-be savior, and a nomadic group of actors roaming the scattered outposts of the Great Lakes region, risking everything for art and humanity.

One snowy night a famous Hollywood actor slumps over and dies onstage during a production of King Lear. Hours later, the world as we know it begins to dissolve. Moving back and forth in time—from the actor’s early days as a film star to fifteen years in the future, when a theater troupe known as the Traveling Symphony roams the wasteland of what remains—this suspenseful, elegiac, spellbinding novel charts the strange twists of fate that connect five people: the actor, the man who tried to save him, the actor’s first wife, his oldest friend, and a young actress with the Traveling Symphony, caught in the crosshairs of a dangerous self-proclaimed prophet.”

I also saw that the book had won or been nominated for several awards. This was my review:

Station ElevenStation Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Well, what can I say about this book? I have just seen that several friends read this back when it was first published. I have just read it whilst in the middle (?) of a pandemic! We have no idea how our own disaster will turn out and, so far, we have not lost as many people as in the book. But, who knows?

There is certainly a poignancy about reading a book of this genre at the present time. In fact, I almost gave it a swerve, but I am glad that I didn’t. That’s because the book is soooo good! I loved how the plot moved forwards and backwards in time. How we met, left for a while, and then returned to central characters. How some of those characters also met up with each other, then left, then returned. How we, and they, found out things about their past and present lives.

Such an amazing, inventive and clever book. Don’t give it a swerve, even during our present crisis!

View all my reviews

This was a truly excellent book and well worth reading and it was definitely interesting to read my friends’ responses, written in such different times!

I am now about to begin a new book. I think I have read everything by the author to date and this is his new book and the start of a new series – so I am pretty excited!

Happy Reading to you all!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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Update 24/01/22 with light sources!

Posted on 24/01/2022 by The Librain

Welcome to a new week on my blog. I do hope that you had a great weekend.

Ours was rather up and down. The stress of these current times is really getting to Elder Son. In addition to his usual “quirks”, he seems to be developing OCD and it is getting worse as the weeks go by. He gets extremely anxious about certain rituals, despite all the support that I try to give him, then builds up into a huge meltdown. On Saturday, I simply reached my own maximum level of coping and had a really dreadful panic attack, followed by a horrible migraine with aura on Sunday.

Tough times!

Anyway, we keep trundling along. I did manage to do a few, very mundane, household tasks. One of them was buying new lightbulbs! After sorting through our box of new ones, I realised that we didn’t have enough. Then I checked online and found out that everything has changed. How did I miss this information? Perhaps this is one of those moments I keep having where my memory problems are erasing stuff from my brain? To cut a very boring story short, I ended up making a grid on the iPad of our needs for the house and garage and stocking up with the new LED bulbs. These are very expensive, but should last a long time and will, hopefully, cut down the electricity bills a little.

I admit that it must have looked very funny when I had to install some of the new bulbs in our dining room. There I was, wobbling on the step ladder with ES holding me around my rather rotund middle, whilst I reached up to each light fitment. Lovely Husband was attempting to discuss each bulb as he passed it to me and also trying to make sure that ES was bracing me properly. Despite all of the arguing, wobbling and balancing we did manage to finish the job!

Here’s a lovely photo to finish off today’s post. I have tried to find out more details about the photograph, but have not yet come across anything. If anyone contacts me with them, I will, of course, edit the page. It really is amazing, isn’t it?

OK then, that’s all for today. As usual, I am planning to post my Reading Roundup on Wednesday and Outfits of the Week on Friday, all being well.

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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Update 21/01/22 with something old!

Posted on 21/01/2022 by The Librain

Apologies. I haven’t been able to write an Outfits of the Week post today because I have stayed in pyjamas all week! To be honest, I have been really under the weather, both physically and mentally, and haven’t been able to raise enough energy to get dressed. So, I will have to try to pull myself together next week.

I will leave you with a lovely item that really intrigued me…

I find the whole thought of this Ancient Greek domestic arrangement from the island of Delos really amazing. Imagine the three pots simmering with wonderful stews and the frying pan sizzling something delicious. I love the decoration on what must have been a fairly mundane household object. And it’s 2,500 years old!

Now I will wish you all a very Happy Weekend.

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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Reading roundup 19/01/22

Posted on 19/01/2022 by The Librain

Have you read some good books lately? Or even great books? Well, I am pleased to be able to say that I have read some really interesting and absorbing books over the last week.

In my last Reading Roundup post, I wrote about how much I had enjoyed the first book from a series: Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen, #01 The Queen of the Tearling. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I simply had to read the rest of the series straight away. Usually, I read other books in between parts of a series, but this time I couldn’t restrain myself. I just had to find out what happened! 

Invasion of the Tearling
by Erika Johansen

I started to read the second book as soon as I finished the first – one of the advantages of reading ebooks. Anyway, here is the blurb for The Invasion of the Tearling:

“With each passing day, Kelsea Glynn is growing into her new responsibilities as Queen of the Tearling. By stopping the shipments of slaves to the neighbouring kingdom of Mortmesne, she crossed the Red Queen, a brutal ruler whose power derives from dark magic, who is sending her fearsome army into the Tearling to take what is hers. And nothing can stop the invasion.

But as the Mort army draws ever closer, Kelsea develops a mysterious connection to a time before the Crossing, and she finds herself relying on a strange and possibly dangerous ally: a woman named Lily, fighting for her life in a world where being female can feel like a crime. The fate of the Tearling – and that of Kelsea’s own soul – may rest with Lily and her story, but Kelsea may not have enough time to find out.”

I found this second book as absorbing as the first! This is my response on Goodreads:

The Invasion of the Tearling (The Queen of the Tearling, #2)The Invasion of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Yet again this is a kind of fantasy and science fiction mix, with more of the latter this time around. It is difficult to write about these books without giving too much away! So, apologies if this is very short.

I liked the way that the plot revealed a lot more of the back story to the events in the “Present” timeline. We also found out a lot more about some of the main characters’ histories. Parts of the book seemed to move very slowly (the reason for the loss of one star), but most of it was interesting and often really gripping.

Our heroine is growing up and changing in intriguing ways and a lot of loose ends and developments have been clearly left for the third book. I was intending to read something different first, but now I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds!

Finally, I did also enjoy the feminist slant at times!

View all my reviews

So, after that I had to move on to the third book in the series: 

The Fate of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

Here is the blurb for The Fate of the Tearling:

“In less than a year, Kelsea Glynn has transformed from a gawky teenager into a powerful monarch.

As she has come into her own as the Queen of the Tearling, the headstrong, visionary leader has also transformed her realm. In her quest to end corruption and restore justice, she has made many enemies – including the evil Red Queen, her fiercest rival, who has set her armies against the Tear.

To protect her people from a devastating invasion, Kelsea did the unthinkable – she surrendered herself and her magical sapphires to her enemy, and named the Mace, the trusted head of her personal guards, Regent in her place. But the Mace will not rest until he and his men rescue their sovereign from her prison in Mortmesne.

Now the endgame begins and the fate of Queen Kelsea – and the Tearling itself – will finally be revealed . . .”

I had to discover how the author would draw it all to a conclusion! This is my response:

The Fate of the TearlingThe Fate of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well, this book is definitely difficult to write about without spoilers! It is certainly a polarising ending to an interesting and unusual series.

I absolutely loved the whole thing, with its mix of fantasy and science fiction elements. These did jar a little at first, but by the time I arrived at this final book, I had become used to the whole idea. I don’t think I have read anything like these books before and am definitely waiting to see what the author comes up with next.

Now, I will have a rest and a long think about the impact this series had on me!

View all my reviews

If you are considering reading the series, it would definitely be worth your time to read reviews from a range of sites. The books are “marmite” for many. There also appears to be a prequel available from the author, Beneath the Keep, so I may try that later on. I am going to return to a different book that I abandoned halfway through to read this series (something that I never, ever do!!!).

I do hope that you have a great week of reading!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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Scarf of the moment: Le Premier Chant

Posted on 17/01/2022 by The Librain

It is always an exciting time for scarfie fans when a new season’s Hermès scarves and shawls begin to appear online. This new season, Spring/Summer 2022, started to show a couple of months ago. Many of us pore over the emerging photos and check daily to see whether our favourites are in the boutiques or on the website.

So, I was thrilled when this scarf popped up on the UK Hermès site. I knew that I was getting some purple items for Christmas and then Le Premier Chant, 90cm silk carré, in violet, bleu glacier, jaune, purchase code H003799S 06, appeared and I fell down the Hermès slippery silk slope! The designers are Sophia Andreotti and Edouard Baribeaud.

Le Premier Chant by Sophia Andreotti and Edouard Baribeaud for Hermès

Description

Usually, at this point, I enjoy writing a fairly detailed impression of the scarf. This time, however, I am going to entertain and amaze you with this wonderful description, written by one of the fantastic posters on The Purse Forum: Josie Sullivan, “Living.la.vida.fifi”. (She has kindly given me her permission to post it here).

Le Premier Chant by Sophie Andreotti and Edouard Baribeaud

“Hermès wonderful carré, Le Premier Chant, (The First Song), designed by Sophia Andreotti and Edouard Baribaud for its Spring/Summer 2022 collection is not only a festival of color and beautiful patterns, but a design full of deep meaning and symbolism.

The illustration depicts a young woman in her room adorned by beautifully patterned textiles with a starry desert landscape beyond. As an inspired singer, her treasured possessions are close: her guitar, microphone, amplifier, and on a nearby table, a book entitled La Loba: the female wolf of lore; the mythical empowered female who is a wild creative force. The young singer arches her back to belt out a song filled with the force of a primordial chant. Her song rises organically as a beautiful, rhythmical tidal wave and becomes a hymn of creation, an anthem to the power of the artistic soul.

The myth and lore of the primordial chant, of a song of creation, appears in the literature and folklore of various cultures throughout the ages. Historically the Book of Genesis was sung by the ancient Hebrews; the Celts spoke of the Oran Mor, or neverending Great Melody; Australian aborigines tell of their land having been sung into being.

Perhaps one of the best known and poetic examples of the song of creation exists in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Silmarillion. Tolkien begins his creation myth by describing how the universe is “sung into being” by spiritual creatures named the Ainur. These creatures are invited by God to sing a great song of creation, having been provided a theme upon which they are to improvise.

The fabled God states, “Of the theme that I have declared to you, I will now that ye make in harmony together a Great Music. And since I have kindled you with the Flame Imperishable, ye shall show forth your powers in adorning this theme, each with his own thoughts and devices, if he will. But I will sit and hearken, and be glad that through you great beauty has been wakened into song.” C.S. Lewis illustrates a similar tale of song and creation in his The Magician’s Nephew, where the noble Aslan sings and the world begins to take form.

But the book displayed on the young singer’s tabletop may be more indicative of her spirit and the source of her inspiration. It is entitled La Loba, (The She-Wolf), alluding to the mythical, wild woman of the Pueblo people popularized by Clarissa Pinkola Estés in her Women Who Run With the Wolves.

According to Estés, the tale tells of a woman who lives in a remote cave waiting for wanderers and seekers to visit. She toils collecting bones and “to collect and preserve especially that which is in danger of being lost to the world.” Estés explains that “when she has assembled an entire skeleton, when the last bone is in place and the beautiful white sculpture of the creature is laid out before her, she sits by the fire and thinks about what song she will sing. And when she is sure, she stands over the criatura, raises her arms over it, and sings out. That is when the rib bones and leg bones of the wolf begin to flesh out and the creature becomes furred. La Loba sings some more, and more of the creature comes into being; its tail curls upward, shaggy and strong. And La Loba sings more and the wolf creature begins to breathe. And still La Loba sings so deeply that the floor of the desert shakes, and as she sings, the wolf opens its eyes, leaps up, and runs away down the canyon. Somewhere in its running, whether by the speed of its running, or by splashing its way into a river, or by way of a ray of sunlight or moonlight hitting it right in the side, the wolf is suddenly transformed into a laughing woman who runs free toward the horizon.

So, in essence, we are witnessing that mythical, powerful, utterly creative Wolf Woman in a young modern incarnation, bringing the universe to life and displaying the power of her song. Estés poetically states, “So it is said that if you wander the desert, and it is near sundown, and you are perhaps a little bit lost, and certainly tired, that you are lucky, for La Loba may take a liking to you and show you something – something of the Soul.

In this carré, we meet that youthful woman who runs with wolves and weaves her magical and powerful tale. The design is full of beautiful, decorative patterns evocative of Indian miniatures and the dense jungles of Rousseau in the artists’ unique style. A design not only full of harmonious patterns, symmetries, colors and textures, but also of dynamic juxtapositions, it is a fascinating pean to the creative spirit and the female force.

-Josie Sullivan

Colourways

These are the colourways for the Spring/Summer 2022 silk 90cm scarves. I have added in the codes to help those of you who wish to purchase this scarf.

H003799S 01
H003799S 02
H003799S 03
H003799S 04
H003799S 05
H003799S 06
H003799S 07
H003799S 09

Design story

The design story has finally appeared on the Hermès website!

”Sophia Andreotti and Edouard Baribeaud pay tribute to the creative energy of women, from Enheduanna, a Sumerian priestess and the earliest known poet whose name has been recorded, to painter Frida Kahlo and musician Patti Smith. As emblematic figures of their time, their view of the world and their freedom continue to inspire contemporary artists. The curtain opens and on stage a rock musician passionately sings to the world, her electric guitar propped nearby. From the microphone emerge parrots and butterflies in an eye-catching swirling motif; a wolf swiftly leaps into this scene brimming with art history references, particularly to Indian miniatures and traditional Mexican fabrics.”

Details

Here are some closeups of my scarf in a slideshow format:

How I wear the scarf

This is such a gorgeous scarf  but, because I have recently purchased it, I have only managed to wear it a couple of times so far. So far, I have worn it with my purple and blue clothing, but it would also look great with white, yellow and pink.

Outfit of the day 25/12/21 with Hermès’ Le Premier Chant scarf
Outfit of the day 13/01/22 with Hermès’ Le Premier Chant scarf

Scarf ties

I have tried on this scarf in a variety of ways. At the moment, as it is so new, the silk fabric is very crisp and stiff so doesn’t fall easily into soft folds. Anyway, you can get the general idea of how it looks when worn. It would also make a lovely framed art work!

Le Premier Chant – selection of scarf ties

Background information

The subject of the scarf’s design does not need any further details, but there is some information about the designers: Sophia Andreotti and Edouard Baribeaud.

Edouard Baribeaud 
https://edbaribeaud.com/
Official site.

Edouard Baribeaud for Drake’s
https://www.drakes.com/editorial/edouard-baribeaud-for-drake-s/
Interview with Edouard Baribeaud showing some of his work.

This is from Baribeaud’s Instagram:

I hope readers have found this exploration of Le Premier Chant both interesting and useful. Once again, if you find any errors or have any additional information that I could add, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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Updated 19/02/22 to add the Design Story from the Hermès website.

Posted in Scarf of the moment, Scarves | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Outfits of the week 14/01/22

Posted on 14/01/2022 by The Librain

This week I have a couple of nice outfits to show you: one that I only wore indoors and the other that I actually wore outside. This is the first one, based around Hermès’ men’s 100cm wool scarf, Sweet Dreams…

Outfit of the day 11/01/22 with Hermès’ Sweet Dreams

The blues in this scarf are wonderful! And the greys, and the pattern. Also, as I wear it more and more, it continues to soften. With the scarf, I wore my newish WoolOvers cashmere/merino dark grey v-neck jumper and navy cord trousers from Lands’ End. A blue enamel and gold chain bangle by Halcyon Days completed the outfit.

The next picture shows the monsters on the scarf more clearly, although the colours appear muted. The blue shades in my photo above are closer to the real thing.

Sweet Dreams - Hermès
Sweet Dreams – Hermès

Now, we have the second outfit. I had to go to the opticians’ yesterday to pick up my new glasses. As I have to take any opportunity to wear some of my nicer clothes and accessories, this was the ensemble that I went out in…

Outfit of the day 13/01/22 with Hermès’ Le Premier Chant

Outfit details:

  • Lilac cashmere v-neck jumper – Marks and Spencer.
  • Navy stretch cord trousers – Lands’ End.
  • Silver leather wrap bracelet – Massaccesi.
  • Pewter leather and white shoes – Hotter.
  • Purple Africa leather Selene handbag – Massaccesi.
  • Silk 90cm scarf in purple, blue and yellow – Le Premier Chant – Hermès. Tied in an asymmetric knot using a mother of pearl scarf ring by MaiTai.

Yes, this was the first proper outing for my new scarf! I have placed the Hermès image of it below to remind you of the details (the picture in the collage is a bit too small).

Le Premier Chant – Hermès

OK, that is all for this week. I do hope that you have a nice weekend. The weather has been very sunny here for a while, so I am keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn’t rain. I want a nice bright day to take some more scarf photos!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

💕💗💖💗💕

Posted in Clothes, Outfit of the day, Scarves, Wardrobe | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Reading roundup 12/01/22

Posted on 12/01/2022 by The Librain

I do hope that you have read some great books since I last posted. I have read two very different books and I think I have found a new author and series to enjoy!

Right, here we go…

Devil’s Fjord by David Hewson

When I saw this book, Devil’s Fjord by David Hewson, on the ebook catalogue, I was really intrigued when I read that it is set in the Faroe Islands. As I have never read a book set there before, it seemed a good idea to try this one.

Here is the blurb:

“New District Sheriff Tristan Haraldsen uncovers a series of dark secrets when he investigates the disappearance of two boys in the remote Faroe Islands. Newly-appointed District Sheriff Tristan Haraldsen and his wife Elsebeth are looking forward to a peaceful semi-retirement in the remote fishing village of Djevulsfjord on the stunningly beautiful island of Vagar. But when two boys go missing during the first whale hunt of the season, the repercussions strike at the heart of the isolated coastal community. As he pursues his investigations, Tristan discovers that the Mikkelsen brothers aren’t the first young men to have vanished on Vagar. Determined to solve the mystery of Djevulsfjord, yet encountering suspicion wherever he turns, Haraldsen comes to realize he and his wife are not living in the rural paradise they had imagined, and that the wild beauty of the region hides a far darker reality.”

I definitely found the book very unusual! The genres would be mystery/crime/Scandi Noir, I think. This is my three star response on Goodreads:

Devil's FjordDevil’s Fjord by David Hewson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a very dark and bleak story set on the remote Faroe Islands. I wonder what the Faroese make of this book as it doesn’t do the locals any favours at all! The life seems to be very hard and grim and I have read about the mass killing of whales and seen photos.

I found the book quite absorbing, but there was really very little to leaven the intensity and relentlessness of the action. There were some descriptive passages describing the beauty of the scenery.

All in all, I am glad that I read the book and would try another by the same author.

View all my reviews

Well, after that I really needed something totally different.

This is the book that I chose:

Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

I was reading something online, I can’t remember what it was, when someone mentioned this book, very favourably. When I looked it up, it seemed to be just my kind of book: Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen, #01 The Queen of the Tearling.

This is the blurb:

”Her throne awaits . . . if she can live long enough to take it.

It was on her nineteenth birthday that the soldiers came for Kelsea Glynn. They’d come to escort her back to the place of her birth – and to ensure she survives long enough to be able to take possession of what is rightfully hers.

But like many nineteen-year-olds, Kelsea is unruly, has high principles and believes she knows better than her elders. Unlike many nineteen-year-olds, she is about to inherit a kingdom that is on its knees – corrupt, debauched and dangerous.

Kelsea will either become the most fearsome ruler the kingdom has ever known . . . or be dead within the week.

Combining thrilling adventure and action, dark magic, mystery and romance, The Queen of the Tearling is the debut of a born storyteller blessed with a startling imagination.”

I was drawn into this book and read it in a couple of sessions. Well worth four stars and maybe I should have given it the full five! Anyhow, here is my review:

The Queen of the Tearling (The Queen of the Tearling, #1)The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After reading some of the reviews on here, this book appears to have had a very opposing response amongst many Goodreaders. In my case, I read the book quickly and really enjoyed it. I didn’t look at deep meanings or try to explore below the surface, but just lost myself in the tale.

I don’t think I would classify it as Young Adult, due to some of the content, and I understand that it wasn’t really marketed as such. Anyway, it was refreshing to read a fantasy book with an interesting and strong heroine. I will enjoy seeing how the author develops her character in subsequent books.

In addition, there were hints of a science fiction element to the book, with mentions of America and Britain. These were rather jarring at first, but I then became interested to see how this will all pan out!

Now, do I go back to my reading list or go and get the next one in the series?

View all my reviews

Well, what do you think that I did? For the answer, you will have to keep an eye on this blog or follow me on Goodreads!

Happy Reading to you all!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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Update 10/01/22

Posted on 10/01/2022 by The Librain

I do hope that you had a good weekend. Ours was quite peaceful, for once, which was very welcome. So, now we have a new week ahead…

For today, I have been trying to get a Scarf of the Moment post about my newest scarf, Le Premier Chant, ready to upload. I have managed to get most of it written, but still need to take some modelling photos of possible scarf ties. Unfortunately, I have not been feeling strong enough on the days when the light has been good, so have not got the photos taken yet. Because of this, I am giving myself another week and hope to have it ready to post next Monday.

I leave you with this photo instead…

Bronze statuette of a veiled and masked dancer, 3rd–2nd century B.C.
New York, Metropolitan Museum

I just love this! Here is the link to the statuette if you want further information.

Love and best wishes,

Anne

💕💗💖💗💕

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Outfits of the week 07/01/22

Posted on 07/01/2022 by The Librain

Well, this is more like “Outfits of the last week or so…”! I have a few photos of nice combinations of clothes, accessories and scarves for you. These were taken over the last couple of weeks. I have already shown you my Christmas Day outfit with my lovely new scarf, jumper and necklace, so these are the rest.

Outfit of the day 04/01/22 with Hermès’ Plumes en Fête shawl

On Tuesday, I had an appointment at the optician’s. As I haven’t had my eyes tested since the stroke in September 2019, it was important to get this done. I took the opportunity to wear a lovely outfit (well, I hardly ever leave the house, so I have to make the most of any trip!). My love of purple is rather obvious from this photo 😂🤣😂🤣😅.

Outfit details:

  • Purple cashmere crew neck jumper – Pure Collection
  • Navy cord trousers – Lands End
  • Multi-colour enamel and rose gold Hera bangle – Liberty of London
  • Purple suede ankle boots – Duo Boots
  • Purple Africa leather handbag – Massaccesi 
  • Cashmere and silk 140cm shawl in grey, purple, pink, blue and orange – Plumes en Fête by Hermès.

I haven’t made collages for the other outfits but will give you some details. The jumpers are: cobalt cashmere v-neck from John Lewis and dark grey merino/cashmere from WoolOvers.

Outfits of the week 07/01/22

Here are larger images of the scarves (not to scale)…

Liberty of London Hera scarf
Fetolia Olympian Gods scarf
Hermès Tea Time scarf
Hermès’ Plumes en Fête shawl (H243433S 04)

What a difference scarves and shawls can make to a simple jumper and trousers outfit!

One final comment: I had a funny moment when choosing my new glasses. As I only wear them for reading, I tend to look on the cheaper end of the display. I tried a few on and nearly bought some in purple! Anyway, I suddenly saw some that I really liked. In fact, I waved them at Lovely Husband to show him. Then I tried them on, and realised…

… that they were exactly the same as my old ones!!! Ha, ha!

I hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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Reading roundup 05/01/22

Posted on 05/01/2022 by The Librain

So, we have arrived at the first Reading Roundup post of 2022! After I have written about my latest books, I will try to say something about my reading during 2021.

Welcome to a new year of reading!

I have read three books since the last Reading Roundup on 22/12/21. Here is the first one…

War Lord by Bernard Cornwell

I was putting off reading Bernard Cornwell’s final book in The Last Kingdom series: War Lord. I simply didn’t want to arrive at the end! But I was in need of a really absorbing read, so I succumbed (and I am glad that I did).

Here is the blurb:

”The time has come!
The final book in the globally bestselling historical series.

After years fighting to reclaim his rightful home, Uhtred of Bebbanburg has returned to Northumbria. With his loyal band of warriors and a new woman by his side, his household is secure – yet Uhtred is far from safe. Beyond the walls of his impregnable fortress, a battle for power rages.

To the south, King Æthelstan has unified the three kingdoms of Wessex, Mercia and East Anglia – and now eyes a bigger prize. To the north, King Constantine and other Scottish and Irish leaders seek to extend their borders and expand their dominion.

Caught in the eye of the storm is Uhtred. Threatened and bribed by all sides, he faces an impossible choice: stay out of the struggle, risking his freedom, or throw himself into the cauldron of war and the most terrible battle Britain has ever experienced. Only fate can decide the outcome.”

And this is my response on the Goodreads website:

War Lord (The Last Kingdom, #13)War Lord by Bernard Cornwell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Well, I just had to give this final book the full five stars! Because it was the last book in one of my favourite series. Also, because the author dedicated it to Alexander Dreymon – what a great touch!

In many ways, it wasn’t the best book of the series, but I cannot really fault the way that the story was crafted to bring the series to its conclusion. Our hero, as an old man, still had some of his youthful faults, but also showed his wily and hard-learned experience. We had passages showing events from Uhtred’s younger days as he reminisced about his exploits in the company of old friends, enemies and the women he loved. We also had a great and momentous battle, leading to a suitable ending.

It was also interesting to read the notes at the end about the period and the importance of the battle. Many thanks to Bernard Cornwell for this brilliant story – it’s a shame that the TV series is not carrying on until the final book!



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So, we bid a sad “farewell” to Uhtred of Bebbanburg! By the way, I have seen Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland and the rock upon which the much later castle was built is huge and imposing. We didn’t have the time to take a look around, but it is a wonderful and very atmospheric part of the UK.

Now for the final book of 2021…

While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams

This was one of my serendipitous choosing from the ebook collection: While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams. This is the blurb:

”An explosive secret
When legendary Washington judge Justice Wynn falls into a coma and puts his law clerk, Avery, in control, Avery’s world is turned upside down. Because Justice Wynn had a secret. One that nobody wants to come out…

A life in the balance
As Wynn lies in hospital, Avery begins to unravel a sequence of clues, and realizes the puzzle will lead her directly into danger.

A showdown that will change everything
But how high a price can you put on the truth? And is Avery brave enough to expose the White House itself?”

I am so pleased that the book caught my eye! Here is my short review:

While Justice SleepsWhile Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Having read some of the responses on Goodreads, I have realised that I came to this book from an entirely different angle to most of the other readers. As I am British, I had no idea of the author’s background at all and took the book at face value. I found it an interesting read with some exciting and gripping moments. The plot was enjoyable, the characters developed nicely and the whole was satisfying.

As a British reader and a non chess player, I found some parts of the book completely baffling, so I tended to skim over these sections. Of course, the backgrounds of readers have nothing to do with the author, so I have awarded the book four stars for its overall impact.

View all my reviews

If you are even vaguely interested in this book, please read other more enlightening reviews!

Right, so this next book was the first choice for the new reading year…

The Coffin Maker’s Garden by Stuart MacBride

Well, I had to choose something special for the first book and my eyes lit up when I saw a MacBride book which I hadn’t read before. You may know that he is one of my favourite authors, mainly for his very dark humour.

And this book is very dark indeed! Here is the blurb:

“A village on the edge…
As a massive storm batters the Scottish coast, Gordon Smith’s home is falling into the North Sea. But the crumbling headland has revealed what he’s got buried in his garden: human remains.

A house full of secrets…
With the storm still raging, it’s too dangerous to retrieve the bodies and waves are devouring the evidence. Which means no one knows how many people Smith’s already killed and how many more he’ll kill if he can’t be found and stopped.

An investigator with nothing to lose…
The media are baying for blood, the top brass are after a scapegoat, and ex-Detective Inspector Ash Henderson is done playing nice. He’s got a killer to catch, and God help anyone who gets in his way.”

Well, that blurb really drew me in. This is my response to the book:

The Coffin Maker’s Garden (Ash Henderson, #3)The Coffin Maker’s Garden by Stuart MacBride
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Phew! Another cracking read by one of my most favourite authors. Do not even attempt if you can’t cope with stomach churning violence and the blackest of black humour. MacBride’s writing is sharp with incisive and amusing descriptions, page turning plots, and creatively depicted and often grotesque characters.

I loved the nice touch of the Reading Group’s reaction to the book they were discussing: one from MacBride’s other great series! Very funny.

What a great beginning to a new year of reading! Now, how do I keep up the momentum?

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I feel that 2021 was a very satisfying reading year. I managed to read quite a variety of books, with only two or three “duds”. Of course, this is thanks to our local library service’s ebook collection as I still cannot cope with print books.

I tried to put a montage of my books from 2021 here, made using a widget from the Goodreads website where I list all of my reading, but it doesnt’ work properly. Never mind! I may attempt this again on another day.

Anyway, I must return to my latest book. What is it? Well, you can find out in next week’s Reading Roundup post!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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