Books, books and more books!!

I'm back...... it's been nearly a week since my last post.

Where does the time go?

I've been working since last Friday which also included a lovely 13 hour stock take day!

As it's nearly the end of February I thought I better do my book round up.

I did really well in February..... 3 books done!

First up...

War Brides

In 1939, as evacuation gets underway and Britain waits for the Luftwaffe to arrive, the lives of four very different women are about to collide in the sleepy little village of Crowmarsh Priors. Evangeline Fontaine has eloped from New Orleans with dashing naval captain Richard Fairfax. A Sussex village is about as far away from home as she can possibly imagine, away from memories of her first, passionate love. Alice Osbourne, living with her impossible mother, is resigned to life as the parish spinster since being jilted by her childhood sweetheart Richard. But the war will bring her friendships and passion she could never have foreseen. Tanni Joseph has fled from Vienna with her new husband, leaving her sisters to follow on the kindertransport. She arrives in Crowmarsh Priors with her newborn son, not knowing if her family are alive or if she will ever see them again... Frances Falconleigh is to see out the war with her godmother, Lady Marchmont, at Glebe House; her high spirits lead her into the ultimate danger to help her friend Tanni and are to turn her into a woman, almost overnight... Together these four women will face hardship, passion and danger. They form a bond that lasts for the rest of their lives and sees them through their darkest hours.

I read a review on someones blog..... I thought it was LandGirl 1980 but I could be wrong again!

It started very slow & to be honest I wasn't enjoying it. 

But then I was hooked..... I loved it!

 The characters were brilliant & I warmed to all the women, even the one that I thought I would dislike!

An excellent story of brave women in war time.

10/10

Whirl of the Wheel 

Three children whirl back in time through an enchanted potter’s wheel into the reality of evacuation in 1940s Britain . . . Whirl of the Wheel pulls feisty Connie, her brother Charlie-Mouse, and school pest Malcolm into dangers on the homefront and towards a military operations secret that will save their home. The children hit trouble when Malcolm fails to return to the present day. This fast-moving adventure will keep you guessing . . .

This was an odd book!

It's for children but set in WW2 I thought I would give it ago. It was free on Kindle so I had nothing to lose.

I read it very fast, it was ok... not the best book I've ever read but it was free & only took 2 days!

The ending was very odd & reading the reviews on Amazon there was suppose to be a part 2 which has never arrived.

4/10

Life Of Pi 

One boy, one boat, one tiger ...After the tragic sinking of a cargo ship, a solitary lifeboat remains bobbing on the wild, blue Pacific. The only survivors from the wreck are a sixteen year-old boy named Pi, a hyena, a zebra (with a broken leg), a female orang-utan and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger. The scene is set for one of the most extraordinary and best-loved works of fiction in recent years.

I really don't need to go in to much detail about this book do I?

I read it when it first came out & fell in love with Richard Parker, it stuck in my mind as one of the best books I've ever read..... I know it's not everyones cup of tea.

I brought it for 20p Kindle....... it'll be rude not to?

I nearly gave up this time...... had I really wiped the animals killing each other out of mind? I was so upset, last Friday I cried so much in my break that even a customer asked if I was ok!

Once again Richard Parker won me over :)

I haven't seen the film yet but plan on watching it on DVD

An excellent book.

10/10

I'm loving my Kindle app......I've only just started using it as I never thought I would be a fan but it's great!

All the books above are Kindle books..... so much cheaper then real books, easier to read during breaks, you don't have to carry a heavy book to work & the best part...... no more dust trap books in my house!

Don't get me wrong I do love books but hate parting with them so I have loads!

I'm converted..... ebooks are the future! 

What's in the bag?

In my last post I left you with this photo

So I'm guessing you would like to know what's inside

I've been lucky enough to be chosen to review these products as part of the Savvy Circle!

I've had the products for a week now & I need to start putting them through their paces so I can complete the information needed.

I must confess I always forget to moisturise my face so this is going to be a challenge..... however it should be easy to see if it's working!

Now this is what I really want to try.

I have a patch of really bad eczema on my leg, it's caused by stress & over the last 6 months it's been bad. As you can imagine shaving is not great & I have to go weeks without doing it or just shave around it! It's starting to get much better thanks to medication but this will be a real test.

What are your thoughts on these products?

Have you heard of them?

As part of the review I have to complete forms with others peoples comments..... will you help me out please?

Many thanks

I'll be back with my thoughts in a couple of weeks

Valentines

Happy Valentine's day!

We don't do big gestures, it's the little things that count.

My little thing.....

So true!!

I'll be back to show you what's in the bag

Yep I was chosen to review not 1 but 2 products..... yippee!!!

Book Review

In the winter of 1952, Isabel Carey moves to the East Riding of Yorkshire with her husband Philip, a GP. With Philip spending long hours on call, Isabel finds herself isolated and lonely as she strives to adjust to the realities of married life.

Woken by intense cold one night, she discovers an old RAF greatcoat hidden in the back of a cupboard. Sleeping under it for warmth, she starts to dream. And not long afterwards, while her husband is out, she is startled by a knock at her window.

Outside is a young RAF pilot, waiting to come in.

His name is Alec, and his powerful presence both disturbs and excites her. Her initial alarm soon fades, and they begin an intense affair. But nothing has prepared her for the truth about Alec's life, nor the impact it will have on hers ...

So book 4 of 50 is done!

I brought this cheap on Kindle months ago after reading a review on Landgirl1980's blog (I think)..... not sure what I thought at first, it seemed really odd but I read it in 2 days!!

I couldn't really understand what was going to happen so read really fast...... I still don't know what I think. I did enjoy it but don't think I'll be in a hurry to read anymore of her books. If you look at the reviews on Amazon I'm not the only one with mixed feelings!

6/10

Book 5 is going really slow!

Hopefully things will be back to normal from now on..... I've done 3 weeks in Bristol, going up for a few days at a time.

Now I need to set my floor up for Spring/Summer...... the fun (& hard work) starts tomorrow.

But for tonight I'm crochet flower corsages for Crikey!

That was January!

First month of the year done....... didn't it go quick?

I started the month with hopes of an exciting new year with new challenges..... 

My 50 book challenge is going well..... I'm now on book 4!

A lovely week off was had..... new curtains..... spending time with my lovely girls.... working away & learning more about the politics of the company!!

And I got to see a little snow in Bristol :)

I didn't do anything on my list..... oh well, fingers crossed for February!

It's our Make, Do and Mend's 3rd birthday party on Tuesday..... yes you did read that right, we've been going for 3 years! Can you remember when I set it up?

We'll be working under the cover of darkness making Exeter look pretty with some yarn bombing!

Other then that I can see February going just as fast as January..... lots of reading to be done & making as I have my first fair of 2013 on the 2nd March.

Once again I've left it to the last minute!

I'll leave you with a photo of Jean on my lap on Friday...... do you think she missed me?

Books

Zdenka Fantlová's childhood in Czechoslovakia was one of great happiness and love and her life was like that of any other teenager. However, her peaceful existence was soon to be shattered. Seventy years ago this year, in Terezín concentration camp, she was given a home-made tin ring by her first love Arno with 'Arno 13.6.1942' engraved on it. When he gave her the ring he said, 'That's for our engagement. And to keep you safe. If we are both alive when the war ends I will find you'. Arno was sent East on a penal transport later that same day; she never saw him again. After surviving 6 concentration camps, risking her life for the tin ring and death marches Zdenka found herself, in the last chaotic days of the war, at the hell that was Bergen Belsen. Just skin and bone, crippled by typhoid and unable to walk she crawled to a Red Cross post. There she was saved by an unknown British soldier to whom the book is dedicated.

I've just finished my 3rd book of the challenge.

My mum told me about this book last year & we waited months for it..... she finally brought it but took forever to read it, she gave up so I pinched it!!

There's some moments that are slow so as my mum isn't a big reader I could see why so found it hard. There's a few chapters about the theatre that go on a bit but on the whole I thought it was excellent.

I've read so many books about the Holocaust that I can be a little hard hearted about it but this book brought me close to tears on more then one occasion!

I found the bit when her father gets taken away the hardest part :(

I have to keep reading these books as I find it so hard to believe that this really did happen..... it seems so crazy now & it happened in my pop's life time...... madness!!!

9/10

Working away update:
It was too bad..... honest! I hadn't been told the truth..... the hotel didn't included an evening meal or breakfast but you claimed it back. I shared last week with a nice lady, although it was a little uncomfortable it was ok. However this week the lady I was due to share with completely kick off saying she didn't want to share with me & she would only stay if she could have her own room. This was very awkward & finally she was sent home....... I did offer but they said she was a trouble maker & they didn't want her there complaining! So result.... I had a lovely room all to myself!
Only 1 more day next week & my jollies are over.
My store manager is starting her maternity leave in July so I'm hoping all this hard work will be remembered when I go for her job!!

Back soon with my January round up..... another month gone..... have I completed anything on my list?

Have I heck as like!!