What I read in September

My favourite book this month was The Vale Girl by Nelika McDonald - small town prejudice with a twist.

I also enjoyed Colin McLaren's telling of his Grandfather's experience in Gallipoli and the trenches of First World War France

I picked up The Handmaid's Tale in the Salvos book section and it was as chilling as the first time I read it in high school.

Blow on a Dead Man's Embers was a story of a family in a small Welsh village struggling to carry on in spite of wartime betrayals and secrets.

March Books

I didn't have a lot of time for reading in March, but the books I did read were a bit of an eclectic mix...




All that I Am by Anna Funder

Based on true events, a story of German resistance to the rise of Hitler in the 1930s



Dirt Music by Tim Winton

By Western Australia's favourite author, a tale of love, tragedy and fishing...



The Island by Victoria Hislop

I re-read this one - lovely story of family redemption set on the island of Crete



The Last Letter from your Lover by Jojo Moyes

I love Jojo Moyes - this is a bit of a detective story chasing the writer of a long lost love letter


Peter Duck by Arthur Ransome

I loved the Swallows and Amazons books when I was younger - real pirates in this one!

Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey

Craig Silvey is another Western Australian author - set in 1960s WA this is a story of friendship, racism and young love.

Making and Reading 3

I'm quite proud of this  - I made a half decent skirt - in that it fits and the zip is quite good! (i hate sewing zips..)

And this week I've been reading short stories - I love Joanne Harris (Chocolat) - she has a really dark imagination, and I'll definitely be looking for more books by Alice Munro.

I'm keeping a reading list for this year here, with a little note about each book - this is mostly for my own reference so I can look back over the year and see what I read, but also might be useful if you're looking for some ideas of new books to try.

Making and Reading 2

Reading - On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan and A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon...

Making - And to brush up my rusty sewing skills I made a new cover for my sewing machine...

Making and Reading

I've decided this year, that instead of resolving to do something I really don't really want to do, like hoovering more, or exercising more, or eating less.... I will instead resolve to do something I do want to do.
This has to be a good idea - for a start I'm more likely to stick to it, I won't feel guilty when I look at the state of the carpet while eating another slice of cake, and I should hopefully be happy at the end of it! (If perhaps a little fatter and living in a hovel...)

So, the two things that really make me happy are reading and making stuff.
I've started already - my will power is amazing!

These are the books I've read this week....

And this cushion is the first product of my new sewing machine....

(and bonus - I read the Frankie magazine too!)