Book Blogger Holiday Swap

Just a quick heads up that the annual Book Blogger Holiday Swap is on again this year.
The holiday swap is a way for book bloggers to connect and celebrate the holiday spirit by sharing gifts. It’s done secret Santa style; all of the participants are randomly assigned a blogger to send a gift to, and [...]

BBAW interview swap

Now that I’ve finished sulking over the Ashes and Spring has bought the sunshine back, I thought I’d come out of hibernation. I’m currently re-reading Cate Kennedy’s short story collection Dark Roots before starting her debut novel and will post my thoughts later this week

In the meantime, as part of Book Blogger Appreciation Week I [...]

Book Bloggers’ Christmas Swap – Thanks Tanabata!

After a tough day at work yesterday, I was delighted to come home and find my Book Bloggers’ Chrissie swap pressie in my letterbox. When I opened the envelope, I saw this:

Of course, I couldn’t resist opening it, and was rapt to discover:

1. A 2009 Library calendar, open to my favourite picture, the Francisco [...]

Book Bloggers’ Christmas Swap 2008

I’ve just found out about the second annual Book Bloggers Christmas Swap, and as it sounds like fun I’ll be participating.
The second annual what?
Last year, Nymeth organized a Secret Santa swap between book bloggers, and this year Dewey is helping out.
How does it work?
You sign up by sending an e-mail to xmasswap08 at gmail. You have [...]

Still breathing!

Just a quick note to say I’m taking a blogging break, as I’ve just moved house and my Internet is not yet connected. With all the packing, moving, unpacking etc my reading has dwindled, something I hope to rectify this weekend with Framed by Frank Cottrell Boyce, The comfort of Saturdays by Alexander McCall Smith [...]

A blogging break

Courtesy of Telstra, I am currently not connected to tne net at home so will be taking a blogging break.  I’m told the external line fault responsible should be fixed within five working days i.e. by Friday so hope to be back posting then.

A quick hello

Just letting everyone know I’m still here! I’m working on reviews of two excellent literary novels published this year (Breath and When will there be good news?), which those jaded by the rather ho-hum Booker longlist might like to try.
In the meantime, if you are an admirer of E.M Forster, there is a wonderful review [...]

Solzhenitsyn, hail and farewell

I had a huge weekend which as an introvert I’m still recovering from. My review of The Guernsey literary and potato peel pie society is forthcoming but in the meantime, I was saddened to read this morning that Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn has died. You can read his obituary here. 
If you haven’t already, read One Day in [...]

Sunday catch up

As usual, my blogging is only intermittent. Since my last post, I’ve:
- re-read Mansfield Park and confirmed I like Fanny Price and love Jane Austen.
- visited 19th century Vienna with Lady Emily Ashton.
- been inspired by Vulpe Libris’s children’s week to revisit some of my favourites, starting with The Railway Children, which still makes [...]

A less than devoted blogger

I have to work, I have to read, I chose to blog… and recently I haven’t had the time or motivation. However, I now have two blissful weeks off work which gives me more time to read and to write, so I’m breaking my silence.
In my recent reading, I’ve:
- discovered a new favourite author in [...]