Book-Mad-Mum

Three Things About Elsie by Joanna Cannon My rating: 3 of 5 stars I didn’t know what to expect when I picked up this book, as I hadn’t read the blurb, or any of the press or social media posts about it…it was a conscious decision to go into it blind. Florence is living in sheltered accommodation and as the story progresses, herself and her friend Elsie unravel a mystery that went back years concerning an old acquaintance, Ronnie Butler. Ronnie has now appeared as a new resident at the sheltered, and it has baffled both Florence and Elsie, because Ronnie died sixty years ago, although he is now living under the pseudonym of Gabriel Price. I hate to say it but this book didn’t do anything for me, and if I’m completely honest, I was bored by it. It just felt that it could quite easily been a short story, but was padded out to make a novel. I hate it when I don’t enjoy a book, because I know that writing a novel takes blood, sweat and tears for the auth...

Dreaming of Florence by T.A. Williams My rating: 4 of 5 stars Debbie is an English teacher in a Foreign Language school in Cambridge when at the end of a busy day, as she is cycling home, she literally falls at the feet of a handsome Italian doctor called Pierluigi Masino. After a brief romance, Debbie decides to persue her dream of living in Florence, and accepts a job at an English school and she starts living the dream, until reality sets in!! I have had a love of all things Florentine for years, but have never been to Florence itself (it's on my bucket list) so without having to book a cheap flight, endure the check-in queues, the screaming child on the flight or even packing a bag, I was taken on a lovely, heart warming journey through the pages of this story instead. If you liked The Rome Affair by Karen Swan, you will love this book. I was given a copy of this book from Netgalley in return for an honest and open review. View...

This year I set myself the challenge of reading 52 books, one per week, easy peasy, or not as it would appear!! I failed by six books, however, what I did manage to achieve was a wonderful world of reading. My favourite books of this year took me on several journeys, some more difficult than others. I have been in love with Italy since I was a young girl and we used to visit the south of the country every summer for three weeks, however, we never took in the sights. My dad insisted that we went to the south where little, or no English was spoken, and we had to try and navigate our way around with a basic knowledge of Italian, so reading The Rome Affair by Karen Swan and Love At The Italian Lake by Darcie Boleyn fed not only my love of Italy and all things Italian, but it also took me to parts of the country that I've never been to. The Art Of Hiding by the wonderful Amanda Prowse was a difficult journey to make - looking at life through the eyes of a young widow, facing a compl...

Recipe for Life by Mary Berry My rating: 5 of 5 stars I listened to this book via Audible, and it was narrated by Patricia Hodge, but after a while, I was convinced that it was Mary Berry herself who was telling the story. I will admit at the start, that I've never been a massive Bake Off fan, or a fan of cokkery or baking shows, but for some reason, I was drawn to this book, and I wasn't disappointed. I learnt a few new things about her, I didn't realise she sadly lost a son, and although I knew she was a brilliant cook, I didn't know that she studied Cordon Bleu cookery in Paris either. By the end of the book, I was completely and utterly in love with Mary - and I now live my life thinking "What would Mary do?" I even made her meringue wreath for my New Years Eve dinner, which was a show stopper! (And I've never made a meringue in my life before!) The only criticism I have with the audio edition of this book is that at...

I f you liked Bridget Jones' Diary, and you are either Irish, or from Irish descent, chances are you are going to LOVE this book!!! Both my parents were Irish but lived in London for longer than they have ever lived in Ireland, but the Emerald Isle was always referred to as "Home". As children, the Hillman car would be packed to the rafters(imagine cars have rafters for the sake of my writing!) and the roof rack would be perilously attached to the top of the car with some bungee cords to secure it and all the cases would be wrapped in an old flannelette sheet which obviously had miracle waterproof qualities that I didn't (and still don't) know about!!! Armed with an never ending supply of Parma Violets (which I still hate to this day but my mum swore where a motion sickness remedy) w would then endure the long drive to Fishguard with mum shouting "don't make too much noise, you'll distract your father", "No!  We're not nearly there yet...

A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy My rating: 5 of 5 stars The first book that I ever remember actually wanting to read as a teenager was Light A Penny Candle by Maeve Binchy, and I, along with my fellow convent school friends, devoured it! After that, I simply had to read anything that she wrote, so I was thrilled to find a book of hers that I hadn't read!! A Week In Winter is set in the West Coast Of Ireland (which is where my family originate from) and so straight away, reading Maeve's descriptions, I could image the rugged coastline, and crashing waves of the Wild Atlantic Way. I knew immediately that I was going to love this book, and I didn't...I simply ADORED it!! It was better than anything I could imagine. As ever, Maeve weave's all the storylines together, like a seamstress with golden threads, and the end result is a beautiful patchwork quilt of a book. I don't think anyone can, or will stand up to her writing ability in ...