Bookfest at Tiffany's

 Nobody Told Me: poetry and parenthood By Hollie McNish Published 4 February 2016 Blackfriars I have no idea why I borrowed this book from the library. I am neither a parent or a poetry afficionado but I have been dipping in and out of this for a couple of months. It made me laugh, and cry, and get angry. Partway through I bought a copy and gifted it to a friend who is a new mother, and today, I finished it. From festival tent to the first day at pre-school I have been a fly on the wall with Hollie, Dee and Litte One. Among the poems are diary entries and stories. Those, I think I enjoyed the most over the poetry however, one compliments the other and either alone would not have been so enjoyable.  It now has to go back to the library and I will miss having it by my bed. I feel graetful to have been invited to share those family moments full of love and laughter and honesty. I have found more of Hollie's books to read and I'm interested to see if I am moved as much when she wri

 Floored By Sara Barnard, Holly Bourne, Tanya Byrne, Non Pratt, Melinda Salisbury, Lisa Williamson and Eleanor Wood Published 12 July 2018 MyKindaBook (Macmillan) I'm sure if you read YA, you will have heard of (if not already read) Floored. Seven successful authors collaborate on a novel - each writing a 'voice'. Sounds super complicated, I don't know how they did it... but they smashed it! The premis? Seven poeple get into a lift at a television studios, only six come out alive. No, this is not a horror story with zombies and mild to moderate peril, or a murder mystery thriller. It's about being human, being flawed and although life can floor you, you keep living. The teen voices are very real. Shit happens, they move on, move forward.  I loved the characters - all of them - which is rare. What I mean is, I loved and disliked them in equal measure but that makes the story whole.  Laura Callaghan illustrated the cover and chapter pages and I love the way she added

  Winter Wonderland By Belinda Jones Published 8 November 2012 I chose to read Winter Wonderland as I have LOVED Belinda Jones' books from the day I laughed out loud in a very busy park whilst reading I Love Capri. She never disappoints. Krista Carter is a writer for Va-Va-Vacation! travel planning website and has gone to Quebec for her latest research.  We follow Krista as she slides her way through a night in an ice hotel, dog sledding, a snow bath, and plenty of caribou at the Quebec Winter Carnival. Winter Wonderland is a face, fun and festive read. The enchanting descriptions of Quebec and Toronto, the people and the food are so evocative, a visit there has been added to my bucket list. Arnchair travelling at it's best! Krista is a likeable character and I found I was really rooting for her among the twists and turns of her romantic rendezvous! Gilles, Annique, Jacques and Sebastien are a fab supporting crowd; their own stories adding greatly to the plot - and not forgetti

The Wolf Princess by Cathryn Constable Published  4 October 2012 Chicken House This is the perfect children's Winter read, atmospheric, magical, chilly and exciting. Yes, the cover is girly and my copy had purple spredges - not only v.cool but made it super easy to find in my bag. Orphan Sophie always felt drawn to the country of Russia, fascinated by it's history and culture so you can imagine how thrilled she was to be chosen to visit St. Petersburg on a school trip! She and her friends set off on the long journey and upon arrival are met by Dr. Galina Starova who puts the children on a train to continue their journey - only the train is moving away from St. Petersburg and the rest of their school party.  When Dr. Starova abandons them on the train, the girls are thrown off into the deep snow in the middle of nowhere. They eventually find a cabin to stay in overnight - tired, afraid, so very cold. The sound of sleigh bells awaken them and an offer of refuge comes from Princes

A Country Escape by Katie Fforde Published by Arrow, 22 February 2018 Fran leaves the bright lights and hot kitchens of London for a rustic farm in the Cotswolds after receiving a letter from the solicitor of a long-lost relative. If Fran can make a go of the farm within six months, the owner Amy Flowers will leave it to her in her will. Amy is now in a nursing home but has a capable stockman to care for the farm's dairy herd. It takes a while for Fran to find her feet but with the help from her bestie Issi she soon manages to sort the curds from the whey and hits on a couple of ideas to make the farm pay. Dark clouds gather over the rolling green hills however in the shape of Australian Roy - another distant relation who hadn't originally answered Amy's letters. Just as Fran begins to feel at hope could it all go down under? This was a light, entertaining read. I really enjoyed the descriptions of the farming life. Amy is a great waspish character (I pictured Dame Maggie S

  Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World  by Kate Pankhurst Published by Bloomsbury, 8 September 2016 The companion to Fantastically Great Women Who Changed History, this book presents Jane Austen, Gertrude Ederle, Coco Chanel, Frida Kahlo, Marie Curie, Mary Anning, Mary Seacole, Amelia Earhart, Agent Fifi (Marie Christine Chilver) Sacagawea, Emmeline Pankhurst, Rosa Parks and Anne Frank - all of whom changed the world be it through equality, science or fashion, our lives are better thanks to these fantastically great women (there are, we all know, plenty more).  Pankhurst camptures thier lives in a bright, accessibly way with her engaging illustrations leading the reader through the pages.  Just lovely.