Monday, 3 September 2012

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

Hello my blogging friends!



I have a new Favourite Read of the Year! While I still think 11/22/63, by Stephen King, and Jessica by Bryce Courtenay are still absolutely brilliant books, this book



is my new number one! 
Why? 
Because it made me cry and cry, and I haven't cried like that over a book since reading the final book in the Narnia Chronicles when I was about 14! 

The premise is fanciful: a girl who is always losing things, starts a missing persons agency, and while looking for a missing person, stumbles into a portal which leads her to the place where all missing things go. But, oh, the heartbreaking moments when she finds things and people that have been lost to her for a long time!

You have to read it to find out who and what she is missing, and who is missing her. 
There are references to The Wizard of Oz (one of my all-time faves!) and the desire to want to go home, and it is edge-of-your-seat stuff to find out if she even can get home.

I cried about people missing from my life. 
I cried about my bestfriend from high school who died last year from a brain aneuyrism.
I just cried and cried until I felt as though she knew I missed her.

It is so important to realise that not everyone recovers quickly from losing people.
And this book, in its simple way, made me think about that, and cherish those people who are gone 
and mourn them. For a book to be able to do that, without making you depressed, and actually bringing you peace, is genius.

I also read a spooky horror book, which was a bit too much for me, with all the swearing and sex scenes, but it was still a page-turner and had a satisfyingly creepy ending! And to think, it is based, somewhat on a true story and a real ghost! 


Also I read The Turn of the Screw, and while it was also a creepy ghost story, it was not so much of a page-turner because of the antiquated language. I wasn't particularly satisfied by the ending either. It finished abruptly and many questions were left unanswered.


Not sure what I'll be reading this week. Maybe I'll pick up some of the books I've already started and try to get into them!

In other news, this is the second week this term that I have had laryngitis, so I've been feeling a bit sorry for myself and not been visiting my readerly blogging friends as much. Hopefully, I'll get around to more of you this week.:)

Dropping into Book Journey now, to see what you're all up to.


xx

Thursday, 30 August 2012

A Snap, A Set and A Song - On the coast

The theme for this week's A Snap, A Set and A Song is 

Coast.

The Western Australian coast is quite spectacular, and I have many photos of it, from Busselton to Broome!  The picture below was taken in Kalbarri.

My Snap:




I haven't been to the beach in winter for years, but I used to love to go there to read a book, write, or sketch, cuddled up in a warm winter coat. 

My Set:

On the coast



Canvas tote bag
etsy.com


Strand necklace
fashion.1stdibs.com


Beanie hat
$120 - youheshe.com


Chanel sunglasses
fashionphile.com


Annick Goutal beauty product
$56 - annickgoutal.com



Sea Green Shell Candle
zgallerie.com




Olympus PEN E-PL2 with 14-42mm lens compact system camera
$790 - debenhams.com




This song has a relaxing beachy vibe, and is a classic 70s clip!

My Song:



Check out the other interpretations of the Coast theme at Thea's blog A Snap, A Set and A Song.





xx

Monday, 27 August 2012

Sweet Little Things About Me - Favourite Quote

Over at Sweet Little Pretties Lisa has asked us to share My Favourite Quote.

I always get a kick out of quotes that ring true, and love to read them all over the web. And on t-shirts. :)
But my all-time life saving quote is: 

There is always tomorrow.

For those moments when things aren't going quite right, this quote is a good one for knowing you can wake up the next day and try again. You might get the chance tomorrow to speak to the right person, say the right thing, be humbled, be strengthened, be uplifted, whatever, so never give up just because of one bad day, or sequence of events. There is always another chance tomorrow.


And as a slightly different version:


I hope, like me, this is a quote that you always keep in mind!

Pop over to Sweet Little Pretties to see more favourite quotes from some of my favourite people. :)


xx

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

Hello, dear readers!


This week, my main read was this book:


set in the 1950s. Oh, what a tragic tale!  The writing was exquisitely poetic, but the characters were so tortured by the cards they'd been dealt; mother's death, detached father, abusive father, alcoholic mother and stepmother, the list goes on, that it was difficult to read about them! There was a feeling of dread all the way through, because you never knew when the main character was going to fly off the handle, mainly in the form of self-harm with a razor. Depressing reading!

So after that, I raced to my TBR pile and picked the brightest, shiniest, happiest looking chick lit book I could find, with the hope that it would be a tad more fun to read! I chose this one:



and I am so glad! This is a great story, about missing persons and where they actually go. Cecelia Ahern is always a bit quirky and magical and I love her solution to this question. The perfect pick-me-up after a dark, realistic story.

I've also started to read this classic book, 


because it was referred to in the wonderful book I read last week - The Thirteenth Tale. Not that far in to it yet, but it seems promising. Spooky, Victorian setting, old houses, twins, hauntings - it's gotta be good!

Now I'm heading over to Sheila's blog to find out what page-turners are out there this week!


xx

Friday, 24 August 2012

Winter's End Roadtrip

It's another episode of Friday's Fancies, hosted by Alison at long distance loving! Today's theme is Roadtrip, 
and while everyone in the Northern Hemisphere is taking summer roadtrips, here is what I wore last month during our winter roadtrip between Echuca and Daylesford in Victoria.

Winter's End Roadtrip


Flower print dress
$38 - houseoffraser.co.uk



Cotton shirt
topshop.com


DKNY striped pants
my-wardrobe.com



Fendi zipper bag
tessabit.com





Rose earrings
etsy.com


Burberry makeup
nordstrom.com


Burberry perfume
couture.zappos.com



You, too, can make a  roadtrip outfit over at polyvore and join in with Friday's Fancies. It's fun!



xx

Wednesday, 22 August 2012

A Snap, A Set, and A Song - Vintage Dame

This year I am especially loving the fashions from 1920, pretty much up to 1970. (I lived 1970, so been there, done that!) And at A Snap, A Set and a Song this week, Thea has chosen the theme Vintage - love that girl!

My first thought for the vintage theme was Mad Men, even though I've never seen an episode!
I just love this Snap, and the whole look of Christina Hendricks as Joan Holloway.


So I took inspiration form the burnt orange tones of this pic as inspiration for my Set:

Vintage Dame


Tea dress
$625 - suzannah.com



Fendi handbag
barneys.com


Flower necklace
romwe.com


Charlotte Russe enamel bangle
charlotterusse.com


Tribal jewelry
endless.com


Chanel eyeshadow
nordstrom.com



Fragrance
lindelepalais.com



CLEARANCE - Watercolor and Charcoal Painting - Vintage Chocolate and...
etsy.com



The song that was floating around in my head while I was making my Set, was this glorious one by Doris Day:


I can get right into lounge music! 
Check out some more vintage goodness over at Thea's blog:


xx