By popular demand, here is a Rory moody portrait shot … Okay. so it was one person, but my blog stats aren’t really all that impressive so one request really does constitute popular for me 🙂 Here’s another candid bed shot of her with Luna just to keep you all smiling.

So … I’ve had a pretty lousy week as far as blogging goes. Work has been fine. Getting into a kind of rhythm now and I’m even able to get up in a morning so that’s a bonus. I can’t say the same about blogging and writing though and this week has felt like a colossal struggle on all counts. Barely kept in line with word count targets on NaNo, which I hope to remedy with a bit of a sprint this afternoon (Sunday, when I prep this post). Reading wise hasn’t fared much better with only one book read. It’s not the book’s fault, it is entirely me. I think after three months of solid reading and not a lot else, I am suffering reading overload and my brain is shutting down. Even writing blog posts is a struggle. It’s why I’m colouring in to keep me awake.

Took myself off for a walk this morning with Mandie and Blog Dog Holly to try and see if the cold would blast those mind clogging cobwebs away. Not sure if it’s worked but we did walk over three miles and got to see some cute cows and super relaxed deer so that was nice.

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Relatively uneventful week on the old book front. Having seen an instagram post from Joanne Robertson of My Chestnut Reading Tree earlier in the week, I decided to add to my Agatha Christie collection with two lovely hard back editions from Harper Collins. The ABC Murders and The 4:50 From Paddington. Very pretty. Also had some book post from No Exit Press in the shape of A Friend Is A Gift You Give Yourself by William Boyle which was nice. Other than that it was one book from Netgalley, The Devil Aspect by Craig Russell, and I was done. I know. But after last week, I probably need a break from too much spending … 

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Pretty cool, huh? Actually … there is one last book that I completely forgot I had preordered. In fairness, that’s probably because it’s not even out until March 2020 … So far in advance there is no cover to show you yet, but if you want to bang in an order for The Mist, the third Hidden Iceland book by Ragnar Jonasson, then the order link is here.

Books I have read:

Moonlight On The Thames – Lauren Westwood

Worlds collide when two strangers meet at Waterloo station. It’s a moment they’ll never forget.

Christmas is a joyous time, but not everyone is merry and bright. 

Nicola is a rising star at the top of the corporate ladder, but her personal life is a disaster. Her office affair has lost its allure, and the last thing she wants to think about is Christmas. But a night of cancelled trains and festive Christmas carols at Waterloo Station is just about the last straw…

Dmitri loves conducting his pop-up choir during the festive season, meeting people, and spreading joy and cheer around London. But he carries deep secrets from his past that robbed him of his dream to become a concert pianist.

Can their hearts and souls be unlocked by music and moonlight and will they discover the healing power of love?

Perfect for the fans of Milly Johnson, Sarah Morgan, Karen Swan and Heidi Swain.

Okay. So I may have only read one book but it was a beautiful one. Nicola wasn’t a character I immediately warmed too, and Dmitri almost seemed too perfect to be true, but in both cases, the more you read, the more you realise that their stories are harder and darker than they first appear. Can two very tortured strangers help each other to find peace and happiness at Christmas time? Well, you can catch up with my review on blog blitz day 12th December, but a massive thanks to author Lauren Westwood for inviting me to read the book. I loved it. You can order your own copy here.

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And that was it … Blog wise, we had a few posts – recap is below.

For Once In My Life by Colleen Coleman

Good Samaritans by Will Carver

How To Be Brave by Louise Beech

The Aro Street Girls by Lindsay Campbell

Even quieter week ahead. Three blog tour posts and that is it, starting on Wednesday with Drew Davies’ The Shape of Us; I Wanted To Tell You by Anna Mansell and The Silent Dead by Graham Smith. Plus, with a little bit of luck and prevailing wind (or me being arsed to prepare the posts, I’ll be starting my annual #Bookvent countdown on Saturday. Yes folks. Let that sink in … Saturday is December 1st. Less than a month until Christmas now.

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Have a fabulous week everyone. I shall be trying my best to complete NaNo by Friday. As of Sunday lunchtime, I’ve 10,000 words to go, give or take. I can do this right? Wish me luck.

Jen