November Wrap Up…

Welcome to my November Wrap Up. I had an okay reading month, finishing 11 books (5 books off my TBR). I also received 3 ARC’s this month.

I have reviews up or coming up for these books so as usual this is just going to be a brief rundown on each book I read.

Without further ado, let’s get into my November Wrap Up:

David Bowie by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara: This book was awesome. Part of the Little People Big Dreams series, this book has everything you want in a book for young readers. I went into this book already knowing who David Bowie was and as this book is aimed at children I hadn’t expected to learn much, so I was genuinely surprised by how much I actually did learn about David Bowie while reading this book. Filled with fun and interesting information that is perfectly complemented by Ana Albero’s eye-catching illustrations, this book is sure to entertain young readers.

Zaha Hadid by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara: Yet another book from the Little People Big Dreams series. I had never heard of Zaha Hadid before going into this book so I had both an informative and entertaining reading experience. Zaha lived a fascinating life that I am now looking forward to learning more about. This wonderful book was perfectly illustrated by Asun Amar, which added an extra layer to Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara’s writing. This wonderful little book is a must-have for all young readers and their families. I am so glad that I decided to pick this book up.

Astrid Lindgren by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara: The last book from the Little People Big Dreams series for the month. I definitely saved the best for last month, as I absolutely loved this book. I am sad to say that I had no idea who Astrid Lindgren was before I read this book. I of course knew of Pippi Longstockings but I didn’t know who the author was, so I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Astrid once I found out. As usual Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara did a fantastic job with the information and writing of this book ant the beautiful illustrations by Linzie Hunter were icing on the cake. This is easily one of my favourite Little People Big Dreams books to date.

Talking With Psychopaths And Savages: Beyond Evil by Christopher Berry-Dee: I didn’t love this book. While I enjoyed learning about the Serial Killers that I had never heard of before, I just felt this book was missing something. I think I wanted more about the crimes and the criminals and I went into this book thinking I would learn more about the killers from their own words and I just didn’t get that. There were too many references to ‘other’ killers; not the ones being explored in the book and there was a lot of background information about Serial Killers in general, which I didn’t think was needed. Overall I think this book would be better for someone that doesn’t have a lot of previous knowledge about Serial Killers.

Overseas War Bride – A Collection Of Stories: This book was wonderful. This is the first time I have ever read anything about WWII War Brides. This collection of stories were both equally heartwarming and heartbreaking. I loved reading about the different experiences these amazing women went through we arriving in Australia; their experiences were all so different. I am so glad that I found this wonderful little book and I truly believe that everyone should read this book at least once in their life.

Beautiful And Calming Origami by Matthew Gardiner: This book was great. It had a lot of different patterns to try with step-by-step directions to follow. A fantastic element of this book is that it has a hundred patterned pieces of paper at the back of the book that are easy to pull out and easy to fold. The inclusion of these beautiful bits of paper just adds to this wonderful book.

Candle Making For Beginners by Sandy Wheeler: This book was informative and beautiful to look at. I have read this book fully and I have also reread certain sections as I prepare to make some candles. While I haven’t actually made any candles as yet, I am confident that if I follow the directions in this book I won’t have too many issues. The directions and the problems that may arise are thoroughly covered in this book and I am looking forward to finding time to finally make some candles.

Polymer Clay Jewelry by Sophie Arzalier: I got this book when I picked up some clay-making jewelry kits, I haven’t actually made the jewelry but I really enjoyed the book. After reading this book I am more confident moving forward with the actual jewelry making. The directions seem easy to follow and I really appreciate the inclusion of photographs that show you what you are supposed to do. I am excited to put what learned from this book into practice.

Soap Making by Victoria Raymond: I picked this book up as well as the ingredients needed to make soap during lockdown, I have yet to actually make any soap I really enjoyed reading this book. This book teaches readers different ways in which to make soap as well as different ingredients to use depending on your preferences or needs. After reading this book I am looking forward to using my ingredients in ways I hadn’t even thought of before. Hopefully, I will find the time to actually make soap very soon.

Everything Origami by Matthew Gardiner: This book was great. This is the second origami book I have read; both of them by Matthew Gardiner too. This book was larger in scale making it easier to see the images you need to follow. It also contains more patterns to make than then the previous book I read. While it has paper included at the back of the book; there isn’t a lot of it and it is a bit plain to look at. Having both of these books has made for a better origami experience for me.

Escape From The Ghetto by John Carr: This book was amazing. Knowing that this is a true story made this such an intense read given the subject matter. Reading this book was an emotional roller-coaster; it was both heartwarming and utterly heartbreaking. John Carr did a fantastic job with this book; I was captivated from the very first page and spent the entire read on the edge of my seat. I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this book. A must-read for everyone!

That’s it for my November Wrap Up. I hope you all had a great reading month. Let me know what you guys read this month in the comments section.

Until my December Wrap Up…

Happy Reading…

~>GEM<~

Jane Austen by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara

‘Little Jane grew up in a big family that loved learning and she often read from her father’s library. In her teenage years, she began to write in bound notebooks and craft her own novels. As an adult, Jane created stories that shone a light on the English upper classes and provided a witty social commentary of the time, creating a new dialogue for female characters in books.’

I loved this book.

As a bookworm and a massive fan of Jane Austen, this was one of the books for the Little People Big Dreams series I was most excited to get my hands on. I am happy to say that this book not only lived up to my high expectations it well and truly surpassed them.

This book had so much varied information about Jane Austen’s life; both her career and her personal life, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I loved getting to read about the writing of her amazing novels and I feel that the information about her early life and personal life really helped to give a broader understanding of how she creates such wonderful, timeless stories.

Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara did a fantastic job with this book. The information she included was fabulous and the way she was able to fit so much information in this book without it feeling rushed and overwhelming.

Another great aspect of this book was the beautiful illustrations by Katie Wilson. The illustrations perfectly complimented Maris Isabel Sanchez Vegara’s writing and added an extra layer to this already amazing little book.

I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this book. I loved every page and I am so glad that I now have this book on my bookshelf.

Jane Austen by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara is a must-have for all bibliophiles.

Uni Update 22!

It’s that time again…

Uni Update!

I am happy to say that I have finished Uni for the year.

I have yet to receive my result for my final two Assessments so whether I passed the course is anyone’s guess. Knowing my luck my results will get posted tomorrow.

Even though I don’t have my final results I am not too worried as I have my results for my early Assessments I only need to get a pass on each of the final two to pass the entire unit.

Uni this year has been a mixed bag of enjoyment for me, but overall I am happy with how the year went.

I haven’t yet selected my first course for next year but I have narrowed down the options to three so I am happy about that.

Hopefully whatever unit I decide to go with next year will be one that I enjoy.

Well, that is all from me today. I will catch you all in my next Uni Update post in early 2022.

Until then…

Happy Reading!

~>GEM<~

Overseas War Brides – A Collection Of Stories

‘Thousands of Australias’s young men were sent to serve overseas during WW II. Many lost their lives, many were injured, yet many managed to fall in love and convince their sweethearts to marry and follow them to the other side of the world. Thousands of hopeful young women left their homes and families to start a new life in Australia. Here are the stories of the girls who took on an adventure into the unknown. ‘

This book was beautiful.

I have read and seen so much about veterans and survivors of WW II yet this is the first time I have ever heard the stories of War Brides. I don’t think I have ever even thought about what the women who many soldiers and moved to new countries went through.

After reading this book I am astonished that this is the first time I have heard anything about these women and their stories. Learning about what these women went through; long voyages by sea, arriving in a completely different country, and at times having to deal with in-laws that didn’t want them to be part of the family, made for a truly remarkable reading experience.

I loved that there were so many different stories told in this book. The women came from all around the world and settled all over Australia, so it was fantastic seeing how different women had different experiences based on where they came from and where they ended up.

This is a book that came into my life in an unexpected way and I am so glad that it did. I had never seen this book in shops so I may never have gotten the chance to read it and I can honestly say my life would have been missing something if I had never read this book.

Overseas War Brides: Stories from Women Who Followed Their Hearts to Australia is a must-read for everyone.

Booksgiving Tag…

Welcome one and all to another Wacky Wednesday post. Today I am partaking in the Booksgiving Tag. I hope you all enjoy this quick little tag.

So without further ado, let’s jump straight in:

THE WRANGLER

WHAT CHARACTER WOULD BE MOST LIKELY TO CHASE AFTER A TURKEY?

Lucy Goose – A Tale of Sorcery… (A Tale of Magic #3) by Chris Colfer

THE SAVIOR

WHAT CHARACTER WOULD BE MOST LIKELY TO SAVE IT?

Brystal Evergreen – A Tale of Sorcery… (A Tale of Magic #3) by Chris Colfer

THE DRAMA KING/QUEEN

WHAT BOOK CHARACTER WOULD BE MOST LIKELY TO START AN ARGUMENT AT THE TABLE?

Art – Like A Love Story by Abdi Nazemian

THE SPACE CADET

WHAT CHARACTER WOULD ACCIDENTALLY SET THE OVEN ON FIRE?

Xanthous Hayfield – A Tale of Sorcery… (A Tale of Magic #3) by Chris Colfer

THE LONER

WHAT CHARACTER WOULD MOST LIKELY BE ALONE ON THANKSGIVING?

Odile Souchet – The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles

THE PERFECTIONIST

WHAT CHARACTER WOULD BE TOO PREOCCUPIED MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING AT THE EVENT IS ABSOLUTELY PERFECT?

Olivia Santos – Read with Pride (The Paper & Hearts Society #2) by Lucy Powrie

THE EMBARRASSMENT

WHICH FICTIONAL CHARACTER HAS A LITTLE TOO MUCH OF THE HOLIDAY SPICED APPLE COCKTAIL?

Declan Byrne – A Week to Remember by Esther Campion

WHAT BOOK ARE YOU LEAST THANKFUL FOR THIS YEAR?

The Charleston Scandal by Pamela Hart

WHAT BOOK ARE YOU MOST THANKFUL FOR?

The Last Woman in the World by Inga Simpson

NAME ONE RANDOM THING THAT YOU’RE THANKFUL FOR.

Online Shopping!

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Well, that’s it for me. I hope you guys enjoyed this tag. As usual, hit me up with your answers in the comment section.

Until next time…

Happy Reading… 

~>GEM<~

Winner Winner Bin Chicken Dinner by Kate and Jol Temple

‘Ibis is on the lookout for food, but she’s not welcome anywhere! Until she spies the most amazing dinner of all.

“Buzz off, bin chicken, you stinky sensation! Find somewhere else for your dinner reservation!”

Ibis is on the lookout for food, but she’s not welcome anywhere! Until she spies the most amazing dinner of all…’

This book was wonderful.

I am not sure if other countries have Ibis birds but if they do I doubt they call them bin chicken; that seems like a very Australian thing to me.

In Australia, the Ibis is white with a black beak, head, and legs and is most commonly seen hanging around garbage bins looking for food; hench the nickname bin chicken.

Now that we have established that the title of this book may make more sense to those who are unfamiliar with the Ibis and its behaviour in Australia.

As an Australian, as soon as I saw this book I knew I had to have it. The bin chicken has become a kind of pop culture icon in this country and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book and see what the author had come up with.

Kate and Jol Temple have done a fantastic job with this book. They captured the bin chicken perfectly, while also including places and situations that would be familiar to many Australians. I had a smile on my face from the very first page and I had some genuine laugh-out-loud moments while reading this book.

Kate and Jol Temple’s wonderful story was perfectly complimented by Ronojoy Ghosh’s beautiful Illustrations. The combination of story and images made for a truly fantastic reading experience.

I can easily see this book becoming a fast favourite with young readers and their families.

Winner Winner Bin Chicken Dinner by Kate and Jol Temple is a must-have for Aussie bookshelves.

Online Shopping – A Poem

Welcome to another Sunday Session. I recently wrote a poem; well technically multiple haiku’s, as part of a University Assessment and since I actually liked it, I decided to share it with you today.

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Clicking on checkout

The money leaves my account

Shopping now complete

*

The receipt arrived

As did the tracking number

Now I have to wait

*

A message arrives

My package is on its way

I can track it now

*

Today is the day

I’m waiting with bated breath

My shopping is near

*

The Postman has been

My excitement is growing

Finally, it’s here

*

Packages for me

I rip open the boxes

Now I can enjoy

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That’s it from me today. I hope you enjoyed my poem. I will catch you all next week for another Sunday Session.

Happy Reading.

~>GEM<~

Before You Were Born by Katrina Germein

‘A wonderfully inclusive book to celebrate the anticipated birth of a child.

Before you were born
and while you grew,
there was a party
just for you.

Created by talented duo Katrina Germein and Helène Magisson, this heartwarming picture book captures the excitement and anticipation of the arrival of a baby.

Filled with love, hope, and happiness, Before You Were Born celebrates the universal joy of new babies in all kinds of families.’

This book was beautiful.

This was one of those books that captured my interest based on its cover and title alone. I am very glad about that as I thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful little book.

I loved the idea of this book; the excitement of waiting for a baby to arrive. I think the idea of sharing this with kids is wonderful and would have little readers asking many questions about how their families prepared for their arrival.

One of the things I hadn’t expected but was very glad to see was how inclusive this book was. Having a book that features families and characters that look like their families is something that is truly fantastic to see.

Katrina Germein did a fantastic job with this book. The various events that happen before a baby is born were wonderfully captured with understandable language, and the feels that these moments create radiated off the pages.

As this is a picture book the writing and illustrations have to work together seamlessly and that is exactly what happened with Katrina Germein’s writing and Helène Magisson’s stunning illustrations. The way in which Helène Magisson’s illustrations perfectly captured the essence of Katrina Germein’s words made for a truly wonderful reading experience.

I can easily see this book becoming a fast favourite for young readers.

Before You Were Born by Katrina Germein is a must-have for all young readers and their families.

Spicy Pumpkin Latte Book Tag…

Welcome one and all to another Wacky Wednesday post. Today I am partaking in the Spicy Pumpkin Latte Book Tag. I hope you all enjoy this quick little tag.

So without further ado, let’s jump straight in:

PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE: A BOOK YOU DIDN’T THINK YOU’D LOVE

The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris

HOT APPLE CIDER: A BOOK THAT GOT YOU A BIT HOT UNDER THE COLLAR

The Millionaire Mountain Climber by Laura Boon

PEANUT BUTTER HOT CHOCOLATE: A BOOK THAT FELT LIKE A WARM HUG

A Week To Remember by Esther Campion

MAPLE PECAN LATTE: A BOOK YOU ENJOYED THAT WAS HARD TO GET INTO

The Little Bookshop Of Promises by Debbie Macomber

LONDON FOG: A VANILLA CHARACTER

Henry and Effie – Cape May by Chip Cheek

HOT BUTTERED RUM: A BOOK THAT WAS VELVETY SMOOTH TO READ

All We Dream by Pamela Cook

PUMPKIN CREAM COLD BREW: A CHARACTER WHOSE TEMPERAMENT IS ICY COLD

Wrath – Kingdom Of The Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco

SALTED CARAMEL MOCHA: A BOOK THAT YOU’RE SALTY ABOUT

The Good Germans: Resisting the Nazis, 1933-1945 by Catrine Clay

HONEY BEE LATTE: A CHARACTER WHO IS SWEET

Brevity – The Library Of The Unwritten by A.J. Hackwith

GINGERBREAD LATTE: A CHARACTER YOU’D TAKE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

Roger – Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

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Well that’s it for me. I hope you guys enjoyed this tag. As usual, hit me up with your answers in the comment section.

Until next time…

Happy Reading… 

~>GEM<~

Bob Dylan by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara

‘In this book from the critically acclaimed Little People, Big Dreams series, discover the inspiring story of this iconic singer-songwriter, poet, and artist. Bob Dylan was born in Duluth, Minnesota. As a teenager, he played in various bands and, over time, his interest in music deepened, with a particular passion for American folk music and blues. Dylan moved to New York City in 1961, where he began to perform poetry and music in clubs and cafes in Greenwich Village. There, he recorded a number of albums which made him one of the most influential musicians of history. This fascinating book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the musicians’ life.’

This book was wonderful.

This is another book from the wonderful Little People Big Dreams series that I have been making my way through recently. I went into this book knowing the name Bob Dylan and I had an understanding of who he was and what he has done, but I didn’t actually know a whole lot about him specifically.

As I didn’t know a lot about Bob Dylan before diving in, this book was both informative and entertaining for me. I was impressed by how much information was provided as well as how varied the information was.

I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Bob Dylan’s early life and more about his career and achievements and I adored the fabulous Illustrations by Conrad Roset that perfectly complemented the information provided in this little book.

Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara has done a fantastic job with this book. Both the writing and the layout were perfect making for a great reading experience.

Bob Dylan by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara is a wonderful addition to the Little People Big Dreams series.