February Wrap Up…

Welcome to my February Wrap Up. I didn’t have a great reading month, finishing 4 books (1 book off my TBR). I also received 2 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 February Wrap Up:

Dare To Be Different by Ben Brooks: This book was fantastic. I know that it is aimed at children but I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The people that were profiled had extraordinary stories and the information provided was just enough to spark interest and ask questions. While I did know a few of the people featured in this book I was surprised by how many I had never heard of. I loved every second of this book; from the amazing lives, the inspirational words, and the beautiful illustrations by Quinton Winter. I am so glad that I picked up this book.

Crystals by Emily Anderson: This book was great. It was filled with interesting information that will help you understand crystals more as well as wonderful images to help you identify and get the most out of your crystal collection. The layout of this book made for easy reading and even easier for reference. I loved the way the crystals were grouped together based on their individual strengths; this made for a wonderful and informative reading experience.

The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson: I adored this book. This amazing Historical Fiction is based on true events and had me captivated from the very first page. I had never heard of the events in this book nor did I know anything about the underground wartime library. This book had everything I wanted; a fantastic story, human characters, and utterly beautiful writing. I am so glad that I read this book and I know I will be reading it again many times in the future.

All That’s Left In The World by Erik J. Brown: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved the facts that it showed the various ways in which people may behave in post-apocalyptic situations. I have read more than a few post-apocalytic books and they very rarely show any ‘good’ people that aren’t the main characters, so I found it refreshing to see that the characters in this book weren’t all ‘bad’. I also loved that the main characters were emotional, flawed, and even after everything that had been through able to they were still able to hope and love. This is easily up there as one of my favourite post-apocalypic reads.

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That’s it for my February 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 March Wrap Up…

Happy Reading…

~>GEM<~

Holiday Wrap Up!

I recently got back from a great family holiday and I am slowly getting over my post-holiday blues so I thought it was about time I wrote my Holiday Wrap Up.

I had a great, yet slightly different holiday this year. With covid restrictions still in place, there was a lot more preplanning and booking than I am used to on holidays.

While I didn’t get to have dinner at some of our regular spots as they were booked out, I didn’t have some new experiences this year. Most of them are food-related so I won’t bother going into details but two of them were non-food-related experiences.

The first was my sister’s birthday picnic at the Wollongong Botanic Gardens. I have never been to the Botanic Gardens and while I will admit it was very hot and I got a little too much sun that place was absolutely beautiful. The flower designs were amazing, as was the pond and pergola in the middle of the gardens; we even got to see ducks and geese.

The second new experience was going to the opening of the Bundanon Art Museum and the Bridge. It was a bit of a drive but the location was breathtaking. With lake views and amazing architecture, Bundanon was utterly stunning. The range of works on display was amazing, inspirational, and educational.

The holiday was so wonderful we didn’t want it to end so we ended up booking into an apartment on the water for a few extra days. After spending weeks in a cabin, the apartment was difficult to get used to. The location was great but I wasn’t used to being able to hear everyone’s movement; the neighbours as well as my family. While I am glad we go the extra few days away I have decided that apartments are not for me.

Overall I had a lovely holiday with my family and I wish it could’ve lasted longer. Now that we are home it is time to get back to reality. As sad as that makes me.

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That’s it for today’s Sunday Session post.

Until next time…

Happy Reading!

~>GEM<~

The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson

‘London, 1944.

Clara Button is no ordinary librarian. While the world remains at war, in East London Clara has created the country’s only underground library, built over the tracks in the disused Bethnal Green tube station. Down here a secret community thrives: with thousands of bunk beds, a nursery, a cafe, and a theatre offering shelter, solace, and escape from the bombs that fall above.

Along with her glamorous best friend and library assistant Ruby Munroe, Clara ensures the library is the beating heart of life underground. But as the war drags on, the women’s determination to remain strong in the face of adversity is tested to the limits when it seems it may come at the price of keeping those closest to them alive.’

I adored this book.

A Historical Fiction novel based on true events, set during World War Two in an underground Library. This book was everything I didn’t know I needed for so I went into it with high hopes and I am happy to say it not only lived up to my high expectations, it well and truly surpassed them.

I loved everything about this book starting with the story. I knew very little about life in London during the Blitz, so reading about the heart-wrenching events that occurred during this time was truly moving. This story is like reading an emotional roller coaster. Reading about the trials of these characters was heartbreaking but seeing how they overcame obstacles and created this amazing community was really heartwarming.

The characters that lived this amazing story added so much humanity and interest that I didn’t want to put this book down. There were many different characters in this book to fall in love with all with their own personalities and flaws. I loved the way the characters interacted with each other and how their individual experiences wove together to create a tapestry of stories taking place in and around the underground library.

Kate Thompson has done an utterly fabulous job with this book. The writing was emotional with a beautiful lyrical quality to it. The character’s personalities were so relatable and three-dimensional that they radiated off the pages and wormed their way into your heart. Kate Thompson’s writing has a cinematic quality to it that made reading this beautiful novel a truly wonderful reading expereince.

The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson is an absolute treasure and a must-read for everyone.

90’s Kids Book Tag…

Welcome one and all to another Wacky Wednesday post. Today I am partaking in the 90’s Kids Book Tag. I hope you all enjoy this quick little tag.

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

POKEMON

A GBA GAME AND TRADING CARD GAME WHERE YOU BATTLED POCKET MONSTERS AND STRIVED TO CATCH THEM ALL. BACK IN THE DAY, THERE WERE ONLY 150 POKEMON.

THE AUTHOR YOU NEED EVERY BOOK FROM

Fiona Palmer

AIM

AOL INSTANT MESSAGING – HOW ’90S KIDS COMMUNICATED WITH THEIR FRIENDS AFTER SCHOOL BEFORE EVERYONE HAD A CELL PHONE.

BOOK THAT CONNECTED YOU WITH YOUR BEST FRIEND

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

FURBY

CREEPY NEEDY ROBOTS YOU COULD TEACH TO TALK AND WERE PROBABLY DEMON-POSSESSED. SOMEHOW THESE MADE A COMEBACK?

BOOK THAT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA BUT WAS ACTUALLY A MONSTER

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

SLIMED!

GETTING GREEN SLIME THROWN ON YOU AT THE KID’S CHOICE AWARDS?

A BOOK EVERYONE LOVED BUT YOU HATED

The Other F-Word by Natasha Friend

MIXTAPE/CD

BACK BEFORE EVERYONE HAD MUSIC ON THEIR PHONES (REMEMBER, WE DIDN’T HAVE CELL PHONES!) FOLKS WOULD RIP THEIR CDS AND MAKE MIXES FOR EACH OTHER.

3 BOOKS YOU RECOMMEND TO ANYONE, ANYWHERE, NO MATTER WHAT

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Last Woman in the World by Inga Simpson

Doctor Sleep by Stephen King

DIAL-UP INTERNET

IMAGINE WAITING 10 MINUTES FOR INTERNET TO START AND ANOTHER 20 MINUTES FOR GOOGLE TO LOAD!

A BOOK THAT TOOK FOR FREAKING EVER TO READ

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

HEADS DOWN, THUMBS UP

A GAME WHERE THE CLASS CLOSED THEIR EYES AND THE TEACHER TAPPED SOMEONE’S THUMB AND THE CLASS HAD TO GUESS WHO GOT TAPPED WITHOUT PEEKING.

BOOK WHERE YOU PEEKED JUST REAL QUICK AT THE ENDING BECAUSE YOU DON’T LIKE GUESSING GAMES

The Light After the War by Anita Abriel

DUNKAROOS

THESE WERE BASICALLY JUST TEDDY BEAR BISCUITS DIPPED IN FROSTING, WHICH IS STILL A WONDERFUL SNACK IDEA.

YOUR IDEAL BOOKISH SNACK

Tim Tams

SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK

COLLECTIONS OF SHORT STORIES THAT WOULD SCARE ANY SENSIBLE KID!  PLUS, THERE WERE ILLUSTRATIONS…

A BOOK THAT KEPT YOU UP ALL NIGHT

Witness by Louise Milligan

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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<~

David Bowie by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara

‘Meet David Bowie, the starman who dazzled audiences with his music.

As a child, young David had a head full of songs and ideas. He was inspired by the pop and mod scenes in Britain to pick up the saxophone. After earning his stripes in some of the coolest bands in London, David splashed onto the solo scene.

His songwriting talent and musical skill made him one of rock and roll’s all-time greatest artists. This moving 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 musician’s life.’

I loved this book.

While I knew who David Bowie was and I knew his music; quite a lot of his music, it wasn’t until I was reading this book that I realize how little I knew about him as a person.

I loved how much information about David Bowie’s early life was included in this book. I feel that this gave me more of an understanding of how he became David Bowie the artist which made me appreciate genius even more.

Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara did a fantastic job with the information in this book. I covered so many time periods and aspects of David Bowie’s life which made for an informative and entertaining reading experience.

To make this book complete were the wonderful illustrations by Ana Albero. Ana Albero’s illustrations perfectly complimented Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara’s writing adding an extra layer to this great little book.

This book is part of the Little People Big Dreams series for children so I am not its target audience, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. So if you have a young reader in your life this is a book that you can enjoy together.

David Bowie by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara is a must-have for all young readers.

Pointless Facts 23!

As I am really enjoying compiling Pointless Facts, I am going to stick with my plan of posting a new list every month; at least until it stops being fun for me. So I hope you all enjoy this month’s installment of Pointless Facts.

Let’s jump in, shall we?

Time stops at the speed of light.

A sneeze shoots through the air at 100 miles per hour, sending 10,000 germs flying.

Thumbs have their own pulse.

Everyone has their own unique smell, except identical twins.

Both volleyball and basketball were invented in Massachusetts.

Tennis was originally played with bare hands.

Sixty percent of the World’s lakes (three million total) are located in Canada.

Elephants suck on their trunks for comfort.

A group of owls is called a parliament.

Jeannette Rankin was elected to Congress four years before women could even vote.

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I hope you all enjoyed today’s pointless facts. Let me know in the comments if these pointless facts were new to you or if you had already come across them.

~>GEM<~

Crystals by Emily Anderson

‘Discover the properties and uses of healing crystals in this beautifully illustrated modern guide. From amethysts to rhodochrosite, this elegant hardback introduces an array of crystals and their practical uses.

Whether you wish to restore emotional balance, boost creativity, or manifest desires, this is the ideal book to get you started on your journey with these sparkling energy allies.

Covering a range of crystals – from the well-known rose quartz to the more unusual amazonite – this essential guide passes on centuries-old wisdom, updated to suit the modern world.

Includes:
– Beautiful full-color images of the listed crystals to help identify them
– Sections on using crystals in different areas, such as the home, in meditation and divination
– Tips on how to cleanse and charge your gems’

This book was great.

I have had crystals for a while but I have only ever used them as part of my decor so I never bothered learning more about them. When I saw this book I decided to pick it up without putting my thought into it. I am so glad that I had that whim as I thoroughly enjoyed every second of this book and I know I will be using it many times in the future as I continue to add to my crystal collection.

Not only does this book contain information and images of various crystals it also explains how to clean your crystals, which crystals are best for certain things, and it also provides instructions to the reader on how to perform crystal meditations and rituals.

While this book isn’t overflowing with information; it’s more of a pocketbook, Emily Anderson has done a wonderful job in providing basic yet truly interesting information that will easily help a reader get started with their own crystal collection.

Crystals by Emily Anderson is a must-have for anyone with an interest in crystals.

The Emperor’s New Clothes Book Tag…

Welcome one and all to another Wacky Wednesday post. Today I am partaking in The Emperor’s New Clothes Book Tag. I hope you all enjoy this quick little tag.

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

“YOUR MAJESTY, THIS IS A MAGIC SUIT.”

AN OVERHYPED BOOK THAT PROMISED TO BE *SOMETHING MORE*

The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee

“SOMEBODY SEND FOR THE QUEEN.”

A BOOK WITH A LOVE INTEREST THAT WASN’T CALLED FOR

The Conference Of The Birds by Ransom Riggs

“THE DOUBLET IS A LOVELY SHADE OF GREEN.”

A BOOK THAT SEDUCED YOU WITH ITS COVER (THAT YOU ENDED UP DISLIKING)

Hungry Hearts: 13 Tales Of Food & Love by Elsie Chapman

“SUMMON THE COURT TO CONVENE.”

A BOOK WHERE YOU WERE SWAYED BY PUBLIC OPINION

The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys

“LOOK AT THE KING! LOOK AT THE KING, THE KING, THE KING!”

A STARK, RAVING MAD BOOK THAT JUST BOGGLES THE MIND

Unbirthday by Liz Braswell

“IT’S ALTOGETHER THE VERY LEAST THE KING HAS EVER WORN.”

A TROPEY GET UP YOU’VE SEEN BEFORE THAT PROBABLY NEEDS REDRESSING (A.K.A. A BOOK WITH A TROPE YOU’RE BORED WITH SEEING)

The Return by Nicholas Sparks

“SUMMON THE COURT PHYSICIAN! CALL AN INTERMISSION!”

A BOOK THAT NEEDS MEDICAL ATTENTION, A.K.A. A REWRITE

Talking With Psychopaths and Savages: Beyond Evil by Christopher Berry-Dee

“IT’S ALTOGETHER THE VERY LEAST THE KING HAS EVER WORN.”

THERE’S NO HIDING FOR THIS ONE: A BOOK THAT IS JUST NAKEDLY BAD

My Daughter’s Wedding by Gretel Killeen

BONUS:

“HIS MAJESTY IS WIDE OPEN TO RIDICULE AND SCORN.”

SOMETHING (ANYTHING) THAT ASTOUNDS YOU WITH ITS POPULARITY

The Vampire Diaries by L.J. Smith

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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<~

Steve Jobs by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara

‘In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Steve Jobs, the visionary whose ideas still shape the world.
 
Steve Jobs grew up surrounded by inventors, in sunny Silicon Valley, California. He and his friend Stephen Wozniak channeled their love of computers into their own inventions, building a successful company from Steve’s garage. Steve thought that computers were the future, and his big ideas would transform the world and the way people use technology. This inspiring 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 brilliant businessman’s life.’

This book was great.

As this is another book from the Little People Big Dreams series it is aimed at a much younger audience than me, an audience that doesn’t remember life before computers and cell phones.

For me, going into this book I was far more interested in learning about Steve Jobs’s early life as I am pretty familiar with everything that happened after the creation of Apple.

Luckily for me, there was quite a lot of information about Steve Jobs’s early life included in this book which helps the reader to understand how he thought the way he did and how he was able to create Apple and everything that the company entails.

Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara did a really great job in weaving together various parts of Steve Jobs’s life and career without it being too overloaded with information that may bore young readers.

Along with Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara’s writing, this book also contains wonderful illustrations by Aura Lewis. The combination of writing and illustrations makes for both an informative and visually interesting reading expereience.

Steve Jobs by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara is out now.

Valentine’s Day Facts!

As I am really enjoying compiling Pointless Facts each month, I have decided to put together a Valentine’s Day Facts post. I hope you all enjoy these Valentine’s Day Facts.

Let’s jump in, shall we?

Candy hearts were originally medical lozenges.

February 14th used to be a Roman fertility festival.

Wearing red makes you more attractive.

Doves mate for life.

The first Valentine was sent from prison

The most popular Valentine card recipients are Teachers.

Lovebirds are a real bird.

Hallmark did not make the first known Valentine’s Day card

Nearly 6 million couples get engaged on Valentine’s Day.

Americans send 145 million Valentine’s Day cards each year.

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I hope you all enjoyed today’s Valentine’s Day Facts. Let me know in the comments if these facts were new to you or if you had already come across them.

~>GEM<~