#BWBR August 2021

Welcome to August's #BWBR Books We've Been Reading Blogger Link Up!

Reading has always been a big part of our family life. I read so much as a child and my daughter appears to be following in my footsteps. Each month we aim to share the Books We've Been Reading and I thought it might be nice to have a nosey through the books that others have enjoyed. As a reader I'm always on the hunt for new reads and as a parent I always want to know what books to keep an eye out for in the library so whether it's children's books or adults books I'd love for you to take part in this link up and help us all to grow our 'to be read' piles! 

Books We've Been Reading | July 2021

Anyone who knows me knows that I love to read. It's something I've always enjoyed and I think it's so important that we grow and nurture a love of reading for future generations. We've really missed our trips to the library but thankfully it's reopened now and we get to enjoy browsing again. I'm still making the most of our libraries online ebook loan service to keep my kindle well stocked with reading material. Here's what we've been reading this month....

AD Review | VAX ONEPWR Glide Hard Floor Cleaner*

If you've got dogs or children you will know how valuable a good vacuum is. If you've got hard flooring like we have you'll know how valuable a good mop is. I thought hard flooring would be easier to keep clean than carpet but honestly it's just as much hard work. Daily vacuuming and a weekly steam mop then top up mops when drinks inevitably get spilt or the dog's water gets knocked over during an over enthusiastic game of musical chairs (happens more often than you'd think!) keeping a family floor clean came be a challenge, especially flipping back and forth between vacuum and mop. That's where the VAX ONEPWR Glide Hard Floor Cleaner comes to the rescue. It vacuums, washes AND dries your hard floors. Sceptical? so was I- could one piece of kit really do all those jobs?

Books We've Been Reading | May 2021 | PLUS WIN A MYSTERY BOOK BUNDLE!

Anyone who knows me knows that I love to read. It's something I've always enjoyed and I think it's so important that we grow and nurture a love of reading for future generations. We've really missed our trips to the library, it's so good to be back.  Here's what we've been reading this month....

#BWBR | May 2021

Reading has always been a big part of our family life. I read so much as a child and my daughter appears to be following in my footsteps. Each month we aim to share the Books We've Been Reading and I thought it might be nice to have a nosey through the books that others have enjoyed. As a reader I'm always on the hunt for new reads and as a parent I always want to know what books to keep an eye out for in the library so whether it's children's books or adults books I'd love for you to take part in this link up and help us all to grow our 'to be read' piles! 

Never Let Me Go By Kazuo Ishiguro

Where do I start with this one. I'm a bit stumped. I read the glowing reviews and I loved the dystopian concept of a segment of human society created purely to donate to others but this book just felt so far away from the dystopian fiction I usually love. I feel like Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro is going to divide people, you're going to love it or you're not and I'm definitely in the 'don't love it' section of society.

#BWBR May 2021

Reading has always been a big part of our family life. I read so much as a child and my daughter appears to be following in my footsteps. Each month we aim to share the Books We've Been Reading and I thought it might be nice to have a nosey through the books that others have enjoyed. As a reader I'm always on the hunt for new reads and as a parent I always want to know what books to keep an eye out for in the library so whether it's children's books or adult's books I'd love for you to take part in this link up and help us all to grow our 'to be read' piles! 

Books We've Been Reading | April 2021 | PLUS WIN! A SIGNED COPY OF MARTIN KIRKHAM'S LATEST BOOK!

Anyone who knows me knows that I love to read. It's something I've always enjoyed and I think it's so important that we grow and nurture a love of reading for future generations. We are really missing our trips to the library but thankfully we have a rather hefty children's book collection and I've been making the most of our libraries online ebook loan service to keep my kindle well stocked with reading material. Here's what we've been reading this month....

Review | The Catch by T. M Logan

T. M Logan has quickly become one of my favourite authors. I came across his work by chance in the first lockdown. The library ebook lending service had barely anything available except The Holiday. I judged a book by it's cover and thought it perhaps looked a little cheesy but I couldn't have been more wrong. This is my third T. M Logan book and every one has kept me up later than I wanted reading 'just one more chapter'. Here's what I thought about The Catch.

WIN! A Hand Carved Cat Necklace From Jana Reinhardt Worth £95!

* Please Note this post is a Collaborative Feature.

Some of my best friends and family members run their own creative businesses and as a crafter myself I know the time and effort that goes into creating each unique piece so when the people at Jana Reinhardt got in touch to offer my readers the opportunity to win a unique hand carved piece of jewellery I couldn't say no. 

Coeliac Disease : A Year Living Gluten Free

Being diagnosed as having Coeliac Disease in adulthood was really difficult. I'd had 32 years being able to eat whatever I wanted. I'd enjoyed my life as a foodie, eating out often, trying new things and enjoying the freedom and convenience of a unrestricted diet. It isn't an exaggeration to say that being diagnosed coeliac felt like the end of the world. I felt like one of the key aspects of my personality had been taken away from me. I couldn't possibly be a 'foodie' anymore. I'm not afraid to say that accepting that diagnosis was a period of grief. I mourned for the food I could no longer eat. After a period of self pity and genuine sadness I began to get accustomed to my new way of life and it is an entirely different way of life, it's so much more than 'not being allowed' foods with gluten. 

Books We've Been Reading | March 2021 | PLUS! WIN A MYSTERY BOOK BUNDLE!

Anyone who knows me knows that I love to read. It's something I've always enjoyed and I think it's so important that we grow and nurture a love of reading for future generations. We are really missing our trips to the library but thankfully we have a rather hefty children's book collection and I've been making the most of our libraries online ebook loan service to keep my kindle well stocked with reading material. Here's what we've been reading this month....

#BWBR April 2021 Blogger Link Up

 

Reading has always been a big part of our family life. I read so much as a child and my daughter appears to be following in my footsteps. Each month we aim to share the Books We've Been Reading and I thought it might be nice to have a nosey through the books that others have enjoyed. As a reader I'm always on the hunt for new reads and as a parent I always want to know what books to keep an eye out for in the library so whether it's children's books or adults books I'd love for you to take part in this link up and help us all to grow our 'to be read' piles!

A Day In The Life Of An Autistic Woman

Initially this post was about the pandemic and how having autism has impacted on my experiences throughout the pandemic but as I began writing I realised that I can't really detail how the pandemic has affected me if you don't already know how my autism effects me. I've written a bit about how I got my autism diagnosis, shared my experiences growing up undiagnosed in a mainstream school and I've talked about how autism impacts on dating and holidays but I've never really shared how it impacts me on a daily basis. I've never shared an 'ordinary' day with autism. So here it is, the thoughts, feelings and emotions of an autistic mother on a 'normal' day. 

Books We've Been Reading | February 2021| PLUS! WIN A MYSTERY BOOK BUNDLE!

Anyone who knows me knows that I love to read. It's something I've always enjoyed and I think it's so important that we grow and nurture a love of reading for future generations. We are really missing our trips to the library but thankfully we have a rather hefty children's book collection and I've been making the most of our libraries online ebook loan service to keep my kindle well stocked with reading material. Here's what we've been reading this month....

#BWBR Book Link Up | March 2021

 

Reading has always been a big part of our family life. I read so much as a child and my daughter appears to be following in my footsteps. Each month we aim to share the Books We've Been Reading and I thought it might be nice to have a nosey through the books that others have enjoyed. As a reader I'm always on the hunt for new reads and as a parent I always want to know what books to keep an eye out for in the library so whether it's children's books or adults books I'd love for you to take part in this link up and help us all to grow our 'to be read' piles!

The Doll Factory By Elizabeth MacNeal

Title: The Doll Factory, Author: Elizabeth MacNeal, Pages: 384, Published by: Picador, Publication Date: 2nd May 2019, ISBN: 978-1529002393

Iris and Rose spend their days creating dolls for the oppressive and most often comatose, Mrs Salter. Though fortunate to be employed, the passionate and creative Iris longs for more than the monotonous life she currently leads. Iris yearns to escape, to paint more than doll faces. She wishes to paint freely and with no constraints- to be an artist in her own right.

Could a chance encounter with Silas Reed, collector, taxidermist and prop creator for the Pre-Raphealite Brotherhood set Iris on the path to freedom? Will love, life and art blossom? Or is death and decay the only fate for those that wander the dark, dank streets of Victorian London?

Autism & Relationships: How Autism Impacts On Dating

So Valentines Day, there's no escaping it, even if you don't actively partake in it there's hearts, flowers and declarations of love everywhere you go. I thought about all the posts I could write, the gift guides, the 'how to's' and the 'top ten romantic...' which are all great ideas but they felt a little dishonest, how can I talk about those things when I haven't acknowledged the thing Valentines Day is mostly about, relationships, or more specifically romantic relationships. Having Aspergers effects all aspects of every relationship I have but today I've decided to open up about how having Aspergers effects dating.

Books We've Been Reading | January 2021 | Plus WIN! A MYSTERY BOOK BUNDLE!

Anyone who knows me knows that I love to read. It's something I've always enjoyed and I think it's so important that we grow and nurture a love of reading for future generations. We are really missing our trips to the library but thankfully we have a rather hefty children's book collection and I've been making the most of our libraries online ebook loan service to keep my kindle well stocked with reading material. Here's what we've been reading this month....

NEW! Book Based Blogger Link Up. NOW OPEN!

Reading has always been a big part of our family life. I read so much as a child and my daughter appears to be following in my footsteps. Each month we aim to share the Books We've Been Reading and I thought it might be nice to have a nosey through the books that others have enjoyed. As a reader I'm always on the hunt for new reads and as a parent I always want to know what books to keep an eye out for in the library so whether it's children's books or adults books I'd love for you to take part in this link up and help us all to grow our 'to be read' piles!