Just as I seem to catch up with life, get on top of things, start to feel in control... then life seems to catch up with me and it all becomes a bit of a roller coaster. It's been a crazy week on all sorts of levels so far, but there is still time to catch a few moments to read most days.
I finished my March choice for The Year in Books, Bitter Greens early in the month and I absolutely loved it, finding it a fascinating mixture of fiction and fact. It tells the story of Charlotte Rose de Caumont de la Force who was a French novelist and Poet in the court of Louis XIV. She was best known for her story Persinette which was then adapted by the Brothers Grimm as the story of Rapunzel. Woven into Kate Forsyth's tale of the scandelous life of Charlotte Rose is also a retelling of the story of Rapunzel along with the story of La Strega Bella, the woman who holds her captive. An excellent read!
My choice for April was going to be Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, but as seems to have been my habit so far this year, it was started and finished before April began. I found this a strange and enchanting book filled with magic and illusion, that kept me turning the pages until late into the night... and then I couldn't wait to pick it up again each morning. Different from my usual choice of read but utterly compelling.
And so I have chosen another book to read in April... Ghostwalk by Rebecca Stott, recommended by several of you and one that I'm really enjoying... I've almost finished that too.
It just so happens that we had a meeting of our other book club this week... The Mucky Book Club... named because of a rather risque book chosen by one of our members not long after we first formed and were still trying to think of a name for ourselves. We are all still keen readers but we don't really read the same books or even discuss books much any longer. We are really just a group of friends who get together for an evening of good food and lots of laughter every few months. This week we had an Italian evening...
My contribution was a chocolate tiramisu cake...
At this point of the evening the conversation came to a stop... I've never known them all so quiet!
Have you read any good books... or eaten any good cakes... this month?
I try not to think about cake, until I see your posts! I think just looking at them puts weight on. I am mostly browsing through textile and mixed media books at present but must get back to The Hobbit when I can keep my eyes open long enough to read more than one page at a time!
ReplyDeleteAll of those books sound wonderful - I'm off to add them to my ever-growing list... As for that cake... Mmm...
ReplyDeleteI am a reader in phases. Sometimes I spend hours sitting with my head in a book, and at other times I seem to go weeks without reading. I am in one of the latter phases at the moment. But now it's the school holidays, I will try to make time to read. The book I started weeks ago, keeps looking at me longingly.
ReplyDeleteThat cake looks soooo yummy! I am not surprised all conversation came to a stop.
ReplyDeleteYou have got me hooked on Peter May. I am now into the second book in the Enzo files series. They are just as good as the Lewis trilogy. But I have noted your current selections for future borrowing and reading. Cheers
Golly, the ability to finish a book! I have a stack of books on the bedside table, half-read or nearly finished, including a book about St Kilda which has been there for several years - I'm only a chapter away from finishing I think. I also have a box by the side of the bed, with several half-reads waiting to be elevated to "bedside table" status, including a book about time by Claudia Hammond - ironic that I started it last Easter holes but haven't made time to finish it? Thing is, these bedtime books tend to make me sleepy so I only read a page or two a night. There is also the stack of larger arty books, library books and recipe magazines in the living room - for all those evenings when I have nothing other to do than sit and read. Ha! I think I have a problem here...Cakewise, I'm doing better. Carrot cake and banana and walnut are favourites at the moment!
ReplyDeleteI meant Easter hols. Blimmin' apple predictive text...
ReplyDeleteOoh, look at that cake! What books?! I do like the sound of the Mucky Book Club too - highbrow's all well and good but fun's even better.
ReplyDeleteSarah :)
Bitter Greens sounds interesting. I too found The Night Circus to be a speedy read!
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