I’ve always loved books and whenever anyone asked me what I’d like for my birthday or Christmas the answer was always ‘books, please’ . So l was delighted this last Christmas to receive four books!
Two of them are books that were on my wish list and the other two were complete surprises.
One: Simple One-Pan Wonders by Jamie Oliver (from my wish list)
I’ve got some of Jamie’s books, and this one looks like a good addition. In his introduction he writes ‘With a twinkle in my eye I want to position this book as one that is absolutely dedicated to the art of minimal washing up – you cook each recipe in just one pan or tray … it’s about making your life easier.’ I like the idea of minimal washing up and will be cooking quite a lot of these recipes.
It has over 120 recipes for tasty, fuss-free and satisfying dishes cooked in just one pan. What’s better: each recipe has just eight ingredients or fewer, meaning minimal prep (and washing up) and offering maximum convenience. With chapters including Veggie Delights, Celebrating Chicken, Frying Pan Pasta, Batch Cooking, Puds & Cakes, it all looks simply delicious.
Wars of the Roses: Stormbird Book One by Conn Iggulden (from my wish list)
Historical fiction has long been a great favourite of mine. I absolutely loved Sharon Penman’s The Sunne in Splendour that made me want to know more about the Wars of the Roses.So, when I found Iggulden had written a trilogy about the civil war I was keen to read it. I’ve read some of Iggulden’s other historical fiction novels and loved them, so I’m looking forward to reading this.
King Henry V – the great Lion of England – is long dead. In 1437, after years of regency, the pious and gentle Henry VI, the Lamb, comes of age and accedes to the English throne. His poor health and frailty of mind render him a weakling king -Henry depends on his closest men, Spymaster Derry Brewer and William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk, to run his kingdom.
Yet there are those, such as the Plantagenet Richard, Duke of York, who believe England must be led by a strong king if she is to survive. With England’s territories in France under threat, and rumours of revolt at home, fears grow that Henry and his advisers will see the country slide into ruin. With a secret deal struck for Henry to marry a young French noblewoman, Margaret of Anjou, those fears become all too real.
As storm clouds gather over England, King Henry and his supporters find themselves besieged abroad and at home. Who, or what can save the kingdom before it is too late?
The Case of the Canterfell Codicil (Anty Boisjoly Mysteries Book 1) by PJ Fitzsimmons (not on my wish list). This was a complete surprise for me as I don’t know anything about this book, or the author. It’ll be good reading a new-to-me author and I do like locked room mysteries.
1920s gadabout Anty Boisjoly takes on his first case when his Oxford chum is facing the gallows, accused of the murder of his wealthy uncle.
Not one but two locked-room murders later, Boisjoly’s pitting his wits and witticisms against a subversive butler, a senile footman, a single-minded detective-inspector, an errant goat, and the eccentric conventions of the pastoral Sussex countryside to untangle a multi-layered mystery of secret bequests, ancient writs, love triangles, revenge, and a teasing twist in the final paragraph.
The Case of the Canterfell Codicil is a classic, cosy, locked-room mystery with an improbable plot inspired by Agatha Christie and prose in the style of an homage to PG Wodehouse.
Wintering: The power of rest and retreat in difficult times by Katherine May (a surprise, not on my wish list). It’s a memoir covering quite a wide range of topics, not just about winter, or rest and retreat. I’ve seen this book is one people either praise it or criticise it, so I’m keen to know what I think of it.
Wintering is a poignant and comforting meditation on the fallow periods of life, times when we must retreat to care for and repair ourselves. Katherine May thoughtfully shows us how to come through these times with the wisdom of knowing that, like the seasons, our winters and summers are the ebb and flow of life.
A moving personal narrative interwoven with lessons from literature, mythology and the natural world, May’s story offers instruction on the transformative power of rest and retreat. Illumination emerges from many sources: solstice celebrations and dormice hibernation, C.S. Lewis and Sylvia Plath, swimming in icy waters and sailing arctic seas.
Ultimately, Wintering invites us to change how we relate to our own fallow times. May models an active acceptance of sadness and finds nourishment in deep retreat, joy in the hushed beauty of winter, and encouragement in understanding life as cyclical, not linear. A secular mystic, May forms a guiding philosophy for transforming the hardships that arise before the ushering in of a new season.
BooksPlease 