Annis

Bedtime tonight did not go to plan.

Tucker was over-tired, cranky and fighting me every step of the way. I had to laugh - the boy was completely exhausted, I was trying to put him to bed, why was he fighting me?
The answer is of course, because he's four, over-tired and cranky, and didn't want to do anything. He went straight to sleep though so hopefully he'll feel better in the morning. He's also back to school tomorrow after the half-term holiday and I suspect being back to his normal routine will help as well.

Daisy decided she wanted absolutely nothing to do with mummy, did not want mummy reading her a story or putting her to bed and just cried for her daddy. Some battles are not worth fighting, and that was one of them, so I let James put her to bed. She was as good as gold for him, cuddled on his lap while he read her a bedtime story and settled straight into bed when he put her there.

And now Kit is fast asleep on me, thumb in her mouth, looking like a perfect angel. I'm going to have to put her in the cot soon and pray she doesn't wake up while I move her. I've been reading so I've just let her sleep where she is for now.

I think a fairly early night is in store for me as well, I'm beat after all the bedtime drama this evening. I did not set out to write about trying to put the little ones to sleep, I had planned on writing about my love for sailing but that will keep for another night.

I hope you're having a quiet, relaxing evening and that have good sleep and sweet dreams when you turn in for the night.

Each Wednesday, Long and Short Reviews hosts a weekly blog hop. For more details on how to participate, please click here

Today's topic is: My Favorite Food
I LOVE seafood. From pastas and paellas, to chowders and curries - prawns, crab, clams, mussels, etc. Absolutely love them.
A lobster mac and cheese is one of my favourites. A simple seafood linguine is amazing. Salmon stirfry with noodles. Fish pie. Even fish and chips, or fish fingers make me happy!

And now I'm hungry!

The Book Blogger Hop was originally created by Jennifer @ Crazy-For-Books in March 2010 and ended on December 31, 2012. With Jennifer’s permission, it was relaunched on February 15, 2013 by Billy @ the Ramblings of a coffee addict. Each week the hop will start on a Friday and end the following Thursday. There will be a weekly prompt featuring a book related question. The hop’s purpose is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to your own blog.

This week's topic is Do you prefer to read in a quiet or noisy setting?

For me it's not about the volume, it's about the type of noise that's around me. Absolute silence makes me uncomfortable. I prefer to read when I have music on, I can read when James is watching TV if I'm not interested in what's on - but get distracted if I am. I cannot read if people are talking but can quite easily read in a coffee shop or library.

But mostly I read listening to music, preferably cuddled up in James' arms and sometimes with a baby or three with us. It's comfortable, relaxing and the perfect setting.

The Book Blogger Hop was originally created by Jennifer @ Crazy-For-Books in March 2010 and ended on December 31, 2012. With Jennifer’s permission, it was relaunched on February 15, 2013 by Billy @ the Ramblings of a coffee addict. Each week the hop will start on a Friday and end the following Thursday. There will be a weekly prompt featuring a book related question. The hop’s purpose is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to your own blog.

This week's topic is Do you use social media to keep up with your favourite authors?
It's not something I had thought of, nor had even occurred to me that I could do - what does that say about me?

I'm also not quite sure how social media works or what I would do with it. Do I want to know the minutiae of other peoples lives, do I want them to know about mine?

Although I can see the benefits of following authors and musicians I like to get updates on new releases but as above, not sure I care about their personal lives (or even they even post about them) and I'm also wary of them turning out to be complete tools and it put me off their work which is what I love about them in the first place.

Do you have any thoughts on this?

Top Ten Tuesday used to be a weekly post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, but was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl. “It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.”

And this is definitely something I can understand and want to participate in.

This week’s prompt is top ten bookish goals for 2023 and I don't know if I have ten that are all related to books and reading, it has me thinking about blogging, reading and what I want from it, if I want to branch out and try new things etc. I love making goals, even if I don't always meet them!

Read 25 books this year
I've set this as my goal on goodreads and storygraph, and it seems really doable. I have no idea how much I'm going to be able to read, so 2 books a month seems like a good aim.

Re-read and catch up on the series I love
There's a new Kathy Reichs books coming out, I have no idea where I got to in the series so I'm going to re-read them all. I don't think I ever finished reading Val McDermid's Tony Hill and Carol Jordan series - and she's released new books in the last few years.

Make time for reading everyday
Even if its half an hour in the afternoon while the girls are napping, or in the evening after all the kids are asleep. Time purposely spent doing the things I love is Good For Me!

Write about the books I read
I'm not going to say 'write a review' because I can't see me doing that, but I do enjoy talking about and sharing the love for the books I enjoy. It's also something I'm trying to do with my kids - I read to all three of them, always have. Tucker is learning to read and I always try have us talk about the stories we read together.

Organise my bookshelves
I realised after I went bookshopping that my shelves are a mess, I need to replace some old bookcases and my books are in no order at all. Buy new one, build them, organise books properly into alphabetical order.
This probably applies to more in my life than just my bookshelves - but I have 3 kids under 5 LOL

Get rid of books I don't enjoy/want to re-read
This is connected to organising my shelves in a way. Life is too short for bad books and I don't want books I don't want on my shelves when they can be easily donated to a charity shop.

Use the library more
I go to the library a couple of times a week - I take the kids to the bounce and rhyme sessions, and make sure that we're checking out books for us to read together, for Tucker to practice reading on, but I don't remember to look at the adult fiction (or non-fiction).

Look into an ebook reader
It's something I've been thinking about for a while, and I know the library has electronic resources as well. I know there's free books and cheap book offers on Kindle and it would be another way of finding new to me authors to read

Find a couple of new bookish podcasts
There's podcasts (like apps) for everything, so there's got to be some good bookish ones, maybe even some that are specifically crime/mystery/thriller. Probably even some that are sociology and anthropology themed. I have no idea where to start with looking though.

And I cannot think of another one, so that's going to have to be it.
Do you have any bookish goals for 2023?

Top Ten Tuesday used to be a weekly post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, but was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl. “It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.”

And this is definitely something I can understand and want to participate in.

This week’s prompt Top Ten Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2023 has had me exploring the new releases sections of Goodreads, Amazon and Waterstones. I think I'm going to be enjoying rediscovering reading in 2023!



What upcoming books are you looking forward to?

Each Wednesday, Long and Short Reviews hosts a weekly blog hop. For more details on how to participate, please click here

Today’s topic is My goals for 2023. I love this time of year, I love making goals, even if I don't always meet them! But I love the whole 'new' feeling of this week, the potential and the excitement that I can make anything happen.

Read 25 books
I've set this as my goal on goodreads and storygraph, and it seems really doable. I have no idea how much I'm going to be able to read, so 2 books a month seems like a good aim.

Make time for hobbies everyday
Even if its half an hour in the afternoon while the girls are napping, or in the evening after all the kids are asleep. Time purposely spent doing the things I love is Good For Me!

Move Kit into her own room
She will be 6 months old at the end of February, and she's sleeping a good 8 or 9 hours a night so it's time for her to move her into her own bedroom. We sort of forgot to finish painting it first though so that will be James' first DIY job of the year!

Those are the main three right now but I may end up adding to it over the coming days/weeks

Top Ten Tuesday used to be a weekly post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, but was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl. “It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.”

And this is definitely something I can understand and want to participate in.

This week’s prompt (and my first time taking part!) most recent additions to my book collection is a very timely prompt because I've recently started reading again. I'm starting to find a rhythm to my days again, with Tucker in school and having Daisy & Kit at home - the girls and I are in a routine and I'm finally getting space and time to partake in my own hobbies again and I've started picking up books.

I mentioned about a month ago to James that I missed reading and wanted some new books. And for Christmas I received not only some books but also gift cards for Amazon, Waterstones and WH Smith.

I proceeded to buy:

I have loved Karin Slaughter's Grant County since I first got Blindsighted out of the library as a teen but haven't ever owned a full set. I do now!

I also treated to myself to a few books I've been wanting to read for a while:


And one I've never heard of but caught my eye: