Saturday 1 September 2018

Plans for September 2018

It's September! Already! How can this be?!!! Actually, I believe it; the weather is starting to have an autumnal tinge here. My kids are about to go  back to school (and in the case of my elder child, start a new school, eeeeeeeek!). The school holidays have gone pretty well. The extra building work we are having done is still happening, more slowly than I'd like, and this has had an impact on the things we've done over the school holidays. We haven't managed to get away, but I'll definitely try and get in a weekend away at some point. I managed to get some reading time in, hurrah, but not as much as I'd wanted.

Let me tell you about some of the visitors I have lined up for this month, all of whom have books out this month.

Book cover: Recognizing Love by Lizzy Brandon
I'll be welcoming Lizzy Brandon, whose new book, Recognizing Love is a Pride & Prejudice variation.

Book cover: Obstacles by Belén Paccagnella
The blog tour for Belén Paccagnella's book Obstacles is due to stop by. This book is P&P-inspired, but it's a modernisation set in the world of show jumping.

Book cover: Emma and the City by Amy Hilliges
I will also be welcoming author Amy Hilliges with her Emma modernisation, Emma in the City. It's sort of a cross between Emma and Sex and the City. Amy will be coming by with a guest post and I'll be shairng my review of the book.

As for what I'll be reading, I'm not sure... as you might recall, I have my old friend, the backlog list, so I need to choose something off that, but as autumn is a-coming, I might try and get in a Persuasion-inspired read too.

What do you plan to read this month? Have you read anything good lately that you'd like to tell us about? Please let me know in the comments!

15 comments:

  1. Hi Ceri,

    It's hard to believe that the Summer is gone,with it's beautiful warm weather and that we're now in September!!

    Your building work is still ongoing,I believe you said? It must be hard trying to live and keep family life ticking over with such disruption in your home but at least the builders are in the homeward trek at this stage and the end must surely be nigh!!!

    Your elder child is starting Secondary school? Gosh,that will be such a big change for all concerned. Hope it goes well and that they settle in,make good friends and become used to their new routine.
    For me starting Sec. school meant getting up and returning home an hour later than normal....which took a lot of getting used to. Added to the extra subjects and new faces,I found it a tricky transition to make. Here's hoping that your child will find it easier.

    Haven't read anything in ages as I just can't concentrate on any book,irrespective of genre. I've got bookitis...a severe case!!!

    You mentioned you might try to squeeze in a Persuaduon type read,well let me heartily recommend Laura Chapman's 'The Marrying Type'. If fits the book and I absolutely loved it!!! If you take a chance on it I hope you'll enjoy it too!

    Happy reading,Ceri.

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    1. Hi Mary. I am hoping his transition will go smoothly. He will need to leave the house about the same time, as in primary school I took him to my mother's house so that I could go to work but now he'll need to go directly to the bus stop instead. I am a little worried about my precious first born having to catch a bus by himself but I am sure it will be fine. I'm dreading the first day though!

      I'm sorry that you've not been able to read. I've gone through periods like that and it's not good. I am definitely happier in myself if I can read.

      I will certainly look up the book you recommend. I have heard of it, but I haven't read it yet. I hope you manage to get your reading mojo back soon!

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  2. I just can't believe how fast, not just this year but, the past year has gone. Exactly a year ago today, I travelled back from four wonderful days in Jane Austen's Hampshire. Doesn't seem possible a whole year has gone by since then. One thing I'm thankful of, with the approach of autumn, is that the weather has cooled down a bit, as I've been laid up in bed for most of the past week with a virus and high temperature. Feeling a bit better now, though not quite out of the woods. Hubby's got it now - I'm a generous soul!

    Hope the transition to secondary school isn't too traumatic. It's a big change, especially due to the size of the buildings and the number of pupils that'll be around. For you, it'll probably mean that you won't be interacting with your child's school on a daily basis any more. Our son's primary school was walking distance from home then suddenly, he was off on the bus (actually two buses each way) and we only went to the school for things such as parents' evenings and concerts. Never did learn my way around the place!

    I had the happy news yesterday that I'd won a copy of the final instalment of Cat Gardiner's Conscience series, In Good Conscience. So I thought that this month, I'd re-read from the beginning of the series before starting this final part. On audio, I've got any number to choose from, including some of Don Jacobson's Wardrobe series and his Lessers and Betters set, plus Audible's new dramatisation of Sense and Sensibility. The latter, like their Northanger Abbey, features Emma Thompson as the narrator (i.e. Jane Austen) and she did a wonderful job then.

    Looking forward to 'meeting' your guests this month. Obstacles looks to be an interesting one in particular.

    Have a good month and happy reading!

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    1. Oh you poor thing, glad to hear you are recovering, and I hope your husband is better soon!

      I don't get to the primary school much, my lovely mum takes my kids to school so that I can get in to work, and then my husband picks them up. I have paid over a lot of money for a bus pass, so we probably won't go to the school much at all :(

      So glad that you won a copy of In Good Conscience! I haven't read this series at all in its published form, though I read the first one on AHA, so I know how good it is.

      With the extra time I've had off for school holidays I've had less audio time in the last 6 weeks so I need to catch up. I think I will get the Emma Thompson-narrated Austen, as I enjoyed NA. It doesn't help that I'm in a little bit of an audio slump. I'm listening to What Matters in Jane Austen by John Mullan and while the book is interesting, I don't like the narration, which is putting me off a bit. I've upped the speed and will have to power through!

      I hope you have a good month and some good reading too, Anji!

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    2. I listened to that John Mullan book recently, too. I think it's one of those books that's probably best to read, rather than listen too. Though I didn't mind the narrator too much, I found that the text tended to repeat itself somewhat, both within and between chapters.

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    3. Hi again. I've just realised that, due to my fevered brain being full of fog recently, I got it wrong about Audible's new version of Sense and Sensibility. The Emma Thompson dramatisation is of Emma, not S&S, which I'm going to be listening to very soon. The new version of S&S is a single person performance by Rosamund Pike. She did P&P a couple of years ago, which I rather enjoyed.

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    4. Hi Anji. I am so sorry you're still not well! I realised when you mentioned Emma Thompson that it was the new Emma audio that you were referring to. I think I'll probably get it.

      I'm not sure whether to bother with the Rosamund Pike S&S; I really enjoyed the Juliet Stevenson narration, and so I'm not sure whether I'd rather use my credits for something else.

      I finally finished the John Mullan book today and although I enjoyed it on the whole, I agree with you about the repetition.

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  3. September snuck up on me, for sure. I'm glad your home improvements are coming along if not done yet and that you were able to read a bit. Hitting a new school milestone must be both exciting and scary. :)
    Nice line up of guests. I just heard about the one set around show jumping. All are new to me so I look forward to learning about them.

    Wishing you some good time to read this month. I'm hoping to get caught up on my review book backlog and continue exploring books with my Kindle Unlimited trial.

    Have a lovely September, Ceri!

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    1. I have far too many unread books on my kindle to try kindle unlimited, but it looks like good value for people who'd otherwise be buying! I hope you have a good reading month, Sophia :)

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  4. I read Obstacles and enjoyed it. Recognizing Love - it this a new release?...as I can't seem to find it. I have read a number of books already, some unpublished. Won't list them but you can check out my reviews on Goodreads. Hope you enjoy those.

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    1. Hi Sheila! Glad to know you enjoyed Obstacles. Recognizing Love is a new release, although by now it's available for pre-order. It's out at the end of this week. I see what you've been reading on my goodreads emails. You're really getting through some books!

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  5. Hi Ceri! Sounds like you've got a busy autumn ahead. I'm reading 'Proof of Love' by Brenda Webb at the mo. It's soooo good! I'm loving it. :) I'd recommend it to anyone who loves the Darcy/Elizabeth story, but from a different angle.

    I hope you and your family manage to get away sometime soon. Holidays are always good!

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    1. I am desperate for a holiday, Elaine! Even just a weekend away would be fantastic.

      Glad you're enjoying Brenda's latest book. I have that one on my TBR too :)

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    2. I'm sure you'll love it. Have you read any of hers before? This is the first by her I've read. :)

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    3. I have read Fitzwilliam Darcy: An Honorable Man, which was a very exciting read!

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