I see January has returned with a vengeance. Blowing an absolute gale outside, pouring rain and snow forecast for tomorrow. So much for the spring interlude last week. 🙄💨⛄

Reviews are starting to come in for Carolyn O'Brien's incredible Rose & Renzo and we're so pleased with the comments we've been getting 😍 Check them out here: www.goodreads.com/book/show/23...

Well this act of censorship might have the Streisand Effect. I had not heard about this art exhibition before, but now I want to go to see it. Does Bristol, home to arms and financial services companies, have a denial problem? www.bristol247.com/culture/art/...

4 hrs 55mins sleep I ended up with after that business. Had to do some reading after that otherwise I'd have been awake all night. But....I did it. Won't be beaten by tech. Never give up! 💪 Of course, not leaving the quest till gone midnight would have been a good idea. 🙄

It's 1.17am and I've been faffing about for the last bloody hour trying to work out why my Alexa plug keeps turning the light on in a morning when I've disabled it for the summer. It was hidden in another routine 🤦 A lot to be said for an alarm clock & a light switch. 🙄

Another lovely day, though the wind did turn ice like this afternoon. Trialled my new bike. It's been up hills and handled them well (though my knees are still suffering a bit.) Here 'tis.

Ugh, fed up of The Stolen Girl, it feels like it's been on 5,000 weeks. That girl should be about 50 by now. 🙄

@nx2901.bsky.social Hi, fellow Animal Crossing fan here. 👋 Though possibly a bit jaded now after playing it off and on since 2021.

I got a new bike today. Exciting. Just had a ride round the block on it but battery needs charging. Pics tomorrow. Fingers crossed this one doesn't conk out a couple of weeks down the line like the one last year. It's on a 24 hour trial. 🚲

So Goodreads has finally come up with a DNF shelf. About time too. How long have readers waited for that? At least 10 years. Better late than never ever I suppose. I've always removed my DNF's altogether sometimes after I've read half a book! Losing out on all those pages read.

📣A public announcement📣 - we have sunshine. Yes! It's so rare round here I felt the need to rejoice with you all, share in our good fortune. 🥳

Exciting news coming about Rue Baldry's Dwell coming soon, so before we get to that brilliant release for Pride Month, a reminder about our other 2 incredible titles out this year. Paper Sisters is available now, and Rose & Renzo is coming this May 😍 www.northodox.co.uk/bookstore

jackiesreading4leisure.home.blog/2026/03/16/l... This is a book i would highly recommend the true story surrounding Guy’s hospital in the late 1800’s, as nursing reforms were trying to be put into place, but the Dr’s at the hospital didn’t want the reforms. Didn’t want women having any say in care.

Well just wow. What a fabulous book which sadly I have now finished. And thank you @nataliesfergie.bsky.social for putting the website address in the acknowledgements for the archive film of the Singer sewing machine factory from 1934. I've watched half, fascinating.

Nearly finished. 94%. I'll finish it today. Sad because I'll finish it and sad because it's sad. 🥺 It's been a wonderful journey. Absolutely loved this book. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ #booksky 📚⏳ The Sewing Machine by Natalie Fergie.

NEW MoD sources warn Palantir’s role at heart of government is threat to UK’s security. One said: "Ministers clearly have a lack of understanding of Palantir’s technology" Investigation by Charlie Young @charlienotold.bsky.social Report by Charlie Young and @carolecadwalla.bsky.social 🧵 1/7

Hey, our first weekend since September where we've had total peace. No one has been near nextdoor today - absolute bliss! Very much an excuse for a happy dance. 🤫😊

If you see this, share a #RandomShelfie Mine's a bit scant though, most of my books are e-books.

Ohhh, I'm loving this book. Read over half now. Fred is my favourite character. I'll be sad when I've read it. 🧵 The Sewing Machine by Natalie Fergie. #booksky 📚⏳

An Ocean of Stars by Imogen Martin | #historicalfiction #bookreview | @imogenmartin9 @stormbooks_co portobellobookblog.com/2026/03/11/a... @portybelle.bsky.social

Receiving the first hard copies of my books never fails to be a thrill #HappyAuthor Loving the cover even more in real life ❤️❤️❤️

This unintended thread on one page: skywriter.blue/@georgemonbi...

Not something I really think about, but when you do, we're paying a fair bit in fuel duty on petrol/diesel and then we have that tax taxed with VAT. Value added tax. Taxing an added value. How is fuel duty an 'added value' 🤔

My review of The Memory Library by Kate Storey. A book about books, mother and daughter relationships, family reunion and community spirit. #booksky 📚💙

Marvellous. Just what I wanted to see when I turned on my computer: "Prepare for 6 days of rain or snowfall in a row starting tomorrow". Hi winter, I see you're back again, you just can't give it up can you. 🤨

House to myself for a change. Need to write an overdue review. Need to review a review and possibly post. So breakfast first and let's get on! And if I write quick enough, possibly a bit of reading too.

Loving this book just as much as 25 Library Terrace. The Sewing Machine by Natalie Fergie. 40% read. Aww poor Kathleen's revelation. 🥺 #booksky 📚⏳

What a fun afternoon. Had an appointment at the eye clinic at hospital at 2.35pm. So sat in a small overcrowded sauna like waiting room until 3.45pm. To be told of staff shortage, broken scanner, problematic patients, could be a long wait. 🤨 Rearranged appt so I can do it all over again. 🤬

An A-Z of (UK) Independent Publishers – M By definition an Independent Publisher is one that is not one of the large multinational publishing houses commonly referred to as the ‘Big Five’ (namely Penguin Random House, Macmillan, Simon & Schuster, Hachette and Harper Collins – along with their…

Quite fancied some ginger biscuits when we went shopping. Not had them for years. Just been dunking them in my tea. Not done that since I was a kid when my great Auntie Emily made me a cup of tea solely for that purpose, I didn't actually drink the tea. 😂

Home now, it's a bit much when it's colder at home than it was up on the moors.

Louie enjoyed his walk anyway. Chilling now on his new Aldi blanket in the MH.

Took the MH up on the moors for a walk followed by a brew and an Eccles cake. Get away from the bloody racket formerly known as 'doing up your house'. Bit of a grim day but dry and not too cold.

Alexa just woke me up. Sunny she said. Oh right, I'll wake up then. Open the curtains, no it isn't, it's not remotely sunny. Weather app "mostly cloudy and currently 3 degrees". It's not mostly cloudy, it's blanket grey actually. Just another day at cloudy towers.

It's publication day for this fabulous book that I just fell in love with. Beautiful writing, an emotional story from the author of The Light Between Oceans, this book will melt your heart. A Far-flung Life by M L Stedman set to the backdrop of a W. Australian sheep station. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ #booksky 📚💙

Oooh I'd forgotten this review was scheduled to go out today. Brilliant book, Happy Publication day 🎉🎉 @yvvetteedwards.bsky.social 📚💙 #booksky

And on the airwaves today we have polishing with an industrial polisher on a second floor floor, joined to our floor. 🙉

I see someone has been singing Send in the Clouds again. Thanks for that. Oh well two days y'know, beggars can't be choosers.

It's publication day for this fab story of Ellen's life and her family's lives. Sometimes humorous, always emotional, occasionally tragic. I loved this book. Good Good Loving by Yvvette Edwards. Out today. #Virago #booksky #bookreview 📚💙

Twelve months ago my mum applied to Land Registry to have her name added on to the house deeds after my dad died. 12 months down the line they haven't even looked at it yet! Costing her far more than should be for home insurance.

Join me and fabulous publisher @janes-studio.bsky.social and other #poets for the Zoom launch of my new #poetry (and #photography) collection, 'Why It's Better To Be Struggling Half-Way Up A High Hill On Your Own'. Sunday March 15th, 7.30pm on Zoom. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/its-better...

The first Liz Nugent book I've read and I loved it. Very dark, deep character led thriller. I'll definitely be reading more of her books. Skin Deep by Liz Nugent ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ #booksky 📚💙

People who moved to Dubai to avoid paying tax now wanting UK taxpayer-funded help to get them out, you say?

Currently sat in my daughter's house. It's totally and utterly silent 🤫 absolute bliss. My daughter and her dad have gone out to get tyres sorted for her car. It's just me and the cat (whose gone upstairs to bed). No radio, no banging, just silence.

Wow, how time flies. 19 years ago since I joined Wordpress.

I got some ketchup in my eye. Now I have Heinz-sight.

Ha, he got that right "welcome back to part 109 of The Brit Awards". I got bored with ads and watched Casualty.

Michael McIntyre and later Brit Awards (in between thousands of ads obvs 🙄) to cheer up what has been a very trying day. I think the noise machine has finally left the building, only 10 hours of hammering, banging and drilling then!

Just as I predicted yesterday, the sun finally put in an appearance at 4.00pm, after a grey, cold day. And we've had hammering next door all day since 9.00am and at 5.40pm, still hammering. Hate weekends I do! 6 months and still not moved in. 🤨