Linking to: It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? at BookDate; Sunday Post @ Caffeinated Reviewer; and the Sunday Salon @ ReaderBuzz
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Life…
It’s been a quiet week.
It’s nearly officially the start of winter here (June 1st) and the weather is getting chilly. I unearthed my handful of long warm pants midweek, only to find the waist bands had perished in all of them. Despite my non existent sewing skills I decided to replace the elastic, it took me an entire day, and I have a bruised thumb from continually pushing the elastic (attached to a safety pin) through the casings, but the minute I put on my absolutely favourite pair, which I’ve had for nearly thirty years, it was all worth it!
Aside from my binging on the TV series Nikita after it came up in a post last week on Tessa Talks Books, hubby, I, and the only kid who voluntarily spends time in the same room as us, discovered two new-to-us trivia/quiz shows. ‘Insert Name Here’ is a British show hosted by Sue Perkins, and the Australian show ‘Think Tank’ hosted by Paul McDermott. We prefer game shows like these that have a comic bent, rather than overstylised productions like The Weakest Link or The Chase, though we do like Jeopardy too. We’ve actually been on quite the quiz show kick recently, Spicks and Specks, an Australian music quiz show hosted by Adam Hills, is back on air after a long hiatus, and we’ve been catching up with Hard Quiz hosted by Tom Gleeson too.
(* If you don’t live in Australia and have a VPN you can watch all of these on ABC iView, or see bits and pieces on YouTube)
What’s your favourite quiz/trivia show?
It’s the last Monday of the month so time for a challenge update!
Nonfiction Reader Challenge 6/12
Australian Women Writers Challenge 42/50
Aussie Author Challenge 11/20
Historical Fiction Challenge 12/25
Books In Translation Challenge 1/4
What’s in a Name Challenge 5/6
Cloak and Dagger Challenge 16/25
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What I’ve Read Since I last Posted…
Flash Jim by Kel Richards
The Menopause Manifesto by Dr. Jen Gunter
You Had It Coming by B.M. Carroll
The Girl Remains by Katherine Firkin
The Nancy’s by R.W.R. McDonald
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New Posts…
Review: Flash Jim by Kel Richards
Review: The Menopause Manifesto by Dr. Jen Gunter
Review: You Had It Coming by B.M. Carroll
Review: The Girl Remains by Katherine Firkin
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What I’m Reading This Week…
Darwin, Summer, 1963.
The humidity sat heavy and thick over the town as Senior Constable Ned Potter looked down at a body that had been dragged from the shallow marshland. He didn’t need a coroner to tell him this was a bad death. He didn’t know then that this was only the first. Or that he was about to risk everything looking for answers.
Late one night, Charlotte Clark drove the long way home, thinking about how stuck she felt, a 23-year-old housewife, married to a cowboy who wasn’t who she thought he was. The days ahead felt suffocating, living in a town where she was supposed to keep herself nice and wait for her husband to get home from the pub. Charlotte stopped the car, stepped out to breathe in the night air and looked out over the water to the tangled mangroves. She never heard a sound before the hand was around her mouth.
Both Charlotte and Ned are about to learn that the world they live in is full of secrets and that it takes courage to fight for what is right. But there are people who will do anything to protect themselves and sometimes courage is not enough to keep you safe.
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When 24-year-old lawyer Romy learns that she is at her ‘optimal stopping point’ (the mathematically designated point at which one should select the next ‘best person’ who comes along in order to have the best chance at happily ever after), she knows it’s time to get serious about her love life.
Ruthlessly rational, with a belief in data over destiny, Romy knows that reliability and consistency are dependable options, while passion and lust are transitory and only bring pain and disillusionment.
That’s why sensible Hans the engineer is the right choice, as opposed to graphic designer James who exhibits the kind of behaviour that has got her into trouble before. Isn’t he?
The twenty-first century may have brought technological advances in how we communicate, but this warm and funny novel shows us that the search for love is as fraught as ever.
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From the author of All That Remains, a tour through the human skeleton and the secrets our bones reveal.
In her memoir All That Remains, internationally renowned forensic anthropologist and human anatomist Dame Sue Black recounted her life lived eye to eye with the Grim Reaper. During the course of it, she offered a primer on the basics of identifying human remains, plenty of insights into the fascinating processes of death, and a sober, compassionate understanding of its inescapable presence in our existence, all leavened with her wicked sense of humor.
In her new book, Sue Black builds on the first, taking us on a guided tour of the human skeleton and explaining how each person’s life history is revealed in their bones, which she calls “the last sentinels of our mortal life to bear witness to the way we lived it.” Her narrative follows the skeleton from the top of the skull to the small bones in the foot. Each step of the journey includes an explanation of the biology—how the bone is formed in a person’s development, how it changes as we age, the secrets it may hold—and is illustrated with anecdotes from the author’s career helping solve crimes and identifying human remains, whether recent or historical. Written in Bone is full of entertaining stories that read like scenes from a true-life CSI drama, infused with humor and no-nonsense practicality about the realities of corpses and death.
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Lara McIntyre and journalist Toby Paxton are thrust into the limelight when an accident puts the beating heart of their community in jeopardy.
The small country town of Bridgefield can’t manage without their general store and post office, but Lara can’t stomach the idea of out-of-town buyers running it into the ground either.
With the help of the close-knit community, they rally together to save the general store. Featuring a black tie ball, a fun run, a magpie called Vegemite and a snake-chasing kelpie called Basil, Magpie’s Bend is a story about rural lives, family, love and letting go.
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Good for you on fixing up an old favorite! I have things I have had for that many years and if you take care of them they are a comfort. Of course I have a bunch of long sleeve t-shirts which I have had for probably 25 years which the fabric is just starting to wear out especially around the tags or the stitching coming out around the wrists (which I can repair) but they are great for cooking or messy projects where they might get stained.
Anne – Books of My Heart This is my Sunday Post
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I have zero ability to sew and its sad because my grandmother was a pro! I wish I had inherited some of her skills, but after I tried and subsequently broke my mom’s sewing machine, I was banned. Oh well! Have a great week!
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We’re devoted Jeopardy fans!
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It sounds weird when you tell me that winter starts in your part of the world and I know that summer starts here or already has *smile* Glad you could fix your old stuff. I try to fix my old things too, although I am not always successful. Happy reading.
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Hard to believe it’s June already. Hope it’s not too chilly there yet.
I think I started Nikita a while back, I should look…
Still looks really good.
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My mom sewed everything for me, but I barely learned how to run a simply sewing machine. I certainly do everything I can to keep old, comfortable clothes though.
You have several books that look promising. I’d like to read Love in Theory especially, as the plot sounds fabulous. Written in the Bone looks interesting, too.
I bet you are enjoying Insert Name here.
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I am glad I am not the only one who has thirty year old clothes Shelleyrae. We’ve had a very wet and cold weekend, it’s looking brighter today though. Hope that you love Still as much as I did. ❤📚
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If I could clone this particular pair of pants I would!
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Mine are a pair of Lee Jeans. I am nursing them along carefully…..
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It’s the unofficial start of summer here but it doesn’t feel like summer. We had super hot temps all week but as soon as the weekend got here the temperature took a drastic drop. See what I read and more at Girl Who Reads
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I can’t sew. The most I can do is replace a button but that’s it. Your books sound good. Still caught my attention. I’ll have to look for that one. Have a great week!
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Written in Bone sounds fascinating! And I love that you fixed your pants! That is how we roll around here too, especially with those favorites of ours. 🙂
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So glad you were able to fix your favorite long johns! That’s such a great feeling.
Written in Bone I need to get my hands one. I loved her All that Remains memoir. I did not know she had a new one out! I’m so excited.
I hope you enjoy your week!
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Oh I applaud the elastic repair day. Yes so worth it, but such a tough piece of work. Yes winter setting in here too, its pouring rain and just grey, hate days like this. However I think of Christchurch and they are having big floods so I should not complain. I don’t watch quiz shows except see last few minutes of The Chase occasionally but have to say I’d take some comedy with a quiz show any day.
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I want chilly weather too 😭
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It is to be spring here, but feels like fall. I am looking forward to warmer weather.
Enjoy your books and your week of reading.
Your Goodreads Challenge is impressive!!
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Still sounds really good!
I am in awe of your ability to remake your waistbands, and can’t even imagine trying! LOL
I haven’t regularly watched game shows in years, but one night recently, I found myself watching Wheel of Fortune. It held me captive for a bit.
Enjoy your week and your books, and thanks for visiting my blog.
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Wow, you’ve already read 76 books? That’s awesome. I think I’ve read around 40, but I haven’t updated Goodreads in a long time because I’m lazy. Enjoy your shows! I hope you have a great week.
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I’ll have to see if I can find those two game shows. I agree that comedy-style game shows are way more fun to watch.
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There’s nothing like your favorite pair of pants, is there?! Good for you for giving them new life. Hard to believe it’s June… hope you have a great week.
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Nice looking assortment of books. I used to watch Jeopardy but don’t really watch much television at all these days. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
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I picked up The Menopause Manifesto after seeing it on your blog. I’ve not read much of it yet but have enjoyed it so far. I also have zero sewing skills and am impressed with your efforts.
” hubby, I, and the only kid who voluntarily spends time in the same room as us,” this made me laugh because we have all three offspring living with us but for us too only one spends any significant amount of time with us.
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Love, In Theory sounds cute! I need to check that one out.
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You have read an impressive number of books this year! I haven’t heard of any books you mentioned. Well, maybe the Menopause Manifesto, but I’m so far past that time that I didn’t make note of it. lol I don’t watch game shows anymore. I’m not sure why except that the camera is mainly on the host or contestant and the tv audience doesn’t get much chance to compete with the players.
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Definitely impressed that you can wear 30 year old pants.
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Glad you got the pants going again. Your reading challenge is always impressive. Your doing well with it … such a high goal. good luck
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Those books are new to me, and I see a few that I want to read.
Good for you mending your waistbands! Especially if they were your favorites.
Have a great week!
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I’ve been watching Spicks & Specks every night. I’ve seen episodes here & there in the past when it was first on but there’s loads I’ve missed. I’m loving it! My husband & I also watch Jeopardy as well.
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I haven’t watched any quiz/trivia shows in a very long time to be honest.
Your books look great. I love the sound of Love in Theory.
Have a great week and happy reading.
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I’ll send you some Florida heat if you send me some chilly weather. That’s a greta trade. I still want to get the book Still and I need to get my nonfiction stuff up soon.
We have been “camping” in the RV since May 10th as our kitchen is being remodeled so I need to get a more reliable internet connection to post. I hope you are well.
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