What I listened to in September!

At the start of the year, I started listening to audiobooks. I always wanted to be a reader but couldn't/wouldn't make the time, so audiobooks were a way around it. I could be busy doing something while still listening to a book. Anyway, I thought I would share what I have been listening to. All of my audiobooks come from my local library through the app BorrowBox. I know lots of what I listen to might be considered old but they are all new to me!

This is what I listened to in September:

Now You See Her by Heidi Perks!

Charlotte is looking after her best friend’s daughter the day she disappears. She thought the little girl was playing with her own children. She swears she only took her eyes off them for a second. Now, Charlotte must do the unthinkable: tell her best friend Harriet that her only child is missing. The child she was meant to be watching. Devastated, Harriet can no longer bear to see Charlotte. No one could expect her to trust her friend again. Only now she needs to. Because two weeks later Harriet and Charlotte are both being questioned separately by the police. And secrets are about to surface.

This book deals with every parent's worst nightmare, a missing child and imagine if you were taking care of your friend's child and it's you that loses sight of them! The story is told through Harriet and Charlotte's perspectives and I felt heart broken for both sides. I put myself in each of their shoes and found I couldn't decide which situation was worse. It was paced perfectly and a very well written book. There are so many twists and turns in this story and I certainly didn't have it figured out until the story allowed me to know what happened. The last few chapters of book and especially the ending is fantastic. I was holding my breath and had my jaw wide open thinking I did not see that coming.

The Beach Cafe by Lucy Diamond!

Evie Flynn has always been the black sheep of her family, a dreamer and a drifter, unlike her over-achieving elder sisters. She's tried making a name for herself as an actress, a photographer and a singer but nothing has ever worked out. Now she's stuck in temp hell, with a sensible, pension-planning boyfriend. Somehow life seems to be passing her by. Then her beloved aunt Jo dies suddenly in a car crash, leaving Evie an unusual legacy - her precious beach cafe in Cornwall. Determined to make a success of something for the first time in her life, Evie heads off to Cornwall to get the cafe and her life back on track and gets more than she bargained for, both in work and in love.

This was so heart warming to listen to as well as entertaining. I found that the book had a slow start and for me the story really started when Evie arrived in Cornwall a few chapters in. Evie is one of those really likeable characters that you soon grow to love, she reminded me a little of Bridget Jones, daft, funny but very caring. I really enjoyed the mix of characters in this book and the relationship between Evie and the other characters come across so well. I enjoyed the relationship between Evie and her chef Ed and Phoebe who was a teenage homeless girl who Evie connected with. I thought I knew what the outcome of Phoebe was going to be but I was wrong! I was glad that the book wasn't predictable other than the romance side of things. I found it very hard to stop listening. It had just the right amount of humour, pain and romance. The setting in this book was so good that it was so easy to imagine the cafe actually existing.

Tatty by Christine Dwyer Hickey!

Tatty is a devastating, yet hilarious, depiction of a troubled Dublin family told through the lively, charismatic voice of a little girl. With brutal honesty, Tatty tells the story of her life with her beloved, feckless Dad, her tormented Mam, her five siblings and the booze that brings them down. This not just an entertaining tale, but also a heartbreaking account of a disturbed childhood that makes for compulsive reading.

I felt so sad for Tatty right from the beginning and this really is a heart breaking story, I wouldn't call it hilarious at all, I didn't laugh out loud once. The idea of writing it from the perspective of a child was brilliant, she saw everything as innocent but in fact it was quite tragic. I am glad I listened to it but at the same time I wish I hadn't.

One Split Second by Caroline Bond!

The final goodbye is the hardest. When a car carrying five teenagers home from a party crashes into a brick wall, the consequences are devastating - not just for the young people directly involved, but also for their families, their friends and the wider community. No one escapes unscathed, but some are more deeply scarred than others and one of the group will not survive. In their grief and confusion, those left behind question who was to blame for the accident, and what price they will pay. A haunting and emotionally affecting novel of love and loyalty, grief and forgiveness.

I was really going for it with parents worst nightmares last month! I always worry about my girls driving or being in other people's cars. The book is written in multiple points of view, the driver, passengers and parents. There were a lot of characters so it was a bit confusing figuring out who was who at first but as the story went on it got easier and I enjoyed it. It made me think a lot about love, forgiveness, punishment, grief and loss. This book doesn't hold back, it’s honest and quite graphic at times so be prepared, especially of you are a parent of teenagers.

The Liar by Louise Jensen!

The Abbotts’ new lodger Luke hasn’t told them much about himself, but they can’t expect to know everything about a stranger who’s just moved in. But Luke keeps asking about their family photos and looking through their things. Why does he want to know everything about them? And why does daughter Jen think someone is watching her? Then, suddenly, Mum Mel texts the family to say she needs a break. But Mel has never gone away alone before. And now it’s been days, and no one has heard from her. The Abbotts’ house is full of secrets. They say people never tell the whole truth. They’re right.

This was a really slow book to get into but once things started to happen it really picked up and it was twist after twist! A lot of people’s pants should be on fire in this book with all the lies! No one is innocent in this story and all are deceiving those around them. I think this made the book so interesting because you just don’t know who is the ultimate liar. What I liked most was how strongly the emotions came through. I felt the anxiety, anger and hurt right alongside the characters. It was a good listen with lots of secrets, lies, half-truths and poor, poor decisions!

What have you been reading or listening to lately?

The Wednesday Hodgepodge #77

I hope you are all having a good week. It's Wednesday, which means it's time to join in with the Wednesday Hodgepodge with Joyce who blogs at From This Side of the Pond! Each week there are 6 questions, we answer and then link up. Simple!

1. Do you think you're driven more by curiosity or comfort? Explain.

I think I am more driven by comfort rather than curiosity. I am happy in my own little world just plodding along, doing my own thing. I am of course curious about what is going on in the world. If something interests me I'll read about it as I like to understand and know things but I don't feel the need to know everything. There's that saying curiosity killed the cat and I reckon that's partly true. Knowing too much stresses me out. I'll read something, overthink it and then my head is full of things that I have no control over. Sometimes it's just easier to bury my head in the sand.

2. What non-food item is in your refrigerator or freezer?

I am boring and only have food and drinks in my fridge but I think there might be an ice pack in my freezer. That is as exciting as it gets here. The ice pack has been in there for about a year and never used which is probably a good thing. The only time I can remember having non-food items in my fridge was when the kids were little and their medicine needed to be kept chilled. I can still remember those bottles of bright, fluorescent yellow antibiotics that used to sit next to the milk.

3. Are you comfortable with silence? If you're home alone, do you like silence or do you need regular background noise? Do you seek out times and places to be silent? What's your favorite place to find silence/be silent?

I am comfortable with silence now and again but I prefer a bit of background noise most of the time. The only time I want silence is when I'm trying to concentrate on something or when I'm trying to drop off to sleep. When I'm home alone I always have some background noise going. I play music when I am doing the cleaning, listen to audiobooks while I'm pottering around and when I'm sat down the TV is always on. At the moment I am watching Ted Lasso. I can't believe it has taken me this long to get into it but it is such a fantastic show!

I think the only place I visit for some quiet time is the bathroom when I need 5 minutes to myself. I love my family but they are sometimes a lot. Now and then the girls will bicker and I will hide in the bathroom for some peace and quiet. Usually, by the time I come back out, they are best of friends again.

4. Carpentry, electrical, plumbing, landscaping...which skill would you most like to possess and how would you put that skill to use today?

My dad and my brother are very useful people to have around, especially when something needs fixing in my house. They are pretty good when it comes to things like carpentry, electrics and plumbing. In the past, my dad has fixed leaky taps, flickering lights and wonky floorboards. Just last week my brother came with his ladder and fixed our leaky roof. He had it sorted in about 10 minutes. What a hero!

I'd pick landscaping as a skill I would like to have. It's something that no one in my family really does or bothers with. I'd love to transform my garden as easy and quickly as ChatGPT can. I put the before picture in and asked it to "landscape this space in my garden, make it pretty with flowers and fix the path." If only things were that simple in real life.

5. Do you lean more towards being too needy or too independent? Which do you find harder to deal with in others?

I'm probably somewhere in the middle and it depends on what mood I'm in or what I'm trying to do. Some days I'll ask for a hand with something and other days I'd rather just figure things out for myself. It all comes down to what else I have going on at that time. I do become needy when it comes to catching spiders around the house, reaching the top shelf or opening bottles, those things I won't or can't do myself.

I don't mind helping out when someone needs a hand with something but I find it hard dealing with people who are too needy. If they come to depend on me too much I feel like saying just figure it out yourself, I had to! It might come across as a bit mean but there's a big difference between someone needing real help and someone who just needs their hand holding to get something done.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

For question #3 I mentioned I have been watching Ted Lasso and I am loving it. I've just watched the Christmas episode in season 2 and I was nearly in tears, it was just so heart warming. Ted is such a sweetheart too. I think we all need to be a little bit more like Ted, he is such a kind man! 

Share our Lives - Hostess Gift Ideas!

It's that time of the month again to share some of my life and join in with the other Share Our Lives bloggers. This month the prompt is: Hostess Gift Ideas!

If you’re anything like me over here in England, the whole idea of a "hostess gift" feels a little bit strange. I always think that people in the US make it seem effortless, swooping into a party carrying fancy candles, home-made treats or even cute little potted plants. I find it fascinating but here if you turn up on someone's doorstep with anything other than a trusty bottle of wine, there's a strong chance the host might look at you like you have two heads. Still, I've been doing some thinking and researching about what a hostess gift really is. It isn't about trying to impress anyone or showing off , it’s just a little nod of appreciation and a simple thank you!

Here is what I have came up with for the perfect hostess gift:

A bottle of something!

I know, I know! I just said wine is the default but hear me out. You don’t have to grab the exact same supermarket bottle every single time! Mix it up and think about something just a little bit different. You could go for something different from what you would usually drink or hunt down a bottle with a lovely story behind it. If you want to step away from wine entirely, a gorgeous flavoured liqueur is something a bit different. A zesty Italian Limoncello, a winter sloe gin or a cream liqueur. Most people don’t tend to buy these for themselves in a normal weekly shop, which makes it feel like a proper treat.

Chocolate but make it special!

A box of chocolates is the ultimate safety net. We’ve all done a mad dash around the supermarket on the way to someone's house, looking for the fanciest box of chocolates that we can find. No one is ever going to turn down chocolate but if you want to make it feel like you actually planned ahead and put a tiny bit of thought in, try matching the flavours to the time of year. Grab some gingerbread truffles for Christmas, go for fruity ones in the spring and summer months and in the autumn a box of rich, dark chocolates are perfect and feel cosy!

Flowers that aren’t overwhelming!

Flowers are a classic gift but sometimes a massive bouquet is just a pain in the behind, especially for the host. Nobody wants to spend the first twenty minutes of their own get together scrambling around trying to find a vase big enough, trimming stems or rearranging the living room just to find a safe spot for them on a table! Instead, a sweet little jam jar filled with flowers from your garden, a bunch of dried flowers that need no looking after or even a pretty potted plant can be just as lovely. They are also way less hassle for the host.

Something for the home!

A scented candle is playing it safe but how about a small potted herb like rosemary or basil? It looks cute sitting on a kitchen windowsill and it's useful too, especially for someone who likes to cook. They can chop it up and cook with it later! We all know that fresh herbs always taste better than dried ones. A cute tea towel, a pretty mug or some nice coasters are good ideas too. The gift doesn’t need to be expensive or fancy, it just needs to say I saw this and thought of you!

A treat for the host!

This one is probably my favourite because it feels the most personal. Instead of choosing something for the house, pick something that the host can enjoy by themselves once all the guests have gone home. A nice box of biscuits, a pretty notebook, a fancy bath bomb, a bag of really good coffee or something that they wouldn't usually buy for themselves.

Something fun!

If you know your host well enough to know they love a laugh, you can skip the polite, sensible gifts altogether. Some of the best gifts are the ones that don’t take themselves too seriously. A mug with a slogan that actually makes them snort their tea or even a silly little mini cocktail-making kit. It breaks the ice the second you hand it over and while everyone else is turning up with standard flowers, you're the one bringing a giggle. Those are the type of gifts that will be talked about years later.

What do you typically take as a gift when you're heading to someone's house?

I am linking up with:

Adrienne from Mom Life with Adrienne.

Dara from Not In Jersey.

Jen from Show me & Sweet tea.

Joanne from Slices of Life.

Our weekly meal plan! 12th - 18th October! #MealPlanningMonday

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a lovely weekend! We had a quiet one with a bit of housework, watching TV and not a lot else. This week looks like it's going to be pretty quiet too. No one has any plans apart from the usual and Becky is away for most of the week as she has a week off work. I just have the normal things to do around the house and keeping everything running smoothly.

Last week's meal plan went well. Everything ended up being a day after as we had leftover pizza on Monday. The eating out of the freezer day was skipped, which was fine as it was the coldest day of the week, so we were glad for the meal to eat cooked in the slow cooker. On Friday we got the Bargain Banger meal from the chip shop. 2 large portions of chips, 4 jumbo battered sausages, a tub of gravy and one of curry sauce for £13.95 which is a great price to feed 4. Usually it would cost £23.20!

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - Gousto meal - Meat-Free Mince Sloppy Joes With Creamy Potato Salad!

This is one of our favourite meals from Gousto. I remember the first time we had the meat-free mince. I was very curious about it because I'd never used it before. I am pretty sure I didn't even tell my family it was meat-free until after they had eaten it and fully enjoyed it. The sloppy joes are really tasty and messy, which is all part of the fun.

Tuesday - Gousto meal - Chinese Takeaway-Style Chicken Balls With Vegetable Fried Rice!

This is just like a Chinese takeaway at home. Crispy chicken balls with a sweet and sour dip and vegetable fried rice. My family won't eat the sweet and sour sauce out of a jar or from the Chinese takeaway but love the home made one!

Wednesday - Gousto meal - One Pot Spicy Lamb & Sultana Stew!

This is something new and a little different and I think it will be one for the slow cooker. It combines lamb with sweet apricots and a spicy sauce. I'm looking forward to seeing how the sweetness of the apricots works with the spices. My family are not convinced by this one but I think once they come into the house after it has been cooking all day, they won't be able to resist!

Thursday - Pies and mashed potato!

There is the choice of beef & vegetable or chicken & vegetable pies. My dad was in the freezer shop Iceland and saw the offer where you could get 10 items for £10 and ended up buying my brother and I 5 boxes of pies each. I think it's a good deal when you think each pie is only fifty pence as you get two in a box. Pie has to be served with mashed potatoes and lots of gravy!

Friday - A takeaway of some sort!

Friday night is an easy night for me. I don't cook and we order takeaway. It could be Chinese or Indian food or even ordering from the fish and chip shop. We will decide on the day what we fancy. This week it won't be pizza as we have that on Saturday, sort of.

Saturday - Gousto meal - Pork Meatball Marinara Flatbreads!

This is another new meal for us and it looks really tasty! Pork meatballs in a tomato sauce served on flatbreads, easy peasy and it is a nice change from normal pizza. I might make some fries to go with it too, as there doesn't look much there.

Sunday - A Sunday roast of some sort!

I'm not sure yet whether I'll make one at home or we'll go out for a meal. The weather we've been having lately makes me want all the roasted vegetables covered in gravy. If we stay home, I'll have a look at what we've got in and decide what sort of roast to make. It could be chicken, beef or pork, depending on what's on offer and what we fancy. I do enjoy making a Sunday roast but I also like going out for one because someone else gets to do all the cooking and washing up.

What are you eating this week?