Rachel's Year of the Paperback - May Update

For paperbacks, May was a tricky month for me. Starting and giving up on two of them didn't help my feelings, and all of my original intentions for my Chances Fortnight reading and tieing in some paperbacks went out of the window, when I realised how many review books I had that fit the theme instead. 

I went to some fabulous book events this month, and in addition to some luck in competitions, I seem to have gained far more books than I read. In fact 8 new books gained in just a month, although I did read one of those while I was in Tenerife! 

As I may have mentioned somewhere on the blog, but may not have, at the beginning of August its looking increasingly likely that I will be moving house. Obviously I'm stressed at this and having to downsize completely.  

This is part of the reason for the large quantity of culled unread paperbacks in this monthly update. I am also realising that when certain books come up on my Rachel Reads Randomly vote feature, that my heart sinks and I pray they won't be picked. Given I am having that reaction to some of them, and I am trying to reduce the amount of those. I'm also becoming more aware that I am in the fortunate position of having plenty of books to review and they are exciting me more than the books I'm culling. For some reason I do tend to revise the stacks a couple of times a year, so its probably about time I started making trickier decisions. If I ever feel the urge to read these I'll just buy them again! 

So this is how May has panned out! 

Paperbacks Read (4)

Pendulum by Adam Hamdy -  4 Star Review
The Summer Seaside Kitchen by Jenny Colgan - 5 Star Review
The Vets at Hope Green by Sheila Norton - 5 Star Review
The Once in a Blue Moon Guesthouse by Cressida McLaughlin - 4.5 Star Review

Review Paperbacks Received (3)

Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan - wow can't believe I have a book due out in 2018 already! 
The Wedding Promise by Emma Hannigan
Almost A Bride by Jo Watson

Paperbacks Purchased (2)

Exquisite by Sarah Stovell
The Mountain in my Shoe by Louise Beech

Paperbacks won in Competitions (2)

Together by Julie Cohen
Our Little Secret by Claudia Carroll

Paperbacks gained from events (1)

The Once In a Blue Moon Guest House by Cressida McLaughlin

Paperbacks DNF - (2)

Unfortunately again this month I had a paperback and a hardback that for various reasons I am struggling with a lot. 

Books culled  - (13)

Well only read 4 paperbacks this month which seems low for a 31 day period, especially when 3 of them were during a holiday. I gained 8 new books which is brilliant and I am looking forward to reading those.   

So with 19 books removed from the unread stacks, and 8 gained, that is a net deduction of 11, which is encouraging even if I haven't been reading them all.  I've already started my first June paperback so at least I will definitely read one in the next couple of weeks! 

And so I can keep a track:

Start of year - 96
End of January - 94
End of February - 97
End of March - 93

End of April - 86
End of May - 75

Rachel's Year of the Paperback - April Update

I've been so busy in the past few days I haven't had a chance to finish writing this post. A combination of long days at work, and then quite a few lovely bookish events in my spare time! Actually only remembered to do this, as I received a new ARC yesterday that I need to put onto my May draft of this post that I haven't started yet! 

Me (left), Samantha Tonge (middle),
Sharon from ShazsBookBlog (right)

During April I got to meet the lovely Samantha Tonge to talk about The New Beginnings Coffee Club, received a huge goody bags of books (not listed here as I mainly have e-copies), and had a great afternoon. I also went to the Blogger'Author Shenanigans where amongst getting to chat with loads of fab people, we had an ARC swap table, and I've managed to nab for myself The Vets At Hope Green by Sheila Norton that I am really looking forward to starting.   And last night...oh wait we are in May now, I may tell you what lovely people I met at Juliet Ashton's launch party next month!

In April it was a bit of a mixed month, as I went through a couple of days where I suddenly realised that I need to start being a bit more selective with which unsolicited review copies I intend to review, so have culled a few of them (I'm sorry). 

I did manage to read 8 paperbacks though, and without receiving as many it looks like I may finally be making progress in reducing the stack. However if the various prizes I have won recently all show up during May, it will take a miracle to keep up the progress! 

Paperbacks Read (8)

Now That I've Found You by Ciara Geraghty - 3.5 Star Review
The CEO Buys In by Nancy Herkness - 4 Star Review
My Sister by Michelle Adams - 4 Star Review
The Woman Who Met Her Match by Fiona Gibson - 3 Star Review
The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes by Anna McPartlin - 5 Star Review
Daydream Believer by Lizzie Fayke - Review coming on 7th May
The Last Piece of My Heart by Paige Toon - Review coming on 18th May
The A to Z of Everything by Debbie Johnson - Review will be 27th June on the blog tour

Review Paperbacks Received (3)

The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo
The Woman Who Met Her Match by Fiona Gibson
The Second Sister by Claire Kendal

Paperbacks from events (1)

The Vets at Hope Green by Sheila Norton

Paperbacks DNF - (1)

I don't normally mention books I don't finish, and I won't mention this by name, but in the interests of keeping the maths adding up, I need to acknowledge that there was one book I just couldn't get into. 

Paperbacks Transferred to Giveaway Stacks - (2)

Occasionally as you can see I receive unsolicited books, I often if they look interesting will keep them and attempt to read them. However in the case of at least two of these books I'm coming to the conclusion that I just won't ever read them, as I have so many other books that I would rather read, so will give them away in competitions on the blog at some point in the future. 

So with 8 read, 3 others removed from the count for various reasons and only 4 gained, that works out as a new stack indentation of 7 books, which definitely sounds encouraging. I am though a bit worried that I seem to be barely buying paperbacks so far this year,, although I'd say from May to July/August all the lovely summery books will be out and I know there are many many I have my eyes on, so who knows what impulse buys I may have (especially when I hit an airport towards the end of May!). 

And so I can keep a track:

Start of year - 96
End of January - 94
End of February - 97

End of March - 93
End of April - 86

Rachel's Year of the Paperback - March Update

March started off well for me with paperbacks, after February's disappointing gain in the stacks, I figured I needed to make a concerted effort to read some more of mine. It helps that I had quite a few upcoming review paperbacks to read, for where I was scheduling and I was able to fit in a few others too. 

However I have spent a fair amount of this month with massive headaches, and in the past two weeks been told I have migraines thanks to the doctor, I appear to be currently sensitive to light (although I feel ok typing this so far), and after a trip to the opticians for what I was hoping to be an eye test for peace of mind, I have a new pair of glasses on order. 

With all of this health issues, I am finding it pretty much impossible to read a paperback at the moment, although I'm fine on my kindle. 

What this means is my lovely momentum on this challenge is starting to waver, but the second I feel as though I can focus on the words and not hurt my head in printed form, I will be back reading them, and I'm hoping that will be within the next week, or I'm doomed!!

These are also the reasons I am not as active on social media as perhaps I normally am, purely as I'm trying to stare at a screen less while I sort myself out. 

Now onto why you may have looked at this post, have I made a dent in that massive paperback stack?

Well yes, with 8 books reads and only 4 gained, that is a net dentage of 4, which makes it my best month so far this year. My favourite of those books that I have read is This Love by Dani Atkins which blew me away. 
Here is the breakdown

Paperbacks Read: (8)

A Time For Friends by Patricia Scanlan - 5 Star Review
His Sicillian Cinderella by Carol Marinelli - 4 Star Review
The Jackdaw by Luke Delaney - 4.5 Star Review
Puzzle Girl by Rachael Featherstone - 4 Star Review
This Love by Dani Atkins - 5 Star Review
The Little Teashop of Lost and Found  by Trisha Ashley - Review coming 4th April on the blog tour
A Not Quite Perfect Family by Claire Sandy - Review coming 6th April
The Marble Collector by Cecelia Ahern - Review coming 8th April

Paperbacks Bought (1)

When I Was Invisible by Dorothy Koomson 

Review Paperbacks Received (2)

 My Sister by Michelle Adams
The People at Number 9 by Felicity Everett

Paperbacks from Goody Bags (1)

Ashes to Ashes by Paul Finch

I am really looking forward to the chance to read the couple of books that were received in the post. They both on paper look great. Also looking forward to starting the new Dorothy Koomson, and if I can't find time to read it before, I'm sure it will show up on a Back Catalogue Books review in June, when her new hard back is out! 

And so I can keep a track:

Start of year - 96
End of January - 94
End of February - 97
End of March - 93

Rachel's Year of the Paperback - February Update

Well another month has passed, and February has generally been a nightmare for me. 

We are starting the process of moving house, and as a result I'm needing to downsize everything, which is painful for a collector (not hoarder!). I seem to be losing reading time which isn't helping, and at the same time seem to have the most amount of review books vying for my attention! 

As a result progress in my attempt to make a dent in my paperback stacks has halted a bit, however rest assured I'm already trying to rectify it and being the 1st March I am starting on a paperback today! 

So this is my paperback breakdown for February 2017.

Paperbacks Read (5):

Sworn Secret by Amanda Jennings - 5 Star Review
The Queen of Wishful Thinking by Milly Johnson - 5 Star Review
 Chose the Wrong Guy, Gave Him the Wrong Finger by Beth Harbison - Review on 4th March 2017
The Little Cafe of Second Chances by J. D. Barrett - Review on 5th March 2017
The Mercury Travel Club by Helen Bridgett - Review on 16th March 2017

Paperbacks from Event Goody bags (5):

The Queen of Wishful Thinking - Milly Johnson
Orange Blossom Days by Patricia Scanlan
The Last Piece of My Heart by Paige Toon
This Love by Dani Atkins
American Housewife by Helen Ellis

Review Paperbacks Received (2)

The Little Cafe of Second Chances by J. D. Barrett
The A to Z of Everything by Debbie Johnson

Paperbacks Purchased (1)

The Summer Seaside Kitchen by Jenny Colgan

So that is 5 books read, and 8 books gained from various sources. Well at least I'll never run out at this rate. A gain of three isn't exactly what I wanted, but since I knew I was going to the Simon & Schuster Spring Blogger event, I had a feeling there may be an incredible goody bag, and wow I love the look of all the books from it. 

If I had to pick, then The Queen of Wishful Thinking by Milly Johnson was definitely my paperback of the month with Sworn Secret just behind it. 

And so I can keep a track:

Start of year - 96

End of January - 94
End of February - 97

Rachel's Year of the Paperback - January Update

How on earth is it the end of January already? So one month has passed already from this New Year, so a perfect time to reflect on any reading challenges I may have agreed to take part in  at the start of the year. 

There will be an update of the Around The UK In 144 Books challenge coming very soon, Jen, Abbie and myself are working on it at the moment. 

In the mean time, let me take a look at my attempt to read and make a dent specifically in my paperback pile! 

At the start of January, my total of paperbacks stood at 96. 

I then read 11 of them, while also winning 6 and receiving 3 review paperbacks. Which gives me a net dent in the pile by 2. I now only have 94 left to read, so I am making progress. However if the pile only goes down by 2 a month, it could still take me 47 months which almost 4 years to get anywhere near the bottom! 

I was though very good and haven't bought any more yet, although I know February is going to wreck my intentions. 

On 9th February there is the new Jenny Colgan book, The Summer Seaside Kitchen is out and I have every intention of purchasing that. I'm also off to a few book events in February, and from my experience over the last year at least one of them should have a goody bag I will have to show off in next month's update. 

So this is my paperback breakdown for January 2017.

Paperbacks Read (11)

Honeymoon Suite by Wendy Holden - 5 Star Review
New York, Actually by Sarah Morgan - 5 Star Review
Perfect Remains by Helen Fields - 4.5 Star Review
French Legacy by Jennifer Bohnet - 3 Star Review
Our Tiny Useless Hearts by Toni Jordan - Review coming 2nd February
Strangers by Paul Finch - Review coming 3rd February
If Ever I Fall by S.D. Robertson - Review coming 7th February
A Song For Tomorrow by Alice Peterson - Review coming 9th February
Sunshine Over Wildflower Cottage by Milly Johnson - Review coming 16th February
My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella - Review coming 17th February
One Little Mistake by Emma Curtis - Review coming 19th February

Paperbacks Won (6)

The Killing Season by Mason Cross
The Samaritan by Mason Cross
The Time To Kill by Mason Cross
Wing Jones by Katherine Webber
One Little Mistake by Emma Curtis
One Summer in France by Bev Spicer

Review paperbacks received (3)

Eyes Like Mine by Sheena Kamal - publishing 9th February

It begins with a phone call. Fifteen years ago Nora Watts gave her newborn daughter up for adoption. Now Bonnie has vanished and when the police don't seem to care, her desperate parents turn to Nora as a last resort.

Nora knows only too well what happens to missing girls, especially when they aren't blonde or white enough. Despite herself, she sets out to find the daughter she's never known protected only by her instincts and a freakish ability to detect truth from lies.

As she plunges into her own dark past, Nora uncovers a violent conspiracy on a grand scale that will take her from the rain-soaked streets of Vancouver, to the icy mountains of the Canadian wilderness, and ultimately to a remote island where she will face her most terrifying demon. All to save a girl she wishes had never been born.

Puzzle Girl by Rachael Featherstone - publishing 16th March, and my blog tour review will be due 22nd March.

Love is a riddle waiting to be solved…

Clued-up career girl Cassy Brookes has life under control until one disastrous morning changes everything.

When she finds herself stuck in a doctor’s surgery, a cryptic message left in a crossword magazine sends her on a search to find the mysterious ‘puzzle-man’ behind it.

Cassy is soon torn between tracking down her elusive dream guy, and outwitting her nightmare workmate, the devious Martin. 

Facing a puzzling love-life, will she ever be able to fit the pieces together and discover the truth behind this enigmatic man?

My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella - Ebook and Hardcover out on 9th February, Paperback on 13th July

Katie Brenner has the perfect life: a flat in London, a glamorous job, and a super-cool Instagram feed.

OK, so the truth is that she rents a tiny room with no space for a wardrobe, has a hideous commute to a lowly admin job, and the life she shares on Instagram isn’t really hers. 

But one day her dreams are bound to come true, aren’t they?

Until her not-so-perfect life comes crashing down when her mega-successful boss Demeter gives her the sack. All Katie’s hopes are shattered. She has to move home to Somerset, where she helps her dad with his new glamping business. 

Then Demeter and her family book in for a holiday, and Katie sees her chance. But should she get revenge on the woman who ruined her dreams - or try to get her job back? Does Demeter – the woman who has everything – actually have such an idyllic life herself? Maybe they have more in common than it seems. 

And what’s wrong with not-so-perfect, anyway?

And so I can keep a track:

Start of year - 96
End of January - 94

Truth or Lie? - Month 6 Round Up

Well it has been a mixed month this time, some weeks had quite a few participants, and other we had our regular guesser, who has done incredibly well in previous months.

So the leaderboard for this month is as follows:

Congratulations to Ali - The Dragon Slayer, on winning the final month of Truth or Lie?

I am back with a one of special edition next week where everyone that has a guess, will get entered into a draw for a star prize courtesy of our contestant!

And for those of you that have been waiting with bated breath all month, here are the lies revealed for Sue Featherstone, Sue Moorcroft, Alli Sinclair and Jane Cable.

Week 1- I had Sue Featherstone as my guest, and she had some great lies. So here is the truth! 

Question 3 - What was your most memorable holiday ever?  

Truth: New York, September 2014, with my husband and two grown-up daughters. We were supposed to go to NY to celebrate my 50th birthday a few years earlier but number 2 daughter had surgery a week beforehand so we didn’t make it. It was every bit as wonderful as I’d thought it would be. 

Lie: Our first holiday together as a married couple (honeymoon in Paris excepted): a caravan in Skegness. Doesn’t sound very exciting but just the two of us. What could have been better?

Question 7 - What is your dream job, and have you tried to achieve it? 

Truth: I’ve been incredibly lucky. I wanted to be a writer so my first job was as a journalist, then I moved into corporate communications so still writing and now I teach other people how to write. And I’ve just written my first novel. Doesn’t get better than this. 

Lie:  Like every good Catholic girl I fantasised about becoming a nun and saving the world through prayer and good deeds. Then I grew up and discovered I wasn’t cut out for praying or saving the world.

Question 13 - If you won the lottery, how would you spend the money? 

Truth: Depends how much I won. My last lottery win was £10, about a zillion years ago and I put it straight in my purse and probably frittered it away on a bottle of dry white wine. I like to think I’d share a bigger lottery pot with those I love.  

Lie: I’d have as much fun as possible spending it on high living, exotic holidays and expensive cocktails. I’d also treat my husband to a fast car.

Week 2- I had Sue Moorcroft as our contestant, I wonder if her rather succinct answers made it easier or harder for you to guess! 

Question 9 - Besides reading, which I am guessing is a given, what other hobbies do you have?

When I’m not being an author I love to read, watch Formula 1, do Zumba, FitStep, yoga and hang out with my buddies, especially if wine’s involved. [Truth]

When I’m not being an author I love to run for hours, especially in the rain. [Lie]

Question 11 - Did you have an invisible friend as a child? If so please tell me about them.

No, but I had an invisible dog called Peter. [Truth]

Yes, a girl called Caroline and a boy called Adam. [Lie]

Question 14 - If you won the lottery, how would you spend the money?

Cars, first class travel and my loved ones. [Truth]

Doing up my house as if I were on a TV makeover programme. [Lie]

Week 3- We had Alli Sinclair visiting us from Australia, let's see if her answers got you stuck down under! 

Question 6 -  Can you describe for me what your perfect day would involve?

LIE: A long jog along the beach, followed by a leisurely breakfast of green juice with extra kale, then a few games of tennis, and if the weather’s nice (but it’s a perfect day so it will be sunny, right?) then spend the afternoon gardening. 

TRUTH: A sleep in with hubby making one of his fabulous hot breakfasts and bringing it to me while I catch up on emails with friends. Then it’s off to the beach on my perfectly sunny day (but not too hot!) and building sandcastles with the kids. Lunch would be at a seaside restaurant and we’d share a seafood platter with extra crayfish (lobster) and a beautiful glass or two of a crisp, fruit white wine. I’d have some time to read in the park while the kids play with hubby and then we’d go to a new Mexican restaurant and meet the chef who tells us all about the history behind each dish. Later that evening we’d go home and watch an old musical with Gene Kelly or a romantic movie that is bound to have me reaching for the tissues. Oh, and I will add that all the housework will magically do itself, the kids are perfectly behaved and everything I eat doesn’t go straight to my hips.

Question 9 - What is your best childhood memory?

LIE: Going to the snow when I was a very young and building a snowman that was almost twice the size as me. I remember frozen fingers (even though I had gloves on), snowflakes being caught in my eyelashes, and a super cold nose—but all that faded into the background as I laughed with my parents and brother as we created a memory that would last forever.

TRUTH: My best childhood memory is lying on a bed with my grandma and staring at the blank wall with her. We’d make up stories and tell each other what was happening as we pretended that blank wall was a movie unfolding before our eyes. That’s my very first memory of storytelling and one I will cherish forever. 

Question 10 - Did you have an invisible friend as a child? If so please tell me about them. 

LIE: I had twin invisible friends – Molly and Gertrude. They were the same age as me and were super brave. They always said the things I was too scared to, and they often goaded me into doing things I wasn’t brave enough to do (which sometimes got me into trouble!). I turned ten and they disappeared overnight – it broke my heart and I don’t think I’ll ever fully get over it.

TRUTH: I never had an invisible friend growing up, unfortunately, but I had a very active imagination so I had a cast of characters that would visit me when I was creating my stories.

Week 4 brought Jane Cable to the blog, so I won't keep you in suspense any longer with her lies!

Question 3 - Tell me about any really memorable dream or nightmare you have had

Truth: After my father died I dreamt that we were dancing together as he slowly became a skeleton. It may have been macabre but it was strangely comforting at the same time because we were able to talk to each other. 

Lie: It was actually the dream Alice has about Owen in The Cheesemaker’s House the night after she first sees him, swimming in the river. It was just a gentle kiss on the lips from a man I didn’t know but I could still feel it when I woke up.

Question 4 - What was your most memorable holiday ever?

Truth: A few years ago we went to a resort called Kihaad in the Maldives. We chose the location and the time of year because we knew the manta rays came in to feed and we weren’t disappointed. We spent almost an hour in the water with them and it was certainly my most memorable holiday experience.

Lie: A trip to Newquay in Cornwall in the summer of 1987. We stayed with my friend’s Auntie Megan who owned a surf shop and fell in love with her boyfriend Robin who seemed the epitome of cool to two teenage girls.

Question 10 - Besides reading, which I am guessing is a given, what other hobbies do you have?

Truth: I love cricket. Not playing it, but watching it, listening to it, and being involved in the game in any non-playing capacity. At one point I wrote for the Cricket on Five website and had the pleasure of discovering that Geoffrey Boycott isn’t always the miserable old so and so he’s made out to be.

Lie (My husband grows the dahlias!): I am passionate about my garden, in particular growing dahlias. I never tire of their wonderful jewel colours and I planted a whole bed in memory of my mother after she died last year. I even post pictures of them on Twitter sometimes.

Truth or Lie? - Month 5 Round Up

Thank you once again everyone for taking part this month in Truth or Lie. I love seeing all of your guesses and for the first time ever we have a 5 way tie for first place. No one even those taking part every week got more than one correct this time, so arguable congratulations to the authors for tricking you all! 

In the event of a tie, I put all names into a hat, and pick one out at random to find the winner of the paperback of your choice, 

So without further ado... 

Congratulations to Jan Ellis, you are this months winner. Please get in contact so we can sort out your prize. You have won a paperback of your choice. 

And so that I don't keep you all in suspense for any longer...here are this month's lies revealed. 

Week 1- I had Carol Thomas as my guest, and she had some great lies. So here is the truth! 

Question 3 - What was your most memorable holiday ever?

LIE: I have had lots of lovely holidays but one that will always stay with me was a skiing trip with my secondary school to Les Orres in the French Alps. It was my first holiday without my family. We stayed for six days, spending the days attempting to ski and the evenings being teenagers (don’t tell my parents)!  

TRUTH: My most memorable holiday was when my husband and I took our children to Canada. They got to experience a six hour flight, skiing (they’re much better than me), ice skating on a frozen lake, snowmobiling, temperatures colder than minus twenty, building an igloo and playing in the huge amount of snow that fell daily. It was an amazing experience.

Question 6- Can you describe for me what your perfect day would involve?

LIE: A day spent at the spa being thoroughly pampered, including a manicure, pedicure and my new favourite (after being treated to this on Mother’s Day) a frangipani nourish wrap. With four children, it’s a perfect way to escape, relax and unwind! 

TRUTH: I can think of nothing worse than spending the day at a spa, all that fussing over me would feel like torture. My ideal day, if I were being self-indulgent, would be relaxing somewhere with a beautiful view, reading a good book or writing. Throw in my husband, my children busily occupied in some outdoor pursuits and some yummy food and I’d be more than happy. 

Question 7 - Besides reading, which I am guessing is a given, what other hobbies do you have?

LIE: I enjoy cycling, it is a great way to get out into the fresh air and to see some of the lovely countryside we have here in the South of England. It helps me clear the cobwebs, sort out any plot or character issues I have and keep fit.

TRUTH: Reading is the biggest hobby I indulge in, followed by going to the cinema with my husband. It’s a nice way to relax and not nearly as energetic as cycling. 

Week 2- featured Heleyne Hammersley who has some rather convincing lies

Question 7 - What is the most annoying interview question you have ever been asked?

During an interview for an English teaching position I was once asked whether I’d mind teaching some PE each week.  I’d already said that I wasn’t very sporty in response to a question about my interests and I suspect it was a ruse to put me off the job.  (THIS IS A LIE – the most annoying interview question I was ever asked was whether I intend to have children while working for the company.  I think this is probably illegal now.)

Question 9 - Can you describe for me what your perfect day would involve?

Probably sprawling out on a beach somewhere warm and sunbathing for an entire day with nothing to do and nowhere to be.  (THIS IS A LIE – I hate sunbathing!  My perfect day would probably involve a long hill walk and a good meal at a nice restaurant.)

Question 10 - Besides reading, which I am guessing is a given, what other hobbies do you have?

I play guitar very badly!  I like to pretend I’m Joni Mitchell or, when the neighbours are out, Joan Jett but I can only manage a few basic chords.  (THIS IS A LIE – I don’t have a musical bone in my body.  My hobbies are more outdoorsy – I like walking, cycling and swimming.  I also like to grow my own veg but the season is very short up here in the frozen wastes of the north.)

And in Week 3 we had Christina Philippou giving a great selection of answers

Question 4 - What superpower would you love to have?

I’d love to be able to fly. [LIE – I’m scared of heights]

I’d love to have (selective) invisibility.

Question 8 - Besides reading, which I am guessing is a given, what other hobbies do you have?

I play and coach football, enjoy sewing, and never turn down a dance-off.

I love my yoga, enjoy gardening, and never turn down a bake-off. [LIE]

Question 11 - What is your guilty pleasure when it comes to music? 

A selection of punk rock, 90s grunge, and early noughties pop.

A selection of folk, classical music, and early noughties RnB. [LIE]

And finally Week 4 we had Tracey Sinclair who came up with some really imaginative lies!

Question 3 - What was your most memorable holiday ever?

TRUTH: My first trip abroad was a trip to Paris with a friend that was a bit of a disaster from start to finish, but the grand finale was us missing our train home and being stranded overnight with hardly any money, nowhere to stay and, of course back then no mobile phones… so memorable for all the wrong reasons!

LIE: A childhood holiday to Wales – it rained constantly but I didn’t care as I had a massive crush on one of the locals who worked at the campsite, so spent the entire time either ‘accidentally’ trying to be wherever he was, or writing bad poetry about him in my notebook! 

Question 7 - What is your dream job, and have you tried to achieve it?

LIE: It isn’t any more, but as a teen I wanted to be a TV presenter and did an audition tape that I cringe to think of even now. It was the eighties so I recall my outfit being neon bright and terrifyingly heavy on the shoulder pads…

TRUTH: Other than writing, I’ve actually always just stumbled into jobs by luck or coincidence. Most of the things I’ve done I didn’t know existed as jobs till I did them!

Question 9 - Did you have an invisible friend as a child? If so, please tell me about them. 

LIE: Not invisible as such, but I did have a life size doll called Athena who was about 3 feet tall, that I used to pretend was a real friend and used to hold long, detailed conversations with. Maybe as an only child I wanted a sibling. My mum got so freaked out though that she gave it away!

TRUTH: No, I didn’t. (I did have a life sized doll called Athena, but she was quite unnerving. My mum did also gave her away telling people I was starting to treat her like a real person, but the truth was I used her to play mean pranks (hiding her behind curtains and the like so it looked like there was someone hiding in the room) and my mum got so sick of it she gave the doll away – which I probably deserved! )

Truth or Lie? - Month 4 Round Up

Welcome back to yet another monthly recap of Truth or Lie? 

I really hope you enjoyed reading all the posts this month and that you were playing along at home, even if you weren't commenting live! 

Let's see who topped our guessing leaderboard this month, and therefore winning themselves a paperback of their choice. If you did guess but aren't on this board, then its because you didn't get any correct, but better luck next time!

Congratulations to Ali - The Dragon Slayer, turns out if you take wild guesses each week, the odds are you will get some right, and Ali managed 1 correct on each of the weeks. 

In fact Jan Ellis in joint second also got 1 correct each week she took part, not counting the week she was a contestant! 

And special mention to Kendra who guessed all of Anne Hamilton's lies correctly. 

Well done Ali, please get in contact with which book you would like. 

Now the moment  I'm sure you have all been waiting for!

The Lies Revealed!!!


Week 1- I had Nancy Holland as my guest, and she had some great lies. So here is the truth! 

Question 8 - Besides reading, which I am guessing is a given, what other hobbies do you have?

[Truth] When I have time, I love to knit and crochet, although I live where the summers can be very hot and muggy, so it's a bit of a seasonal thing.

[Lie] I'm a rock climber.

Question 10 - What is your guilty pleasure when it comes to music? 

[Truth] Metallica -- my son introduced me to them,  and the raw power of their music is amazing.

[Lie] Opera, especially Wagner

Question 12 - If you won the lottery, how would you spend the money?

[Truth] First on a condo near the beach in California (see above), and then on a year-long tour of Europe -- or maybe the other way around.

[Lie] I'd buy a Tesla and a big house in Florida

Week 2- I had Jan Ellis, I wonder how many of you she bamboozled?

Question 3 -  If you could only read one author for the rest of your life (and I’m aware that’s a very scary world), who would you choose and why?

LIE Enid Blyton, because her stories remind me of my childhood.

TRUTH If I'm going to have to read him or her for several decades (hopefully), the books should be complex and interesting, so I'll take George Eliot.

Question 5 - What is your dream job, and have you tried to achieve it?

LIE In my twenties I really wanted to drive a London bus, but I failed the driving test.

TRUTH When I was eleven I wanted to be a holiday rep, but as someone who hates travelling in groups that was a non-starter.

Question 8 -  What is your guilty pleasure when it comes to music? 

LIE One word: Kajagoogoo. I used to have my hair like Limahl's.

TRUTH I love Benny Hill's 'Ernie' (The Fastest Milkcart in the West). Available on YouTube!

Week 3 brought us Anne Hamilton, and her very comprehensive answers, but did that make it easier or harder for you to pick up on the lies?

Question 2 - What book do you wish you had written?

(LIE) Mervyn Peake’s The Gormenghast Trilogy. I first read this, reluctantly (it’s fantasy – not my thing – and very thick) a good few years ago after a friend raved about it. Much against my will, I was completely converted by the end of Ch3. I actually even reviewed it, which is not something I routinely did in those days, and I can still remember writing ‘it makes me want to write a novel that has this effect on all its readers’.

(TRUTH) I didn’t get past Ch3 of Gormenghast; fantasy is still not my thing. I wish I’d written Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca. I never tire of it.

Question 4 - What was your most memorable holiday ever?

(LIE) I was twelve and on my first ever school exchange. It was to Stavanger (Norway) and I’d never met my penpal, Ewa, before. I really didn’t want to go because I’d told ferocious lies in my letters (basically made up the person I wished I was) and I knew I couldn’t keep it up. When I arrived, her mother took me to their apartment in the city, although Ewa had told me she lived on a ranch in the countryside… Turns out she’d made up even more than me. We both confessed and had a fabulous time; we’re still friends now.

(TRUTH) I’ve only been to Stavanger once for a conference. My most memorable holiday was a trip on the Venice-Paris Orient Express.

Question 8 - Besides reading, which I am guessing is a given, what other hobbies do you have?

(LIE) I play the guitar - badly. And I sing along (old Seekers hits mostly) which is probably even worse, but I don’t care because there is nobody else to hear me. I used to like playing the piano, but can’t get one up the stairs of a third floor tenement flat.

(TRUTH) I can’t play the guitar but I want to learn. It’s true about the piano. As for real hobbies, I’ve got out of the habit of doing anything non-work, non-parenting related so my indulgence is cooking programmes on TV – I want to marry Nigel Slater for his kitchen and garden.

And finally Week 4 we had Camilla Isley as our contestant! 

Question 2 - What book do you wish you had written?

Lie: Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. This is one of my favourite classics. I love everything about it, the story, the struggle, the characters. Heathcliff had me fascinated since I was a teenager. I re-read this book at least once a year.

Truth: I think this book is the most wrongly overrated book in history. I didn’t like anything about it, story, characters, nothing! Heathcliff gives me the creeps. I read this book once and I’m never wasting precious reading time re-reading it.

Question 3 - What was your most memorable holiday ever?

Lie: The island of Santorini in Greece. The island is beautiful, the Mediterranean Sea special, and everything just aligned to perfection during this vacation. Perfect hotel, perfect weather, and great food.

Truth: Ok, Santorini definitely wasn’t my worst vacation ever, but neither the best. Why? Because… Did you know that as a Volcanic Island some of the beaches are actually made of iron residue? I didn’t; not until I sat on the beach and burned my bun. Because try leaving a piece of iron in the sun in August and then sit on it. It’s not fun. How I found out? See evidence number one: grains of iron attached to my backpack magnetic clip.

Then Santorini is also very windy and the water very cold. 

Also the island’s power plant burned down while we were there, so it was a three day black out after that :( not very comfortable…

Question 7 - Besides reading, which I am guessing is a given, what other hobbies do you have?

Lie: My biggest passion besides reading and writing is running, I’m currently training for my first half-marathon. My dream is to one day run (and finish) the New York marathon.

Truth: I’m mostly a couch potato. I can survive a Jillian Michaels DVD after the first week of training, but please don’t make me run. I’d be out of breath in three minutes. I hate running.