Five Minutes Peace

So long...

Keris — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 09:39:40 +0100

Unfortunately, I no longer have the time to dedicate to this site and so it's going on - as they say on US TV - permanent hiatus.

I'll still be reviewing books occasionally over on Chicklish and I'm going to review a lot more on my own site. Helen will, I'm sure, be reviewing on her blog and Sarah's also - finally! - going to set up a blog and once she does, you'll be able to find the link on my site.

Thanks for all your support and lovely comments over the last couple of years. And thanks to so many publishers and authors for wonderful free books... you'll keep sending them, right? ;)

Let's talk about bookplates

Jennie — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 11:52:45 +0100

I just saw this thoughtful tutorial by Andy English on how to use bookplates (via Craftzine) and it set me thinking... Does anybody use bookplates still? And if not, why not? Are they too close to scribbling in your books (sacrilege!) or do you find the notion of a personal library antiquated and dull ?

As a regular lender of books I often think I should keep better track of my precious bundles. Plus, it doesn't take much to convince me that I need new stationery in my life.

There are loads of beautiful ready-made bookplates available. This puffin design makes me feel wonderfully nostalgic and costs just £2.99 for a pack of 25 from The Literary Gift Company.

If you have a large library (or don't have the cash to splash on a set), this tutorial from Amy Merrick offers free printable designs so that you can make your own.

So, what do you think? Are you tempted?

BOOK REVIEW: Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas

Keris — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 12:43:22 +0100

Four young ladies enter London society with one common goal: they must use their feminine wit and wiles to find a husband. So a daring husband-hunting scheme is born...

If I'd read something similar to the above on the back of a contemporary novel, I don't think I would have given it a second glance, but Secrets of a Summer Night is set in the 1840s and so, given my surprising (to me, anyway) love for Eloisa James's historical romances, I decided to try it. And I loved it.

It's mainly the story of Annabelle Peyton, whose straightened circumstances make it unlikely that she will find a peer to marry her. And yet she desperately needs to since along with having threadbare clothes and struggling with the bills, gentlemen are circling with the interest of making Annabelle into a mistress, which would, of course, be her undoing. There is, however, Simon Hunt who, while handsome and rich, is a commoner and so not in the least bit suitable for Annabelle...

I loved Annabelle - she's spirited, intelligent and sexy, but it's Simon Hunt who really makes this book sing. Goodness, he's just what you want in a historical romantic hero. The other three "wallflowers" - Lillian, Daisy and Evie - are highly entertaining too.

Halfway through reading this book, I looked on Amazon and got a bit giddy when I realised there are loads more Lisa Kleypas books, including three more in the Wallflowers series.

I didn't think it was quite as brilliant as the Eloisa James books, but I'm still very excited to have another historical romance author to indulge in. Wonderful.