My Review for The Post Box at the North Pole by Jaimie Admans

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This is just a big, warm, cosy hug 🤗 in a book! I smiled the whole of the way through and just couldn’t get enough of Sasha and Tav. All wrapped up in hot chocolate, Christmas, Santa, reindeer, snow, and lots of Christmas magic. I want to move to the North Pole forest and look after reindeer, whilst experiencing the joy on children’s faces as they see where the elves make the toys and where Santa answers all their letters.

I want to see this made into a movie. There must be a scriptwriter out there who can adapt this for the big screen. Imagine having read the book, and then snuggling up with your kids in front of a crackling log fire with a mug of minty hot chocolate each and falling into Santa’s world. 

Jaimie writes about all her characters with love and affection. You can tell they would be her friends in real life. There are a few ups and downs along the way but of course, you know everything is going to work out ok in the end, that’s just the kind of book it is. 

The Post Box at the North Pole is the perfect story to read, coming up to Christmas. Who knows whether there will be snow at Christmas where you live, but in the nooks and crannies of this book, it’s guaranteed. I can’t rate this highly enough. I loved it so much and I hope you do too. 

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ Digital for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of The Post Box at the North Pole by Jaimie Admans.

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My Review for The Dark (Interland Series Book #3) by Gary Clark

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thank you to Gary Clark for sending me an ARC of The Dark, the third book in the Interland series. Once again, it was a privilege to be asked, and I loved reading it and falling into the world of Given and Readers.

After the downfall of Readers, Jay, and her friends and family, are continuing with their lives and trying to get back to some sort of normality. Jay is working in Alf’s bookshop in a dedicated section on the top floor, which she is dedicated to the history of Given. Collecting books from all over the country, Jay has provided a wealth of information for anyone wanting to learn more. 

But something isn’t right. Darkness appears to be just around the corner and Jay, Cassie, Stitch and their friends need a plan of action. They need to discover what is happening and work out how to fix it.

As with his previous books, The Given and Interland, Gary Clark has written a real page-turner with The Dark. Full of tension, thrills and nail-biting experiences, The Dark takes us on a whirlwind journey through countries, islands and varying powers as Jay and her friends attempt once more to take on their enemies. Meeting new friends along the way, anyone with Given powers is eager to help take on the leader of the Dark.

Clark highlights the lengths that some people will go to, to keep their friends safe, even if it means putting themselves in danger, but with the ultimate goal of protecting everyone.

I would recommend The Dark for Young Adults and older. Lose yourself in another world, one where magic is paramount, but not everything will turn out as you expect! I really hope there is a 'next in the series'!

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My Review for Dracula by Bram Stoker, Narrated by Mark Gatiss

⭐⭐⭐⭐ When a Facebook Group I’m a member of, suggested reading Dracula, coming up to Halloween, I thought I’d give it a go. Never having read it before and not having a lot of time, I thought I’d try it as an Audiobook. I searched through Audible for one I fancied and an abridged version (although not very abridged - it was still almost 18 hours in length) came up, narrated by Mark Gatiss and had excellent reviews. I downloaded it and, for the next few days, I was in another world.

I obviously knew the general idea of the story - it’s about a vampire - right? Well yes, it is, but there is so much more to it and I wish I’d picked it up years ago! 

No, it’s not very fast-paced and yes, Stoker could have probably written it in half the number of pages, but I thought the story was told well. Gatiss was an excellent narrator. I’m not sure some of my friends across the pond would understand the Yorkshire accent in parts (hell, I’m not sure I got all of it) but it added it to the authenticity of the location.

Initially told from the point of view of Jonathan Harker’s journals, Dracula follows several characters as they are immersed in the story. Mina is Harker’s fiancee, Lucy is Mina’s closest friend and Art is her fiancé. Each one is drawn into Dracula’s world in their own way, and Dr Van Helsing and Dr Seward set out to solve the mystery.

The story is descriptive and entertaining, with a wide variety of characters. Some you will warm to and others are just plain boring. As Dracula’s ship comes into Whitby harbour, the story of its journey across the seas put me on board with the crew to experience what they did. Was I scared? No, not at all, I have read much more terrifying stories of vampires and suchlike but this was just a well-written and often warming story.

Should you read it, if you haven’t already? Yes, of course, because it’s a classic and everyone should know the story. I’ve added it to my list of books to buy and I’d like it as a Penguin Clothbound to add to my collection! It will look good on my shelves!

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My Review for City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare, Narrated by Ari Gaynor

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I have only recently heard about Cassandra Clare’s books, but immediately decided they would be the sort of thing I’d really enjoy. Fantasy, paranormal, and magic - what more could I need to enable me to escape once again to another world.

I downloaded the Audiobook of City of Bones from Borrowbox and lost myself in Idris, the Shadowhunters’ home country.

Fifteen-year-old Clary Fray lives with her Mum in New York City. Just a normal teenage girl, with a normal teenage attitude. However, after a night out in Pandemonium nightclub with her best friend Simon, she realises that the world is not as it seems. Did that young boy really just get killed in front of her and then disappear as though nothing had happened? 

Clary is now part of the Shadowhunters world and learns how she can see things that normal humans (mundanes) can’t. She has a swift introduction to demons, vampires and werewolves and discovers that she has powers of her own.

Focused on friendship, teamwork and ‘doing the right thing’, Clare tells an entertaining story with her vivid and descriptive imagination. Each character has their own back story, and these are explained as we go through the novel. Personally, I loved Jace, a pain in the ass, yes, but he will always have your back.

Too much of a synopsis will spoil the story, but if you love all things paranormal, fantastical and not of this world, then give City of Bones a try - if you haven’t already!

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My Review for Midnight in the Snow by Karen Swan

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of Midnight in the Snow by Karen Swan.

She’s only gone and done it again and thrown out another belter! Congratulations to Karen Swan for Midnight in the Snow. I loved it, loved it, loved it!

Clover Phillips makes documentaries and has recently completed the award-winning ‘Pipe Dreams’, telling Cory Allbright’s story as a world champion surfer. But how can she follow that up? She is going to have to pull something special out of the bag to compete with such an epic story, and she has an idea.....

Set predominantly in the Austrian Alps, Midnight in the Snow is picturesque, with beautiful snow-covered mountains and images of brightly coloured skiers dotted along the ski runs. Swan captures the atmosphere amazingly, and I could easily imagine I was up there too (although I’m not a skier, so I would have been drinking hot chocolate and reading a book)!

Midnight in the Snow has more than its share of characters, each with their own back story and each equally relevant to the story and, in their own way, I loved them all. I think Beau was my favourite, but I won’t give anything away, you’ll just need to read to the end!

There were just as many twists and turns in the story as there were on the ski slopes and I can guarantee that as the book progresses, you will turn those pages faster than Kit drops into the halfpipe!

If you enjoy a winter wonderland, snow sports, romance and a great plot, then you will love Midnight in the Snow. Read it today, you won’t be disappointed.

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My Review for Making Waves at Penvennan Cove by Linn B. Halton

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thank you to NetGalley and Aria Fiction for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of Making Waves at Penvennan Cove by Linn B. Halton.

Kerra Shaw has recently returned from London to her home village in Cornwall, following the death of her mother and as a support to her father. Kerra is a successful businesswoman and is hoping to invest and support small businesses in the community, whilst maintaining her currently secret relationship with Ross. Only a handful of people know about their relationship, and until the feud between their families ends, Kerra would like it to remain a secret, but this is Penvannan and nothing stays a secret for long. 

This is the second book in the series, which I didn’t realise at first and although other reviewers have mentioned that it shouldn’t be read as a stand-alone, I’m not sure it really matters, I found the book very slow, to begin with, and not much seemed to happen for at least the first third of the book and I did even consider not finishing it. However, don’t let that put you off. For the rest of the book, I was hooked, and I keenly turned the pages to discover what was going to happen next in Penvennan Cove. 

The author was adept with her descriptions of the Cornish village life, with its fishermen’s cottages and quirky village characters. There were many times when Kerra popped into the village bakery and my mouth watered at the mention of the delicious cakes! 

This is the first book I have read by Linn B. Halton but I am looking forward to reading more. If you love a happy-ever-after story, set in a cosy, English, seaside village, then you’ll enjoy Making Waves at Penvennan Cove.

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My Review for Secrets of Santorini by Patricia Wilson, narrated by Aoife McMahon and Caroline Lennon

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Secrets of Santorini was my Audiobook of choice as I started to clear my garden and get it ready for winter. What better way to escape from the coming autumnal days than to disappear into the Greek islands for a while!

Irini McGuire grew up in a convent school in Dublin, whilst her parents continued with their archaeological career on the Greek island of Santorini. After Irini’s mother, Bridget, suffers an accident, Irini travels to the Greek island to visit her. Once there, it becomes apparent that everything is not as it seems, and in particular, why Irini was sent away at a very early age. 

Secrets of Santorini is told from the points of view of both Irini and Bridget, alternating between chapters. I enjoy reading this style of writing and experiencing the story from different angles, and Patricia Wilson excels at it.

I found Secrets of Santorini slow to begin with, particularly when we were taken back in time through Bridget’s dreams. As the book progressed though, I was drawn further into the story and wished I had paid more attention to some of Bridget’s dreams, which I initially found boring, but that was because I didn’t understand what relevance they had! I should have known better, for Patricia Wilson never writes about topics that aren’t relevant to the book!

As with all her other books, Patricia Wilson has put an enormous amount of research into Secrets of Santorini and as the story progressed, I travelled with Irini as she journeyed between Dublin, Crete, and Santorini, learning more about Greek history and the classics.

Recommended for anyone who enjoys a book set on a beautiful island with an archeological history but with a contemporary feel.

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Anthem of the Seas, September 2021

Check out some more of my cruise photos here... Anthem of the Seas 2021 Photos

Before the cruise…… 

I have always fancied at least trying a cruise, but never sure whether I’d actually enjoy it once we were onboard. My husband, Dave, has always categorically said no, not interested, not going, end of story! Then in March 2020, COVID hit the world and for more than a year, most of the world could not travel - not easily, anyway. We had to cancel two US trips, both of which would have encompassed Las Vegas - which those of you who know us, will know, it is our most favourite place in the world. 

Now there are a few talented people out there who regularly bring Las Vegas vlogs to YouTube, and one of these is Nicky Furmage. Nicky and his wife Claire decided in July 2021 that they wanted a bit of Las Vegas and found it on Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas, which was currently cruising round the British Isles. After vlogging their cruise, Nicky uploaded their adventures onto YouTube and introduced some of us to something we hadn’t even entertained before - a holiday onboard a ship! It was at this point that Dave decided perhaps it was something he might like to try, there was a casino onboard, with designer shops, fancy restaurants and as much food and drink as you wanted (if you purchased the drinks package) and so our mini Vegas trip was planned. 

Before you were allowed onboard, you had to be double vaccinated with a negative PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before departure day. Extra COVID cover was needed for your travel insurance and you needed to know that masks were going to be an essential part of your wardrobe whilst walking around the ship! I was reluctant to pack until the results of the PCRs were through, but at approximately 3 pm on the day before departure, we both received the news we had been waiting for and we both had a negative result! Let the excitement begin! 

I had chosen a 1 pm check-in time, and after dropping our beloved cocker spaniel Freddie with my parents, we made our way down the A34 toward Southampton, arriving in the (£95) car park at around 12.45. The luggage van was behind our car as soon as we pulled up and our suitcases went straight from our car, into theirs with enormous efficiency - ‘they will turn up in your rooms soon’, we were told. Everyone was friendly and organised during check-in,

and after a few questions and having shown all our paperwork to the check-in staff we were onboard by 1.10 pm - it was at this point that I decided I was never flying again unless I had to - this was just so, so organised and relaxed. (Of course I will - you can’t get a cruise ship to Las Vegas)!

We had chosen stateroom 122 on Deck 11 and used Cruise Advice to ensure it was located somewhere quiet and not near any bars! We went to find our room, completed our Guest Safety briefing on the free Royal Caribbean App and reported to our Muster Station in the Royal Theatre. We then set out to explore the ship, wondering how we would ever find our way back to the room in the drunken hours of the morning! We stopped for drinks in the pub (Brass and Bock) for a while whilst we checked the Cruise Compass, and booked some of the activities we wanted to do, and shows we wanted to see. Another drink, this time in Vintages (which soon became my favourite bar) and then we headed to the North Star Bar for another drink, and settled at the aft (I was already learning the lingo) to watch Sailaway. Bye bye Southampton, we’ll see you in a week.

We had chosen ‘My Time’ dining as we didn’t want to be tied to certain times and preferred to eat on our own rather than in a larger group (you guessed it - sociable IS NOT our middle name)! We had booked for 6.30 pm the first evening and we went into American Icon, the wait staff were more than helpful and we enjoyed the food and the experience.

After more drinks and another wander around, we made our way to the Royal Theatre where we were entertained at the Welcome Variety Show. Everyone was socially distanced and the majority of people were sticking to the rule of wearing masks unless actively drinking. John Moloney, an English stand-up comedian entertained us for a while, along with a singer and some other entertainers.

A lot of the days seemed to blur into one as the week went on and to be honest, the only way I knew what day we were on, was because the sign on the floor, in the lift was changed! 🤣

Today we had breakfast in Silk, one of the other restaurant options for ‘My Time’ dining and waiter service rather than a buffet,  which was a lovely start to the day. The rest of the morning Dave spent in the casino and I wandered around taking some photographs of the artwork and then settled down with my book in Two70, a chilled out place at the aft of the ship which is used for relaxing and quizzes etc in the daytime and turns into an entertainment venue at night.

At 2.30 pm we had booked to go and see ‘We Will Rock You’ in the Royal Theatre. As far as I am aware, Royal Caribbean is the only cruise line that show Broadway/West End productions. We have seen ‘We Will Rock You’ before and this was every bit as fabulous as the previous production we had watched.

The previous day we had decided that we would purchase a speciality dining package for 3 nights. In hindsight this isn’t something we would do again. The food was ok, however we both preferred the ‘inclusive’ food that was in the main dining rooms. We went to Jamie’s Italian on Day 2 and as previously mentioned, it was fine, but nothing special. Obviously this is just our opinion and I know others will disagree.

To round off the evening we went to see Gary Williams who starred in the West End’s Rat Pack. Another link to Vegas so of course we were going to book and see him! He was a great entertainer with a great voice. All you needed was a Jack Daniel’s and a room full of cigarette smoke and it would have been like the olden days at The Sands!

Well what a sight greeted our eyes as we opened the curtains this morning! The Caribbean this was not 🤣

However we didn’t come on this cruise for the ports we would be visiting, merely for the experience. We breakfasted in Windjammer (the buffet) and this was adequate to set you up for the day. You can eat as much or as little as you like and although set out like a buffet, everything is now served to you, post COVID.

We decided that we didn’t want to get off the ship whilst in Greenock and as it was miserable and wet for most of the day we spent some time relaxing in the ‘adults only’ solarium and whiling away our time in Two70. We wandered a lot, people watching and just generally enjoying our day. 

I think today was the day that I went to a presentation on the Alaska Cruise and was bowled over by some of the magnificent scenery that you get to experience whilst onboard. Suffice it to say, an Alaskan cruise is now on our list! Following this, I went to a talk on the history of Royal Caribbean, and learned how the company became the great success it is today.

Around 4.30 pm we headed up to Deck 15 to watch Anthem negotiate her way out of port as we headed off towards Kirkwall and the Orkneys. Back in the warmth of the ship, we had a cocktail or two in Boleros before we headed off to get changed to begin our evening. 

Now we love the show Jersey Boys and I think we’ve seen it at least 4 times, so when I saw that there was a show in the Royal Theatre called Eastcoast Boys, and that it was the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, it was the first thing we booked when we got onboard. I’m not sure why there was only 3 performers - maybe the 4th was ill - but this didn’t detract from their performance. They were awesome and I’d definitely recommend them to anyone if you get the chance.  As the Eastcoast Boys performed their show, and we were in the dark of the Theatre, I felt the ship rocking more and more. I’m sure I hadn’t drank that much during the day, and then I remembered earlier, during the Captain’s announcement that he’d said there would be a strong current as we sailed up towards the Orkneys and he wasn’t wrong! As we weaved our way to dinner I definitely heard other (obviously seasoned passengers) say that they had never experienced movement like that before! Thankfully neither of us felt at all ill and after a lovely dinner in American Icon, we headed to bed and were rocked to sleep like a baby!

The morning of Day 4 continued to be filled with movement, even though the seas looked calm. Who’d have thought a current could make such a large ship move so much! Today we didn’t do very much at all, we ate breakfast in Windjammer, had a couple of slices of pizza for lunch at Sorrentos and chilled out in the Solarium for an hour in the afternoon with a few stops in bars along the way. 

Pre-dinner cocktails in Schooners and Vintages, we followed this up with dinner, booked at Chops Grille (American Steakhouse), another speciality dining room, and yes, it was a great experience and the food was good but was it worth the extra money? I’m not sure it was.

We would have loved to have tried Izumu but it was closed on our sailing and we didn’t fancy Wonderland, although having watched more vlogs since our return I do regret not giving it a go.  

After dinner we went to see Graffiti Classics in the Royal Theatre. Advertised as ‘16 strings, 8 dancing feet and 4 voices with 1 aim: to make classical music wickedly funny and fantastically exhilarating’. It was awesome, with 3 incredibly talented violinists and 1 brilliant cellist, we laughed and clapped along and thoroughly enjoyed our evening. If you spot them coming to a cruise ship near you then book as quickly as you can!

Another awesome breakfast in American Icon. This was my most favourite breakfast of the whole cruise, I had French toast with berries, maple syrup and crispy bacon (why can’t the British have bacon like the Americans)?! 

High on sugar, I wandered, read, drank and ate some more whilst Dave spent the majority of the day in the casino, trying to spend enough money to gain us a complimentary cruise (honestly - it would have been cheaper to just pay for one but it keeps him quiet for a few hours)!  Mid-afternoon and I spent a couple of hours up in the Solarium, reading, relaxing and chilling in the whirlpool.  

Dinner in American Icon again and very rough seas as we travelled towards Belfast, even parts of the ship were creaking as you negotiated your way down the stairs! This evening we went to see a Beatles Tribute Band at Two70. If I’m honest, they seemed slightly bored and whether they were nearing the end of their time on Anthem, I’m not sure but they didn’t seem like they wanted to be there. Maybe that was just them trying to appear blasé to replicate the way The Beatles were but if that was the case, then I’m not sure it came across that way.

 

      Happy Birthday Dave!

Today was raining and dismal outside, which was a shame for those passengers who had opted to take some shore excursions. Again, we chose to stay onboard, taking breakfast in Windjammer, walked, chilled, read and relaxed in Two70 and basically doing not a lot else - I loved these days 💛

This evening we had dinner in Chops Grille for Dave’s birthday and this time was better than last time for some reason, with a delightful waiter who was very funny and made us smile.

Chris Watkins was our performer for this evening, an entertaining violinist with great charisma and an amazing personality that comes to life as he plays his modern take on some classical hits.

When we returned to our stateroom, our room attendant, Ikamong, had once again excelled himself with some towel art specifically for Dave’s birthday. 🥰

Our final day and Dave’s final casino day. We had already received our complimentary cruise certificate and found out we were entitled to a junior suite but only on specific cruises - our search would soon begin!

Another day of wanderings and contemplation and the realisation that cruising may in fact, be for us! We were enjoying the relaxation, the food and drink, the shows and activities and the fact that we didn’t actually have to do anything!

Today was the day we had booked to go on the North Star and we were really lucky with the weather as I know previous days bookings had had to be cancelled due to the wind and rain. ‘The North Star elevates you high above the ship for unrivalled 360 degree views - take in views of the ocean and ship from over 100 metres above sea level’. It was awesome and although I’m not particularly keen on heights, this didn’t phase me at all.

Our final dinner in American Icon and then off to see Spectra’s Cabaret. Royal Caribbean’s description is, ‘explore the deepest recesses of the heart in this mind-bending fusion of live performances and experiential cinema. Blending pop culture anthems, dynamic movement and state-of-the-art technology, it’s an innovative adventure designed to engage all of your senses’. We enjoyed it! I’m not sure what it was about or what I was actually watching but it was fun all the same.

I think we docked in Southampton at around 5.30 am and as soon as we could leave the ship; we left our stateroom and made our way to Deck 5 to disembark. As we had opted to carry our own bags and the fact that we had only sailed around the British Isles and therefore were not required to pass through Customs or Immigration made our disembarkation super-quick and having left at 6.50 am, we were back in our car at 7.03 am and on our way home!

After the cruise...

No jet lag and home in under 2 hours and I think I can safely say that we both loved our first cruise and it will definitely be something we will do again in the future. My land legs didn’t return for a few days and it was a very weird feeling, my house was rocking to welcome me home!

Cruising won’t be replacing Las Vegas, but I’m pretty sure it will be a welcome addition to our holidays. Thank you to Nicky and Claire Furmage for the introduction and inspiration to go cruising!

Update..... 2 hours after I initially posted this - this happened!!!

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