Read-a-long - Five on Friday

Hello there, thank you so much for all your lovely birthday greetings to my eldest son. It's been a week of checking ingredients again! I hope we've got it sorted now... IBS is such a pain. I phoned Mum to let her know as my Dad suffers too... Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum, Carboxymethyl Cellulose & Gum Arabic. Some of these are in Aldi mint sauce, Gluten free cheese crackers, Co-op Bon Bons, Co-op Wraps. If you have IBS, the Doctor can help with a Dietitian checking for Coeliac, high fibre test and FODMAP testing. Then IF you still have symptoms - it's then a life of label checking on processed foods, as none of these are Fodmap or fibre issues. 

For this week's Five: some books or Read-a-longs that I've enjoyed recently. I was following the Agatha Christie book list this year but have abandoned it. I've joined in the last two years but sadly it felt like just another chore this time. I think that it's partly due to my (IBS) health and the need to get lots of things done. I also feel easily overwhelmed with too much information, so have taken a step back from some social media. I'm an admin on a Flylady group and have stepped back from that too, taking a Month's break for now.  

I'm just in from the WI craft evening (Bi-Monthly), lots of knitting/crochet of Helicopters, Poppies and Rainbow cardigans. Lots of chat, laughter, wine / tea and nibbles. Anyway onto some good books that I've enjoyed recently. 

1) Lessons in Chemistry by Garmus - Bookclub read for April. I've just finished this book and wow! What a book, I enjoyed the story, not so much the swearing but for women in 1960's life was tough in the work force. Unjust and no compromise, the 'Supper at Six' TV show at least spoke directly to women, to inspire them for change, ambition and confidence. I loved the dog 'Six Thirty' character, he was a very thoughtful dog with much responsibility. I definitely recommend it.

2) Sheltering Rain by JoJo Moyes - Bookclub read for March. I enjoyed last Month's book too, it started slow, with deep family issues lurking. I found myself wanting to pick it up and read more for days after finishing it. It is a true love story spanning three generations, unravelling family problems of not quite fitting in. 

3) Miss Read read-a-long - from the Facebook group. We started reading the Fairacre series April 2023. This year will conclude The Fairacre series, it will include two of the Caxley books, before finishing off with two Christmas titles. These books are so restful with some drama in each book. Overall they induce calm with beautiful descriptions of village life and the countryside. The 3 books above are for Jan - March this year. 
I first discovered Miss Read in my 20's, my Mother-in-law loved them... she loved the descriptions of the children's lives at school, their achievements and future plans. Sadly at the time, I found them a bit boring, preferring romance and mystery books. Several years later I discovered the Thrush Green series and fell in love with the village of Thrush Green. 
It has been nice reading through one book at a time, particularly as I've not read them all. 

4) Together Again by Milly Johnson - I read this last year. Milly Johnson often explores problems in families and this one doesn't disappoint. Family secrets and mistrust, deep painful issues that begin to unravel when the Sisters are Together Again. I was a little disappointed with the ending, family trauma... but maybe it was for the best. 

5) A Terrible Kindness by Jo Browning Wroe - for the bookclub in 2023. This book was so good, it begins in the aftermath of the Abervan disaster, then goes back to trace the young protagonists life from his days at choir school to the present day. This book stayed with me for a very long time. We had a good dicussion about this one at the bookclub. 
Another good book from last year's bookclub list was One Enchanted Evening by Anton Du Becke. This is part of a 6 part series here  It reminded me of the 'signature dances' in Agatha Christie's 'Murder at the Vicarage' with Joan Hickson as Miss Marple.  

Have you read any of these books?
What are you reading now? 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter