Five Things Friday [#5]
So how was your week? Are you ready for the weekend? Let’s snuggle up, keep warm and read an amazing book together. Here’s my weekly Five Things Friday list of suggestions and a round-up from my blog.
ONE
New on my TBR List
This week I’ve added The Paris Library to my ‘To Be Read’ List. I’m not a fan of war books and tend to avoid them but this one looks like a Not To Be Missed read. The Hardback, Kindle & Audiobook versions have been released this week (9th Feb 2021). It has already had some great reviews from book bloggers who managed to get hold of an Advanced Reader Copy.
Book Cover Notes
IN THE DARKNESS OF WAR, THE LIGHT OF BOOKS – HOW LIBRARIANS DEFIED THE NAZIS.
‘A wonderful novel celebrating the power of books and libraries to change people’s lives’ JILL MANSELL
PARIS, 1939
Odile Souchet is obsessed with books, and her new job at the American Library in Paris – with its thriving community of students, writers and book lovers – is a dream come true. When war is declared, the Library is determined to remain open. But then the Nazis invade Paris, and everything changes.
In Occupied Paris, choices as black and white as the words on a page become a murky shade of grey – choices that will put many on the wrong side of history, and the consequences of which will echo for decades to come.
MONTANA, 1983
Lily is a lonely teenage desperate to escape small-town Montana. She grows close to her neighbour Odile, discovering they share the same love of language, the same longings. But as Lily uncovers more about Odile’s mysterious past, she discovers a dark secret, closely guarded and long hidden.
Based on the true Second World War story of the heroic librarians at the American Library in Paris, this is an unforgettable novel of romance, friendship, family, and of heroism found in the quietest of places.
TWO
What I’ve been reading
Next on my Five Things Friday list is what I’ve been reading this week. I enjoy reading non-fiction books and this week I snuggled up with A Year Of Living Simply by Kate Humble. NetGalley kindly provided me with a copy of this book to read and review. I shall share my book review next week, what I will say now is that I’ve made several pages of notes and highlights. Always a good sign that I’ve enjoyed a book.
Book Cover Notes
If there is one thing that most of us aspire to, it is, simply, to be happy. And yet attaining happiness has become, it appears, anything but simple. Having stuff – The Latest, The Newest, The Best Yet – is all too often peddled as the sure fire route to happiness. So why then, in our consumer-driven society, is depression, stress and anxiety ever more common, affecting every strata of society and every age, even, worryingly, the very young? Why is it, when we have so much, that many of us still feel we are missing something and the rush of pleasure when we buy something new turns so quickly into a feeling of emptiness, or purposelessness, or guilt?
So what is the route to real, deep, long lasting happiness? Could it be that our lives have just become overly crowded, that we’ve lost sight of the things – the simple things – that give a sense of achievement, a feeling of joy or excitement? That make us happy. Do we need to take a step back, reprioritise? Do we need to make our lives more simple?
Kate Humble’s fresh and frank exploration of a stripped-back approach to life is uplifting, engaging and inspiring – and will help us all find balance and happiness every day.
Available now in Paperback, Hardback, Kindle and Audio formats
THREE
What I’ve been Listening To
Listening To: An Interview with Bill Bryson talking about Notes From a Small Island on the World Book Club BBC Podcast.
I really enjoyed this interview as Bill read snippets from his travel memoir and provides more insight into how he came about writing this book. It was interesting hearing his views on how Britain has changed from the 70’s – 90’s and more recent observations.
I was gifted a copy of Notes From a Small Island at Christmas (thank you Secret Santa) so it’s now higher up on my TBR list this spring.
Why not treat yourself to a copy too and read along with me.
You can listen to Bill Bryson’s interview as well as lots of interesting World Book podcasts on the BBC World Service here (or via your preferred podcast app)
If you love listening to Podcasts then don’t miss my recent post listing 8 Great Podcasts For Book Lovers
FOUR
Photo Of The Week
You may remember in last week’s Five Things Friday I mentioned MrTT had kindly decorated our Study / Reading room. Well here’s a photo of Coco nicely modelling the reading nook for us. Can you see the deer? I have lots of empty walls in this room just crying out for books yipee!! Guess I’ll be shopping for book shelves soon then 🙂
FIVE
What’s been happening at Touring Tales
Offline: We’re settling nicely into our new ‘non-corporate working’ routine at home, whilst still in lockdown. Our morning’s consist of plenty of exercise either running, walking the dogs & yoga. Mind you, we’re not getting any skinnier as MrTT has started baking bread. Our house smells amazing, and me, Poppy & Coco love being chief tasters, it’s a hard life 🙂
Afternoons are dedicated to reading and writing for my book blog. This is becoming quite an addiction,.I absolutely love settling down for the afternoon with a big mug of tea and either creating banners and social media imagery or writing up a review. My head is buzzing with new ideas all the time so I’m now using Trello to store my ideas, keep things organise and scheduled.
Online: Here’s a round-up of posts I’ve published this week, incase you missed them:
- 8 Podcasts for Book Lovers
- Book Blitz: A Rendezvous To Remember (Book Launch Promotion)
- Blue Moon by Lee Child (Book Review from MrTT)
What’s coming up: I’ve added more exciting book reviews, book launches and author interviews to my Book Blog Schedule. Have a look at my book reading schedule, why not follow a link and treat yourself to a new book this month. Read along with me and join in the discussion.
Instagram: Have you found Touring Tales Books on Instagram yet? I’d love to boost the Touring Tales Books Instagram profile and chat with you about books. So please come and find us and hit follow and say hi.
Now over to you
Q: What are you reading this weekend? Share in the comments below one or more of your own Five Things Friday. I’d love to hear them.
Have a fabulous weekend. Happy reading.
Miche xxx
PS: If you’re new to Touring Tales then welcome. You can read more on my About Page. My book blog was launched in October 2020. I have lots planned for Touring Tales Books for 2021, so I hope you’ll follow along and say hi in the comments below.
Too busy to read? How about listening to Audiobooks whilst walking your dog? Here’s a great offer 30 Day FREE Trial
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