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Dress: Spicy Sugar elastane & diamante
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With the weather either oppressively muggy or raging with thunderstorms, it's the perfect opportunity to don a comfortable, floaty maxi dress & curl up in the air-conditioning with a good book. I seem to have an ever-increasing pile of books sitting beside the bed, beckoning to me & one of my New Year's Resolutions - such as they are - is to finally work my way through it. Here goes...
I'm not really one for "Book Clubs," as I tend to eschew current literature obsessions - Harry Potter, The Hunger Games & Fifty Shades of Grey in particular - but will read any & all magazine book reviews for hidden gems that tickle my fancy. Scroll down for a short blurb on each of the books in my so-called "Summer Reading List" & see if any pique your interest as well...
#1 Doctor Who: 12 Doctors, 12 Stories
by Various Authors
A must-read for all Whovians, this compilation details 12 of the Doctor's most amazing adventures written by 12 of the most exciting authors in the galaxy today! Perfect for reading while drinking a hot cuppa from my 5th Doctor Peter Davison mug.
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#2 Outlander (also known as Cross Stitch)
by Diana Gabaldon
Recently made into a popular television show, the first novel in this series focuses on 20th century nurse Claire Randall, who time-travels to 18th century Scotland while on a second, post WWII honeymoon & finds danger, adventure & romance with dashing highlander James Fraser. A mix of several genres, the series features elements of historical fiction, romance & fantasy. Such an all-encompassing read requires copious amounts of tea & this T2 tea-for-one set (with Madagascan Vanilla leaves, no less!) - a Christmas present from my cousin & his girlfriend - fits the bill perfectly!
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#3 Lyrebird Hill
by Anna Romer
A second offering by the celebrated author of Thornwood House, the novel poses the question: When all that you know comes crashing down, do you run? Or face the truth? Ruby Cardell has every semblance of a normal life - fulfilling career, loving boyfriend - but in the one terrible moment she realises that her sister's death was not an accident, it all comes crashing down. Travelling back to her childhood home, Lyrebird Hill, she uncovers a cache of ancient letters from a long-long relative languishing in a Tasmanian jail where she is imprisoned for murder. How will the two seemingly unrelated aspects be linked? Only time will tell... best spent with a hot cup of tea from my gorgeous green tea set, in my opinion...
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#4 Withering-By-Sea
by Judith Rossell
Sometimes it's nice to take a break from "high-brow" fiction & rest my mind with something a little different from the juvenile section, home of amazing tomes such as A Series of Unfortunate Events & Verity Sparks. Judith Rossell's Victorian fantasy/adventure features 11 year old Stella Montgomery, who leads a life devoid of joy in a damp, tumble-down hotel high on a cliff above the gloomy coastal town of Withering-By-Sea, ruled by her three dreadful aunts. One night, Stella sees something she shouldn't have & what is set in motion is more terrifying & exhilarating than she could have ever imagined...
Indeed, if you were so inclined, you could even use felt pens or markers to colour in the stunning black & white sketches that illustrate a few pages in each chapter. I store my colouring pens & pencils in cute mugs that have been given to me as gifts to keep my study space interesting & inspiring.
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#5 Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee
by Robert van Gulik
Given as a thoughtful Christmas present by my brother - who knows how much I love the subtitled Chinese films - this translated book comprises of 3 Chinese detective novels - written in the 18th century - chronicling interwoven cases solved by celebrated historical magistrate, Judge Dee in the 7th century. It includes The Case of the Double Murder at Dawn, The Case of the Strange Corpse & The Case of the Poisoned Bride, all beautifully written & illustrated... I'll use one of the biros sitting on my desk in this cute mug I received as a 30th birthday present to mark down any Mandarin words I don't understand & check them with Louise.
www.chinesefanfics.com
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This beautiful bone china cup - with tassel! - in decorative box is just perfect for drinking Earl Grey Tea & reading about the trevails of the aristocracy in these last 2 novels...
#6 The Miniaturist
by Jessie Burton
This celebrated debut effort by Jessie Burton, which sparked a bidding war between 3 very exclusive publishing houses, is one hell of a tale: On a cold winter's day in 1686, 18 year old Nella Oortman knocks on the door of one of the wealthiest houses in Amsterdam, nervous about beginning a new chapter of her life as wife to illustrious merchant Johannes Brandt but met instead by his sharp-tongued sister Marin. It is some time later that she meets her intended & he presents her with a most curious gift - a cabinet sized replica of her new home, to be furnished by a renowned yet elusive miniaturist whose tiny creations mirror their real life counterparts in unexpected ways... As Nella uncovers the hidden secrets of the household, her fear grows - will the miniaturist's actions place them all in grave danger?
Always fascinated with my own childhood dollhouse, handmade to match my bedroom furniture, this was a MUST READ!
www.abc.net.au
#7 The Seven Sisters
by Lucinda Riley
The newest novel by one of my favourite authors, Lucinda Riley, The Seven Sisters is the first in a new series based on the legends of the Seven Sisters star constellation. Having been told that their beloved adoptive father & benefactor - the man they call Pa Salt - has died, Maia D'Apliese & her 5 sisters gather at their childhood home on Lake Geneva, a secluded castle they call Atlantis. They discover that he has been mysteriously buried at sea prior to their arrival & are each given a tantalising gift with clues about their heritage - a clue which takes Maia halfway across the world to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Once there, she begins to piece together her family's story with the help of author & historian Floriano Quintelas. Eighty years earlier, beautiful young Izabela Bonifacio's father has aspirations for his daughter to marry into the aristocracy while metres away, architect Heitor da Silva Costa is beginning to plan his masterpiece, the statue of Christ the Redemmer & will soon travel to Paris to find a sculptor to complete his vision... How will the 2 lives intertwine & what chaos will be unleashed? Maia is determined to discover all...
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