Paris In July - It's Almost Time!

I can't believe how the time is flying - we are half way through the year and it is almost time for Paris In July to start! We have 53 people signed up and ready to participate which is fantastic but it is not too late to join in the fun - just leave a comment on this post and I will add your name to our list.

I have to admit to being quite busy over the past few weeks and I haven't had a lot of spare head space to start thinking about the books and movies I am planning to enjoy for the month - this weekend might allow some time for that I hope. I have pulled one of my books off the shelf in preparation, Shannon Bennett's Paris looks like the perfect option to start the month with. What are other people going to be starting off with??

I will be back on the 1st July to officially kick the month off. After that there will be weekly wrap up posts, prizes to be given away as we go along and posts from Tamara as she winds her away around France. Looking forward to all of the Paris themed fun.

The Orange Winner...

The winner of the 2011 Orange Prize has been announced and it is The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht and I can't say that I am all that surprised or disappointed. My reaction to the book is here. It is such a unique and beautiful book - I think it deserves all of the praise and recognition is it getting.

Overall I felt this years short list was very strong - I have really loved all of the books I have read from it so far with the exception of Room which I thought was great but not something that grabbed me as much as I thought it would. I still have Annabel and Grace Williams Says It Loud to read...

A Red Herring Without Mustard - Alan Bradley

A Red Herring Without Mustard is the third and latest book in the Flavia de Luce mystery series. I loved the first book in the series, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie but the second book didn't quite have the same magic for me - thankfully I stuck with Flavia (I just love that name!) because the latest book was much more enjoyable. There is definitely a formula at play here - something that would normally put me off a book/series - but in this case it is what I look out for - Flavia's precocious personality drawing her into the mysteries of her local village, Bishop's Lacey, and her blend of intelligence, curiosity and stubbornness leading her on to solving the crime. This novel starts to go even further into the personal life of Flavia and her family - and in particular the sudden and tragic death of her mother, Harriet when Flavia was just a baby. I feel this is only the beginning in regards to this particular part of the story and that future books are going to explore this more - something that will only add to the overall narrative and enjoyment for readers.

These books are light and easy to read - the perfect escape from a busy day. Apparently book number four is going to be out in time for Christmas this year so not long to wait for the next installment.