Beautiful Books: The Queen by The Australian Women’s Weekly

Since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, there has been a multitude of magazine tributes popping up. I have been holding off buying any of them, despite my love of royal photo tributes, and I'm glad I did because this beautiful book that The Australian Women's Weekly has brought out as a tribute to our … Continue reading Beautiful Books: The Queen by The Australian Women’s Weekly

Book Review: The Three Lives of Alix St Pierre by Natasha Lester

About the Book: Lavish and compelling, this is the story of a young woman trying to forget her devastating part in the war. 1943. After spearheading several successful advertising campaigns in New York, PR wizard Alix St Pierre comes to the attention of the US government and finds herself recruited into a fledgling intelligence organisation. Enlisted as … Continue reading Book Review: The Three Lives of Alix St Pierre by Natasha Lester

New Releases in Cookbooks by Bloomsbury Publishing

Highlighting some new release cookbooks today with thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing for the beautiful copies! Members of my household are eager for me to actually start cooking and baking from these but they've got a wee bit longer to wait before that happens. In the meantime, in case these spark your interest... Bake by Paul … Continue reading New Releases in Cookbooks by Bloomsbury Publishing

Book Review: Time and Tide in Sarajevo by Bronwyn Birdsall

About the Book: Evelyn is teaching English in Sarajevo, a beautiful city still recovering almost two decades after the long and brutal siege in the 1990s. Life in the city is tenuous yet welcoming. Dedicated to her work preparing high-schoolers for a scholarship that could change the course of their lives, Evelyn feels more herself … Continue reading Book Review: Time and Tide in Sarajevo by Bronwyn Birdsall

Reflections on a classic: Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte

Agnes Grey was the debut novel of Anne Bronte, first published in 1847, and republished in a second edition in 1850. When her father falls into debt, Agnes takes up work as a governess for the English gentry, despite the misgivings of her family, and the story thus follows her experiences. The novel is inspired … Continue reading Reflections on a classic: Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte

Book Review: The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell

About the Book: Florence, the 1560s. Lucrezia, third daughter of Cosimo de' Medici, is free to wander the palazzo at will, wondering at its treasures and observing its clandestine workings. But when her older sister dies on the eve of marriage to Alfonso d'Este, ruler of Ferrara, Modena and Reggio, Lucrezia is thrust unwittingly into … Continue reading Book Review: The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell