Wow Nat, that was so much fun, hanging out with you… I love to listen to your critics of the books that u are reading… an yr life, n scenery of Australia. So beautiful. 😊
Yay from a mom of boys and oh my god you are doing a great job teaching them not to expect being served and to be able people. Mine are 7 and 10 and it's a constant struggle but I hope it proves effective in the long run! Love your vlogs! You are a queen of cosy vibes!
We've got this!!! My 14 year old just completely packed his bag for camp without any input from me other than being the bank to buy him what he needed. It's slowly paying off I hope but totally get how much work it is.
I really, really loved “The Marriage Portrait”, “Instructions On a Heat Wave” (5⭐️), and “I Am, I Am, I Am.” I recently purchased “Stone Yard Devotional” but I have not read it yet.
You've made me want to read stone yard devotional! Maggie O'Farrell is a bit hit and miss for me too. I think I am, I am, I am was wonderful. Hamnet and the marriage portrait were brilliant. The vanishing act of Esme Lennox was meh. This must be the place was quite good. Have one left on my tbr. X
I have to look up whether I have read both The Marriage Portrait and I Am, I Am, I Am - you know when you don't know if you have read them or just heard about them so much 😂
I'm not far from you, up the road in the big city, and I've never been to the flower festival. Here we deal with weekend visitors as we're near the waterfront so I tend not to walk in my area at weekends. I am going to re read Stoneyard Devotional in the next week or two.
Apparently the Bruce Highway was at a standstill all the way to Gatton on the Carnival weekend. Lucky you didn't make the trip! Totally understand just staying in your own zone on the weekends. Hope you enjoy Stoneyard Devotional x
Stoneyard Devotional is very good, it's great that it's on the 2024 Booker shortlist now. I live 2 mins from The Monaro Hwy and about an hour away from where she set the book. Could really visualise the setting. Oh I have After You'd Gone on my Tbr too, I really need to get to it. I loved Hamnet! Happy Reading 😀
I think I gave After you’d gone 3 stars , I found parts of it boring but also emotional. I loved The hand that first held mine and the vanishing act of Esme Lennox 📚
First book of Maggie O'Farrell I read was I am, I am, I am and it blew me away. I have re-read it since and although I would not call it perfect I feel her writing and structure are amazing here. This is basically a series of interconnected stories from her life, her brushes with death and mortality - either her own or her child's. The blurb will tell you more and better what it is about but it was a great reading experience. Hamnet cemented my love for her. Then I decided to read her backlog and was seriously underwhelmed. I haven't read After You 'd gone but I had similar reaction to The vanishing act of Esme Lennox. I hope it just proves that she has grown as an author and was able to make her writing more focused (not to sound patronising! I am not a writer!). Hope you have more luck with her other books!
I really think I have the same view as you because I LOVED Hamnet. And I think it is unfair for us to expect that an author's early works are going to be as amazing as their latest stuff - that totally discounts growth in their craft. Thank you for that reminder x
When you were going on about the carnival and the crowds. I felt so seen. I thought I was just a grinch. I love the flowers and gardens but the crowds. I completely avoided it all. But I did notice that there are pig races this weekend down at Murphey’s Creek. So our town has it all. Nothing is left out 😅
Always something on in good old Toowoomba town!! I do not think we are alone with staying away. I haven't visited any gardens yet - I always save it for October. Hope you get to enjoy some of the beautiful flowers now that it's all ramping down x
After You'd Gone is my second favorite O'Farrell, after The Hand That First Held Mine, have liked all her books.😂 Stone Yard Devotional is on the want to read list, especially since it made Booker short list. I love sardines in mustard sauce, my husband started ordering them by the case for me. I love caviar too, but that he has not ordered.😊 Maybe you are just not a fan of interior dialogue, hang in there. Well, maybe don't read Instructions for a Heat Wave. I grew up in the sixties, so I'm a fan of interior dialogue.❤
I love how soothing your reading vlogs are!
Love that I can bring some soothing to you day 😘
I love it every time you are back. And good luck with your boys, I am sure they will figure it out
Thank god because I do it all the time 😂
Wow Nat, that was so much fun, hanging out with you… I love to listen to your critics of the books that u are reading… an yr life, n scenery of Australia. So beautiful. 😊
Thank you x
Sorry you didn’t enjoy the second book, but I enjoyed spending the time with you! ❤❤❤❤
Oh my goodness! I feel you! I ALWAYS fall for the ads and i think it will look just perfect on me..... EVERY TIME🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️
It never does!!!!!
We are stopping the madness of online shopping. Deal?!!!
Yay from a mom of boys and oh my god you are doing a great job teaching them not to expect being served and to be able people. Mine are 7 and 10 and it's a constant struggle but I hope it proves effective in the long run! Love your vlogs! You are a queen of cosy vibes!
We've got this!!!
My 14 year old just completely packed his bag for camp without any input from me other than being the bank to buy him what he needed. It's slowly paying off I hope but totally get how much work it is.
I am so with you on the miscommunication thing in books. Just have an adult conversation! 😂
Exactly!!!!!!
I really, really loved “The Marriage Portrait”, “Instructions On a Heat Wave” (5⭐️), and “I Am, I Am, I Am.” I recently purchased “Stone Yard Devotional” but I have not read it yet.
I haven't heard of Instructions on a Heat Wave - I will look it up. Thank you x
You've made me want to read stone yard devotional!
Maggie O'Farrell is a bit hit and miss for me too. I think I am, I am, I am was wonderful. Hamnet and the marriage portrait were brilliant. The vanishing act of Esme Lennox was meh. This must be the place was quite good. Have one left on my tbr. X
I have to look up whether I have read both The Marriage Portrait and I Am, I Am, I Am - you know when you don't know if you have read them or just heard about them so much 😂
@@NatalieMeree yes I do know - or when you buy two copies without realising!! 😂
I'm not far from you, up the road in the big city, and I've never been to the flower festival. Here we deal with weekend visitors as we're near the waterfront so I tend not to walk in my area at weekends. I am going to re read Stoneyard Devotional in the next week or two.
Apparently the Bruce Highway was at a standstill all the way to Gatton on the Carnival weekend. Lucky you didn't make the trip! Totally understand just staying in your own zone on the weekends. Hope you enjoy Stoneyard Devotional x
Stoneyard Devotional is very good, it's great that it's on the 2024 Booker shortlist now. I live 2 mins from The Monaro Hwy and about an hour away from where she set the book. Could really visualise the setting.
Oh I have After You'd Gone on my Tbr too, I really need to get to it. I loved Hamnet!
Happy Reading 😀
That would have been amazing to know that landscape while you were reading the book.
Happy reading to you too 😘
I think I gave After you’d gone 3 stars , I found parts of it boring but also emotional. I loved The hand that first held mine and the vanishing act of Esme Lennox 📚
Those are on my shelf - I think I will keep giving Maggie O'Farrell a try. You're right - the book was definitely emotional
First book of Maggie O'Farrell I read was I am, I am, I am and it blew me away. I have re-read it since and although I would not call it perfect I feel her writing and structure are amazing here. This is basically a series of interconnected stories from her life, her brushes with death and mortality - either her own or her child's. The blurb will tell you more and better what it is about but it was a great reading experience. Hamnet cemented my love for her. Then I decided to read her backlog and was seriously underwhelmed. I haven't read After You 'd gone but I had similar reaction to The vanishing act of Esme Lennox. I hope it just proves that she has grown as an author and was able to make her writing more focused (not to sound patronising! I am not a writer!). Hope you have more luck with her other books!
I really think I have the same view as you because I LOVED Hamnet. And I think it is unfair for us to expect that an author's early works are going to be as amazing as their latest stuff - that totally discounts growth in their craft. Thank you for that reminder x
When you were going on about the carnival and the crowds. I felt so seen. I thought I was just a grinch. I love the flowers and gardens but the crowds. I completely avoided it all. But I did notice that there are pig races this weekend down at Murphey’s Creek. So our town has it all. Nothing is left out 😅
Always something on in good old Toowoomba town!!
I do not think we are alone with staying away. I haven't visited any gardens yet - I always save it for October. Hope you get to enjoy some of the beautiful flowers now that it's all ramping down x
After You'd Gone is my second favorite O'Farrell, after The Hand That First Held Mine, have liked all her books.😂 Stone Yard Devotional is on the want to read list, especially since it made Booker short list. I love sardines in mustard sauce, my husband started ordering them by the case for me. I love caviar too, but that he has not ordered.😊 Maybe you are just not a fan of interior dialogue, hang in there. Well, maybe don't read Instructions for a Heat Wave. I grew up in the sixties, so I'm a fan of interior dialogue.❤
That's an interesting point about interior dialogue - I am going to ponder on that. Thank you x
I hate the miscommunication trope.
Hate it!!!!!!!