Bookish - Differently Normal

Kia ora Koutou,

Today's novel is written by NZ author Tammy Robinson.

Differently Normal is a novel that follows Maddy - whose life doesn't get to be typical.

With Bee, her autistic sister Maddy and her mother have to live their lives in line with Bee's needs. Maddy doesn't mind though, she adores Bee and she's okay with living a life that isn't all about falling in love.

When Maddy meets Albert at Bee's riding school there isn't any spark, she's just not interested and besides there is no room in her life for anyone. It seems though that Albert has a tenacity that Maddy's not quite prepared for... is her life really too complicated for love?

I enjoyed that Maddy wasn't falling over herself to impress Albert and win his affections.

I really appreciated the genuine love that Maddy and Bee shared and that Bee's autism was not only cast in a negative light. I found the depth of character demonstrated by the two main characters also really affirming.

Read an extract here

The story isn't without its twists but you'll have to discover those for yourself!

Details - Hachette NZ, January 2018 RRP $29.99

love you more than a perfectly captured photograph xxx

Makey - Girl's Dresses New Look 6522

Hey Up :-)

I am blessed to have some very creative people in my world and I was talking to one of them last year and I mentioned how much I loved her paintings and she straight up offered to paint me one. I was very humbled and excited by the prospect!

In the spirit of generosity I wanted to make a thank you gift for her so I decided to make a couple of dresses for her wee ones.

I used New Look 6522 which I felt would be fairly forgiving when making for someone little who you don't know too well and would also be able to layer with warm things or allow the breeze to circulate in summer.

I think they quite like them, and me, I am so thrilled and proud to have a gorgeous piece of art by someone I know on my walls.

love you more than gold leaf xxx

Bookish - Quark's Academy

Hey Readers,

We've just finished reading (aloud and on our own) Quark's Academy by Catherine Pelosi. Having two boys that love science I felt like this would be well received.

I read the first half of the book to them aloud and then let them continue one once the mystery was beginning to unravel.

The book  follows Augustine, Celeste and Oscar who have all been picked for a very special place in the extremely exclusive, for geniuses only, summer camp. They have one week to make the invention they pitched, and be judged against others. Who will win and what does the very impressive academy hide?

Along the way there will be unexpected friendship, moments of courage, strange and wonderful adventures and camaraderie.

An really enjoyable, very readable book for independent readers in upper primary - or a fun read aloud!

Details - Hachette NZ, January 2018 RRP $19.99

love you more than a perfectly timed scientifically created storm xxx

Makey - Stichy

Kia ora,

So part of my prayer practise (I know that may seem an extremely weird sentence!) lately has been finding 'ancient prayers' that I like and free-hand stitching them onto random pieces of fabric with whatever threads I have in my collection.

I really love it. I do so many things at a very fast pace so stitching old worlds is a sort of slowing down and embedding.

This is a prayer I found last year when I was on a 7 day silent retreat and I stitched it recently.

Are you a collector of ancient words?

love you more than a straight line of random stitching xxx

Bookish - Family Favourites

Hiya Peeps,

So it's already Autumn here in Chch (apparently - it's not actually that cold yet) and there are some pretty stunning things happening here and there in nature.

I was really thrilled to be sent a copy of Nadia Lim's book Family Favourites. We get her bargain box fortnightly and so I am familiar with her recipes and know they work, on the whole, with my family.

My eldest 11 was very pleased with the book mark that came with it that you can use to mark your own favs, bless him. He also decided to make The Chocolate Self-Saucing Pudding immediately - that was most well received. I'll definitely be swapping this one to the go-to position from now on.

We've made quite a few things already from it, Sausage Rolls and Butter Chicken were very well received.

The recipes are clear, photographed and easy to follow.

If you can't bear the thought of having to come up with new ideas for dinner this is full of tried and true, family recommended meals from the bargain box programme.

Details - Penguin Random House, Feb 2018, RRP $35.00

love you more than a dinner someone else made for me xxxx