Thoughts Opinions & Memories | But I Smile Anyway...

Reading Outside Of Your Preferred Genre

13 Apr 2017 77 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: American Pastoral, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Good Book Bad Book, Philip Roth, reading

Do you ever pick up/download a book with every intention of reading it, then when you finally get round to it, wonder why you even bothered?

I have to say I am not one to leave a book midway, no matter how much I am not enjoying it.

A few years ago I remember before the days of my kindle, I bought a book… it had Rose in the title. Something historical, small font and rather a tomb…

Thick books don’t scare me, oh no! I battled Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy within a week, and that was the longest book written in the English language! And I am looking forward to the sequel, A Suitable Girl out sometime next year I think!

Image from Google

But this one, I don’t know why but I just couldn’t read it. I got around one hundred pages into it and for the first time, I had to admit defeat, and take my bookmark out of the book, declaring for sure that this was a book I would not be going back to.

Over the years I have read a lot of books. My genre of choice is the fluffy Rom Com style books, where there are happy endings and lots of accidental comedic moments. But I have tried, and enjoyed other genres, historical stories and romances, thrillers and more recently, Young Adult Fantasy fiction.

Often I watch film trailers and think I want to read the book first, before watching the movie. I did this with Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children. I have downloaded The Girl On The Train, but not read that yet either. On the same day I saw the trailer for that we saw an advert for American Pastoral.

Image result for american pastoral

Another film that looked good and was based on a book by Philip Roth. So I downloaded it too.

Image result for american pastoral

And am currently reading it. It is a Pulitzer Prize winner. Gotta be good, right?

Oh man am I struggling! It’s a long one again, and so wordy! I have fallen asleep several times because my brain has to struggle with coping with the high falluted language! Is it me, or is a sentence that goes on for a whole 10 line paragraph too long? I know I am the Queen of Commas, but really??!!

Still, I know there is a really good story in this book. I just can’t get into it!

I am determined though. I have five days of my Easter break left. I shall try to finish it before my holiday is done… I will not give up!

If you have read it, please, give be some encouragement to make me see it through to the finish line!

Invitation

12 Apr 2017 31 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories

Open invitations folks. She’s a great host!!!

Sue Vincent's Daily Echo

At five o’clock the table’s laid,
The kettle’s boiled,
The scones are made.
The china’s polished, silver gleams
All ready for a guest it seems…

Yet here I sit,
I’m all alone,
The inbox empty,
Silent phone…

Will no-one send a new guest post?
I’m not a very scary host.
I’ll always try to do my best
So why not come and be my guest?

Free promotion for writers, artists, bloggers, poets and photographers.

wordcloud2

View original post

WRITESPIRATION #111 52 WEEKS IN 52 WORDS WEEK 15 – Mum

12 Apr 2017 20 Comments

by Ritu in #Writespiration, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: #Writespiration, 52 Word Challenge, Advert, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Mother, Sacha Black

It’s Wednesday, and Sacha is back with another great #writespiration prompt for us, celebrating Mother’s, as it is her Mama Bear’s birthday this week… Happy Birthday for tomorrow, Sacha’s mum!

So, to the prompt! Remember, in 52 words… no more, no less!

This week I want you to write an advert for your own mother…

Well, here goes!

COULD YOU BE MY MUM?

Warm and cuddly individual, full of love and kind words.
A whizz in the kitchen, able to provide all necessities in a moment’s notice.
Firm when needed, and fun at all other times.
Oh, wait, scrap that, I have one just like that, or better, at home!

Book Review – How I Changed My Life In A Year by Shelley Wilson

11 Apr 2017 16 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book Review, Changes, Lifestyle, Motivational, Shelley Wilson

How I Changed My Life In a Year: One Woman's Mission To Lose Weight, Get Fit, Beat Her Demons, And Find Happiness ...In Twelve Easy Steps!

Ever wanted to change something and thought it was just too much hard work?
Ever wanted to make a difference, but found the task too daunting?
Well, then you need to dip into this great book!
I’m not one for ‘self-help’ books per se, but was intrigued to read this personal account of how author Shelley Wilson turned her life around within a year.
A year.
It may sound like a long time to actually make the changes, but in the grand scheme of things, a year isn’t that long really, and considering she made not one, but twelve changes in that time, kudos to her!
Broken down into manageable weekly chunks, Shelley Wilson made her plan, and stuck to it, with great results!
I enjoyed it so much I read it in one day! And it has given me the motivation to make changes, starting small, and aiming big!

My Amazon review for Shelley’s motivational book.

Buy it here!

Did I mention she is a YA Fantasy author too. I reviewed her series here, if it’s of interest to you.

shelley-wilson

Here is Shelley’s Author blog: www.shelleywilsonauthor.com

Her lifestyle and motivational blog can be found at www.myresolutionchallenge.blogspot.com

Find Shelley on Twitter – @ShelleyWilson72

Visit Shelley’s Author Page here

Doubling Up!

11 Apr 2017 97 Comments

by Ritu in Health, Humour, Poems, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Healthy Eating, poem, Snacks, Weight gain, Weight Loss

I have to confess… I have been oh so naughty these last few days! The Easter break always finds me with less willpower than at Christmas or the summer holidays for some reason!

I have been eating… and eating… and eating. When I want a snack, I am not reaching for the fruit bowl, or a yoghurt, as I have been doing, but rather the crisps, chocolates, ice creams, cakes… did I mention chocolate? And rather than having just one, I end up going back for a second helping!

It inspired a little poem from me today! Here’s to all of us who can’t help but snack! ( I’ll be back on my wagon once term starts. It’s not even worth me trying to be ‘good’ this holiday!)