“A sense of humour is God’s antidote for anger and frustration.”
Rick Warren
Oh, Spidey, I tell you what. If I didn’t have a sense of humour, I probably would have had an Asda induced breakdown yesterday! Peeps, are you settled for a LONG retelling of my date with disaster, also called Asda’s Online Grocery shopping? Get comfortable. Honestly, I wish I could have written as many words on my WIP as I just have for this retelling!
I am glad I didn’t rush to write my post late last night because it would have been filled with negativity if I had.
Yesterday, I had my morning planned with precision, since the cricket season is upon us, and we live in the back of beyond, nowadays.
I usually receive my Asda grocery delivery on a Saturday morning, so, in order to accommodate the regular matches, too, I opted for an earlier slot of 7-9am for the delivery. This would give me a chance to unpack the items and see if I missed anything important, which I could then pick up from the Sainsburys right next to the cricket pitch.
That gave me at least an hour before we had to leave for cricket.
Obviously, I was up with the larks because a) I am always paranoid that I will miss someone ringing the bell, so I needed to ensure the gate was open, and b) because Sonu Singh kindly spent half an hour musically miaowing in my face, as he was hungry.
It was too early to do anything else on my list for the day, since if I cleaned our ensuite bathroom, and showered, I would be too noisy, and would wake Hubby Dearest, and the same would go for any hoovering and mopping.
I settled down with my book, and read and snoozed, intermittently checking my phone for an update from Asda, who usually message to say when things are on their way, and what might not have been available. That arrived, so I lay back, confident in the knowledge that they were on their way, and I also know what was on my secondary shopping list, with items that were unavailable. (Only two, so that was a good thing!)
It hit 8.30 and nothing had arrived, but that isn’t unusual, in itself. They could be a little late, but that was okay, I had it covered. Lil Man was up and getting prepared. I also had a trip planned to a lovely fresh butcher’s stall, which is set up on a Saturday morning, to pick up some meat for a barbeque we were having on Sunday, so we arranged to leave a little earlier so I could swing by, as things get sold out quickly, there.
Once it hit 9am, and nothing had come, I started to panic a little, as I still hadn’t showered, because I didn’t want to miss the doorbell, and it would be Sods Law that as soon as I stepped into the shower and lathered up my hair, they would turn up. (Yes, I know Lil Man was there, but as a minor still, they wouldn’t have released the shopping to him, and Hubby Dearest was still asleep, and it’s like waking the dead with him on a weekend!)
So, I called them up, and was put on hold, then cut off.
It was nearing 10am now, and I had hoped to leave at 9.45am. I was flustering now. Hubby Dearest woke up and told me not to worry, that he would sort things out, and I could get ready to go.
So, I rushed and showered (cleaning the bathroom at the same time!) and called Asda again as we left. This time the lady said she would call the store and see what was happening and call me back, as the tracking system was down.
I managed to get the barbeque seasoning I needed, but not the specific meat we wanted from the stall, but no bother, as I still had my scheduled trip to the other supermarket to pick up the bits I knew weren’t coming in the Asda shop.
I kept my phone in my hand as I quickly whizzed around Sainsburys, before dropping my son off. As I packed the shopping in the car, my phone showed a missed call, despite it not ringing! Typical!
So, I called Asda back (The third time). This time the lady had a look at the notes and called the store while I was on hold, to find out what was going on. Fifteen minutes in, the call got cut off. I was more than a little frustrated now, as I had reached home. It was nearly 11am, and the delivery was now two hours late.
Fourth call to complain to Asda. The next lady said it was unlikely this delivery would happen, but she could rearrange it for later in the day, between 4-6pm. Not convenient, but fine. So, we went through the rigmarole of reordering, and I noticed a voicemail on my phone once I cut the call.
This was lady two getting back to me to say the shopping should be there by 12pm. Gah!
I called back (fifth time, now!) to confirm that the first order had been cancelled and it was just the second that I would receive. This was confirmed so I finally sat back for a moment to calm down because by now I wasn’t just a little miffed, I was extremely frustrated and annoyed.
The afternoon went by, and I pottered around, doing little jobs, getting updates from Hubby Dearest on the cricket match, and trying not to think of Asda and how I could have just gone and done my whole shop in Sainsbury’s earlier this morning instead of having to wait around. (Hindsight is a great thing.)
At 4pm I checked the order status which should be showing out for delivery, and it still said packing…
At nearly 5 pm it hadn’t changed, so I made call six to Asda and was told by this operative that because I placed this order today, it was past the cut-off, so I probably wouldn’t get it. To say I was fuming, was putting it lightly! I was even in tears by now, not able to word my frustration, and I assured the woman I wasn’t angry at her, but the whole system sucked, and that I hadn’t placed my order late, they had, as it was a replacement for their cock up earlier, and that they had messed up, TWICE, now! She told me to talk to the store. I said no, you talk to the store, they never answer to customers and are quite rude, but that I needed the delivery, now ASAP. So, off she went, leaving me on hold, to find out what was happening.
Fifteen minutes later, guess what happened? They cut me off!
Now we were at call seven. I was almost a blubbering mess as I explained, for the seventh time (why are their notes not updated!) that I had been messed around a lot. It was also nearing 6pm now. The lady was very sympathetic and as we were talking, an email popped in my inbox to say the order was on its way, but that half of the items were now unavailable, and most of the swaps were unacceptable. I told her what I had received and that this morning, had I received the order correctly, I would have had pretty much everything I needed. I just wanted to cancel it. I was totally incensed by now.
Oh, and she also said that they should have my original morning delivery, still packed in their warehouse, and maybe she could get them to find that and send it out instead, as it would have the items I requested. I politely refused because there was fridge and freezer stuff in there, and goodness knows how it had been stored during the twelve hours it had been picked and packed! I know they have refrigerated areas, but still, you can’t be too sure. No thanks, Asda!
She reassured me she would cancel it and was very apologetic. I also told her (politely I promise) that a £5 gesture of compensation would no way cut it. The stress of the day and having to call them so many times had driven me to distraction, and I was now going to have to go out, AGAIN, to do a whole food shop, which I could have done earlier that morning, had I known what a balls up they were going to make of my day!
By now, Hubby Dearest and Lil Man had arrived back (victorious, as they won the match and he got 2 wickets, and a maiden over, too!) Hubby could see I was almost shaking in frustration. He offered to go to the shops with me.
Lil Princess was in a good mood and wanted to get out, so in the end, we both went to Sainsbury’s (again), and as I got there, a message popped up (it was past 6pm, now) to say my Asda shop (which had been cancelled) would be there by 4.30pm! What? And a text to tell me the driver Jerome would be there in three stops. Whatever. I told Hubby Dearest to refuse the delivery if they turned up and we went off to shop.
Dubious that we would get everything we needed so late in the day, we whizzed around Sainsbury’s and miraculously managed to get everything we needed.
I arrived back home and unpacked the shopping when I heard laughs from the living room. (Here’s where my sense of humour finally came into play!) “Ritu,” Hubby Deaerest called out, “Guess who’s turned up? The Asda delivery!”
Now, I am fully aware it wasn’t the driver’s fault, but Asda, seriously?
The guy started carting the baskets of food to us, but I stopped him. Hubby said why not take it, and they can give it for free. (Hasty explanation that they have already taken payment for this, but we don’t want it, and they would refund, plus we had already done our shopping and I did not want everything in duplicate!)
The driver was apologetic and said he had been waiting over an hour at the store for the deliveries he needed to make to be packed as they were running late as the store was short-staffed. All this meant that he was running late for everything, himself. He took the stuff and went on his way.
Another hour later, I got an email to say sorry, we have had to cancel your order. Erm, no, you haven’t. I cancelled it!
Oh, and the one from 7-9am? That is still showing up as out for delivery!
Fast forward to this morning.
I checked the site, and one was ‘cancelled’ and one phantom order (the morning one) was still ‘out for delivery’. Asda has taken around £200 from my account and not begun the refund process.
I called, again.
Just to ask that this other order be cancelled and to reiterate that I either needed to speak to someone or was expecting some sort of compensation for the awful inconvenience and stress that I was caused by Asda’s incompetence, yesterday. The guy has requested everything and apologised profusely.
Through all this, I have to say that the Asda customer service phone operatives were all so polite and helpful, despite cutting me off three times, which I am sure was more about their system than them doing it on purpose (I am trying to give them the benefit of the doubt, here!) It’s a shame that the ones who answer the phones in-store are so rude… that’s if they ever actually answer the phones!
Right, rant over, I promise!
I’m just hoping the weather gets better now, and our planned barbeque happens!
So, have you had frustrating days like the above? How did you handle it?
April sees me with more time on my hands as two weeks are the Easter holiday. Now, much as I’d like to block that whole two weeks to reading, I still have to be mum and wife and deal with other appointments, etc., and I must ensure I get some writing done, too.
I’m also going to add a mini diary of a bookaholic here, you get an understanding of why my TBR will NEVER be empty!
So, book-wise, I’ll just carry on and hope I get a good even amount of everything done! (Quick note to say by the 4th of April, I had cleared all my ARCs and am on my TBR list. Unless I get approved for any more ARCs!)
Second note: On 8th April, I was sent two more ARCS to read and got approved for one more on NetGalley… You can see I’m not great at saying no!
Third note: April 11th, and my ARC list was empty. I read two more TBR books, and then got another ARC approval. But I finished it on the same day, so back to that TBR!
Fourth note: April 15th, yup, you guessed it: More ARCS! So I read one more TBR book, and now I have two more approved arcs. I promise I haven’t requested any more…yet!
Fifth note: April 16th, I have finished one ARC, and also requested another two, because they are by authors whose writing I love! And I bought another 3 physical books on a little shopping trip yesterday, and picked a fourth up at the supermarket today… I cannot stop myself.
Sixth note: April 18th, I am ARC free… for now! Back to that TBR…!
Seventh note: April 24th, one TBR book done, two more ARCs came. One read, one to go, and it’s term time, now!
Eighth note: 28th April, I got asked to join two more book tours and another two arcs arrived!
Anyway, what did I read this month?
Now here is another ARC I was gifted, by my all-time favourite author, and I shall be sharing my review on the blog, properly, very soon!
After reading The Rose Code, I was offered the chance to read The Diamond Eye and I am so glad that I chose to accept because it was amazing! This time we are treated to a partial fictional, partial true retelling of the story of Lyudmila Pavlichenko, a woman sniper who fought for Russia during the 2nd World War. In her early 20s, Mila is a single mother, or more or less, waiting for the finalisation of divorce from a man to whom she should never have really married. Finally chasing her dream of studying history, she is dragged into war when the ‘Hitlerites’ invade Russia. She wants to make a change for her little son back home with his grandparents, and the way she does it is tremendous, as she uses her gun skills to become one of the most famed women snipers of her time. The rawness of the scenes when she and her partner, and platoon, are in combat made me feel Iw as there, quiet, hesitant to move, lest I cracked a twig, and gave their location away! The scenes based in the US with Eleanor Roosevelt and the whole trip were brilliantly intertwined with the war scenes, and even though the ending was more fictional than not, it tied everything up so well. I was blown away by the whole story, and I appreciated the Author’s Notes at the end, where Quinn separated the truth from fiction. Either way, the way she has interwoven reality with imagination makes for a fantastic read. I read it within 24 hours, and it isn’t a short book! Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Oh, Emily Henry, you have outdone yourself here! Having read Henry’s first two releases and thoroughly enjoyed them, I was sure I would like Book Lovers, but I didn’t. I LOVED it! Let’s face it, we’re all book lovers over here, and just the title gave me goosebumps. But the whole concept of taking a common trope within the romance genre and having a sceptical literary agent actually living the whole thing out (fictionally, of course!) was sheer brilliance! So, we have Nora, a hard-working NYC Literary agent with a heap of responsibility on her shoulders, yet she can never find that someone special. Then there’s Charlie, the hotshot editor with a chip on his shoulder and a dislike for a manuscript Nora is presenting to him. And a best selling book. Set in a sleepy town, We also have Libby, Nora’s pregnant younger sister, yearning for a little sisterly adventure. So Nora finds herself in a sleepy little backwater, Sunshine Falls, which also happens to be where the aforementioned best seller is set, with her sister, and a checklist of things to achieve before their month-long vacation is up. Of course, the checklist involves a little romance and plenty of other things that you might encounter in small-town romances, such as skinny dipping and saving a local business from going under… Then enter Charlie. Again. Right. Where do I start? I was hooked from the off, that’s for sure. And when Emily Henry wants to write a little sizzle, boy does she turn up the heat! Subtle but scorching! All the relationships were written in a way that had me invested in them, from the off, from Nora and Libby to their bond with their mother, and absolutely the chemistry between Nora and Charlie was a slowly simmering pot of emotions that came to a boil in a fantastic manner! I honestly didn’t want it to end! Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion,
I’ve already read a couple of Zoe May’s books and enjoyed them, so I knew I’d like this, too. We have a high flying, love-jaded journalist, Sam, used to reporting on political matters, who is flung into the melee of the soon-to-occur royal wedding of the century between a homegrown ordinary girl done good to a Norwegian Prince. This is so not her, but slowly, she ends up being pulled into the excitement of the build-up, as the gifts and freebies begin arriving, and especially because she has met one of the other paper’s wedding reporters, Anders, and his Norwegian self has created flutters in places that she hasn’t felt in a long while. It was gigglesome to step into the world of journalists who cover these occasions instead of the serious world matters that Sam is used to. Sam has lost her faith in love, after being jilted at the altar three years ago. Anders is a tall, blonde Norwegian Adonis with an interest in weddings, and he seems to have some inside knowledge, too. But he’s a genuinely lovely guy. You know what the ending will be, but sometimes it is good to have a story that you can read, enjoy and smile through, knowing you’ll get your HEA!
Jason is one of the good guys. He wants to find his own ‘Kylie’. But needs to get out of a relationship that is going nowhere. Once that hurdle is crossed, he loses his job, too. Then decides to pursue a glamour photographer career, hoping that he finds someone special… A funny lad lit kinda read.
What do you get when you cross a struggling actor with an Eastern European agent and add in some. ‘acting jobs’ that are more roleplaying than proper acting. Sprinkle in some dodgy businessman, a handful of wannabee actors, and some fraud? Oh, and don’t forget a dash of good looking woman, too. This. You get this book! An entertaining read.
The review for this will follow as I shall be on the blog tour!
Another one which will feature in May when I am on a blog tour!
Where do I start? What a beautiful book! Three main characters and a story that spans over 40 years. Pearl is a woman in her late 50s, gripped by the hands of aggressive agoraphobia, with not a soul to reach out to or the ability to help herself. Connor is an 18-year-old with a big life change ahead of him. Something he is not entirely sure he should be doing. and his own dreams which are being squashed to fulfil those of another. Nate is a 60 something man with not much but memories to keep him going after being made redundant. All three have a story that ties them together. It is a story that has its roots in an awful tragedy, but as it grows, and with love and nurture, it bears the fruit of love, friendship, and reconciliation. I truly loved all three of these characters, and I feel they will stay with me for a long while. And the cast who support them is equally memorable. There is a lot of goodness in this book, which I think the world needs right now. A story filled with loss, hope, determination and, above all, friendship in the most unlikely of places. Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Wow. Just Wow. Seriously. I knew I would like the book. I’ve read Jawando’s first and was hit hard by her writing and subject matter. And this was no different. Well, actually, it blew my mind. Three young, unassuming black teens getting caught up in the aftermath of a fatal stabbing. They had nothing to do with the attack or events leading up to it but were the only people out of hundreds teeming through the Arndale Centre with enough compassion to go and help wounded 14-year-old Shaq lying, bleeding, on the ground. All three are at a pivotal educational point, too. About to sit their GCSEs and still figuring out what they want to do with their lives when this horrific stabbing takes place. Jawando really explores the reality of being young and Black and the preconceived notions so many people have out there. A young girl, Chantelle, with a younger sister, living with her gran who just wants her to make the best of her education and life, and with a heart so big, and a thirst to show herself for the intelligent young woman she is, despite being held back by so many. A young lad, Marc, moving through the care system with no one behind him, except his most recent carer, who might not be as bad as he thinks, and also hiding more about his identity than just his living circumstances. Jackson, another young guy, who’s been afforded many opportunities by the aspirations and wealth of his parents, cushioned from the reality of prejudice to an extent until he finds himself at the scene of the stabbing. I feel I know these issues, but even then, as I read, different things kept on being lit like little flares of SOS or distress. Man, is that how bad it can get? Just the colour of your skin can make others assume you would naturally live a life of violence? That you would have to just get used to the taunts, unprovoked checks by both the police and even school staff, just because your hue isn’t lily-white? That just because you are black, you haven’t got the brains to do well at anything other than being attitude-filled or being in a gang? All the themes in the book are covered with sensitivity and care from witnessing an attack to dealing with the attitudes of others, relationships and sexuality. Brilliantly written, and something more people should read. I’ve already passed the copy on to my daughter. Honestly, I can’t wait for the next book!
I have been sitting on this book for a little while now, just because I have a had a lot on, but I was quite excited to get back to see what was happening with Mahoney and the gang. Firstly, I have to acknowledge the amount of research Hiner would have done, to be so explicit with the level of detail within the book. Yup, a little gruesome, but then the mind of a serial killer was never going to be a walk in the park, was it? Even though this particular one loves a garden… I love how we know exactly who the killer is from the off, but the way the stories and scenes entwine, between Mahoney and the killer, you see how they are getting closer and closer to him, but also how there are times when they might hitting way off mark. Cleverly done! If you love a crime read, with some 80s rock thrown in, you’ll love this, and the first book, too!
I must admit to having this one on my kindle for a while. I downloaded it when it was announced that it would be a NetFlix film. There was every intention of reading it before watching, but I did the opposite! A cute story about a set of anonymous money gifts to random people, amounting to over $500,000. Reporter Kate Bradley is put on the story, despite wanting to be seen as a serious journalist rather than the one who gets the fluffy stories. She is slowly pulled into the hype as she gets to know the different recipients. On the way, she meets hunky firefighter Eric, who begins to steal her thoughts. As the gift total tops $1m, a connection is made between Good Sam, the nickname for this anonymous saint, and someone Kate would have never thought of. But will this discovery drive a wedge between her and her blossoming friendship with Eric? As I said before, cute story. 🙂
Ali Hazelwood’s The Love Hypothesis had been hovering in my TBR sights for a while, and I hadn’t got around to reading it yet, but then Love On THe Brain appeared, and I read it in literally six hours, and I believe I shall have to remedy the not reading her first book, ASAP! Whilst I am not up on STEM and all it entails, I love a bit of girl power, and this definitely had some strong females in the book! Bee is the main protagonist in this, a woman in a man’s world who is fiercely pro-Marie Curie and all she endured and succeeded in, in that scientific male-dominated world. She gets the chance of a lifetime to work alongside another team at NASA on a massive Neoruengineering project which could really get her name out there. However, she has to co-lead with Levi, her arch-nemesis from Post-Grad days. Her extremely tall, built, good looking arch-nemesis. Enemies to lovers, kinda. Extremely saucy when the heat factor gets notched up, too, I’ll have you know! Then there is a cat. And who doesn’t love a cat? Well, actually, there are two. Right, let me go and get that first book… Thanks to NetGalley and The Little Brown Book Club for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Finally got around to reading this book, the fourth in the Bollywood series by Sonali Dev. Though I could read it as a standalone, it was good that I had read A Change Of Heart, as there are huge connections between the two stories. The whole book has an element of Rapunzel, though there is no evil witch kidnapping a princess, with much darker underlying themes. Kimi is a young woman in her prime, but she hasn’t been able to live her life the way she wants, because of extreme health problems, despite being the daughter of a once huge Bollywood star turned politician. She has a most unlikely friendship with Rahul, a ‘chawl’ born lad to whom Kimi’s father owes a huge debt. The story jumps from the present to the past as we slowly unravel a tale about different forms of love and the extremes we would go to to keep our loved ones safe. Parental love, sibling love, romantic love, forbidden love… All there. Wrapped up with the horrors of organ trafficking and gangsters, huge lies that threaten to destroy many relationships. It took me a while to get into the swing of the story, but once I was it, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I had guessed what the conclusion would be early on, but it was more the way it unfolded that captivated my attention. That and the seesawing relationship between Kimi and Rahul, from childhood to the present day. Read it! But read the other books, too, to go really deep into the story!
OMG. Right, so I am not sure where to start with this review, but I guess the first thing I will say is it is BRILLIANT! I have read previous books by Lauren North, and they have kept me transfixed. This was no different, with the added twists and turns that kept me second-guessing at every turn! Cleo’s best friend is reported missing, just as she is due to leave for her next job on a cruise ship. A best friend she hasn’t spoken to for five years. Still, Rachel was her best friend, and since her sister is so worried and there is some pretty grim backstory to their severed friendship, she heads off to London to see what she can find out. Honestly, I thought I knew what was going on, then something else would get thrown into the mix, making me double myself, then I’d be sure again, and the same thing would happen again. But, put it this way, it wasn’t until right near the end when I worked it out, a few sentences before it was spelt out to me! There are several disturbed characters in this book, including our main ones, too. Hence the difficulty in guessing. But that is exactly what you want from a psychological thriller and I got that in spadefuls! As I said before, BRILLIANT! Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, and Penguin for an Arc in exchange for an honest review.
A cute but heartwrenching story of two strangers who become acquainted due to a misdialled phone call. Hannah is a twenty-something woman living in London, drifting through her life. Until she answers a call from an unknown international number. Davey. A twenty-something Texan who is making some change in his life. The first quarter of the story sets you up for the romance of the century before a twist – a horrible twist – puts paid to any romantic notions they may have had. As the title suggests, love was never going to be an easy destination for these two to reach. I really loved the two main characters, Hannah and Davey. They are supported by a wonderful set of sie characters; Joan, Hannah’s coffee-loving neighbour who features in her life as what she describes as her ‘London Mum’, Miranda and Paul, Hannah’s best friend and her boyfriend. Grant, Davey’s best friend, and we can’t forget George, Hannah’s gym buddy, turned something else. The story is told mainly from the viewpoint of Hannah, but with some POV scenes from Davey’s side. Moral of the story: You never know what is going to happen next in life, so you should just grab happiness when it is staring you in the face! Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House UK, Cornerstone and Penguin for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Firstly, can I admit that this was my first Jamie Beck book? I have been aware of her as a good author for a while, but you know what it’s like with TBRs being the size of houses and never getting round to reading. What I can say is that it definitely won’t be my last! Harper is an author at a low point in her career who moves to a small suburb outside of the city to gain fresh inspiration and perspective, in the hope that the next book she writes will be more favourably received than her last. She’s up against it since the last one tanked and fears losing everything she has worked for, including her home. This move could be her saving grace. Wendy is a middle-aged empty-nester who finds herself drawn to the new young neighbour in a way she can’t quite explain. Harper tests her own beliefs and thoughts, and she imparts her own words of wisdom to this young woman who doesn’t seem to have an anchor to keep her grounded for long. But both women are hiding their own secrets that threaten to put an end to this fledgeling relationship. One, is rooted in a mental health issue that she has been trying hard to fight, and hide for years. The other finds she is developing more and more feelings for a place and its people when she should be using them and it as a base for her career, not for her life. Beck has created two fantastic characters in Wendy and Harper, and also, with it, she has touched upon mental health and work-related dilemmas in an extremely sensitive way. Light-hearted, but not something to laugh at. It certainly puts a new spin on that thought that you should be careful what you say in front of a writer, or you could end up in their next book! Really enjoyed it! Many thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A cute story about a woman thrown into a community she wants no part of, when age inherits a house from a great aunt. Lola moves in, intending to keep herself to herself, but things are never that simple. Well-meaning neighbours, coupled with an unexpected house guest, a meddling best friend and a sister hell-bent on always one upmanship, make for an easy read about how sometimes you don’t realise that what you need has always been right in front of you.
I have thoroughly enjoyed the previous books in the Holiday Romance Series, and this was no different. In fact, it was the icing on the cake! (Aside: However, I am gutted it is the last in the series! I can see so many more stories sprouting from this, but I digress!) In this final instalment in the series, we view the story through the lenses of Aussie sisters Sarah and Cat. Both are now settled in steady relationships, and life is ready to take them on the next step of their journey. For one, it is coming to terms with reaching the age of forty, and for the other, a marriage proposal which is a dream come true but with which comes plenty of other dilemmas. Sarah’s looming fortieth is making her anxious, but she doesn’t know how to explain it to her partner Josh. Cat is over the moon when she has a proposal from Jean Luc, estranged childhood best friend, then found again, and now her boyfriend. But, where will they live after? Paris, or London, where she calls home? A joint celebration in Tuscany, marking the wedding, and the special birthday, in a beautiful Tuscan castle give many chances for new memories to be made, along with reunions with the cast of the previous books. I loved getting to know their mum and dad more too, what a gorgeous set of parents! Now, I have to add Tuscany to the list of places I need to visit! It was a pleasure to go on this journey of discovery for all the characters throughout the whole series, and this was a wonderfully sweet ending to the series, sprinkled with plenty of Sandy Barker steaminess to raise the temperatures a little! Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins, One More Chapter for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I love reading books from different cultural backgrounds to myself and they feel like an education to me. Dele Weds Destiny is set in Nigeria and the story is told through the eyes of three different protagonists; old friends from university. The story jumps over there different eras, their childhood background, their university years and 2015, when one of them has a daughter getting married, and they are finally together after many years. All three characters, though Nigerian, come from very different backgrounds and the book explores the familial expectations, the friendship these three young women forge, disappointments, and sacrifices, as well as how fortunes can turn. A rich, cultural explosion. Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Releasing 28th June, 2022
You can tell there was a two week holiday in this month’s reading, can’t you! Anything there you would read?
I haven’t penned a poem for a while, but something inspired me today, and here it is… on TikTok, for you. If you are a Tiktoker, do follow me on there, otherwise, just enjoy my poetic musings!
I’ve found another wormhole
Another drain on my time
I can’t believe it’s happened
So I thought I’d write a rhyme
Those kids, they made me do it
Said, go on Mum, it’ll be fun
So I logged in, started scrolling
And slowly I became one
One of those Tiktokers
Lip synching to silly sounds
Trying to match the dance moves
On the trending clips I found
But, back then in lockdown
I kept my privacy
Only sharing videos
With those I trust, you see.
Then life got hectic, so I stopped
Deleted my account
Until the call for Booktok
Grew loud, there was no doubt
Time for me to jump back on
And do it for my book
For a way to get promotion
New readers I could hook
I started out pretty well
A couple of cute videos
Followed some other authors
and booktokers that I chose
Then I started to scroll again
FYP calling me
Silly sounds and dances
But something more, you see
I found all sorts of communities
Browntok, queertok, cooktok
Watching listening learning
Snippet clips that really rock
I learned how knowledgeable people are
But also just how biased
I saw how creators responded
They didn’t sit there all quiet
One video led to another
And soon an hour passed
Jeez, I could have written words
I hold my phone, aghast
Tiktok, I do love you so
But you’re taking me away
From the very reason I’m here
TO write, not watch and play!
And, an aside, those kids
I mentioned before
They tell me I’m too old for this
Well, that I will ignore
I find myself peppering my daily life
With the latest trending sounds
A little dance here, a soundbite there
While my kids try to shut me down
Because, although it is a drain
A little Tiktok fun
And getting some more followers
Is grand… will you become one?
(Tiktok obsessed) Ritu 2022
“All religions lead to the same God, and all deserve the same respect.”
Paolo Coelho
What a lovely quote, Spidey! One that I live by daily,
So, I am the product of a Sikh family, growing up going to the gurdwara, attending various paaths(prayers), and learning about the Gurus in more detail. I am not baptised, though, so I consider myself educated, and still a Sikh, but not a part of the Khalsa, who are the more devout of the believers. I live by what our Gurus taught as much as I can, and seek to do good in life.
Vaisakhi, Bando Chorr Divas (same day as Diwali), our Gurus birthdays – all times we prayed and celebrated for specific reasons. Even now, I ensure I pray, eery day, in my own way, and play a special prayer every morning to bless our house and family.
I loved going to the Gurdwara, especially for the three-day-long prayers called an Akhand Paath, where the whole of the Guru Granth Sahib (our holy scripture, described as the eleventh Guru) is read. The temple we used to attend had rooms where we could stay for the duration, and it was such fun! We prayed, too, of course, but we were allowed to help in the kitchens, play games with our cousins, with fewer adult eyes upon us, eat chips and beans on a Saturday, when they had a special menu for the kids, and when we got older, we could pop out too, to the lovely local shops! That might not have been anything connected to my religion, but still, fond memories!
However, I was born in a predominantly Christian country and went to a Church of England school, where worship was by singing hymns and reciting The Lord’s Prayer, as well as visits to the school affiliated church for different occasions. I learned the significance of Christmas and Easter above the fact that you got presents or chocolate eggs on that day. I still find myself singing the odd hymn, here and there. And I can still decide most of The Lord’s Prayer, too!
My best friend is Muslim, as is one of my closest work friends, so Eid and Ramadan became something I wanted to know about. I even attempted to fast with my bezzy at university. I couldn’t hack even one day. Respect! I learned why fasting took place, and the significance of it, rather than looking on and wondering why not allowing yourself to eat or drink for the whole of the day was actually worth it.
We’ve had family friends who are Hindu, and I know those who are Greek Orthodox, Catholic…
I don’t know someone of every religion out there, and I don’t profess to.
But what I do know is that each and every religion is rooted in the same beliefs, when you boil their teachings all down.
How they are interpreted by individuals is not something that can be prescribed.
But, whenever there is something to celebrate, I’m with each and every religious brother and sister of mine, out there. I thank you for educating me about different beliefs – the hows and whys intrigue me.
And if there is something to celebrate, we should all do it!
Right now, this week, we have had Vasakhi, and on Saturday in my marital hometown, there was the annual procession, back after three years, due to the pandemic. Each year thousands of Sikhs flock to Gravesend to be a part of this parade. and with us Sikhs, there are always countless other non-Sikh brothers and sisters who join in, for the fun, the colour the food, and I hope, for some education.
Our Muslim friends are in the middle of their rosay, fasting until they will be ready to celebrate Eid.
And today is Easter. Okay, so I might not go to church, but I will raise a prayer to the resurrection, and then eat my Easter eggs, hot cross buns, and wish I had a family who liked roast lamb as much as me… (They don’t so I won’t be cooking that! I mean, who doesn’t like a good roast dinner?!)
It’s up to us to embrace and celebrate each other’s beliefs. Not a melting pot, as some wanted, where all end up conforming to the same culture, but a salad bowl, complementing each other’s individual beliefs. (Taken from something America, I cannot profess what, but I remember reading it and thinking ‘Yes! That!’)
Let me end this post by wishing all those celebrating, a very happy Easter!
But I Smile Anyway... 