Blog Post | But I Smile Anyway...

Spidey’s Serene Sunday – Part 377 – Thankful

29 May 2022 40 Comments

by Ritu in Spidey's Serene Sundays, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Spiderman, Spidey, Spidey's Serene Sunday, Thankful

“Be thankful for what you hve; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”
Oprah Winfrey

Thank you, Spidey for reminding me to count my blessings.

right now, there is so much happening in the world, that is not right, that you could end up with a negative spin on your whole life.

The implications of a two-year-long pandemic, that isn’t fully over, from covid related health issues to unemployment, to other mental health issues that have arisen as a result of the two years of hell.; a war far away that is still at the forefront of all our minds, as it still affects each and every one of us; the cost of living rising to the extent that some of us are having to choose between feeding our families or paying household bills; joke governments who aren’t doing anything practical to help their countries, but going from scandal to scandal instead.

Doesn’t sound great, does it?

However, we all have things in our life that, if we look carefully, we can be grateful about. I sat and made a list. These are but a few, but here’s what I came up with.

A roof over our heads – and it was exactly a year yesterday that we moved into this forever home. If it hadn’t been for the pandemic, we may not have ever been able to afford this property, so thank you for that! The moving day itself was hell, and those of you who have been following me a while may remember the awful moving day we had with a terrible seller… but look where we are now!
Our health – yes, I can feel age creeping up on me, and yes, I do silly things to injure myself but above all else, we are a healthy family, and that is a huge thing to be thankful for.
A job I love – it may be a hard one, and the responsibility of helping all these children to patch up the experiences they missed over the last two years, lays heavy on every teacher, but even though it is tough, I wouldn’t change it (Except, I’d scrap Ofsted… that I would change!) A steady income is also something to be hugely grateful for since so many are struggling out there. Even with what we earn, we are feeling the pinch, so to know many others are worse off, makes me appreciate what we have, more, and want to help where I can, more, too.
My family, including my fur baby, Sonu Singh – sure, they can be hard work, but I wouldn’t be here without my parents, my Hubby Dearest who loves unconditionally, and I wouldn’t change my moody teens for anything. Sonu Singh, and his feline love, is extra special, too!
A publishing deal – who knew that my book baby would pique the interest of a publisher to the extent that they offered me a three-book deal? And Marriage Unarranged is officially re-released under their banner on Monday 6th June, in less than 10 days! OMG!

See, these are all big things, and there are lots of little things, too, like having a beautiful garden, steady internet access, books to read, a computer that works…

Lucky. Lucky and thankful, that’s me, today, and every day.

So, have a think and tell me, what are you thankful for?

Wishing you a wonderfully peaceful Sunday, Peeps!

#SoCS May 28, 2022 – Trail/Trial

28 May 2022 41 Comments

by Ritu in #SoCS Tags: #StreamofConsciousnessSaturday, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Linda G Hill, Socs, Trail/Trial

Linda’s SoCS prompt.

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “trail/trial.” Use one, use both, use them any way you’d like. Bonus points if you use both. Have fun!

This week has been a trial, with many things going on, in work and personal life, but we got to the end of the week, the term and it’s time to breathe!

One thing was me and my clumsiness, and you know I seem to leave a trail of destruction wherever I go. Well, actually it’s not so much a trail as me injuring myself!

I tripped over my own feet and ended up taking the impact of what could have been a much worse landing, on my left hand. All good until I realised a moment later that I couldn’t bend one of my fingers! (The Middle One, ironically!) So I ended up with a dressed middle finger that I couldn’t bend and I looked like I was being rude to people!

Thankfully there was no break or fracture, or tendon damage that was apparent, but I have severe bruising of the finger, knuckles, general hand and ego! The swelling has gone down a lot, but it is still painful, and a little hard to type as fast as I usually do, but things are getting better.

Thank goodness for the two-week break from school!

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS May 28, 2022

Wild Fires by @SophieJaiWrites @fictionpubteam @SusannaPedan #BookTour

27 May 2022 13 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blog Tour, Blogger, Blogging, Debut Novel, Sophia Jai, Wind Fires

I was sent this fantastic book to read and review. A debut by Sophia Jai, set in Canada with roots in Trinidad. Fascinating reading!

WILD FIRES is an astonishingly assured debut that moves between Trinidad and Toronto in a lyrical portrayal of a family undone by grief, regret and long-buried secrets. On a personal level, I love the vulnerability of Jai’s writing. She captures the relationships between sisters, aunts and daughters, all trapped in the ‘swollen silence’ of the big house on Florence Street, with a startingly vivid and distinctive voice. It’s perfect for fans of Ingrid Persaud.

Wild Fires by Sophie Jai
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
This debut novel by Sophie Jai is an interesting insight into the Indo Trini community, and more so about the dynamics within quite a dysfunctional family.
Cassandra heads back to Toronto, Canada where her family settled, after leaving Trinidad, after hearing of her cousin’s death.
But it’s not just a straightforward trip, because she isn’t just there to mourn and attend a funeral. Cassandra knows the family has many secrets, and the women in the family live in ways that are alien to most others. Her own mother is one of five sisters, and they all live under the same roof, apart from one who stayed on in Trinidad with her husband, and another who passed away under tragic circumstances. Also, there are Cassandra’s older and younger sisters.
The story took me a little while to get into, as there is a lot of to-ing and frow-ing from past to the present, with the POV appearing to change, but each trip back adds another layer to the story. There are many secrets hidden within the family, and we still do not learn everything by the end of the story, but Jai’s beautiful prose keeps you hooked.

About the Author

WILD FIRES is Sophie Jai’s debut novel. She was selected as a 2020 Writer-in-Residence and Visiting Fellow at the University of Oxford for WILD FIRES, and was longlisted for the 2019 Bridport Prize Peggy Chapman-Andrews Award for a First Novel. Jai was born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago. She splits her time between Toronto and London.

The Maidens by @AlexMichaelides #PaperbackRelease @FMcMAssociates

26 May 2022 6 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book Tour, Paperback Release, The Maidens

Another day, another book to spread the news about!

So, if you are interested in a bit of a thriller, then you may be interested in The Maidens by Alex Michaelides!

Edward Fosca is a murderer. Of this Mariana is certain. But Fosca is untouchable. A handsome and charismatic Greek tragedy professor at Cambridge University, Fosca is adored by staff and students alike – particularly by the members of a secret society of female students known as The Maidens. Mariana Andros is a brilliant but troubled group therapist who becomes fixated on The Maidens when one member, a friend of Mariana’s niece Zoe, is found murdered in Cambridge. Mariana, who was once herself a student at the university, quickly suspects that behind the idyllic beauty of the spires and turrets, and beneath the ancient traditions, lies something sinister. And she becomes convinced that, despite his alibi, Edward Fosca is guilty of the murder. But why would the professor target one of his students? And why does he keep returning to the rites of Persephone, the maiden, and her journey to the underworld? When another body is found, Mariana’s obsession with proving Fosca’s guilt spirals out of control, threatening to destroy her credibility as well as her closest relationships. But Mariana is determined to stop this killer, even if it costs her everything – including her own life.

This is not my usual genre of books to read, but the blurb intrigued me, so, when I was sent a copy, I had to read it.
Mariana is a group therapist and a widow, who has a young niece under her care. When a murder happens at Cambridge University, where her niece, Zoe is studying, Mariana leaves her patients to support her.
From the beginning of the book, it seems that all arrows are pointing to Edward Fosca, a worshipped lecturer at the university, especially since he has a small coven of female students, known as The Maidens, at his beck and call. And more importantly, the initial murder victim and subsequent ones are all members of this coveted group.
Tenuous links to Mariana’s own past mean that she can’t just comfort her niece and leave her. Instead, she decides to stay on and try and find out the truth behind the serial killer mystery.
The story was intriguing, but I felt it lacked depth in certain key areas, and the ending did feel a bit rushed, though surprising.

Buy Here

About the Author

Alex Michaelides was born and raised in Cyprus. He has a MA in English Literature from Trinity College, Cambridge University, and a MA in Screenwriting from the American Film Institute in Los Angeles. The Silent Patient was his first novel. It spent over a year on the New York Times bestseller list and sold in a record-breaking 49 countries. He lives in London.

Reasons To Go Outside by Esme King #SocialBlast @readeatretreat @HodderBooks

26 May 2022 17 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Esme King, New Release, Reasons To Go Outside, Social Blast

I am thrilled to be a part of a special social blast for a new release, today. Esme King’s Reasons To Go Outside.

I read this beautiful book as an arc, not long ago, and the beautiful story truly touched me!

Pearl Winter hasn’t been outside in 43 years.
Since she arrived in Dartmoor as a teenager, her isolated cottage has been her whole world. A
place of safety. But now Pearl is utterly alone – except for the postman, the local crows, and her
memories of the summer when her life turned upside down.
Connor Matthews feels like a stranger in his own home.
Since his mother’s death, he’s been adrift from his remaining family and the life that’s always
been mapped out for him.
But when Connor takes a summer job as Pearl’s gardener, their unexpected friendship opens the
door to a fresh start for them both. If they can just take the first step…

Reasons To Go Outside by Esme King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

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.

About the Author

Esme King is a former news journalist and a multi award-winning short film writer and director. She was
inspired to write Reasons To Go Outside after interviewing a woman with agoraphobia. Esme lives in Devon with her husband, two children, and rescue dogs Monty and Milo.