Book Review :The Last Bookshop in London

Let me begin this book review by saying I know my last book review was last April of the year. But from those months apart, I can say this book I am about to share is beyond worthy for everyone to read. From beginning to end, the novel is pure escapism. No matter what age you are in life or where you are in the world ;each time the book was opened , the world around would disappeared and I was in London during World War Two hearing that world come alive.

I never read any book by Madeline Martin before I am glad I picked up The Last Bookshop in London to start with. Her way of writing historical fiction is nothing I have read before or have anything to compare it to . Her creative way of writing this novel feels as if you are physically in the shoes of the world between the pages. From the moment Grace Bennet and her best friend Viv made it to Farringdon station the novel took off. I wish Viv was my best friend, her vibe seemed just fun to be around.

She saved Mr. Evans when he didn't want her help in the slightest. She saved her mother's bestfriend, Mrs.Weatherford. Grace fell in love with George Anderson the moment he turned her a book lover with The Count of Monte Cristo. And during the darkest days and the distance between them making a relationship work despite the world. And all I am going to say there should be more George Andersons in the world, that's all you are getting romantics. Also we can't forget Colin Mrs.Weatherford son, he was that type of character that has the gentle soul with animals and would bring them home. We can all admit we all had that friend that did that or have done that to. I have know to that and my defense the animals tend to find me not the other way around.

Each time I sat down with the novel, in any chair ,couch or bed I was transported to the world before Grace Bennet. The time of prosperity at her fingertips change as quickly as the Second World War brewing to begin. The beauty of Grace bennet changed ,saved so many lives by just being herself through think and thin. Losing certainly of the world, losing people, experience love another level in her life. Lifting up a city by hearing her own words and protecting what she could of other lives from air raids in the morning or dragging on through the night the next day.

I loved reading how Grace was falling in love the with books she read along the way like Jane Eyre. I can appreciate how she fell in love with each story. And going from not reading a single book in her life to read every book in a bookshop. She built a community of people without setting out to make one happen. Naturally making one in a tube station or from the footsteps of Primrose Hill. I do also think Grace was meant to be a ARP warden, it was perfect for not only her character to do but the Title suited her because she is helpful person. And it only made her stronger inside and out and taught her many lessons for life beyond the war.

I have a few favorite moments from the novel but each one I want to pick gives away to much information about the story. I can say that Mr. Evans carried more Grace then he ever thought and he thought he couldn't be saved by anyone or anything until Grace. And same for Grace Mr. Evans, Primrose Hill was more important to Grace then any recommendation she needed in the first place. Once you get into the novel you will understand Mr. Evans has a tough exterior but inside he is a teddy bear with excellent taste in novels. And the caretaker of the most important novels in world when they were taken by Germans to be destroyed.

Okay I can't help it one of my favorite moments is when people gathered in the Tube station listening to the novel being read to comfort them. Its one of the most beautiful parts of the novel through all the darkness. And to think before television and the radios they did have at the time Books and newspapers were the talk of the town, worldwide. Books were and are fundamental of life at least in my opinion. To add my favorite chapter of the whole novel was twenty-one of the most powerful chapter and I love every word of it.

I didn't want to read this book to fast , it deserved to be a slow burned read. Not actually burning it to clarity. That would be against rule of law in my book. This Book deserves to read many times over, it feels just timeless. Every character in the novel that was either in there briefly or stayed till the end is relatable to the time of 1939 to 2021 and further beyond that timeframe. Once you have a copy in your hands you will understand why it feels timeless and relatable in any age.

I do hope you all have great day and enjoy the fall season fast approaching upon us. I do have a new monthly post coming up after this one goes up in a few days. I do hope you buy this book in a physical copy or in digital format. I secretly hope you buy the physical copy, I can't help it I love books and I never full love books digitally; never felt right.

Anyway.

Best regards ,

Misread

The link for the book is down below:

May it be Summer ( July Edition)

Hi everyone, hope you are all doing well , where ever you are in this beautiful world.

I have been absent from my work and the world for a bit , if you noticed again. And there is plenty of reasons for that; meaning when life happens , nothing else matters. At the beginning of last month , I was writing up last month's blog post and mother's day tribute and no matter what I did, where I sat down ,what cup of coffee in hand; I couldn't bring myself to finish it ,share it. Because it occurred to me in the mist of writing that May of last year was the last time I got to physically touched my Nene and that was on mother's day as well, so I was full of emotions from that point on. And last month I was not feeling my best self most days I was the couch watching movies all day and Mr. Maverick hurt himself has well. And some other things happened as well, when life hurts sometimes it ripples to other things but family pulls together in the end.

By saying all of that, it's a brand new month and many things are bound to happen in the between of the long summer days. And it might be summer that we all need to happen , laying by the lakes or by the seas around the world with a something cold in hand enjoying the rays. Have those long summer nights by the campfires with stories being shared over warm marshmallows melting in between graham crackers and chocolate. Let's be honest we have been all dreaming of this summer , right ? Or is it just me ? That's okay more smores for me.

I hope you all enjoyed your July fourth weekend, ate all the yummy summer foods and at the end of the day enjoyed the firework displays underneath the night sky. I enjoyed my favorite blueberry strawberry pancakes at the beginning of the holiday weekend, a few hot dogs in-between and of course the traditional funnel cake. I am curious what are your favorite summer meals? And of course you could find me at six am before anyone is up at the baseball field with the hot air balloonists getting ready for the morning. It's literally one of my favorite summer thing to do, I may be twenty- seven .. But every time I am out there I feel like a kid in a candy store with a camera in my hand ready. Then I went to two mini festivals and of course went through the car show , they had some beautiful ones on display. That was a snippet of my July Fourth weekend, all traditional and it was the closest to normal event in a long time , last year it didn't feel like the normal Independence holiday. Thank goodness this one did and I did run into a few beautiful friends in person.

I would say this Summer is the Hottest summer I have ever witness to date. There has been lots of doggy pools moments outside with the pups . Is it just me or does anyone feel like when they step outside , that they are physically cooking ? Let me know, I hope I am not the only one. And yes, there has been something iced on stand by either that be an iced Matcha or a yummy smoothie. I have been experimenting with my barista skills to make the perfect Dirty Matcha , so far I am not successful but I do make a great White Chocolate Lavender Mocha. And if you have never tried a White chocolate Lavender Mocha you definitely need to , trust me it's worth every slip. I am not going to lie to you at the moment in current moment, I have one iced on my desk. Side note use three TBSP of Ghirardelli chocolate sweet ground white chocolate powder, one to two pumps of lavender and of course use your favorite coffee.

I can't believe it we are officially have half way through the year ! I am in the state of , "WHAT" and "How". I feel like I am still back in time specifically mentally I am still in January of this year. All I got to say is time fly's more than I can blink. Or is that my old age showing at age twenty- seven? Or would you agree that year and the last six months is the same blur? I am curious to know your little answer and how are the last six months, last seven months now; have been for you compared to last year around the same time.

You will be reading this at the end of July because someone meaning me both got busy and I forgot to finish this mini post. July has been a wild month of schedules changes and unexpected beach trip and I all I have to say about that trip is that one was one interesting story to share. And the two of us that know what happened on that trip, trusting car navigation can be very sketchy when there is zero phone signal for two hours.

To be Continued..... New August Post will be up within days, New Book review will be coming as well...

Love, Misread

Spring coming to our Air

Spring is here in April and Easter is Just around the Corner

It's that time again ,another monthly Catchup but at least we are the Spring Season. Where we start see the ground beneath our feet turn into greenery around the world. The daily quarantine

walks around will be filled with fresh grass appearing , the sprouting daffodils showing signs of spring and the reminder that Easter is around the corner. I am not going to lie the spring season is exciting to me because it feels the year just begun, the feeling of a fresh start in the air. Does anyone else agree ? Spring just feels like a the beginning to what last year was and what we have been searching for.

By that being said it's April first , the day of jokes to kick off the month. Now I must say, I come from a family of pranksters so this day was a necessary moment of the day to get someone back . But that being said I haven't pulled a prank in a couple years and to be honest I kind of miss the planning of a prank but not the clean up of one . I once took everyone's left or right shoe of another pair of shoes that was in the house. And yes, that was a lot of shoes to hide away and get away with going into other's closets without anyone knowing. It took a long time to take all those without making a closet looking undisturbed. That had to be the most time consuming of a prank. Over the years I think we all grew up in the sense that .. No pulls joke on anyone specially what we are going through collectively. But we all need a good laugh once in a while, So I say lets keep the pranks only on this day and end by mid day.

Today being the first day of April, is the perfect day in the start of the spring season. The weather is perfect the only thing missing a beach and close friends. But being underneath clear skies and seventy degree weather with a light breeze, I will take any day. I am kind of tempted to pull out my swim wear, a beach towel, a playlist playing in the background and picking up good book after I finish this up. What would you do if your perfect weather outside and you are just finishing up your workday? Speaking of a good book , I have two new book reviews coming out this month and yes I am excited to share them with you. They are two Robin Carr novels back to back and I was too tempted to not find out what happen before I even typed up book number two book's review , that's why there was has been a little delay. What I will be reading next two novels by written friends that have on list for a while and I can't wait to share them to! Side note , I will be adding a link to those reviews to the bottom of this post.

Since the season of me working on other things have come to the end for the most part , I am excited to coming back to my work in full force. And you have no idea, I have stories that I want to be share, my book to be finally finished. Now since I have more time on my hands that I hope I can the distraction that people need or a little pick me up here and there. I know I have a back long of pictures to go through and edit a few. Also those long go trips that I never shared before will be added along the way. San Francisco trips, the Sierras trips and the many seaside's trips, it's time to share those memories, the must go to coffee shops and of course the yummy food that was beyond.

Let's Talk about Easter Sunday for a minute. This holiday is probably one of the fondest memories I share with my Nene and my family. Too much food made on this holiday , I am not kidding it's more food than Thanksgiving across the dinning table. One of my favorite memories is the egg game that we play around the table basically called , "The Egg War". Where the best egg wins and you are called the lucky person. I am usually out of the game by the third round, I egg usually get's cracked my the other person by that time. One of the fondest memory that I have , that game always bring out the best and the worst of some people but full of laughs either way. I always looked forward seeing my Nene on this holiday and making dishes along side her. For example making Ohtcheh, it seems so easy to make. But making it on my own this year and I am going to share that my first attempt was a fail but it was close to her's. I can taste my favorite thing she would make for me each time she was her Eetch which is can be eaten like a salad or dip. As I type this part of the post, I wish was here so she could tell me her recipe because somehow the handwritten recipe I wrote down the last she was here as walked away. I have only made it once under direction in the kitchen next to me. I can see her in the apron that's hanging in the pantry and pink rose slippers tell me to get the mixer and to make sure the pot doesn't boil over. The million carton of colored of eggs that my little cousins made. The many tubs of food she already prepared at her house that sneaked their little way to the refrigerator . And the handmade cheese she made from the week , I never learned that from her but I loved watching her hand make them and make the knot twists. I miss her everyday, the smell of her kitchen and her laugh the most.

To close this off on a good note and Good Friday is ahead of us. And we can all laugh for a minute, I will be attempting to make Eetch and Ohtcheh again and I am sure I will miss something but I know that I am doing this for her, to keep her love around not just me but all of us. I know that would bring her a bit of joy minus that Fact I am still unmarried she would say in her English way. "No money , No hunny and You need to make food " . I hear her voice just now that makes me smile.

Changing gears up and so we all don't get to sappy at this point , I do have more good news! And you haven't misread has been looking different lately , there has been some layout changes and more changes are coming and a brand new element is coming. I do have a few surprises in store and they are coming as well but I just can't tell you about them in this present moment. They are coming! Happy Easter ! Happy Little spring ! Happy Good Friday !

Remember you loved, you are special and more !

With love always,

Misread.

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