Sunday 18 March 2012

Off on my hols

Off to Cardiff for a few days from tomorrow.



We've become addicted to this city I think, and can't stop going back. And we don't even do anything that exciting... we stroll around, visit the museum and castles, the dock area (photographed above), raid the bookshops etc. When we venture out of the city we don't go far... Caerphilly, The Gower peninsula at Swansea, the Brecon Beacons if the weather permits. Hopefully it will as last week's fog has now cleared. Anyway this is just to say that if I'm not around commenting where I usually comment it's not because I have the grumps, it's because I'm not here. :-)


Book-wise I'm still in that moochy sort of mood. I finished the book of short stories, called 'Stories', I was reading. It wasn't bad but as with most anthologies the stories vary tremendously. I always think I'm going to enjoy books of short stories more than I actually *do*. But I live in hope.

I then started West of the Moon by Katherine Langrish, a YA fantasy set in Norway. Getting a start on the Once Upon a Time challenge really... I think it starts next week while I'm away. It's so good, I'm already halfway through it but as it's three books in one (they were published separately originally I believe) I shall leave off after book 2 and finish the book when I get home.

Of course I'm taking books to Cardiff. I bought a Kindle for this very reason - to take on holiday - but I still have a bunch of half a dozen books I want to take because, well, I might fancy one of them. (Hopeless, hopeless, hopeless.) They include, A Traveller's Life by Eric Newby, Partnership by Anne McCaffrey, The Burglar Who Liked to Quote Kipling by Lawrence Block (one of the tales in 'Stories' was by him, the best imo, so I want to try his novels), Gravity by Tess Gerritsen, Ill Wind by Nevada Barr and Full Dark House by Christopher Fowler. Think that'll be enough? Yeah, me too...

Have a good week!

6 comments:

Yvonne @ Fiction Books Reviews said...

Hi Cath,

I hope that you have a fantastic few days away.

I have never been to Cardiff, although it does seem to be a very popular destination right now.

We do however, love the whole area around the Gower Peninsula, after we were introduced to it, as a couple of sceptics, by my brother and sister-in-law.

By coincidence, I came across a copy of 'Gravity' by Tess Gerritsen in the charity shop just the other day. I assumed from the pristine condition of the book, that it was one of her latest, but when I checked it out after you mentioned it, I see that in fact it actually dates back to 1999 and is one of her stand alone novels.

Either way, I put it out on the shelves for sale and didn't buy it, but now you have whetted my appetite, my first stop tomorrow morning will be to check the shelves and see if it still there.

Have a fantastic time.

Yvonne

Kailana said...

It looks like you are well-stocked up for your trip. I hope you have a wonderful time!

Anonymous said...

Have a great trip! I understand about returning again and again to the same location. Me too!!

Hope you enjoy GRAVITY. It's a little different and it's been a long time since I read it. My recollection is that I liked it. And another Nevada Barr book huh? Always good. Take care and see you soon!

Cath said...

Yvonne: Thank you!

It's a nice city, somehow or other it doesn't feel like a huge, impersonal city. We're hoping to get over to the Gower ourselves this time as it's so lovely there.

Funny, I thought the same as you about Gravity - that it was new but it's not, is it. Not to worry, I've heard it's quite good.

Have a good week!

Kelly: Thank you!

Kay: Nice to see you around, you have been missed.

Thank you. I'm not sure whether the urge to return to places comes as we get older. Maybe we like to be sure we're going to be comfortable in familiar surroundings.

Yes... Tess Gerritsen and Nevada Barr... a fantastic mix , imo. LOL.

DesLily said...

wow, i guess since we talked I didn't think you'd post so I didn't come here until I saw you were back lol... I will look forward to the MANY photo's you took while on holiday!!!

Cath said...

Pat: Busy today but hoping to get a few photos up tomorrow.