RECALLING THE FIRST POSTS OF THE MONTH 2017 & AN UPDATE.

 Along with photographs of me with my First book Of The Year and Buzz, our great nephews' pet rabbit, JANUARY saw me sharing my thoughts, albeit from 'across the pond', with the Arkansas Book Club who had been reading one of my favourite reads of 2012, Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children.

Not so much a selection of tales as what I thought of as a stroll through someone's dreams, FEBRUARY found me reading a book that, despite a more flowery prose than I'm used to, I lost myselA post not by myself but by Mr T. 

Alas, MARCH  sadly saw an interruption in services as I lay rather unwell in hospital.

Yes! APRIL saw me back and services resumed though, for a brief period, not nearly as often as they had been.

Probably my favourite author when it comes to historical fiction, as promised MAY saw me publish a list of the works of Philippa Gregory.


Who would have thought I'd feel such turmoil over the potential fate of a snail? Readable on so many levels, I also loved the cover of June's first post of the month.


Not only a wonderful theme tune, if you enjoy gritty dramas you could well do worse than watch Broken with Sean Bean as a Catholic Priest as featured on my first post of July.


Way behind with my reading and posting of reviews but its not all bad news ... The beginning of August saw my posting the second book in the Wolves Of Mercy Chase series, Linger, and, hurrah, my TBR mountain 15 books shorter.



A story of suspense and abuse within the walls of a hospital for the mentally ill. September 1st saw me review Asylum, a book which made One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest's Nurse Ratched look like a pussy cat.



On being a 'Tracy' of below average height who is able to command £53,926,72 (that's $69,762 to my friends across the pond) .... the first post of October saw me discussing why one inch made all the difference between me and being mediocre a good bed warmer or professional queuer upper.

With its outstanding book trailer, it was my honour to share my thoughts on the latest book from Stephanie Robinson and Jessica Haight, Fairday Morrow And The Talking Library, this November afternoon.

Part two and three of what proved to be a wonderful trilogy. December saw me post a double review of the last two books in the Clockwork Dark series by J.C. Bemis, The Wolf Tree and The White City.

And now for a quick update ...

As you may have noticed I've not posted anything on Pen and Paper since the beginning of the month much less visited any of your blogs. Unfortunately Mr T was taken seriously unwell and underwent emergency surgery. Thankfully recovering well (he's bored which is always a positive sign), I hope to have him home soon.

Apologies to those authors whose books I have received and read but have yet to post my thoughts on. Likewise to those who have sent me books that I have yet to read. I made the decision not to do so as it seemed a disservice to read/review a book whilst my mind was on other things.

I hope to publish several reviews over the rest of December. Apologies if I don't get around to visiting you all, if I may I'd like to take this opportunity to wish you all the best this Yuletide.