I’m linking up with my friend Amy Palko for her Summer Read-along. We are reading The Time Traveler’s Wifeby Audrey Niffenegger. Amy has read the book before, several years ago and says that it had a profound effect on her life. I have not yet read the book, nor have I seen the film. However, I have heard good reports about both the book and the film from a wide range of friends.

I joined a book group just over a year ago, and this book was one of their books before I joined. Therefore, I thought I would take this opportunity to read the book and join in the read-along fun with Amy and others.

I ordered the book on Amazon yesterday, and have received it through the post today. (I *heart* being an Amazon Prime customer!)  Therefore, I have yet to start reading it!…

The first official Read-along post (with a blog hop linky!) is for this Friday 24th June, but I just wanted to give you all a heads up in case you wanted to join in.  You still have a couple of days to get your hands on the book!!…

You can find out more about the Summer Read-along on Amy’s blog here, and you can purchase the book from Amazon here:  The Time Traveller’sWife

I’ll be back on Friday for the first official Summer Read-along post to let you know how I’m enjoying the book!….

Last year I spent the entire summer in my fabulous white Avon Fitflops!  I LOVED them!!  They were soooo comfy!!

Fitflops help to stabilise feet to improve posture and enhance your natural walking motion.  They have shock absorption soles to cushion feet.  These shoes retail at around £18 from Avon, which is less than half the price of similar products on the market.

This year, Avon have launched black sequinned fitflops, and I intend to buy them and spend the entire summer wearing them.

What about YOU?  What is YOUR favourite item of summer clothing?

You can join in the Girls Talk fun over at the Beauty Queen Gene.

1. Go to Pacifiers, Pumps, The World and copy the code to place the blog hop button (as seen above) on your post or on your sidebar. Help spread the word.

2. Add your link

3. Follow me and I will follow back. Please leave me a comment.

4. Follow Pacifiers, Pumps, The World, and Raven will follow you back.

5. Find at least one other blog to follow.

6. Happy blog hopping!

This week’s Girl’s Talk has another Shopaholic theme, and this time it’s all about housewares / homewares.  What items of homeaware do I like to browse and buy?

Last week, when the shopaholic question was about health and beauty items, I told you that, as a Vie At Home consultant, I tend to purchase the bulk of my health and beauty products from there. Well, Vie At Home also do a homeware range, so I like to purchase bedding, cushions, throws and table linen from there.

I am a cushion junkie!! I *heart* cushions soooooooooooooo much!! I have LOTS of cushions (8) on my bed (too much, according to Hubby!) and several cushions on my sofas in the livingroom!

I also love throws, and have three (yes, THREE) for our bed, plus a spare couple for the sofas, which I tend to only use as blankets for cuddling up on the couch in the winter!  In the summer, I only use two light throws over our duvet, and it’s more for decoration than warmth.  However, in the winter, I bring out a huge kingsize throw which completely covers the bed, and makes it feel sooooo cosy!!

While I’m talking about my bedroom, I’ll fess up to having three changes of bedlinen for our bed, and I’m thinking of buying another set!

What I really need to stock up on are crockery and glasses.  Over the years, we’ve had a lot of breakages and so we’re due for a replenishment!…  This is so apparent when we have guests over for dinner and/or drinks.

What about you?  What homewares do you enjoy browsing and/or buying?

You can join in the Girls Talk fun over at The Beauty Queen Gene.

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Now it’s time for a shameless plug…

November Bedding Offers

Tuesday 2 November – Wednesday 1 December 2010 (whilst stocks last)

We’ve got a fab bedding offer to keep you snuggled up inside this winter, with 50% off and a free Elegance Throw this is sure to be a hit so get in quick!

SINGLE OFFER

Buy the La Belle VIE Single Duvet, Single Fitted Sheet and Single Standard Pillowcase and get 50% off AND a free Elegance Throw! Offer price just £40.75/€51.00. Save £105.75/€132.20. RRP £146.50/€183.20

To order please quote: LBVSINGLE

DOUBLE OFFER

Buy the La Belle VIE Double Duvet, Double Fitted Sheet and 2 Double Standard Pillowcases and get 50% off AND a free Elegance Throw! Offer price just £57.75/€72.20. Save £122.75/€153.50. RRP £180.50/€225.70

You can order online here.

To order please quote: LBVDOUBLE

Guidelines

1.    Items are whilst stocks last and are subject to change.

2.    Offer includes La Belle VIE Single and Double bedding only.

3.    Offer available between Tuesday 2 November – Wednesday 1 December

4.    This offer is not part of the Hostess Gift Programme.

Spend £25 and choose from the following items for £5.00:

I’ve read a lot of books that I can truly say I’ve LOVED.  However, there is one book that stands out from all the others.  One book that still haunts me.  One book that gives me goosebumps.  What is that book?  Well, here it is…

…My ALL-TIME FAVOURITE book is….

The Heartsong of Charging Elk


I read The Heartsong of Charging Elk by the late James Welch back in 2000, and ten years on, just thinking about it gives me goosebumps!  It moved me to tears.  I literally sobbed my heart out while reading this heartwrenching novel.

A member of Buffalo Bill’s touring Wild West Show, wakes up in hospital in Marseille, France, after a riding accident.  Seemingly abandoned by his people, and unable to communicate with anyone, the story follows the adventures of this exotic stranger in an alien world.

Based on historical precedent, Welch’s powerful narrative provokes a myriad of emotions.  It is very moving!  I loved it!

Have you read this book?  Have you read anything else by James Welch?

What is YOUR all-time favourite book?  Join in the blog hop over at Beauty Queen Gene.

Today, I’d like to share a couple of Halloween freebies with you:

1. FREE Spooky Halloween Recipes to make your Halloween spook-tacular!
2. FREE Halloween e-card to share and scare!

Why not treat your little monsters to The Barefoot Book of Monsters by Fran Parnel and Sophie Fatus? 

WAS £12.99 – Now £11.99 (HARDBACK)

*guisers – Trick-or-Treaters.  In Glasgow, children go ‘guising’, rather than trick-or-treating.  They have to tell a joke or sing a song in return for some fruit, nuts or sweeties.

DISCLOSURE:  I am an Ambassador for Barefoot Books.

This week’s Girls Talk at Beauty Queen Gene is all about thrilling page turners.

My favourite thriller writers are Patricia Cornwell, Stephen King, Sidney Sheldon and Denise Mina. However, my ultimate favourite is, without a doubt, the late Stieg Larsson, Swedish author of the Millennium Trilogy.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium Trilogy Book 1)

The Girl Who Played with Fire (Millennium Trilogy Book 2)


The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest  Millennium Trilogy Book 3)

If you haven’t yet read the Millennium Trilogy, I strongly advise you order a copy of the first book,

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium Trilogy Book 1)

today!  I guarantee that you will NOT want to put the book down until you finish it!!…

What are your favourite thrilling page turners?

Join in the Girls Talk at Beauty Queen Gene.

The King's Christmas List

The King’s Christmas List is a lovely childrens’ book, wonderfully written by Eldon Johnson and beautifully illustrated by Bonnie Leick.    This is the story of a little girl and her dog who are invited to the King’s birthday party.   After selecting a birthday gift fit for a king, they make their way to the castle.  However, their journey is interrupted by the various unfortunate people they meet along the way.

This charming book reminds children and parents the true meaning of Christmas via an enchanting story that children will want to read again and again.  My six year old twin daughters love it!

This book would make an ideal Christmas gift for children up to about eight or nine years old.  It’s the perfect book to read with your child on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning, and one that I’m sure they’ll enjoy year after year.

The book also gives details on how children and their parents can give to charities like Blood: Water Mission and World Vision.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Today, I’m hooking up with The Beauty Queen Gene to chat about the funniest books we’ve ever read.

I enjoy reading books with a lot of humour to help me relax, unwind and escape the doom and gloom of the world.

Here’s a list of five of my favourite funny reads:

1. Foetal Attraction
2. Mad Cows
3. Girls’ Night Out
4. Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married
5. Bridget Jones’s Diary: A Novel

The first three novels are written by Australian author, Kathy Lette, who has a really wicked sense of humour! She gives hilarious accounts of conception, pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood, that most women can relate to! I’ve read some of her short stories and articles and she always makes me laugh out loud!

The fourth book is by Irish author, Marian Keyes, who can make you laugh one minute and cry the next! She’s a very talented author.

The last book is the world-famous best-selling book by Helen Fielding. I loved this book and adored Bridget! She reminds me of one of my friends, always getting into embarrassing awkward situations, but so likeable!

I think Chick-lit can get a bad press. Some literary snobs easily dismiss it! But hey, life would be very dull without such entertainingly funny books!

I’d like to do a Top Blog Shout Out to my favourite blogs.  I have a LOT of blogs that I like to keep up with! It’s sooooo hard to just narrow the list down to ten, but here goes!….

1. Domestic Diva
2. Work, Wife, Mom, Life!
3. Realising The Dream
4. Twin Happy
5. My Little Life
6. Things I Can’t Say
7. Princess of Sarcasm
8. Tales From The Trenches of Parenthood
9. Momspective
10. Frugal Mom Knows Best

I recommend you give all ten of these blogs a visit, and PLEASE tell them that MammaKerr sent you!!

Thanks for stopping by on Big Ten Sunday!