My Year in Non-Fiction {2026}

 

Dear friends. I've done rather well with non-fiction this year. I signed up to read 10 books in Shelleyrae's Book'd Out 2026 challenge, and I've now read 27.

Shelleyrae had listed some categories she wanted to see featured. Unfortunately I didn't do quite so well here. Nonetheless I've had a good mix of genres. 

The books I enjoyed the most are in the top row of the graphic above. 

If any of my US or Antipodean friends are puzzled about my "non-fiction" ,  UK English describes "non-fiction" as hyphenated, and I'm a stickler.  

October: A Weekend to Remember and More

Dear friends. And just like that, it was November.  I don’t mind admitting that I  am thrilled by the cooler temperatures and prospect of cosy nights in.

October was a busy month with lots of fun activities: two art gallery visits, a significant birthday (not mine), a cathedral visit, and more.  Plus what we've been enjoying on TV. 

November Bookshelf Update

 

Dear friends. A quick update on my latest book arrivals, plus what I'll be reviewing later this month.

I'm excited to share these new arrivals because it's been a bit of a fallow reading period. NetGalley hasn't been tempting me and I've had to resort to Mr Mutton's books in our shared Amazon library.

I'll share a brief snippet of blurb and when the books will be published. The first 3 all come out in 2027. 

Then we'll take a quick look at the books I have read recently, which will be reviewed later this month.

Party Dress Try-On

 And TuesdayTwirl

Dear friends. It's been a few years since I bought a party or occasion dress. I had a few, mostly black, when I was working. But after my retirement, I got rid of them. I just didn't have the occasions to wear formal dresses. 

But now I'm going on my first cruise, 6 nights visiting France and Belgium. There's a formal night, so I've been searching for the right dress. I hope that if I like the cruise, there will be many more to come. More formal nights. 

You don't have to wear a dress on the formal nights. A smart blouse with trousers is fine. I had a contingency outfit lined up, a gold sequin top and cream trousers. But now I've found my perfect dress, so I can wear both outfits.