This is a powerful book with memorable characters in every sense.

A young woman who was an abandoned child with no knowledge of her birth family is the main character of  this second book in the Girls Who Went to War series. It stands alone as a vivid story of the ending of the First World War, and how the myth of a land fit for heroes in many ways proved to be false. The situations that Ella finds herself in, the risks she takes and the love she experiences make for an enormous saga of people and place, a frequently moving story of the fight for survival, and a complex tale of love and loss. With near breathtaking confidence and a sure way with plot and dialogue, this is one woman’s powerful story of a dramatic life that literally kept me awake, so keen was I to find out…

This 1953 book, beautifully republished by Persephone, is a sort of household book of the year, as a section is devoted to each month. Not that it is a book of out of date household advice, though it does offer recipes and other notes of monthly tasks, it is a sort of observation of the changing seasons. It takes a light view of the most liked and disliked jobs of the month, ranging from the much liked “Reading Forgotten Books During Spring Cleaning” to the disliked “Looking Your Passport in the Face”. There is a quote from the “British Merlin” of 1677 for every month, in which characteristically dated language explores what plants and crops to plant, particular “Physick” concerns, and foods to avoid. A sharp sense of humour pervades every piece, especially the longer observation of an element of life which is written up in full. This is a…

I have loved the ‘John Clayton Circles Series cross stitch designs for years. If you’ve not come across them yet, I bet you could be easily tempted! These were first put on sale over twenty years ago, but they are still selling well – they are produced by Heritage Crafts, from original watercolours by John Clayton. John first paints the picture and then chooses the thread shades for the cross stitch design version, before Heritage package them up and market them. They’re available as either full kits (on 28 count evenweave, or aida fabric), or as chart packs.

There are loads to choose from, and they’re all lovely!!

I made one, about 25 years ago, called ‘High and Dry’, featuring boats when the tide has gone out. I loved stitching it, and always planned to do more. Life got in the way, though, and I’ve only just got round…