( I posted this on my other blog, so apologies if you are reading it twice)

Giving Thanks.

It is something which should be done daily, but often is neglected until someone reminds us that there is  much to be thank full for.

I followed the November Month of Gratitude by posting on my FB wall that which I was grateful for that day. The thing about conciously being thank full is, it makes you think, even on those ‘bad’ days where everything just seems to be going wrong, or you feel sad and down, that there is ALWAYS something to be thank full for!

What I realised during this month of gratitude:

* how you think affects how life affects you.

* love seems to flow more easily from oneself 

* Becoming more aware of what people mean to you

* AND letting them know. ( Too often we don’t say I love you, because we think we shouldn’t or, will they think I am weird for telling them, or for countless other reasons…!)

* What you give out comes back tenfold!

* Life is less stressful

* Joy should be an everyday occurence, even if it only happens for 5 minutes in that day

* We should give thanks even when we feel there is nothing to give thanks for.

I will be continuing to do my ‘What I am grateful for’s’ as I find it really does up the energy levels in my brain and helps to live life in a Joy full way, even when I am grumpy!!

And you, how did you find it affected you? 

I am loving these:

Mini Reading lamp in awesome retro colors (I am loving the red!)

Book Page holders (ooh and in Winter ones fingers won’t need to get cold)

 An electronic dictionary book mark (How ingenious!)

All available at your local Exclusive Books!

I am sure that most of you have heard the buzz of this blogger turned author recipe book which is about to be launched?!

I have to say that the title and the cover image looks tantalizing! I took a peak at her blog over here to get a little bit of a feel for her as I haven’t read her before. Amazing how social media can really bring attention to some things, or should I say people, which is pretty awesome if you think about it!

Anyhoo, have a look here to read all about the book I think it shows it way better than I could!

So, just in case, you still want to get me Christmas gift, this is officially going on my wish list. And if not, my birthday is just around the corner….. well, a 3 month corner….

Then have you seen the new Nigella recipe book?

I bought the Fair Lady the other day as they have an interview with her together with 4 recipes out of this book. Can I just say that I am smitten? I am not the hugest Nigella fan, that would be my neighbour!(who refers to her Nigella cookbooks as her bibles) but  I have to admit to understanding why she would feel this way, so, if you can’t find me a copy of ‘What Katie Ate’ I wouldn’t mind a copy of Nigellissima ( now try saying that fast 5 times…!)

And you? Any particular recipe book you are hoping that Santa will bring?

I have joined in the Secret Santa Book Exchange which is being hosted via The broke and the bookish. Please go here for all the details if you would like to join in.

What I would like to know though is if any of you who reside in South Africa are keen to do our own Secret Santa book swop (not international).  We have done a similar one before which was a great success, but do let me know in the comments if you are interested and we can get one going. 

Love, Sex, Fleas, God: Confessions of a Stay-at-home Dad – Bruce Clark. I really really want to read this book!

The Unlikely Pilgramige of Harold Fry – Rachel Joyce. I really like the premise of this story and am itching to read it.

The Casual Vacancy – JK Rowling . Well, I think one has to read it, whether it is any good or not!

Pilates Rael Isacoiwtz. Very much so  would like this Pilates book

Jasper Fforde – The Song of the Quarkbeast. The second in the Last Dragonslayer series. Loved the first one.

One of our Thursdays are missing.I am way behind in this series as the next installment has already been released.

The Woman who died a lot. The next in the series!!

Attack of the Deranged Mutant Killer Monster Snow Goons – Calvin and Hobbes. One of the few that I don’t own. My favorite cartoons!

7 Days – Deon Meyer. I thoroughly enjoyed 13 hours, this will be my second of his to read.

Wilton Cake decor mags. Any Any Any of them!

So, whats on your Bookish Wish List for this year?

While I was doing the ten series that I hadn’t finished, I kept coming up with series that I have read and I thoroughly enjoyed so I decided to do a post on that as well.

The Northern Lights Trilogy – Philip Pullman

I discovered this series quite late I think by my niece who had already finished reading them. I loved them!

The Inkheart Series – Cornelia Funke

I was in the UK when I discovered her and Inkheart. I loved the idea of the book within a book story, it really appealed to me and my imagination. I hated having to wait for the final installment. I also did not enjoy the movie so much at all, I think it wasn’t the best interpretation of the book and even the actors who played the characters were just wrong!

The Mortal Instruments  and Infernal Devices – Cassandra Clare

I discovered The Infernal Devices first, LOVED the first book, then found out that the second one hadn’t been published yet, then realised there were another 4 books of a similar vein just in a different time setting which I then purchased and read while waiting for the latest two to be published. i am currently awaiting the last two in each series!

Harry Potter – JK Rowling

Again, I Loved this series. It really was one of the best series I have ever read. I think everyone should read it at some point or another…

The Millenium Series – Steig Larson

This is not my usual book fare, but I thoroughly enjoyed this series! It was a bit brutal at times and  little longwinded, but I stayed up till all hours of the morning reading, just could not get enough of it. Brilliant writing and even the longwinded stuff made sense in the end. I watched half of the movie, but to see that brutality in front of my eyes was just a little too much so never finished watching it. The books I could handle though…

The Lord of the Rings – JRR Tolkien

A must read for everyone! I read this while I was still in school so could probably do with a re read of this series, but It was fabulous. The hobbit was also awesome! Have you read it or watched the movies?

The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins

I tried very hard NOT to read these books! (It was a bit like the Twilight books, which yes, I have also read but can’t add them to my top ten… where they hype was huge and I just wasn’t sure I wanted to read something which was ‘good’. I did end up reading the first one on holiday with my sister -she had just bought the first one for my niece so I decided to read it as I didn’t have to buy it…) Turns out I ended up buying the next two any way as I HAD to finish it. I enjoyed it, MUCH better than Twilight!

Chocolat – Joanne Harris

This is just a beautiful set of books! The stories, the characters, the times, the places. Read them, you won’t be sorry!

Spud – John van der Ruit

I also came to this series quite late, I didn’t think that I would enjoy something so ‘boylike’ but I was wrong again and thoroughly enjoyed it! The good thing about coming to it later, is that I didn’t have long to wait for the final installment!  An awesome series by a South African author!

Abhorson Trilogy – Garth Nix

Awesome series! For my review go here.

And that’s it! These are in no particular order:-) So, have you read any of these or are they on your TBR pile of dare I say it (half read pile…)

One of the book blogs that I have recently discovered is The Broke and The Bookish and they had a great Top Ten Tuesday post yesterday, and even though today is Wednesday, I thought it would be great to be part of it.

This week’s topic discusses series that you have not finished for one reason or another. I had to have a good think and I may not manage to make ten, but lets see shall we?

GAME OF THRONES – George RR Martin

I loved the TV series, so thought I would try the books, but I just could not get into it. I have only read about a quarter of the first book. Not sure if I will ever read the entire series, think I may just watch TV instead!

THE WHEEL OF TIME – Robert Jordan

I have read the first three in the series, I enjoyed the first two and found the third one tough going for some reason. Considering that there are 12 in the entire series, I don’t think I am going to get much further but it is always a possibility…

THE LIGHTENING THIEF – Percy Jackson

I started the first book, read about half way, discovered something else I wanted to read and never went back.  Will I go back? I don’t know. Has anyone else read it? Is it worth going back to?

INHERITANCE – Christopher Paolini

I read Eragon, half of Eldest and I haven’t read the last two. My niece LOVED the series, so really think I should finish them, eventually! Will definitely have to start at the beginning again though as I have forgotten the story line.

A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS  – Lemony Snicket

I read the first one after watching the movie, I enjoyed it, so not really sure why I haven’t read the rest of them.

THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO – Patrick Ness

I read the first one. I did enjoy it too, wasn’t the best book I have read but it was easy reading. I don’t think I will read the rest of the series though.

SEPTIMUS HEAP BOOKS – Angie Sage

I have read the first four of this series but again, just never carried on reading. I should, they were nice easy reading books, though I think better suited to the younger generation to read…

THURSDAY NEXT SERIES – Jasper Fforde

I LOVE his books! I still need to read the last Thursday next novel as I heard through the grapevine that his next one is due out soon! Ah, Christmas is coming, may have to put them both on my wish list!

CONFESSIONS OF GEORGIA NICHOLSON – Louise Rennison

I LOVED Angus, thongs and full frontal snogging! But I never realised that it was part of a series, guess what I am going to be reading soon!

THE SECRET SEVEN –  Enid Blyton

I think I only read a few of these, can’t even remember how far I got, but I preferred The Famous Five! Loved it, read all of them, but secret seven, not so much…!

Ok, so I really had to dig deep for that last one! And you, fancy joining in on the meme, if so, let us know in the comments, maybe one of us will find a new author or series to read…