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I’ll see you at the bookshop!
Inside Heffers Bookshop & Cambridge Bookshop Guide
As one of England’s historic university cities, Cambridge has a wide variety of fantastic bookshops to explore.
Heffers is one of those - a vital and well regarded part of the literary scene in Cambridge, having been present in the city for over 100 years.
Formerly owned by the Heffer family, the shop was founded by William Heffer in 1876, initially selling stationary and later adding books. Heffers was eventually sold to Blackwell’s in 1999, but retains its independent charm.
Abby Jimenez Books In Order
Abby Jimenez writes fantastic contemporary romance novels, publishing her first in 2019 and bringing out a new book each year. I’ve only read a few so far but love what I’ve read and plan to finish reading through her backlist this summer.
Here are each of her books in order, starting with the most recent.
What to Pack for a River Cruise
Here are the essentials that you need to pack for your next river cruise.
If you’re reading this blog post then you’re probably about to set off on a river cruise.
You’ve made a great choice - river cruises are a fantastic way to travel, and the small size of the ships means that you’re able to dock right in the centre of the action.
The Best English Language Bookshops to Visit in Paris
A city beloved by bibliophiles, Paris is packed with stunning bookshops, libraries and literary cafes.
For those interested in literary history, you really are spoilt for choice. Follow in the footsteps of Hemingway by dining at Brasserie Lipp, and sip coffee with Oscar Wilde at Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots. You can even visit the home of the famous French author Victor Hugo, who penned The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Les Misérables.
Paris has continued to embrace and champion the written word, and you’ll find dozens of bookshops to visit around the city. There are even a number of booksellers that specialise in English language books, making these shops a must visit for English speakers.
Shakespeare and Company, Paris - Bookshop Review
I explored Paris’ famous English language bookshop and literary meeting place, Shakespeare and Company.
I arrived at the bookshop on one of those cold yet sunny winter mornings as part of an excursion with Viking Cruises. The tour guide had allocated us an hour of free time to spend as we liked, and as most of the tour group pottered off to peruse the nearby Christmas market, I rubbed my hands together with glee, knowing that I was about to visit one of my bucket list bookshops.
Although many people report having to wait in line to enter Shakespeare and Company, I was fortunate and ended up walking straight inside.
Game of Thrones Reading Order
Author of the books which inspired the hit HBO show, George R. R. Martin has been writing professionally since he was 21 years old. Now in his 70s, Martin is well known for penning the epic fantasy series Game of Thrones.
Despite starting the series with the first book, A Game of Thrones, in 1996, the books remain unfinished with many doubting whether the final two novels will ever be released. The latest instalment, A Dance With Dragons, was published in the same year that the television show first broadcast, 2011.
Viking Skaga Ship Tour and Review - Viking River Cruises
Welcome to the Viking Skaga - one of Viking Cruises’ noble river ships. She takes her name from an ancient Norse myth, where the Valkyrie Skaga rode into battle and escorted the dead to Valhalla, before preparing them to fight in the epic battle of Ragnarok.
A relatively new ship, the Viking Skaga only entered the fleet in 2020. At just 410 feet and carrying 168 guests and 48 crew, she was built specifically to sail down the Seine in France, although the specific itinerary will vary depending on the time of year. I was fortunate enough to join the ship for her week long Christmas on the Seine cruise, which starts and ends in Paris, calling at Vernon, Caudebec-en-Caux, Rouen, Honflour (via an excursion) and Les Andelys along the way.
How to Train Your Dragon Movies in Order
Here is everything you need to know about The How to Train Your Dragon movies, based on the bestselling books by children’s author Cressida Cowell.
Loosely inspired by the books written by Cressida Cowell, there are currently three animated How to Train Your Dragon movies, with a live action adaptation currently in the works for 2025. There are also five short films and as well as three television series.
The Abbey Bookshop, Paris - Bookshop Review
Located in Paris’ Latin Quarter, The Abbey Bookshop is an independently owned Canadian bookshop specialising in English language books.
I was excited to finally visit this iconic shop during my recent visit to Paris, where I embarked on an exciting press trip with Viking Cruises, which involved sailing down the Seine on a roundtrip from the capital.
How Many Percy Jackson Books Are There?
A popular children’s fantasy series written by Rick Riordan, the first Percy Jackson book was published in 2005.
Heavily inspired by Greek mythology, the original seven book series follows protagonist Percy Jackson as he navigates discovering that he’s the son of the water god Poseidon. These are widely considered to be one of bestselling book series of all time, selling 180 million copies around the world in dozens of languages.
Louise Penny’s Books in Order
A prolific writer of mystery novels, Louise Penny came to writing later in life. A former journalist who worked for the Canadian Broadcasting Association, Penny began her long running Inspector Gamache saga after writing her first book, Still Life, when she was in her 40s.
The series now totals more than 18 titles, written across two decades, all following Inspector Armand Gamache in his fictional village of Three Pines.
Kristin Hannah Books in Order
Born in California in 1960, Kristin Hannah is best known for her multimillion copy bestselling novel The Nightingale.
Hannah’s first published book, A Handful of Heaven, was released in 1991. She has continued to write prolifically since then and now has more than 20 novels to her name. Her very first book, however, was written with her mother who has since passed away from cancer. That novel remains unpublished.
21 Jane Eyre Quotes About Love, Life and Independence
One of my all time favourite books, Jane Eyre was written by Charlotte Bronte and first published in 1847. While it’s now considered to be a classic work of literature, Jane Eyre received a mixed reception at first, with initial reviewers finding that the novel went against Christian values.
This perception changed as time went on, and as feminist values became more popular. Jane Eyre has since been adapted into a number of films and stage productions around the world, as well as a notable television series in 2006. Today, you’ll even find a manga adaption which was published in 2016 as part of UDON Entertainment’s Manga Classics series.
The book discusses a wide variety of themes that make it a popular choice for students, including love, life and independence.
Armchair Books, Edinburgh - Bookshop Review
Located in West Port, above Edinburgh’s colourful Grassmarket, Armchair Books is one of the city’s most beloved secondhand bookshops.
Of course, there’s huge competition in Edinburgh when it comes to bookshops.
The city has more than 20, spanning books used, new and antiquarian, with some shops specialising in specific genres such as science fiction and romance. I like to think that there’s room for all of them, and I never leave the city without a new (to me) book in hand.
Colleen Hoover Books in Order
One of TikTok’s favourite romance authors, Colleen Hoover is a prolific writer who has sold more than 20 million books worldwide.
Born in Sulphur Springs, Texas in 1979, Colleen Hoover initially worked in child protection services before penning her first novel Slammed in 2012. This book, along with many others, was initially self published and enabled Hoover to work full time as a writer.
Anne of Green Gables Books in Order
First published in 1908, Anne of Green Gables was written by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery, who was reportedly inspired by her own childhood in Prince Edward Island. Since then the book been translated into at least 36 languages and has sold more than 50 million copies around the world.
The books have an enduring appeal and have been adapted into numerous films, television series, musicals and plays, with the latest TV adaption ‘Anne With an E’ premiering on Netflix in 2017.
Here are all 8 of the Anne of Green Gables books in order. Enjoy!
16 Quotes From Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Written by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables was first published in 1908 and has since been translated into 36 languages. Montgomery was reportedly inspired by her own childhood in Prince Edward Island, and based the first story in rural Nova Scotia.
The series has an enduring appeal, with the original book selling more than 50 million copies around the world. It’s also been adapted into numerous films, television series, musicals and plays, with the latest TV adaption ‘Anne With an E’ premiering on Netflix in 2017.
Here are 16 of the best quotes from Anne of Green Gables, covering life, friendship, creativity and nature. Happy reading!
Suri Electric Toothbrush Review - Should I Buy One?
Having somehow reached the age of 30 and only ever used a manual toothbrush, I was excited to change things up and give Suri’s sustainable electric toothbrush a try.
Looking after my teeth is something that’s important to me - I hate having dental work done and try to avoid needing it as much as possible. So, one of my resolutions for 2025 was to start using an electric toothbrush, which is thought to be more effective in removing plaque and improving general oral hygiene.
I was so excited when Suri offered to send me one of their lovely electric toothbrushes in return for an honest review.
17 Quotes From Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Originally published in two volumes, with the first in 1968 and the second in 1969, Little Women is a coming of age story that has been enjoyed by generations of young readers.
Louisa May Alcott was an American author who based Little Women on her own experiences of growing up in New England. Its success was followed by a number of sequels: Little Men (1871), Jo’s Boys (1886) and Good Wives (1869) which was originally the second volume of Little Women.
Beatrix Potter Books in Order
One of the UK’s most beloved children’s authors, Beatrix Potter published her first book in 1902.
Potter is well known for her quirky stories featuring sweet English garden animals, which are accompanied by her own illustrations.
This post details Beatrix Potter’s 23 children’s tales, including fan favourites Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle Duck and Mrs Tiggy-Winkle.
Welcome to the Viking Skaga - one of Viking Cruises’ noble river ships. She takes her name from an ancient Norse myth, where the Valkyrie Skaga rode into battle and escorted the dead to Valhalla, before preparing them to fight in the epic battle of Ragnarok.
A relatively new ship, the Viking Skaga only entered the fleet in 2020. At just 410 feet and carrying 168 guests and 48 crew, she was built specifically to sail down the Seine in France, although the specific itinerary will vary depending on the time of year. I was fortunate enough to join the ship for her week long Christmas on the Seine cruise, which starts and ends in Paris, calling at Vernon, Caudebec-en-Caux, Rouen, Honflour (via an excursion) and Les Andelys along the way.