The Voyage of Their Life - Diane Armstrong

What an interesting compelling read this one is.  This book tells the journey if the over crowded and worn out boat, the Derna which travelled from France to Australia in 1948.  Aboard were 545 passengers, mostly survivors from the war seeking a new life in Australia or New Zealand.

The author was just a young girl who was with her family on board and she tells the amazing stories of many of the passengers.  It still shocks me to hear what these poor people endured in concentration camps, in gulags, hidden in convents, holes in the ground or hidden in attics.

Interesting  to hear too, about their lives in Australia and New Zealand and how hard they worked.  This us one of those books that I will think about for a long time. 5/5

Deepwater Horizon

So this was the last of the movies that I saw on my recent flight.  Deepwater Horizon is a biopic about a real life accident on the oil drilling right in 2010.  A series of events led to a huge explosion and fire that left 11 workers dead.  It is a bit of a grim watch, but it does a good job of honouring the teams aboard.  3/5

Manchester By The Sea

I had wanted to see this one at the cinema but never got organized enough.  So it was the first choice on my recent flight.  However I wished I had watched something else, I was quite bored.  1/5

Music Monday- Adele- When We Were Young

Night School - Lee Child

We travel back in time with this one to meet Jack Reached in 1996.  I can't really explain much more about the plot because I couldn't really follow it myself.  It is a departure from his usual formula and for me, it seemed to be written as some sort of set up to follow into another story line. 3/5

The Liberation- Kate Furnivall

Caterina is trying to survive in Sorrento, Italy in 1945.  The war has ended and British and American troops are in Naples trying to restore peace to the war devastated city.  Caterina has taken over her dead father's business to try and support her young brother and grandfather who rely on her.

I enjoyed the first half of this story but it seemed to take me a long time to get through the last part. 3/5

So I got to see this one on a recent flight.  I had read the book when it came out several years ago, a bestseller for weeks.  It is the story of Lou Clark who in need of a job, applies to be a caregiver to Will Traynor, a young banker who had been paralyzed after an accident years earlier.  As a friendship develops, they become inseparable but Will has a plan of his own.

I found this one a nice piece of light watching.  Emilia Clark was a delight to watch and provided the perfect mix of airiness and drama that the character needed.  4/5

A Street Cat Named Bob

With a longish flight home last night there was time to watch a movie. I had read the book when it came out.  It tells the true life story of James Bowen whose life as a drug addiction changes when he gives up the drugs.  With the help of a kind social worker, he is able to get a council flat and he gets a visit from a ginger tomcat who makes himself at home.

Soon Bob and James are inseparable and become famous with clips of them together watched by millions on YouTube.

I really enjoyed this one, showing that love can come in many forms and from different creatures.   It was also awesome that the real Bob got to play himself in the movie as well as a cameo from the author.   5/5

Darling, I'm Going To Charlie - Maryse Wolinski

This is a small but moving memoir about a wife of 47 years, missing her husband.  Georges Wolinski was a satirical journalist who was murdered with eleven others at the Charlie Hedbo Magazine offices in Paris in 2016.

At the core of this book is a love story, of the couple that spent all their time together, of love notes left any time they spent apart.  4/5

Taken 3

A middle aged lady night in meant there was a load of washing already on the line, and a sink full if dishes soaking.  So with a bowl of ice cream and the candles lit, I sat down to tackle a movie from the DVR.   Taken 3 seemed a good choice  - who doesn't love a bit of Liam Neeson?

This one for me was a bit of a dud.  It seemed to be lacking in any cohesive story, just a series of car chases and shoot out scenes.  A bit of a worried looking daughter and two obviously bad guy cops.  All I could think throughout though, was that Liam looked bone tired like he just needed a good lie down on the couch and a good burger and fries.  Thank goodness it is the final of the three part franchise  - you have a rest now Liam.  2/5

The Constant Queen- Joanna Courtney

I am enjoying this series from Joanna Courtney, about the three Queens who were involved in the fight for the English crown in 1066.  This story is about Princess Elizaveta, born in Kiev who falls in love with a Norwegian Viking.

However she is not the only one seeking handsome Haralds heart, will he marry the Nordic Tora or never return home, continuing to plunder riches from wealthy cities across Europe.

I felt sacked into this historical novel, althou5it did take me a long time to read it. 4/5