Welcome

Hi! My name is Margot. My blog is about the things I love to do. That could be what I'm reading, places we visit, my family, food, or whatever else is happening. I hope you'll stay and visit a while. Contact me by email: joyfullyretired (at) gmail (dot) com.

What I’m Reading

Gods In Alabama

Sizzle

Poems by Emily Dickinson

Read-A-Longs

Clarissa

My Book Rating System

A = Excellent in every way
B = Very good story
C  = Good/Average
D = Poor
F = So Bad I couldn't finish it

Archives

Book Review: Death On the Nile

Author: Agatha Christie Publisher: Dodd, Mead, & Co, 1938 Genre: Mystery My Rating: A- Summary: A lovely cruise down the Nile River is the perfect trip for honeymooners unless the wife’s former best friend, who is also the husband’s ex-fiance, is also on board, determined to spoil the fun. The honeymoon is definitely over when [...]

Book Review: Austenland

Author: Shannon Hale Publisher: Bloomsbury, 2007 Genre: Adult fiction My Rating: A Summary: Jane Hayes is single, thirty-three-years-old, with a successful career as a graphic illustrator. Jane can also be described as a devotee of Jane Austen, although it’s hurting her love life. That’s because she compares every man to Mr. Darcy – the Colin [...]

Book Review: Lone Star Christmas

Authors: William W. Johnstone with J.A. Johnstone Publisher: Pinnacle Books, November 2011 Genre: Historical Fiction, Western U.S. My Rating: C- Summary (from the publisher): It’s December 1890. A Texas rancher named Big Ben Conyers has a deal with Scottish-born, Wyoming cattleman named Duff MacAllister. Along with Smoke and Matt Jensen, the party bears down on Dodge, [...]

Perfect Christmas Day: 15 Essential Recipes for the Perfect Christmas by Felicity Cloake

Christmas dinner is perhaps the one meal of the year where even the most relaxed cook feels the pressure of perfection – and, although few menus can be more familiar, it’s probably the one we all feel the least confident about. The context, of course, can be stressful – small children high on pilfered tree [...]

Book Review: Last Night at the Lobster

Author: Stewart O’Nan Publisher: Penguin, 2008 Format: Audiobook, Narrated by Jonathan Davis My Rating: A Summary (from the publisher): The Red Lobster perched in the far corner of a run-down New England mall hasn’t been making its numbers and headquarters has pulled the plug. But manager Manny DeLeon still needs to navigate a tricky last shift [...]