SPARKLY EMERALD SANDALS...

These cost me £13 from Ebay.  They are ex-display shoes from a fancy dress shop.

Fancy dress?  My dress is always fancy!!!!

The brand is called Funtasma- not a make I've ever heard of before- and they're very comfortable too.

DELIGHTS FROM THE DUSTBIN...

DELIGHTS FROM THE DUSTBIN!

Whilst putting the rubbish out the other day, I found this twinkly purple jewelled basked dumped by the bins.

Originally a hanging basket, I ripped the wire handle off, gave it a good scrub and now use it to stow my nail varnishes and body sparkles (I do live on the Essex bordeline darling, so have an obligation to try to fit in!) all for the princely sum of nought pence!

I'm not proud and free is the magic number!

BONES OF THE LOST, BY KATHY REICHS

BONES OF THE LOST

BY KATHY REICHS

THE BLURB:-

A teenage girl is found dead beside a desolate highway on the outskirts of Charlotte. Inside her purse is the ID card of a local businessman who died in a fire five months earlier.

But who is the girl, and was she murdered?

Dr. Temperance Brennan, forensic anthropologist, must work fast to reach the answers. Convinced that the girl's death was no accident, she soon uncovers a conspiracy that extends from South America to Afghanistan.

But to find justice for the dead, Tempe must be more courageous- and take more extreme action- than ever before.

THE REALITY:-

I have read every one of Kathy Reichs' Temperance Brennan novels; since that moment circa 1998 when my then-boyfriend found a copy of her first novel, Deja Dead, abandoned in a local betting shop! Although none of her other novels have been as good as her first, all of them (with the exception of Cross Bones, which I didn't manage to finish) have been highly readable.

Erudite in the extreme, each novel is a lesson in itself in the type of work Reichs carries out on a day to day basis. She also tackles everyday, newsworthy issues- in this case the war in Afghanistan- with glittering, first-hand experience.

With the correct amount of tension and the usual crescendo to a highly violent finish, this novel was certainly a page turner. I always find, however, that it is the study of Temperance Brennan as a woman that draws me in more, especially her on/off relationship with Detective Andrew Ryan (I so want them to sort it out and get together properly and permanently, although that would possibly make for a less interesting continuation of the series than the other option!)

This novel was bought from Sainsbury's, and also carried an “exclusive” short Temperance Brennan story as an addition, which was nice.

A great read but a word of warning- avoid the Virals series. The one book I read seemed too far fetched for me, although I suppose that's probably because they're aimed at a younger audience.