KILLER RAVEL HEELS EQUALS ZERO COMFORT!

I bought these shoes from Ravel (who no longer exist) for £25, reduced from £50.  I never thought much to the fit of Ravel's shoes- they were always lacking in depth rather than width, and were designed for people with feet that have been run over by a steam roller!

I'm technically speaking a five and a half, but generally buy a six for the width.  I've only worn these a couple of times as the heel placement is just a little too far back and it kinda throws me off balance a bit.

Still, I shall persevere!

THE UNSEEN by KATHERINE WEBB

THE UNSEEN

BY KATHERINE WEBB

THE BLURB:-

When a free-spirited young woman arrives in a sleepy Berkshire village to work in the household of the Reverend and Mrs. Canning, she sets in motion a chain of events which changes all their lives. For Cat has a past- a past her new mistress is willing to overlook but will never understand...

This is not all Hester Canning has to cope with. When her husband invites a young man into their home, he brings with him a dangerous obsession.

During the long, oppressive summer, the rectory becomes charged with ambition, love and jealousy- with the most devastating consequences.

THE REALITY:-

This is another writer who uses a person coming out of a broken relationship, and who is free to love again, as a basis for romance (on the modern side of the story).

I like the way the historical sections of storytelling are written in the present tense, as it adds originality and helps with the flow of things.

The letters bind all aspects of the story together, and it's a novel that makes you stop and think, as we always know more about the past situations than the present day characters.

This is an unusual and interesting tale, using faked fairy sightings in a wholly different way.  The bucolic setting adds a sense of calm, and Hester's innocence regarding the marital bed, with references to rutting stallions, (as relayed through her letters to her sister) made me scream with laughter!

But it is the feisty character of Cat, with her of lack of respect and disregard for her “betters” and her desperate need for change, that is truly empowering. She is the true heroine of the story.  I totally loved this young woman, and was rooting for her all the way!  Also, the historical suffragette referencing really brings her prison experience to ghastly real life.

With its twists and turns (and murder!) mixed with modern day musings such as euthanasia and having sex with step-siblings, this novel is a magnificent pleasure to read, and truly original.

CHANNELING MY INNER CRUELLA DE VIL

I couldn't resist these charity shop delights, found in Eastbourne.  They are very witchy, aren't they?

I enjoyed Eastbourne, even though we were there whilst the south coast was being lashed by some of the worst storms in years.

Here's a moody photo of the pier, taken from the nice, cosy confines of my hotel room...

NEW LOOK MULTICOLOURED SHOES...

I bought these snazzy little numbers from New Look a few years back, to celebrate getting a new job.

Well, the job didn't last long and I've never worn the shoes- maybe because they are just too goddamn tight!

I do love them though, so will perhaps invest in some shoe stretching spray and try and break them in around the house... 

MICHAEL KORS KINKY SHOES...

I bought these Michael Kors shoes in New York a few years ago, but have never actually worn them out of the house (read into that what you will, you dirty minded buggers!) 

I think they cost the equivalent of £40, if my memory serves me correctly, from the Lord Taylor sale.  The exchange rate was very much in our favour at the time. 

They are almost fetishist, aren't they?

I LOVE JIMMY CHOOS....

My ex-boyfriend found these Jimmy Choos in a charity shop in Dublin for 8 Euros....Yes, you read it correctly, 8 EUROS!!!!  Some people have no idea what they're giving away.

It's a little known fact that, many moons ago, my feet appeared in a foot fetish magazine and on a foot fetish website (don't ask!)

There is a character in my first novel, "The Reject's Club", who is a foot fetishist....read it and see for yourself....

You can buy The Reject's Club from Amazon, via this link:-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Rejects-Club-Elaine-Rockett-ebook/dp/B00DQDBMZ0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394198298&sr=8-1&keywords=rejects+club

A PLACE OF SECRETS by RACHEL HORE

A PLACE OF SECRETS

BY RACHEL HORE

THE BLURB:-

Can dreams be passed down through families? As a child Jude suffered a recurring nightmare: running through a dark forest crying for her mother. Now her six year old niece, Summer, is having the same dream, and Jude is frightened for her.

A successful auctioneer, Jude is struggling to come to terms with the death of her husband. When she is asked to value a collection of scientific instruments and manuscripts belonging to Anthony Wickham, a lonely 18^th century astronomer, she leaps at the chance to escape London, for the untamed beauty of Norfolk, where she grew up.

As Jude untangles Wickham's tragic story, she discovers threatening links to the present. What have Summer's nightmares to do with Starbrough folly, the eerie crumbling tower in the woods from which Wickham and his daughter, Esther, once viewed the night sky? With the help of Euan, a local naturalist, Jude searches for answers in the wild, haunting splendour of the Norfolk forests. Dare she leave behind the sadness in her own life, and learn to love again?

THE REALITY:-

Some books get read then put straight into the charity shop bag. And some get put on the shelf, if there's space, then shifted to the charity shop when something better needs to fill that space. And some get to stay forever- this novel certainly fits into the latter section.

What a great read! Slipping from the modern day to Georgian times (through Esther's diary) this book packs a punch of a tale. It's another of those stories that makes me wish I'd thought of all the ideas (and this book contains plenty of those!) first.

I've always had a thing for astronomy, and have made a point of visiting planetariums in both the northern and southern hemispheres. Whilst my teenage friends were more into astrology, I tended to prefer to immerse myself in Peter Davidson's stargazing programmes (kind of Patrick Moore for the less erudite!) which were on late on a Sunday evening. The finer points have been thoroughly researched and brought to life. Add to that the fairytale dimension of a Rapunzel-esque folly tower and strange dreams that connect both Jude and Summer to the past and you have a recipe for a magical story.  I also like the fact that this book is set in Norfolk, where I grew up, and includes areas I know.

I have read Rachel Hore before, and she seems to often add a human element by having a character who's getting over some kind of romantic break, and going through a personal metamorphosis, which adds a great dimension of sadness and new beginnings that the reader can connect to emotionally.

You'll love this book, with all its unexpected twists and turns: it is something really special!