This is an occasional post where I look into something of interest that my latest reading has thrown up. Sometimes it’s a word, a phrase or a saying and sometimes it’s a name, an historical incident or a reference to a painting or a poem. Whatever it is, it makes me pause, research and take … Continue reading Let me look into that… #4| This Reading Life
I meant to finish this post last night after work, but yesterday was hectic. Firstly, it is new release week at work which means a busy few days receiving and shelving all the shiny new books, but October is the BIG ONE. This is the month ALL the publishers get serious about Christmas, giving their … Continue reading Book Diary | September 2025| This Reading Life
The Australian Book Review short story prize has been awarded since 2010. In 2011 it was renamed the Elizabeth Jolley short story prize. Anyone from around the world can enter the prize. The story …| This Reading Life
ABC Radio National is looking for the Top 100 Books of the 21st Century as voted by its listeners. On their website they explain that, All genres are in the running. Whether you want to vote for yo…| This Reading Life
Lisa @ANZ LitLovers is hosting the inaugural Short Story September where we are encouraged to ‘discover short story collections that are good to read.’ In more recent times I have …| This Reading Life
What’s On My Mind: 20 Books of Summer Winter A BIG tick and pat on the back to me! I finished reading my twentieth book at 11pm on the 31st August. Now I just have to complete two reviews so …| This Reading Life
© Brona’s Books 2025 | The Maroubrix Cube, Maroubra Beach August is usually the windy month; this year it has been the wet month. Perfect for reading but not so good for walking every day or g…| This Reading Life
What’s On My Mind: Stats. Volatile Rune recently wrote a post about her thoughts on The Salt Path controversy which garnered many interesting comments, especially about the increased traffic …| This Reading Life
What’s On My Mind: Anniversaries. Today is the 16th blogoversary of This Reading Life, formerly known as Brona’s Books. A lot has happened since the 6th July 2009. Mr Books and I got ma…| This Reading Life
© Brona’s Books 2025 | The Three Sisters, Katoomba June has been grey, windy and cold with some huge overnight frosts. The crisp, blue-sky days of winter have been rare so far, so I was deligh…| This Reading Life
It’s time for another Classics Club spin. This is the Classics Club’s 41st CC Spin…and mine. Yes you read that correctly. I have participated in EVERY single Classics Club spin. What is…| This Reading Life
Penguin Classics UK covers designed by Alceu Chiesorin Nunes I have been saving this post for closer to July and all things Paris, but I’ve come down with a nasty lurgy after my recent FNQ ho…| This Reading Life
I have been asked some very odd questions during my seventeen years working in independent bookshops – where did that time go? It is now almost as long as my teaching career lasted for! But r…| This Reading Life
What’s On My Mind: Far North Queensland. By the time you are reading this I will be ensconced in our happy place. Mr Books and I both love to travel to new and interesting places, but we also…| This Reading Life
According to The Orwell Foundation website which manages The Orwell Prizes for Political Writing and Political Fiction, ‘Each shortlist celebrates work that aspires to Orwell’s ambition to “m…| This Reading Life
After a decade hosting the worldwide blogging event, 20 Books of Summer, Cathy @746 books has decided it is time to pass the baton. I have been with Cathy and the 20 Books Of community since 2…| This Reading Life
Photo by Kaye Hanson on Unsplash April, where did you go? In a blur of autumn leaves, crisp mornings, chocolate eggs and extra shifts at work another month has hurried by. It looks l…| This Reading Life
This year I have been quite taken with the International Booker selection, so I was delighted to see that the two books I’ve read so far (and thoroughly enjoyed, reviews to come) are now on t…| This Reading Life
© Brona’s Books 2025 | Autumnal sunset in the Blue Mountains March was all about Pride and Prejudice as both myself and Mr Books revisited one of the books we studied at high school. On t…| This Reading Life
Photo by Fleur on Unsplash After writing my recent post about Louisa Lawson and the elegant new statue now on display in her hometown of Mudgee (NSW), I found myself wondering how ma…| This Reading Life
It’s time for another Classics Club spin. This is the Classics Club’s 40th CC Spin…and mine. Yes you read that correctly. I have participated in EVERY single Classics Club spin. What is…| This Reading Life
Cathy @746 Books regularly updates her readers about new fiction on the Irish horizon. I really appreciate the heads up and often find myself adding several books to my TBR wishlist. I also have an…| This Reading Life
It’s that time of year once again, when we pause to think about the books we read and enjoyed the previous year. Which books were the most memorable? Which books made the biggest impact? Whic…| This Reading Life
Reading Jane Austen If people like to read their books, it is all very well, but to be at so much trouble in filling great volumes, which, as I used to think, nobody would willingly ever look into,…| This Reading Life
What’s On My Mind: Working days. I’m in the middle of two weeks work at my lovely new bookshop whilst one of the managers is on holidays. It has been a bit of a shock to the system! I&#…| This Reading Life
It’s time for another Classics Club spin. This is the Classics Club’s 38th CC Spin…and mine. Yes you read that correctly. I have participated in EVERY single Classics Club spin, althoug…| This Reading Life
What’s On My Mind: Good intentions. Last year I started a countdown widget to remind me that the 15th anniversary of my blog was coming up on the 6th July. All year it has faithfully done its…| This Reading Life
I’ve been reading An African History of Africa by Zeinab Badawi. It is by turns a fascinating but also rather dry history book, throwing up a lot of new-to-me names, kingdoms and sources. Nat…| This Reading Life
