Author Archives: Fiona

August 2025 round up

We are into September (and autumn) now so it’s time to look at what I got up to in August. What I read August was a bit of a slow month – only ten books read, but I’m still 13 … Continue reading

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Monday #675

It’s September first today so apart from the Hogwarts Express departing from King’s Cross, it’s also the first day of autumn. It’s still fairly warm right now but I’m already wondering if my cosy cardigans will last another winter… August … Continue reading

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The Secret Seven covers through the years

I’ve done several of these posts so far, but left the Secret Seven as, honestly, I don’t rate them as highly as I do most of Blyton’s other series. Janet and Peter For completeness sake, and as there wouldn’t be … Continue reading

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Monday #674

Seeing as I’ve gotten so far behind on Brodie’s reviews I thought I’d better crack on with another one and hopefully catch up eventually. Ironically I had been thinking how fun a Byker Grove blog would be. The clothes and … Continue reading

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Reading The River of Adventure to Brodie

We read this from October 10th to 24th, 2024 so I’m nearly a year behind in reporting on it! I also didn’t take notes at the time so these are my best recollections. (I’m learning from my mistakes and have … Continue reading

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Letters to Enid part 76: From volume 4, issue 13.

Previous letters pages can be found here. Letters page from Volume 4, issue 13. July 18th – July 31st, 1956. OUR LETTER PAGE All about Birds today! A letter from Anne Lacey, Cardiff. Dear Miss Blyton, One day, over a … Continue reading

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Monday #673

I missed a couple of weeks – Brodie turned 8 and we have been enjoying the last couple of weeks of the school holidays before he goes into p4. Last Monday was Enid’s birthday – she was born 128 years … Continue reading

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July 2025 round up

What I read I hit 100 books in July which is good considering my year goal was already set at 150. After take a Val McDermid break I returned to her books, but I read other things too! but I … Continue reading

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Letters to Enid part 75: From volume 4, issue 12.

Previous letters pages can be found here. Letters page from Volume 4, issue 12. July 4th – July 17th, 1956. OUR LETTER PAGE A letter from Marilyn Bowder, Sunbeam 13688. (Please send me your address.) Dear Enid Blyton, I am … Continue reading

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Monday #670

July is almost over. That means it’s almost August and Brodie’s 8th birthday. We started Mr Galliano’s Circus last night which he says he DID NOT LIKE – but he was overtired after being away for three nights with his … Continue reading

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Reading the Circus of Adventure to Brodie

I keep getting further and further behind on these – we read The Circus of Adventure between September 9th and October 9th 2024. At this point I’m not sure how many of his comments I’m going to be able to … Continue reading

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Pretending to be Jack Trent

Anyone who’s read the adventure series will know what Jack Trent is obsessed with. Birds, photography and adventures, probably in that order! Well, on holiday last week I had my camera of course, and on a walk along the cliffs … Continue reading

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Monday #639

It was somewhat ambitious of me two weeks ago to aim for two posts, considering I was going off on holiday. The holiday is over (sadly!) so back to business now. Pretending to be Jack Trent and Reading the Circus … Continue reading

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Letters to Enid part 74: From volume 4, issue 11.

Previous letters pages can be found here. Letters page from Volume 4, issue 11. June 20th – July 3rd, 1956. OUR LETTER PAGE A letter from Eileen Kelley, Kuwait, Persian Gulf. Dear Enid Blyton, I thought you might like to … Continue reading

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Monday #637

We are firmly into July now and the weather is starting to look better (except from a super heavy downpour this afternoon!). It is supposed to get hotter and sunnier as the week goes on so I will enjoy getting … Continue reading

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Letters to Enid part 73: From volume 4 issue 10

Previous letters pages can be found here. NB – a warning again for the use of wording that is considered derogatory and offensive in the UK (and potentially elsewhere) today. As I am transcribing these letters exactly as written by … Continue reading

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June 2025 round up

It’s July already (and it has rained pretty much every day so far) so let’s look back at June. What I read I continued with the Val McDermids at the start of June, then finally took a break once I … Continue reading

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Monday #636

I took last week off as I realised it was the last week of term and it was my last chance for peace during the day for SEVEN WEEKS. Now it’s the first week of these really long holidays, so … Continue reading

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Blyton references in non-fiction books

I have finally compiled enough references to make another non-fiction post worthwhile (the first was references in memoirs). That means that shortly after posting this I will undoubtedly find another reference and have to start a third post. Lego Lost … Continue reading

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Maps in books

Having shared the map Eileen Soper drew of her own garden in a recent post I made the same comment again – about how much I love a map in a book. That got me thinking that I should then … Continue reading

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