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#3books #thatmademewanttotravel
Middle grade books edition!

These made me want to travel to Vienna & the Alps; London & its vicinity; and Paris!

Set in Vienna during Emperor Franz Joseph's reign, this engaging story is rich in history & humour. 12-yr-old Annika, fostered by 2 servants since she was a baby, is happy living in the beautiful city of music. She is whisked away to live in a castle in Germany by an aristocrat who claimed to be her mother but things are not what they seem. Love the characters, the setting.
#MiddleGradeMarch
#ReadingEurope2020 #Austria

The 450-year-old Spanish Riding School, one of Vienna‘s most popular attractions....‘This equestrian show is performed by Lipizzaner stallions formerly kept at an imperial stud established at Lipizza (hence the name). The graceful stallions perform an equine ballet to a classical-music program while the audience watches from pillared balconies..‘

One of the many interesting things about Austria I learnt from my current read. #MiddleGradeMarch

We love book maps! The story is about a young girl who has been brought up by a cook and a housemaid staying with three eccentric professors in Vienna. I love tracing and referring to the girl‘s journey using this map. And the mentions of Austrian foods make my mouth water! Sauerkraut, dumplings, Apfelstrudels, and all those wonderful descriptions of pastries! 😋

#MiddleGradeMarch

Sum: Annika is a servant in a grand house in Vienna, a great city famous for its great emperor. Her life would be perfect for her real mothers mystery. Annika has been found in a Church as a newborn baby, and no one knows where she came from. Yet her mind swirls everyday with visions of a lovely mother who finally come to claim her. Then Annika finds out the amazing truth about her past and is going to go on a great, yet serious, discovery danger.

Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Children‘s Literature
Author: Eva Ibbotson
Date Started: Friday, October 11, 2019
Date Finished: Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Why I chose this book: Because i was given this book by my old school and said I could keep it.

2 books done. Husband is making me go out for coffee but I‘m taking book three ☺️ #24in48 @24in48

Off I go. It‘s 7am here in Sydney 📚#24in48 @24in48

This is vintage Ibbotson, y'all. Everyone runs around forming found families, nurturing bonds with animals, and staging DARING RESCUES (my fave!). It's delightful! Except when it's horrifying! I cried because I was terrified for the characters, and I cried because I was so damned happy for them! I binge-listened to the audio to cram the story into my brain all the faster, and I'm proud to add the paperback to my permanent collection. 4.5 stars.

Brownies in the sunshine.

I need this glaze to set so I can eat one. #audiobaking

I desperately needed an excuse to listen to THE STAR OF KAZAN, so I made my favourite coffee brownies from BROWN SUGAR by Joyce White. I had to substitute strong-brewed regular coffee because the instant I usually use went mouldy (a shock and a surprise), and they came out a different colour. Huh. Hopefully they still taste good. I'll find out once they've cooled enough to glaze and cut. #audiobaking

One thing I love about Eva Ibbotson's books is how she was obviously a huge dog person. So far in THE STAR OF KAZAN I've met a schnauzer and a spaniel, which is a fun coincidence since my own little spaniel and I currently have a schnauzer staying with us! Hector, the book's spaniel, has gone through some awful stuff so far, but I trust Ibbotson to give him an awesome life with the main characters.

Sandwich makers shaped like Hello Kitty's head are just BETTER than other sandwich makers, y'know?

I brought this one out so I could make a turkey melt with raclette cheese, mayo, mustard, and kohlrabi greens. It was delicious, and I had a marvellous time listening to the first few chapters of THE STAR OF KAZAN while I cooked and ate it. #audiocooking

It makes me dream of old Vienna. Wonderful as all the books of Eva Ibbotson