BookTrail Boarding Pass: The Cutting Destination/location: Scottish Highlands. Ayr  Author/guide: Michael Malone Departure Time: 2026

Annie’s search for a cure for The Murmurs continues

Well. I made it through the weekend, mostly without too much sadness at missing Bloody Scotland this year. Mostly. It's always sad to miss a great festival, and Bloody Scotland is most certainly one of my favourites. But I'm not going to lie. I genuinely do not have the energy this year. As much as I love books, and clearly I do as I am still here after ten years boring my four or five followers about them, I am heading heartily into those mad menopause years that come to all us ladies sooner or later, and my concentration for reading is at rock bottom.

So. Tenth of August. Pretty well a third of the way through the month. I don't know about you all, but to me it almost feels as though it is next stop Christmas. What the heck is going on? A busy old week at work has meant that I have no idea what is happening any more, and no idea what I am doing with my life. A touch melodramatic, I acknowledge that, but still. The tenth of August for heaven's sake! And that means that the days are starting to shorten at alarming speed.

Book Synopsis: Annie and Lewis search for the son of an old enemy, who may hold the key to ending Annie’s curse. Their investigations lead back to the past, uncovering something that could destroy …

Not going to beat around the bush this week. Been busy at work all week, barely felt like picking up a book in the evening (not the book's fault, it was fascinating - all me). Not been anyway, weather ropey so I haven't had much time for walking and it really has just been one of those weeks when I have no idea what I am doing or how it is 1/4 of the way into September already.

How have we gotten to the middle of August already? I swear these months are getting shorter and I have less and less to show for them as well. Working week so not a lot has happened, although I did manage a couple of walks, when the temperature cooled enough to make it survivable, and the ducks, moorhens and swans seemed grateful for the company, if a little confused to see me in an evening rather than at seven am.

Well, I don't mind admitting that last week feels like it was more like last fortnight. But I survived. MIght not have done a lot - and that includes not having achieved a lot reading wise. But what I lacked in volume (or page count) I made up for with enjoyment, and I can't be unhappy with that. Managed a nice long walk on Sunday, caught up on my reviews, and am rounding the final corner of my June review reading list.

Book Synopsis: Annie and Lewis search for the son of an old enemy, who may hold the key to ending Annie’s curse. Their investigations lead back to the past, uncovering something that could destroy …

When is a ‘gift’ a curse? When you can see people’s impending death