Have you noticed how nobody says splendid anymore? Or rather (in the sense of something being “rather good”)? I tried them out a few times today, but nobody noticed, which was sad. It was in the context of cricket, so perhaps that’s somehow more acceptable.

Quintessential is another word people hardly ever use anymore, “essential” typically being taken to mean “Absolutely necessary, indispensably requisite” rather than being derived from “essence” (thanks to the OED for the definitions). For a long time I thought “essential oils” where oils that were required for a given task. 🙂

Also been devouring books recently – obviously

Half Blood Prince, but a couple of fab books;


  • The Other Boleyn Girl / The Queen’s Fool

    Both are about Tudor england (and both deserving their own review) – great reads. (see them on Amazon)

  • The Rule of Four

    (

    Amazon),

  • Mr Golightly’s Holiday

    (

    Amazon), and

    Miss Garnet’s Angel ( amazon) (in progress)

    Both by Sally Vickers, and pleasingly gentle reads.

  • several Dan Brown’s
  • King of Torts (amazon)

    not bad,but I like Grisham.

  • Island of Lost Maps (amazon) was quite fun too.
  • The Time Traveller’s Wife ( amazon)

    Lest we forget – but this book deserves its own review.

  • Camelot’s Shadow was ok.

Oh yes, and I did get Mortal Engines in the end too – jolly good it is too.

My in-waiting list includes Attention all shipping and another Sally Vickers – Instances of the Number Three. My to-be-added-to-my-in-waiting list still has Philip Pullman’s triology, but also now the Shadowmancer series. Too lazy to do all the links!