Hello!
I thought it was time to bring back my Mid Week Quote posts.
This weeks quote is by Carter Crocker (1957) who was a writer of the Barney franchise and other animated series. He is also an author of several children’s books.
“Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”
Carter Crocker
Happy Reading
WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words.
The rules are answer the questions below and share a link to your blog in the comments section of Sam’s blog.
Hello!
I hope everyone is having a good week so far. I have had a busy day playing for a wedding and teaching but hopefully the rest of the week will be quieter and involve lots of reading.
What I am Currently Reading
I have nearly finished this book and I have really enjoyed it. It could be one of my favourite Maigret books so far.
What I have Recently Finished Reading
I really enjoyed this book and will be writing my review soon. Jennifer Saint is definietly an auto buy author for me now.
What I Think I will Read Next
My 20 Books of Summer Challenge begins tomorrow and I am very excited to get reading some of these books and also lower my TBR pile.
Please drop me a comment with your WWW Wednesday and I will head over for a visit.
Happy Reading
A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon
Blurb
In A Day of Fallen Night, Samantha Shannon sweeps readers back to the universe of Priory of the Orange Tree and into the lives of four women, showing us a course of events that shaped their world for generations to come.
Tunuva Melim is a sister of the Priory. For fifty years, she has trained to slay wyrms – but none have appeared since the Nameless One, and the younger generation is starting to question the Priory’s purpose.
To the north, in the Queendom of Inys, Sabran the Ambitious has married the new King of Hróth, narrowly saving both realms from ruin. Their daughter, Glorian, trails in their shadow – exactly where she wants to be.
The dragons of the East have slept for centuries. Dumai has spent her life in a Seiikinese mountain temple, trying to wake the gods from their long slumber. Now someone from her mother’s past is coming to upend her fate.
When the Dreadmount erupts, bringing with it an age of terror and violence, these women must find the strength to protect humankind from a devastating threat.
Review
I was so excited to read this book because I really enjoyed The Priory of the Orange Tree and thankfully I was not disappointed. As a prequel I was hoping to learn a lot more about the Priory of the Orange Tree and the world it is set in. The prequel takes place 500 years before the events of The Priory of the Orange Tree.
This book is a slower read than The Priory of the Orange Tree but I liked that aspect because I learned so much more. The history is more fleshed out and I learnt so much more about the different cultures featured in the book and their different beliefs. I learnt so much about the four different geographical regions, the history and the religious and political beliefs of the different cultures. It really gave me so much more detail into how and why certain changes occur within this book and The Priory of the Orange Tree.
The other element I thoroughly enjoyed was the multi person point of view, although I soon found myself wanting certain characters’ chapters to come around quicker than others because I had favourite characters. The different points of view all flow through each other and we see how they connect but at the same time it felt like reading several books because each storyline was so rich and detailed.
My favourite characters were by far Wulf, Glorian and Tunuva, especially Tunuva. I really hope Shannon writes more books in this series and fast because I would love to learn more about The Priory. I would love a book about the founding of The Priory but I will have to wait and see what Shannon comes up with next. I found this a hard book to rate as in my mind it wasn’t quite a 5 out of 5 Dragon book so I think I will go with a first half rating of 4.5 Dragons out of 5.
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Purchase Links
Bookshop.org | Foyles | Waterstones
(All purchases made using one of the above affiliate links gives a small percentage of money to myself with no extra cost to yourself. All proceeds go towards the upkeep of this blog. Thank you ever so much, your support is gratefully received.)
About the author
Samantha Shannon studied English Language and Literature at St. Anne’s College, Oxford. She is the New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author of The Bone Season series. She currently lives in London.
Goodreads Monday is now hosted by Budget Tales Book Club. All you have to do is show off a book from your TBR that you’re looking forward to reading.
Happy Monday!
I am off on an adventure today but you will know more later on in the week. I am on half term this week so I am hoping to catch up on my book review writing and reading.
My chosen book to feature this week on Goodreads Monday is another off my 20 Books of Summer Challenge.
I’ve been wanting to read this for a long time and I’m not sure why I have put it off for so long because I am quite excited to read it.
The great plays of Ancient Greece are among the most enduring and important legacies of the Western world. Not only is the influence of Greek drama palpable in everything from Shakespeare to modern television, the insights contained in Greek tragedy have shaped our perceptions of the nature of human life. Poets, philosophers, and politicians have long borrowed and adapted the ideas and language of Greek drama to help them make sense of their own times.
This exciting curated anthology features a cross section of the most popular–and most widely taught–plays in the Greek canon. Fresh translations into contemporary English breathe new life into the texts while capturing, as faithfully as possible, their original meaning.
This outstanding collection also offers short biographies of the playwrights, enlightening and clarifying introductions to the plays, and helpful annotations at the bottom of each page. Appendices by prominent classicists on such topics as “Greek Drama and Politics,” “The Theater of Dionysus,” and “Plato and Aristotle on Tragedy” give the reader a rich contextual background. A detailed time line of the dramas, as well as a list of adaptations of Greek drama to literature, stage, and film from the time of Seneca to the present, helps chart the history of Greek tragedy and illustrate its influence on our culture from the Roman Empire to the present day.
With a veritable who’s who of today’s most renowned and distinguished classical translators, The Greek Plays is certain to be the definitive text for years to come.
What are your thoughts on this book if you have read it?
Please drop me a link with your Goodreads Monday and I will head over for a visit.
Happy Reading
Hello!
I hope everyone has had a nice weekend. I have sadly not had a good week on the blogging front but reading has been going reasonably well.
Blog Posts
Currently Reading
Just started this today and so far I am really enjoying it.
Happy Reading
WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words.
The rules are answer the questions below and share a link to your blog in the comments section of Sam’s blog.
Hello!
I hope you are all having a good week so far. I am thoroughly enjoying the sunshine at the moment and hope it doesn’t disappear anytime soon.
What I am Currently Reading
I am really enjoying this book so far. Jennifer Saint is a definite auto buy author for me.
What I have Recently Finished Reading
Another fantastic book by Garth Nix. Review will be posted soon.
What I Think I will Read Next
I will be starting my 20 Books of Summer Challenge on the 1st June so my reading will be a little more structured than usual so hopefully it will be one of these books that I read next.
Please drop me a comment with your WWW Wednesday and I will head over for a visit.
Happy Reading
The Doll: Short Stories by Daphne du Maurier
Blurb
In ‘The Doll’, a waterlogged notebook washes ashore, its pages telling a dark story of obsession and jealousy.
Many of the stories in this chilling collection were written early in Daphne du Maurier’s career, before she wrote the masterpieces that would cement her reputation as one of the twentieth century’s greatest writers: Rebecca, ‘The Birds’ and ‘Don’t Look Now’. These thirteen tales of human frailty and obsession demonstrate du Maurier’s extraordinary storytelling ability and her deep understanding of human nature.
Review
Having never read a book by Maurier before I did not know what to expect when reading this book of short stories. I also knew that these short stories had been written early in Maurier’s career so I approached the book with an open mind and also with the decision that if I didn’t enjoy the short stories I would still read some of Maurier’s full length books to see whether I liked her work.
Although these stories were written early in Maurier’s career you can see she has excellent skill in setting a dramatic scene. For me this is shown at its best in The Doll. The Doll is dark, vivid and mysterious and quite disturbing. Although the story I found the most disturbing was the last story in the book called The Limpet. I hated the main character of this story but it was clear that was what Maurier wanted. The character in my opinion was pure evil and a master manipulator.
There are many themes within this set of short stories but the main theme was love and all the extras love brings. There was adultery, sexuality, crimes of passion, jealousy, sadism and obsession. Some of the stories also showed she had little faith in a man being faithful in marriage.
I enjoyed this book and it is clear Maurier was ahead of her time especially with the story of The Doll but I found myself wanting more from the stories. I often struggle with short stories as I much prefer a full book. I give this book 3 out of 5 Dragons and hope to read a full length novel soon.
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Purchase Links
Bookshop.org | Foyles | Waterstones
(All purchases made using one of the above affiliate links gives a small percentage of money to myself with no extra cost to yourself. All proceeds go towards the upkeep of this blog. Thank you ever so much, your support is gratefully received.)
About the author
Daphne du Maurier (1907-1989) was an English novelist, biographer and playwright. Some of Maurier’s notable works are Rebecca, The Birds, Jamaica inn and The Scapegoat.
Hello!
I hope everyone has had a good weekend. I have had rather a bad week blogging but a slightly better week reading.
Blog Posts
Currently Reading
Started this yesterday and really enjoying it so far.
Happy Reading
The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix
Blurb
A girl’s quest to find her father leads her to an extended family of magical fighting booksellers who police the mythical Old World of England when it intrudes on the modern world. From the bestselling master of fantasy, Garth Nix.
In a slightly alternate London in 1983, Susan Arkshaw is looking for her father, a man she has never met. Crime boss Frank Thringley might be able to help her, but Susan doesn’t get time to ask Frank any questions before he is turned to dust by the prick of a silver hatpin in the hands of the outrageously attractive Merlin.
Merlin is a young left-handed bookseller (one of the fighting ones), who with the right-handed booksellers (the intellectual ones), are an extended family of magical beings who police the mythic and legendary Old World when it intrudes on the modern world, in addition to running several bookshops.
Susan’s search for her father begins with her mother’s possibly misremembered or misspelt surnames, a reading room ticket, and a silver cigarette case engraved with something that might be a coat of arms.
Merlin has a quest of his own, to find the Old World entity who used ordinary criminals to kill his mother. As he and his sister, the right-handed bookseller Vivien, tread in the path of a botched or covered-up police investigation from years past, they find this quest strangely overlaps with Susan’s. Who or what was her father? Susan, Merlin, and Vivien must find out, as the Old World erupts dangerously into the New.
Review
It has been many years since I have read a Garth Nix book but when I saw this I was intrigued and had to buy it. I am so glad I did and I have also bought the sequel.
I basically read this book in one day as I just couldn’t put it down and it is by far my favourite read of 2023 so far. The book is set in 1983 but not quite the 1983 we all know there are some differences. The book centres around Susan Arkshaw a girl who just wants to find out who her father is and to study art after the Summer holidays.
On her quest to find her father Susan meets Merlin. Merlin is clearly an interesting character who has a fantastic dress sense and who also has some special skills that Susan has not seen before. By meeting Merlin Susan is thrown into the world of the booksellers. The booksellers come in three categories, they are either left handed like Merlin which means they are warriors with superior strength and speed, right handed who are more studious and use magic and then there are the even handed booksellers who are clearly very powerful but we don’t get to find out the full extent of their abilities.
As Susan, Merlin and Vivien start to work out what is going on we soon learn that Susan’s and the booksellers’ quests overlap in more ways than they originally thought. This leads to one adventure after another.
I love the idea of the booksellers hiding behind their bookshops and books so nobody knows their true identities and abilities. Their network is huge and the police have a special unit to work with the booksellers. It would appear the booksellers have power over everyone but they have to have many fingers in many pies to keep everyone safe from the Old World.
I loved this book! My favourite character is by far Merlin who is eccentric and a laugh a minute but at the same time caring and protective. I will be starting the next book in the series straight away and I will definitely be catching up on my Garth Nix reading. I give this book a massive 5 out of 5 Dragons.
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Purchase Links
Foyles | Bookshop.org | Waterstones | Wordery
(All purchases made using one of the above affiliate links gives a small percentage of money to myself with no extra cost to yourself. All proceeds go towards the upkeep of this blog. Thank you ever so much, your support is gratefully received.)
About the author
Garth Nix was born in 1963 in Melbourne, Australia, to the sound of the Salvation Army band outside playing ‘Hail the Conquering Hero Comes’ or possibly ‘Roll Out the Barrel’. Garth left Melbourne at an early age for Canberra (the federal capital) and stayed there till he was nineteen, when he left to drive around the UK in a beat-up Austin with a boot full of books and a Silver-Reed typewriter.
Despite a wheel literally falling off the Austin, Garth survived to return to Australia and study at the University of Canberra. After finishing his degree in 1986 he worked in a bookshop, then as a book publicist, a publisher’s sales representative, and editor. Along the way he was also a part-time soldier in the Australian Army Reserve, serving in an Assault Pioneer platoon for four years. Garth left publishing to work as a public relations and marketing consultant from 1994-1997, till he became a full-time writer in 1998. He did that for a year before joining Curtis Brown Australia as a part-time literary agent in 1999. In January 2002 Garth went back to dedicated writer again, despite his belief that full-time writing explains the strange behaviour of many authors.
He now lives in Sydney with his wife, two sons and lots of books.
Hello!
I hope everyone has had a good week so far.
My chosen poem this week is by author Rachel Field (1894-1942).
If Once You Have Slept on an Island If once you have slept on an island You'll never be quite the same; You may look as you looked the day before And go by the same old name. You may bustle about in street and shop; You may sit at home and sew, But you'll see blue water and wheeling gulls Wherever your feet may go. You may chat with the neighbours of this and that And close to your fire keep, But you'll hear ship whistle and lighthouse bell And tides beat through your sleep. Oh, you won't know why, and you can't say how Such change upon you came, But once you have slept on an island, You'll never be quite the same! Rachel Field
Happy Reading
Lady Book Dragon 