Friday Poetry: Sara Teasdale

It’s Friday!

Happy Friday Everyone!

Tomorrow is the anniversary of the moon landing so I have chosen a related poem. Yes, this week I am very moon landing orientated on the blog.

This poem is by Sara Teasdale, Teasdale was an American lyric poet born in 1884. Sadly she committed suicide in 1933.

This poem depicts the moon one morning.

 

Morning Song

A diamond of a morning

Waked me an hour too soon;

Dawn had taken in the stars

And left the faint white moon.

 

O white moon, you are lonely,

It is the same with me,

But we have the world to roam over,

Only the lonely are free.

 

Sara Teasdale

 

Happy reading.

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A New Book Store

Hello my fellow book dragons!

Today was my day off and I needed to go to Bewdley to run a few errands so I used this as an excuse to visit Bewdley’s new book store Wyre Forest Books.

I have many happy memories as a child visiting Bewdley with my big sister and going to the book store Bewdley Books. Sadly this book store closed quite a few years ago and so we haven’t had an independent book store anywhere local for quite a long time.

Wyre Forest Books was a lovely store, it was spacious and well laid out and the man who was running it was helpful and very friendly. The best part was the children’s section, this was beautifully laid out and there was a palace for the children to sit in and read.

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I loved this store and will be a regular shopper there. I start a new job in September which is in Bewdley so I think that will be an excellent excuse to make little trips to the book store.

I did buy some books and a bookmark, one book I bought for my husband and one I bought for my dad but the other two and the bookmark I bought for myself.

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The two books I bought were:-

The Doll Factory by Elizabeth Macneal

The Familiars by Stacey Halls

Very excited to read these once my summer reads are finished.

Anyway, if you live near Bewdley check out Wyre Forest Books it is brilliant.

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Mid Week Quote: Neil Armstrong

Happy Wednesday Everyone!

 

This Saturday is the 50th Anniversary of the moon landing, so I thought a suitable quote was required for this week. You can probably work out what the quote is.

This quote is by the first human to walk on the moon, Neil Armstrong. Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon 50 years ago on the 20th July 1969. However, I do think we should mention poor Michael Collins who had to stay in the command module and so did not get the opportunity to walk on the moon. I always feel sorry for the poor guys who had to stay in the command module. I would love to know how they choose the people to stay in the command module, do you think they draw straws?

 

“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

 

Neil Armstrong (1969)

 

Happy Wednesday.

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New Books: 13/07/2019

Happy Saturday everyone!

I hope everyone is having a good weekend so far. I must confess I have not done any reading since coming back from holiday, as I just keep falling asleep all the time. Jet Lag is taking its toll. This has also affected my book reviewing.

However, I have bought two new books!

The first book I have bought is because I watched the film adaptation on the plane and cried my eyes out. I loved the story so much I hope the book will be as good if not better.

Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott with Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis

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Stella Grant likes to be in control—even though her totally out of control lungs have sent her in and out of the hospital most of her life. At this point, what Stella needs to control most is keeping herself away from anyone or anything that might pass along an infection and jeopardize the possibility of a lung transplant. Six feet apart. No exceptions.

The only thing Will Newman wants to be in control of is getting out of this hospital. He couldn’t care less about his treatments, or a fancy new clinical drug trial. Soon, he’ll turn eighteen and then he’ll be able to unplug all these machines and actually go see the world, not just its hospitals.

Will’s exactly what Stella needs to stay away from. If he so much as breathes on Stella she could lose her spot on the transplant list. Either one of them could die. The only way to stay alive is to stay apart. But suddenly six feet doesn’t feel like safety. It feels like punishment.

What if they could steal back just a little bit of the space their broken lungs have stolen from them? Would five feet apart really be so dangerous if it stops their hearts from breaking too?

 

The second book I have bought is by a fellow blogger, Fractured Faith Blog who has just had his first book published. I read this blog everyday and I am very excited to read and review the book. 

The Kirkwood’s Scott Chronicles: Skelly’s Square by Stephen Black

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They want him to save the world. But, first, he must save himself.

Kirkwood Scott is having a bad day. Languishing in a dead end job and recently dumped by his girlfriend he struggles with a crippling form of OCD which manifests itself in the form of Colonel Augustus Skelly, a phantom voice from Kirkwood’s childhood who controls his every waking moment via a series of tortuous routines, ‘The 49’.

Kirkwood has little to look forward to, bar a weekend of drunken oblivion in Belfast with his equally deadbeat friends. All that changes when he meets Meredith Starc, a young homeless woman struggling to survive on the streets and come to terms with her own troubled past. Kirkwood realises Meredith may hold the answer to him finally being free of his mental demons.

But what if Skelly is more than just a voice? Kirkwood and Meredith join forces to unearth a supernatural battle raging on the city’s back streets between ancient forces of good or evil, the outcome of which will decide the fate of the planet. Between them, they hold the key to saving mankind from a new Dark Age but can they survive long enough to do so as Skelly unleashes a legion of vicious ghost soldiers upon the unsuspecting city?

‘The Kirkwood Scott Chronicles: Skelly’s Square’ is a fast paced and darkly humorous supernatural fantasy guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

 

Very excited to read both these books.

If you have read any of these books I would love to hear your opinions, drop me a comment.

Happy reading.

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Friday Poetry: Langston Hughes

Hello my fellow readers!

I am back home now after an amazing holiday, I am slowly getting used to the time difference.

I have a lot of book reviews to write over the next few days, so I will be playing catch up blog wise but hopefully I will get there. Usually I post my Friday Poetry entry in the morning so apologies this is late in the day.

The chosen poem this week is by Langston Hughes, Hughes is best remembered as a pioneer of American jazz poetry. Jazz poetry has jazz like movements in rhythm, repetitive phrasing and the appearance of improvisation.

 

To You

To sit and dream, to sit and read,

To sit and learn about the world

Outside our world of here and now-

Our problem world-

To dream of vast horizons of the soul

Through dreams made whole,

Unfettered, free – help me!

All you who are dreamers too,

Help me to make

Our world anew.

I reach out my dreams to you.

 

Langston Hughes (1902-1967)

 

Happy Friday!

 

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Mid Week Quote: Nigel Kennedy

Todays quote is a musical one because this week I have lots of students taking music exams and I hope they treat the performance element of their exams as a concert.

The quote is by Nigel Kennedy. Kennedy is an English violinist and violist who specialises in classical music but has recently been playing Jazz.

 

“I hate complacency. I play every gig as if it could be my last, then I enjoy it more than ever.”

Nigel Kennedy (b. 1956)

 

Have a musical Wednesday.

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Learning new words

Aloha!

I just thought I would share with you something that has really brought a smile to my face whilst being in Maui.

Everyday when our room is done the housekeeper leaves a card with a Hawaiian word on it and its meaning. I have loved learning the new words each day and have been collecting them in my Kindle case. I was quite upset when the one day we had a double because it meant I did not learn a new word!

So because this blog is essentially about a love of words I thought I would share the words I have learnt with you all.

Ho’okipa (hoe-oh-kee-pah)

To entertain and welcome with gracious hospitality, a spirit of generosity and Aloha.

Kapa (kah-pah)

Traditional cloth made from Wauke or Mamaki bark, and decorated with patterns or watermarks.

Mahalo (mah-ha-low)

Thanks, gratitude, and to have appreciation.

Ho’omau (Ho-oh-maow)

To continue, persist, renew, perpetuate and persevere.

Nalu (nah-loo)

Waves or surf, wavy; as in wood grain.

‘Ohana (OH-hah-nah)

Family, relative, extended family.

There we have our new words. I would have loved to have known how many cards there were to collect in all. So many new words to learn.

Also the dragons made a new friend today, her name is Maui.

Happy reading.

Mini update

Hello my fellow book dragons.

I just thought I would do a little update on what I have read so far whilst on my holibobs.

Some are on the summer reading challenge list some are not.

Awaken the Darkness by Dianne Duvall

I read this on the plane and really enjoyed it.

Jaws by Peter Benchley

Loved this so much!

Fireside Gothic by Andrew Taylor

This one I borrowed off Lord Book Dragon and it was a nice discovery. I definitely plan on reading more by Andrew Taylor

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

Hmm still not sure on this one. Just could not get on with Henry James’ writing style.

I’m about to start reading The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt.

Reviews will follow next week when I’m home and back to my laptop.

Happy Reading.

Maui

Hello my fellow book dragons!

It might be a little quiet at the moment because Lord and Lady Book Dragon are currently on holiday in Maui.

The good news is that Lady Book Dragon is doing a lot of reading by the pool and on the beach. There will be a lot of book reviews going up once we are safely back home. Lady Book Dragon has even had to borrow one of Lord Book Dragon’s books to read as she was struggling to find reading material!

But for now enjoy a few snaps of our hols.

Happy reading.

No One is too Small to Make a Difference by Greta Thunberg (Review)

No One is too Small to Make a Difference by Greta Thunberg

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About the author

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Greta Thunberg was born in 2003. In August 2018, she decided not to go to school one day, starting a strike for the climate outside the Swedish Parliament. Her actions ended up sparking a global movement for action against the climate crisis, inspiring millions of pupils to go on strike for our planet, and earning her the prestigious Prix Liberte, as well as a Nobel Peace Prize nomination. Greta has Asperger’s, and considers it a gift which has enabled her to see the climate crisis ‘in black and white’.

Blurb

The history-making, ground-breaking speeches of Greta Thunberg, the young activist who has become the voice of a generation

Review

This book kept being pushed on Waterstones and I finally succumbed and bought it. I’m not entirely sure I agree with the fact that Greta and other children are on school strike but I agree with the point they are trying to push.

This did not take me long to read and to begin with I was hooked on Greta’s speeches but as the book went on I got a bit bored of the repetitive nature of the speeches. I know this repetition is due to help drive the point home to us all especially politicians but reading it in each speech one after the other was probably not the best thing for me to do. However, I do agree with all of her points and I love the passion she puts behind her words.

Greta’s speeches are powerful and very mature for a girl of her age and I am really pleased I have read this book and have recommended it to several family members. I have given this little book 3 out of 5 Dragons.

Purchase links

Waterstones

Book Depository

 

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