2023

First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?

Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
Finally… reveal the book!

Hello and Happy Friday!

Firstly, apologies for my tardiness on the blog this week. I’m not entirely sure where the week has gone and it is showing me I must get organised and get back into scheduling my blog posts.

I am actually starting a new book on a Friday for a change which never seems to happen anymore so I thought I would take part in First Lines Friday.

As per usual the answer is below the Lyra photos.

When I was born, they left me on a hillside. The king had given his decree – if it’s a girl, expose her on the mountain – and so some unfortunate soul was dispatched from the palace with this unwanted scrap of humanity: a baby girl instead of the glorious heir the king desired.
Get guessing!

And the answer is….

When a daughter is born to the King of Arcadia, she brings only disappointment.

Left exposed on a mountainside, the defenceless infant Atalanta, is left to the mercy of a passing mother bear and raised alongside the cubs under the protective eye of the goddess Artemis.

Swearing that she will prove her worth alongside the famed heroes of Greece, Atalanta leaves her forest to join Jason’s band of Argonauts. But can she carve out her own place in the legends in a world made for men?

Did anybody guess correctly?

Please drop me a comment with your First Line Friday and I will head over for a visit.

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

Goodreads Monday: 15/05/2023

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 hope everyone has had a good start to the week. I have spent a good chunk of today gardening which was nice but I think I will most likely ache tomorrow.

My chosen book this week is one on my 20 Books of Summer challenge.

1828. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There, he trains for years in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for the day he’ll enrol in Oxford University’s prestigious Royal Institute of Translation—also known as Babel. The tower and its students are the world’s centre for translation and, more importantly, magic. Silver-working—the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation using enchanted silver bars—has made the British unparalleled in power, as the arcane craft serves the Empire’s quest for colonisation.

For Robin, Oxford is a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. But knowledge obeys power, and as a Chinese boy raised in Britain, Robin realises serving Babel means betraying his motherland. As his studies progress, Robin finds himself caught between Babel and the shadowy Hermes Society, an organisation dedicated to stopping imperial expansion. When Britain pursues an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin must decide . . .

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

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

The Weekly Brief

Hello!

I hope you have all had a good weekend. This week has been a much better week reading and blogging which has made a nice change.

Blog Posts

Currently Reading

I have a new system for making sure The Count of Monte Cristo doesn’t get neglected. I now read one book during the day and The Count of Monte Cristo is my read before bed, I might only be reading a few pages a night but at least I am progressing.

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

A Room Full of Bones by Elly Griffiths (Review #16)

A Room Full of Bones by Elly Griffiths

Blurb

Set in Norfolk, England, A Room Full of Bonesembroils, once again, our brainy heroine in a crime tinged by occult forces. On Halloween night, the Smith Museum in King’s Lynn is preparing for an unusual event — the opening of a coffin containing the bones of a medieval bishop. But when forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway arrives to supervise, she finds the curator, Neil Topham, dead beside the coffin. Topham’s death seems to be related to other uncanny incidents, including the arcane and suspect methods of a group called the Elginists, which aims to repatriate the museum’s extensive collection of Aborigine skulls; the untimely demise of the museum’s owner, Lord Smith; and the sudden illness of DCI Harry Nelson, who Ruth’s friend Cathbad believes is lost in The Dreaming — a hallucinogenic state central to some Indigenous Australian beliefs. Tensions build as Nelson’s life hangs in the balance. Something must be done to set matters right and lift Nelson out of the clutches of death, but will Ruth be able to muster herself out of a state of guilt and foreboding in order to do what she does best?

Review

I will be honest this was the first Dr Ruth Galloway book that didn’t have me completely gripped. I still loved the book but I didn’t find it as engaging as the other books I have read from the series. The storyline of this book was rather disturbing to me especially the room of bones and certain scenes at the riding stables.

I found the whole thing of Ruth being depressed about being overweight and struggling to be a mom and have a career rather repetitive from the previous book. And yes I know Ruth probably wouldn’t have changed her mind on these things from the last book but it almost felt copy and pasted sadly.

I also found it interesting how Ruth could identify the sex of the skeleton so quickly. I know there are ways to tell the sex of an adult skeleton but she was straight out with an answer having only had a cursory glance at the skeleton because she was on the phone whilst the lid of the coffin was lifted. Having studied some archaeology during my Masters I know that identifying the sex of a skeleton is nowhere near as easy. I also wonder how Ruth gets any work done at the university as she always seems to be dashing off to one thing or another.

To be honest I guessed what was happening with the random people dropping down dead or being really ill and I found how Griffiths was dragging it out with the Australian mysticism rather dull.

The thing that saved this book for me was of course Cathbad. Cathbad is the best character in this series and as long as he is in the books I will be a fan. I love how he is there to support Ruth and Kate. He is always there for people no matter what and doesn’t care a fig what people think of him. Due to Cathbad I give this book 4 out of 5 Dragons.

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Purchase Links

Bookshop.org | Foyles | 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

Elly Griffiths was born in London and began her career in publishing, she then turned to writing full time. In 2016 she won the CWA Dagger in the Library for her work. Griffiths lives in Brighton with her family.

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

Friday Poetry: Paul Cookson

Hello!

I hope everyone has had a good week so far. I hope you all have some good plans for the weekend as well.

My chosen poem today is by a new poet for me Paul Cookson. Paul Cookson (1961) is a children’s writer who has been known to perform with a ukulele. I find this poem rather inspiring.

Let No One Steal Your Dreams 

Let no one steal your dreams
Let no one tear apart
The burning of ambition
That fires the drive inside your heart

Let no one steal your dreams 
Let no one tell you that you can't
Let no one hold you back
Let no one tell you that you won't

Set your sights and keep them fixed
Set your sights on high
Let no one steal your dreams
Your only limits is the sky

Let no one steal your dreams
Follow your heart
Follow your soul
For only when you follow them
Will you feel truly whole

Set your sights and keep them fixed
Set your sights on high
Let no one steal your dreams
You only limit is the sky. 

Paul Cookson

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

This and That Thursday

Hello!

I hope everyone is having a good week so far. I thought it was a good time to do a non bookish update.

Now I am back at work we are trying to make the most of my days off which is nice because we are planning little adventures to go on.

Walking

We are still trying to go on regular walks and I have been really enjoying all the beautiful blossom which is about. We also spotted a fantastic coronation themed postbox. We are also still working on our Conqueror medals.

National Trust and English Heritage Properties

We have been visiting lots of National Trust and English Heritage properties recently and making use of our memberships. They are all properties we have been to before but it is always nice visiting our favourites. You can’t beat going for a nice visit, lunch and a walk and possibly an ice cream if the weather is nice.

Afternoon Tea and eating out

My best friend bought me an afternoon tea voucher for my birthday and we finally used it recently. The afternoon tea was really scrummy and it was at a lovely venue. We have also been going out for the occasional evening meal which has been lovely. We discovered a wonderful local Tapas restaurant which we will be definitely visiting again and we have visited one of our favourite restaurants which does the best chicken lasagne ever.

Hopefully our little adventures will continue as it makes such a difference to get out and about on our days off.

Etsy

WWW Wednesday: 10/05/2023

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.

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you will read next?

Hello!

I hope everyone is having a good week so far. I’ve had a really good week reading so far and I hope it continues.

What I am Currently Reading

I started this yesterday after binge reading The Left-Handed Booksellers of London on Monday. I had forgotten just how good Garth Nix was as an author.

What I have Recently Finished Reading

I wasn’t too impressed with The Power and the Glory but I absolutely loved The Left-Handed Booksellers of London.

What I Think I will Read Next

I have these 4 books lined up for this month as I need some shorter reads whilst working.

Please drop me a comment with your WWW Wednesday and I will head over for a visit.

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

Stone Blind: Medusa’s Story by Natalie Haynes (Review #15)

Stone Blind: Medusa’s Story by Natalie Haynes

Blurb

Medusa is the only mortal in a family of gods. Growing up with her sisters, she quickly realises that she is the only one who gets older, experiences change, feels weakness. Her mortal lifespan gives her an urgency that her family will never know.

When desire pushes a God to commit the unforgivable, Medusa’s mortal life is changed forever. Her punishment is to be turned into a Gorgon: sharp teeth, snakes for hair, and a gaze that will turn any living creature to stone. Appalled by her own reflection, Medusa can no longer look upon anything she loves without destroying it. She condemns herself to a life of solitude in the shadows to limit her murderous range.

That is, until Perseus embarks upon a fateful quest to fetch the head of a Gorgon . . .

Review

This is my first Haynes book but I have been wanting to read one of her books for ages, hence why I have so many of her books on my TBR pile. However, what made me choose this book first was because I have always had rather a soft spot for Medusa. Medusa in my opinion is extremely badly treated for something that is not her fault. Like a lot of females in Ancient Greek mythology they quite often are treated unfairly.

The thing I really liked about this book is that it covers the whole of Medusa’s life, right from when she is a new born baby to the inevitable conclusion. I loved how when Stheno and Euryale found their mortal infant sister they knew that it was their job to look after and care for Medusa. This meant the two sisters had to learn to farm sheep for milk and wool to feed and clothe Medusa. They had to watch mortals to learn how to look after Medusa. The two sisters love Medusa without question and will do anything to protect her.

Medusa grows up knowing only love and safety from her sisters. She doesn’t see her sisters as monsters but as beautiful women who love her. This means that Medusa loves even those she doesn’t know and doesn’t see beauty as only skin deep but what is inside people.

The other element I loved was how Haynes had written Perseus. I have always found Perseus to be rather a pompous arse and Haynes obviously agrees because that was how she had created Perseus. The Gods were also brilliantly written especially Zeus.

This book was a really good read and I will definitely be reading more of my Haynes books soon. The only issue I had was that at times I found the storyline dragged slightly but overall I loved the book. I give this book 4 out of 5 Dragons.

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Purchase Links

Bookshop.org | Foyles | Waterstones | Wordery

About the author

Natalie Haynes, author of THE FURIES (THE AMBER FURY in the UK), is a graduate of Cambridge University and an award-winning comedian, journalist, and broadcaster. She judged the Man Booker Prize in 2013 and was a judge for the final Orange Prize in 2012. Natalie was a regular panelist on BBC2’s Newsnight Review, Radio 4’s Saturday Review, and the long-running arts show, Front Row. She is a guest columnist for the The Independent and The Guardian. Her radio series, Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics, was first broadcast in March 2014.

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

20 Books of Summer 2023

Hello!

This year I have decided to take part in the 20 Books of Summer challenge which is ran by the wonderful Cathy at her blog 746 Books.

The rules are choose 10, 15, or 20 books to read between the 1st June and 1st September. However you can swap a book on your list during the challenge and you can also reduce your list to a smaller size if you feel overwhelmed. This is one of the reasons I am drawn to this challenge because the rules aren’t too strict and there is plenty of flexibility.

My choices are a combination of books that have been sat on my TBR for years and some recent additions to my TBR. I really hope this challenge will help reduce my TBR pile.

So here are my choices:

The Cicero Trilogy by Robert Harris
The Witcher: Blood of Elves by Andrzej Sapkowski
The Royal Game by Anne O’Brien
Lady Catherine and the Real Downton Abbey by The Countess of Carnarvon
~~Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce~~
The Catch by T. M. Logan
Meet Me In Hawaii by Georgia Toffolo
Troy by Stephen Fry
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
Babel by R. F. Kuang
Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors
Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher
The Greek Plays
~~The Persephone Book of Short Stories~~
~~The Taxidermist’s Daughter by Kate Mosse~~
Exit Strategy by Martha Wells
Revelation by C. J. Sansom
A Three Dog Problem by S. J. Bennett
~~An Old Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott~~

I really hope we have some nice weather over the Summer as you just can’t beat reading a good book in the sun.

If you are taking part in the 20 Books of Summer challenge please let me know as I would love to see your lists.

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

Stacking the Shelves: 6/05/2023

Stacking The Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Marlene of Reading Reality. It is all about sharing the books that you have recently added to your bookshelves. These books can be physical books, ebooks and of course audiobooks.

Hello!

So I know I said last week that I wouldn’t be buying anymore books anytime soon but I had a stressful week with work and I just accidentally found myself on the Waterstones website. I went on there initially to do some book preorders but then I ordered some other books as well.

The Sinister Booksellers of Bath by Garth Nix. I started The Left-Handed Booksellers of London this week and so far I am really enjoying it so I decided to get the next book in the series.
The Two Penny Bar by Georges Simenon is my next planned Maigret read and hopefully I will read it soon.
Hidden Depths by Ifan Morgan Jones is a quick read book. I love the quick reads series as I find them great introductions to new authors and the perfect reads for when I have very little concentration.
Notting Hill Carnival by Candice Carty-Williams is another new author for me but as the book was only a £1 I threw it in the trolley.
Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati. Now I could have sworn I had this book preordered but as it never arrived I must have been wrong so I made sure I ordered it.

Now the book buying ban is back in place whilst I read some of these new books. Hopefully I don’t have another stressful week as my bank account needs to recover.

Have you added any new books to your bookshelves recently?

Happy Reading