Hello!
Today is my last day of teaching in schools until September. I have a workshop tomorrow but I think that will be quite fun and relaxed. I’m hoping the lack of schools means an increase in my reading as I am really behind with my challenges.
My chosen quote today is by one of my favourites Albert Einstein.
“Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters”
Albert Einstein
Happy Reading
The Dancer at the Gai-Moulin by Georges Simenon
Blurb
The city of Simenon’s youth comes to life in this new translation of this disturbing novel set in Liège, book ten in the new Penguin Maigret series.
In the darkness, the main room is as vast as a cathedral. A great empty space. Some warmth is still seeps from the radiators. Delfosse strikes a match. They stop a moment to catch their breath, and work out how far they have still to go. And suddenly the match falls to the ground, as Delfosse gives a sharp cry and rushes back towards the washroom door. In the dark, he loses his way, returns and bumps into Chabot.
Review
Another fantastic Maigret book and one which was quite strange because Maigret didn’t actually make his presence known until about half way through the book. The book is set in the rougher part of Liege which was in fact Simenon’s home town.
The story is centred around two useless teenagers who are doing their very best at ruining their lives. Delfosse is from a wealthy family and Chabot is from a poor family but he has a good job in an office. However, the pair are living way beyond their means and spending all their time out partying and to keep funding this they have taken to stealing.
Whilst trying to rob another location the two boys find something very unexpected and from that night everything starts to go wrong for them. The mysteries also keep mounting up from that night.
I will be honest I missed Maigret’s presence in this book and found it lacked a special something by not having him appear until later. The case is rather tangled and I never knew what to expect next but that just made the book a real page turner. I really enjoyed this book but I did miss Maigret so I give this book 4 out of 5 Dragons.
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Purchase Links
Bookshop.org | Foyles | Waterstones
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About the author
Georges Simenon (1903-1989) was a Belgian writer who published nearly 500 novels and many short stories. Simenon is best known as the creator of the Maigret stories.
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.
Hello!
I hope everyone had a nice weekend and is prepared for the week ahead. I’m counting down the days till my holiday and I’m working out what books to put on my Kindle.
My chosen book to feature this week is one that has been on my Goodreads TBR since 2014 but I have actually only bought the book recently.
This short novel, already a modern classic, is the superbly told, tragic story of a Cuban fisherman in the Gulf Stream and the giant Marlin he kills and loses—specifically referred to in the citation accompanying the author’s Nobel Prize for literature in 1954.
I’m really hoping to read this soon as it is only a small book and one I think I will be able to read pretty quickly.
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
Happy Sunday!
I hope everyone is having a good weekend so far. There isn’t much to report on the blogging and reading front sadly but here is what I have managed this week.
Blog Posts
Currently Reading
I’m still plodding along with Cicero and I started Babel yesterday and really enjoying it so far.
Happy Reading
Hello!
Apologies for the lack of blogging this week. It would appear work and tiredness have been taking their toll. I read another 5 books in June and some of those were quite chunky so hopefully it has made a difference on the book stack.
Awkward picture time!
The stack is now 31.5 inches high and has grown 6 inches! I now only have 35.5 inches left to go so sadly I’m not half way yet.
Look at that stack grown!
I am currently reading some very big books so I hope it will make a difference to the stack height. I am determined to complete the challenge this year even if it means pulling some all nighters.
Happy Reading
Hello!
I hope everyone is having a good week so far.
My chosen quote this week is by the American author Nora Roberts (1950).
“If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. If you don’t step forward, you’re always in the same place.”
Nora Roberts
Happy Reading
Hello!
So my reading plans for June went completely out of the window. I only read one of my planned reads but I did stick to my 20 Books of Summer Challenge.
I am still sticking with my 20 Books of Summer for July but I might read some extra ones as well.
20 Books of Summer Choices
I am going on holiday this month and this will mean taking my Kindle so I plan on popping these books on my Kindle and if I plan to continue with The Witcher series I can just download the next book when needed. I’m hoping to finish The Murderbot Diaries whilst on holiday as I usually fly through these books.
Other Options
Anything extra this month will be the random things I have on my Kindle that I have never got around to reading. There are a lot of random books on my Kindle!
I hope you all have some good books planned for July.
Happy Reading
Hello!
I hope everyone has had a good weekend. I managed some reading earlier but I fell asleep then jumped in my sleep and threw my book across the room terrifying the cat and my poor husband.
Blog Posts
Currently Reading
I’m really enjoying this so far but it is a mammoth book and I imagine it will take me quite a while to read.
Happy Reading
Hello!
I hope everyone is having a good weekend so far. I managed to read 5 books in June which I wasn’t too happy with but I was very pleased to finish The Count of Monte Cristo as I have been reading it on and off since January!
Statistics
Books
Pages: 336
Format Read: Paperback
Dragon Rating: 🐲🐲🐲
Pages: 477
Format Read: Paperback
Dragon Rating: 🐲🐲🐲🐲🐲
Pages: 288
Format Read: Paperback
Dragon Rating: 🐲🐲🐲🐲
Pages: 409
Format Read: Paperback
Review to follow
Dragon Rating: 🐲🐲🐲🐲🐲
Pages: 894
Format Read: Paperback
Review to follow
Dragon Rating: 🐲🐲🐲🐲🐲
Goodreads Challenge: 31/80
I am on holiday in July and I am planning lots of reading then so hopefully I will begin to catch up with my reading challenges.
Happy Reading
Lady Book Dragon 