I hope everyone is having a good weekend so far. I played for a wedding and a pet service yesterday and I must be honest I was in my element at the pet service. There were so many cute dogs for me to make a fuss of.
Another month has been and gone and I must admit September was probably my busiest month so far this year. I’ve started back at school, and taken on another church playing job so I have been quite busy. However, I have got my reading mojo back so I have been doing lots of reading as well and ignoring the housework when I can.
I hope everyone has had a good week so far and I hope that everyone has some good weekend plans ahead.
My chosen poem this week is by David Herbert Lawrence (1885-1930) who was an English writer and poet.
Autumn Rain
The plane leaves
fall black and wet
on the lawn;
the cloud sheaves
in heaven's fields set
droop and are drawn
in falling seeds of rain;
the seed of heaven
on my face
falling - I hear again
like echoes even
that softly pace
heaven's muffled floor,
the winds that tread
out all the grain
of tears, the store
harvested
in the sheaves of pain
caught up aloft:
the sheaves of dead
men that are slain
now winnowed soft
on the floor of heaven;
manna invisible
of all the pain
here to us given;
finely divisible
falling as rain.
D. H. Lawrence
Happy Reading
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This is my day late Mid Week Quote. I sadly forgot yesterday, I must get better at planning my posts.
My chosen quote this week is by Nelson Mandela (1918-2013) who was the South African President from 1994-1999. He was the country’s first black head of state and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election.
“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
Nelson Mandela
Happy Reading
If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you
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!
The dissertation is finished and submitted. This has resulted in more reading, yay! On Sunday I finished a book, read a whole book in one sitting and started another and it was bliss.
What I am Currently Reading
I’m about a quarter of the way through The Night Hawks and so far so good. I do enjoy reading a story about Dr Galloway.
What I have Recently Finished Reading
Two excellent books. The Carter of La Providence is the book I finished in one sitting.
What I Think I will Read Next
So many books, I’m not sure what I will choose next. I’m so happy to have more time to read but I also know I have a lot of jobs that I need to do now the dissertation is finished. Mainly housework and decorating.
Please drop me a comment with your WWW Wednesday link and I will head over for a visit.
Happy Reading
If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you
The search for the legendary ring of King Solomon has begun, and Penelope must sift through its long and convoluted history of lost emperors, crusaders, and other famous historical figures—including one with whom the magicians share their own complicated past— if she hopes to find it in time.
As Penelope’s magic continues to grow stronger with the coming high tide, she and Alexis will have to depend upon each other more than ever to keep everyone they care about safe from the continuing attacks by Thevetat’s priests.
When the magical high tide finally peaks, the long-awaited battle against Thevetat will begin, and Penelope, Alexis, and the magicians will have to rely on both powers of old and new if they hope to defeat their enemy once and for all.
Review
My first thought when I got this book was sadness because I did not want this to be the last book of the series. Thankfully, this book was just as good as the previous two books and I could not put it down.
I will be honest I felt rushed with this book but that might be because I wanted a longer book. I just felt like all the answers the magicians needed suddenly arrived in quick succession. However, this might be because the magicians had the added help of Elazar and Constantine.
Penelope and the magicians are on the trail of King Solomon’s ring and with their investigations they get some help from Constantine. Constantine is a brilliant character and really made me laugh but he is also a very thoughtful and deep thinking character. Constantine is a big help to the magicians and not because he is a good shoulder to cry on for Zo.
Obviously the main characters are Penelope and Alexis but the secondary characters are just as strong. Zo is my favourite magician and I must admit I would have liked to see more of him in this book but at least he had a bigger part than Galenos who was barely in it. All the magicians have such fascinating pasts and are brilliant characters. I would love to have more stories about them.
The final battle came and went within a blink of an eye and I must admit was the rushed part for me and it did seem over simplified as I was expecting something big and spectacular but it was still good. I loved the book and couldn’t put it down. I give this book 5 out of 5 Dragons.
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About the author
Amy Kuivalainen is a Finnish-Australian writer that is obsessed with magical wardrobes, doors, auroras and burial mounds that might offer her a way into another realm. Until then, she will write about fairy tales, monsters, magic and mythology because that’s the next best thing. She is the author of The Firebird Fairytales Trilogy and The Blood Lake Chronicles series that mash up traditional tales and mythology in new and interesting ways.
I have decided on another reading challenge. Yes, I know another one. I currently have the Agatha Christie and the Shakespeare challenges ongoing but I thought I would add the Maigret books by Georges Simenon in as well. There are a few reasons for this, firstly, I am collecting the rather lovely Penguin editions of the Maigret books, my husband is collecting the Folio Society editions. Secondly, I can easily read them in one sitting, so they don’t take a great deal of time to read and they do make me laugh. I find they are a rather useful distraction when the husband is watching the Grand Prix.
In total there are 75 books in the Penguin series and I have been reading them in the order Penguin gives. I have read three out of order because I read the Folio editions and those were the ones which got me hooked.
Anyway, here is the list. The ones ticked off are also linked to the reviews
I can’t believe we are now in Autumn! Christmas is fast approaching and I am way behind on my reading challenge. Hopefully, I will be able to catch up.
Anyway here is what has been happening on the blog this week.
I have gone for a poem by Melinno this week. Melinno is known only by her one extant poem, a Greek hymn to the goddess Roma. The date of Melinno is highly disputed, with suggestions varying by over four hundred years. Some argue she is from as early as the second century BC, others think as late as the second century AD.
The poem is in the style of Sappho, and might have been composed for a ritual.
Melinno's Hymn to Roma
Hail to Roma, the war-god's daughter
warrior queen in a golden girdle,
your Heaven here on earth, eternal
and unassailable.
On you alone, our ancient of days.
Fate has bestowed this royal glory
of unbroken rule, sovereign strength
to lead where all follow.
For under your yoke, by your strong reins,
the great back of earth and foam-white seas
are bent; without a falter you steer
the cities of all men.
But time's great span can topple us all;
life sways us one way, then another
you alone sail on fair winds of rule
and never alter course.
For you alone have borne strong warriors,
great spearman, springing up unbidden
like Demeter's fruitful ears of corn,
a crop of mortal men.
Melinno
Happy Reading
If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you
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 don’t seem to have stopped so far this week and today I am back teaching at school so I will most likely be an exhausted puddle on the floor by the end of the day.
What I am Currently Reading
SPQR is currently on the back burner at the moment but I am still reading a few pages occasionally. The King’s Seal is by destress read and I must admit I am finding it hard to put down.
What I have Recently Finished Reading
I have just recently finished this and although I did struggle with a few sections I have definitely got the bug back and will be reading more books from The Vampire Chronicles soon. Review
What I Think I will Read Next
So many books to choose from. My dissertation will be finished soon and that will mean lots of binge reading.
Please drop me a comment if you want to chat about books and please leave your WWW Wednesday and I will pop over for a visit.
Happy Reading
If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you
