I have gone for another poem by John Clare this week. This poem celebrates the coming of Spring.
Young Lambs
The spring is coming by a many signs;
The trays are up, the hedges broken down,
That fenced the haystack, and the remnant shines
Like some old antique fragment weathered brown.
And where suns peep, in every sheltered place,
The little early buttercups unfold
A glittering star or two - till many trace
The edges of the blackthorn clumps in gold.
And then a little lamb bolts up behind
The hill and wags his tail to meet the yoe,
And then another, sheltered from the wind,
Lies all his length as dead - and lets me go
Close by and never stirs, but beaking lies,
With legs stretched out as though he could not rise.
John Clare
It is time for my monthly update on my reading challenge. Now I have noticed a little problem with my challenge and that is digital books. Last year I barely read a digital book and this year just because I have set myself this challenge there is a load of digital books I want to read! The question is do I count them in my challenge and if I do, how? So what do my fellow book dragons think? What should I do?
Anyway, until I make a decision here is my monthly update of the growing pile of books that I hope to get the same height as me this year. These are the books from January and February. The height is now 8.5 inches. I added 2.5 in February.
I hope everyone is having a good week so far. I have a busy day of teaching ahead and studying but I am hoping to get some reading in as well at some point.
My chosen quote today is by the famous singer Tina Turner.
"Sometimes you've got to let everything go - purge yourself. If you are unhappy with anything... whatever is bringing you down, get rid of it. Because you'll find that when you're free, your true creativity, your true self comes out."
Tina Turner
I love this week’s topic as I have so many books that I loved as a child and still love and read today.
So here are my top choices.
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
Toad! I think Toad is one of the reasons I love frogs and toads, he is such a funny character and my favourite story is about Toad and his motorcar.
Matilda by Roald Dahl
I have very fond memories of this book and I still remember the day my sister gave me this book, we were sat in the kitchen and I remember being so excited to start reading it.
The Tale of Tom Kitten by Beatrix Potter
I love all the Beatrix Potter stories but I chose Tom Kitten today because he is rather a fat little kitten and reminds me of my rather tubby cats.
Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne
Eeyore! I am obsessed with Eeyore, the house is full of Eeyores. My poor long suffering husband despairs when another turns up in the house. I adore all the Winnie the Pooh stories but the very best always include my beloved Eeyore.
The Brambly Hedge stories by Jill Barklem
I have fond memories of these stories and I recently bought the treasury for my best friend’s little boy because I wish to pass on the joy they brought me.
So there are just some of my favourites. What were your favourite children’s books? Remember please drop me a comment if you want to chat.
Happy March! I feel like it was only yesterday that we were in January. I will be honest February hasn’t been the best month for reading due to assignments but I have still managed to fit some in to help me relax.
I hope everyone has some good weekend plans. I’m hoping to get some reading done but it will mainly be essay writing.
My chosen poem this week is by Percy Bysshe Shelley who was a Romantic poet of the early nineteenth century. He was married to Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein. He was also good friends with Lord Byron.
Love's Philosophy
The fountains mingle with the river
And the rivers with the Ocean,
The winds of Heaven mix for ever
With a sweet emotion;
Nothing in the world is single;
All things by a law divine
In one another's being mingle.
Why not I with thine?
See the mountains kiss high Heaven,
And the waves clasp one another;
No sister-flower would be forgiven
If it disdained its brother;
And the sunlight clasps the earth,
And the moonbeams kiss the sea:
What is all this work worth
If thou kiss now me?
Percy Bysshe Shelley
No one in the history of histories has lost more than Philippa Georgiou, ruler of the Terran Empire. Forced to take refuge in the Federation’s universe, she bides her time until Section 31, a rogue spy force within Starfleet, offers her a chance to work as their agent. She has no intention of serving under anyone else, of course; her only interest is escape.
But when a young Trill, Emony Dax, discovers a powerful interstellar menace, Georgiou recognises it as a super-weapon that escaped her grasp in her own universe. Escorted by a team sent by an untrusting Federation to watch over her, the emperor journeys to a region forbidden to travellers. But will what she finds there end the threat—or give “Agent Georgiou” the means to create her old empire anew?
Review
This is the latest book in the Star Trek Discovery series and I must admit I was a bit hesitant to read it at first because I was worried about whether Emperor Georgiou would annoy me or not. Thankfully I did read it and was mistaken.
It has been a long time since I have read a book that has made me laugh so much. Georgiou is hilarious and very dangerous. Georgiou the emperor is a ruthless woman who has lost it all but is determined to make the best of the situations she finds herself in by any means necessary. Georgiou delights in causing chaos and the things she says are hilarious but one thing is for sure she is a lethal weapon. Georgiou is an expert killer, tactician and spy and this is all shown in the book.
In this book we also meet Finnegan. Georgiou knows Finnegan as Blackjack in her universe and by sheer coincidence she meets Finnegan in the current universe. Finnegan loves a good brawl and definitely loves a drink. You can happily imagine him getting drunk in a pub and starting a fight for fun. However, Finnegan does not agree with killing or enjoy it and that is where he differs from Blackjack. I really enjoyed the relationship that developed through the book between Georgiou and Finnegan and found it very funny how Finnegan was quite happy annoying Georgiou.
Emony Dax was an interesting character and one who wasn’t daunted by the scary things Georgiou kept coming out with. I felt quite sorry for Emony at times as people did not take her seriously and just ignored her opinions and ideas. Emony is an interesting character and I really enjoyed seeing how Finnegan took her under his wing and taught her how to fly a shuttle craft and even Georgiou at times looked after her and taught her things.
I loved this book, the storyline was excellent but the main thing that really made this book was Georgiou, Finnegan and Emony and how they interacted with each other. A big 5 out 5 Dragons from me.
(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
New York Times bestselling author John Jackson Miller has spent a lifetime immersed in science fiction. His Star Trek novels include the Discovery – Die Standing, the acclaimed novel Discovery — The Enterprise War, the Prey trilogy, and Takedown. His Star Wars novels include A New Dawn, Kenobi, Knight Errant, Lost Tribe of the Sith, and the Knights of the Old Republic comics, available from Marvel as Legends: The Old Republic.
He’s written comics and prose for Halo, Iron Man, Simpsons, Conan, Planet of the Apes, and Mass Effect, with recent graphic novels for Battlestar Galactica, Dumbo, and The Lion King. Production notes on all his works can be found at his fiction site.
He is also a comics industry historian, specialising in studying comic-book circulation as presented on his website, Comichron.. He also coauthored the Standard Catalog of Comic Books series.
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.
Here is my reading update…
What I am Currently Reading
Just started this today and only 24 pages in as I have read it in gaps between teaching as all my spare time has been used wrestling with an essay, but so far I am really enjoying it. It took me a bit to get used to Kidd’s writing style as she is very descriptive but I’m hooked!
What I have Recently Finished Reading
Loved this and found it highly amusing. Review will follow shortly.
What I think I will Read Next
There are so many books I want to read at the moment and so many I have on my wish list. I just don’t know what to read next!
What is on your WWW Wednesday? Please drop me a comment with your link and I will head over for a visit.
We are half way through the week! I am busy researching and writing an assignment which is sadly digging into my reading time but hopefully I will complete it soon.
The quote this week is from Earl Nightingale (1921-1989) who was an American radio speaker and author.
Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.
Lady Book Dragon 