My chosen poem this week is by author Rachel Field (1894-1942).
If Once You Have Slept on an Island
If once you have slept on an island
You'll never be quite the same;
You may look as you looked the day before
And go by the same old name.
You may bustle about in street and shop;
You may sit at home and sew,
But you'll see blue water and wheeling gulls
Wherever your feet may go.
You may chat with the neighbours of this and that
And close to your fire keep,
But you'll hear ship whistle and lighthouse bell
And tides beat through your sleep.
Oh, you won't know why, and you can't say how
Such change upon you came,
But once you have slept on an island,
You'll never be quite the same!
Rachel Field
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.
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.
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.
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.
(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.
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
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 Teaand 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.
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.
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.
(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
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.
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
Lady Book Dragon 