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 has had a good start to the week. I’ve had a lovely few hours working in the garden and I’ve managed some reading. Having the day off work really is the best!
The book off my Goodreads TBR is from an auto buy author for me. I love the books of Stacey Halls so when I saw this book coming out I had it preordered straight away.
From the Sunday Times bestseller and winner of the Women’s Prize Futures Award, the captivating, highly anticipated new novel, inspired by real historical figures and events.
In a quiet house in the countryside outside London, the finishing touches are being made to welcome a group of young women. The house and its location are top secret, its residents unknown to one another, but the girls have one thing in they are fallen. Offering refuge for prostitutes, petty thieves and the destitute, Urania Cottage is a second chance at life – but how badly do they want it?
Meanwhile, a few miles away in a Piccadilly mansion, millionairess Angela Burdett-Coutts, one of the benefactors of Urania Cottage, makes a discovery that leaves her her stalker of 10 years has been released from prison . . .
As the women’s worlds collide in ways they could never have expected, they will discover that freedom always comes at a price . . .
I hope everyone has had a good weekend. I’ve managed some reading and some fun music practice. It is always nice to do some practice for myself rather than work. Blogging has gone really well this week, I just hope I can keep it up.
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!
I hope everyone is having a good weekend so far. I am really looking forward to half term next week, I’m hoping it will mean lots of reading time and some adventures.
I’ve received two books this week both of which I am very excited about to read.
Klova by Karen Langston – This sounds like a really different read for me and one that intrigues me. Hopefully I get around to reading it soon.
The Hedgerow by Anne Leigh Parrish – I love the cover of this book and I am hoping the book is just as beautiful because I really like the sound of the blurb.
With Donnowan’s expedition lost to a dragon, Miriam Huckerpucker gathers a ragtag band of undeads and sets off to the fringes of the known world to rescue the remnants. And also find the true villain behind the dragon attacks and why dragons suddenly appeared in this world.
Could the villain be the same one who makes old and new enemies show up on the road? Like the old hag who comes haunting from her past or the new hag who comes hunting her in the present?
Miriam doesn’t have time to ponder as she hurries along, but with painted barbarians, disfigured corpses and wanted criminals by her side she has to stay clear of the main roads, losing valuable time sidetracking through the wilderness.
But it is the same wilderness that Donnowan’s expedition travelled through. On her way she stumbles on vital clues and learns an odd thing or two.
Like accidents happen.
And dragons too, apparently.
Review
I was so excited to get reading about some of my favourite characters again and learn more about them. I nearly read this book in one sitting as I couldn’t put it down but sadly I had to go to work.
This book did have some sad moments in it for me, one really upset me but I won’t say more as I don’t want to spoil it for anyone. There was the usual banter between characters that we had in the first book but there was definitely a more serious tone at times. I also liked the camaraderie that developed between Miriam’s ragtag band of undeads.
I loved the extra details we learn about the characters in this book. Miriam’s revelation was a big surprise and rather sad. You really start to get a better understanding of the characters in this book and their past lives. You also get to see a more vulnerable side to the characters.
This book had quite a few surprises in it and I spent quite a bit of time working out who the villain was (I got it wrong). Learning how dragons were made was brilliant and I also liked learning about the power of bone clippings.
The scenery descriptions in this book were also excellent. Yes, I absolutely loved this second instalment of the series and I can’t wait to read the next book. I give this book 5 out of 5 Dragons.
🐲🐲🐲🐲🐲
About the author
Everybody makes a story about themselves. Here is my take:
I started out
1) as a kid telling myself stories using my imagination, then
2) growing up to tell stories to others as a gamemaster (which I still do), then
3) getting sucked most unwilling into occult stuff (the flip side of quantum physics?), escaping that to
4) hesitantly get an education in programming, then
5) surviving dull years surrounded by the machines that go ping and keeping the weekends occupied by reading and being artful and conjuring exhaustion for the work week, then
6) saying enough is enough and submitting myself to another long streak of education, this time in art, where I started out painting (and still do) but graduated in spontaneous storytelling (or bearing witness to my imaginary worlds if you want a fancy way of saying it) then
7) start writing down these stories instead of telling them to an audience, ending up like
1) the kid I began as, telling myself stories using my imagination…
…which is the nation I prefer to be in (after doing my stint of travelling abroad) and where I go by the name of Astor Y Teller.
The rest of me can be gleaned from the books and if not, it’s not worth telling.
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 great week so far. I am having a fab week and it is mainly because my reading has been going so well. I finally feel like I have got my reading mojo back, I just hope it lasts as this year has not been going well so far.
What I am Currently Reading
I have been thoroughly enjoying my night time reading of the Lord of Chaos, it finally feels like the series might be going somewhere after the lack of action in book 5. I started Destination Maisie today and so far I am really enjoying it.
What I have Recently Finished Reading
My review of A History of the Roman Empire in 21 Women is here. I just finished Accidental Dragons today so hopefully I will get the review up tomorrow. I absolutely loved these two books which I think was the reason I read them so quickly.
What I Think I will Read Next
I’m so excited to read these books and I’m not entirely sure which one I will read but it will definitely be one of these.
Please drop me a comment with your WWW Wednesday and I will head over for a visit.
A History of the Roman Empire in 21 Women by Emma Southon
Blurb
Here’s how the history of the Roman Empire usually goes…
We start with Romulus, go on to Brutus overthrowing Tarquin, bounce through an appallingly tedious list of battles and generals and consuls, before emerging into the political stab-fest of the late Republic. From there, it runs through all the emperors, occasionally mentioning a wife or mother to show how bad things get when women get out of control, until Constantine invents Christianity and then Attila the Hun comes and ruins everything. But the history of Rome and empire is so much more than these Important Things.
In this alternative history, Emma Southon traces the story of the Roman Empire through women: Vestal Virgins and sex workers, business owners and poets, martyrs and saints. Each gives a different perspective on women’s lives and how they changed, across time and across class lines.
Review
Emma Southon is a new author for me but the title of this book intrigued me so much I had to buy it. It’s always so refreshing to have some ancient history told from the female perspective because, let’s face it, most of the history we know is about men and recorded by men. A few years ago I did a Masters in Classics and I really focused on the women in ancient Greece and Rome so this book seemed a good choice for me.
The thing I loved most about this book was how Southon tells these women’s stories. I just love her writing style and her humour. Honestly, I could not stop laughing whilst reading this book. Instead of this book feeling like you are reading it, it feels like Southon is having a conversation with you and telling you about these 21 amazing women from history. Her writing style is very conversational which I can see might put some people off but I loved it. It was so nice to read a history book that was fun and upbeat and not stuffy.
The other thing I loved was how Southon bridged the gap between the past and modern day. Her use of connecting the past with modern day things was excellent and highly amusing at times.
In this book I read about women from Roman history that I knew of (some more than others) and I loved reading about them in such a different light. Somehow I think I will remember these women more now I have read this book because of how Southon portrayed them and linked them to modern day.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I am now off to buy all of Southon’s other books. I give this book 5 out of 5 Dragons.
Dr. Emma Southon holds a PhD in ancient history from the University of Birmingham.
After a few years teaching Ancient and Medieval history, followed by some years teaching academic writing. She quit academia because it is grim and started writing for her own enjoyment.
She co-hosts a history/comedy podcast with Janina Matthewson called History is Sexy.
I am very pleased to be a part of the cover reveal of Bone Sacking by Astor Y Teller which is the third book in the Them Old Bones Hexalogy. I absolutely love this series and highly recommend it. This is my review of the first book in the series Them Old Bones. I am currently half way through Accidental Dragons and I can’t put it down.
Release date for Bone Sacking is 28th July which gives you plenty of time to start the series if you haven’t already read the first two books. Seriously, get reading!
So without further ado here is the cover.
Be careful what you wish for.
Or at least Miriam should, now that she suddenly gets the opportunity to do just that. But Miriam is in a rush after a rough encounter with a dragon which left both dead and missing persons. She wishes to get to the bottom of the treason and expose the culprits before it is too late, which leads her out into the blue.
Literally.
With a lot of oceanic ice, Miriam and her ragtag band is hurled against new opponents: some lurking in the shadows, others charging them head on. There is even one who wants Miriam’s wishes to come true.
But Miriam never wished for a dragon. Not intentionally anyway
In The Fires of Heaven, the fifth novel in Robert Jordan’s #1 New York Times bestselling epic fantasy series, The Wheel of Time, four of the most powerful Forsaken band together against the Champion of Light, Rand al’Thor.
Prophesised to defeat the Dark One, Rand al’Thor, the Dragon Reborn, has upset the balance of power across the land. Shaido Aiel are on the march, ravaging everything in their path. The White Tower’s Amyrlin has been deposed, turning the Aes Sedai against one another. The forbidden city of Rhuidean is overrun by Shadowspawn.
Despite the chaos swirling around him, Rand continues to learn how to harness his abilities, determined to wield the One Power–and ignoring the counsel of Moiraine Damodred at great cost.
Review
This is the second time I have read this book and I will be honest the first time I read this book it put me off continuing with the series. However, I decided last year that I would complete the series and started reading it again from book one.
Even though I had forgotten a lot of what happens in this book my opinion of it hadn’t changed. The main thing I remembered was the waffle and the waffle was still there and there was loads. I can’t help but wonder how short this book would have been if there wasn’t quite so much waffle. For one thing if you took all the obsessing over clothing and how much breast is showing or not showing in all the female characters’ dresses, Jordan would have probably saved 50 pages. I won’t even go into all the mentions of braid pulling! It was only when I got to the last 300 odd pages that I really started to get into the book and start enjoying it.
The thing I really missed in this book was my favourite which is Perrin. I missed his level head and how calm he is. You can always depend on Perrin for common sense which in all honesty you don’t get from most of the characters in this book. Perrin also generally gets to the point and doesn’t skirt the subject like Rand does.
The ongoing arguing between Nynaeve and Elayne was just exhausting and I was so glad when Egwene gave Nynaeve a talking to because quite frankly Elayne and Nynaeve need to grow up. Egwene has taken quite a turn in this book and grown into a mature woman it’s just a shame Nynaeve and Elayne haven’t had the same growth yet.
I really liked learning more about the Aiel in this book and I actually started to like Mat’s character more. Mat has really started to grow up in this book and I loved seeing him lead men into battle. Yes, he is still resisting his fate and can still be annoying but I think he is starting to grow on me.
For such a huge book (nearly 1000 pages) not a lot happens in this book and to be honest it is a big disappointment after reading the previous books. I’m really hoping the next book proves to be a better read. I give this book 3 out of 5 Dragons.
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About the author
James Oliver Rigney Jr. (1948-2007) was an American author of epic fantasy who wrote under the pen name Robert Jordan. Jordan also wrote historical fiction under the name of Reagan O’Neal, a western as Jackson O’Reilly, and dance criticism as Chang Lung.
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 has had a good start to the week. I’ve been back to work today which has been nice.
My chosen book today is Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke which has been on my Goodreads TBR for many years and I think it is about time that I read it.
The year is 1806. England is beleaguered by the long war with Napoleon, and centuries have passed since practical magicians faded into the nation’s past. But scholars of this glorious history discover that one remains: the reclusive Mr Norrell, whose displays of magic send a thrill through the country.
Proceeding to London, he raises a beautiful woman from the dead and summons an army of ghostly ships to terrify the French. Yet the cautious, fussy Norrell is challenged by the emergence of another magician: the brilliant novice Jonathan Strange.
Young, handsome and daring, Strange is the very antithesis of Norrell. So begins a dangerous battle between these two great men which overwhelms that between England and France. And their own obsessions and secret dabblings with the dark arts are going to cause more trouble than they can imagine.
Lady Book Dragon 