2023

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 so far. I have spent the day reading as sadly I was too poorly to go to school. I’m really hoping I can start to feel better soon as I’m quite fed up of this cough and cold.

My chosen book this week is by one of my favourite authors but one I haven’t read for a very long time. I went through a huge Philippa Gregory phase a few years ago but for some reason it has been a couple of years since I have read any of her books. However, I picked this book up at Sudeley Castle and it has gone straight on my TBR pile and very near the top.

Fleeing rebels in Scotland on Queen Elizabeth’s false promise of sanctuary, Mary Queen of Scots finds herself imprisoned as the “guest” of George Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury and his indomitable wife, Bess of Hardwick. Soon the newly married couple’s home becomes the center of intrigue and rebellion against Elizabeth, and their loyalty to each other and to their sovereign comes into question. If Mary succeeds in seducing the earl into her own web of treason, or if the great spymaster William Cecil links them to the growing conspiracy to free Mary from her illegal imprisonment, they will all face the headsman. Using new research and her passion for historical accuracy, Gregory places the doomed queen into a completely new tale of suspense, passion, and political intrigue.

Please drop me a link with your Goodreads Monday and I will head over for a visit.

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

The Weekly Brief

Hello!

To be honest this week hasn’t been great for blogging. Sadly, I have caught a rather nasty cold which has left me exhausted most evenings so I haven’t managed to find the energy to blog. I’m still feeling pretty rough but I am hoping I will get back into blogging next week. Thankfully, I have still managed to get some reading done.

Blog Posts

Currently Reading

Really enjoying this so far and can’t put it down. Henry VIII had some fascinating toilets!

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

Puss in Books by Paul Magrs (Review #44)

Puss in Books: Our best-loved writers on their best-loved cats by Paul Magrs

Blurb

A charming collection of quotes about cats from our favourite authors, accompanied by artwork in the trademark style of Paul Magrs (author of The Panda, the Cat and the Dreadful Teddy ). ‘I love them, they are so nice and selfish’ – L.M. Montgomery This collection of quotes from the literary greats explores just why cats have fascinated, mesmerised and often infuriated writers for centuries. Celebrating the mystery of these daydreaming, snarky, selfish, watchful, contemplative and changeable creatures, Puss in Books helps cat and book lovers to understand these beings who have intrigued great thinkers and writers since the dawn of time. Quotes ‘Time spent with a cat is never wasted’ – Colette ‘Those who play with cats must expect to get scratched’ – Miguel de Cervantes ‘If cats could write history, their history would be mostly about cats’ – Eugen Weber

Review

I will be honest when I bought this book I thought it was going to be more about particular writers and their cats but instead it is just quotes from writers about cats. Each quote is accompanied by a lovely picture of a cat which has been drawn by Magrs.

This little book only took me 20 minutes to read because it is mainly cat pictures and not much to read but it is a book that I will happily go back to especially if I need a cat related quote.

The highlight for me with this book was the beautiful drawings of cats and I loved seeing how Magrs has captured each cat’s character. The quotes were also well chosen.

The thing that let the book down for me and this entirely down to my preferences was that I didn’t like the font that the quotes were written in. I know it is handwriting but I found it hard to read and the quote that was upside down really annoyed me. I suspect the upside down quote was to represent the nature of cats but when you are trying to read a book it is rather annoying to suddenly have to turn the book upside down.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book and will happily read it again. I give this book 4 out of 5 Dragons.

🐲🐲🐲🐲

Purchase Links

Bookshop.org | Foyles | Waterstones | WH Smith

About the author

Paul Magrs (1969) is an English writer and lecturer who owns two cats called Fester and Bernard and lives in Manchester.

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

Goodreads Monday: 6/11/2023

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 so far. I have been back at school today which has been nice but rather a shock to the system after a week off.

During my holidays I bought a few books and the one I have chosen to feature today is one of those books. I fully intend on reading all of the published works by Alison Weir one day and this is another book I have added to my TBR.

At his death in 1547, King Henry VIII left four heirs to the English throne: his only son, the nine-year-old Prince Edward; the Lady Mary, the adult daughter of his first wife, Catherine of Aragon; the Lady Elizabeth, the daughter of his second wife, Anne Boleyn, and his young great-niece, the Lady Jane Grey. These are the players in a royal drama that ultimate led to Elizabeth’s ascension to the throne–one of the most spectacularly successful reigns in English history.

Please drop me a link with your Goodreads Monday and I will head over for a visit.

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

The Weekly Brief

Hello!

I hope everyone has had a nice weekend so far. I’m back at school tomorrow and to be honest I really don’t feel ready for it.

Blog Posts

Currently Reading

I’m thoroughly enjoying this book so far and I am really enjoying all the facts I am learning.

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

Waterstones Challenge: Gloucester

Hello!

On my recent adventures I managed to tick off another Waterstones store. I found the Gloucester store really nice and I loved the layout of the ground floor. Sometimes the ground floors can be a little cramped like the one in Lincoln but this one was laid out really well with plenty of room to move around and not get in each others way.

I only purchased one book as I am trying to be good as Christmas is just around the corner. However, the book I purchased is rather beautiful and one that I look forward to reading soon.

So there is number 16 off my list. Still many many more to go.

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

November 2023 TBR

Hello!

November is going to be my non-fiction month. I might read some fiction as well but it will be mainly non-fiction. I don’t really have a theme for my non-fiction reading, I’m just going for subjects that interest me.

Books I hope to read in November

I really hope I have a good reading month in November as October was not that great.

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

WWW Wednesday: 1/11/2023

WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words.

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!

Happy 1st November! I hope everyone has had a nice week so far. I’m really hoping November will be a better month on the reading front but we will wait and see.

What I am Currently Reading

I’m enjoying certain chapters with this book and certain chapters are not so good. I just want to know more about the hauntings!

What I have Recently Finished Reading

I really enjoyed both of these. Puss in Books was a very quick read but one I will happily dip into on other occasions.

What I Think I will Read Next

I’m planning to read mainly non-fiction during November but I will need the occasional novel to help me relax from work.

Please drop me a comment with your WWW Wednesday and I will head over for a visit.

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

October 2023 Wrap Up

Hello!

I hope everyone is having a nice Halloween so far. October wasn’t such a good month reading wise but I did manage to read 5 books.

Statistics

Books

Pages: 130

Format Read: Paperback

Review to follow

Dragon Rating: 🐲🐲🐲

Pages: 290

Format Read: Hardback

Review to follow

Dragon Rating: 🐲🐲🐲🐲

Pages: 240

Format Read: Hardback

Review

Dragon Rating: 🐲🐲🐲🐲🐲

Pages: 290

Format Read: Paperback

Review to follow

Dragon Rating: 🐲🐲🐲🐲

Pages: 144

Format Read: Hardback

Review to follow

Dagon Rating: 🐲🐲🐲🐲

Goodreads Challenge: 57/70

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

Goodreads Monday: 30/10/2023

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 so far. I am on half term so I had a lovely morning reading and drinking tea.

My chosen book today is one I have only recently purchased but one that I have wanted to read for a while.

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.

Please drop me a link with your Goodreads Monday and I will head over for a visit.

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you