The Persephone Book of Short Stories (Review #22) #20BooksofSummer23 2/20

The Persephone Book of Short Stories

Blurb

Most of these stories focus on the small, quiet or unspoken intricacies of human relationships rather than grand dramas. The use of metaphor is delicate and subtle; often the women are strong and capable and the men less so; shallow and selfish motives are exposed.

The dates of these stories range from 1909 to 1986 and there are thirty in all. The ten stories which are already in print in Persephone editions of their work are by Katherine Mansfield, Irène Némirovsky, Mollie Panter-Downes (twice), Elizabeth Berridge, Dorothy Whipple, Frances Towers, Margaret Bonham, Diana Gardner and Diana Athill.

The ten stories which have already been published in the Quarterly and Biannually are by EM Delafield; Dorothy Parker; Dorothy Whipple; Edith Wharton; Phyllis Bentley; Dorothy Canfield Fisher; Norah Hoult; Angelica Gibbs; Penelope Mortimer; and Georgina Hammick. And lastly the ten stories which are new are by Susan Glaspell, Pauline Smith, Malachi Whitaker, Betty Miller, Helen Hull, Kay Boyle, Shirley Jackson, Sylvia Townsend Warner, Elizabeth Spencer and Penelope Fitzgerald.

Review

To celebrate Persephone Books’ one hundredth book, the publisher decided to issue this book of short stories all written by women. Some of the authors are more well-known than others but they all deserve to be in this book and also deserve to be more widely read.

I loved the variety of stories within this book and I had already read a couple of them from other Persephone Books publications but I didn’t mind reading them again. These stories cover first jobs, first loves, marriages, affairs (quite a few affairs), illness and death and many other themes which are either obvious or subtle.

I loved this book and I couldn’t put it down as I just loved the variety of the stories and I also really enjoyed the mixture of longer and shorter stories within the book. I also loved the phrase ‘skin food’ that was used in quite a few stories to describe facial moisturiser and I am now using the phrase myself as I think it sounds far more fun than moisturiser.

There was only one story in this book that I found hard to read which was the last story. The last story within this book I found rather harrowing and to be honest it was a big surprise after the other stories.

The thing I loved most about this book was it explores the small parts in women’s lives. The stories are about everyday people with everyday lives and problems. It explores the basic and tiny moments in different women’s lives which don’t usually get explored in books. I give this book 5 out of 5 Dragons.

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Purchase Links

Foyles | Waterstones

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Etsy

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

Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce (Review #21) #20BooksofSummer23 1/20

Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce

Blurb

Alison has it all. A doting husband, adorable daughter, and a career on the rise – she’s just been given her first murder case to defend. But all is never as it seems…

Just one more night. Then I’ll end it.

Alison drinks too much. She’s neglecting her family. And she’s having an affair with a colleague whose taste for pushing boundaries may be more than she can handle.

I did it. I killed him. I should be locked up.

Alison’s client doesn’t deny that she stabbed her husband – she wants to plead guilty. And yet something about her story is deeply amiss. Saving this woman may be the first step to Alison saving herself.

I’m watching you. I know what you’re doing.

But someone knows Alison’s secrets. Someone who wants to make her pay for what she’s done, and who won’t stop until she’s lost everything….

Review

This has been sat on one of my TBR trolleys (I have many) for a very long time. In fact I remember buying it on an Amazon deal during one of the many lockdowns but I never seemed to get around to reading it. Thankfully, along came the amazing 20 Books of Summer Challenge and this was the first book I read off my list.

The first thing I will say is that once I started this book I could not put it down. I just loved Tyce’s writing and for a debut novel I was pleasantly surprised by how excellently written this book was. However, there was main problem for me and that was that I hated the main character! I just could not get on with the character of Alison and yes I know she was written that way but gosh she drove me mad! Thankfully, I didn’t let this put me off and carried on reading.

Alison was not the only character I did not like. I really did not like her husband who just felt off from the start. In fact most of the characters in this book I disliked but I loved the storyline and that is what kept me reading and not giving up with this book.

As we are reading about Alison’s chaotic life we also meet Madeleine who Alison is defending. Madeleine is accused of murder and as we learn more about the case we see many parallels between Alison and Madeleine’s lives and situations.

This book made me quite uncomfortable at times but it didn’t put me off and gave me a great deal to think about. It’s also a book that I think will stay with me for a long time and that shows just what a great author Tyce is. This book was a difficult book to rate for me because I loved the way it was written and the storyline but I just could not get on with the characters so in the end I decided to give it 3 out of 5 Dragons. I am really looking forward to reading Tyne’s other books soon and hopefully they won’t sit on my TBR pile for quite so long this time.

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Purchase Link

Bookshop.org | Foyles | Waterstones

About the author

Harriet Tyce (1972) is a Scottish barrister and novelist, the author of Blood Orange, The Lies you Told and It ends at midnight.

Etsy

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

WWW Wednesday: 21/06/2023

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!
I hope everyone is well. I made a big push with my reading today and finished my current read.

What I am Currently Reading

I just started this this afternoon and I’m hooked. I just love Kate Mosse she always hooks me straight into a book so I can’t put it down.

What I have Recently Finished Reading

I finally finished this this afternoon and although I enjoyed the story I really did not enjoy how the book had been published.

What I Think I will Read Next

I really hope I can get reading some of these fantastic books soon.

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

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on My Summer 2023 to-Read List

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and now hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl. For more info please check out Jana’s blog.

Hello!

I haven’t taken part in Top Ten Tuesday for quite a while so I thought it was high time to take part again. This weeks topic is also an excellent choice for me as I have now booked my summer holiday so I am planning what books to take with me to read.

So in no particular order here are my ten books:

These are a mix of books off my 20 Books of Summer Challenge and my Classics Club Challenge and some random extras. I have no idea if I will manage all of these but I plan on giving it a good go.

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway – I recently bought this whilst book shopping because I had always wanted to read it. Fingers crossed I will get around it as it will be a nice short read.
Yellowface by R. F. Kuang – This was my latest purchase whilst book shopping and one that I bought because of all the good things I have seen about it on instagram.
Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors – This is another book I have read so many good things about.
Babel by R. F. Kuang – I really hope I like Kuang’s writing as she is a new author for me and I plan to read two of her books in the summer.
The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas – I have very nearly finished The Count of Monte Cristo and I am not nearly ready to finish reading books by Dumas. It will be my next nighttime read.
The Witcher by Andrzej Sapkowski – I have the full set of these books in paperback but I might pop the first on my kindle so I can read it on holiday and if I want to continue with the series I can just download the next one on my Kindle.
Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati – This has been sat on my TBR for way to long so hopefully I will read it soon.
The Greek Plays – I can’t wait to get reading these.
Silas Marner by George Eliot – This is one of my favourite books and I fancied a reread for the summer.
The Taxidermist’s Daughter by Kate Mosse – Again another book that has been sat on my TBR for way too long.

Fingers crossed I can read these books and many more over the summer.

If you have taken part in Top Ten Tuesday this week please drop me your link 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

Goodreads Monday: 19/06/2023

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 day today. I managed to blow all the lights at the school I was teaching at today. Thankfully it was sunny enough to not cause too much bother but the bang scared the life out of me.

My chosen book today is another off my 20 Books of Summer list. I will be honest I am falling a little bit behind with my list at the moment but I’ve really tried to catch up with my reading today and hope to catch up even more this week.

Sussex, 1912. In a churchyard, villagers gather on the night when the ghosts of those who will die in the coming year are thought to be seen. Here, where the estuary leads out to the sea, superstitions still hold sway.

Standing alone is the taxidermist’s daughter. At 17, Constantia Gifford lives with her father in a decaying house: it is all that is left of Gifford’s once world-famous museum of taxidermy. The stuffed animals that used to grace every parlour are out of fashion, leaving Gifford a disgraced and bitter man.

The bell begins to toll and all eyes are fixed on the church. No one sees the gloved hand pick up a flint. As the last notes fade into the dark, a woman lies dead.

While the village braces itself against rising waters and the highest tide of the season, Connie struggles to discover who is responsible, but finds herself under suspicion. Is Constantia who she seems – is she the victim of circumstances or are more sinister forces at work? And what is the secret that lies at the heart of Gifford House, hidden among the bell jars of her father’s workshop?

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.

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 good weekend. Blogging has gone reasonably well this week but reading has really slowed down.

Blog Posts

Currently Reading

I’m enjoying this book but I find the Amazon published version I have badly put together with some very strange pictures.

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: 14/06/2023

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!

I hope everyone is having a good week so far. I had a really good day reading yesterday and I’ve had a reasonably good day today which is good. Hopefully, I can continue with this amount as it will mean I will hopefully be able to catch up.

What I am Currently Reading

I started this today and it is so nice to be reading Louisa May Alcott again. She is my ultimate comfort author.

What I have Recently Finished Reading

I loved this book and loved the variety of short stories within the book. Review will follow shortly.

What I Think I will Read Next

I am slowly working through my 20 Books of Summer Challenge but I am hoping to mix in some other books as well.

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

Happy Reading

Etsy

The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene (Review #20)

The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene

Blurb

During a vicious persecution of the clergy in Mexico, a worldly priest, the ‘whisky priest’, is on the run. With the police closing in, his routes of escape are being shut off, his chances getting fewer. But compassion and humanity force him along the road to his destiny, reluctant to abandon those who need him, and those he cares for.

Review

I really like Graham Greene and this had been sat on my TBR pile for quite a while so I picked it up when I fancied reading a short book. I have read that this book is considered one of Greene’s greatest books but I must admit I have read better books by Greene than this one.

The book is set in the 1930’s in Mexico during the time when the church was under persecution and the Catholic priests either had to marry and renounce being a priest or face execution if they refused. This leads us to follow the “Whiskey priest” who is on the run from the authorities and who I think is my least favourite character I have ever come across. The “Whiskey Priest” is lazy, arrogant and clearly only a priest because he wants a cushy life and not because he wants to help the people.

The story follows the priest on the run and also the authorities trying to find him. In particular the incorruptible lieutenant who is willing to cross any line to capture the priest.

There are so many themes in this book. There is hatred, foreboding, fear, greed and very little joy. As usual the book is excellently written and even if I didn’t know the author I would be able to tell it was Greene from his style and finesse but I just did not like the characters. I knew it wouldn’t be a happy read and the “Whiskey priest” was clearly written to be an unlikeable character but I hated him. I hated the lieutenant and the only good thing about this book was how well it was written. I give this book 3 out of 5 Dragons.

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Purchase Links

Bookshop.org | Foyles | Waterstones

About the author

Henry Graham Greene (1904-1991) was an English writer and journalist regarded as one of the leading English novelistsof the20th century.

Etsy

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

Goodreads Monday: 12/06/2023

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 had a good start to the week today. I had a reasonably easy day teaching today which was nice, especially in this heat.

My chosen book to feature today is another off my 20 Books of Summer Challenge. I must admit my challenge has slowed down some what after I flew through my first book. I plan some good reading sessions on Wednesday and Thursday so hopefully I might make a dent in the backlog.

Queen Elizabeth II is having a royal nightmare. A referendum divides the nation, a tumultuous election grips the United States – and the body of a staff member is found dead beside Buckingham Palace swimming pool. Is it a tragic accident, as the police think? Or is something more sinister going on?

As Her Majesty looks for answers, her trusted assistant, Rozie, is on the trail of a treasured painting that once hung outside the Queen’s bedroom. But when Rozie receives a threatening anonymous letter, Elizabeth knows dark forces are at work – and far too close to home.

After all, though the staff and public may not realise it, she is the keenest sleuth among them. Sometimes, it takes a Queen’s eye to see connections where no one else can …

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.

Happy Reading

Etsy

Reading My Height in Books #5

Hello!

I nearly forgot my monthly update for my Reading My Height in Books Challenge! I was really hoping to get more books read in May but sadly that wasn’t the case but at least I managed to read 5.

Awkward picture time!

Lyra is more interested in sitting outside in the sun than being involved in pictures sadly so this month it is just me.

The stack is now the height of 25.5 inches. This means I now have 41.5 inches left to go. I am still ahead from this time last year but only by 1.5 inches which isn’t much sadly. I must keep pushing as I really want to complete the challenge this year.

Look at that stack grow!