2022

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!

Happy Friday!

I started a new book today so I thought I would feature it on today’s First Lines Friday post.

As usual the answer is below the cat pictures.

It was dark under the trees, only a little moonlight penetrating the half-bare branches. The ground was thick with fallen leaves; the horses’ hooves made little sound and it was hard to tell whether we were still on the road. A wretched track, Barak had called it earlier, grumbling yet again about the wildness of this barbarian land I had brought him to.

And the answer is…

Autumn, 1541. King Henry VIII has set out on a spectacular Progress to the North to attend an extravagant submission by his rebellious subjects in York.

Already in the city are lawyer Matthew Shardlake and his assistant Jack Barak. As well as legal work processing petitions to the King, Shardlake has reluctantly undertaken a secret mission for Archbishop Cranmer – to ensure the welfare of an important but dangerous conspirator who is to be returned to London for interrogation.

But the murder of a York glazier involves Shardlake in deeper mysteries, connected not only to the prisoner in York Castle but to the royal family itself. And when Shardlake and Barak stumble upon a cache of secret documents which could threaten the Tudor throne, a chain of events unfolds that will lead to Shardlake facing the most terrifying fate of the age . . .

So how did everyone do?

Please drop me a comment with your First Lines Friday and I will head over for a visit.

Happy Reading

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Friday Poetry: G. K. Chesterton

Hello!

I hope everyone has some lovely plans for Easter. My chosen poem this week is one for Easter. I rather like it because it is the donkey narrating rather than a human voice.

The Donkey

When fishes flew and forests walked
And figs grew upon thorn, 
Some moment when the moon was blood
Then surely I was born.

With monstrous head and sickening cry
And ears like errant wings,
The devil's walking parody
Of all four-footed things.

The tattered outlaw of the earth,
Of ancient crooked will;
Starve, scourge, deride me: I am dumb,
I keep my secret still.

Fools! For I also had my hour,
One far fierce hour and sweet. 
There was a shout about my ears, 
And palms before my feet. 

G. K. Chesterton

Happy Reading

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This and That Thursday

Hello!

I hope everyone is well and looking forward to Easter with all the yummy goodies that come with Easter. I am particularly enjoying the Marmite and Cheese Hot Cross Buns by Marks and Spencers, my husband is horrified.

Anyway, here is what I have been up to recently.

Adventures

I met up with my best friend last week which was wonderful. This meet up meant lots of yummy pizza and cake and spending far too much money in Waterstones. The weather was terrible but that just meant more time sheltering in the book shop.

Walking

For Lent my husband and myself have been trying to do more walking. Our day off from walking is Sunday but otherwise we put our walking boots on and off we go. Most of the walks have been local which has been lovely because we get to say hello to the local horses and lambs. We have also gone to different locations for a change as well and one of these was a Gruffalo walk which was very exciting.

Yummy Lunch and Pipe Organ Builders

My husband and myself are both church organists and this week we had an opportunity to go around an organ builders which I must admit was a bit worried about but it was very interesting. Before we went though we fortified ourselves by going to lunch at a local french restaurant and i had two of my all time favourite dishes, French onion soup followed by Mussels and fries.

I have more adventures planned for next week as I have the week off from teaching so I plan on making the most of the free time.

Happy Reading

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Mid Week Quote: Audrey Hepburn

Hello!

I hope everyone is having a good week so far.

My chosen quote today is by actress and humanitarian Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993). Hepburn was recognised as both a film and fashion icon.

“As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.”
Audrey Hepburn

Happy Reading

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WWW Wednesday: 13/04/2022

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 Wednesday! I hope everyone is having a good week so far.

What I am Currently Reading

I struggled a bit to get into this but now I am thoroughly enjoying it and I have no idea who the murderer is.

What I have Recently Finished Reading

I really enjoyed both these books and I will definitely be dipping into Big Panda and Tiny Dragon again.

What I Think I will Read Next

So many books to read, I’m not sure whether to go stand alone or book series.

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

Happy Reading

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

The Night at the Crossroads by Georges Simenon (Review)

The Night at the Crossroads by Georges Simenon

Blurb

Maigret has been interrogating Carl Andersen for seventeen hours without a confession. He’s either innocent or a very good liar. So why was the body of a diamond merchant found at his isolated mansion? Why is his sister always shut away in her room? And why does everyone at Three Widows Crossroads have something to hide?

Review

I have watched the episode of this where Maigret is played by Rowan Atkinson so I found it quite a shock to see just how much extra had been added into the TV adaptation which was not in the book. Even though the storyline is more complicated in the TV adaptation I found myself much preferring the book due to the simplicity of the storyline.

The story begins with a frustrated Maigret trying to get the answers he needs from Carl Andersen. In typical Maigret fashion this involves a lot of pipe smoking and a lot of beer drinking when he isn’t interrogating. Carl Andersen does not give Maigret the answers he requires so is left back at square one in trying to solve the murder and with more questions than answers. Maigret ends up going to the scene of the crime at the Three Widows Crossroads and this reveals even more mysteries for him to find answers to and more crimes.

The novel moves at a break neck speed with Maigret performing his usual excellent detective work but at times it did feel rushed and I just wanted a bit more detail. I will be honest I found Andersen’s sister quite annoying in the book but I only felt pity for Carl himself. The fact that everyone at the Three Widows Crossroads seems to hold a secret made me want to keep reading which meant that I read the book in one sitting.

This was a good book with a solid storyline but it did feel rushed at times and not to the standard of some of my favourite Maigret books. Overall, I give this book 3 out of 5 Dragons.

🐲🐲🐲

Purchase Links

Book Depository | Foyles | Waterstones | Wordery

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About the author

Georges Simenon (1903-1989) was a Belgian writer who published nearly 500 novels and many short stories. Simenon is best known as the creator of the Maigret stories.

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

Goodreads Monday: 11/04/2022

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.

The book I have chosen for this week is one that has been sat on my TBR for a very long time.

A compelling depiction of a man imprisoned by his own pride, Dombey and Son explores the devastating effects of emotional deprivation on a dysfunctional family. Paul Dombey runs his household as he runs his business: coldly, calculatingly and commercially. The only person he cares for is his little son, while his motherless daughter Florence is merely a ‘base coin that couldn’t be invested’. As Dombey’s callousness extends to others, he sows the seeds of his own destruction.

Purchase Links

Book Depository | Foyles | Waterstones | Wordery

Please drop me a comment if you have taken part in Goodreads Monday and I will head over for a visit.

Happy Reading

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

The Weekly Brief

Hello!

April is going really well so far as I have got back into my blogging and reading.

Posts this Week

Currently Reading

30 pages in and so far so good.

Happy Reading

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

Big Panda and Tiny Dragon by James Norbury (Review)

Big Panda and Tiny Dragon by James Norbury

Blurb

Friends Big Panda and Tiny Dragon journey through the seasons of the year together, day and night, in rain and in sun. Travelling through nature, they find hope and inspiration in the world around them, realising that even in the darkest of days, Spring will always return.

Feel the calming influence of Big Panda, who reminds us of the bigger picture while appreciating the simplicity of small moments.

Explore your surroundings with the inquisitive eye of Tiny Dragon, our friend who is big in heart if not in stature.

And on their journey through the ever-changing seasons, join these two friends as they learn how to live in the moment, be at peace with uncertainty, and find the strength to overcome life’s obstacles, together.

Review

I saw this little gem when I popped into the local WH Smith to get some stamps. Yes, I can’t resist a book when I see one.

This book is adorable and one that I will return to again and again. This little book is full of gorgeous illustrations and perfect little words of wisdom. The book tells the story of a panda and a little dragon. These two unlikely friends go on adventures together and help each other through any problems they are having. They also get lost at times but this never bothers them as they just see it as a blessing.

The book has five chapters that are Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring again. Each chapter covers the trials and tribulations that can come with the different seasons and always looks for the positives that can come out of each season.

This little book has so many pearls of wisdom about seeing the good things in everything, even when things seem really bad. The illustrations are amazing and help get the messages across. My particular little favourite illustrations are the uses for leaves that Tiny Dragon comes up with. I also like that a nice cup of tea can help with most problems which is something I can completely agree with.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I will be returning to it when I need a pearl of wisdom to help me see the positives in a bad situation. I give this book 5 out of 5 Dragons.

🐲🐲🐲🐲🐲

Purchase Links

Book Depository | Foyles | Waterstones | Wordery

About the author

James Norbury is a self-taught artist and writer, who lives in Wales.

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

First Lines Friday: 8/04/2022

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!

I hope everyone has some good reading plans for the weekend.

As usual the answer is below the cat pictures.

When Detective Chief Inspector M… arrived in Delfzijl, one afternoon in May, he had only the sketchiest notions about the case taking him to this small town located in the northernmost corner of Holland.

and the answer is…

‘Just take a look,’ Duclos said in an undertone, pointing to the scene all round them, the picture-book town, with everything in its place, like ornaments on the mantlepiece of a careful housewife . . . ‘Everyone here earns his living. Everyone’s more or less content. And above all, everyone keeps his instincts under control, because that’s the rule here, and a necessity if people want to live in society’

When a French professor visiting the quiet, Dutch coastal town of Delfzijl is accused of murder, Maigret is sent to investigate. The community seem happy to blame an unknown outsider, but there are people much closer to home who seem to know much more than they’re letting on: Beetje, the dissatisfied daughter of a local farmer, Any van Elst, sister-in-law of the deceased, and, of course, a notorious local crook.

So how did everyone do?

Please drop me a comment with your First Lines Friday and I will head over for a visit.

Happy Reading

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