Jingle Bell Book Tag

Hello!

I haven’t done a festive book tag this year and have seen this one around and thought I would have a go. Please feel free to join in and drop me a comment if you have taken part as I would love to see your answers.

“All I Want For Christmas Is You…” | What book do you want to see under the Christmas Tree?

This is a tricky one because I have a lot of books that I would like to see under the Christmas tree. The one I will choose is The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb. I know it is a trilogy but it is what I want under the tree. I love Hobb and I will be honest it has been a long time since I have read any Hobb but the Folio Society edition of the trilogy looks beautiful.

“Simply Having A Wonderful Christmas Time…” | What book that you have read this year have you enjoyed the most?

I’ve read so many good books this year! My favourite must be The Existence of Amy by Lana Grace Riva, this book really made me think and I thought it was brilliantly well written.

“It’s Beginning to look a lot like Christmas…” | Which book has most festive look to it?

I have read a lot of festive reads so far this December but I think the most festive I have read so far has got to be Christmas at Highclere by The Countess of Carnarvon. This put me in a really festive mood and I just could not put it down.

Elf | What book unleashes your inner child?

Easy! Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. I love this book it makes me think of Christmas and magic and just all sorts of wonderful things. I have recently read the illustrated version and that made me unleash my inner child even more.

The Grinch | Your favorite villain…

My favourite literary villain is definitely Bellatrix Lestrange. Yes, she is evil and completely mad but I think she is great and I always enjoy reading her scenes in the books. I also thinks Helena Bonham Carter portrays her perfectly in the films.

The Holiday | Name your favorite TWO couples…

I know it is probably a really common answer but Mr Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet are my number one favourite couple closely followed by Sam Vimes and Lady Sybil Vimes. Sam and Sybil just work perfectly together and their relationship always makes me giggle.

What book would you like to give as a present to your followers?

Another tricky question, so I think I would like to give my followers a copy of my favourite book/trilogy. The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R Tolkien but would be my gift to you all.

So there are my answers.

Happy reading.

Friday Poetry: Sara Teasdale

Happy Friday!

Christmas is fast approaching, so here is another Christmas poem and this one is by Sara Teasdale.

This poem is by Sara Teasdale, Teasdale was an American lyric poet born in 1884. Sadly she committed suicide in 1933.

Christmas Carol

The kings they came from out the south, 
   All dressed in ermine fine; 
They bore Him gold and chrysoprase, 
   And gifts of precious wine.

The shepherds came from out the north, 
   Their coats were brown and old; 
They brought Him little new-born lambs— 
   They had not any gold.

The wise men came from out the east, 
   And they were wrapped in white; 
The star that led them all the way 
   Did glorify the night.

The angels came from heaven high, 
   And they were clad with wings; 
And lo, they brought a joyful song 
   The host of heaven sings.

The kings they knocked upon the door, 
   The wise men entered in, 
The shepherds followed after them 
   To hear the song begin.

The angels sang through all the night 
   Until the rising sun, 
But little Jesus fell asleep 
   Before the song was done.

Sara Teasdale

Happy Reading!

Christmas Reading List 2020 Update

Hello!

I thought it was time for a Christmas reading list update. I am really racing through my Christmas books and I am thoroughly enjoying them and I have also added some extra ones into the mix as well.

I am currently reading Midwinter Murders by Agatha Christie and Christmas at Highclere by The Countess of Carnarvon.

Here are the books I have read so far…

Christmas is Murder by Val McDermid

Skipping Christmas by John Grisham

The Lion Book of Christmas Poems by Sophie Piper

A Wedding in December by Sarah Morgan

A Perfect Cornish Christmas by Phillipa Ashley

A Midwinter Promise by Lulu Taylor

Christmas at Woolworths by Elaine Everest

Christmas Cakes and Mistletoe Nights by Carole Matthews

So the Christmas books I have left over are…

The Christmas reading is going really well and I can’t quite believe how quickly I am finishing books at the moment. Christmas at Highclere wasn’t originally on the reading list but I started browsing through it yesterday and I just got hooked.

Please drop me a comment with your Christmas reads as I would love to see what everyone is reading or planning to read over the festive period.

WWW Wednesday: 16/12/2020

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 can’t believe we are back to Wednesday again, time seem to be flying by at the moment. I hope this post finds you all well and not to stressed as the festive season approaches.

So here is what I have been up to with my reading.

What I am Currently Reading

Literally just started it so not much to say so far.

What I have Recently Finished Reading

Just finished Christmas Cakes and Mistletoe Nights yesterday and couldn’t put it down, review will follow shortly.

Christmas is Murder by Val McDermid review here.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J. K. Rowling review here.

What I think I will Read Next

The Christmas reading list is going down and I am really surprised just how quickly I am getting through my Christmas books.

Please drop me a comment for a bookish chat and of course please leave your WWW Wednesday link and I will head over for a visit.

Happy Reading.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on my Winter 2020-2021 TBR

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.

Happy Tuesday!

I have so many books on my TBR list but I will try and select ten books that I think I will read over the winter. I like to read a Jane Austen novel over the New Year and into January so that is one easy choice.

Here are my ten books…

  1. Things in Jars by Jess Kidd – This is one of my Willoughby Book Club books that I am very excited to read.
  2. Dissolution by C. J. Sansom – This is my buddy read with my bestie that I will be starting on the 1st of January
  3. The House on Vesper Sands by Paraie O’Donnell – Another Willoughby Book Club read
  4. Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline – My husband is currently reading this so I hope to read it in January once I have finished all my Christmas reading.
  5. Katheryn Howard: The Tainted Queen by Alison Weir – Been on my TBR for way too long and really want to read it soon.
  6. Lady Susan by Jane Austen – I have never actually read this so I think it is high time I sorted it.
  7. Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott, Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis – I just think this will be a good cosy read for the winter.
  8. The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie – The start of reading more Agatha Christie challenge
  9. Olive, Mabel and Me by Andrew Cotter – I can’t wait to read this as I love the videos on youtube.
  10. Star Trek Discovery: Die Standing by John Jackson Miller – Another book that has been sat on my TBR for way too long.

So there is my TTT. Please drop me a link with your TTT and I will head over for a visit.

Happy Reading.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J. K. Rowling, illustrated by Jim Kay (Review)

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J. K. Rowling

Blurb

When a letter arrives for unhappy but ordinary Harry Potter, a decade-old secret is revealed to him that apparently he’s the last to know. His parents were wizards, killed by a Dark Lord’s curse when Harry was just a baby, and which he somehow survived. Leaving his unsympathetic aunt and uncle for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry stumbles upon a sinister mystery when he finds a three-headed dog guarding a room on the third floor. Then he hears of a missing stone with astonishing powers, which could be valuable, dangerous — or both. An incredible adventure is about to begin!

Review

I love the Harry Potter books and I have read them many times over but what I have always wanted to own and read is the illustrated editions by Jim Kay and finally I own the first one after my best friend bought it me for my birthday. I saved it for my December reading as I always associate the Philosopher’s Stone with Christmas for some reason.

It has been a few years since I read the first books in the series but I will be honest that it was wonderful to be back in the wizarding world again with some of my favourite literary characters that I have grown up with. It was so good to meet Dumbledore again as he is by far superior in the book to the films and he is such a funny and eccentric character in the book.

So, as you can tell I love the book and I bet most people are familiar with the Harry Potter books so I will just say reading it with the illustrations is fantastic and the only way I want to read the Harry Potter books from now on. The illustrations are stunning in this book and so well-chosen for the story, they really add to the story. I give this book 5 out of 5 Dragons and highly recommend it to all Potter fans.

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Purchase Links

Amazon | Book Depository | Foyles | Waterstones | Wordery

(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

Joanne Rowling born 31 July 1965, is a British writer and philanthropist. She is best known for writing the Harry Potter series. Rowling also writes crime fiction under the pen name Robert Galbraith.

Christmas Murder: A Chilling Short Story Collection by Val McDermid (Review)

Christmas is Murder: A Chilling Short Story Collection by Val McDermid

Blurb

The Queen of Crime Val McDermid is a master of the dark and sinister story, and these powers are demonstrated in full force in Christmas is Murder, a festive collection of chilling tales.

From an irresponsible baron whose body is discovered beneath a silver birch tree, to an author who is haunted by the spiteful presence of a jealous writing partner, the characters McDermid conjures are enigmatic and dangerous, never above suspicion.

Follow Tony Hill and Carol Jordan as they track a deadly killer who is preparing to strike on Christmas Day, and lose yourself in a festive exclusive – a recently unearthed case for a classic detective duo, set as the lights are going out across Europe.

These evocative, atmospheric tales will shock and delight. This is the perfect book to curl up with as the frosty winter draws in and each night gets darker than the last, written by one of our greatest living crime writers.

Review

I was so excited to see this book and immediately ordered it off Waterstones. I love a good Christmas murder mystery but sadly I was rather disappointed with this book.

The first thing I really disliked was the fact that a lot of these short stories seemed like they should have been longer but that McDermid had just removed chunks of the story to make it shorter. They jumped around too much and there was no development which even in a short story should be present.

The second thing that got on my nerves was the fact that some of the stories basically had nothing to do with Christmas and even if they did the link was tenuous at best. For a Christmas murder mystery book this was a disappointment for me.

I did however like some of the stories, my favourite was The Girl who Killed Santa Claus. This story was wonderful and a really good short story and was a welcome change from the rest of the short stories.

I am afraid I have only given 2 out of 5 Dragons to this book and I will be honest and say that I will not be reading another Val McDermid book as I just did not enjoy her writing.

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Purchase Links

Amazon | Book Depository | Foyles | Waterstones

(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

Val McDermid is a No. 1 bestseller whose novels have been translated into more than thirty languages, and have sold over eleven million copies. 

She has won many awards internationally, including the CWA Gold Dagger for best crime novel of the year and the LA Times Book of the Year Award. She was inducted into the ITV3 Crime Thriller Awards Hall of Fame in 2009 and was the recipient of the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger for 2010. In 2011 she received the Lambda Literary Foundation Pioneer Award. 

She writes full time and divides her time between Cheshire and Edinburgh.

The Weekly Brief

Hello!

I hope everyone has had a good weekend so far. I had a lovely morning playing the organ for a church service and I got to play a few Christmas songs as well. It was very cold but it was so nice to have a bit of normality back.

Anyway, here is what I have been up to in the blog world.

Posts this Week

Books I am Currently Reading

Books Acquired this Week

No books acquired this week, I am being a good girl and not buying any more Christmas books. It is proving very difficult though.

So that is my week on the blog. I hope you have all had a good week blogging.

Happy Reading.

The Lion Book of Christmas Poems by Sophie Piper (Review)

The Lion Book of Christmas Poems by Sophie Piper

Blurb

This poetry anthology includes both jolly and thought-provoking poems old and new to take the reader on a journey through the Christmas season, from the advent of winter to the dawn of the new year. Poems cover much-loved themes including the Nativity and the love and peace of God at Christmas time; the busyness and joy of family life and Christmas preparations; and hope for the new year. Poems are from names including Charles Causley, Steve Turner, Clare Bevan, Edward Lear, Emily Dickinson and many more modern and traditional poets. The anthology is enlivened with pictures and photographs to showcase a whole range of jolly Christmas styles. The giftable hardback format makes this a special book to share at home, whilst the wide scope of the poems makes this equally valuable for teachers looking for assembly and classroom resources.

Review

I really wanted a book of Christmas poetry this year so I was really pleased when I saw this little book on the Waterstones website. 

This little book contains poems by Sophie Piper who has also compiled this book and poems by poets such as Emily Dickinson, Christina Rossetti and many more. The book also contains stunning illustrations that have been done by a number of illustrators.

I love this little book that can easily be read in one sitting or dipped into when the mood takes you. The poems are well selected and really bring about the spirit of Christmas there are also a few carols inside as well. There are poems for everyone within this book and I will be honest my particular favourites are the ones about animals.

I highly recommend this little book for children and adults and it would make a perfect little stocking filler to read over the festive period. I give this book 5 out of 5 Dragons.

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Purchase Links

Amazon | Book Depository | Foyles | Waterstones | Wordery

(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

Sophie Piper is the author of numerous religious books for children, including Little Bunny’s Easter, My Baptism Book, and When You Were Small.