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 hope everyone is having a good week so far. I have had a fab day of teaching and reading and managed to finish a book.
I have so many books that I want to read over the next few months so I thought I would take part in today’s Top Ten Tuesday and make a plan for my Spring reading.
Most of these books have been on my TBR for over a year so I’m hoping I can use the Spring to finally read them.
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 have decided to have a look through of what is actually on my Kindle. I much prefer physical books to my Kindle but I’ve always used my Kindle for holidays and so I have collected quite a few books on there which I haven’t read yet or forgotten about.
Belgravia by Julian Fellowes
On the evening of 15 June 1815, the great and the good of British society have gathered in Brussels at what is to become one of the most tragic parties in history – the Duchess of Richmond’s ball. For this is the eve of the Battle of Waterloo, and many of the handsome young men attending the ball will find themselves, the very next day, on the battlefield. For Sophia Trenchard, the young and beautiful daughter of Wellington’s chief supplier, this night will change everything. But it is only twenty-five years later, when the upwardly mobile Trenchards move into the fashionable new area of Belgravia, that the true repercussions of that moment will be felt. For in this new world, where the aristocracy rub shoulders with the emerging nouveau riche, there are those who would prefer the secrets of the past to remain buried…
I hope everyone has some fun plans for the weekend. My husband is very excited that the Grand Prix is back on. Grand Prix always means more reading time for me.
My chosen poem this week is by the Austrian poet and novelist Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926).
Spring Has Come Back Again
Spring has come back again. The earth is like a child who has memorised poems, oh, many! ... now it seems worth the effort, for she wins the prize.
Her teacher was strict. We loved the white hair of the old man's beard. When we ask what the green and the blue are, right off she knows every word.
Lucky earth, with your holiday, and all the children coming to play! We try to catch you. The gayest will do it.
Teacher trained her until she knew it, and all that's printed in roots and long unruly stems she sings in song.
Underlying everything in the book is Johnson’s belief that the UK is an extraordinary country and should have an exceptional future.
From trouncing Ken Livingstone in the London mayoral race in 2008 to becoming Prime Minister, he takes readers through all the big decisions during his time in power and the reasons he took them. The challenges and crises, how they were resolved – or not – and how he nearly died from Covid. Riots, knife crime, bikes, buses, the London Olympics and so much more. He writes about his role in Brexit and the constitutional sea-change that took place in British politics in 2019 – with his landslide election victory and the massive expansion in the groups that think of themselves as Conservative.
This is the reality as he saw unvarnished, uncensored, unleashed.
Review
My best friend suggested this book as a buddy read for January and February. We read one chapter per day during the week and two chapters a day for the weekends. It was great because once we had read the chapter we discussed it together and it really added to the book.
This was my first book by Boris Johnson and I was first struck by just what an amazing writer he is. I loved reading his book and found it quite hard to read just one chapter a day as I could have easily sat down and devoured it in a few sessions.
I know reading this you had to take it with a pinch of salt as it is only one side of the story but I found it really interesting to see the different stages of Johnson’s career from when he became London Mayor to Prime Minister. Everything he did he wanted to progress and make things better.
The thing I loved about Johnson’s book was it became really clear that he thinks the UK is a fantastic place and can do so much. Everything he did was in the name of making things better for people. He wanted to create more jobs and more opportunities for people. I loved his phrase of levelling up.
The other element I loved in this book was the glimpses into his private life. The scenes that included Dilly the dog were my particular favourites. The comments about his siblings and his father were also really funny. Also the scene where Boris almost got swept out to sea while rowing in a little dingy was another favourite. The photos that were included in this book were also excellent choices and really added to the book.
I loved this book and I will definitely be reading more books by Johnson as his books on history look really interesting. Johnson is a very skilled writer and I just loved reading his book. The book was interesting, humorous, factual and gave interesting insights into other politicians. I give this book 5 out of 5 Dragons.
(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
Boris Johnson is a British politician in the Conservative Party and the former Prime Minister of United Kingdom as well as the former Mayor of London. Due to his public school, blustering, comedic style, he is generally either loved or loathed by members of the British public.
My chosen quote this week is by one of my favourite authors.
“Seldom, very seldom, does complete truth belong to any human disclosure; seldom can it happen that something is not a little disguised or a little mistaken.”
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 quite a few cancellations with lessons today so I spent the extra time reading which was lovely. Reading is going really well so far this year I and really hope it continues.
What I am Currently Reading
I will be honest I’m struggling with this book but I am now over half way so I will finish it.
What I have Recently Finished Reading
Agnes Grey was a reread for me and I flew through it. The Frozen People was very different to Griffiths’ usual work and quite intriguing.
What I Think I will Read Next
I’m really not sure what I will read next but one of these might be a possible.
Please drop me a comment with your WWW Wednesday and I will head over for a visit.
Frances Burney’s first and most enduringly popular novel is a vivid, satirical, and seductive account of the pleasures and dangers of fashionable life in late eighteenth-century London.
As she describes her heroine’s entry into society, womanhood and, inevitably, love, Burney exposes the vulnerability of female innocence in an image-conscious and often cruel world where social snobbery and sexual aggression are played out in the public arenas of pleasure-gardens, theatre visits, and balls. But Evelina’s innocence also makes her a shrewd commentator on the excesses and absurdities of manners and social ambitions—as well as attracting the attention of the eminently eligible Lord Orville.
Evelina, comic and shrewd, is at once a guide to fashionable London, a satirical attack on the new consumerism, an investigation of women’s position in the late eighteenth century, and a love story. The new introduction and full notes to this edition help make this richness all the more readily available to a modern reader.
Review
This book has been on my TBR pile for years as I have always wanted to read a book by Burney who was one of Jane Austen’s favourite authors.
It took me a while to get into this book as I haven’t read many books written in the form of letters but once I did I absolutely loved it. The first thing that really struck me was how funny this book was. The character of the Captain was hilarious and also a bit unbelievable at times. The scene with the monkey seemed very fake but was still highly amusing. The Captain definitely belonged on the deck of a ship rather than in polite society but he really added to the storyline.
Another favourite of mine was the dashing Lord Orville who was a true gentleman. Orville wasn’t a poser like the other men in this book who insisted on being fashionable at all times and who would rather go to events to be seen rather than enjoy the theatre or opera. Orville was quiet, caring and a man of substance rather than frills.
Evelina was an endearing character who you couldn’t help but love. Her upbringing had left her rather sheltered and people sought to take advantage of this but she did have an inner strength and fought against those who tried to make her do things she didn’t want to. She also had some very good friends who looked after her.
Evelina is a beautifully written book which just like Austen highlights the absurdity of high society in Georgian England. It also highlights what limitations women in the Georgian period had to go through and fight against.
However, above everything this book is a love story and a beautiful love story at that. I couldn’t put this book down and I can really see why Austen liked Burney’s books so much and I can also see Burney’s influence in Austen’s books. I give this book a big 5 out of 5 Dragons and I fully plan on reading Burney’s other books soon.
(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
Also known as Fanny Burney and, after her marriage, as Madame d’Arblay. Frances Burney was a novelist, diarist and playwright. In total, she wrote four novels, eight plays, one biography and twenty volumes of journals and letters.
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 have had a busy day of teaching and making up Etsy orders. A customer selected the Book a Month order and I always love selecting and wrapping up the books for my customer to enjoy.
One of my favourite authors is Philip K. Dick and I am trying to read all of his books. This is one that I recently purchased and is now very near the top of my TBR.
The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch by Philip K. Dick
In the overcrowded world and cramped space colonies of the late 21st century, tedium can be endured through the drug Can-D, which enables users to inhabit a shared illusory world. When industrialist Palmer Eldritch returns from an interstellar trip, he brings with him a new drug, Chew-Z. It is far more potent than Can-D, but threatens to plunge the world into a permanent state of drugged illusion controlled by the mysterious Eldritch.
I hope everyone has had a good weekend so far. This week has been good reading wise but not so good blogging. I am now very behind on my book reviews so I need to get back on track.
Lady Book Dragon 