Hello!
I hope everyone has had a good weekend. I’ve had another good week blogging and reading and I’m really hoping I can keep it up.
Blog Posts
Currently Reading
Really enjoying both of these books so far.
Happy Reading
Hello!
Since the start of September I’ve been having a think about my Bookish Goals for 2024 and I’ve realised that some of my goals need to change because life is just too busy at the moment.
So here are the goals and what is happening with them…
Read 50 Books
Reading 50 books is never going to happen and I’m now so far behind I know it needs to change. With this in mind I have lowered my target to 40 books. I’m really hoping I manage to read 40 books and if I manage to read more I will be over the moon.
Read 24 Books in 2024
I have now read 10 books off my list but again it is doubtful whether I finish all 24 books before the end of the year. Especially as quite a few of the books on the list are huge. However, I’ve decided to not change my target by reducing the list but to just try and tick off as many of the books as I can. Whatever the final number is will be good because it means I have significantly reduced my TBR pile.
Finish the Shardlake series
Nope, never going to happen! I haven’t even read one of the Shardlake books this year so I haven’t got a hope in finishing the series. I’ve decided to just scrap this challenge and not worry about it. Hopefully, I will read the next book in the series this year but if not I’m not worried.
Read at least one chapter from The Wheel of Time series a day
This challenge is now out of the window but I am still reading The Wheel of Time series. Instead of pressuring myself to read a chapter a day I am reading this series last thing at night and I just go with whatever I manage to read each night. Some nights I read loads, some nights I manage 2 pages which I have to reread the next day because I was so tired I fell asleep whilst reading and dreamt some random rubbish.
Keep going with my Maigret, Agatha Christie and Classics Club challenges.
These challenges are meant to be ticking along in the background this year but instead of ticking they have just stopped. I have the next books planned for these challenges so hopefully I will get around to reading at least one book from each challenge before the end of the year.
Keep up to date with my book reviews
Finally, a challenge I am managing! This year is the first year I am on top of my book reviews and not so far behind that by the end of the year I leave loads of books with no reviews as I just can’t stand looking at them any longer. I’m now in a good routine with my reviews so I am hoping I can complete this challenge this year and for the future.
Overall, I’m quite disappointed with my goal progress this year but I also realise that this year is not an ordinary year. Since the beginning of June the house has been covered in scaffolding and the work that has been going on has not been conducive to reading. We’ve also been busy working on the garden and on the inside of the house so there has been less time for reading.
I really hope all my fellow Book Dragons are having better luck with their reading goals this year but if not remember it is the joy of reading that matters the most.
Happy Reading
Happy Friday!
I hope everyone is looking forward to the weekend.
My chosen poem this week is by the English poet, writer, critic and editor William Ernest Henley (1849-1903).
Invictus
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.
William Ernest Henley
Happy Reading
Hello!
I thought it was time for a post about the things that haven’t involved books. I am back to work fully from Monday so the reading and adventures might slow down but I’m hoping not too much. Work on the house continues and this week has involved a lot of noise from the builders which has been rather distracting. We really hope the end is in sight as we would love to see the house all finished and no longer covered in scaffolding.
Decorating
Whilst the builders have been working on the outside of the house we have been busy trying to get work moving on the library. I have done more wall paper removing this week and I hope to get that finished this week. There is a very long way to go with this room before it becomes a library but maybe if we are lucky we can get it done before Christmas.
Afternoon Tea
We took my parents for afternoon tea at Stanbrook Abbey the other day and the food was fantastic. I do love an afternoon tea especially when they have a great choice of teas to choose from which this one did.
Recital
My husband and myself have been busy working on a recital over the summer and finally we did the recital last weekend. It went really well and the treble recorder and organ combo sounded fab. Here is a little snippet.
Cat Cafe
Husband had a voucher to go to Paws Cafe in Shrewsbury for his birthday so we went last week and it was brilliant. We have never done a cat cafe before but we will definitely be going back. We both fell in love with the Maine Coon there called Darwin. Lady Grey was also an absolute cutie and loved having cuddles. I’m definitely considering getting a Maine Coon one day.
Happy Reading!
Hello!
I hope everyone is having a good week so far. I have had a busy day teaching and making Etsy orders up but I have also managed some reading which has been brilliant.
My chosen quote today is by the American author, voice actor, woodworker and radio personality Thomas Edward Bodett (1955).
“They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for.”
Tom Bodett
Happy Reading
Medusa by Jessie Burton
Blurb
If I told you that I’d killed a man with a glance, would you wait to hear the rest? The why, the how, what happened next?
Monster. Man-hater. Murderess. Forget everything you’ve been told about Medusa.
Internationally bestselling author Jessie Burton flips the script in this astonishing retelling of Greek myth, illuminating the woman behind the legend at last.
Exiled to a far-flung island after being abused by powerful Gods, Medusa has little company other than the snakes that adorn her head instead of hair. Haunted by the memories of a life before everything was stolen from her, she has no choice but to make peace with her present: Medusa the Monster. But when the charmed and beautiful Perseus arrives on the island, her lonely existence is blown apart, unleashing desire, love… and betrayal.
Adapted from the hardback illustrated by Olivia Lomenech-Gill, this paperback edition is perfect for readers who loved Circe and Ariadne, as Medusa comes alive in a new version of the story that history set in stone long ago.
Review
Medusa has always been a favourite of mine and so I always jump at the chance to read a retelling of her story. My current favourite retelling is Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes and I remember I had just finished reading it when I bought this book. Medusa’s myth is legendary and although very sad and clearly written by men it also shows the strength a woman can have. In her earliest depictions Medusa along with her sisters Stheno and Euryale were all gorgons of monstrous form. Aeschylus described all three as winged and hair of snakes there was no mention of Medusa being a beautiful maiden first. It wasn’t until the Roman period the myth of Medusa that we all know so well really took form.
This was a different take of the Medusa story and I will be honest I did struggle with the change. This is a feminist retelling and the story that we all know so well is completely flipped. I did however really enjoy hearing Medusa’s side of things and I would have loved the book to have been a bit longer so we could have more of that. I really liked how Burton had Medusa working through her trauma during the story. However, I would have also loved to have seen a bit more of Stheno and Euryale and their relationship with Medusa as we only see a little bit of that and the three sisters were such an integral part of each other.
I did feel this book let Perseus off a little bit and made him look better than he is. To me Perseus has always been a spoilt immature boy who is selfish and arrogant (a typical Greek hero who has a god for a father) and who merely saw Medusa as a means to an end. In this book we see another side to him and I’m not sure he deserves it. In this book he is a scared boy who is worried about his mother who has a whole heap of emotions going on and actually shows some bravery in completing his task when in reality he was a coward who creeped up on Medusa while she was sleeping and cut off her head. He used trickery and treachery to get what he wanted through life and he just didn’t deserve to be so well portrayed.
I flew through this book and did enjoy it to a certain degree but I just couldn’t gel with the story flip or the portrayal of Perseus. I also felt like so much of the story was missing. There is so much material to use in Medusa’s story and this just focused too closely to one part. I give this book 3 out of 5 Dragons.
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Purchase Links
Bookshop.org | Waterstones | WH Smith
(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
Jessie Burton studied at Oxford University and the Central School of Speech and Drama, where she appeared in productions of The House of Bernarda Alba, Othello, Play and Macbeth. In April 2013 her first novel, The Miniaturist, was sold at an 11-publisher auction at the London Book Fair, and went on to sell in 29 other countries around the world. It was published by Picador in the UK and Holland in July 2014, and the USA in August 2014, with other translations to follow. Radio 4 commissioned it as their Book at Bedtime in July 2014. Her second book, The Muse, set in a dual time-frame, during the Spanish Civil War and 30 years later in 1960s London, was published in 2016. Jessie’s first novel for children, The Restless Girls, will be published in September 2018.
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 sadly haven’t managed much reading today as I have been catching up on household chores and working.
My chosen book to feature today is another book that has sat on my TBR pile for way too long and is also one of my books off my 24 Books in 2024 list.
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders…
Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.
But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away…because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.
With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.
She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.
Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom’s protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.
Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.
Please drop me a link with your Goodreads Monday and I will head over for a visit.
Happy Reading
Hello!
I hope everyone is having a nice Sunday so far. I’ve had a busy morning of playing for church services and I will be honest I have also had a little Sunday afternoon nap. I’m really pleased with my blogging and reading this week and I hope it continues once I’m back to school.
Blog Posts
Currently Reading
I am hooked on these two books. I keep my Wheel of Time reading to last thing at night and last night I could have easily stayed up all night reading it but in the end my husband reminded me I had an early start and that I needed sleep.
Happy Reading
House of Odysseus by Claire North
Blurb
House of Odysseus is the follow up to award-winning author Claire North’s Ithaca “a powerful, fresh, and unflinching” reimagining (Jennifer Saint) that breathes life into ancient myth and gives voice to the women who stand defiant in a world ruled by ruthless men.
In the palace of Odysseus, a queen lies dreaming . . .
On the isle of Ithaca, queen Penelope maintains a delicate balance of power. Many years ago, her husband Odysseus sailed to war with Troy and never came home. In his absence, Penelope uses all her cunning to keep the peace—a peace that is shattered by the return of Orestes, King of Mycenae, and his sister Elektra.
Orestes’ hands are stained with his mother’s blood. Not so long ago, the son of Agamemnon took Queen Clytemnestra’s life on Ithaca’s sands. Now, wracked with guilt, he grows ever more unhinged. But a king cannot be seen to be weak, and Elektra has brought him to Ithaca to keep him safe from the ambitious men of Mycenae.
Penelope knows destruction will follow in his wake as surely as the furies circle him. His uncle Menelaus, the blood-soaked king of Sparta, hungers for Orestes’ throne—and if he can seize it, no one will be safe from his violent whims.
Trapped between two mad kings, Penelope must find a way to keep her home from being crushed by the machinations of a battle that stretches from Mycenae and Sparta to the summit of Mount Olympus itself. Her only allies are Elektra, desperate to protect her brother, and Helen of Troy, Menelaus’ wife. And watching over them all is the goddess Aphrodite, who has plans of her own.
Each woman has a secret, and their secrets will shape the world . . .
Review
I will be honest the previous book Ithaca I could have taken or left it but I decided to give this trilogy another go and I started to read this book. The first twenty or so pages of this book I almost did leave the series as the random ramblings of Aphrodite at the beginning were seriously annoying but I am glad I continued with the book because I soon got into the story.
This book is not really rooted in the myth of Penelope and Odysseus, or should we say Odysseus because poor Penelope has never featured very heavily in Odysseus’ tale other than when he suddenly remembered he was married and perhaps should be getting home to his wife and out of the other woman’s bed. However, in the little we do know about Penelope we do know she is loyal, clever, cunning and brave and I think it is these qualities that North has used to inspire this book. I could easily see these events happening in the original myth because there is so much that we do not know about Penelope and how she lived those twenty years her husband was from home.
The absolute star of this book is Laertes. Whenever Laertes appeared I was guaranteed a good laugh. Laertes is a clever old man who really can’t be bothered with being a king. He much prefers living quietly on his farm in his dirty robes and being as eccentric as he pleases. However, with Menelaus appearing on Ithaca and events unfolding he realises he must be there to help Penelope and so arrives at the palace to cause chaos. Laertes knows he has a clever daughter in law and I loved how he took his cues from her and knew precisely what chaos he needed to perform.
Penelope playing detective was also a nice touch in this book and I honestly had no clue who had performed the crime until the culprit started to show their true colours. I also loved North’s interpretation of Helen. Helen was another character who made me laugh quite a lot.
The only reason this book didn’t get the full five dragons from me was because I just couldn’t stand Aphrodite. I did love Athena and Artemis appearing and I really liked North’s interpretation of Artemis but Aphrodite really did waffle too much! I enjoyed this book a lot more than Ithaca and I can’t wait to read the final book of the trilogy. I give this book 4 out of 5 Dragons.
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Purchase Links
Bookshop.org | Waterstones | WH Smith
(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
Claire North is actually Catherine Webb, a Carnegie Medal-nominated young-adult novel author whose first book, Mirror Dreams, was written when she was just 14 years old. She went on to write seven more successful YA novels.
Happy Friday!
I have had a busy day today with work and I have a busy weekend with work as well but I am hoping for some reading time as well.
My chosen poem this week is by American writer and designer Edith Wharton born Edith Newbold Jones (1862-1937).
Patience
PATIENCE and I have traveled hand in hand
So many days that I have grown to trace
The lines of sad, sweet beauty in her face,
And all its veiled depths to understand.
Not beautiful is she to eyes profane;
Silent and unrevealed her holy charms;
But, like a mother's, her serene, strong arms
Uphold my footsteps on the path of pain.
I long to cry, - her soft voice whispers, "Nay!"
I seek to fly, but she restrains my feet;
In wisdom stern, yet in compassion sweet,
She guides my helpless wanderings, day by day.
O my Beloved, life's golden visions fade,
And one by one life's phantoms joys depart;
They leave a sudden darkness in the heart,
And patience fills their empty place instead.
Edith Wharton
Happy Reading
Lady Book Dragon 