Goodreads Monday: 5/8/2024

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 have had a lovely day reading and working in the garden. The garden is actually starting to look a little bit tamed now but there is still a long way to go.

My chosen book to feature off my Goodreads TBR is by one of my favourite historians, Mary Beard.

Emperor of Rome by Mary Beard

A sweeping account of the social and political world of the Roman emperors by “the world’s most famous classicist” ( Guardian ). In her international bestseller SPQR , Mary Beard told the thousand-year story of ancient Rome. Now she shines her spotlight on the emperors who ruled the Roman empire, from Julius Caesar (assassinated 44 BCE) to Alexander Severus (assassinated 235 CE).

Emperor of Rome is not your usual chronological account of Roman rulers, such as the mad Caligula, the monster Nero, the philosopher Marcus Aurelius. Beard asks bigger questions: What power did emperors actually have? Was the Roman palace really so bloodstained? She tracks down the emperor at home, at the races, on his travels, even on his way to heaven. She introduces his wives and lovers, rivals and slaves, court jesters and soldiers―and the ordinary people who pressed begging letters into his hands.

Emperor of Rome goes directly to the heart of Roman (and our own) fantasies about what it was to be Roman, offering an account of Roman history as it has never been presented before. 160 images; 16-page colour insert.

Happy Reading

Etsy

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

Stacking the Shelves: 3/8/2024

Stacking The Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Marlene of Reading Reality. It is all about sharing the books that you have recently added to your bookshelves. These books can be physical books, ebooks and of course audiobooks.

Hello!

I hope everyone is having a good weekend so far. I actually went book shopping this week which was rather nice as I haven’t been on a proper book shopping trip in a while.

  • Hera by Jennifer Saint – Jennifer Saint is an auto buy author for me and I am really looking forward to reading her take on Hera’s story.
  • The Last Word by Elly Griffiths – You have all probably seen by now that I am slightly obsessed with Elly Griffiths. My favourite series is the Dr Ruth galloway books but I also enjoy Griffiths’ other books.

I can’t wait to get reading!

Happy Reading!

Etsy

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

Friday Poetry: Emily Bronte

Happy Friday Everyone!

I hope everyone has had a good week so far. I have been getting in some reading this week which has been nice.

My chosen poem this week is by Emily Bronte who is favourite of mine.

Love and Friendship

Love is like the wild rose-briar,
Friendship like the holly-tree -
The holly is dark when the rose-briar blooms
But which will bloom most constantly?

The wild rose-briar is sweet in spring,
Its summer blossoms scent the air;
Yet wait till winter comes again
And who will call the wild-briar far?

Then scorn the silly rose-wreath now
And deck thee with the holly's sheen,
That when December blights thy brow
He still may leave thy garland green.

Emily Bronte

Happy Reading

Etsy

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

July 2024 Wrap Up

Hello!

I was hoping for a better July with my reading but sadly it wasn’t great. I keep hoping my reading will get better as the year goes on but it never seems to happen at the moment.

Statistics

Books

Pages: 374

Format Read: Paperback

Review

Dragon Rating: 🐲🐲🐲🐲🐲

Old Book

Pages: 344

Format Read: Hardback

Review to follow

Dragon Rating: 🐲🐲🐲🐲🐲

Old Book

Pages: 336

Format Read: Hardback

Review to follow

Dragon Rating: 🐲🐲🐲🐲

Old Book

Goodreads Challenge: 22/50

New Books: 0

Old Books: 3

24 Books in 2024: 8/24

Happy Reading

Etsy

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

Mid Week Quote: Rumi

Hello!

My chosen quote today is by the 13th century poet, jurist, Islamic scholar, Maturidi theologian and Sufi mystic, Rumi (1207-1273).

“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”

Rumi

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: 31/7/2024

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 great week so far. I am thoroughly enjoying this weather. You can’t beat reading a book in the sunshine.

What I am Currently Reading

Over the last few days I have really been pushing with this book. I am really enjoying this book which makes a nice change as book 5 nearly finished me off from continuing with this series.

What I have Recently Finished Reading

I finished this on Monday and I absolutely loved it. I found it really interesting and rather sad at times.

What I Think I will Read Next

I’m currently emptying out a room which has been used as a box room and I’m finding a lot of books I had forgotten I own which means my TBR has gotten even longer. The room will eventually be turned into the library so watch this space as I will keep you all updated.

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

Goodreads Monday: 29/7/2024

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 have had a wonderful couple of hours sat in the garden reading today and I am planning on going back out again later. This beautiful weather is really helping my reading at the moment.

The book I am featuring today is a recent book that I have added to my Goodreads TBR. I have really enjoyed the books I have read by Jennifer Saint so far and she is definitely an auto buy author for me now.

Hera by Jennifer Saint

When Hera, immortal goddess and daughter of the ancient Titan Cronos, helps her brother Zeus to overthrow their tyrannical father, she dreams of ruling at his side.

As they establish their reign on Mount Olympus, Hera suspects that Zeus might be just as ruthless and cruel as the father they betrayed.

She was always born to rule, but must she lose herself in perpetuating this cycle of violence and cruelty? Or can she find a way to forge a better world?

Often portrayed as the jealous wife or the wicked stepmother, this retelling captures the many sides of Hera, vengeful when she needs to be but also compassionate and mostly importantly, an all-powerful queen to the gods.

Happy Reading

Etsy

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

Friday Poetry: Robert Louis Stevenson

Happy Friday Everyone!

I hope everyone has had a good week and is looking forward to the weekend.

My chosen poem this week is by one of my favourites, Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894).

Escape at Bedtime

The lights from the parlour and kitchen shone out
Through the blinds and the windows and bars;
And high overhead and all moving about,
There were thousands of millions of stars.
There ne'er were such thousands of leaves on a tree,
Nor of people in church or the Park,
As the crowds of the stars that looked down upon me,
And that glittered and winked in the dark.

The Dog, and the Plough, and the Hunter, and all,
And the star of the sailor, and Mars,
There shone in the sky, and the pail by the wall
Would be half full of water and stars.
They saw me at last, and they chased me with cries,
And they soon had me packed into bed;
But the glory kept shining and bright in my eyes,
And the stars going round in my head.

Robert Louis Stevenson

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: 24/7/2024

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!

Sadly, my reading is still not great and I am beginning to think that maybe I should lower my goals for this year. I think there is just too much chaos going on currently with the building work on the house and it is putting me off my reading.

What I am Currently Reading


I’ve taken a break from the Alison Weir because I felt like an easier read. I’m thoroughly enjoying Yellowface so far. Lord of Chaos is still plodding along, I’m currently averaging 10 pages a night.

What I have Recently Finished Reading

I finally managed to bring myself to read the last Discworld book. This has sat on my book trolley since the day it was released and I haven’t been able to bring myself to read it but last week I decided the time was right.

What I Think I will Read Next

I really want to get a good amount of reading done this summer and I’m hoping some of these books will be the ones that I read.

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

Mid Week Quote: Suzanne Collins

Hello!

I hope everyone is having a good week so far. I keep forgetting what day of the week I am on as I’m completely confused because it is the school holidays.

My chosen quote today is from The Hunger Games which of course is by the wonderful Suzanne Collins (1962).

“I am not pretty. I am not beautiful. I am as radiant as the sun.”

Suzanne Collins

Happy Reading

Etsy

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