It has been a busy summer for me so I thought it was time to do a This and That Thursday post.
Rhodes
For our summer holiday this year we went to Rhodes. We loved Kos when we went in 2023 so we thought it was time for another Greek island. We spent some time seeing the sights and some time by the pool reading loads of books.
Harvington Hall History Festival
I attended two of the events at the history festival this year. One by was Alison Weir and one by Tracy Borman. I also attended the book signings they kindly did at the end. The Harvington Hall cats were also in attendance but I wasn’t lucky enough to get a photo.
National Trust
We have also attended a few National trust places this summer. The first was a new one for us called Canons Ashby. Canons Ashby was a lovely Tudor property which was just like a maze. There were so many little staircases and little corridors I absolutely loved it.
Next was Waddeson Manor which was a return visit for us. It is definitely one of our favourite places to visit and they do a very nice afternoon tea as well.
We met my best friend at Charlecote Park last week and the weather was beautiful. We also had a great time helping my best friend’s son fill out the activity sheet where we had to work out whether certain things were ‘Tudor’ or ‘Not Tudor’.
Bath
We spent Bank Holiday weekend in Bath where we visited the Victoria Art Gallery and No. 1 Royal Crescent. I also did a lot of book shopping and eating of yummy food.
I am back teaching next week but this summer has been a lovely break with some great adventures. I am hoping that we will fit in more adventures around work.
The young Gascon d’Artagnan and the legendary musketeers Athos, Porthos and Aramis are ready to sacrifice everything for love, glory and the common good. The wicked machinations of Cardinal Richelieu and his accomplice, the magnetic Milady de Winter, propel the devoted friends across seas and battlefields from masked balls to a remote convent, in order to defend the honour of the Queen and the life of Constance Bonacieux, d’Artagnan’s true love.
Review
I absolutely love this book and have read it many many times. My original copy completely fell apart and I lost some of the pages so this read through was a different book and a different translation which threw me to start with but I soon got back into one of my favourite stories.
The main thing I absolutely love with this book is the amazing characters. Aramis is so unbelievably vain but always wants to appear holy and devout. Porthos is all about image, he must have the best of everything and he always makes me laugh with his antics. d’Artagnan is adorably frustrating, sometimes I want to smack him and tell him to be quiet and other times I wanted to hug him. Athos was a troubled man but the perfect guiding hand that d’Artagnan needed and the calming influence that Porthos and Aramis needed. Athos is my favourite character because of his calmness but also because of his eccentric behaviour. The scene where he locks himself in the inn keeper’s cellar for weeks and drinks all the wine and eats all the food is hilarious.
The other character that was impressive was Milady. Milady is a complete psycho! She has a poison ring, she seduces men who are meant to be impossible to seduce, she happily stabs herself to appear suicidal and she is always trying to kill the musketeers. I even think Cardinal Richelieu was frightened of her at times.
The story of The Three Musketeers is well known as it has been the focus of many films but these films will never be a patch on such a wonderful book. The storylines that are based on historical events and characters work brilliantly. The book is packed full of action, romance and humour. I give this book a massive 5 out of 5 Dragons and will be reading the next book in the series very soon.
🐲🐲🐲🐲🐲
About the author
Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870) was a French novelist and playwright. His works have been translated into many languages and he is one of the most widely read French authors.
I hope everyone is having a good week so far. I thought it was time for a post which doesn’t involve books.
House and Garden
Our house is still covered in scaffolding and work on the roof and the rest of the house is progressing. We have been busy inside the house whilst the builders have been busy outside. We have been clearing the room that is going to be turned into the library. Yesterday I was taking tiles off the wall as the room has a bathroom sink in it from the previous owners. The library is proving to not be as simple as we originally thought but I’m still hoping to get it all finished before Christmas.
Garden wise we have now had two massive clear outs and filled nearly three skips! Now we have some space to lay slabs and create our new pond area.
Powis Castle
We managed to both get a Sunday off together which is something my husband and myself very rarely manage so we went to visit the pea fowl at Powis Castle. We love Powis Castle and always love seeing the peacocks so it was nice to visit the super cute peacock babies.
West Midlands Safari Park
This week we went on our annual visit to the safari park. We always go in the Summer and sometimes to the other events they run during the year. It was a super hot day so we were very grateful for the AC in the car and we got a little pink walking around during the afternoon but it was so nice to see all the animals. My personal favourites are the elephants and hippos.
Walkingand Dining Out
We have also been trying to keep our walking going and thankfully we have had some good weather to help with this. We have also been treating ourselves to a few nice meals out, hence the need for so many walks. We haven’t managed a holiday this summer due to the work on the house so we are making sure we go for some nice treats instead.
So what has everyone been up to outside of reading good books?
I will be honest and say work has been taking up a lot of my time but I have managed to do some other things as well.
Duolingo
My husband and myself have started learning Greek again. It has been so long since I last attempted it that I have forgotten everything so I have started from scratch. We are using Duolingo at the moment but I would like some other resources to help so any suggestions would be gratefully received.
Walking
We are really making an effort with our walking again. We have been doing the Lord of the Rings virtual challenges on the Conqueror Challenges and we have now completed 4 medals and are on the last one. However, the last medal is 282 miles which is going to take us a while but we will keep plodding along. If anybody would like to try the Conqueror challenges this code will give you 10% off. The walking has also meant some lovely views as well.
Etsy
I have been really busy with my Etsy recently which is wonderful but it has meant I have needed to upgrade my Cricut from a Joy to a Maker 3. This has meant spending some time getting used to a new machine and adapting my designs for the new machine. It has been so nice to make several things at once instead of one thing at a time. If you want to visit my Etsy shop here is the link.
I thought it was high time for a post about my escapades outside of reading. The Easter school holidays was rather busy for me as I took some time off teaching and went on some adventures.
Bath
We usually go to Bath at least once a year, usually more but we have never gone at this time of year so we thought we would see what it was like. It was busier than we are used to but it was still a fab little break. It also involved quite a bit of book buying.
It wasn’t all book buying though. We also had a lovely afternoon tea at the Pump Rooms, we visited the Ladybird exhibition at the Victoria Art Gallery and we went to Dyrham Park just outside of Bath. We also did lots of walking and eating out.
Cambridge
I also visited Cambridge for the first time. I met up with my best friends and we had a good little explore. The weather was terrible so we had to do a lot of ducking out of the rain but we did manage some book shopping and we visited a very interesting museum. We also had great fun spotting all the giraffes!
Croft Castle and the Ironbridge Museum of the Gorge
We have also been doing some visiting closer to home. A couple of weeks ago we visited one of our favourites which is Croft Castle and today we visited a new place which was the Ironbride Museum of the Gorge. The Museum of the Gorge has only just recently reopened which is why we have never visited as we like to visit Ironbride. I also did a tiny bit of book shopping!
I thought it was time for another This and That Thursday because I have been quite busy going on adventures recently.
Norfolk
Just recently I went to Norfolk where my best friend lives to surprise her for her birthday. The surprise went really well and we had a really great time. We ate some lovely food and visited a lovely National Trust property called Felbrigg Hall. It was a wonderful weekend away and it was so good to spend time with friends.
Afternoon Tea
My husband and myself went to try afternoon tea at our local Golf club. We had never been before but thought as it was the holidays we would treat ourselves. We really enjoyed it and have also been for dinner there as well.
Powis Castle
Powis Castle is a bit of a distance for us but we had a rare Sunday off together so we thought we would set off earlier and go to a National Trust place further afield. We enjoyed the castle so much that we went around twice and this also helped us avoid the rain.
Witley Court
We are also members of the English Heritage but we haven’t used our membership this year so we decided to remedy the situation and visit Witley Court. I love Witley Court but I do find it depressing. The house was clearly a gorgeous house and would have been wonderful to see before it was burned down. However, walking around the ruins you get the sense of the grandeur but also sadness that so little remains.
Wightwick Manor
Wightwick Manor is one of my favourite National Trust places and one that is very local to us. I love the design of Wightwick and the fact that in comparison to most National Trust properties it is relatively new. The house is so eccentric and always fills me full of wonder. It is also has some beautiful artwork in and a very nice library.
So there are some of my adventures. I am going on another adventure tomorrow all being well so I am hoping it doesn’t rain.
A thousand worlds have opened, and the greatest land rush in human history has begun. As wave after wave of colonists leave, the power structures of the old solar system begin to buckle.
Ships are disappearing without a trace. Private armies are being secretly formed. The sole remaining protomolecule sample is stolen. Terrorist attacks previously considered impossible bring the inner planets to their knees. The sins of the past are returning to exact a terrible price.
And as a new human order is struggling to be born in blood and fire, James Holden and the crew of the Rocinante must struggle to survive and get back to the only home they have left.
Review
Well each time I read an Expanse novel I keep saying I have a new favourite and yet again I have a new favourite. I loved this book!
This book is very different from the previous books because the crew of the Roci are split up and living their own storylines instead of all being on the Roci sharing a storyline. I really found this interesting because you see the four main characters in a different light when they are on their own.
Naomi leaves Holden and goes off to try and correct the things she sees as sins in her past. Whilst she is on this mission we learn about Naomi’s past and how she ended up on the Canterbury. I really felt for Naomi in this book, she has real horrors in her past and she was sorely wronged and now she is having to go through them all again. We also learn in this book that Naomi has struggled with her mental health in the past and now has a battle to make sure these mental health problems do not return.
Amos goes off to Earth for personal reasons and this also shows another side of Amos. We have learnt that Amos is clearly a dangerous character from the previous books but what we really see in this book is just how dangerous he is and what he has to do to make sure his violent side does not take over. Amos comes across as a character without feeling who doesn’t really understand human emotions, such as someone wanting to hold his hand. But what we also see is that in his own way he does care and will try and protect people even ones he has only just met. Amos still remains my favourite character who always makes me laugh and in this book I particularly liked his relationship with Avasarala.
Alex is on Mars where he ends up helping out an old friend in the form of Bobbie. Bobbie and Alex end up on the Razorback trying to find missing ships, avoiding terrorists and helping in the odd rescue mission. I love the relationship between Alex and Bobbie, they are true friends and I don’t think Bobbie had realised this until this book when Alex refuses to leave her behind. Alex treats Bobbie like family and it is wonderful to see.
Holden finds himself left behind in this book, his crew have all gone off on their own missions and you can tell he feels left out and lonely. But this doesn’t mean he doesn’t see his own share of the action. Monica comes along and asks for his help and against his better judgement he can’t help but be interested and to try to solve the problem of these missing ships.
I really enjoyed seeing these different sides of the Roci crew and it really gave a different feel to the book from the previous books. I found myself desperately wanting to know what would happen next for each character. I give this book 5 out of 5 Dragons.
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About the author
James S. A. Corey is the pen name of fantasy author Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck, George R. R. Martin’s assistant. They both live Albuquerque, New Mexico.
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While on holiday in 1925, four-year-old Michael Tolkien lost his beloved toy dog on the beach. To console him, his father J.R.R. Tolkien improvised a story about Rover, a real dog who is magically transformed into toy, and his quest to find the wizard who can return him to normal.
The adventures of Rover, or ‘Roverandom’ a he becomes known, include encounters with an ancient sand-sorcerer and a terrible dragon, by the king of wordplay, the story underwent a number of revisions and was originally considered for publication in January 1937, the same year as The Hobbit, was abandoned when the publishers asked instead for a sequel, which culminated in The Lord of the Rings. Roverandom was finally published in 1998.
Review
I love Tolkien and I have read The Lord of the Rings more times than I can count. So when I saw this in Waterstones I knew I had to get it and I was not disappointed.
Roverandom is all about a little dog who due to being a little bit rude and not minding his manners to a wizard he ends up as a small toy dog instead. Roverandom ends up being taken from his home and his beloved ball and goes on all kinds of adventures meeting wizards, dragons, mer people and much more.
This story is typical Tolkien but doesn’t flow with his usual style but I think this is because it wasn’t refined for publication by Tolkien. You can also clearly see that the wizards in this book were the starting points for Gandalf as Artaxerxes is a little bit similar to Gandalf.
This is a wonderful little story that you can just imagine Tolkien telling his distraught son to help with the loss of his beloved toy dog. The story also has a very clear moral about the consequences of not minding your manners and being polite. Roverandom goes on his adventures and learns to be a better dog, a dog with manners who is polite and kind and thinks of others. It really was a beautiful little read that I give 4 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
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born on the 3rd January 1892 in Bloemfontein. He moved to England when he was three years old and was home schooled with his younger brother and taught by his mother. Tolkien served in the First World War and after the war he established a distinguished academic career and was recognised as one of the finest philologists in the world. He is best known as the creator of Middle Earth and the author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. He was awarded a CBE and an honorary Doctorate of Letters from Oxford University in 1972. He died on 2nd September 1973 at the age of 81.
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The Forsaken are loose, the Horn of Valere has been found and the Dead are rising from their dreamless sleep. The Prophecies are being fulfilled – but Rand al’ Thor, the shepherd the Aes Sedai have proclaimed as the Dragon Reborn, desperately seeks to escape his destiny.
Rand cannot run forever. With every passing day the Dark One grows in strength and strives to shatter his ancient prison, to break the Wheel, to bring an end to Time and sunder the weave of the Pattern.
And the Pattern demands the Dragon.
Review
I will be honest the first time I read this book in 2015 I did not find it as enjoyable as the the first book in the series but this time round that has changed and I enjoyed it a lot more maybe even more than the first book.
I found this book a lot faster paced than the first which I enjoyed more and found myself more likely to pick up the book and not put it down for ages.
This book introduces us to new enemies such as the Seanchan, who I really did not like but I’m not entirely sure they are the bad guys entirely. We also learn more about The White Cloaks, Padan Fain and The Forsaken. We also learn more about The Age of Legends which I really hope we learn more about in future books as I find it fascinating.
The characters from the previous book are further developed in this book. Rand gets more depth but I do still find him slightly annoying at times but not as much as Mat. I always feel frustrated with Mat. I know it is not entirely his fault but it is clear he does not have the goodness inside him like Perrin and Rand. Perrin is still my favourite character. He is loyal to his friends, caring and you can tell he is someone who is dependable and will always try to do the right thing.
We also get to know Min and Elayne more in this book which is good even though Elayne is another one of those annoying characters for me but I suspect she is being portrayed to be annoying in comparison to the other female characters such as Min and Egwene.
This book has so much going on it, it really is packed. Moiraine and Lan are dealing with their own adventures as well as trying to help Rand, Perrin and Mat. Egwene, Elayne, Min and Nynaeve have their own storyline but in the end they all converge together again.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and could not put it down and I look forward to reading the next book in the series because although I have read it before I can’t really remember much. 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
James Oliver Rigney Jr. (1948-2007) was an American author of epic fantasy who wrote under the pen name Robert Jordan. Jordan also wrote historical fiction under the name of Reagan O’Neal, a western as Jackson O’Reilly, and dance criticism as Chang Lung.
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The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.
Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time.
The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. In the Third Age, an Age of Prophecy, the World and Time themselves hang in the balance. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.
When The Two Rivers is attacked by Trollocs-a savage tribe of half-men, half-beasts- five villagers flee that night into a world they barely imagined, with new dangers waiting in the shadows and in the light.
Review
This is the third time I have read this book because I have tried to read The Wheel of Time series on more than one occasion and sadly never finished it. However, I am determined that this time I will finish the series.
Every time I have read this book I have loved it and this time round was no exception and I found that I had in fact forgotten a few parts of the story that made a nice surprise. As a massive Tolkien fan I realise that The Wheel of Time series is heavily influenced by Tolkien’s Middle Earth but that does not put me off. After all hasn’t all literature from as far back as Homer and Virgil done the same thing?
This book introduces us to some main characters that are clearly going to be important in future books. Five young villagers from the village of Two Rivers have to flee after a Trolloc attack on their village. By fleeing they hope to save their beloved village from any further attack and to do this they are helped by Moraine and her warder Lan. The fiver villagers are Rand, Mat, Perrin, Egwene and the village wisdom Nynaeve. Nynaeve is slightly older than the other four but not by much. Nynaeve is also the character that at times I find quite annoying, she is very stubborn and is always questioning and second guessing Moraine which at times just gets boring. Mat is rather a spineless character who you know is not going to be good news for the group of friends. Perrin is my favourite character out of the five as he is down to earth, caring and patient. Rand is rather bland at the moment but you can see he will develop as a character.
As the adventure continues the group meet new people who help them on their journey but they also learn that no one can be trusted because anybody could be a dark friend. One of these new friends is the Ogier named Loial who is also one of my favourite characters. Loial is never hasty and likes to think everything through, he also loves reading and always has a pile of books with him which is just like me when I go anywhere.
The world of Aes Sedai is fascinating and I can’t wait to learn more about it all and I also have so many questions regarding what happened in the past that made the Aes Sedai’s power start to dwindle. I really hope I get my answers in the following books. I really enjoyed the book and have already started book two. 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
James Oliver Rigney Jr. (1948-2007) was an American author of epic fantasy who wrote under the pen name Robert Jordan. Jordan also wrote historical fiction under the name of Reagan O’Neal, a western as Jackson O’Reilly, and dance criticism as Chang Lung.
If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you
Lady Book Dragon 