Happy Wednesday!
I hope everyone is having a good week so far.
My chosen quote today is by Albert Einstein and I chose it because it really made sense to me.
“Creativity is intelligence having fun.”
Albert Einstein
Happy Reading.
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.
Hello!
I have actually been doing rather well on the reading front this week so far. Sadly, it is mainly due to being ill so I’m spending all my time studying and reading but It is rather nice to have time to really get into a book.
So here is what I have been up to on the reading front.
What I am Currently Reading
My third Maigret book and I must admit I am getting a little bit addicted to this wonderful detective. I will definitely be buying more Maigret books. The other advantage of these books is that they are short and snappy and just perfect for when your brain is full of stuff to do with assignments.
What I have Recently Finished Reading
I have finished two of these books from the Folio Society set this week.
Maigret and the Calame Report by Georges Simenon
Maigret and the Saturday Caller by Georges Simenon – review to follow shortly.
What I Think I will Read Next
As usual I am never quite sure what I will choose but at the moment I am in the mood for shortish books so that will probably influence my decision.
Please drop me a comment with your WWW Wednesday and I will head for a visit.
Happy Reading
Hello!
Firstly, my apologies for not posting this yesterday. I will be honest I have been struck down with my asthma and I haven’t been up to much apart from wheezing and coughing. However, the doctors have put me on a course of steroids today so fingers crossed things improve soon. Now I just have to deal with a very foggy brain that I get when on the steroids.
Anyway, here is what happened on the blog last week.
Posts this Week
As you can see a rather quiet week for me.
Currently Reading
I finished the second one of these books today so will be starting the third one later. So far I have really enjoyed reading about Maigret.
No books bought this week sadly but then I haven’t been doing very well on my reading so buying new books isn’t a good idea.
Happy Reading.
Hello!
I hope everyone has fun plans for the weekend.
My chosen poem this week is by William Butler Yeats who won a Nobel Prize for Literature in 1923.
The Song of Wandering Aengus I went out to the hazel wood, Because a fire was in my head, And cut and peeled a hazel wand, And hooked a berry to a thread; And when white moths were on the wing, And moth-like stars were flickering out, I dropped the berry in a stream And caught a little silver trout. When I had laid it on the floor I went to blow the fire aflame, But something rustled on the floor, And someone called me by my name; It had become a glimmering girl With apple blossom in her hair Who called me by my name and ran And faded through the brightening air. Though I am old with wandering Through hollow lands and hilly lands, I will find out where she has gone, And kiss her lips and take her hands; And walk among long dappled grass, And pluck till time and times are done, The silver apples or the moon, The golden apples of the sun. W. B. Yeats
Happy Reading
Happy Wednesday!
I hope you are all having a good week so far.
My chosen quote this week is by Arnold Schwarzenegger the one and only Terminator!
“Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Happy Reading
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.
Hello!
It feels so good to be doing this post again. I missed last week as I had no new book info to announce and I must admit I really missed taking part in my favourite meme! I did enjoy reading everybody else’s WWW Wednesday posts though.
So here we go…
What I am Currently Reading
I have started reading The Calame Report from this set and I am really enjoying it, not just because reading this book could be an excellent drinking game. Every time Maigret has an alcoholic drink you also have one to match and I doubt many of us could keep up!
What I have Recently Finished Reading
I loved this book and simply couldn’t put it down. My review is here.
What I Think I will Read Next
As per usual I am never sure, it might be one of these and it might be something completely different.
Please drop me a comment with your WWW Wednesday and I will head over for a visit.
Goodreads Monday is hosted by Lauren’s Page Turners. All you have to do is show off a book from your TBR that you’re looking forward to reading.
Happy Monday!
I hope everyone has had a good start to the week so far.
My chosen book this week is one that I have recently bought and I am very excited to read it.
Lore by Alexandra Bracken
Every seven years, the Agon begins. As punishment for a past rebellion, nine Greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals, hunted by the descendants of ancient bloodlines, all eager to kill a god and seize their divine power and immortality.
Long ago, Lore Perseous fled that brutal world in the wake of her family’s sadistic murder by a rival line, turning her back on the hunt’s promises of eternal glory. For years she’s pushed away any thought of revenge against the man–now a god–responsible for their deaths.
Yet as the next hunt dawns over New York City, two participants seek out her help: Castor, a childhood friend of Lore believed long dead, and a gravely wounded Athena, among the last of the original gods.
The goddess offers an alliance against their mutual enemy and, at last, a way for Lore to leave the Agon behind forever. But Lore’s decision to bind her fate to Athena’s and rejoin the hunt will come at a deadly cost–and still may not be enough to stop the rise of a new god with the power to bring humanity to its knees.
I’m really looking forward to this book because I love the blurb and it just sounds like my type of read. I also love anything to do with the Greek Gods.
Please drop me a comment if you have also taken part in Goodreads Monday or you have read this book, I love a chat.
Happy Reading
Hello!
Happy Sunday! I hope everyone is having a good weekend so far.
Here is what has been happening on the blog this week.
Posts this Week
Currently Reading
Just started the first of these books last night so haven’t read much yet.
Books Acquired this Week
I went on a little book buying splurge when I preordered some books. I’ve seen so many good reviews of Lore so I can’t wait to read it.
Happy Reading
Dark Fire by C. J. Sansom
Blurb
Summer, 1540. Matthew Shardlake, believing himself out of favour with Thomas Cromwell, is busy trying to maintain his legal practice and keep a low profile. But his involvement with a murder case, defending a girl accused of brutally murdering her young cousin, brings him once again into contact with the King’s chief minister – and a new assignment . . .
The secret of Greek Fire, the legendary substance with which the Byzantines destroyed the Arab navies, has been lost for centuries. Now an official of the Court of Augmentations has discovered the formula in the library of a dissolved London monastery. When Shardlake is sent to recover it, he finds the official and his alchemist brother brutally murdered – the formula has disappeared. Now Shardlake must follow the trail of Greek Fire across Tudor London, while trying at the same time to prove his young client’s innocence. But very soon he discovered nothing is as it seems . . .
Review
I was so excited to read another story about Matthew Shardlake as I thoroughly enjoyed the first book Dissolution. This book is set three years after the first book and finds Shardlake no longer in the employment or favour of Cromwell but quietly working as a lawyer in London.
Shardlake is defending a girl who is accused of murdering her cousin and must work quickly if he has any chance of saving her. However, during this time Cromwell throws a spanner in the works by giving Shardlake another case and not an easy one. Cromwell also gives Shardlake a rather uncouth assistant to help him called Barack who likes to call people he doesn’t like a rather rude name.
Shardlake and Barack have to work on the two cases at the same time but the one for Cromwell is hampered constantly. People are trying to kill Shardlake and Barack and the people involved that could help the investigations are killed before they can help. The other problem is that Shardlake and Barack always seem to be one step behind the bad guys.
This book really kept me on my toes and I never worked out who was guilty for either crime until it is revealed until the end. I also enjoyed reading about how the Tudors considered humours to be the source of health and illness as I have just finished an assignment on health in ancient Greece and Rome and their health and treatments also relied on the balance of humours.
There are so many twists and turns in this book and it never stopped for a moment. I couldn’t put this book down and throughly enjoyed it, in fact I think I enjoyed it more than the first book in the series. I can’t wait to read more about Shardlake and I give this book 5 out of 5 books.
🐲🐲🐲🐲🐲
Purchase Links
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About the author
C. J. Sansom was educated at Birmingham University, where he took a BA and then a PhD in history. After working in a variety of jobs, he retrained as a solicitor and practised in Sussex, until becoming a full-time writer. He lives in Sussex.
Happy Friday!
I hope everyone is looking forward to the weekend. I must admit I haven’t managed much reading recently because I have been reading endless chapters and articles about the importance of Roman dress and the significance of the the toga. I’m really enjoying all the research but I am missing my fun reading.
My chosen poem this week is by William Watson (1858-1935) was an English poet who wasn’t afraid to write what he thought.
The poem is The Ballad of Semmerwater, Semmerwater is more commonly spelt ‘Semerwater’ and is one of the largest lakes in Yorkshire. Semerwater has also been the home of many poets over the centuries.
The Ballad of Semmerwater Deep asleep, deep asleep, Deep asleep it lies, The still lake of Semmerwater, Under the still skies. And many a fathom, many a fathom, Many a fathom below, In a king's tower and a queen's bower The fishes come and go. Once there stood by Semmerwater A mickle town and tall; King's tower and queen's bower, And the wakeman on the wall. Came a beggar halt and sore: 'I faint for lack of bread.' King's tower and queen's bower Cast him forth unfed. He knocked at the door of the herdsman's cot, The herdsman's cot in the dale. They gave him of their oat-cake, They gave him of their ale. He cursed aloud the city proud, He cursed it in its pride; He cursed it into Semmerwater Down the brant hillside; He cursed it into Semmerwater, There to bide. King's tower and queen's bower, And a mickle town and tall; By glimmer of scale and gleam of fin, Folk have seen them all. King's tower and queen's bower, And weed and reed in the gloom, And a lost city in Semmerwater Deep asleep till Doom. William Watson
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