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.
What I am Currently Reading
I have been thoroughly enjoying reading all about the local ghosts near me but I must admit the book does feel rather rushed for me.
What I have Recently Finished Reading
I really enjoyed this book and it has made me realise that I miss reading Dickens so it is high time I dug out my Dickens books and started reading them again.
What I Think I will Read Next
As per usual I am never quite sure what I will read next.
Please drop me comment with your WWW Wednesday and I will head over for a visit.
Happy Reading
If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you
I thought it was time for an update on my Maigret reading challenge. I did read some Maigret books in October so I have a few more books ticked off the list.
I hope everyone has had a good week so far and everyone has exciting weekend plans. I have a busy weekend of work but I am hoping to fit in some reading time as well.
My chosen poem today is by the English poet Ted Hughes (1930-1998). Hughes was also a translator and children’s author. He was appointed poet laureate in 1984 and held the post until his death.
Leaves
Who's killed the leaves?
Me, says the apple, I've killed them all.
Fat as a bomb or a cannonball
I've killed the leaves.
Who sees them drop?
Me, says the pear, they will leave me all bare
So all the people can point and stare.
I see them drop.
Who'll catch their blood?
Me, me, me, says the marrow, the marrow.
I'll get so rotund that they'll need a wheelbarrow.
I'll catch their blood.
Who'll make their shroud?
Me, says the swallow, there's just time enough
Before I must pack all my spools and be off.
I'll make their shroud.
Who'll dig their grave?
Me, says the river, with the power of the clouds
A brown deep grave I'll dig under my floods.
I'll dig their grave.
Who'll be their parson?
Me, says the Crow, for it is well known
I study the bible right down to the bone.
I'll be their parson.
Who'll be chief mourner?
Me, says the wind, I will cry through the grass
The people will pale and go cold when I pass.
I'll be chief mourner.
Who'll carry the coffin?
Me, says the sunset, the whole world will weep
To see me lower it into the deep.
I'll carry the coffin.
Who'll sing a psalm?
Me, says the tractor, with my gear-grinding glottle
I'll plough up the stubble and sing through my throttle.
I'll sing the psalm.
Who'll toll the bell?
Me, says the robin, my song in October
Will tell the still gardens the leaves are over.
I'll toll the bell.
Ted Hughes
Happy Reading
If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you
So I thought it was time for an update of what I have been up to recently.
Birthday
Last week was my birthday and although I was teaching all day I did still have a lovely day. My husband cooked dinner and made me a few cocktails and then I had some presents to open. The following day I went out for a meal and also had one or two cocktails.
Hay on Wye
We went for a little holiday this week as it was half term and we chose Hay on Wye. I will be honest I was in my element and bought so many books. I also played a lot of Pokemon Go and completed loads of tasks that had been sat waiting for what seems like forever. I came home with three canvas bags full of books. Half of one of the bags were books that my husband had chosen but the rest were mine. It was so nice to get away for a break and just relax. The picture of the book stack contains the books bought from the first day. My favourite bookshop was Richard Booth.
Latin Lessons
I’m also half way through my first term of Latin lessons with City Lit. I’m really enjoying the translation tasks and although I’m finding it tricky I am slowly starting to get the hang of it.
The rest of the time has been the usual suspects of work and instrument practice and of course reading.
Happy Reading
If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you
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 have been really getting back into my reading this week and I have finally been catching up on my Goodreads Challenge.
What I am Currently Reading
I’m still chipping away at this and although I am really enjoying it and I love Beard’s writing I do have to read in short stints as there is a lot of information to absorb.
What I have Recently Finished Reading
This is my first Brian McGilloway novel and I enjoyed it so much I have bought the next two in the Ben Devlin series. Stefan Zweig was also another new author for me and one that I will happily read more of.
What I Think I will Read Next
My next book could be one of these but I also went on a little adventure at the beginning of the week and I purchased a lot of new books. I will tell you all about my adventures tomorrow.
Please drop me a comment with your WWW Wednesday and I will head over for a visit.
Happy Reading
If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you
Behind every great king stands a queen. And behind every queen, the whole court watches on…
Over the years of his reign, six different women took their place beside King Henry VIII of England as his wife and queen.
But the real stories of the six Tudor queens belong to those who lived among them. Played out in glittering palaces and whispering courts, these are tales of the people who loved and served these women, and those who lied and betrayed them.
Collected together for the first time, In the Shadow of Queens reveals thirteen startling stories from the Tudor court, told by those at the very heart of that world.
Review
I had already read the first few of these short stories on my Kindle but when I saw that the complete set had been put into a book I immediately ordered myself a copy.
I reread the first few stories and then read the rest of the book. The only story that I really did not enjoy was the very last story. I found it so sad and disgraceful that poor Katharine Parr was not allowed to rest in peace and her grave was opened up and and vandalised so many times over the years.
I must admit the stories got longer as the book went on which seemed a shame because the first few stories were very short in comparison. I would have liked the first few stories to be longer. I really enjoyed how Weir chose her topics for the stories. They were all connected with the queens in some way but some were based on places and some on people even if they were quite obscure people.
I also really enjoyed Weir’s notes about what was historically accurate and what bits she embellished by herself. All the stories offered new view points of the queens lives which was really interesting. I particularly enjoyed the story about the infant Mary Seymour which we sadly know so little about.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and I am very sad the series have come to end. I will definitely be reading more books by Weir. I give this book 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
Alison Weir was born in 1951 and is a British writer of history books, and latterly historical novels, mostly in the form of biographies about British Royalty.
If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you
Lady Book Dragon 