Hello!
This is my day late Mid Week Quote. I sadly forgot yesterday, I must get better at planning my posts.
My chosen quote this week is by Nelson Mandela (1918-2013) who was the South African President from 1994-1999. He was the country’s first black head of state and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election.
“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
Nelson Mandela
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!
The dissertation is finished and submitted. This has resulted in more reading, yay! On Sunday I finished a book, read a whole book in one sitting and started another and it was bliss.
What I am Currently Reading
I’m about a quarter of the way through The Night Hawks and so far so good. I do enjoy reading a story about Dr Galloway.
What I have Recently Finished Reading
Two excellent books. The Carter of La Providence is the book I finished in one sitting.
What I Think I will Read Next
So many books, I’m not sure what I will choose next. I’m so happy to have more time to read but I also know I have a lot of jobs that I need to do now the dissertation is finished. Mainly housework and decorating.
Please drop me a comment with your WWW Wednesday link and I will head over for a visit.
Happy Reading
The King’s Seal by Amy Kuivalainen
Blurb
The search for the legendary ring of King Solomon has begun, and Penelope must sift through its long and convoluted history of lost emperors, crusaders, and other famous historical figures—including one with whom the magicians share their own complicated past— if she hopes to find it in time.
As Penelope’s magic continues to grow stronger with the coming high tide, she and Alexis will have to depend upon each other more than ever to keep everyone they care about safe from the continuing attacks by Thevetat’s priests.
When the magical high tide finally peaks, the long-awaited battle against Thevetat will begin, and Penelope, Alexis, and the magicians will have to rely on both powers of old and new if they hope to defeat their enemy once and for all.
Review
My first thought when I got this book was sadness because I did not want this to be the last book of the series. Thankfully, this book was just as good as the previous two books and I could not put it down.
I will be honest I felt rushed with this book but that might be because I wanted a longer book. I just felt like all the answers the magicians needed suddenly arrived in quick succession. However, this might be because the magicians had the added help of Elazar and Constantine.
Penelope and the magicians are on the trail of King Solomon’s ring and with their investigations they get some help from Constantine. Constantine is a brilliant character and really made me laugh but he is also a very thoughtful and deep thinking character. Constantine is a big help to the magicians and not because he is a good shoulder to cry on for Zo.
Obviously the main characters are Penelope and Alexis but the secondary characters are just as strong. Zo is my favourite magician and I must admit I would have liked to see more of him in this book but at least he had a bigger part than Galenos who was barely in it. All the magicians have such fascinating pasts and are brilliant characters. I would love to have more stories about them.
The final battle came and went within a blink of an eye and I must admit was the rushed part for me and it did seem over simplified as I was expecting something big and spectacular but it was still good. I loved the book and couldn’t put it down. I give this book 5 out of 5 Dragons.
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Product Links
Book Depository | Foyles | Waterstones | Wordery
(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
Amy Kuivalainen is a Finnish-Australian writer that is obsessed with magical wardrobes, doors, auroras and burial mounds that might offer her a way into another realm. Until then, she will write about fairy tales, monsters, magic and mythology because that’s the next best thing. She is the author of The Firebird Fairytales Trilogy and The Blood Lake Chronicles series that mash up traditional tales and mythology in new and interesting ways.
Reviews of books in the series
Happy Monday!
I have decided on another reading challenge. Yes, I know another one. I currently have the Agatha Christie and the Shakespeare challenges ongoing but I thought I would add the Maigret books by Georges Simenon in as well. There are a few reasons for this, firstly, I am collecting the rather lovely Penguin editions of the Maigret books, my husband is collecting the Folio Society editions. Secondly, I can easily read them in one sitting, so they don’t take a great deal of time to read and they do make me laugh. I find they are a rather useful distraction when the husband is watching the Grand Prix.
In total there are 75 books in the Penguin series and I have been reading them in the order Penguin gives. I have read three out of order because I read the Folio editions and those were the ones which got me hooked.
Anyway, here is the list. The ones ticked off are also linked to the reviews
Please drop me a message if you have read any of the Maigret books.
Happy Reading
Hello!
I can’t believe we are now in Autumn! Christmas is fast approaching and I am way behind on my reading challenge. Hopefully, I will be able to catch up.
Anyway here is what has been happening on the blog this week.
Posts this Week
Currently Reading
I’m flying through this as I’m enjoying it so much.
No books bought this week.
The dissertation gets handed in today so my reading will be increasing now I hope.
Happy Reading
Happy Friday!
I have gone for a poem by Melinno this week. Melinno is known only by her one extant poem, a Greek hymn to the goddess Roma. The date of Melinno is highly disputed, with suggestions varying by over four hundred years. Some argue she is from as early as the second century BC, others think as late as the second century AD.
The poem is in the style of Sappho, and might have been composed for a ritual.
Melinno's Hymn to Roma Hail to Roma, the war-god's daughter warrior queen in a golden girdle, your Heaven here on earth, eternal and unassailable. On you alone, our ancient of days. Fate has bestowed this royal glory of unbroken rule, sovereign strength to lead where all follow. For under your yoke, by your strong reins, the great back of earth and foam-white seas are bent; without a falter you steer the cities of all men. But time's great span can topple us all; life sways us one way, then another you alone sail on fair winds of rule and never alter course. For you alone have borne strong warriors, great spearman, springing up unbidden like Demeter's fruitful ears of corn, a crop of mortal men. Melinno
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 don’t seem to have stopped so far this week and today I am back teaching at school so I will most likely be an exhausted puddle on the floor by the end of the day.
What I am Currently Reading
SPQR is currently on the back burner at the moment but I am still reading a few pages occasionally. The King’s Seal is by destress read and I must admit I am finding it hard to put down.
What I have Recently Finished Reading
I have just recently finished this and although I did struggle with a few sections I have definitely got the bug back and will be reading more books from The Vampire Chronicles soon. Review
What I Think I will Read Next
So many books to choose from. My dissertation will be finished soon and that will mean lots of binge reading.
Please drop me a comment if you want to chat about books and please leave your WWW Wednesday and I will pop over for a visit.
Happy Reading
Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis by Anne Rice
Blurb
“In my dreams, I saw a city fall into the sea. I heard the cries of thousands. I saw flames that outshone the lamps of heaven. And all the world was shaken…” At the novel’s centre: the vampire Lestat de Lioncourt, hero, leader, irresistible force, irrepressible spirit, battling (and ultimately reconciling with) a strange otherworldly form that has taken possession of his undead body and soul. This ancient and mysterious power and unearthly spirit of vampire lore has all the force, history and insidious reach of the unknowable Universe. It is through this spirit, previously considered benign for thousands of vampire years and throughout the Vampire Chronicles, that we come to be told the hypnotic tale of a great sea power of ancient times; a mysterious heaven on earth situated on a boundless continent – and of how and why this force came to build and rule the great legendary empire of centuries ago that thrived in the Atlantic Ocean. And as we learn of the mighty powers of this lost kingdom of Atalantaya, the lost realms of Atlantis, we come to understand its secrets, and how and why the vampire Lestat, indeed all the vampires, must reckon so many millennia later with the terrifying force of this ageless, all-powerful Atalantaya spirit.
Review
It has been quite a few years since I have read one of the books from The Vampire Chronicles series but this one had been on my shelf for far too long. Firstly, it was quite clear that I have missed a few books in the series but that did not detract from the story.
It took me a while to get back into the writing style of Anne Rice and I must admit it felt a bit different from the previous books I have read but maybe that was because I read them when I was a teenager.
I loved the idea of the chateau that is the scene of the Vampire court and where Marius is making rules and laws for all the vampires to follow. The chateau is typical Lestat everything is sheer opulence and must be quite a site to be seen but it is also a sanctuary for the vampires young and old.
Lestat is now extremely important to his fellow vampires and because of this he is protected at all costs. However, there is a threat to the vampire race and it all starts with this dream of a city falling into the sea that starts with Lestat and travels through the rest of the vampire race.
The middle of this book is a chapter called Kapetria’s Tale and I must admit I almost gave up with the book at this point. It was very long winded and I really felt it did not need to be anywhere near as long as it was. I really wanted to know about Kapetria and her people but I sadly just found it boring and a big disappointment. Thankfully the book picked back up after this section. I really liked the rest of Kapetrai’s people but I will admit I did not like the character Kapetria in the end. I found her pushy and very unfeeling.
I will definitely be reading more of The Vampire Chronicles because I would love to read about my favourite characters Lestat, Armand and Marius again. It would also be good to catch up on the books that I have missed from the series. Overall, I give this book 3 out of 5 Dragons.
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Purchase Links
Book Depository | Foyles | Waterstones | Wordery
(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
Anne Rice (born Howard Allen Frances O’Brien) is a best-selling American author of gothic, supernatural, historical, erotica, and later religious themed books. Best known for The Vampire Chronicles, her prevailing thematical focus is on love, death, immortality, existentialism, and the human condition. She was married to poet Stan Rice for 41 years until his death in 2002. Her books have sold nearly 100 million copies, making her one of the most widely read authors in modern history.
Hello!
Apologies this is a day late but the deadline to my dissertation is fast approaching so I have been busy focusing on the final touches.
Here is what I got up to on the blog last week.
Posts last Week
Currently Reading
Books Acquired
Happy Reading
Hello!
I hope everyone is having a good week so far.
My chosen quote this week is by Thomas Stearns Eliot (1888-1965) who was a poet, essayist, publisher, playwright, literary critic and editor. I personally absolutely love Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats.
“Every moment is a fresh beginning.”
T. S. Eliot
Happy Reading
Lady Book Dragon 