One of my continuing aims in 2013 is to try to read more non-fiction in particular about history. I noticed that at the beginning of the year different editions of A Very Brief History series by Mark Black were being offered for free on Amazon so I started collecting them. After enjoying the other Tudor editions from the collection I was keen to read more from this time period but was sadly only left with the Henry VIII edition still to read.

Before reading this book what I knew of Henry VIII was a lot more than I had known of his wife Anne Boleyn or his chief minister Thomas Cromwell; but probably a little less than I knew of his daughter Elizabeth. It is hard not to know of Henry as he is probably the most infamous of the Tudor monarch. What with his six wives, his bloody split from the Catholic church, the desecration of the monasteries, and the most individuals executed for treason in any one reign. It hard to look past all the controversy to some of the positives he was striving for. What I learned from reading this book is that when he succeeded to the throne England was rich but lacked power or reputation. Henry spent the country’s fortune on lavish building projects, the finest clothes and jewels to wear, hosting foreign dignitaries, and waging war which finally made France and Spain pay attention to us. Things started to go wrong when he fell from his horse during a joust which left him with a wound that would never heal. Some have claimed this accident also coincided with his severe change in personality from confident and out-going to severe paranoia and a very quick temper. From then on he was also plagued by sores, obesity, and other illnesses which not only affected him but could also have possibly affected his wives and their pregnancies. He finally died at 55 a sad end to a life that started so promisingly.

This brief history of Henry VIII is separated into chapters on his youth, his surprise succession to the throne, his marriages, his obsession with obtaining  a male heir, his split with the Catholic church, the wars he fought, and finally his deteriorating health and eventual death. Now this is called a very brief history and they aren’t lying if you are someone looking for in-depth history of Henry VIII you won’t find it here.  I thought it was a wonderful introduction and taster of the important events in his life. I thought each chapter was really interesting and could be great places to discover what you would like to read and research further.

Mark Black is a relatively new author for me but I am glad to have discovered him and this series. There were a few typos in this but other than that I thought it was clear, concise and well-written. I thought each chapter was an easy bite-size length and each flowed on very well to the next. An easy and entertaining read. The previous Tudor editions I read on Anne Boleyn, Thomas Cromwell, and Elizabeth I took me only one or two sittings to finish off. This one took a similar amount a time. I found it was a great read for on my lunch break at work.

A Very Brief History: Henry VIII was a simple but interesting introduction to the changeable and turbulent reign of the most infamous Tudor monarch. I recommend to those interested in reading more history non-fiction. I have plenty more from this series to read but now I will need to choose a new time period to start on as there aren’t any more on the Tudors.

Are you interested in history? What do you think I should read next?

One of my goals for 2013 is to make more time for re-reads. I have been slowly working my way back through my childhood favourite The Chronicles of Narnia by C S Lewis. Knowing my love of this series my friends couldn’t resist buying me The Lion’s World by Rowan Williams when they spotted it at a Christian event. I thought this would be a perfect accompaniment to my re-read of The Chronicles of Narnia so started reading it almost straight away!

In The Lion’s World author (and yes former Archbishop of Canterbury) Rowan Williams explores the magical world of ‘Narnia’ that C S Lewis created with so many characters, landscapes, themes, and layers. Williams admits he was a late comer to The Chronicles of Narnia series having missed out on reading them as a child; but even as a young adult he found himself instantly endeared by The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Williams doesn’t just focus on his own enjoyment of the series though. As a Christian Williams spends the majority of the book reflecting on the parallels and references to Lewis’s own faith and beliefs which he wove into ‘Narnia’. I found this book utterly fascinating. Both as a Christian and a fan of The Chronicles of Narnia. If you are not a Christian you may still enjoy this book as it does help understand some of the many layers within the books whether you hold the same beliefs as Lewis or not. I also loved the chapter Williams wrote about some of the arguments that have arisen from the series such as sexism, glorified violence, and the use of archaic language.

The Lion’s World is the first novel by Rowan Williams I have read. If I’m honest it is the first book I knew of him having written. This is more to do with my ignorance though because in fact Williams is a pretty prolific writer which is not that surprising really. I thought The Lion’s World was very well written and researched. With an excellent balance of for and against arguments which were backed up with a wide range of quotes and sources. I also felt that Williams didn’t just get the facts across but also got across his own feelings successfully. He clearly has a lot of love for this series and it’s author; however he has balanced it well. His own opinion isn’t strong enough to wipe out all other opinions. All information was very well organised into chapters and separate sections within these chapters which meant this was an easy flowing read with plenty of chances for breaks. Not that I took many breaks. I think I finished reading this within two or three sittings! After reading The Lion’s World I am intrigued to discover what else Williams has written.

The Lion’s World was a fascinating and informative read, which was a perfect companion to go along with my re-read of The Chronicles of Narnia this year. I highly recommend to Christians and fans of The Chronicles of Narnia. I am looking forward to my re-read of the next instalment in the series Prince Caspian even more now.

Have you read The Lion’s World? Could you recommend another work by Rowan Williams?

A quick update for you fellow bookworms the result for The Classics Club Spin is in!

The number randomly selected is: 6

Which means I will be reading: Bleak House by Charles Dickens

I knew it would be my luck that the book chosen would be one I don’t already own. Fortunately for me the classics can all be found for free for the kindle so I’m not going to let that worry me. In fact I have recently been in the mood to read more of Dickens’s work and I have been intrigued about Bleak House ever since I watched the 2005 BBC adaptation.

What has the spin chosen for you?

“Good morning, Clubbers!

It’s time for another Classics Spin for any who are interested. What is the spin?

It’s easy. At your blog, by next Monday, May 20, list your choice of any twenty books you’ve left to read from your Classics Club list – in a separate post.

This is your Spin List. You have to read one of these twenty books in May & June. (Details follow.) So, try to challenge yourself. For example, you could list five Classics Club books you are dreading/hesitant to read, five you can’t WAIT to read, five you are neutral about, and five free choice (favourite author, re-reads, ancients — whatever you choose.)

Next Monday, we’ll post a number from 1 through 20. The challenge is to read whatever book falls under that number on your Spin List, by July 1. We’ll have a check in post for July, to see who made it the whole way and finished the spin book”

I wasn’t able to take part in the first Classic Club Spin and I really felt like I missed out, so this time I was determined to make time for it. Here is my Spin List:

1. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
2. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
3. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
4. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
5. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
6. Bleak House by Charles Dickens
7. The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens
8. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L Frank Baum
9. The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
10. Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
11. The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
12. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
13. War of the Worlds by H G Wells
14. The Time Machine H G Wells
15. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
16. Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne
17. Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne
18. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
19. The Railway Children by E Nesbit
20. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Purple = Classics I can’t wait to read.
Read = Classics I am hesitant to read.
Blue = Classics I’m neutral about.
Green = Classics I don’t own a copy of yet.

I am rather nervous and excited about which book I will end up reading! Wish me luck!

Are you taking part in the Classics Club Spin #2?

After a glorious bank holiday weekend last week the rain has now returned to the UK. Finding myself inside again I was happy to lose myself in the exotic world of Root by Tara Maya the fourth instalment of The Unfinished Song series. This is a darker fantasy series I started reading last year but until January I seemed to have forgotten all about it. Earlier this year I polished off the second and third instalments and I was ever so lucky to get my hands on more instalments straight away. I am very glad this is a series I have rekindled my interest in.

Root is the fourth instalment of The Unfinished Song if you’re interested in reading this series I recommend you read my thoughts on previous instalments first as this post may contain spoilers.

Root continues to follow the exciting, dangerous, and unpredictable life of the young girl Dindi. After surviving a gruelling test Dindi has had her life spared and is now allowed to dance with her clan’s Tavaedi group even though she doesn’t possess magic. This is small consolation as Dindi is required to return to her home with her clan folk after losing the man she loves. There is one thing Dindi clings onto and that is the secret that in fact she does have magic. Other’s can’t view this magic because long ago a curse was placed upon her bloodline which Dindi must discover how to break if she ever hopes to reach her dreams. However there is someone  who can sense her magic. He is a dark, mysterious, and dangerous man who is to bring death and war down upon Dindi and her clan folk in the pursuit of her.

Dindi’s teacher, friend, and love interest Kavio was sadly missing from this instalment leaving Dindi to narrate the majority of Root. Kavio was mentioned but his story line was never viewed. I really hope we will return to him in later instalments because I thought the relationship between the two protagonists was really good. It was however quite refreshing to focus in on Dindi as she progresses in maturity and strength. Maya also included the voices of Kemla and Tamio two ambitious Tavaedi dancers who have a bit of sexual tension going on, the faerie born White Lady who is on the run, and the dangerous man in black who is hunting both the White Lady and Dindi herself. I really liked the addition of these narrators because I thought they brought different dimensions to the story.

I love the setting of The Unfinished Song. Unlike a lot of fantasy this series is not set in a medieval setting instead Maya based her writing on a Polynesian myth and choose a stone age style setting for it all. I think the concept of faeries, magic, warriors, clans, hut villages, tradition, canoes and stone monuments all works perfectly together. Other than a few typos I thought Maya’s style, language, and story flowed really well and I didn’t notice the use of any too modern sounding language to break me out from my magical revelry.

Root was a thoroughly enjoyable dark fantasy adventure which I couldn’t put down. I recommend The Unfinished Song series to those interested in darker fantasy. There is violent and sexual content in this series so not recommended for younger readers. I have the next instalments Wing and Blood waiting for me on my kindle. I can’t wait to read them.

I received a free copy of Root from the author in return for my honest opinion.

Are you reading The Unfinished Song series? Are you a fan of dark fantasy?

I’m counting Root as Fantasy for Once Upon a Time VII hosted by Carl V @ Stainless Steal Droppings.

The Lion’s World by Rowan Williams
This was a gift from some close friends who know my love of The Chronicles of Narnia by C S Lewis. I was so excited about it that I pretty much started reading it straight away!

A Lifetime Burning by Linda Gillard
After reading and enjoying The Glass Guardian my fourth Linda Gillard read. Linda kindly offered to send me a copy of one her novel’s I hadn’t read. I opted for A Lifetime Burning and I can hardly wait to read it!

Sister Mercedes and the Temple of Doom by Brian C Petti
I received a free copy of Sister Mercedes and the Temple of Doom from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

A Body in the Backyard by Elizabeth Spann Craig

Stories from the Golden Age by L Ron Hubbard
Hurricane
The Iron Duke
Under the Black Ensign

The Silver Locket by Margaret James

I spotted this interesting mixture of fiction offered for free on Amazon. I was particularly excited to spot A Body in the Backyard as I downloaded another instalment from this series last month.

A Very Brief History series by Mark Black
The Berlin Wall
The Cuban Missile Crisis
Ronald Reagan

Fifty Shades of Lady Catherine Grey by T S Wiseman
(The Sex Scandals That Shook the Tudor Court)

Historical Non-Fiction by Charles River Editors
Cicero
King Arthur
King Solomon
Martin Luther and John Calvin
Ramesses II

I spotted these interesting non-fictions offered for free on Amazon. One of my continuing aims in 2013 is to read more non-fiction especially on history so these looked like they could be great reads for me.

This is another large haul for my kindle with a few for my bookshelf too. I would normally have felt unnerved about bringing home so many new books but with most of them being digital I don’t have to worry about them taking up space so no stress about when I get round to them.

Have you read any of these books? What new books are you excited about?

I won a beautiful Alma set of F Scott Fitzgerald’s work last year but until now the set has been gathering dust on my bookshelf. With the up-coming release of Baz Luhrmann’s film adaptation of The Great Gatsby I found myself spurred on to read it. As I am looking forward to seeing the film at the cinema. Of course The Great Gatsby is also Fitzgerald’s most famous book so it felt like the right place to start in the set.

The Great Gatsby follows Nick Carraway in the summer of 1922 as he moves from the Midwest to Long Island to start a job as a bonds man in New York. The only people Nick vaguely knows when he arrives is his cousin Daisy and her husband Tom Buchanan but they live in the more affluent area across the bay from Nick. While Nick’s area might be more up and coming it doesn’t take him long to notice his neighbour Gatsby. Every weekend Gatsby throws ever more flamboyant and fabulous parties. One evening Nick finds his neighbour Gatsby has personally invited him. From that evening on Nick finds himself a front row spectator to the tangle of Gatsby’s present, past, and future. I simply adored the setting of this book! I have always had an attraction to the glitz, glamour, and liberated behaviour of the ‘roaring twenties’ which this book played right into. However Fitzgerald has written a balanced novel where by we don’t just see the positive aspects of this time period. I was interested to read more about the social structure, the clique mind-set, and the lack of much responsibility.

The narrator of The Great Gatsby Nick Carraway I found was the only character I really liked or made any true connection with. He is honest, educated, and came across as a pretty decent fellow. I found the protagonist of the story Gatsby to be very interesting but I never felt like I really knew him. While I found myself completely disliking Daisy and her husband Tom. Actually I found myself disliking nearly all the characters but Nick. The problem was I found them all to be shallow, aloof, and secretive. I feel though this might have been intentionally because the characters themselves seemed to realise it but accepted this behaviour as normal. What I really learnt was the glitz, glamour, and flamboyant parties were pretty much all these socialites had, and that there wasn’t really much going on underneath it all.

The Great Gatsby was my first foray into F Scott Fitzgerald’s work which won’t be my last as I look forward to reading this rest of the Alma set. I found Fitzgerald’s writing to be detailed, eloquent, but quite meandering. Fitzgerald is certainly not a direct writer. He instead often starts off on one tangent to only intersect it midway through with something that catches his interest to then move back to his original point. This was quite hard to keep track of at first but once I got used to his style I didn’t find it bothered me too much. In fact it probably added to the precocious, aloof, and flamboyant mood of the setting. Not sure this style would work in any other setting though!

Overall I thought The Great Gatsby was an interesting and glitzy glimpse into the past. I can’t go as far as to say I loved it though because of the general lack of connection to the characters. Recommended to those interested in the 1920′s and American classics. This is now my 12th read off my Classics Club list.

Are you a fan of F Scott Fitzgerald? What Fitzgerald’s novel do you think I should read next?

Another month means another meme question for The Classics Club. This is a very wide open question/s which I find I always struggle with more, but I’m keen to keep up with these memes.

I have just finished reading The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald; I will leave my thoughts on that though for my full post on it. I am continuing to dip in and out of The Complete Brothers Grimm’s Fairytales which I started in January. This has been a very slow read for me I have however read over a hundred short-stories already which in any other collection would be excellent progress. I made decent progress in April on it but still a lot of stories to go!

After finishing The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald I find myself not knowing what classic novel to read next. I think I’m most drawn to either A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens or Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen. Two very different books I think what is really drawing me to them is the authors. I’m in the mood for a new classic from an author I already know and love. I have a few books that I already plan to read over the next week or so but I am hoping to get round to one of these before the end of May.

What classic do you think I should read next?

What classic are you reading or looking forward to reading in May?

Hello my fellow bookworms, I hope you are happy and well? April saw the start of Spring here in the UK! I signed up for a teaching agency at the beginning of the month and have been getting a lot more work over the last few weeks. With the odd splattering of sunshine and great career prospects all in all April has been a great month for me. To top the month off I have also spent a great deal of time reading in the sun or tucked up inside during the sporadic April showers. Now let’s have a look at what I read under that blanket during the month.

Fiction: 4               Non-Fiction: 3               Poetry: 0

I started April by finishing off the gigantic A Game of Thrones by George R R Martin the first instalment of the epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire. Despite the epic length I found A Game of Thrones detailed, thrilling, and utterly un-put-down-able! After that I decided to have a break from fantasy and picked up The Lives She Left Behind by James Long the long-awaited sequel to Ferney which I read in March. Another beautifully written novel from Long highly recommended to those who loved Ferney. My break from fantasy wasn’t long because I couldn’t resist a re-read of the charming The Horse and His Boy by C S Lewis the third instalment of The Chronicles of Narnia. I finished the month off with The Glass Guardian by Linda Gillard. Another wonderful piece of women’s literature with a supernatural twist from Gillard who rapidly becoming one of my favourite modern authors.

Alongside those works of fiction in April I also made excellent progress towards my goal of reading more historical non-fiction. I finished off the memoir Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl Written by Herself a moving and fascinating look through the eyes of a young orphaned slave in America. I also managed to polish off two more editions from the A Very Brief History series by Mark Black, one on Thomas Cromwell and the other one Queen Elizabeth I. Two more short and interesting reads.

Pick of the Month: A Game of Thrones by George R R Martin

And those are just the books I finished. During April I have continued to dip in and out of The Complete Brothers Grimm’s Fairytales which I started in January. Made decent progress but still a lot of stories to go! At the end of the month I also started reading The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald and The Lion’s World by Rowan Williams.

How was your April? What did you read?

I don’t generally read a great deal of chick lit or women’s literature but I make an exception for Linda Gillard who is rapidly becoming one of my favourite authors. I had read three of Gillard novels but I haven’t read one since last year so I thought it was high time I read another. The Glass Guardian Gillard’s most recent novel was handily waiting for me on my kindle.

The Glass Guardian follows Ruth Travers a successful TV gardener who finds her world falling apart after the loss of both her parents, her lover, and finally her job. Looking for healing Ruth returns to her Aunt Janet’s old family home, Tigh na Linne, on the Isle of Skye where Ruth remembers spending many pleasant summer holidays in her childhood. Sadly Aunt Janet also passes away. Living alone in Tigh na Linne Janet starts to believe that she might not just have lost her job and loved ones but perhaps her mind too. As Ruth discovers that her childhood imaginary friend, Heckie, has returned to comfort her. Heckie is in fact a ghost, and together they are to discover their past and look toward to their future. I thought The Glass Guardian was a beautiful tale that follows a mature woman through love, loss, family, friendships, loneliness, self-worth, desire, and history with a wonderful supernatural twist. Unlike a lot of chick lit/women’s literature I’ve tried to read before I think Gillard’s work has some real substance coupled with interesting and believable characters.

The protagonist of The Glass Guardian Ruth is an attractive, intelligent, and interesting woman. As a middle-aged woman Ruth has lived long enough to know who she truly is but like a lot of people she is still searching for the right place and person to share her life with. Heckie or in fact James Hector Munroe is a ghost who has lived and helped his family in Tigh na Linne since he was killed in France during World War I. Hector has stayed because he feels he has unfinished business which he feels Ruth is the one to help him complete. Plus you can add into the mix Ruth’s childhood playmate Tom and an eccentric music professor Athelstan from Canada. All in all I thought these were a great blend of characters.

I am no stranger to Gillard’s work. Each new read I am not disappointed either. I think Gillard’s writing is beautiful, detailed, but also comfortable and down to earth which is why I enjoy reading her work so much. I always feel her characters and story are realistic and interesting. I especially love all the history she puts into her stories and The Glass Guardian was no exception. Gillard added details about World War I and of music and poetry from the past. I think this historical detail always adds a wonderful depth to her tales. The difference with The Glass Guardian is the supernatural element which I haven’t read in her works before but I thought Gillard handled it well. Some elements were a little far-fetched and perhaps a little obvious however Gillard’s natural style made up for any small faults in that department.

The Glass Guardian is another beautiful tale of the love, life, and history of a strong woman from Linda Gillard. I highly recommend to those interested in women’s literature and British history. I can’t wait to read more of Gillard’s work.

I received a free copy of The Glass Guardian from the author in return for my honest opinion.

Are you a fan of Linda Gillard? Any recommendations what I should read next?