Recent Reading
Its not often I don't finish a book but I abandoned this Stephen Booth book after a few chapters. I usually enjoy the Cooper and Fry books but there was something about this book with its in depth details of suicides that I found depressing. I will try the next book in the series though but I doubt I will return to this one.
This was another book I nearly abandoned! But I persevered and I am glad I did as it was very good although a bit lengthy. Its just as well I enjoyed it in the end as I had already bought on special offer a boxed set of the next 3 books on the kindle!
I finally finished the last book in the Thrush Green series. I've enjoyed re-reading these - nice cosy reading especially the earlier books.
I do enjoy the books published my Little Toller and am slowly building up a collection. This very interesting book on mermaids covers 3000 years of folklore, mythology, art and literature connected with mermaids.
I thought at first this might be the final book in the Hillary Greene series by Faith Martin set near Oxford but thankfully its not! I'm really enjoying these books. I think it makes a difference if you like the main character in a series of books - thinking here of Merrily Watkins in the Phil Rickman books and Ruth Galloway in the books by Elly Griffiths and I would also class Hillary as a likeable "heroine".
Snowdrops
I haven't had chance to go to some of my favourite local churches where there is a good display of snowdrops but I did stop off at the churchyard of St Mary and St Margaret's at Castle Bromwich when I was out the other day. The snowdrops there are slowly starting to flower.
I saw a few primroses and crocuses in flower and this grave was covered with seedheads. Leaving seedheads in place over the winter is a great idea as it provides food for birds and/or a home for insects.
I hope everyone is staying safe and well.
All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera. (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one of mine or one of my son's I would be grateful for an email first - thanks).
10 comments:
Sometimes you just have to cut and run, it's no good pursuing a story that is not appealing. I often download a sample first, for I know within a few pages if it's for me or not.
I enjoyed the Miss Read books too. Have you tried Maeve Binchy? I enjoy her writings, but Rosamunde Pilcher I do not care for. All very similar, but to each their own.
Snowdrops are out in force now.
Rustic Pumpkin - Thanks so much. I agree a sample is a good idea.
I used to read Maeve Binch years ago. Think I got rid of her books when I had a big fiction paperback clear out. Thanks for the idea I will look on Amazon for new books.
Yes they are. Nearly went to Temple Balsall Snowdrop Sunday last weekend but so many road closures round here for various reasons including the M42 all weekend I abandoned the idea. St Michae's Baddesley Clinton, St Giles Packwood and Berkswell church have good displays too.
I'm struggling with a book I'm reading at the moment, I'll give it another couple of chapters and hope it picks up or it may have to go back to the library. The snowdrops are lovely, they always look so beautiful in a churchyard:)
Rosie - Thanks so much. I usually persevere and in the main I like the Cooper and Fry books but this was just too depressing. Hope your books picks up.
I really need to get to a churchyard with a bigger display but as I said to Debbie so many roads closed round here with HS2 works and also a new motorway junction at the NEC plus last weekend one road on a possible route was closed because flooded! and more roads including M42 shut to demolish a bridge!! It doesn't look much better this week either :(
The snowdrops are beautiful :-)
CherryPie - Thank you.
I don't know anything about the books but the snowdrops are so pretty. I don't have any here and they are not so common in France, especially in the south. Those seedheads are a lovely colour and ones like that are so decorative in our winter gardens! I always leave seedheads over winter. Mind you, I started doing a bit of spring cleaning outside and discovered daffs in bud hidden under last year's wild growth, so a bit of tidying is needed!
Millymollymandy -Thanks - I love snowdrops but only have a few clumps in the garden - I've lost plants ovr the years :( Interesting they are not so common where you are in France especially the south.
We leave the seedheads too - tend to chop them down in the Spring when the new growth starts. I have a few plants hidden among my wild growth too!!
I've reached the time of life where if a book doesn't grab me within the first few chapters, it's back on the shelf, can't spend time struggling :-). My current book is True Countryman, the biography of naturalist writer John Moore of Tewkesbury fame. Mind you that's more research than relaxation. I can never tire of snowdrops, and even coerced Julie to go to the Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Festival yesterday, which was interesting not least as I'd never been to the town.
The Wessex Reiver - Thanks so much. Yes you are right if you can't get into a book best to abandon it. Ooh! I read that John Moore book last year I think - I bought it from the John Moore Museum in Tewkesbury which I am sure you recommended to me.
Snowdrops are such a joy at this time of year - I went to Temple Balsall last week in search of them and they were everywhere. It sounds as though you and Julie had a good day in Shepton Mallett. I think I've just spotted you have done a blog post on it so I look forward to reading it and seeing your photos.
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