Recent Reading

 

Just a short post on books I have read since I last did a post on recent reading.

I absolutely adored this book by Guy Shrubsole.  Temperate rainforests may once have covered a fifth of Britain but today only fragments remain.  I was fascinated by the amount of mosses, ferns and liverworts that grow in such forests. In fact, I wish there was a temperate rainforest near me as I would so love to visit one. The book is well written and the author has done excellent research.

The King's Sister is the next book in Anne O Brien's series.  It tells the story of Elizabeth of Lancaster, daughter of John of Gaunt. She defies her father's wishes to marry the man of her choice - Sir John Holland, Duke of Exeter.  I really enjoyed this book.

I realised I hadn't read a Wesley Peterson book by Kate Ellis for ages.  I do enjoy her books and this was no exception.

I enjoyed it that much that I went on to read the next two in the series!

I love Tom Denny's stained glass in churches and this book was a Christmas present.  The book contains photos of many of his windows together with a brief explanation of the design of each window. I even got a copy signed by Thomas Denny - it is an expensive book but if you like his windows it is certainly worth buying.

"Upon A White Horse" was another Christmas present. I enjoyed this book - certainly more than I enjoyed his book "Tomb With A View".  It is mainly about prehistoric sites in Britain and Ireland and Peter Ross writes about the landscape and people

I couldn't resist reading another Wesley Peterson book! This was really good. I love the way DI Peterson's cases tie in with excavations being carried out by his friend archaeologist Neil.  The plot as with all the other books was very clever.  Sadly, I think there are only a couple more in the series that I haven't yet read.

I wasn't happy to have an email from Amazon the other day to say they are withdrawing support for older kindles which means you cannot buy new books although you can read ones already downloaded.  It appears my kindle is affected so sadly it seems I shall have to buy a new one for new purchases by the 20th May. To be honest I am hopping mad about this!

Recent Reading

 

I haven't done a post recently on recent reading so here are the books I have read over the last three or four months.

This book is the third in the series entitled "Daughters of Devon".  It tells the story of Roberta who is married to Gawen of Dartington Hall.  The book is set in the C16th when England is at war with Spain. I have enjoyed all the books in the series so far.

"All the Colours of Darkness" is another excellent book in the DCI Banks series.  Thankfully, there are still a few more in the series for me to read.

"The Chale Bay Murders" is Book 7 of the Solent Murder Mystery Series.  I wasn't overkeen on this series when I first started reading the books but now enjoy them.  The book is set in Chale bay on the Isle of Wight an area I know well :)

I am still really enjoying the Cadfael books so many thanks again to Pete for recommending them.

I couldn't put a "Tapestry of Treason" down.  Set in the C14th and C15th it is the story of Constance of York, Lady Despencer and intrigues at the court of King Henry IV.

I really enjoy the Dorset Crime Series by Rachel McLean. In fact I read two in succession only to find I had reached the end of the series! Although I think there is another book due to be published next year.

I probably shouldn't include this book - "The Rebel Heiress" as I only read a quarter of it and gave up. I rarely give up reading a book! Eleanor Glanville or the Rebel heiress was interested in butterflies and discovered the Glanville Fritillary.  I mistakenly thought the book would be about her love of nature especially butterflies but, although they get a mention, the book at least as far as I read is all about her love life. As one reviewer said it is a "bodice ripper" story! Say no more! Although I should point out that other reviewers gave the book 5 stars!

Sadly, "The Echo of Crows" is the final book in the brilliant Merrily Watkins series by Phil Rickman.  I have really enjoyed each and every one of these books They are set in the Welsh Marshes an area that I really love. One day I will re-read the whole series.

Recent Reading

 

I am really enjoying Anne O' Brien's historical fiction books. This is the story of Lady Katherine Swynford who becomes the mistress of John of Gaunt.

This is a lovely book which I was given as a present by my daughter. Now I have read it I am keeping it at the caravan.  The book is full of delightful water colour illustrations by a Victorian naturalist and mycologist. Very little is known about the author.

It is always good when a new Vera Stanhope novel by Ann Cleeves appears. This was a great book full of suspense.

I have finally started to enjoy this Dorset crime series.

In fact I enjoyed it that much I immediately read the next in the series!

This is a book of poems from A E Houseman and beautiful photos by John Hayward which I have been reading at the caravan.  I found the poems very poignant but sad and the photos are a delight.

The next in the Cadfael series was really good. I haven't seen the tv series which is probably for the best I find. I prefer to imagine the characters in the books myself.

The next Anne O'Brien novel I read is the story of Joan of Kent.

Forgotten Churches is a charming book with wonderful drawings. The author writes about some of his favourite churches not in any  detail but he does give some history of the church and area and the features in each church which stand out.

I always enjoy the Wesley Peterson books by Kate Ellis. Sadly, I think I am nearing the end of the series.

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 my son's I would appreciate an email first - thanks)

Recent Reading

 

Recent Reading

A new author for me with the book set in medieval times and I just loved it. Thanks to Pete for recommending this author and series of books and I will certainly be reading more.

The Uncrowned Queen is a short book and more of a novella and is about Philippa of Hainault. I do enjoy Anne O Brien's books.

So I went on to read the next one which is the story of Alice Perrers, mistress to Edward III.

I enjoyed this crime thriller book featuring D I Andy Horton set on the Solent.  I wasn't keen on this series initially but it seems to have improved the more books I have read.

This book was a Birthday/Christmas present and I thought it was superb. There is so much information written in a very readable style. If you enjoy church crawling I would recommend this book.

The Railway Murders by J R Ellis

Sorry forgot to take a photo of this book! It was nice easy reading but at times I find his writing, especially the conversations, a bit "stilted".

This was another Christmas present and I found it charming. Years ago I had a very tame robin in the garden who would always take meal worms from the hand.  He was present for about 3 years and easily recognisable from a little white "eyebrow" he had and this book brought back so many memories of that little robin.

I was really lucky and managed to get the next kindle book on special offer for 99p! I love Elly Griffiths's books although I still miss Ruth Galloway!  I am assuming The Frozen People is the start of a new series and I hope it is. It was totally different and brilliant!

Another Ladybird book on churches which I have wanted for ages and was given it as a Christmas present.

The second book in the Chronicles of Cadfael and just as good as the first!

In other news I've suffered yet another bout of cellulitis so yet more antibiotics. I still have no idea what happened to the referral I requested two visits ago as yet again I saw a different GP! I have another blood test scheduled for next Monday so I may ask the nurse.

At the moment we are back in Herefordshire having returned as soon as I finished the penicillin! So I'll do a few posts on the visit next week when we are back home.

This and That

 

I am sorry for lack of posts recently but I haven't really been anywhere to make it worthwhile writing a post.

Recent Reading

I do enjoy Peter Robinson's DCI Banks books and read two at the beginning of January.

I enjoyed this Rachel McLean book more than the previous ones I had read in the series.

I haven't read a DI Wesley Peterson book for ages and really enjoyed the next in the series.

During the first covid lockdown I attended an online course on heraldry run by the Heraldry Society from memory and really enjoyed it.  Recently and not being able to go to Herefordshire for a few months I thought I would try and learn a bit more about the subject. As a way of revision I read this Ladybird book on Heraldry - I know the books are meant for children but you can learn a lot of basic information from them.

I am a member of the Mortimer History Society and last autumn they gave a couple of zoom talks on Heraldry which I found really interesting.  They also have a free online Heraldry course on their website which I am working my way through.  It is a fascinating subject although there are lot of technical terms to remember but I thought it would be good when I see heraldry in churches on monuments and stained glass to know a little about the subject.

I've also bought the following two books secondhand.

Yesterday D and I went to Coleshill for a wander around mainly to visit Books Revisited where I bought one of the books above.

This is an old fashioned ironmongers in Coleshill - B loves shops like this!

As usual we walked back via the church of St Peter and St Paul which is a Grade 1 Listed medieval church.  The C14th  tower and spire reaches to 710 feet (52 metres).Construction of the church began in the early C14th and it was completed by the early C16th.

Preaching cross in the churchyard.

In other news I've been trying to fend off cellulitis for the last 11 days using a cream the GP gave me. Sadly, it got a lot worse overnight and so yet another trip to the GP's today and yet another dose of pencillin :(

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 my son's I would appreciate an email first - thanks).