www wednesday – Wicked Witch's Blog

WWW Wednesday March 29

It’s Wednesday again and unbelievably, it’s the end of March. The clocks have gone forward so we’re back on British Summer Time which means longer evenings. Hooray!! All the blossom is appearing on the trees so the hedgerows are beginning to look really pretty with white and pink flowers appearing everywhere.

As it’s Wednesday that means that it’s time for WWW Wednesday. This is one of my favourite memes and I love taking part in it and reading everybody else’s posts. I get so many great book recommendations from them! The meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm, and it’s currently hosted by Sam. It can be found on her blog Taking on a world of words which can be found here.

The idea of WWW Wednesday is just to answer three simple questions about what you are reading, have just finished and are about to read so here goes for this week.

What I’m currently reading

I’ve finally got round to reading this ARC which will complete one of my unfinished series this year. It’s been over a year since I read the previous book and it took me a while to remember all of the different points of view characters. I’m enjoying this final volume although have no idea how it’s all going to work out.

What I have recently finished reading

I finally finished this one and posted my review here

Death under a Little Sky by Stig Abell
This was a Net Galley ARC and I really enjoyed it. Jake Jackson is a high flying detective with the Met but he inherits an isolated house in the middle of nowhere. Wanting a change, he moves there and isolates himself from society. However he begins to get involved with the local vet and then one day, some human bones appear.

A lot of reviewers didn’t like the pace of the book but I enjoyed the slow pace as it gave the author plenty of space for developing the characters and location. It was written in the present tense which I found a bit tricky at first but soon got used to.

The Last Party by Clare Mackintosh
There is a New Year’s Eve party held in an upmarket property development on the English/Welsh border. On New Year’s day, one of the developers, local boy made good, is found dead in the lake. And literally everybody, even the local police constable seems to have hated him. This was a great read. I loved the huge range of suspects and the way that their reasons were revealed gradually. I’ll definitely be looking out for any further books in this series.

Weyward by Emilia Hart
I really enjoyed this book. It did deal with some uncomfortable areas especially an abusive and controlling marriage but I loved the characters of all three women.

The Adventures of Amina al-Sarafi by Shannon Chakraborty
I absolutely loved this book. I guess it’s really historical fantasy as it’s set in the real world of the Indian Ocean around the 12th century. The author has carried out an incredible amount of research to make her world come alive and then put an elderly female ex-pirate with a demon husband in the middle of it. It’s a great adventure story and l loved Amina. I can’t wait to read what she gets up to next. It’s a beautiful book too. I have to say that I think that the UK cover is far prettier than the US one.

What I am intending to read next

I’m definitely looking forward to latest outing for Commissario Brunetti in Venice.

What are you reading this week?

WWW Wednesday March 22

Here we are and it’s Wednesday again. The weather is warming up although there has been a lot of rain. I love this time of year when all the daffodils appear everywhere. They look so cheerful

The idea of WWW Wednesday is just to answer three simple questions about what you are reading, have just finished and are about to read so here goes for this week.

What I’m currently reading

I’m still reading this and it’s absolutely fascinating. The author is following the border of Russia all the way from Korea to Norway. As she details her travels and the people that she meets, she also gives a brief history of how each country has interacted with Russia in the past. I’ve read through the chapters about the border with Asian countries such as Mongolia and into the Caucaus region. I’ve just begun the chapter on the Ukraine which is obviously out of date as the book was finished in 2020 and so pre-dates Putin’s invasion. I love reading her accounts of the chats she has with different people in every country from taxi drivers to local politicians.

Death under a Little Sky by Stig Abell
This is a Net Galley ARC and I love it so far. Jake Jackson is a high flying detective with the Met but he inherits an isolated house in the middle of nowhere. Wanting a change, he moves there and isolates himself from society. However he begins to get involved with the local vet and then one day, some human bones appear.

I really like the writing style of this book and the characters of Jake and Livia. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing how it all turns out.

What I have recently finished reading

A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon
I really loved this one. It had brilliant world building, great characters and lots of plot intrigues. It’s made me want to go back and revisit The Priory of the Orange Tree now.

The English Fuhrer by Rory Clements
This was set just after the end of WWII and was about a fascist plot involving Biological weapons. It was a good read although a scary scenario.

The Shadows of London by Andrew Taylor
I’ve really enjoyed this series set in Restoration England and I’m sad that this is the last one. It’s a brilliant story with lots of political machinations in and out of the court of Charles II. It was nice to read a more sympathetic version of Louise de Keroualle who was one of Charles mistresses and it was inspired by the stories that have emerged about Harvey Weinstein and Jeffrey Epstein so had a modern feel that wasn’t out of place with the historical context. James Marwood’s increasing disenchantment with the rottenness at the heart of the court was well written too.

When the Guilty Cry by M J Lee
This was recommended by Love Books Read Books in a WWW post and was a new crime series to me. I’ve plunged in at book 7 of the series as this was the earliest in the series that the library had. I enjoyed the character of DI Ridpath and the mystery was intriguing so I will definitely look out for the others in the series.

What I am intending to read next

Weyward by Emilia Hart
The reviews that I have read lately suggest that this might be an uncomfortable read.

What are you reading this week?

WWW Wednesday – March 15

Here we are and it’s Wednesday again. The weather has been completely topsy turvy this week. We’ve had snow with schools and roads shut and we’ve had glorious sunshine. Last night we had torrential rain and all of the local fields are currently flooded. Hopefully Spring is on the way though so I’ve changed the photo to help it along a bit.

As it’s Wednesday that means that it’s time for WWW Wednesday. This is one of my favourite memes and I love taking part in it and reading everybody else’s posts. It’s currently hosted by Sam and it can be found on her blog Taking on a world of words which can be found here.

The idea of WWW Wednesday is just to answer three simple questions about what you are reading, have just finished and are about to read so here goes for this week.

What I’m currently reading

This is taking quite a while to read as I’ve been a bit busy over the past few days. It’s also not a book that you can rush through as there are a lot of characters to keep track of and different plots to follow. It’s a brilliant read and I think I’m going to have to re-read The Priory of the Orange Tree to remind myself of how things are in 500 years time.

I’m also reading this and it’s absolutely fascinating. The author is following the border of Russia all the way from Korea to Norway. As she details her travels and the people that she meets, she also gives a brief history of how each country has interacted with Russia in the past. The chapters on Korea were really interesting and I’m loving learning more about a part of the world that I know very little about. She writes in a easily readable style so it doesn’t feel like a lesson.

What I have recently finished reading

The Ambassador by Tom Fletcher
This was interesting rather than gripping. The plot was very complex and it was never clear who could be trusted . Interestingly, the plot had several similarities with The Detective which I read last week as they were both about new technology that would let governments carry out surveillance on their populations as a matter of routine.

This is the third in the Julia Bird series. She’s a retired social worker living in a Cotswold village and keeps getting involved with murders. I like the character of Julia and the plots are interesting. There are so many cosy crime series around now that it’s difficult to know which ones to read but this is one that I would recommend.

And that’s it! I can’t remember the last time that I only finished reading two books in a week!!!

What I am intending to read next

I should finish A Day of Fallen Night tonight and then I will probably move onto Rory Clements’ latest historical novel

What are you reading this week?

Stacking the Shelves 85

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We’ve had some strange weather this week. It’s supposed to be Spring but we’ve had our only real snow fall of this Winter this week. It was really bad in some parts of the country but it is disappearing very quickly in the sunshine today.

It’s Saturday and that means it’s time for my weekly Stacking the Shelves post. Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Marlene at Reading Reality and details are on her blog. The gorgeous graphic is also used courtesy of the site.

Stacking the Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

As usual, my STS post is all about highlighting my library loans for the week. I’m very aware of how lucky I am and how many people don’t have access to public library service and I hope that maybe, these posts might encourage a couple of people to use their library more.

After not having any reservations come in last week, I had 4 to collect this week and another two are also in transit to my library. I love being able to request new books for only a nominal charge from my library. I am really excited about all of these but probably most for the Orange Priory prequel.

A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon
This is the prequel to The Priory of the Orange Tree which I loved and at 845 pages long, is definitely the longest book so far this year. It has the priory where the sisters train to kill wryms although none have appeared for 50 years, a queen who marries to save her kingdom from ruin and a priestess. All three are caught up in having to save their world when the Dread mount erupts.

I’ve only seen good reports of this book and will definitely be starting it this afternoon while my husband watches the rugby!!

The English Fuhrer by Rory Clements
This is the latest in Rory Clements’ series about Professor Tom Wilde. The setting is Autumn 1945 when people are finding their feet in peace time. Suddenly there is a new threat and Tom is called out of retirement by MI5.

When the Guilty Cry by M J Lee
I saw this crime series mentioned in a WWW Wedensday post by Janet of lovebooksreadbooks and it sounded like a series I would enjoy. I know it’s best to read series from the beginning but this 7th book was the only that the library had. It certainly has an intriguing blurb.
Three embalmed hands are discovered in a disused Victorian house. Is it a gangland ritual? The work of a cult? Or just a prank played by medical students? And what happened to the bodies?

The Border by Erika Fatland
I’ve actually had this book already as it arrived over Christmas. The trouble was that we were so busy over Christmas that I didn’t even start it and as other people had requested it, I had to take it back unread. It’s taken all this time to come back to me but I will definitely make sure that I read it this time.
It’s the account of the author’s journey around the border of Russian, a journey of over 20,000 kilometres and two continents. I love travel accounts and can’t wait to actually start this one.

What have you added to your bookshelf this week? Do any of these appeal to you?

WWW Wednesday March 8th

Here we are and it’s Wednesday again. The weather has turned cold and apparently we might be getting some snow today. Spring has obviously not arrived just yet.

However, as it’s Wednesday that means that it’s time for WWW Wednesday. This is one of my favourite memes and I love taking part in it and reading everybody else’s posts. It’s currently hosted by Sam and it can be found on her blog Taking on a world of words which can be found here.

The idea of WWW Wednesday is just to answer three simple questions about what you are reading, have just finished and are about to read so here goes for this week.

What I’m currently reading

This is a cosy crime series that I haven’t read before and I’ve jumped in without having read any of the four previous novels. It doesn’t seem to matter too much though as I am still able to follow what is happening. However, it’s not really gripping me at the moment and the characters seem a bit two-dimensional. I’m not very far in yet so maybe it will improve.

What I have recently finished reading

This was a brilliant read. I loved the ideas and the world building of this alternative 1955 under German occupation was excellent.

I really enjoyed this book. I don’t read that many WWII books but I loved the way this one was based on real events that I knew nothing about.

I shouldn’t really enjoy the ‘in death’ series as the crimes that she writes about are very dark. I think what makes it readable for me are the characters of Eve, Rourke and Eve’s colleagues. The relationships between them are really warm and that makes up for the darkness in the plot. This one was especially disturbing as it was about sex trafficking of children.

This is the third in the Kamil Rahman series about a ex police inspector who comes to live in London. He first works as a waiter and then a cook in an Indian restaurant but is now trained as a police constable and working for the Met. I do love the character of Kamil and the plots are always interesting. This one was very ‘techy’ and involved new software that could track you where ever you went and predict if you were likely to commit a crime or not.

What I am intending to read next

This is the last of my unread library books but I definitely think that I need a fantasy book in the near future as my books have all been very much about real life this week. I’m feeling in the need for some real escapism.

What are you reading this week?

WWW Wednesday March 1

Happy St David’s Day, the patron saint of Wales and so here’s a jug full of sunshine to brighten up everyone’s day and celebrate Wales.

It’s Wednesday and that means that it’s time for WWW Wednesday. This is one of my favourite memes and I love taking part in it and reading everybody else’s posts. It’s currently hosted by Sam and it can be found on her blog Taking on a world of words which can be found here.

The idea of WWW Wednesday is just to answer three simple questions about what you are reading, have just finished and are about to read so here goes for this week.

What I’m currently reading

I really loved Widowland and this follow up is just as good. It’s set in an alternate London in 1955 where the UK is part of the German Empire. Things have got even worse since the events of the previous book and life for women in particular is continually monitored and regulated by countless rules and regulations. There is a rigid caste system in place which dictates how much food you are allowed, how much education you are entitled to and what books you are allowed to read. The world building is brilliant and the story of Rose is absorbing.

What I have recently finished reading

I loved this book. I really enjoyed the writing and didn’t see the twist at the end coming at all even though there were lots of clues in the text.

Lady Smoke and Ember Queen by Laura Sebastian

I binge read both of these over the weekend. I love finding a completed fantasy trilogy that I can just read from start to finish.

Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes

This is another retelling of the Medusa legend. I enjoyed it but didn’t like this version as much as Medusa by Jessie Burton that I read a while ago.

What I am intending to read next

I haven’t read any of the Eve Dallas books for a while so I’m looking forward to catching up with the crime scene in New York in 2056.

What are you reading this week?

WWW Wednesday February 22

It’s been quite quiet here lately and the weather has been very mild with a fair amount of sunshine. We certainly haven’t seen any snow so I’ve not had any new wintry photos to update the one I’m currently using from last year.

I took a trip to Coventry on Monday and explored the two cathedrals as well as the city generally.

The idea of WWW Wednesday is just to answer three simple questions about what you are reading, have just finished and are about to read so here goes for this week.

What I’m currently reading

This is an intriguing read and I am loving it so far. It’s based on Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None but is a very different scenario. A family have gathered together to celebrate Nana’s 80th birthday. The house is on the coast of Devon and can only be reached via a causeway when the tide is out. So far, the tide is in, the house is cut off from the mainland and we have two dead bodies. I’m really enjoying the story telling and can’t wait to pick it up again this evening.

What I have recently finished reading

Under the Tuscan Sun

I really enjoyed this historical mystery set in Tuscany in 1927. The setting was really atmospheric with even the sun being oppressive. It was a bit predictable and I guessed how it would work out but the build up was brilliant.

The Weather Woman by Sally Gardner

This was a brilliant historical novel set in Regency London. My review is here

A Curioius Beginning by Deanna Raybourne

I’ve seen this series mentioned on so many book blogs lately that I just had to try it out for myself, especially after loving Killers of a Certain Age by the same author. This is another historical novel, this time in London in the 1880s. I loved the character of Veronica Speedwell and the plot was brilliantly thought out. Definitely a series that I will read more of.

The Last Remains by Elly Griffiths

This is the last in the series of novels about archaeologist Ruth Galloway. I was really sad to get to the end as I have loved all of these books over the years. This mystery was just as good as the previous ones with a satisfying resolution.

What I am intending to read next

This retelling of the Medusa myth is the last one of my bumper haul from the library last week and is another book that I am really looking forward to reading. After that, who knows???

What are you reading this week?

WWW Wednesday February 15

Since last week, we’ve had a lovely relaxing weekend in Bath. We spent some time at Evenley Wood Garden wandering through the snowdrop trails and then had a great time exploring Bath and walking down by the river.

The idea of WWW Wednesday is just to answer three simple questions about what you are reading, have just finished and are about to read so here goes for this week.

What I’m currently reading

This is a Net Galley ARC that I started last night. It’s a historical novel that opens with a character returning to a castle near Florence in 1946 after it had been occupied by the Nazis. the story then goes back to 1927 as 49 year old widow, Constance goes to the castle to become a companion/secretary to a famous Art Historian William North, who has had a stroke. It’s all very lovely at the moment and Constance is enjoying the Italian lifestyle after her depressing years in London. There are overtones of mystery though as well as the creeping menace of facism in Italy at that time. I’m intrigued to see what’s going to happen.

What I have recently finished reading

The Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian

This was a fun YA fantasy. I liked the world building and the dramatic ending. I think I will definitely read the next two books in the trilogy.

Bath Tangle/The Sinister Booksellers of Bath/Persuasion

I read all of my Bath linked books over the past week. Bath Tangle was a lovely reminder of how much I enjoy Georgette Heyer’s romances. And it was fun retracing some of the character’s steps as they walked along Milsom Street to Laura Place.

Persuasion was another lovely reread. I think that Anne Elliott is probably my favourite of Austen’s heroines. Being a bit older, she has a slightly more realistic view of life than some of the others.

The Sinister Booksellers of Bath by Garth Nix
Sinister in this case is just the fact that the booksellers concerned are all lefthanded. This is the sequel to Nix’s The Left-handed Booksellers of London and was a brilliant read. I loved the continuing story of Susan and Merlin and it was certainly an action packed read.

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

This was published in 2006 and I can’t believer that I haven’t read it before now. I’ve picked it up a couple of times but never got around to buying it. However, I’ve seen a mentions of the series recently and so it was an easy choice when I wanted to spend money on books in Bath.

It was quite a slow burn read to begin with especially coming straight after the high speed pace of the Garth Nix. I loved the characters of Locke and Jean and once life started to turn against them, I was really gripped.

What I am intending to read next

This is the last in the series of novels about archaeologist Ruth Galloway. I’m going to be sad to get the end of this one as this has been one of my favourite crime series for years now.

What are you reading this week?

WWW Wednesday – February 8

The idea of WWW Wednesday is just to answer three simple questions about what you are reading, have just finished and are about to read so here goes for this week.

What I’m currently reading

The Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian

I’ve just got a new subscription to Kindle Unlimited which I do every so often and this was available on there. As I have seen some great reviews for Laura Sebastian lately, I thought I would try it. It’s very much a YA book but I like the character of Thora and the plot is keeping me interested so far.

Becoming Ted by Matt Cain

Unusually, I’m reading two books at the same time. I’m trying not to read ebooks late at night so I’m reading The Ash Princess early on and then I started Becoming Ted yesterday evening. There are definitely vibes of Everyone’s Talking About Jamie in this story of forty something Ted who has just been left by his husband and decides to take the plunge and follow his dream of becoming a drag queen. It’s a great read so far.

What I have recently finished reading

Return to Cornish Bay by Philippa Ashley

This one was a bit of a disappointment as it was actually released under a different title in 2012. Parts of it felt dated and I think that Philippa Ashley has improved as an author since then.

A Winter Grave by Peter May

This was a brilliant read. Set in the remote Scottish highlands in 2051 when the world has been devasted by climate change, it’s a great murder mystery . Full review to come.

A Gruesome Discovery by Cora Harrison

I really enjoyed this instalment of the Reverend Mother series set in 1920’s Cork. I love the historical setting as well as the character of Reverend Mother Aquinas. I think I’ve got a couple left to read before I’m up to date with the series.

Promise Me by Jill Mansell

This was a lovely fun romance. I loved the characters and the small village setting. It wasn’t that predictable either with a couple of interesting twists which I enjoyed.

What I am intending to read next

We’re off to Bath for this coming weekend and so my reading is going to be linked to my visit. Over the next week, I’m going to be reading these books which are all set in Bath. The Georgette Heyer and Jane Austen are both re-reads but the Garth Nix is an ARC that I am really looking forward to.

What are you reading this week?

WWW Wednesday January 24

The idea of WWW Wednesday is just to answer three simple questions about what you are reading, have just finished and are about to read so here goes for this week.

What I’m currently reading

The Mitford Secret by Jessica Fellowes

This is the final book in the mystery series featuring the Mitford sisters and their old nursery maid, Louisa Cannon. In this book we have reached 1941 and the youngest sister Debo, now married to the younger son of the Duke of Devonshire, invites as many of her family as she can get together to Chatsworth for Christmas. The war plays a large part in the book with a lot about rationing and the lack of food as well as the men being elsewhere. Louisa gets involved with looking into the mysterious disappearance of a young maid 25 years ago and then there is another murder.

The Shadow Casket by Chris Wooding
I’ve finally got around to starting this ARC. It’s a brilliant epic fantasy book full of journeys, battles against evil and great characters. It’s quite a hefty book at 800 pages so it’s taking a while to get through.

What I have recently finished reading

I loved this second book in the Realm Breaker series. It has all the things I want in a fantasy especially great characters. I especially enjoyed the character of Erika who has not turned out how anybody might have expected. I hope that we don’t have to wait too long before the next book comes out. After finishing The Shadow Casket, I might leave Epic Fantasy for a bit. It’s great having two brilliant series to read though.

The House with the Golden Door by Elodie Harper

I didn’t enjoy this one as much as The Wolf Den. It was still a good read but I missed the strong friendship and loyalty between the girls of the Wolf Den which was such a big feature of the first book. Amara is quite a different character in this volume and can be increasingly ruthless to achieve safety for her and her loved ones.

Angel of Death by J M Dalgliesh

I really like this crime series set on the Norfolk coast. In this new one, the remains of a young woman are discovered. Upon investigation she appears to have been killed only a short time ago but the body is that of a woman who disappeared six years previously.

What I am intending to read next