I love using Thoughtstreams for my bookish thoughts, but often find I'm strapped for time. It's hard work stopping reading to note thoughts, it breaks the flow. I regularly found I was recording my thoughts several days after I'd had them.
Whilst I do intend to continue having a dedicated streams for single books, I also need one for the books where I just have the occasional thought, or those that I'm enjoying so much my overriding thought of 'This is great!' obliterates any other sensible contributions.
First up, Goblin Secrets by William Alexander. I'm reading this to my 8yr old, and it's brilliant. Every night I'm making sure there is time left to read. It's a beautiful book and perfect for reading aloud.
It has clockwork machines, goblins, curses, chanting and most peculiar of all the theatre is banned. Father and son equally enchanted.
The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart. Reading this as part of Hodderscape review project. It's the first in the Merlin trilogy and now over 40yrs old.
I was unsure at first but it has now well and truly sucked me in. Great pre Norman conquest British history, with some legend and magic thrown in. Barely a sniff of Arthur yet!
Drakenfeld by Mark Charon Newton. A locked room mystery. Agatha Christie via Ancient Rome and Game of Thrones (maybe). Slow to reach a head of steam with lots of world building but has a classy thrilling denouement.
The Crystal Cave: 'All Gods born of light are brothers.' Wise words from a 5th Century King. If only we called all subscribe to this ideal.
The Crystal Cave is very much old school historical fiction. Perhaps overlong but an interesting take on the genesis of Merlin and Arthur.
It's (apparently) based on the Geoffrey of Monmouth (12th Century) account of Merlin.
I think I will pick up the next volume - The Hollow Hills.
The Crystal Cave reminded me of Stephen Lawhead's Pendragon Cycle, the first three of which I really enjoyed as a teenager.