Friday Friyay: 'Briar Rose' by Jane Yolen

Happy Friday! It's only one week until the deadline for my thesis. I'm technically almost there. I've got 74 pages, 31k words, and most of those words are, I think, good. So fingers crossed I make it through this week of last adjustments and edits with my sanity intact. After I hand this monster in, I'll be reading the book below: Briar Rose by Jane Yolen.

It is an old, old tale, the German story of Briar Rose, the Sleeping Beauty. Now one of America's most celebrated writers tells it afresh, set this time in the forests patrolled by the German army during World War II. A tale of castles, of mists and thorns, of a beautiful sleeping princess, and an astonishing revelation of death and rebirth.

A tale that will leave you changed forever.

The tale of Briar Rose.

Book Beginnings is at home on Rose City Reader, hosted by Gilion Dumas, and Friday 56 at Freda's Voice, hosted by Freda. I'll also be joining the Book Blogger Hop, hosted by Billy over at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer.

BB:

'"Gemma, tell your story again," Shana begged, putting her arms around her grandmother and breathing in that special smell of talcum and lemon that seemed to belong only to her.
"Which one?" Gemma asked, chopping the apples in the wooden bowl.' p.10

I love this opening because it reminds me of my own grandmother. She made the best apple pie, and I still bake it in her honour, so I have a lot of memories of us chopping apples and chatting, soft music in the background. 

F56:

'The house was quiet, Sylvia and Shana and their families having at last gone home, more reluctantly than Becca could have possibly guessed.' p.56

This is the beginning of a new chapter and I'm amazed that in only 50 pages Shana and her sister have become grown-ups with their own families. I'm curious to see how Yolen develops their characters through this book.

BBH:

This week's question was suggested by Billy himself:

Have you ever forgotten to post a review?

Oh God, it's shameful confession time. The short answer is yes. 

The long answer is that I get majorly over-enthusiastic requesting books on NetGalley and buying books IRL, to the point that my physical and digital TBR shelfs are all over the place. I have forgotten to read books on time, I have forgotten to write reviews, and I have also forgotten to post reviews I have already written. Technically I'm very good at time-management and sticking to deadlines, but that entire energy usually goes to my "real life" work or studies, while book blogging continues to be my favourite hobby. The latter therefore suffers a little sometimes. I do vow, every year, to be better at it and I have months where I'm entirely on top of it. I will continue to aim to do better!

So that's me for the week? Can you relieve me of my shame about reviewing? And what are you reading?