Top Five Tuesday – A-Z Favourite Characters

It’s Top Five Tuesday which is hosted by Meeghan Reads, every week we’re given a book related topic and we choose our top five! This month it’s another A-Z this time our favourite characters, this week it’s F-J.

F – Fleetwood Shuttleworth

What a name! I recently read The Familiars and Fleetwood was such a strong and fierce character, she never gave up and risked everything to save her friend from being executed for being a witch. Fleetwood herself thought she was going to die but she never gave in, she fought to save herself, her baby and her friend Alice.

F – Frieda Klein

My favourite fictional psychotherapist! Frieda is very clever, she’s creative and protective ober those she loves. She’s naturally an introvert but attracts people who are in trouble to her life. Frieda’s friends would also do anything for her.

G – Granny Weatherwax

Granny is a witch in the Discworld novels, she is so funny. I love her because of how stand-offish she is and her friendship with Nanny Ogg her fellow witch is hilarious.

H – Harry Potter

I still can’t get over how Harry grew up to be kind and accepting having lived with the Dursley’s for his whole life. He has his off moments, but he tries his best and stands up for his friends and himself and what he believes in, I learnt a lot from him.

J – Jackson Brodie

Jackson seems to always find trouble wherever he goes. He’s an ex policeman turned private investigator but his life is a bit of a mess! What I like about Jackson is that he’s a nice person but not in an annoying way, he tries to do what’s best for those around him and help his clients.

Day of the Dead by Nicci French Review

“Everything that happens to you becomes part of you. It’s like what you eat. You metabolize it.”

This is the last book in the Frieda Klein series, I am sad that it’s finished but my goodness this was a thrilling end.

It had an interesting beginning, Frieda is on the run but strange crimes are happening in London. Then we meet Lola, a criminology student hoping to write her thesis on Frieda. But of course she can’t find her so she goes walking as Frieda used and accidentally stumbles upon the most dangerous man in London. Lola finds Frieda by chance and goes into hiding with her. Lola is quite naive she hasn’t grasped the severity of the situation. They are both in danger from a man who has committed several murders over the years of this series and has never been caught by the police.

Frieda can sense that the end is nearly here, either she will die or Dean will be caught. She has lost so much all she wants is for this horror to be over, she can’t stand the thought of her friends being in danger anymore which is why she is on the run. The pace of the story is so quick that it makes it almost impossible to put the book down. I was gripped until the last page, waiting for another twist.

“There was a quality to her stillness that felt dangerous as if she might burst into flames.”

Sunday Morning Coming Down by Nicci French Review

“If there’s a wasp in the room, you’d rather know where it is.”

In the penultimate novel in the Freida Klein series we dive straight into the action. At the end of the sixth book Frieda has just discovered a dead body under her floor, she had sent this man to track down her stalker and this was his response.

Things only get worse for Frieda and her friends, the book was fast paced which definitely made it more addictive. Frieda’s niece was abducted for a weekend and found in a graveyard, still alive but with no memory of the past days. She was unharmed apart from the drugs that had been injected into her system.

The police are at a loss, but still it keeps getting worse. It appears that Frieda’s stalker who the police thought was dead now has a copycat who is escalating his attacks.

I felt so awful for all of these lovely characters who we’ve got to know over the series, they are all so different but they’ve all gravitated towards Frieda for different reasons, she is the heart of the group but that has put them all in grave danger.

As a reader we also get an insight into the copycat’s mind. Nicci French has always been good at getting into the minds of their sociopathic characters, and this one was no exception, it is both fascinating and terrifying!

I really enjoyed this book and I am excited to read the final book except I hate endings!

Top Five Tuesday – Series I Need to Finish

A new Top Five Tuesday, the prompts are created by Bionic Book Worm. I’m actually doing quite well at keeping up with series I’ve started, I don’t like to read similar books in a row so I do space out books by the same authors etc. These are all on my on my TBR list some are quite low down but shhh…

1. The Seven Sisters series by Lucinda Riley

I started reading these books this year, I’ve read the first two which were wonderful. They each focus on one of the sisters who were adopted from around the world by their father who recently passed away. He left them clues and coordinates to where they’re from in case they want to find out one day. I’m going to start the third book soon The Shadow Sister which follows Star and her journey to discovery in England.

2. Frieda Klein series by Nicci French

I have only two books left of this series, they are waiting on my bookshelf right now! I have taken my time with this one, I forgot it for a while, the first book was published in 2011 and the last in 2018. Frieda is a psychologist who liases with the police when they need help on cases. But trouble seems to follow her, she has a stalker who has followed her since the first book, he once saved her life. But he faked his own death so no one will believe Frieda when she claims it’s him that’s harming others around her.

3. Tudor Legacy series by Laura Andersen

This is the second series surrounding the Tudors, Elizabeth is now queen after her brother Henry died. It’s been fifteen years since the first series finished, Elizabeth has a child! And so do her dear friends Minuette and Dominic. As always at Tudor court there are spies and drama, I’ve only read the first book so far but the second isn’t far away.

4. Discworld series by Terry Pratchett

Although these books don’t have to be read in chronological order, each is a stand alone, they all take place on the strange Discworld and usually in the city of Ankh-Morpork. I love these books, I’ve lost count of how many I’ve read but I’ve still got many to go yet there are forty one in total!

5. Six Tudor Queens series by Alison Weir

I’ve only read the first of this series but it was so detailed and felt like a biography of Katherine of Aragon and her life in England. I am excited to read Anne Boleyn’s book because she has always fascinated me.

That’s all of them, I can’t believe it’s autumn already! Are there any series you have yet to finish or have forgotten?

Saturday Requiem by Nicci French Review

This book is the sixth in the Frieda Klein series. Frieda is a psychotherapist who sometimes consults with the police on cases. Or at least she used to, in the last book she was framed for murder and only just managed to prove her innocence. A strange and powerful man helped her and now she owes him a favour.

Thirteen years ago, eighteen year old Hannah Docherty was convicted of killing her entire family. She has been in a psychiatric hospital ever since, often sent into solitary confinement and beaten by other patients. The arresting police officer is under investigation as are some of his old cases. Frieda believes that Hannah is innocent and wants to prove it.

Hannah’s story is so sad, I can’t believe people are treated that way. Frieda is as brilliant and blunt as ever in this book and she’s so incredible at her job. I love seeing her piece all the clues together. The story is gripping and tense, I also believed Hannah was innocent and was outraged at the way she has been treated in the ‘hospital’ where she’s been kept. A fantastic read as always from Nicci French.

Top Five Tuesday – Books Set In Your Country

A new Top Five Tuesday, the promts are created by Bionic Book Worm. This week it’s our top five books set in your own country. I live in England so there’s a lot to choose from!

1. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

This is one of my favourite books ever! It’s set during the 1920s-1940s and follows Ursula through her life, she grows up in the country but is working in London during the Blitz. One of the most amazing things about this book is how it shows us different versions of Ursula’s life, in one chapter she dies in childhood but in the next that crisis is averted. It’s so clever and my favourite parts are when we’re in London during the Blitz it sounds so terrifying but the way everyone works together to try and save people is so lovely.

2. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

A dark and twisty classic, I think that’s why I like it so much. It’s set in Yorkshire in the middle of the countryside. It’s dark and gloomy and cold. I personally don’t think I could handle living in the countryside, it’s no surprise that Cathy went mad, I would too!

3. The Famous Five series by Enid Blyton

I used to love these books so much when I was little, me and my sisters used to read them and in our collection we have some books of my Mum’s and new ones. They’re all set in the children’s holidays where they stay in Dorset on the coast. They have picnics and adventures, there’s a small island near their home which they can row to. It reminds me of summer and I live on the south coast so all their beach fun used to remind me of our summers.

4. Frieda Klein series by Nicci French

The series follows Frieda who is a psychologist, she lives in London and we see a lot of it through he eyes as she loves to walk. She walks for hours around the city as it helps to clear her head.

5. The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

This is set in Tudor times but still in England, we get to see the old homes of the Lords and Ladies of that time. I’ve read all of Philippa Gregory’s Tudor series but this one is probably my favourite!

Thanks for reading, hope you have a lovely day!

Top Five Tuesday – Hufflepuff

A new Top Five Tuesday, the promts are created by Bionic Book Worm. This month’s promts are all Harry Potter themed and this week it’s Hufflepuff!

I love Hufflepuffs, one of my sisters and my brother both belong to this house, they’re both so caring and kind, they love animals but they’re still fiesty and awesome. I was really excited for this week so here are my top five Hufflepuff characters from other books:

1. Lucy Pevensie – The Chronicles of Narnia

Lucy is the ultimate Hufflepuff; kind, loving, imaginative, open minded and a badass. She holds on to what she believes in, when she first found Narnia, she never stopped believing it was real and when they all returned to Narnia in Prince Caspian, Lucy was the only one that could see Aslan because she still had faith in him. I adore Lucy, I remember when I read the books when I was younger I always wanted to be more like her because she’s just so lovely!

2. Peeta Mellark – The Hunger Games series

My boy! I love him so much! Peeta’s loyalty and devotion to Katniss, his ever present goodness and warmth are what made me think of Hufflepuff for him. He risks his own life for Katniss, not just because he loves her but he knew that the rebellion needed her as it’s leader, not him. He was tortured for months, made to hate the person he loves the most but still that love shone through and he was able to break free from that dark place in his mind. I’m just so proud of him.

3. Frieda Klein – Frieda Klein series

When I read through the Hufflepuff traits that Bionic Book Worm put on the original post for this month’s prompts. Frieda popped into my mind. She’s a psychologist and sometimes works with the police to help them solve crimes or interview subjects. She’s incredibly hard working, loyal, but not to those who haven’t earnt it. Frieda has a close circle of friends and family, she would do anything to protect them and she knows they will always have her back. She’s an incredibly tough character, she’s been through a lot in her life but she still works on to help people and make the world a better place. Again, I’d love to be more like her!

4. Maia D’Aliese – The Seven Sisters series

Maia is the eldest of her sisters, but she’s not the leader of the group, she’s the sister the others go to for quiet and comfort and safety. Although Maia is scared herself, of leaving her home, she’s a translator but up until the first book she had barely left the island she calls home in years. She’s got such a warm soul and when she travels to Rio to find out where she came from we really see her come to life, she’s adventurous, funny but always kind and considerate. She’s also really intelligent, she knows about five languages!

5. Davos Seaworth – A Song of Ice and Fire

Oh Davos…he’s such a lovely man, but he did make a terrible decision by siding with Stannis (I hate him so bloody much). But what I really respect about Davos is how he always stands up to Stannis when he thinks he’s doing wrong, he calls out Melisandre right from the start. Yet he’s blindly loyal, always honest and very hard working. He used to be a pirate until he saved Stannis and his men during Robert’s Rebellion by sneaking through the blockade to provide them with food. After the war he was knighted and has followed his Lord ever since.

Let me know what you think in the comments!