Quotes of the Week

Another rainy week here in England, I’ve been watching the Womens World Cup to keep we occupied and reading of course, here are my favourite quotes from the week:

“They were parcelling the impossible height into manageable sections. Just like time. That’s how we survive infinity, we kill it by breaking it up into small bits.” – Pyramids by Terry Pratchett

I love the imagery in this and it’s true, we get through days by taking them an hour at a time, that’s what I do at work anyway!

“It was all such a waste of breath. War and peace. Peace and war. It would go on for ever without end.” – Transcription by Kate Atkinson

This is so sad, the book is set during WWII and the Cold War and this quote broke my heart. Somewhere in the world terrible things are happening and it’s never ending.

Top Ten Tuesday – Inspirational Book Quotes

Today’s Top Ten Tuesday topic by thatartsyreadergirl is inspirational quotes. I love quotes, so this was a really fun topic for me.

“Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armor yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you.” – Tyrion Lannister, A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

“Life wasn’t about becoming, was it? It was about being.” – Ursula Todd, Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

“Laughter is poison to fear.” – Catelyn Stark, A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

“But you know, happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J K Rowling

“Old stories are like old friends, you have to visit them from time to time.” – Old Nan, A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin

“But people themselves alter so much, that there is something new to be observed in them for ever.” – Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

“A story was a form of telepathy. By means of inking symbols onto a page, she was able to send thoughts and feelings from her mind to her reader’s. It was a magical process, so commonplace that no one stopped to wonder at it.” – Briony Tallis, Atonement by Ian McEwan

“It does not do well to dwell on dreams and forget to live.” – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Philospher’s Stone by J K Rowling

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, the man who never reads lives only one.” – Jojen Reed, A Dance With Dragons by George R.R. Martin

“I wanted to tell the book thief many things, about beauty and brutality. But what could I tell her about those things that she didn’t already know? I wanted to explain that I am constantly overestimating and underestimating the human race-that rarely do I ever simply estimate it. I wanted to ask her how the same thing could be so ugly and so glorious, and its words and stories so damning and brilliant.” – Death, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

What are some of your favourite inspirational quotes?

Quotes of the Week

It’s finally sunny! I’ve had a lovely start to the weekend with my family, I hope your Easter weekend is just as lovely. Here are my favourite quotes this week:

Time was a thief, he stole your life away from you and the only way you could get it back was to outwit him and snatch it back.” – Kate Atkinson, Case Histories

This quote is so chilling, I love the way it refers to time as a person.

“I used to think you were the cleverest man alive.” Sansa Stark, Game of Thrones 8×01 Winterfell

Sansa is talking to Tyrion, I think we all thought he was one of the cleverest, but when it comes to his family he’s way too trusting. I loved Sansa’s sass and confidence in last weeks episode.

“I’m waiting for an old friend.” – Bran Stark, Game of Thrones 8×01 Winterfell

This line was one of the best of the whole episode, he’s waiting patiently in the freezing cold for the man that threw him out of a window. Bran may be really weird at the moment but he’s still got a sense of humour!

Have a great Easter weekend everyone!

Top Five Tuesday – Books I Predict Will Be Five Stars

A new Top Five Tuesday, the promts are created by Bionic Book Worm. It takes a lot for me to rate a book five stars, I’m British, we’ve always got something to moan about, five stars has to be pretty much perfect. I want to be completely transported and involved with the story. Here are my predictions:

1. Transcription by Kate Atkinson

I love all of her books so I have a lot of confidence that this will be five stars. It’s set in Britain throughout WWII and onwards through the Cold War. I’m really excited to read it.

2. The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton

Again this author never fails to deliver, all of her books are incredible so I expect this one will be too!

3. The Winds of Winter by George R.R. Martin

Whenever it arrives I’m sure I will love this book as much as I have loved the rest of the series.

4. The Shadow Sister by Lucinda Riley

I’m loving this series so far and Star who’s story we follow in this book fascinates me. We don’t know a lot about her as she is often overshadowed by her slightly younger sister.

5. Making History by Stephen Fry

I found this book the other day, I was looking for alternative history books. This is about what would have happened if Hitler had never been born. Stephen is a complete genius so I can’t wait to see what happens!!

And that’s it, I’m pretty confident with the whole list. Have a good day!

Top Ten Books On My Spring TBR List

Today’s Top Ten Tuesday topic by thatartsyreadergirl is the top books on my Spring TBR list. A lot of these may have appeared on my Winter TBR post…I didn’t seem to get very far!

1. Shouldn’t You Be In School? by Lemony Snicket

It’s the third book in the All the Wrong Questions series, I haven’t read any Snicket’s books in ages so I can’t wait to get into this one. His style of writing is so unique!

2. The Storm Sister by Lucinda Riley

This was definitely on my Winter list, I’m still really looking forward to reading it though, it’s only two books away!!

3. The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett

Although this is the second Discworld novel I haven’t read it yet! I’ve read lots of his book in a completely random order but I’m now tracking down the ones left.

4. Saturday Requium by Nicci French

I miss Frieda…this was also on my Winter list but I actually have the book now so we’re all set.

5. Why Is This Night Different From All Other Nights? by Lemony Snicket

The last in the series, I tried to not read the third and this one too close together because if I read too many books that are similar together, I tend to get bored.

6. Pyramids by Terry Pratchett

The seventh book in the Discworld series as with all of Pratchett’s books this looks funny, strange and wonderful.

7. Transcription by Kate Atkinson

I’m so excited for this book, I’ve been waiting for it to come out in paperback and it’s finally due out next month! It’s set in WWII and the Cold War, it follows a woman who joins MI5 and once peace is declared expects her job to be over but she’s very wrong. I don’t know a lot about the Cold War so this will be so interesting.

8. The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton

Again I’ve been waiting for this to be published in paperback form and the time is almost here! I love all of Kate Morton’s books, she never disappoints.

9. The Virgin’s Spy by Laura Andersen

I really enjoyed the first book of this series and I’m eager to find out how all the characters are getting on.

10. The Shadow Sister by Lucinda Riley

If I make this far before the Summer I’ll be seriously impressed. The third book in the series, this one is set in England and follows Star on her journey of discovery.

What are you planning to read over the Spring?

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!