My Top Five Reads of 2019

It is almost the end of the year so I thought I would pick my favourite reads from 2019! It’s been my first full year of running this blog which has been really fun, I might try and post more next year.

1. Fire and Blood by George R.R. Martin

I am fascinated by the history of Westeros and the Targaryens are the most interesting of them all. It is written like a history book but is still just as gripping as ASOIAF. I can’t wait for the second part to be published!

2. The Storm Sister by Lucinda Riley

This is the second book in the series and we follow Ally on her journey of discovery to Norway. I loved reading about Norway and some of its history and Ally is such a strong character, I really connected with her.

3. The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye by David Lagercrantz

I love the Millennium series, Lisbeth Salander is one of my favourite characters ever, she’s so complex and badass. This is the fifth book in the series and at the beginning we find Lisbeth in prison. She’s only there for a few months but she finds out that as a child she was almost involved in a experiment carried out on twins. They separated twin children and put them into families with different wealth and status. As always Mikael and Lisbeth investigate and get into serious danger!

4. Tangerine by Christine Mangan

Tangerine is set in the 1950’s in Tangier, Morocco. We meet Alice first, she followed her husband to Tangier but has struggled with the city. The stifling heat and the crowds cause her to panic. Then an old school friend arrives out of the blue and brings back dark memories. I loved how strange all the relationships were and then we were gradually told the reasons why, very well written.

5.Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett

My favourite Discworld books are probably the City Watch ones, in this story a cult of bitter citezens try to summon a dragon to attack the city. Dragons haven’t been seen for hundreds of years, but somehow they manage it. The City Watch consists of only a handful people, they are not respected by anyone and the laws are so corrupt that normally they barely have to do anything, but with the threat of the dragon they must step up. Witty, engaging and bonkers as always.

There they all are, Happy New Year everyone!

The Storm Sister Review

“In moments of weakness, you will find your greatest strength.”

This is the second book in the Seven Sisters series by Lucinda Riley. This time we follow Ally and her story. She’s a strong sailor and before he father’s death she was training with a group for a race around the Greek islands. There she meets Theo, a very talented sailor with a good reputation. The two of them click and Theo asks Ally to join him on his private yacht for a long weekend break just before the race. Their romance blossoms, they make a really sweet couple. Unfortunately Ally turned her phone off over the trip so was the last to find out about her father’s death. She immediately makes plans to get home and see her sisters.

Ally felt like she had to be strong for her sisters which was so sad, she couldn’t share her true pain at her father’s death. The girls are told about their father’s will and the clues he left them all about where he adopted them. Ally decides to head back for the race and spends the next month with Theo, although she lost her father she’s so happy to have found the love of her life.

Ally goes on quite a rollercoaster of emotions and eventually she decides to follow her father’s clues. She ends up in Norway, he also left her a book, a biography of Anna Horsten, a Norwegian singer in the 19th Century. Anna gets swept from her life in the country by a man scouting talented singers.

The writing is so wonderful and descriptive I felt as if I had been transported to Norway when we followed Anna’s story. She’s such a sweet girl, I’m really glad she got to follow her dreams of singing, I wish I could hear her voice! The characters feel so real, you feel their joy and excitement, their sorrow and fears with them. I really enjoyed the book, I can’t wait to read Star’s story next.

Quotes of the Week

It’s been very gloomy weather this week and the clock change was horrible but I started reading The Storm Sister by Lucinda Riley this week and I can barely put it down!

“I don’t think you know many girls like her.” – Brienne of Tarth, Game of Thrones 6×08 No One

Brienne is talking about Sansa, Jaime presumed that Sansa wouldn’t have survived when she ran from the capital. But Brienne shuts him down, Sansa found her inner strength long before she had to flee. You know nothing Jaime.

“In moments of weakness, you will find your greatest strength.” – The Storm Sister by Lucinda Riley

A lovely quote to remember in times of distress.

“Tell them the North remembers. Tell them winter came for House Frey.” – Arya Stark, Game of Thrones 7×01 Dragonstone

So badass, Arya is my hero in this moment, revenge is sweet!

Hope you all have a great weekend!