A Storm of Swords

George R.R. Martin

A Song of Ice and Fire #3

Summary:

WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS OF PREVIOUS BOOKS AHEAD!

Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as violently as ever, as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey, of House Lannister, sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of the land of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, the victim of the jealous sorceress who holds him in her evil thrall. But young Robb, of House Stark, still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Robb plots against his despised Lannister enemies, even as they hold his sister hostage at King's Landing, the seat of the Iron Throne.

Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons still left in the world. Filled with the stench of death and decay from the destructive dynastic war, Daenerys is gathering allies and strength for an assault on King's Landing, hoping to win back the crown she believes is rightfully hers.

But as opposing forces maneuver for the final titanic showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings bent on overwhelming the Seven Kingdoms arrives from the outermost line of civilization. In their vanguard is a horde of mythical Others-a supernatural army of the living dead whose animated corpses are unstoppable. And as the future of the land hangs in the balance, no one will rest in the quest for victory until the Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable storm of swords...

Plot:

I feel like this series is very consistent, in that every time I sit down to review one of the books I feel like I’m just repeating myself. However, this one is probably the most exciting and most shocking yet. While with the previous ones I found myself putting the book down for a while, with this one, especially the second part, I just couldn’t do it. I also cannot wait to see what happens next.

Characters:

I really felt like the characters developed in this installment. Tyrion is probably one of my favorite characters, simply because he is such a strange, sometimes likable, other times despicable character, and I really felt like he was brought to life in this installment. All the characters were shown to grow and change, but they always stay true to themselves and you still don't really know who to root for. Oh, and, don't fall in love with any of the characters, chances are...they're going to die...

Who should read this:

16+, and like always, these books are not for the faint-hearted or sensitive. It is very graphic and violent and there is quite a bit of language involved. If you enjoyed the previous installments, then you should read this one! If you didn’t, why would you continue the series? Fans of high-fantasy should definitely check this series out, it's brilliantly written.

My rating:

I didn’t like the things that happened in this book, but I still felt like this was the best one so far, so I have to give it a higher rating...5/5

Quote:

“Old stories are like old friends, she used to say. You have to visit them from time to time.”

I did read this book in two parts, but I've said previously that I despise it when a book that's meant to be one is published as more than one, so that's why I combined them in this review.

Read my reviews for 'A Game of Thrones' and 'A Clash of Kings' here!

The way I feel when I walk into a library/bookstore/my room

Because yes, my room can be included in that list...

Bookstores and libraries are probably my favorite places on Earth. When I walk into one I just feel like I'm home, I can feel myself relaxing and I'm just happy. Anyone who doesn't see how magical these place are...let me explain.

When I walk into a bookstore I don't see a place filled with lots of paper and words etc. I see a giant collection of doors to amazing and fascinating places, any of which I can open and step into if I feel like it. You know those doors you sometimes see in movies, that just stand there and you can walk all around it and it doesn't seem to lead anywhere. Until you open it that is. Then, all of a sudden you can step through and into a whole different place. That's exactly how I see books, and that is why bookstores and libraries are magical.

As to my room it's basically the same thing, only in here I know most of the places behind the doors, some extremely well, others not so much, but I can revisit my favorites, or choose not to if I didn't like where they go.

There is some element of danger to walking through these doors though. You might get addicted to 'book travelling' (yep, I just made that up), or you may find something in those pages that could change your life, or your outlook on life.

That's just something I've always wanted to explain...so yeah.... :D

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Mark Haddon

Summary:

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is a murder mystery novel like no other. The detective, and narrator, is Christopher Boone. Christopher is fifteen. He knows a very great deal about maths and very little about human beings. He loves lists, patterns and the truth. He hates the colours yellow and brown and being touched. He has never gone further than the end of the road on his own, but when he finds a neighbour’s dog murdered he sets out on a terrifying journey which will turn his whole world upside down.

Plot:

I thought this was a very good story. The writing is simple and straightforward, easy to understand, but the story never becomes predictable. The plot is original and different and it kept me interested throughout. I also really liked the way the author ended the book, it wasn’t too happy, just realistic.

Characters:

The strange thing about this book is I didn’t really like the main character, Christopher, but I still rooted for him. He got on my nerves at times, but this only made me sympathise with his parents more and made them much more understandable. They were probably my favourite characters in this book, especially his dad. Christopher got a little annoying, but the way he narrated the story is something almost like a journal was a lot of fun to read.

Who should read this:

13+, mainly for the language, a dog is also killed (not graphic), and there are some mentions of people cheating on their spouses, but no real sexual content. If you want something that will touch your heart, has an unique story and perspective and is easy to read, this might just be the one for you. This is a pretty light read, but it has some darker themes.

My rating:

I really enjoyed this book. It’s not my absolute favourite, mainly because I didn’t like the main character all that much, but I think it’s a very good novel overall. 4/5

Quote:

“Everyone has learning difficulties, because learning to speak French or understanding relativity is difficult.”

The Bancroft Strategy

Robert Ludlum

Summary:

Agent Todd Belknap has been cut loose after an operation goes wrong. When his best friend and fellow agent is abducted, and the government refuses to help, Todd takes matters into his own hands.

Meanwhile, Andrea Newton gets an unexpected call. She has been left a vast inheritance by a cousin she’s never met – on the condition that she joins the board of the charitable Bancroft foundation. Andrea is intrigued, but the foundation appears less and less benign the more deeply involved she gets.

What exactly is their involvement with ‘Genesis’ – a mysterious entity working to destabilise the geopolitical balance at the risk of millions of lives? As events escalate, Todd and Andrea must form an uneasy alliance if they are to uncover the truth – before it’s too late.

Plot:

This is an excellent story. There is mystery and suspense throughout and you really wonder how the author is going to connect all the plot lines together. The different twists mean that you’re never sure what to expect. However, it feels like the author added too many additional little facts that don’t really have anything to do with the story and that makes it all a little complicated. Most of these facts are hard to understand and I found myself just skimming the paragraphs that contained them. I really liked the themes that were explored in this book, especially the parts about the charity foundation trying to change the world, but maybe taking it a little too far.

Characters:

I liked the characters in this book, but it’s a little hard to know who to root for in this story since anyone could be revealed as being a villain. I didn’t fall in love with Andrea or Belknap, but I did root for them and worried when they were in danger. My favourite character is probably Belknap’s friend ‘Reinhart’, but I would’ve liked a little more insight into his character.

Who should read this:

13+, mainly for language as well as pretty graphic descriptions of violence. There is one sexual scene but it’s not graphic at all, merely implied. The story might also be a little complicated for younger readers and like I said, there are many parts that are not necessarily essential to the story that might also be a little hard to understand. If you like a story with some interesting twists and action this might be one you will enjoy.

My rating:

I really liked this story, although some parts bored me. I think it’s a good book, pretty well written, but there’s just too much unnecessary information. However, the ending is totally worth it. 4/5

Quote:

‘There are some acts that are simply heinous in themselves.’

Don't Forget to Dance

Sylvia Hall

Summary:

You know who you are. I don’t. I don’t know where I come from or where I’m going...

Ravenna Collins is intelligent, beautiful...and deeply unhappy. She just doesn’t seem to fit in at home any more. She’s always known she was adopted but suddenly it’s become vital that she discovers who she really is...

Then she meets Beth and Ravenna feels in touch with her roots at last. Beth teaches her to dance and it is through these liberating rhythms that Ravenna finds herself close to discovering the truth. But the truth twists and turns in a merry dance of its own, and soon Ravenna is in danger of losing the only real home she has ever known...

Plot:

I thought this story had a lot of potential. There is so much you can do with a story about dance, and the descriptions and emotions could have been portrayed wonderfully through it. I could see the author trying to connect the main character’s feelings and thoughts with the way she dances, but unfortunately it wasn’t as well done as it could’ve been. Much of the writing became a little pretentious and it felt like the author was trying too hard to create beautiful descriptions and kind of lost track of the plot line. Also the story didn’t seem to go anywhere, and the plot twists were a litle anti-climactic, although there was some moments I really enjoyed.

Characters:

I liked and felt for the main character, but I probably won’t remember much about her, except that she loves dancing. The other characters were all pretty well handled, but none of them really grabbed my attention. They were different and interesting, but not fascinating.

Who should read this:

13+, mainly for mild language and sexual content as well as very mild violence. If you want a descriptive story and love dancing you might enjoy this, but I feel like there must be better books out there about this subject matter.

My rating:

This book wasn’t boring, it just wasn’t as good as it could have been and while I was reading I just kept noticing things the author could've done differently. 2/5

Quote:

If you don’t know who you are, you can belong anywhere. You’re free. I could be anybody.

I couldn't find a cover image for this book :/ and my copy isn't in great condition and has plastic on it so I couldn't scan it...