#fourstarread

I’ve recently got a lot more settled with reading outside my comfort zone and as a result, am now an avid reader of fantasy novels. Priory Of The Orange Trees was always on my radar to get to but I was slightly intimidated by the sheer size of this tome. Luckily @buddyreadbooknook hosted a buddy read where I could read a little at a time, at a fair pace that wasn’t overwhelming.⁣ ⁣ Firstly, I am full of admiration for any author who can create a world such as this. This is the story of a Queen who is expected to produce a daughter (and heir) to protect the kingdom which has become divided from its neighbours. We also hear from one of the women closest to the Queen, Ead who protects her with forbidden magic but has an incredible back story and huge expectations for her own future. Meanwhile, an old and deadly enemy awakes and if the kingdoms are unable to reach a compromise all hell is destined to break loose. ⁣ ⁣ Everything about this story is so intricately detailed, from the complex and convoluted plot, to the extensive cast of characters to the magic system and the villains which have been beautifully drawn. It took me a while (I have to admit), to get to grips with who everyone was, their connections with other characters and at times, I did get confused as to how it was all going to come together. It’s certainly a book I would recommend giving a second reading as I think a lot more could be potentially picked up and understood. ⁣ ⁣ Nevertheless, this was a wild, epic ride through a fascinating world with excellent, representation and strong, memorable female leads. I’ll definitely be picking up the next book in the series. Psssst there’s dragons too!!⁣ ⁣ Four solid stars 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 #bookstagram #scottishbookstagrammer #bookreviewsofbookstagram #prioryoftheorangetree #samanthashannon #fantasynovelseries #fantasynovelfan #bookswithdragons #fourstarread #readthisbookifyoulikefantasy #epicfantasyreads https://www.instagram.com/p/Ckgr5G1LR9K/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Daughter Of The Moon Goddess has to be one of the most beautiful books on my shelves. The cover art is stunning but would the story be just as gorgeous? The answer is yes, I was swept away by this magical, fantastical tale based upon the legend of the Chinese moon goddess in which the story of a young girl, Xingyin whose struggles to free her mother leads to a battle with the most powerful immortal in the realm. ⁣ ⁣ I buddy read this with bestie Janel from @keeperofpages as we were both keen to see whether we should preorder the second book in this incredible new duology. Although it took a while for me to feel settled with the story and world, that is to be expected with the creation of any new epic fantasy. ⁣ ⁣ From the very beginning I appreciated the grit, determination and bravery of our female lead, Xingyin as she confronts a number of extraordinary and deadly creatures but remains hellbent on her mission - freeing her mother, no matter the personal cost to herself. ⁣ ⁣ Perhaps predictably so, there is a semi love triangle/romance element to this novel and I was concerned that it would overshadow the person that Xingyin ends up becoming through her hazardous quest. However, I was delighted to discover that this part of the story is very much an aside. Her romantic attachments do not define her as a character (or a woman!) and she doesn’t let it affect the endpoint that she desires. There are a lot of difficult decisions to be made and I was also pleased to have a few surprises or “spanners in the work,” that I wasn’t expecting. ⁣ ⁣ I really enjoyed this fresh new voice in fantasy and look forward to the next book in the series! ⁣ ⁣ Four solid stars 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 #bookstagram #bookreview #bookrecommendations #fourstarreview #fourstarread #daughterofthemoongoddess #suelynntan #fantasyduologies #recommendedfantasy #chinesefolklore #buddyreadswithjanel #scottishbookstagrammer #prettiestbookcover #waterstonesexclusive https://www.instagram.com/p/CgfF5fHL6nW/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

I’ve read a few books by Fredrik Backman now and even had the pleasure of interviewing him when I had my blog for his novel My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She’s Sorry. As a writer, Backman is delightfully funny, quirky and really manages to get to the heart of the story he’s telling. ⁣ ⁣ This was the same with Anxious People which I was lucky to buddy read with my gorgeous bestie @emmasbookishcorner It follows a bank robbery that isn’t really a bank robbery and some anxious people that are thrown together in unprecedented circumstances and emerge changed and more thoughtful as a result. ⁣ ⁣ As with all of his novels so far, the characters are just beautifully realised. The author uses such a diverse group of individuals but manages to make each one shine in their own special way. There is humour, thought-provoking moments, surprising instances, gratitude and humility but more than that, I felt as a reader very intimately close to each one of them, as if I knew them personally. ⁣ ⁣ Backman’s writing is so fluid, absorbing and easy to sink into that it was a pleasure to be back in one of his novels again. It’s extraordinary the ground he covers in such a short space of time and I really admired what he was trying to say within and outside of the novel. I think it’s safe to say that he’s now one of my favourite authors and I’m excited to read the books still on my backlist. ⁣ ⁣ Four solid stars 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 ⁣ #bookstagram #bookworm #bookreview #bookreviewer #fourstarread #fourstarreview #fredrikbackman #anxiouspeople #buddyreads #buddyreadswithemma #readingwithmyfriends #memorablereads #booklover https://www.instagram.com/p/CcLstW1LccE/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Black River is the third book in Will Dean’s excellent Tuva Moodyson series that I’m thoroughly enjoying. It can be read on its own but I would heartily recommend beginning with Dark Pines to get a real flavour and understanding of the characters and the history between them all. There are also certain moments referred to in Black River where it definitely benefits having read the previous books in the series. ⁣ ⁣ Tuva Moodyson is a journalist, a member of the deaf community and, in Black River, an escapee of Gavrik, a small town in Sweden that she grew up in. However, she returns in this novel to investigate the disappearance of her best friend, Tammy. In such a small community, everyone knows everyone else but somehow, nobody seems to know what has happened to Tammy. ⁣ ⁣ Worse still, when another woman goes missing, it seems to reveal some disappointing prejudice as although Tammy grew up in Sweden, her parents are Asian so she was classed as a “foreigner.” As a result, Tuva feels that the second woman’s disappearance is given more prominence. Tuva is desperate to find out what has happened to the women and why. However she isn’t prepared for the danger she puts herself in as she searches for answers. ⁣ ⁣ I love Tuva as a character. Not only is she written beautifully but the author gives her such resilience, steely determination and realistic flaws which instantly makes you warm to her as a reader. The setting of a small town in Sweden is atmospheric and even eerie in places as the seclusion of some areas makes for some incredibly nail-biting moments. ⁣ ⁣ As with all good thrillers, this story has some fantastic twists and turns, one of which I definitely didn’t see coming. It does make me wonder though how much more can happen in this town which seems to have had more drama and terrible events than your typical small community! I’m looking forward to finding out with the next book in the series. ⁣ ⁣ Four stars 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookreview #fourstarread #fourstarreview #blackriver #willdean #thrillernovels #tuvamoodyson #bookssetinsweden #bookswithrepresentation #bookworm https://www.instagram.com/p/CW0EivSr5NP/?utm_medium=tumblr

I have become pretty obsessed with Greek myth re-telling this year. A little while ago I finally read The Silence Of The Girls and it blew me away, to the extent of it being one of my favourite books of 2021. As you can imagine, I was excited for The Women of Troy, the follow up to come out and I had the pleasure of reading it with the gorgeous @keeperofpages ⁣ Once again, Pat Barker is an absolute master of setting the scene where we are taken after Troy has fallen. Briseis is one of the main characters we follow, like Silence Of The Girls, but she is pregnant with the late Achilles unborn child. The novel follows a number of different women including Cassandra who realises her prophecies are only given weight if given by a man, Hecuba who is almost paralysed with grief and stubborn Amina who is determined to avenge the murder of her king. ⁣ ⁣ Like the first novel in this series, I loved how each female character was given their own voice and had such a memorable, individual story to tell. Of course, the men are the ones with all the power and control but it was fascinating to realise how the actions or words of the women of Troy led to changes in either the men’s behaviour or their decisions, shaping the course of history from then on. ⁣ ⁣ I didn’t fall in love with The Women Of Troy as hard as I did with The Silence Of The Girls and it’s difficult to say why. It still has everything that made the first novel such a staggeringly good read and I enjoyed every moment I spent with these characters. Pat Barker uses the stories from mythology and weaves her own magic, creating memorable moments and characters that will always stay with me. I’ve now made it my mission to read everything she has ever written. Four strong stars 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookreview #fourstarread #fourstarreview #thewomenoftroy #patbarker #favouriteauthors #greekmythology #greekmythologyretelling #beautifulbooks #booksandflowers #bookseriesthatinspire https://www.instagram.com/p/CWC7qcoga9Z/?utm_medium=tumblr

The Rain Heron is a gorgeous and thought provoking novel and was a great choice for a buddy read with my bestie @tarheelreader Immediately I was drawn into the beautiful writing and poignant message which explores a country ravaged by climate change. The country isn’t named but that really doesn’t matter - with climate change it could almost be any country on the planet. ⁣ ⁣ In the first half of the novel, we meet Ren, a survivalist who lives in the mountains and gets everything she needs from the land. Her peace is irrevocably destroyed when a soldier comes in search of the mythical Rain Heron, a creature that is said to have the ability to change the weather. ⁣ ⁣ We hear from another young woman who makes a living from squid ink without harming the squid. That is, her aunt has found a way to encourage the squid to release their ink peaceably. As the story continues, we also learn more about the soldier who visits Ren which includes more detail about her background. This all comes together at the end to provide much food for thought. ⁣ ⁣ This was very much a novel of two halves for me. I adored the first half and the different threads of the story and I would have been content to explore some of these in a bit more depth. However in the second half it very much focuses on one main thread and there was an instance of a very quick falling in love moment which I’m not sure if I fully believed or thought was necessary.⁣ ⁣ However, this is a stunningly written story with so much to admire. I’ve read a few books this year that focus on the environment and it’s fast becoming one of my favourite genres to explore. I’ll definitely be checking out the author’s first book, Flames.⁣ ⁣ Four solid stars 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookreview #fourstarreview #fourstarread #robbiearnott #therainheron #australianauthors #beautifulbooks #booksaboutclimatechange #environmentallyconscious #environmentalbooks https://www.instagram.com/p/CU8F6zQgneZ/?utm_medium=tumblr

I can’t remember which of my bookstagram buddies convinced me to give A Crooked Tree a try now but whoever it was, I thank you! I read this as a buddy read with the gorgeous @keeperofpages and it ended up being a highly enjoyable and thought-provoking read. ⁣ ⁣ Essentially this is a coming of age story set amidst an event which changes a family forever. It is told through the eyes of 14 year old Libby and when we first meet her, she is in the car with some of her siblings and her irate widowed mother, Faye who becomes frustrated at the arguing between Thomas, 16 and Ellen, 12. ⁣ ⁣ In a split second, she makes the decision to stop the car, let Ellen out and orders her to make her own way home, 5 miles away. It is this decision and the repercussions of the choice that ignites a chain reaction of reverberations for the whole family. ⁣ ⁣ This is a fantastic exploration of adolescence, family dynamics and the difficulties experiences by families every day, particularly when they are forced into unexpected situations. I loved that each sibling was so distinct with their own unique and memorable personality. Libby was a strong lead as the main voice in the narrative but I also really enjoyed Ellen and the youngest girl, 7 year old Beatrice. ⁣ ⁣ This novel is also enjoyable because it feels so true to life. Parents aren’t perfect and they do make bad decisions from time to time and must live with those decisions. That’s exactly what we see in A Crooked Tree and it was told so authentically which I really appreciated. I’ll definitely be watching out for more books by Una Mannion. ⁣ ⁣ Four solid stars 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 ⁣ ⁣ #bookstagram #bookrecommendations #bookreview #fourstarreview #fourstarread #acrookedtree #unamannion #readingonmykindle #buddyreads #buddyreadswithjanel #booksthatmakeyouthink https://www.instagram.com/p/CUdEF2XAlF2/?utm_medium=tumblr

Kristin Hannah is one of my favourite authors and to be perfectly honest, I never thought she would be “my cup of tea,” then I read The Nightingale, The Great Alone, Winter Garden and The Four Winds and became a bona-fide Hannah covert! 😂⁣ ⁣ This is a story of a friendship between Tully and Kate that starts when they meet as teenagers and lasts until they become adults. It’s a beautiful coming of age story that explores some difficult topics, particularly for Tully yet as they become adults, they both manage to go through some hardships too that test their relationship in a frightening and life-altering way. ⁣ ⁣ I’ve always expected both heartwarming, cosy feelings and difficult, darker times from Kristin Hannah’s writing, but I never expect how deeply it might affect me. I read this as a buddy read with my beautiful sister @chrissireads and we definitely had a lot to discuss! ⁣ ⁣ I think she would think it was fair to say that for the first half of the book, the story was a bit slower and harder to engage with then what we’ve come to expect with a Hannah novel but I appreciate that she was building the girls’ friendship and this was a crucial part of what happened to them later on in life. ⁣ ⁣ In the end, as with all of her novels so far, I’m so glad I experienced this book, especially as it was with Chrissi, my sister. The relationship between Tully and Kate both fascinated and frustrated us and as sisters, I’m sure we can vouch for close female relationships and how difficult they can be if placed under pressure! 😅⁣ ⁣ If you’re a Kristin Hannah fan or intrigued by novels that feature female friendships I highly recommend Firefly Lane.⁣ ⁣ Four stars 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 ⁣ ⁣ #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookrreview #fourstarreview #fourstarread #kristinhannah #fireflylane #buddyreads #bookrecommendations https://www.instagram.com/p/CQzA_W6rMxO/?utm_medium=tumblr