The Complete Liveship Traders Trilogy: Ship of Magic, The Mad Ship, Ship of Destiny – Robin Hobb – 19.01.26

I was so in love with Fitz’s story in the Farseer trilogy by Robin Hobb that this second trilogy in her world took me a while to get into since it is set in a different country with a whole new set of characters with different cultures and mythologies.

The Liveship traders own ships made of a special type of wood that over time (generations) builds up sentience and a strong connection with the family who ‘owns’ it (the implications of ‘owning’ a sentient being are explored in the novels with people’s perceptions changing as understanding grows). The Liveships take on the memories and a mishmash of the personalities of the owners who have lived and died on their ships as well as their own mysterious memories and instinctual knowledge in a way that is similar to both Fitz’s witt and skill (telepathy with animals and with humans) from the first series although those magical traits do not form part of this series.

The series mostly follows the fortunes of three young members of a liveship family – all in their own way trying to run away from parental/societal control – trying to find their own way in the world and not be forced into paths not of their choosing, although they all discover that their destiny is inexplicably tied up with the liveships and unravelling the mysteries of their very existance.

After accepting that Fitz isn’t in these books, I did get invested and caught up in the stories of these new characters and still very much enjoyed this trilogy. I didn’t spot something that many reviewers thought was obvious until almost the very end (duh!) – I’ll not tell you what it was.

The Complete Farseer Trilogy: Assassin’s Apprentice, Royal Assassin, Assassin’s Quest – Robin Hobb – 08.01.26

Apart from the Game of Thrones (song of ice and fire) books, I haven’t really read much world building type fantasy since I was a young adult (so a LONG time ago, ha ha!) but my son, Christy asked me if I had read anything by this author, because he thought I would like it, and since I was going to spend Christmas with him in Finland, I thought I would read the first book to tell him I did!

Well, it is now three months later (as I write this) and I have devoured all 16 big books in the series/world where these books are set. I can’t remember when I was so drawn in and captivated by characters and plots and setting and world lore etc etc as I was with these books. They are FABULOUS!

This series starts with a small boy who remembers little before he is left at the Six Duchies Castle. He is the illegitimate son of the King-in-Waiting Prince Chivalry and is named FitzChivalry (which means illegitimate son of Chivalry). He does not meet his father who is shamed and forced to abdicate as next in line to the throne, but as a potential royal heir, Fitz is kept but his life at the castle is difficult.

Members of the royal family have an innate magical ability to communicate telepathically with other who have this ability, even over long distances (as well as a few other uses) called ‘the Skill’. Fitz has the Skill, but his also has a different magical trait which is steeped in fear and prejudice even to the point of people carrying this ability being ritually executed, call ‘the Witt’.

The Witt allows Fitz to understand and communicate with animals, and to form a very strong bond with one chosen animal and share feelings, senses, and thoughts with this bonded animal.

Fitz is raised by gruff but well meaning stable master, Burrick, who had been Chivalry’s friend and guard and is also trained in the art of being an assassin by the mysterious Chade, who lives in secret rooms and passages in the Castle.

Fitz also makes friends with a child of his age who works as a jester and companion to the aging king in the castle.

The trilogy follows Fitz growing up in the castle, finding out who he can and can’t trust, falling in love, going on a quest etc.

He is a very flawed character and often infuriatingly so – but then he is a child and then a teenager in these books and although he has a heart of gold, he is often swayed by all the stupids that come with being a boy or an adolescent young man.

Mythical dragon lore is often touched on in this series, as well as the ancient civilisation known as the Elderlings who co-existed with dragons in the past and even though they don’t feature prominently in this series, they are significant to the story of the whole 16 book series.

Rebecca – Daphne Du Maurier (BOOKGROUP)– 13.01.26

This was my book group read for January and we decided to do a classic once again and as is often the case realised why this book is a classic as we all agreed that the writing is sublime. Rebecca, though daring for its time is quite dated to our modern eyes in attitudes towards class and gender. We find it shocking that a young innocent girl would agree to marry a much older wealthy man after only a few days courtship, but this was maybe more common in an era when women had few choices for their life paths and even fewer choices for making a living without a man.

The mystery of what happened to Mr de Winter’s first wife, Rebecca is unravelled by the unnamed second wife, who constantly puts herself down and imagines herself as a poor replacement in everyone’s eyes for Rebecca. Her task is made harder by the deranged and unpleasant housekeeper who idolised her late mistress, and the distant and patronising husband who basically tells her not to worry about thinking, dear, just go and get some new dresses or something (I found him quite unlikeable!)

Nevertheless, the denouement is quite exciting and gothic, and the style is very evocative of the grandeur of the lives of the aristocracy of the period.

The Everlasting – Alix E. Harrow (AUDIOBOOK) Narrated by: Moira Quirk, Sid Sagar – 06.01.26

This is a clever and beautiful book which, I think transcends genre. It is set in a world similar but not the same as our world around the time of the second world war. The main character is a historian who seems to have an affinity for an ancient language he never learned and a sort of Deja vu feeling about certain historic events.

His area of expertise is a woman from history who was a brave bold knight and is now worshiped by some as a symbol of revolution (I think, I could be remembering that wrong…).

A female politician gives him a mysterious book and he is sent back in time to meet his heroine and become instrumental in shaping her story.

The plot was quite confusing for a while, and although I was enjoying the ride, I wasn’t absolutely sure what was going on, but all became clear eventually, and I found myself gripped and totally invested in the fate of the scholar and the knight and feeling all the feels about the things that were happening to them, so it’s definitely worth sticking with.

A Single Thread – Tracy Chevalier (Audiobook) Narrated by: Fenella Woolgar – 15.12.25

This is a gentle and evocative novel set in the 1930s. A coming of age of sorts, although the protagonist is 39 at the beginning of the book – it is more a birthing and childhood of an era – post war, with so many young men killed, that women have had to take up roles previously denied them and society is forced to change attitudes towards what females are capable of.

*SPOILERS*

The main character, whose fiancé died in the war is carrying on an affair with a married man whose wife is suffering with mental health issues brought on by grief over the death of their own son in the war.

There are themes of grief and guilt and breaking free from societal shackles. I liked the period vibe of the book which was kind of like an Agatha Christie novel with village greens and tweed skirts and tea with the vicar, and on the whole I enjoyed the story. Not my favourite Tracy Chevalier though.

The Stuff of Thought – Steven Pinker (Audiobook) Narrated by: John Chancer – 05.12.25

Continuing with my new found appreciation of non-fiction books (more so with audiobooks I think – I still find reading non-fiction on kindle to be quite boring) I listened to this book about language and how the evolution of language across different language groups and cultures can tell us about the evolution of human thought – does language guide thought or does thought guide language or a bit of both?!

I did find it fun to listen to, and I remembered many little titbits (or ‘tidbits’ to our more sensitive American cousins!) to share with hubby Paul after most of my listening sessions. There was quite a long section on swear words and taboo expressions which the narrator listed with aplomb and I felt quite naughty with this tirade of ‘filth’ in my ears as I walked around the park and smiled and nodded at the other dog walkers.

There was a lot of stuff about grammar and how we instinctively learn grammar rules quite young even if we can’t put into words why things sound right or not even as adults, and also interesting was how the sounds of words and whether the tone goes up or down often follows the meaning across different languages even if the vowel and consonants are different .

The Long Shoe – Bob Mortimer (Audiobook) Narrated by: Bob Mortimer, Diane Morgan, Arabella Weir – 17.11.25

I continue to very much enjoy listening to Bob Mortimer’s audiobooks – his stories are funny while also poignant and edge of your seat thrilling, with twists and turns enough to keep you guessing. I would encourage people to read the books in order (starting with The Satsuma Complex) as the characters are going on a journey through the series. Great narration as well – can’t wait for the next one!

The Winter Ghosts – Kate Mosse (BOOKGROUP) – 15.11.25

This was my book group read for December and I have copied and pasted the review I wrote from the ‘My Book Group Reads’ page of my website:

The girls all liked the book and found it easy to read in style but also thought provoking and raised deep issues. Set after the first world war, a young man (Freddie) who suffered from depression after losing his brother in the war (in an era when people, especially men, were just supposed to bury their feelings and show a stiff upper lip) is travelling through France when his car spins off the road during a snowstorm.

He seeks refuge in a small town that is celebrating a winter festival of remembrance and Freddie meets a captivating young woman with whom he shares a deep connection. The following morning, however she cannot be found and nobody seems to know who she is. Can Freddie find her again and what is her connection to the underground caverns that have been sealed since the conflicts with the Cathars?

I always like a bit of magical realism, but it was interesting that the other girls from the book group all liked it when they don’t usually go for that type of thing.

Out of Time: The Time Police, Book 6 – Jodi Taylor (Audiobook) Narrated by:  Zara Ramm. – 12.11.25

Another fun romp from the pen of Jodi Taylor (or the computer I guess these days?!). With dinosaurs roaming around Wales, a dark secret from the Time Polices past and another foray into the mystery of the disappearing princes from the Tower of London – as usual this was a gripping, moving, laugh-inducing and satisfying read.

Once Was Willem – M. R. Carey – 10.11.25

I’m a big fan of M.R. Carey, who I discovered first by reading The Girl With All the Gifts (fabulous zombie book) and I went on to read almost all of his books so far – I love the mix of genre’s from horror, sci-fi, supernatural thriller and this one which I would say is a mix of folktale, historical fiction and horror. Like a medieval morality tale on steroids.

I find Carey’s books to be intelligent and gripping with multifaceted characters facing real trials and dilemmas.

I did find this one a little hard to initially really get into, but once I did I valued it all the more for it not being too easy or shallow – a meaty read(!)

Big thumbs up from me!