The Europe Traveller Book Tag

Hello hello and welcome or welcome back to my little bookish corner of the internet. Today it’s time to pretend that boarders aren’t closed and there isn’t a literal plague going on, and take part in the Europe Traveller Book Tag! Making our way around some of Europe with books – what could be better?

Okay, actually making our way around Europe with a pile of books would be better. But I’m poor and there’s a plague out there. So.

I took these prompts from Book Duchesses, and tagged myself in for it. So let’s get travelling!

France – Your favourite love story

This is an almost impossible question, but looking back over this year’s reading, I narrowed it down to three answers:
From Blood and Ash (series)
Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices #3)
Malice
These are three very different books and yet all manage to capture love in ways that also capture my heart. The next book in the From Blood and Ash series is out next year, as is Misrule, the conclusion to the Malice duology, and I’m excited for them both.

Spain – A colourful cover

Little Thieves has been one of my favourite books this year, and the cover is absolutely gorgeous. There’s so much detail in it, and so much beauty. The colours really capture the story all in one image, and that’s a huge achievement. I’m a big fan of beautiful covers, and I think as well as being one of my favourite reads this year, it’s one of my favourite covers too.

Italy – A book taking place in summer

Dark and Shallow Lies takes places across the summer after Grey’s best friend has disappeared. Set in a town full of people with different psychic abilities, Grey is hunting for answers, despite being scared of what she might find. It’s a brilliant, at times brutal book, that I really enjoyed. If you’re feeling the cold seeping in, this one will transport you to Louisiana heat within a matter of words.

Greece – A book with mythology

I’ve read quite a few books with their roots in myths and legends, but as we’re visting Greece here, it seems fitting to talk about Ariadne. I read this one right back at the beginning of the year, and I’m still overwhelmed with emotion when I think about it. Elektra, Jennifer Saint’s next book, is one I’ve been lucky enough to reiceve a proof copy of, and I’m so keen to get lost in the author’s work again. Here’s the synopsis:
“The House of Atreus is cursed. A bloodline tainted by a generational cycle of violence and vengeance. This is the story of three women, their fates inextricably tied to this curse, and the fickle nature of men and gods.
Clytemnestra
The sister of Helen, wife of Agamemnon – her hopes of averting the curse are dashed when her sister is taken to Troy by the feckless Paris. Her husband raises a great army against them, and determines to win, whatever the cost.
Cassandra
Princess of Troy, and cursed by Apollo to see the future but never to be believed when she speaks of it. She is powerless in her knowledge that the city will fall.
Elektra
The youngest daughter of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon, Elektra is horrified by the bloodletting of her kin. But, can she escape the curse, or is her own destiny also bound by violence?“

Belgium – A book with politics

For The Wolf focuses around a key bit of policy: “The first daughter is for the Throne.
The second daughter is for the Wolf.” It’s a fantasy novel that takes a hard look at rules, the place they have in our lives, and whether or not we can cope with what they bring.
Spellslinger and the rest of the series also focus heavily on fantastical politics. Kellen doesn’t fit in, and when he finds out why, he is no longer welcome. In the books that follow, he finds out just how unwelcome he is. Written with power and poise, this series is a great one to utterly devour.

Ireland – A book with a strong friendship group

The Truly Devious series has an important group of friends at its heart. Although Stevie is a wonderful protagonist and has suspicions about the cases by herself, she wouldn’t have been able to solve them or prove it without the support of her friendship group. They back each other up in their different ways, and I really can’t wait to see more from all of them.

The Netherlands – Flowers on the cover

Threadneedle is another book with a stunningly beautiful cover. I especially love this one as a crafter, as it’s designed to look like embroidery, which I have a soft spot for as a style. The roses on the cover come to have a role to play later in the book, and I love that it all tied in – no pun intended. Okay, pun kind of intended.

Germany – A book taking place at Christmas

See this is the only problem with reading so much fantasy; I don’t read many books set around our calender dates! However, A Court of Frost and Starlight is a very festive read, with a snow covered Velaris and the Winter Solstice celebrations that feel very Christmasy.
Of course, I also have to mention A Christmas Carol as well, one of my first and favourite classic books, which I have a habit of reading every Christmas. With our circumstances being so unusual this year, I’m looking forward to something remaining the same.

Thanks for stopping by for this tag! As I tagged myself in this one it doesn’t really seem fair to tag anyone else… So tag, you’re it!