Days Out...

The Manchester Museum 

Yesterday I took Aum to The Manchester Museum, as it is half term this week. Because lots of the children are off, there were loads of cool exhibits and interactive things for them to do which made it more entertaining that usual. The first section we looked around had an experiment that you could do, where you had to shine an ultraviolet torch onto clues to ascertain which prehistoric person the skeleton belonged to. If you got all the questions right and chose the right skeleton, you got some stickers and a pencil, which obviously Aum was thrilled about!

Next we went to the Ancient Worlds section, which had lots of aborigine masks and weapons, pottery and of course, the Egyptian mummies. There was the chance to make your own mask or Grecian plate, but Aum doesn't particularly enjoy crafty type things, so we escaped that and went to look at all the stuffed animals in the Nature Discovery and Living Worlds areas. They had a number of adapted exhibits, in particular I really liked one about peace that had lots of paper swans dangling on strings from the ceiling, it looked really pretty and had quite an impact.

After we had seen the stuffed animals, we proceeded into the Live Animals bit, where there are lizards, snakes, creepy crawlies, and my personal favourite - the frogs! It is always a bit of a challenge spotting the animals in their enclosures, but it adds to the experience I suppose.

By this time we had been wandering around for a couple of hours, and Aum was getting a little restless, so we stopped in the cafe for a drink and cake. I had the chocolate brownie which was beautiful, genuinely one of the nicest I've had, whilst Aum opted for a cookie with multicoloured Smarties in. We drove home afterwards to avoid the Manchester rush hour traffic as it was edging towards 5pm. It was a really nice day out, and you can't beat a free museum for value for money!

Weekly Update!

Champagne, Engagement Parties & Disastrous Car Journeys!

This week has been another where it was pretty boring to begin with, and then was loads of fun at the weekend! Apart from going to Jodrell Bank on Tuesday (see previous post) I literally did nothing of interest after work on each day, just chilled out and got a few much needed early nights.

On Friday I finished work early at 4pm which was nice, and then I had some pumpkin, tomato and feta cheese pasta for tea with mum as dad was on nights. I got ready to go out, and Charlotte, Natasha, Lydia and Abi came around to my house for a few drinks before we went out. After my heavy weekend last week, plus a fairly early drive on Saturday, I had decided not to drink, so I drove us into Knutsford where we had one in Canvas Lounge before moving on to Amba. Natasha's boyfriend met us out, and managed to get us into VIP with free champagne and vodka, so I decided to jack in the no drinking business and pick up my car the following morning. I didn't actually have that much in the end, probably only two drinks over the limit, so I regretted not sticking to my guns at the end of the night when we had to fork out a lot for a taxi home!

On Saturday morning, I got a lift for my car (which luckily hadn't been given a ticket!) and then went home again to finish packing for my little trip to Oxford. I set off at 12pm armed with directions and my lunch for the car. It wasn't until I stopped at a service station to eat said lunch that I realised I'd missed my junction on the M40, so took the scenic route through Evesham to get to where my friend Timna lives in Sibford Ferris, near Banbury. Unfortunately along the way I managed to puncture my tyre, so had the added stress of replacing that on the roadside in the freezing cold, but I felt very proud after completing the job - man points gained! Once I arrived I was presented with a cup of tea and a cupcake, possibly the best thing after my ordeal, and later on we got ready for the reason I had travelled so far - our friend from university Laura's engagement party.

Timna drove us there, and upon arrival we were given mohitos and lots of canapés which were amazing, there were salmon blinis, caramelised onion and crème fraiche on cheesy biscuits, filo pastry baskets with lime and chilli thai mix in, tomato and houmous tarts and homemade filo pastry sausage rolls. I had just about eaten my fill when we were told that prosecco and cake was on the way, so I had to make some more room! The cake I had was divine, it had a biscuit base, topped with peanut butter and crunchie blitzed together, then two layers of sponge all covered in buttercream and sprinkled with popcorn, I've never seen or eaten a cake like it! You only needed the smallest sliver, which my waistline was glad about. The other was a sweet and salty chocolate cake which had gooey caramel in the middle, but I couldn't manage any more food after the mammoth amount I had gorged.

Laura's dad did a speech, and we also did some wine tasting to gain some opinions on the couple's ideas for wine for the actual day, and then we went home at half eleven as I was so tired after lots of driving and eating! The following day we had pancakes for brunch, and then walked Timna's dog in a nearby field before meeting Laura and a couple of others for cream tea. We went to a place called Daylesford, which is a deli/ restaurant/ homeware/ Christmas shop that I have been to before. It is really countrified, and the scones there are so good! I set off for home at 4pm, and luckily the drive home wasn't quite so traumatic and took exactly three hours which wasn't bad. I had a lovely mackerel salad for tea when I got in, and then went to bed once I had unpacked - super busy weekend!
                                                     

Days Out...

Jodrell Bank, Cheshire

Yesterday I went to Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre in Macclesfield with Aum, a couple of other mums and six other children (yes, six!). It isn't technically his school holidays yet, but his parents thought he'd be OK to miss a day with him only being five, especially as it was partly to learn anyway!

We got a lift with one of the other mums, and arrived at about half past ten. We began by going around the first exhibition, all about satellites and the planets. There was a moving model of all the planets and their moons in orbit which was interesting. Next we went to look at Lovell's satellite, the largest in the UK, and had a go at the whispering disks - big concave metal sheets that you could whisper into at one side of a field and hear from the other side in the matching disk! The kids also had a little quiz to fill out which kept them occupied until half past eleven when we were booked into the Science and Aliens talk.

The talk lasted for about half an hour, and included a few interesting experiments to show the children what might happen if there was no gravity, or if they lived somewhere very cold. The guy doing the talk also made some goo to demonstrate what aliens might be made out of, and used glycerine to make some test tubes become invisible. The children were all really good during the demonstration, which I was grateful of as they had been rather boisterous up until then!

Afterwards we went into the experimentation section where there were lots of interactive exhibits that the children could mess around with, and then we went to the restaurant for our lunch. It was a lovely place, not like the usual food sheds you get at attractions. I had homemade carrot and coriander soup with wholemeal bread which was delicious, and the children had sausage, chips and beans or cheesy pasta, which was all organic and looked gorgeous.

Whilst us adults finished our drinks and food the children had a run around, and then we wandered over to the adventure playground, which had some unusual structures in it; I think they had more fun on them than in the actual discovery centre! We left at around 3pm as the other mums had other children to pick up from school, and Aum was shattered after such a busy and intellectually challenging day!

Candid Article 21

New Season, New Style

October is upon us, and so it seems, is the winter weather. Rather than feeling forlorn whilst packing away summer maxi dresses and banishing bikinis back to the suitcase, think of all the exciting new pieces that you can now invest your hard earned money on without feeling guilty…

Jumpers

Everyone loves snuggling up in a big jumper, and winter brings just the excuse to do so. The ever-popular cable knits are everywhere, with classic English designers such as Paul Smith, and Stella McCartney producing some gorgeous examples. Valentino went for something a bit more out-there, pairing super chunky jumpers (that are probably not the warmest due to the large holes in between stitches!) with streamlined leather skirts and trousers, whereas Chanel added glittery thread to designs, brightening up plain black garments with multicoloured stripes and  swirls emblazoned across the chest area. These were reminiscent of the 80s, so channel your inner Madonna or Kylie Minogue from this era!

For the more alternative shoppers out there, animals are the motif of choice to adorn the front of knitted wonders such as seen at Burberry Prorsum and Kenzo. Think mainly woodland creatures – owls, squirrels, foxes, stags and rabbits. As the patterns on these jumpers are quite busy, make sure the background colour is block and keep it muted – dark brown, green or navy is a safe bet, and complements the rust and golden tones that a lot of the woodland animal designs are.

Other jumper trends include the rebirth of the rollneck as seen at Ralph Lauren and Céline, particularly chic if you’re heading onto the slopes over the winter period for a spot of skiing, and the layering of thinner knits with thicker, chunkier versions or gilets to create colour blocking and unusual texture combinations. This latter trend is especially good if you are on a tighter budget, as you can recycle jumpers that have been at the back of your wardrobe for aeons by placing under a new purchase, or play around with swapping layers to create a number of outfits with the same garments. 

Weekly Update!

Catchups, Corsets & Housewarmings

The start of this week was BORING! I did absolutely nothing until Friday apart from work and go to the gym, which meant by the time it came around, I was desperate to do anything entertaining. During the day I went for a coffee with a guy I used to work with, which was really nice. I hadn't seen him since I was about eighteen, so we had lots to catch up on!

In the evening I had Tasha and Emily to my house for a few drinks, and then we went into Alderley Edge for a change. We started at a bar called Botanist, which was very lively and had a great atmosphere, and surprisingly wasn't too expensive. Despite not intending on having a particularly late one, we then moved on to Panacea, another bar but with a bit more of a clubby vibe. We had a really good night, and then got a taxi home which was unfortunately £40 compared to the £20 we paid on the way there.

On Saturday I had intended going to the gym, but chickened out as I had a horrendous hangover. I spent the day sleeping and eating rubbish food before jumping in the shower ready for another night out, which I really didn't feel up to, but it was my friend Hendo's flatwarming in Manchester, and a few people had cancelled so I felt I should make the effort. I drove there as I was staying over so had to take my airbed etc, and parked up before getting back on the alcohol. There were quite a few people there, including my ex Chris and his friend Jess who have just got back from travelling. It was slightly awkward, but I guess that's to be expected, especially as they had been on a coach for the past 22 hours so weren't in the most sociable of moods. 

I was on the gin, and there was also skittles vodka going around, so no surprise that I was in quite a state, the photos are awful! We went out to Revs, and that's about as much of the night as I can remember... Today has been a worse hangover than yesterday, I only drove home about three hours ago - clearly I can't handle two nights out in a row anymore, sad times!

Autumn Reads...

Caught by Harlan Coben - 3 stars ***

This is another book off the famous 50p shelf at the pub where I work. The plot begins by introducing Dan, a youth worker, who goes to meet a young girl he believes to have been abused, only for a camera crew to jump out and accuse him of grooming her for sex in a chat room. With evidence and child pornography found on his computer, he hasn't a leg to stand on but manages to gain acquittal and goes on the run. At the same time, a young girl, Haley Coben, goes missing.

The woman who caught Dan on camera, journalist Wendy Tynes, is the protagonist in the story, and is approached soon after by Ed Grayson, the father of a child Dan has also supposedly abused. He wants Wendy to help him to kill Dan, but she refuses. Soon afterwards, she is tricked into meeting Dan, leading Grayson to him, where he kills him in front of her. The rest of the book is spent with Wendy trying to find Haley in order to absolve her feelings of guilt over Dan's death, and also investigating into a conspiracy theory that she believes she is a part of. 

This is a well written book, if a little slow starting, but about halfway in the action really kicks in, and it has a twisted ending that makes it worth the wait. Overall it is pretty basic in terms of literary devices, but now and again there are some really good descriptive passages that resonate because they are so unexpected:

 'They were sprawled on the den furniture as only teenage boys can, as though they'd removed their skeletons, hung them in a nearby closet, and slid to a collapse against whatever upholstery was nearby.'

'Did tragedy cause fissures, open them wider - or did tragedy merely turn on the light so you could see the fissure that had always been there? Maybe we live in darkness, blinded by the smile and façade of goodness. Maybe tragedy just takes away the blinders.'

I'd recommend this as a thriller that isn't too complex or taxing, but has a good storyline that keeps you hooked throughout.

Winter Trends (started as a Candid Article!)

New Season, New Style

October is upon us, and so it seems, is the winter weather. Rather than feeling forlorn whilst packing away summer maxi dresses and banishing bikinis back to the suitcase, think of all the exciting new pieces that you can now invest your hard earned money on without feeling guilty…

Coats

I must admit, I do hate having to hide a well-planned outfit underneath a coat, but with the latest trends to hit the catwalk, at least your cover-up doesn't have to be dreary. Top of the list, as it has been for a few years now, is the fur coat. Real or fake, whichever takes your fancy, but it is definitely a material that is here to stay. Moving on from just edging sleeves and lapels, this year’s designs have taken it one step further, not only being made entirely of fur as seen at Fendi and Joseph, but adding extra wow factor by playing with bold colours and patterns such as at Gucci, Moschino Cheap & Chic and Alberta Ferretti. Try Topshop if you are looking for one on a high street budget – they have some seriously crazy coats that are guaranteed to brighten up a dull morning!

If fur is a tad formal, or just not your thing, another style that is prevalent is the oversized or voluminous coat, as seen at Celine, Balenciaga, Acne and Yves St Laurent. The name speaks for itself; these coats drown any shape, preferring a silhouette with wide shoulders and no waist, long sleeves, large lapels and a loose fitting hemline. Go for either a statement colour such as coral or periwinkle, or muted stone tones. This is not the most flattering of garments, so team with skinny jeans, bare legs or leggings to show that you are not shaped like a sack of potatoes. At least you can eat dessert without worrying about it showing. Zara have some lovely versions whose price tags won’t make you weep.

Accessories

The main accessory to look out for as the cold weather sets in is the hat. Personally, I cannot stand the things, as I seem to have been blessed with the worst possible shaped head that looks ridiculous in anything from a baseball cap to a beanie. If, however, you are fortunate enough to suit hats, then there is a plethora of shapes and sizes to deliberate over. There were tweed ones at Burberry, black fur at Lanvin, Trilbys at Donna Karan, and knitted designs at Victoria Beckham to name a few – so there’s bound to be one that takes your fancy.

Another accessory to splash your cash on is a supersize scarf. Whether you choose to go all the way with a thick, 3 metre long one, or just stick to a cable knit cowl, the high street is bursting with patterns and colours that will engage even the most dubious of shoppers. For both hats and scarves look to autumn for colour inspiration: burgundy, aubergine, navy, grey and emerald green. Just don’t wear both in the same colour, we wouldn’t want to be too predictable now!

Weekly Update!

Zumba, Old Flames, Prosecco & MAC!

This week began with a lie in, which is always nice! Aum was still at his grandparents, and I set off after lunch at about half past twelve to pick him up. When we arrived back in Bowdon his parents were home, so I got to finish at 4pm, a fairly easy day! I was still at the pub in the evening, but luckily it was fairly quiet so I wasn't there too late.

On Wednesday I tried my first Zumba class with my mum, which was an experience! I am not the most coordinated at the best of times, but since I have been doing my body conditioning classes I have definitely improved, so think that helped. I wouldn't rush back, as although I could tell it was working muscles, I found it pretty relaxed and a little cheesy (I prefer my workouts to be quite tough and serious evidently!) but it was nice to do something a bit different with my mum.

On Thursday I met up with Shaun, my ex-boyfriend who I was with for nearly three years through high school and sixth form. I had not seen him for nearly four years, so I was a little dubious as to how it would be, but we got on really well, and it was lovely to catch up. We did a mini bar crawl in Manchester, revisiting a few places we used to go to together which was sweet. We started in Atlas Bar near Deansgate Locks, then went to Duke's 92, and ended in Font Bar on Oxford Road. It was absolutely pouring down with rain, and I had chosen to wear a black maxi-dress, which wasn't my wisest decision, but at least I had an umbrella to protect my hair! We got the met back so it wasn't too late a night, although annoyingly I had an empty house, so still had to pay for a taxi to get myself back from the met stop!

On Friday I didn't have anything planned, but when I got in from work Mum and Dad asked if I wanted to go for a curry with them at the Mhariam in Timperley village, so we wandered down there at 7pm. We got some onion bhajis and a mixed starter platter, then had two mains to share with some rice, chapattis and a peshwari naan bread. We got a chicken tikka masala and a lamb samber, and they were both gorgeous. We go to the restaurant quite a lot (Mum and Dad are on first name terms with the owner!) as it never disappoints and is very reasonable for the quality of the food.

On Saturday my dad went to Brussels on holiday early in the morning, and when Mum got back from taking him to the airport we went to Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet (see previous post). It is a personal favourite, and this time I was particularly lucky in finding some things I needed.. or wanted!

That evening I wore some trousers that I had bought that day, and went into Hale with Tasha and Abi, who was home from uni for the weekend. We drank lots of prosecco and had a good giggle! This morning I felt surprisingly perky, so went for brunch with Charlotte and Tasha at 12pm, and then in the afternoon I met my friend Julie who I went to uni with, in Manchester for a coffee. We had a really good chinwag, and I also got to go and spend some money at the MAC counter, so it has been a really good week! When I got home, my mum had also made some tasty tea - roasted squash with feta cheese and roasted veg, it was gorge!

Days Out...

Cheshire Oaks

Now that I don't work at the pub on Saturdays I have the novelty of a two day weekend, so today my mum ad I decided to go to Cheshire Oaks for a shop and some lunch. I have been looking for a nice winter coat for a while now, so thought that I may be able to get a decent one a bit cheaper with it being an outlet village.

We set off at just gone ten so arrived at eleven, and managed to get a car parking spot close to the shops, which is definitely a bonus. The first purchases of the day were from Warehouse, a really nice pair of red and black print silk trousers that are pyjama style, and a nylon burgundy track jacket with a gold zip that has a sport-luxe feel. I then found some really nice Miss 60 jeans that were stonewashed denim and had leather laces down the calf. They were £68, which isn't bad for a good pair of jeans, but with it being a fairly substantial buy I left them so that I could have a little think about it!

I got a top for the gym for £4 from the Nike shop, and then found my perfect coat - in Next of all places! It is corally red, the exact colour of the strap on my Mark Jacobs bag, so it seemed like a good omen. I had budgeted about £120 for it, but this one was only £30, so I felt less guilty for buying lots of other things that I didn't desperately need. 

By this time it was around 2pm, and we were both feeling peckish, so stopped at Wagamama for some food. I love the place, but my mum had never been, so it felt like the perfect opportunity. I chose the new dish called asai udon: flat noodles in a tamarind sauce with egg, tofu, prawns, lime and garnished with peanut, while my mum went for my favourite, cha han, a rice dish with mushroom, sweetcorn, mangetout, spring onions, prawns and chicken. It comes with a side order of pickles and a bowl of miso soup - an acquired taste, but I love it! 

My first purchase after lunch was a pair of brown leather flatforms with leopard print on the front and a buckle across from Soled Out- they are gorgeous! I also bought a pair of dark purple tights from M&S, and two t-shirts from Vans that were buy one get one half price, so it was only £10.50 for them both! They are fairly simple, but will be perfect to wear with jeans for work.

By this time we were flagging, so stopped at McDonalds for a coffee and cake, (everywhere else was packed full and it was too cold to sit outside) and then we drove home; but not before I sneaked back to Miss 60 for my jeans!

Candid Article 20

Looper - 3 stars ***

The first thing to say about this film is that it is very clever. Even trying to explain the concept behind the plot proves rather challenging. I will, however, attempt to give it a go.

In 2072, time travel has been invented, but it is so illegal that it is used solely by the mob, controlled by an elusive character with extraordinary telekinetic powers known as The Rainmaker. When there is an undesirable to get rid of, The Rainmaker sends them back 30 years, where assassins known as Loopers are ready and waiting to kill them, thus disposing of the body, and erasing the person.

Joe, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Inception, The Dark Knight Rises), is one of these Loopers, desperately saving the silver bars he earns from killing people in order to move to France and make a life there. However, his plan is thwarted when his future self (Bruce Willis) is sent back for him to murder, and manages to escape. He has hopes of killing the Rainmaker as a child, thus preventing him growing up into the monster he becomes. So begins a chase for both old and young Joe, as young Joe is now on the run from the mob for missing his target.

I must admit, I didn’t particularly warm to the main character, young or old, but perhaps as the Loopers are supposed to be emotionless and slightly robotic that was the director’s intention. I also had trouble believing Gordon- Levitt as a hard faced hitman, probably due to the characters he has played in previous films such as 500 Days of Summer and Ten Things I Hate About You, where he was quintessentially the clumsy, lovelorn bloke. Emily Blunt puts in a solid performance, with a flawless American accent, playing the slightly confusing love interest (you’ll see what I mean if you watch the film!) and her little boy is very cute, if you ignore the freaky mind stuff he does!

The action is gripping, and there are lots of thrilling car chases and explosions, so if that is what you want in a film then you will not be disappointed. However, for those viewers that don’t like movies where you have to think a lot, or you hated Inception, then I would suggest you give this a miss. If you like a bit of mind boggling and to be left going over the plot once the credits begin to roll, then this is definitely one to watch. Not a contender for film of the year, but worth making the effort to see while it’s in the cinema.

Weekly Update!

Looper, Leeds, Lancaster & Lounging!

This week has gone really quickly, mainly because I had a lovely long weekend to look forward to at the end of it. I worked on Monday, and on Tuesday I went for a few drinks with Tasha and Charlotte, and then we went to the cinema to see Looper (see next week's Candid article). Wednesday I stayed in, and then on Thursday I picked Aum up early from school at 1.30pm and drove him to his grandparents in Pontefract for the weekend. Once I'd done that, my weekend could begin! 

On the way home I stopped off in Leeds to see Jasmine and after having some tea we got ready for a night on the town! We went to Lipstick Jungle, a night at Warehouse, which I have been to before and really enjoyed. This night didn't disappoint, and Jasmine stayed at her boyfriends so I got a full room to myself - bonus! (even if it was a little messy!)

On Friday I set off back home at 2pm, and had just enough time to finish my latest article before setting off for Lancaster at 6pm. I picked my friend Amanda up on the way as she lives in Stretford, and despite the traffic we made it there for half 7, which wasn't too bad. I drove onto campus for a drink in County Bar and to see a few old friends, and then we went back to where we were staying to get ready for a night out. We went straight to Sugarhouse as we had been told it would be busy with it being Lancaster's Freshers week, but there was no queue at all so we had a sly one in The Yorkshire House before heading in.

As the night progressed it got really busy, and it ended up being such a good night out, I saw loads of people I knew which made me feel slightly less old! The following day I was lucky enough to experience my first ever McDonald's breakfast; even if I cheated by having a bacon sandwich and pancakes with maple syrup, it was gorgeous all the same. Just a shame I had to get up at 9.30am to have it!

I spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon vegging out/ napping on my friend's sofa, before setting off at 2pm for home. I arrived back just after 4pm after a slight detour, and had a very chilled Saturday night in spent on the sofa watching garbage on TV. I needed it after two nights out on the trot, don't know how I used to do four or five nights in a row at uni! Sunday I went for a walk (see next post) and had a lovely roast dinner - yum!

Days Out...

Tatton Park

Today was a nice day, and I had nothing planned, so I decided to go on a walk with my mum to Tatton Park in Cheshire. We drove and parked in Knutsford and then walked into the actual grounds. It was quite busy, and there seemed to be some sort of cycling event on, but it was lovely to have a peaceful Sunday stroll, watching the deer and soaking up the rare sunshine!

When we got towards the house we saw that there was a craft and food fair on, which was a nice surprise. We had a wander around it, as it was free to enter, and there was some gorgeous looking food there - I had to walk away quickly before I was tempted by the fudge and cakes!

On the way back we stopped for a little picnic next to the lake, and then we walked into Knutsford for a look around the shops. There was a small market on, which felt quite Christmassy actually, it got me into the spirit! A lot of the clothes shops were closed with it being Sunday, which was probably a blessing, but I bought a couple of books from a charity shop so didn't leave completely empty handed.

We headed back home and mum cooked a Sunday roast, complete with delicious homegrown potatoes and carrots, and homemade Yorkshire puddings - the perfect Sunday!

Autumn Reads...

A Storm Of Swords 1: Steel and Snow by George R. R. Martin - 3 stars ***

This is the third book in the 'Song of Fire and Ice' collection, and is the first part of a volume split into two books. I read the first one after seeing the Sky Atlantic series, called Game Of Thrones, and loved it so much I read the second in time to have it finished before the second series began. They are quite heavy going, so it has taken me forever to finish this one (over 2 months!).

All of the books are split into chapters that come from a different character's perspective; and in this volume those characters are Jaime, Catelyn, Arya, Tyrion, Davos, Sansa, Jon, Daenerys, Bran and Samwell. The plot is continuous throughout the series, but the main premise of this section is that teenage king Joffrey Baratheon is on the throne (unrightfully as he is baseborn) and after the death of one of his rivals, and the defeat of another in battle, there only remains Robb Stark to overthrow him. He is known as 'The King In The North' and resides at Riverrun with his new wife Jeyne. The majority of the book is Robb plotting to defeat Joffrey, but he has to be careful as they have his sister held captive.

As well as this, Daenerys is still trying to cross the sea to claim what she believes is her rightful throne, and now accompanied by three dragons, it appears she may have a chance. The eldest (bastard) Stark brother, Jon, continues to travel with the group of wildlings he has managed to pursuade he is a deserter of The Wall, and he begins a relationship with Ygritte, a young wildling girl who he previously had held as hostage with The Night's Watch.

There are also many subplots, such as Jaime Lannister's trek as a hostage with Brienne of Tarth, Arya continuing on her quest to try to get home, and Davos being imprisoned and eventually released and given the position of the Kings Hand to Stannis.

As with all the other books in the series I have read so far, this was very well written and contains some lovely descriptive paragraphs to help you visualise the action better:

'The king's close-cropped beard was spiderwebbed with grey hairs, and he had dropped two stone or more of weight. He had never been a fleshy man, but now the bones moved beneath his skin like spears, fighting to cut free. Even his crown seemed too large for his head. His eyes were blue pits lost in deep hollows, and the shape of a skull could be seen beneath his face.'

However, this seems to be a bit of a filler book, there is not a great deal that happens to move the story along as a whole, and as it is only the third of eight, I am slightly wary about how long it is going to take me to finish them all! I am not a quitter though, so am determined to get through them!