A Storm of Swords: the Illustrated Edition: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book Three | 
It's almost May so it's time to post my #2024bookbracket These picks surprise nobody. (GRRM is a phenomenal writer) I was having trouble deciding between the two ASOIAF books, but ultimately, I love them equally.
I also had my first bonus pick of the year!
(the template is by @/CSeydel)
#bookbracket2024
#ReadingBracket2024
#TopRead2024
I apparently finished exactly ONE book in March, so I‘m stealing storm of swords which I finished in early April. #readingbracket2024 @CSeydel
pickLooking back over this one is TOUGH, growth/heartache so much happened & for certain characters it seemed like minimal movement for the whole book -until a sudden twist but some we saw moment by moment. I‘m worried for the characters on the sidelines but I love process.. hero‘s or villains.
I could not do it without #readingwesteros
pickThis may be the best one! So much happens. If your intimidated by how big the books are, I‘d highly recommend the audio versions. Thank you to @5feet.of.fury for hosting #readingwesteros! I‘m having so much fun revisiting the series.
pickSooo good! Love my #readingwesteros crew! Best way to read these! We‘re back with A Feast of Crows on 4/22!
I enjoyed it almost as much as I did the first time I read this. I also enjoy seeing the differences with the TV series. Looking forward to the next book! Go Jon! Go Arya!
#ReadingWesteros #GOTChapterADay
@5feet.of.fury
Epilogue: Merrett Frey reflects on his life & minor role in The Red Wedding while he goes to get Petyr Pjmple back from outlaws. The outlaws turn on him, but ask for info on The Hound. When he doesn‘t have any they start to hang him, he says the murder was his father & Roose Bolton‘s doing. He says he is innocent. The outlaws ask a cloaked woman -a woman he saw dead & thrown to the river…
She builds Winterfell in the snow. Littlefinger helps her &tries for a kiss. Sansa rebukes him &they are interupted by Little Lord Robert. Who starts to knock down the castle. Sansa rips the head off his toy
She worries about Lysa‘s reaction to how she treated Robert, but Lysa saw the kiss
Lysa threatens her with the moon door, Littlefinger stops it. In her madnesses, Lysa starts confessing
But Littlefinger has only loved 1 woman, he consoles her-
Jon gets bashed on the head &has a delirious memory of playing with Robb as children pretending to be knights -where Robb said that Jon couldn‘t be Lord of Winterfell
He wrestles with Stannis‘s offer, considers the life he could make at Winterfell. But then he thinks about eating deer &realizes Ghost is nearby
They go for dinner, Stannis has decreed that no one will eat or leave until the vote is final. Jon is surprised his name is put up…
pickI became absorbed in the audiobook and finished it. Oops. I loved it to bits, just like the other books in the series. These are a solid 5 stars for me.
Janos Slynt tries to flatter Stannis. Stannis rushes the vote for Lord Commander & slanders Slynt in front of the Brothers, but he will not interfere. Stannis wants the castles at the Wall and The Gift
Melisandre claims Stannis is “the prince who was promised.”
Stannis will mine the dragonglass to equip them
Sam goes to the candidates 1 by 1 to see if they would step down in favor of someone worthy, telling each their nemeses would be appointed
Tyrion readies himself unwillingly for the headsman, but instead it is his brother. Well, most of him
Jaime frees him, saying he owes a debt for a secret he has kept about Tysha
He finds Varys, but doesn‘t wish to follow the escape plan, he climbs to the secret passage to the Hand‘s chambers &finds himself confronting Shae before finding his father.
Jon is training in the yard when Melisandre comes to see him. Stannis wants to see him on the Wall
Stannis believes Jon easily, but he has his own agenda, Stannis needs a loyal Lord of Winterfell. A decree can legitimize him, but he‘s still a man of the Nights Watch
To claim his father‘s castle he must turn against his father‘s gods.
&wed Val the wildling princess.
Stannis gives him time to consider
Gilly, Sam & the baby have returned safely to Castle Black where he learns about the battle &where Jon has been. Gilly helps with Mance‘s son. Mance is Stannis‘s captive
San thinks of sending Gilly to his family home
Seeing Jon struggle, he has trouble keeping Bran‘s secret
The vote for Lord Commander is taken, but they are far away from a decision
pick5✨This volume ripped my heart out, stomped on it, and threw it in a blender. Just when there is a little hope it rips it away. It pulled on all my heart strings in all the best ways, and that ending has me wanting to continue reading. So thankful for all the insight of #ReadingWesteros and can‘t wait to see your thoughts in the last couple of chapters. 🤩
He‘s comfy so we are just going to finish the last seven chapters. 🤪 #CatsofLitsy #ReadingWesteros #GameofThronesBR 😸
Stopping at an inn,she recognizes the soldiers there, 2 from her prayer. Rumors of Sansa‘s role in Joff‘s death circulate -&of Arya marrying the Bastard of Bolton
The men attack. Hound kills Polliver, Arya stabs Tickler &his squire &gets Needle back
She helps patch the Hound‘s wounds, but contemplates killing him
She leaves him to die instead
Alone, she finds a ship,asks to go to the Wall. She is turned away until she presents the coin from Jaqen
Mance wants to parley, obviously Mance will know Jon betrayed him. Jon is not being sent to talk, but to kill. No choice, he goes
Tormund meets him,they share wine &stories of the ones lost here
Mance has the Horn of Winter, he doesn‘t fear the Watch but the Others. If the Wall falls, what will stop the Others? Let them pass through the gate or the Horn will be sounded in 3 days
While they talk, rangers emerge from the wood, The King has come
Jaime watches Tommen sign royal papers- decree of legitimacy for Roose Bolton‘s bastard & Jeyne‘s royal pardon included- but is preoccupied by thoughts of training with his left hand
Then meets “Arya”,off to marry Ramsay Bolton
The Mountain is suffering from the poison on Oberyn‘s spear
Cersei tries to manipulate him
He goes to Brienne with a gift &for his last chance at honor, sends her to find Sansa
He writes his story, the ending up to him
Meereen is quiet after being conquered -except for the flies from all the corpses
The council she left to rule Astapor fell,the new King allies with Dany against Yunkai, but he has been made more Unsullied. She doesn‘t know how to control cities as she travels
She calls her knights:Barristan tells why he served Robert &why he supports her.Jorah has been informing on her up until Qarth. Hurt,she banishes him
She will stay &learn to rule in Meereen
Shae tells the court that Tyrion &Sansa plotted together to steal the crown, she also admits to being his whore.
Tyrion demands trial by battle
Oberyn broods on getting justice for Elia &squares up to face the Mountain. Oberyn taunts his opponent, dancing around the lumbering, armor clad Mountain. Oberyn inflicts serious wounds, demands the Mountain confess, but as Tyrion starts to celebrate, Mountain pulls Oberyn down & crushes him.
the Wall has been batting Mance nonstop, many dead, all exhausted, resources depleted. Watching for Mance‘s “turtle”, which would give wildlings cover to attack the gate again.They destroy it with boulders
Safe for the day, Jon goes to finally rest. When he awakes he is being questioned for oathbreaking by Janos Slynt &Allister Thorne with Rattleshirt as witness. He admits to breaking his vow with Ygritte,but nothing else. They order him locked up
By “sailing home” Littlefinger meant his home. Lysa is coming to wed him, at least Sansa will be near her own blood. Littlefinger creates a backstory,Varys cannot know where Sansa is, he renames her Alayne. Then tells her more about “the game” &the truth about the poisoner
Lysa arrives, doesn‘t seem to know Sansa, &has an in eventful wedding within the hour
Lysa will hide Sansa at the Eyrie. Then she reveals she wants Sansa to marry her son Robert
Jaime questions the Kingsguard on if they think Tyrion committed the murder. Loras names Sansa instead, saying she would have reason to kill Margaery as well. Jaime tells Boros to be Tommen‘s food taster which doesn‘t sit well with him. He puts Meryl in his place for beating Sansa as well. Jaime confronts Loras about Renly‘s ghost, it was his brother Garlan, plot devised by Littlefinger. Then he dissuades Loras against his revenge on Brienne
Tyrion asks about trial by battle, but Cersei will choose the Mountain as her champion
His choice, Bronn is to wed to Lollys &get Stokeworth castle, a plot by Cersei to indebt him to her. Tyrion is unable to beat that
At trial, witnesses are paraded out, no one can find Sansa. He thinks about taking the Black
Oberyn visits, previous strategies haunt Tyrion, &he tells Oberyn that Elia was killed by The Mountain. Oberyn offers himself as champion
Arya dreams of leading the Wolfpack, but her days are stuck with the Hound. Not worried about her escaping, she doesn‘t know where to go. He reveals he is taking her to Lysa
She refuses to believe Cat is dead, until she dreams through the eyes of the wolf at the river, the stench of death, the body
They stay in a town for a time, then The Hound decides they will go to Riverrun -ransom her to Brynden. She tries to goad him to take her to the Wall
Mance, with giants & mammoths, come to take the gate. Jon is left in command of the Wall (still wounded) while Noye guards the gate. They fight through darkness. Dawn breaks, Jon gives command to take out the giants & the ram. Their only hope is to hold the gate. Attacking the mammoths next, who flee, crushing the wildlings. The battle won, Jon goes to check the gate. All the Brothers there were killed by Mag the Mighty. Jon must lead
Davos &his companions have a plan, but they must deceive Melisandre to smuggle Edric out of Dragonstone. He sees them off &goes to Stannis. Melisandre saw the death of the third king in the fire, but Stannis hesitates without official word, Davos confirms it is true. Stannis has no love for Joffrey &Tommen is still heir. Stannis feels betrayed, as he draws his sword Davos pulls out a letter…
Jaime is told the recent events &thinks again of how his life could be without the lies.They‘ve reached KingsLanding but Brienne has no way to fulfill her vow
At the castle Ser Loras confronts Brienne about Renly‘s death. Jaime stops him but she is arrested
He goes to see Cersei &he brings up making their relationship known, she doesn‘t want to
He meets Tywin who has plans, Jaime to go to Casterly Rock w/Tommen &be wed to Margaery. Jaime says no
Sansa goes to the godswood &changes into her traveling clothes. She notices the hairnet is missing a gem. She confronts Dontos about it &learns Tyrion has been arrested. Her escape is aided by a surprising ally who then kills Dontos.
Tyrion, incredibly drunk, theorizes that Joff sent the man to attack Bran w/Littlefinger‘s knife at Winterfell
Joff &Maragery say their vows
Tyrion drinks more as they prepare for the feast, Sansa wears THE Hairnet
After pleasantries they toast the new queen &start the festivities. Sansa, distracted, hardly eats
Joff calls for jousters &makes mockery of Tyrion, soaked in wine for refusing to join the show, he tries to leave, But it‘s time for pie-
Sansa breakfasts with the Lannisters on the morning of Joff & Margaery‘s wedding, it is custom to give the bride &groom gifts. Tyrion gifts him a book “The Lives of Four Kings”, Joff says he has no time for books &later cuts it in half, everyone trying to tell him how important the book is. After, Sansa &Tyrion come upon Oberyn &Ellaria where they discuss the kings in the book. Tyrion suggests another gift for Joff saying “he has earned a dagger”
Tyrion worries for Sansa but doesn‘t know how to help her.
He goes to the cellar to meet Shae.
Dany selects Strong Belwas as champion to face Meereen‘s hero in single combat. Belwas wins but it doesn‘t win them Meereen. They can‘t take out fighters 1 by 1
They strategize, Jorah tells her to move on, Ben Plumm suggests the sewers
Dany imagines the future with her dragons -& Daario.
attacked by an old foe, Arstan saves her which leads to conflict w/Jorah. Arstan is Ser Barristan Selmy (Commander of Kingsguard under Robert, dismissed by Joff)
They reach the Nightfort, a source of fearsome tales. Meera goes to the top to look around. No way to make it over the Wall to the haunted forest. There‘s a gate, but it‘s blocked by snow &ice
Once Nightfort was ruled by the Night‘s King who bound his Brothers through sorcery &made sacrifices to the Others
Bran hears footfalls. But it‘s not the Rat Cook it is Sam& Gilly. Sam knows he is Jon‘s brother. Sam talks to the weirwood &opens the gate
Wildlings are coming for Castle Black. Jon is still injured. He wonders where Ghost is. &Ygritte even though he tries not to think of her. The wildings come at night, the night‘s watch pick them off with arrows, but the wildlings start setting everything ablaze. They battle &burn the barricade trapping the wildlings. The Wall defended, Jon goes to look for Ygritte..
Stannis hears of the Red Wedding, but he is not impressed with the Freys. Queen Selyse &Melisandre preach that killing Edric Storm will raise dragons for Stannis. She implies her ritual killed 2 kings, Davos says if the 3rd dies he will be convinced &Stannis sees his logic
Davos has been learning to read & Pylos gives him an old letter from the Nightwatch about the wildlings coming south, asking for help; he is troubled by the implications
Lannisters get news from the Twins “captured a fat fish & 2 wolf pelts”. River men are lost now.The Mountain is sent to deal with Harrenhal
Joff wants to torment Sansa with another Stark head, Tyrion stops it
Joff insults Tywin, he &Cersei are dismissed. Tywin was involved with the Frey‘s plot &has more deceptions for the Oberyn. He‘s also promised Arya Stark to Roose Bolton‘s Bastard somehow the North will fall to Tyrion &Sansa‘s hypothetical son
Arya is excited that the castle is open, but the Hound senses the danger. The tents are burning, Arya knows it‘s a battle. They are attacked & the Hound saves her, tells her that her brother is dead. She runs from him&he follows. His axe takes her in the back of the head.
I knew it was eventually coming but nothing could have prepared me for The Red Wedding. Time to be emotionally compromised for the rest of the day.
Roslin &Edmure are wedded. Edmure seems pleased. The food is abysmal but the drinks are flowing at the feast. Grey Wind was not allowed in the hall. Roslin is scared as the hall calls for their bedding. Robb doesn‘t go to watch &Cat thinks of the implications. When snubbed by Edwyn Frey, she realized he‘s wearing chainmail &slaps him-
The Hound has a plan to get in front of Robb. Bringing pickled pigs feet to the feast. Arya worries over Roose Bolton being in attendance, if he knows what she did to escape Harrenhal. They are denied entry to the castle, but are taken to the tents. She looks for allies. But the Hound isn‘t deterred.
Cat advises Robb on how to approach the Frey‘s but Grey Wind makes a bad impression.They all appear before Lord Walder, Rob apologizes to the Frey heirs for breaking his vow. Edmure meets Roslin &is pleasantly surprised. Cat is still on edge &invokes hospitality laws
Robb finds from Lord Bolton that Ramsay has Theon hostage. Robb gives him command of the rear guard
Wounded & exhausted, Jon imagines all the friends he‘ll see when he reaches the Wall.
When he gets there to warn the wildlings are coming to the gate, hardly anyone is there to defend &no Ghost. He hears of Mormont‘s murder, the Maester tends to his wounds. He tells them about Mance‘s search for Horn of Winter &about Ygritte. Grenn tells him about Sam the Slayer. They tell him Winterfell is gone, Bran& Rickon dead. …but he saw the Direwolf.
Without the sun Arya can‘t tell which way they travel. She fears the Hound is taking her to KingsLanding. They reach a river &need to be ferried across, the Ferrymen won‘t take an IOU from Beric. Arya has tried to escape/kill the Hound but he‘s thwarted her. Arya tells the Hound how she was captured by his brother. The Hound tells her how he saved Sansa. He‘s taking her to the Twins for the ransom, maybe they‘ll make it in time for the wedding.
It‘s been a two cups of cocoa kind of day. Catching up on 2 chapters bc I forgot some reason felt the need to watch the state of the union last night. #readingwesteros
Sam walks Gilly & the baby take the horse. They stop at abandoned Whitetree. He fears they are lost, but for now they have a fire. In the night a deep chill comes over them, Small Paul, become a wight, has come for the baby. After a fight he kills Paul‘s wight, when he runs to Gilly, she is surrounded by them. Someone in black calls out to him “Brother!” But when they reach him they realize his skin is hard and cold.
Robb has left his wife behind &they head to the wedding with hope that if Edmure &Roslin are wed happily Frey would be appeased.
Robb &Jeyne have been trying to conceive, he needs an heir for Winterfell, currently it would pass to Sansa &Tyrion. Cat tells him to name an heir; a Vale lordling. Robb says it will be Jon. She gives many excuses against it, only 1 good 1.
Balon Greyjoy is dead, knowing this will cause infighting, Robb plans an attack
