The Storm Sister - Lucinda Riley

I have a deep appreciation for the rich factual and historical cloth on which Lucinda Riley sets out her tales. The Storm Sister is the second - and considerably bigger - volume on the Seven Sisters series and, well lets just say it does not disappoint. Ally, - or Alcyone as she was named by Pa Salt -  is the second eldest of the D'Apliese sisters. Working as a sailor, she falls in love with a famous skipper and accidentally witnesses her fathers' secret and  very suspicious burial at sea. Thrown by the death of her beloved rock, she is buoyed by her love for Theo until tragedy sends her life completely spiraling. Similar to the previous book where her older sister Maia is overwhelmed by the death f Pa Salt and events out of her control, Ally is motivated to follow the clues Pa Salt left her in death as a coping mechanism and distraction. The clues lead her to the crisp and sophisticated cultural landscape of Norway where Ally discovers secrets, family and the love of music that stretches across lifetimes.
Even the Acknowledgement section of the books display the natural story telling ability of the author. I look forward to the book on Star, the next sister of the Seven Sister series.
*Book sponsored by Pan Macmillan

The Seven Sisters - Lucinda Riley

Dreamlike. That's how I would summarise this book into one word if I had to. The series is inspired by the Seven Sisters constellation and its female protagonists named after its seven stars - though mysteriously, there are only six sisters at this point.
Set in idyllic Geneva, the first book in the series tells the story of Maia D'Apliese, the eldest adoptive daughter of the world travelling - and frustratingly secretive - Pa Salt. After his sudden death , the sisters descend on Atlantis to pay their respects, and shortly thereafter the reclusive but linguistically gifted book translator Maia is once again the only sister left in the home of their childhood. Finding herself restless with the clues to her background that Pa Salt had left behind and ill at ease with the eminent and unwelcome visit of an ex-love, she makes an uncharacteristically spontaneous decision to leave and learn about her history and place of birth - in Rio, Brazil.
Steeped in rich historical and cultural tidbits, the book unfolds the life of her ancestors and how she came to be adopted in a somewhat heartbreaking way. With classic story telling ability, Riley perfectly encapsulated the femininity and subtle demeanor of Maia's character in a most charming way. I noticed this articulation as soon as I started reading the second book in the series, Storm Sister whose protagonist, Ally, is somewhat more expressive. Stay tuned.
*Book sponsored by Pan Macmillan