1.
Red Tigress by Amelie Wen Zhao
a.
Format: Audiobook
b.
Series: Yes; Book 2 of Blood Heir Trilogy
c.
Thoughts:
I enjoyed the first book but there was something about it that I
couldn’t put my finger on that seemed to hit with book 2. Not sure if it’s a pacing thing, multi-POV
execution, the world building, characters, the logic behind character motives,
me, or perhaps a bit of everything and then some; could be that it’s YA and
there’s something about reading YA now that if it doesn’t hit right, I don’t
give as many ‘gimmie points’ that I have in the past. Regardless I feel dissecting these things
will help me as both a reader and writer.
While I have ordered the last book in the series (have the ebook but
looking at doing a physical copy) I’m still debating finishing the series. Not sure if it’s a lack of interest for the
characters but there is an interest for how everything lands.
2.
Pioneer Women by Margart E. Tabor
a.
Format: Hardcover
b.
Series: Yes, Book 3 of Series (Different Women
with each Volume)
c.
Thoughts:
I picked this up with the sole interest of reading about Gertrude Bell
but learned about a few other women along the way. This book was a very old, worn copy and I
loved the feel of the paper, the plain binding, and the content because as I
read about each woman and what they did, I felt a bit of me spark. The short portraits of these women, while
hailing from wealth that allowed them to travel and live certain lifestyles,
was good to partake.
3.
Outer Order, Inner Calm: Declutter &
Organize to Make More Room for Happiness by Gretchen Rubin
a.
Format:
Audiobook
b.
Series: N/A but the other does have other books
centered around this theme
c.
Thoughts:
Nice quick read and great at delving at some quick tips that I suspect
might be elaborated upon more in her other books. However, I felt motivated from this short
read and was able to do some quick work as well as reinforce other habits I’ve
been doing to declutter. With this being
less than 3 hours it’s a nice motivational boost or shot.
4.
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
a.
Format:
Hardcover
b.
Series: Yes, Book 1
c.
Thoughts:
This may be another case of it being me and also this being YA… I picked
up this book because I’d seen it mentioned elsewhere (I read “Powerless” late
last year and it struck me as being similar to THG and how ‘Red Queen’ was
suggested reading). I now understand the
similarities and seeing as RQ came first I was hesitant with reading as this
series. I’d for sure seen it before but
the DMJ spidey sense would read the summary and be like ‘mmm, maybe not’. Well, turns out that was accurate but I went
along and did become invested so I thought, ok, maybe it was just the beginning
but then I realized ‘nann, spidey sense was accurate’. Debating on continuing this series as
well. I picked up the series last week
from the library along with a ton of other books -_-
5.
Fall of Ruin and Wrath by Jennifer L. Armentrout
a.
Format:
Audiobook
b.
Series: yes, Book 1
c.
Thoughts:
TMM. Considering I whipped
through this book in a weekend not realizing it was a series, though I should
have known/suspected, I will be picking up the next book. This isn’t my first JLA book, but considering
how I tapped out of the FBAA series and didn’t pick up the spin off for it,
well, I’m proceeding with caution. It’s
easy to make the comparison that Lis/Calista (FoFaW) being similar/recycled
goods of Poppy (FBAA) and so on and so forth but as the saying goes in Thailand
‘same same, but different’. Because
Thorn may supposedly be the Casteel equivalent, it’s not quite. If anything, I’d conceive Claude being
Castille in the deception department, especially if my theory regarding Claude
not being who he says he is pans out (none of this likely makes sense unless
you’ve read the first book of FBAA). And
alas, it’s a romance/fantasy, there is a word for this but mai pen rai, and
it’s JLA so there is spice and other elements of the narrative that may have
you being like, “…and this is where I tap out.”
Oye, the word I was thinking of romance/fantasy = romantasy.
6.
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
a.
Format:
Audiobook
b.
Series: Yes, Book 3 of The Empyrean Series
c.
Thoughts:
TMM. How I wish I would have let
this book/series remain unknown to me.
Like I remember how it kept popping as a recommendation and I kept
thinking of this other series/mixing it up for it and being like ‘stop popping
up’. Until one day last year I picked it
up on a whim. I seriously don’t recall
why- maybe in a reading slump, maybe because a friend had read/reviewed it
recently and oozing delight from it, maybe it was instantly available on the
book shelf at the library (I do know at the time I’d been seeing copies of Iron
Flame in the new books section), perhaps a combination of these things aligned
but whatever the case may be, I picked it up and I’ve come to recognize a
couple things after reading this third book – 1) I will get the feels. 2)
Some type of loss will queue the eye sweats/tears and warbled snot
factory. This book picks up where Iron
Flame left off and just like Iron Flame, ends on a cliffhanger. There is some hilarious banter/comic relief
in this book courtesy of RIddoc and gawds am I lover of found families/being
with people who love and get you. There
is something about being seen/finding one’s tribe that I enjoy and the dynamics
that surround it. And while there were
some things I suspected that came to fruition like a certain person’s
involvement with the villainous side, there were things I didn’t. As a reader and writer, this book furthers
that conviction of seeing a series through before releasing, for me.
7.
The Sevon Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor
Jenkins Reid
a.
Format:
Paperback & Audiobook
b.
Series: Sort of, Part of the Reidverse
c.
Thoughts:
I now understand the hype. I
teared up 3x times with this book and nearly ugly-cried from my cube but fought
against it since I was at work. Evelyn
Hugo, well, let me start by saying this is the third TJR book I’ve read and
there is something in her writing that elicits something of a joy when it comes
to characters. My first book I read by
her was Carrie Soto is Back and I remember in those early pages of
reading it, I precited something would happen, knew it would happen in fact,
mentally prepared myself and STILL felt some sort of way when it happened/cried
and such. Same thing here with this
book. Suspected something and for me, it’s
almost like watching a horror movie. You
know something is coming, the music will change, things will grow quieter, an
anticipation for what’s lurking around the corner then BOOM! I suspected something would give me the feels
with reading this story while also being worried that I might not like this
book since there was so much hype around it but alas I got to the end of the
book and it felt like the first time I read The Night Circus, in that by
the time I got to the end, I found myself wanting to begin again with the book
knowing what I knew. As a reader Evelyn
Hugo is unforgettable and her story overpowers.
Even though it’s up to Monique, the journalist, to capture Evelyn’s
story and as a reader you’re wondering about what it is Evelyn has done or why
she wants Monique specifically, it’s just a backdrop. Yes, there is that angle to the story but for
me there is the question of being the MC of your own story or just a side character. Monique feels like a side character. And Evelyn feels like a mentor embarking some
sage advice through the lessons of her life and what she has done, on her own
terms, within this life. A woman that
has made her decisions and weathered the consequences.
I have two other books that will likely be finished as part
of this weekend reads/February list such as:
1.
Metropolitan Life by Fran Lebowitz
2.
Peace is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh
My official February read is The Body Keeps the Score
and in talking with a friend last night found out that there’s a workbook that
accompanies it. There are a few other
books on deck for February, working through my pile of library books diligently
and making time to write.
And now this…
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