Summer months are dwindling down so quickly but I feel like my summer reading is just now taking off! This month's reads were far and away better than June's reads so I am quite happy. Hopefully I can keep up their streak going into August - but stay tuned!
My goal for 2022 is to be an author completisionist for my favorite author's, thus me reading SJM's backlist series, Throne of Glass (TOG). This novella kicked off my series reading and I really enjoyed it!
SJM is an icon in her field with her high fantasy world building and epic female characters. I so appreciate authors who can create a deep, complicated world and characters alike. I am much more curious and interested in finishing this series based on this novella so I am happy to have begun with this book! Rated this 4 out of 5 stars!
Well...I'm in deep now! The first official book of the series has been read! Our main character assassin, Calaena, is summoned to the glass castle to compete with other champions for their freedom from the cruel king. The assassin's closes allies will have to help her win her freedom as well as conquer other beasts both within and outside of the castle.
SJM's writing makes this a must-read for fantasy lovers! I really enjoyed the love triangle developing here too! This book is a slight retelling of cCnderella and knowing that made the reading much more enjoyable. The ending is epic and I was super happy with it and the world building!
Laura Wood is an auto-buy author for me, and being a P&P enthusiast, I knew I needed to read this book immediately! I am not a retelling fan in general so I couldn't give this 5 stars but I did give it 4 overall stars!
A very shortened retelling of Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice, and Wood's writing keep the story moving quickly. It felt rushed in comparison to the original but I suppose this is the condensed version so that may be an unfair assessment. This book is truly just the high, surface level plots points without the description or deep emotional turmoil, so I missed that aspect of the original story. Although, I wouldn't want to read a retelling by anyone else except for Laura Wood - love her so much!
The best book of the series that I have read so far! Also has a fantastic dedication!
Our assassin, Calaena, is still fighting for freedom and justice, whilst also being tangled up in a love triangle. An unspeakable tragedy happens in this book that will rock this whole narrative. SJM has written a stunner of a book here! She is so fantastic at not letting the plotline sag and continually giving us action, emotion, turmoil, strength, courage, and so much more! I think she listened to all the criticism of TOG and corrected it in this book! Loved the ending and would recommend the series up to this point...but wait for the reviews to come!
"I suppose when shamings are delivered like remotely administered drone strikes nobody needs to think about how ferocious our collective power might be. The snowflake never needs to feel responsible for the avalanche."
For three years, Jon Ronson traveled the world meeting some of the most notorious public shaming recipients. With public shamings seemingly everywhere again, it appears that the silenced have now been given a voice. And we are ruthless with that voice.
The nonfiction reads like a fictional thriller! So fascinating and terrifying in equal measure. I rated this 4.5 out of 5 stars!
The TOG series continues with this awesome, epic book!
Calaena cannot catch a break! She narrowly escapes her tasks in Ardalan in order to take on the whole new continent of Wendyln. She has to conquer demons on the inside and gathering from around the world. SJM brought the heat with this new continent - demons, men, and so much more! Her writing is as clear and sharp as always while continuing her world building.
I am realizing that I really need elements of surprise in my reading in order to enjoy it, so this book really hit the mark for me in the series!
I have finally completed my New Year goal of being an author completionist for Tana French - this was my last backlist book of hers I needed to read!
Detective Antionette Conway is back working with her partner, Stephen Moran, and they are undertaking a bigger case than initially anticipated. Conway is working on a force that she idealized but is quickly realizing all is not what it seems. Is the harassment she is experiencing purely paranoia or is it something else? French has an incredible way of building suspense and dread, while also creating amazing backstories for characters. Loved this book and all of her Dublin Murder Squad books!
Still working my way through the TOG series and loving every single book along the way!
"To whatever end."
We have everything in this book - witches, wyverns, assassins, Fae, queens and kings, rivalry, princes, and so much more! Again, I won't deep dive into the plot because everyone has read this series now but I am still loving Calaena embracing her true identity and finding friends and foes along the way!
SJM has written such escapist characters and locations that it's hard not to get caught up in her worlds she is building!
2.5 stars out of 5 and still considering lowering that rating...
Layla has just gone through a bad breakup that went viral when she moves back home to San Fran to her parent's place. Unfortunately, the place her parent's offered her to stay is currently being leased by another named Sam. As Layla tries to get Sam to move out, her father has a heart attack and has failed to mention he had set her up with 10 potential marriage matches.
Desai's writing is clear in some way and in others blatantly confusing and incoherent. There were WAY too many unnecessary characters, locations, dialogue, and so much more. I was extremely uninterested.
Last read on the TOG series this month! More to come in the month of August so brace yourselves!
4 out of 5 stars with this one but I am LIVING for the Elide/Lorcan chapters! Can't wait to see where SJM takes the rest of the series!
Our group of characters are spread out across Erilea. Aelin is searching for The Lock, while Manon is fighting for her life, and Elide is searching for Calaena. I don't want to give anything away so I'll leave it at that for now!
Per usual, SJM's writing is enthralling and immersive. I could have done with less battle scenes and more dialogue to move the plot though.