Weekly Reading Wrap Up - Jan 25th to 31st
Hello Book Darlings,
Okay, here we are. The last reading update for January. I can’t believe it’s already the second month of 2021! I already feel behind on my reading. How are there so many books, and why can’t I just absorb them by touch? What do you call that? Osmosis? I should just google this, but no. I’ll just keep typing away.
Anyway, here is the last chunk of books I read in January. Most of the books I own, but a few were library ebook barrows. I wish I had space for all the books ever but I don’t.
Wescott Series books 6-8 by Mary Balogh- well technically one of these was a novella.- overall rating: 7/10- This series is on the whimsical side of regency romance. If you are hoping for the so-called “spice” this is not the series for you. I have a whole other list of recommendations for that. This follows a family who goes through quite a lot when the now-dead Earl does not fix his will and it turns out his marriage was bigamous and everyone has to deal with that shit. It’s really interesting to see how this family comes together and bonds so much more through adversity. The thing is I want it to be real so much because this is just so heartwarming.
“Dreams that come true can be beautiful, but they can also turn into nightmares when people won't wake up.”
― Stephanie Garber, Caraval
Caraval by Stephanie Garber- Rating 8/10- I put this book off for a long time. I had no reason to do it. I just didn’t read it. But now I have read it. And I had a blast. I really loved so many things about this book, it was addictive. But I also had a few issues. My main issue was Tella. Now she has presented as a flighty idiot this whole book, and then at the end, we are suddenly supposed to believe this was all her idea and she set everything up to get them away from daddy? Ummmm I don’t know how I feel about this. Maybe the second book will sell me on Tella. I sure hope so because Scarlett was pretty great and pretty determined to help her sister.
How Long Will I Cry edited by Miles Harvey- Rating 10/10- Okay this was a school assignment and it broke me. Do not read this book if you are not prepared for real-life graphic violence. This is all about youth violence in Chicago and it is so hard to read. Bit it is also so important. I was a mess. Thes e are real stories of bystanders, survivors, victims, and perpetrators. Yeah, don’t read unless you are in the right mental space.
The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare- rating 8/10- so after the above book I needed some light relief. This book filled the bill. I was laughing out loud. It was also on my TBR luckily, so that worked out for me. I was seriously cackling like a crazy person for a good chunk of the book. The book was an interesting mi of cinderella and beauty and the Beast. Which honestly was a great combination. I also loved that our heroine was making a living by herself and it was something she was passionate about. Even once she marries a Duke she keeps saving because it is her passion. I loved how these two people both had trust issues but they overcame them. I also loved how our hero was parading around Mayfair at night in a dramatic cape fighting crime. I mean… The thing that is stopping me from giving it a higher rating is the lack of social interaction. I would have loved to see the hero and heroine interacting with people a little bit more. Specifically, I would have loved for the hero to have friends of his own.
“Symbols fell from her lips like glowing glimmers of smoke and every star in the sky winked out.”
― Emily A. Duncan, Wicked Saints
Wicked Saints by Emily A Duncan- Rating: 10/10- Okay. I loved this. I loved every minute of it. Every second. I am officially addicted. This book is everything I needed and didn’t know I needed. Someone give me some more art for this. Pretty please? I have needs. This book is a gothic fest of easter European inspired everything. It is dark, and funny, and shocking, and mysterious, and terrifying. I was shaking most of the book in fear for my babies. I mean the characters. Things did not end well for anyone. Technically everyone got what they wanted, but my god it did not go down how anyone expected. Essentially it’s the definition of being careful what you wish for. Seriously go read this book; Please go read it. I need company. All the company I can get.
“The power shall always belong to those who give their lives to the city.”
― Sarah J. Maas, House of Earth and Blood
Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J Maas- Rating: 10/10- I read two gifts from the universe back to back. I knew this book would destroy me, which is why I was trying to hold off on reading it for a while to make the wait for the second book shorter. I figured that 800 pages would be long enough to leave me satisfied. Well, I was wrong. I was very wrong. I want more. Now please if you could. Sarah? Where is the book? Now I have been emotionally destroyed and have nothing to do with my feelings but hold onto them until book two comes out. This is cruel and unusual punishment. I have yet more emotional attachments to fictional characters.
Lord of the Fading Lands by C L Wilson- Rating:6/10- I wanted to love this so badly. I really did. I had many high expectations. I read the first book a few years ago and remembered liking it quite a bit more than I did this time. Maybe I have just read other similar books since then and like them more in comparison. I really don’t know. I was just annoyed with everyone. The heroine was useless and unwilling to change her mindset. The hero kept talking about how he’s so tortured and how he suffers but I didn’t, which is weird. All women are seen as full of light if they are gentle and submissive, but full of darkness if they have any darker emotions. Like what? Fay females are apparently so delicate they can’t deal with anything. I quit. Now I liked the magic system a lot, and the world-building. So I have many hopes for future books. I know I ranted a lot but I didn’t hate this book, I just wasn’t happy with it. For now, I am going to blame it on the fact that this was the first book. We shall see.
Alright my dears, here it is. The last chunk of books I read in January. It was a good strong finish line in my opinion. Overall I think I only read one disappointing book in January, and of course, it happened to be the last book I read. That’s alright though. Overall I had a great month. I wonder if I should do a February TBR? I don’t know. It might be a bad idea because my list is very ambitious and I don’t want to publicly admit to failure again. But if I don’t post the list I might end up not following it at all.
Ah, the dilemmas of a book blogger.
See you next time,
Anna
