Welcome to another edition of Reading Lately! I’m glad you can join Cat from Catherine Chicotka and I for it! I’ve fallen back to normal reading levels with just 4 books this month. Granted, I’m currently switching between 3 other books right now so that doesn’t help.
What I’ve been reading lately
The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin: If you recall, I read The Fifth Season for The Blended Blog virtual book club last month. Obviously I picked up the second book in the series right away. The Obelisk Gate picks up right after book one but the focus is split between Essun and her daughter. And damn, is it good. The world is at the beginning of a Fifth Season (aka not good) and we see the good and the bad in humanity. Even if you don’t like fantasy, you can enjoy this to be trilogy. Just go get it!
5 out of 5 stars
Gilded Cage by Vic James: Bleh, this book had potential but it just didn’t do it for me. Set in an alternative Great Britain where The Equals (ruling class) have magic ability and everybody else is a loser and has to “give” 10 years of their lives as a slave. Seriously, they just decide that they are going to go do their slave time. The book tries to be political, but it fell flat for me. There were the typical political troupes without any exciting twists. And the ending sets up a book 2 that seems like it will be a rewrite of book 1 with a different character. I wouldn’t recommend.
2 out of 5 stars
c/o Netgalley
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys: I read this book for The Blended Blog virtual book club (you can still join!). This is historical fiction based during WWII and follows a family from Lithuania that is sent to Siberian labor camps by the Russians. It was fascinating as I didn’t know anything about Russia’s systemic oppression of people from the Baltic states. The main character is Lina, a 15 year old girl. We follow her journey from Lithuania on railway cars to a couple of labor camps in Siberia. It is amazing to see how certain types of people were treated at that time in history. Of course, there are grey areas on both sides of the war (hence the title of the book). I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys (if you can call it that) WWII stories and stories of survival.
4 out of 5 stars
The Falconer by Elizabeth May: This is a re-read for me to prepare for the final book in the trilogy. Set in an alternative Scotland where fae are really bad and few humans know they actually still exist. The main character, Kam, is the last in the line of fae hunters, Falconers. After her mother is killed by a fae, she begins to train and hunt as many as she can. She creates relationships with a pixie (who lives in her closet) and Kiaran, a rogue high-level fae. But the other fae that have been trapped in a prison for 2,000 years are about to break out and Kam is the only one that can stop them. Read this if you enjoy steampunk-esque stories with a fantasy twist or if you enjoy strong female characters. PS: this book made my list of 7 great fantasy books with strong fantasy characters.
4 out of 5 stars
What have you been reading lately? I hope you can join us for our linkup!
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Linking up: The Blended Blog
I finally got The Fifth Season on Overdrive but I’m in the middle of a book now and am about to abandon another one. Hopefully I’ll get to it before it expires! I’m going with your recommendation of reading it even if I don’t read fantasy!
You will have to let me know what you think of it!
Between Shades of Gray sound so interesting. I have a love hate relationship with historical sort of pieces. They have to be REALLY good to hold my attention, & then I LOVE it when they do suck me in.
It is pretty good. Not my favorite historical fiction, but still good.
I have the other trilogy books on my list…it will happen!
Yes! You won’t be disappointed!
I haven’t read much in the fantasy genre, but you’re convincing me. Will add some of your recommends to my list.
I’ll convert someone one of these days ?
Interesting picks! I finally got in the swing of reading again and need to add more books!
It’s always fun when you get in a groove!
One of my goals this year was to read at least 12 fiction books. I love reading but over the years I’ve read mostly non-fiction books. I love the ‘getting lost in a story’ feeling so I’m making sure I make time for fiction this year. My mum gave me a copy of Danielle Steele’s Blue. I pulled a face when she offered me it, I’m not a romancey reader, but the story was brilliant and I loved it.
That’s a great goal! It’s always nice when a book surprises you.
These all sound like some great reads! I wish I was better about sitting still and reading books. I have a stack I want to read.
I hear you! I have a huge stack to get to!
I LOVE historical fiction…it is one of my favorite genres.
I enjoy it as well. But have to space the books out, especially when they are heavy hitters like Shades of Gray.
Glad you ‘enjoyed’ (what would be the right word?) reading Between Shades of Gray. Are you going to try the sequel?
I’m Not sure, I have to space out my heavy reads so I might come back to it in the future.
I just finished 3 books in the last couple of weeks, which isn’t the norm for me even though I love reading. I read Heartless by Marissa Meyers, Orphan Train by Christina Kline and The Week Before The Wedding by Beth Kendrick.
I have Heartless on my bookshelf and need to pick it up soon!
Oh you always have such interesting books that I might not pick up or notice, but I’m definitely adding these to my list! Well maybe except for Gilded Cage :p
Thanks! I hope you find one to enjoy ☺️