I’m just going to do a quick update of what I read/am reading…
Read:
This was not the light, fluffy rom-com I was expecting. It starts out that way but takes a few more dramatic turns. I really liked it overall but there are a few shifts in tone & writing style that didn’t always feel like a smooth transitions to me. But still – super cute!
I especially loved the historical love letters that were woven throughout the story. (I go into a bit more detail here)
I chalk this one up to the HYPE MACHINE being too great. Expectations and all that.
Reading:
Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children #1) by Seanan McGuire ~ Goodreads I’m listening to this one audio. (look at me always having an audiobook going now!!!) and it’s….eh. Super interesting premise. Missing children, magic portals, a murder mystery! But I found it confusing at first. It’s coming together now but I’m far more curious in *seeing* the worlds the children came from rather than hearing about them now that they are back.
It’s kind of like Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children if the children’s gifts were summoning the dead, and team work involves performing a supernatural autopsy and dissolving a fellow murdered student’s body in acid.
So I’m enjoying the second half more but I’ll see how the mystery pans out before rating.
Also - A+ for diverse sexual identity rep
Courting Darkness (Courting Darkness Duology #1) by Robin LaFevers. ~ GoodreadsThis is a spin-off from LaFevers His Fair Assassin trilogy. When I saw Sybella & Beat (from Dark Triumph) were in this one I had to give it a go! I’m only on page 20 so not much to say yet…but assassin nuns, historical fiction and a return of Beast!
What are you reading this week?
You reminded me that I have an audio copy of Courting Darkness that I still haven’t listened to. Yikes! Every Heart a Doorway is a trip. You get more of the worlds in subsequent volumes. It’s a fun series. To answer your question about coming to Portland. Traffic is terrible here like any other city during rush hour times. I don’t go downtown too often because I hate dealing with the traffic and the homeless. We have a terrible homeless problem here in Portland, so a lot of people are avoiding downtown. Parking is always terrible too. An option would be to take the Max around the downtown area, it is easy and cheap and you don’t have to worry about the traffic and parking. Prepare to spend time in Powells, it’s huge. I haven’t been to it in years because I dont’ get down there often. If you are looking for yummy places to eat there are so many. I recently went to a great little restaurant in the Pearl District called Grilled PB&J so good. The Screendoor is another favorite. Everyone wants to check out Voodoo Donut, it is a total tourist trap, if you do want to go, don’t hit the one downtown, it is in a seedy area. Go to the second location on Davis. Better parking, not as long lines.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips! I usually stay away from big things like Voodoo. Even in NYC, we stay as far away from Times Square and that kind of thing as possible.
DeleteAnd good to know about the Wayward Children. I was pondering whether to continue but I'm super curious about the other worlds.
Oh I NEED the LaFevers one. I loved that trilogy. Hope it rocks for you. I am about to start the Wayward Children audio (audios for me.. who knew?) and I'm glad that the last half seems to be working better for you. I'm an ending girl so I can handle a slow beginning.
ReplyDeleteIt's just that the world was a bit confusing for me and I wanted to see the other worlds. But they're talking about that more, there's a murder to solve so it's picking up.
DeleteThere was very little hype for LaFevers. I didn't even know about it for a while.
I did like Every heart, but I did read it. And well you know my issues with my last mcGuire ;)
ReplyDeleteBut look at your and audio!
I like this one more than Middlegame - but she writes big ideas in both. I just thought Middlegmae became a little tedious getting to the end.
DeleteI haven't got to any historical letters yet in RW&RB but I'm totally enjoying what I've yet so far.
ReplyDeleteI loved the letters but I liked the beginning more. Or wish that the writing was more even. And oh! I forgot to mention that I loved all the supporting characters!
DeleteOverall, I really enjoyed RW&RB. The romance was strong for me. I just felt like it sometimes took a back seat to the politics.
ReplyDeleteI think my problem was that she didn't juggle those things well. Like - it was politics shift to romance - shift back to politics...
DeleteI might need to jump into that LaFevers series- I loved Grave Mercy.
ReplyDeleteMe tooooooo!!! The second book was great too - the 3rd was a bit of a disappointment but c'mon - assassin nuns! lol
DeleteI need to read Grave Mercy! I have heard so many great things, Idk why I haven't yet. Ditto Every Heart a Doorway, and I won't lie, I am especially interested because they're so short hah. Red White and Royal Blue I see literally everywhere, and I am a bit scared of the hype monster too. OKAY I went to look at your review on Goodreads and we weren't friends?!?! What sort of shenanigans is this!? No worries, I have rectified the situation ;)
ReplyDeleteSome of my friends thought it was really slow but I loved it.
DeleteAnd lol That's why I'm reading the Wayward kids series. At just over 3 hours each - it's super easy for me to listen to.
I'm more surprised that we weren't following each other in IG O_O
Red, White & Royal Blue has certainly been talked about A LOT. I can see how expectations might get the best of you. I'm trying to temper mine because I definitely still plan to read it.
ReplyDeleteNicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction
It's good - maybe just not the light rom-com I was expecting. And the writing was a bit too disjointed for my tastes.
DeleteGlad you're finding some enjoyable books lately, even if they're not all quite what you were expecting.
ReplyDeleteI haven't disliked anything though so that's good.
DeleteRead White and Royal Blue IS everywhere... Sometimes the hype is a thing of absolute evil.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea what to read next. I just finished the available reads in Annette Marie's Guild Codex series and I'm tweaking for the next one and don't want any other fix! lol
Nothing wrong with finding a great series to get absorbed in! I haven't done that in YEARS.
DeleteI really loved Red, White, and Royal Blue but I get where you're coming from. The historical letters were quite lovely though!!
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
It was cute and I liked it. I just wish the story structure flowed better.
DeleteI know how you feel about EHAD. I did like the two sequels I've read so far better, also because they were actually set in some of those magical (if harsh) worlds. Not to mention, they did a better job of making us understand WHY the kids would feel at home there. I think you might find more to love in the sequels too (especially in Beneath the Sugar Sky).
ReplyDeleteYes, people have said RW&RB really does deal with some deep topics as well as being a romcom at some moments. I hope you like Every Heart a Doorway. That one has been very hyped on booktube lately. I am currently reading William Shakespeare's star wars plays by Ian Doescher!
ReplyDeleteI read and adored Red WHite and Royal Blue but I mostly skipped all the hype so maybe that's why it worked. I'd seen the name mentioned but didn't know anything about it until I saw it and impulse bought it in a shop. It was really cute and it just worked for me. I loved Every Heart A Doorway. It started a little slow but I kind of got sucked in, why have I not bought the other books?
ReplyDelete