What I've Been Reading Lately {January 2019}

Like December, January was ultimately a month for re-reading. Work kicked my butt and I honestly didn't have much time to physically read, so I've been re-listening to some old favorites. I did check out a few new books, and though they were pretty great for the most part, there were a few duds in there. I really do need to start trusting my gut more. If I can't get into a book the first time I pick it up, chances are, it's not going to be a great read the next time I pick it up either. 😩

And without further ado, here's what I've been reading lately...

(More on why I've gone to this format here in lieu of traditional reviews for each.)

Y O U N G   A D U L T

The Wicked King* - DEAD. I'm so dead after this book. But I did write a spoilery thing with Sabrina about it, if you wanna check it out. 😄 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Dragon's Bait - I just happened to be scrolling through GR or Twitter and saw someone mention this book, and I couldn't believe I hadn't read it before. It sounded awesome! And it pretty much was. Basically, this girl is called a witch because the townspeople are awful and so she becomes food for a dragon who's been terrorizing them. Except that her brazenness makes the dragon curious and they become allies in revenge. I would not call them friends and there is definitely no romance to speak of, but that's not even the point because despite all of this, they develop a bond based on nothing more than an intense loneliness and it is sad but lovely...if not a bit horrifying at times. Definitely recommend. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Slayer* - I don't know that this was exactly what I was expecting, but I enjoyed it. A reluctant slayer who blames Buffy for the world torn asunder by the rift between Slayers and Watchers. Family secrets. Fight scenes. Forbidden romance. And a demon named Doug. This book had it all. And yet, all I wanted while I was reading it was to binge Buffy again. 😩 🌟🌟🌟

*ARC received from publisher for review purposes. This does not affect my review in any way.

A D U L T

Crazy Rich Asians - This novel was about what I expected. Extravagant and opulent, with insane family antics and expectations, and rife with food, fashion, and customs. There were so many storylines and I'm still not sure which persepective was my favorite. But it made me laugh. It made me cringe. And it made me think on more than one occasion: And I thought my family was crazy. I definitely plan to see the movie, if only to better visualize the level of opulence, and I have the next book on hold at the library already. 🌟🌟🌟

On the Edge - I fully planned to binge this series, and then I discovered upon starting the second book that it's not all about Rose and Declan and Georgie and Jack -- though I think the boys play a bigger role later in the series and also become side characters in the Innkeeper Chronicles. I really liked this first book, and I may continue the series one day, but for now, I think I might need a break from Ilona Andrews, lol. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Between the Devil and the Duke - I've never read a novel by Kelly Bowen before but I quite enjoyed my first by her, and I'm sure it won't be my last. For some reason, most of my favorite historical romances take place in gaming hells, and this story is no different. I loved that the heroine was a genius at numbers, and instead of thinking her odd, the hero is charmed by this fact. Also, Ashford McNab is fabulous at narrating historical romance. She also narrates the Maiden Lane series by Elizabeth Hoyt, which I also very much enjoyed. 🌟🌟🌟🌟


Book Boyfriend - I tried to read this one awhile back and it was...just not great. Not awful but not very engaging either. But I saw it offered on Hoopla and I thought it wouldn't be so bad to listen to it. At least I wouldn't be wasting my precious reading time, which is so very hard to come by these days. It felt like the worst kind of wish fulfillment and also didn't do a very good job of covering how grossly inappropriate the hero's actions were. I had intended to listen to the other books in this series, but that's not gonna happen now. 🌟🌟

My Favorite Half-Night Stand* - I gave up reading my ARC of this title several months ago because it wasn't what I was in the mood for at the time. But I borrowed the audio from the library when it became available because at that point, I was kinda jonesing for some Christina Lauren. Their books are either hit or miss for me, but this one was very middling. I can see why it had a hard time holding my interest upon my initial read. It was one of those stories where a little communication could have saved everyone a lot of time and energy and frustration. I'm not giving up on this author duo, but I'm definitely disappointed in this one. 🌟🌟

Sprig Muslin - I am such a fan of Georgette Heyer's. I believe I've listened to every audiobook available from the library, and so now I'm branching out to their ebook offerings. But I still imagine I hear Richard Armitage narrating them for me. 😉 Especially with this one, although I did imagine Sir Gareth more like Westley à la The Princess Bride, with his easy-going manner and propensity to take everything as it came as his wayward charge led him on a merry chase. Lady Hester, a would-be spinster, wasn't near the simpleton her family perceived her to be, and I hoped her altruistic nature would lead her back to our hero. The story takes a very circuitous route, with Sir Gareth and his charge working at cross purposes and the hero and heroine spending a good portion of the novel not in each other's company, but it was humorous, if a bit tangential at times, and I loved seeing what young Amanda would come up with next. 🌟🌟🌟🌟


Marriage Vacation - Have you ever seen the show Younger? (And is it ever coming back? #TeamJosh) If you haven't, then a little backstory: the characters work in publishing and the wife of one of the love interests writes a book under a pseudonym. A book about the time she spent away from her marriage to him, the head of the publishing company. Yep, "Kate" just up and leaves her family on a soul-searching quest and this book is basically about her adventures while she was away. It starts out self-involved and ungrateful but evolves into something more substantial. Kate wasn't away trying to regain her lost youth, just trying to find out who she was outside of her marriage and being a mother. She wanted her life to have meaning, and she wanted to pick her writing back up. I didn't love it, but I wasn't expecting to after meeting her character on the show. But it surprised me. I felt compassion for this woman. I empathized with her. I didn't wholly agree with the decisons she made, but I could understand them to some extent. I kinda didn't love the ending, though. Having said that, p. 58 was everything it was purported to be on the show. 😉 I liked the tie-in but that the book could also be read having never seen Younger. 🌟🌟🌟

The Witch Elm* - This is likely to be my least favorite of Tana French's novels. They're all long, but this one was just sooooooo boring until at least the halfway point and that was nine or ten hours into the story. Then I started putting things together and got frustrated with the characters about three-quarters of the way through, but I'd already made it that far, so I couldn't very well put it down without knowing for sure because if you've read Tana French before, you know that the ending matters. I think she's just better with police procedurals, writing from that perspective with all the ins and outs of investigating rather than as a potential suspect and novice detective who may or may not have suffered permanent damage due to trauma at the beginning of the story. I liked Toby, despite my better judgment because I know by now not to trust anyone in a Tana French novel, and I loved the narrator for this novel. The story just took forever to engage my interest and it didn't do a great job of holding it for any length of time. I kept taking breaks from the audiobook, hoping that I'd be overcome with curiosity to return to it, but it often felt like a chore and that's just not how I like to read. 🌟🌟🌟


*ARC received from publisher for review purposes. This does not affect my review in any way.

B I N G E   R E A D S   |   R E - R E A D S

The Falconer trilogy - Well...I planned on binge-reading this series after re-listening to the first book, but the audio isn't available for the last two books. 😢 I got them from my library, but I just haven't had much time to physically read this month, and when I did, I usually had a headache or trouble focusing. So, the plan is to read them in February. I'm leaving them here as a reminder...

Seven Realms series - I saw a friend reading these books for the first time at the end of 2018, and I realized it had been over a year since I'd re-read them, so I went all in. Which is for the best since I believe the final book in the spin-off series also releases this year. And despite that devastating first book, I fully intend to catch up on that series, as well. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟


Fangirl & Carry On - My bestie finally, finally caved and read Fangirl like I've been telling her to do for literal years, and she squeed so much about it that I decided I was due for a re-read. And you can't read those bits about Simon Snow without also wanting to read his story. :D 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟


Tairen Soul series - I was in the mood for some good fantasy and also having trouble getting over my reading slump thanks to The Wicked King, so I dived back into this series. I didn't love it quite as much as I remember, but it worked as a palate cleanser. 🌟🌟🌟🌟


The Raven Cycle - Because it was time. And also I just needed to be back in Cabeswater as I wait for Ronan's series. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Have you read any of these? What did you think? Find any new titles to check out? ;0)

Until next time! Happy reading!

Labels: discussion, mini reviews, reviews, what i've been reading lately