Fiction Friday’s: 12.18.2020
It is a truth universally acknowledged that when traveling, I will pack books to read.
It is also a truth that I will inevitably buy even more books to bring back home with me.
As I'm sure many other readers can attest, this is a vicious cycle, with zero hope of it ever ending...not that we really want it to end, but, that's besides the point.
The point, Dear Readers, is that whenever I am traveling for an extended period of time, I intend to use
that time to maximize my reading schedule. Now, considering that this is the time of the Rona, this presents me with even more of an opportunity to smash through some books that have been on my TBR (To Be Read shelf for all those not in-the-know), since I'm literally not going anywhere. That means six days of just READING.
It's a glorious feeling, I can assure you.
But I thought that it might be fun to give you guys a rundown of the books that I've brought that I intend to get through this week. Come this time next week, I'll provide an update on what I actually got through, as well as some preliminary thoughts.
Let's dive in, shall we?
The Seasonal Atmospheric Stories
I don't know about you guys, but I actually tend to be more highly influenced by the time of year when it comes to mood reading. With it being Winter, I'm gravitating towards more stories that are either holiday-themed or in a location that is cold and wintry. That I live in the desert is an irony not unnoticed by me.
First up is The Winter of the Witch, Book 3 in Katherine Arden's The Bear and the Nightingale Trilogy. These stories are set in a historical Russia that draws strongly from traditional Russian folklore, marrying the two together in a magical prose that transports you to the freezing winter forests where a young girl and a frost demon meet, time and time again. I read the first book during the holidays two years ago, the second book during the holidays last year, and now, I'm finally reading the third. Seemed appropriate, and it was the only book that I knew right away I would be taking with me.
Second up is Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik, which is a fairytale retelling of Rumpelstiltskin, set against a dark and frosty background of the winters of Lithuania and Russia. I love Naomi Novik's writing style, and genuinely loved the first book I read by her, Uprooted. Spinning Silver seemed the perfect read to grab.
The Blushing Romances
I've always loved the romance genre, and especially with this year, I have found that they provide the best sort of escapism in a fast-paced, easy to read format. So I brought *ahem* four of them with me.
First up is Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade, a romance about the star of a mega-TV series (think Game of Thrones), who happens to anonymously write fan-fiction about the characters in the show, and a plus-size cosplayer whose posts go viral and grab his attention. We are here for body positivity in romance, and it sounds right up my alley in terms of fun nerdiness.
Second on the romance list is The Seven Sisters, the first book in The Seven Sisters Series by Lucinda Riley. These books focus on a group of sisters, who were all adopted from different backgrounds by one wealthy eccentric. Upon his death, each woman is provided with information regarding their heritage and family history, and the novels follow a dual timeline around the world.
The third book is Lovely War by Julie Berry, which combines two of my favorite romance genres into one - mythological retellings/re-imaginings and historical romance. This is a book set in the years of both World War I and II, but told from the perspective of the Greek Goddess Aphrodite, who is on trial by the other Olympians, for her actions regarding the lives and fates of four mortals. Sign me up!
Last of these romances is A Rogue of One's Own, the second book in The League of Extraordinary Women Series by Evie Dunmore, which is set in Victorian London and follows a group of Oxford educated suffragettes in their bid to secure equals rights and the vote for women, and finding themselves becoming entangled with certain *gentlemen* along the way. The first book was funny and charming, and surprisingly emotional, so I'm excited to continue on with the series.
The Fantasy Tomes
You all just KNOW that I wasn't going to be able to go away without some epic fantasy.
First up is a new release in the YA fantasy world that is taking the book community by storm: Legendborn by Tracy Deonn. This is story following a young girl, who, having just lost her mother to a terrible accident, finds herself embroiled in a hidden world of magic and monsters, where the descendants of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table use their powers to keep the world safe. When Bree learns that the accident that took her mother was probably not an accident, she'll stop at nothing to find out the truth.
And the last book on the list is one that I have been wanting to read for years. It's Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb, the first book in The Farseer Trilogy. Robin Hobb is a fantasy author who continuously pops up on my radar and whose books I have heard nothing but excellent things about. My hope is that I will dive into this story and fall in love like so many others have.
And that's it! What do you guys think? Am I crazy? Do you think I'll be able to finish all of them? Most of them? None?
I'll keep you all posted!
XOXO, Victoria
