Thursdays are Book Chat days, and today it’s being co-hosted by Jessica at Sweet Green Tangerine and Megan at Semi-Charmed Kind of Life!
Today’s question: What are you currently reading? How do you like it?
Well, I purposely finished reading my last book a couple days ago so that I could specifically write about the book I’m reading today in the Book Chat. Because you all knew that I was reading ‘Brain on Fire’ by Susannah Cahalan, since I wrote about it earlier this week, and I didn’t feel like repeating myself twice in one week, and because I am still in a reading frenzy, and because I’ve been SO EXCITED to read this book for the last couple weeks. /end long sentence
You may (or may not) remember yesterday when I reviewed a book called Graceling by Kristin Cashore? I actually finished reading it earlier this month but hadn’t had much time to finish writing my review, even though I loved it. It was actually the book that Jessica (our host for the Book Chat) sent me for our Blogger Book Swap a few months ago. I had heard so much about this book, even knew the BASIC premise of the story, but never picked it up.
I must say the only reason I chose to read it now is because I knew how much Jessica loved it. Otherwise, I may never have bothered to check out the series. I’m SO glad she introduced me and further pushed me to read this book, because it is seriously one of my favorites right now.
I’m currently reading the second book in the series, FIRE. It’s not the same characters, but it’s set in the same seven kingdoms (so some characters are recurring). I know that in the past, some people have had difficulty reading the second book because they’re unrelated in terms of actual plot, but that doesn’t bother me at all. I went through a legitimate book depression when I finished Graceling, and basically any way I could return to this world, I’d be happy. Not to mention Kristin Cashore has such amazing writing, so it’s just an overall pleasure to read her work.
I’m not very far in the novel yet, but I’m already very much enjoying it. I’ve read other authors who try and re-visit fantasy worlds that they have created with new characters, but it falls short because the new people that get introduced are TOO similar to the old ones. It’s often difficult to discern where the old characters end, and the new begin, because their stories seem so intertwined, even in the authors’ mind. I don’t see that whatsoever in FIRE, and I’m relieved.
What I do see, is how Cashore further develops the kingdoms; she expands & introduces new places, new creatures, and new developments to an already surreal, and beautiful world.
I can’t wait to immerse myself further into this second story. I already have ‘Bitterblue’, the third in the trilogy, sitting on my bookshelf! Seriously, if you’re a fan of YA and have pushed this series aside like I did for so many years, give it a try. It’s so worth it.
What are you currently reading?
I began this book on audiobook. The reader had this fantastic british accent and I loved hearing her tell the story, but by about halfway through, I had to just get the actual book because I couldn’t wait until my next car trip to find out what happens. lol
I think it’s impressive that she actually goes back in time with Fire and doesn’t make it confusing. I was totally thrown in the prologue, (it had been a long time since I read Graceling, so it didn’t occur to me who the boy was until they said his name) but I love how we get to learn more about him. So creepy. lol
I want to read it again!
The story just gets SO good- I can’t imagine having to listen to someone else reading it! I’d be all READ FASTER DAMMIT. LOL. I’m almost done it now, I just need to finish it and not finish it. I don’t want it to end, but I need to know what happens!
Sounds interesting. The YA-style covers for fantasy books like these ward me off a bit, but your review makes it sound pretty good. Maybe I’ll stick it on me to-read-eventually-once-I-get-through-the-million-other-books-in-the-stack list.
OH NO don’t let it ward you off! I felt the exact same way about this series for many, many years. It was only with a little push from a blogger friend that I finally read the first one. Often, books with the strangest covers tend to be my favorite, which was exactly the case with Hunger Games. Have you read that one yet? It was just SO underrated for the absolute longest time, until someone was like “I’m gonna make a movie out of it” and now everyone seems to have read it. But for a long time, the cover was just SO boring, no one would have ever thought to pick it up. If you’re ever up for a little bit of a different book than your regular style of reading, definitely try these
Some of the best, most well-written and relatively simple fantasy books I have yet to read! It’s not SO complex that it’s a turn-off for non-fantasy readers.
You totally have me interested in this series now!
I am currently (re)-reading Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows.
Yay HP! I love those, obviously.
You absolutely need to read these, Angie. I think you would especially enjoy them because we do have a similar taste in books
I really need to get to this series. I bought a copy of Graceling on a whim while at Wal-Mart, since the cover was gorgeous and it was a great looking version of the novel (I often will seek out the exact edition I like for each book I get, I’m picky that way). Unfortunately it’s sitting at home in Texas, and I am in the middle of nowhere, Nevada, ’till who knows when…but I’m glad to hear that you liked it!
Oh no!! lol that sucks that it’s so far… But the moment you get that book, READ IT! And let me know if you did in fact enjoy
They’re the best, seriously. Haven’t been able to put this second one down either!
Ooh, thank you for sharing this, I love finding new series to read.
Yay!! I’m glad. If you do ever get to it, you’ll have to let me know how you like it!
I really like books that follow different characters that are only slightly related, even if they don’t actually connect in the plot. It’s like a bunch of short stories but still a novel! Speaking of which, I’m excited about the short story prompt next week!
I wasn’t sure how much I would enjoy reading two separate kinds of characters in the same series, but I’m reading another series that does the same thing and absolutely love it. It’s a shame to say goodbye to characters you’ve come to love, a big reason I love/hate series, but I must admit this is a really neat way to approach writing and she’s got my respect for doing it so freaking well.
I am currently reading a light book called “Stay” by Allie Larkin. It’s fun and light which is just what I needed after reading 2 heavy WWII books!
I definitely change up my reading like that too. Heavier novels need to be followed by light ones!