bookwormmuse

hello!

It has been quite some time since I did any sort of wrap up on this blog, hasn’t it? Well, this isn’t exactly going to be the traditional wrap up either, it’s just where I am trying to get back into bookish part of the blogging. Consider this a practice round, I guess.

Last year, I fell into a bad reading slump but near the end of the year, I started reading again. Surprisingly, I was able to start and finish a series when the time new year rolled around. Of course, it still took me a bit to finish the series. I guess I either have just slowed down in reading pace or I am not as engaged or obsessed with the books I am reading. Who really knows? I certainly don’t, not yet anyway. The rest of the year might have a different story to tell.

(I tried inserting the correct size but it was too big, I guess. So, here’s the tiny version of the this series.)

I started my re-read of Skyward last year and finished Starsight before the year ended. Then I started the novella collection in the new year, Skyward Flight. It did take quite a bit to finish that one for some reason. Cytonic and Defiant were much easier reads, comparatively. I will say that something about series never gave me the same feelings as Sanderson’s other works. I don’t think I was able to give a single book a five star rating. That’s not to say that it’s bad, not at all, it was a solid 3.75-4.0 starred series. I was just expecting quite a lot from Sanderson, it seems. That tends to happen with your favourite authors.

In between the Skyward books, I was reading other books, too! I surprisingly did not binge the series in the traditional sense, the way I usually do. I read different genres and I am not sure if I will be able to talk about them that would do them justice. The Salt Grows Heavy is not for the faint of the heart as I was about to find out. I don’t mind gory horror, if I am being honest. Cassandra Khaw’s prose is a bit on the heavy side but it still packed quite the punch for me. It was bloody, gory and the real horror was never the gore or the blood, if I am being honest. I will definitely be reading other books by this author. Night Will Find You is a mystery/thriller that worked perfectly for me. It was a fairly quick read and as with any thriller, I was definitely invested and I wasn’t disappointed with the end. There were a few things I predicted but they absolutely did not hamper my enjoyment of the read. So much was happening at the same time but it never felt rushed or unnecessary. I also revisited The Ones Who Walk From Omelas. Do I even need to say anything about it. It’s so short and impactful, I feel like the less I say the better. All I can say is there will always be ones who learn about Omelas and the price of peace and happiness. Some will pay it and some will walk away.

I bought Upstream on a whim, after seeing a few people loving it on bookstagram and it sat on my bookshelf for quite some time, too! However I picked it up, thinking I’ll read it on essay at a time. It certainly was like that but mostly because I felt like I had to take time between essays for them to marinate in my mind. I took my time with this one but it was well worth it, there were too many times I wanted underline things but I dared not. There were a few essays that I will definitely go back to again and again. I read Untethered Sky because I wanted to get a taste of Fonda Lee’s writing and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to dive into the much hyped series. So, this was the best solution. I liked it a lot and as a starting point for Fonda Lee’s writing, this was great. I think I just didn’t get the emotional investment/depth that I was looking for, but not every novella can do that and I am well aware of it. I loved the way it ended, I think. It made sense that it should end that way.

Then I picked up this duology that I started last year and due to not being in the mood, put it down. I don’t know why I didn’t read even a little bit more just so I could have known how brilliant this series actually is. I am just so happy that I finally got around to it and finally dove into it. Let’s talk about A Memory Called Empire first. Honestly, what a delightful mix of political intrigue, murder mystery and just a space empire on the verge of collapse from the inside. I love Mahit and as I read on, I loved Three Seagrass and Twelve Azalea. There were many interesting side characters, too. I think part of the reason I enjoyed it as much is because to a degree I am Mahit too, in that I used to be borderline in love with a culture that colonized my country but over time, I came to understand how that’s possible and hating it anyway. Even to this day, it’s a weird struggle for me to enjoy English lit and not have that occasional thought of why I know so much English lit to begin with. It’s an odd feeling, to feel connected to a character like this, if I am being honest. Now, onto the A Desolation Called Peace, that one, the first book laid the foundations and this one built on that and it was so great to read. Mahit and Three Seagrass were complex and fantastic but I think for me, Eight Antidote was truly the shining hero in this one. And I can’t not mention all the politicking and always ready to fire up ammo space military and Lsel’s very, very flawed governing people. Just an amazing duology and I can’t say more without spoiling a lot.

And that’s it for the wrap up, I suppose. My life hasn’t been the greatest if I am being entirely honest and well, books have been a great help in uplifting my mood or giving me the minute break I need in daily life. I hope the reading remains steady throughout the year. How’s your first couple of months been so far?