What Jia’s Been Reading, Late August/Early September
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Reading slowed down a lot these past few weeks, but I did manage to finish 2 YAs, an urban fantasy, and a paranormal contemporary.
The Dark Glamour by Gabriella Pierce. This is the follow-up to 666 Park Avenue, which I read for review earlier this year. About families of witches in NYC high society. An easy, if shallow, read, though I wish it’d just get on already with the main show. I realize that’d defeat the point of a series where the climactic battle is saved for the final installment, but still. I’m not sure how much longer this conflict can be drawn out. Will be reviewed.
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The Shattering by Karen Healey. A paranormal thriller/supernatural murder mystery set in New Zealand. Really liked the diversity of the protagonists, which covered various identities not often portrayed in non-issue YA novels. If you’ve read any decent amount of fantasy, the basic storyline will be a familiar one but I thought the characters, setting and background culture, and execution really made it work. And while I correctly predicted the twist, that didn’t make it any less gut-wrenching. (Longer review here.)
Bloodshot by Cherie Priest. Urban fantasy lost its shine for me a while ago and I’m completely tired of vampires, but I decided to give this a try. I read Priest’s debut novel, Four and Twenty Blackbirds, when it first came out and despite liking it, didn’t pick up another book of hers until now. I really don’t know why. I thought the vampire protagonist’s voice was fresh and original. Her neurotic habits and personality were on full display, and I liked that. The supporting cast was also great, so I’m going to give the sequel a try.
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Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter. The follow-up to Heist Society and it’s just as much fun as the first. I really do like caper novels. In this one, the con gets conned and as a result as to fix things. I really enjoyed the developments between Kat and Hale — my favorite, the good old friends to lovers trope, complete with the uncertainty and anxiety about even considering the transition. I don’t know if any more books are coming out in this continuity but I hope so!
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What about you guys? Am I the only one who’s hit a speed bump in terms of reading? I don’t even have an excuse like school starting up or a work project or anything!
Second book in the Bloodshot series is out– Hellbent. I’m saving it for this weekend. Loved Bloodshot even though I’m so tired of vampires that it takes a major push to get me to even pick up a vampire story– or the book has to be by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro.
And for Audible.com fans, it’s out on Audible and luckily read by the same narrator who did Blood Shot– Natalie Ross.
@DS: I’m reading Bloodshot right now, actually! I’m liking it so far.
I loved 666 Park Avenue but I couldn’t get into The Dark Glamour. Seriously, for books that are part of a planned trilogy, I’d almost rather wait until all three books were out to start book one. The middle book of a trilogy can feel particularly incomplete (I had that problem recently with Frost by Wendy Delsol). Plus, I just don’t like waiting a year or so with all the cliffhangers.
You’re not the only one in a reading slump! After a string of only so-so reads in August (The Future of Us, Sass & Serendipity, Epic Fail, and Lola and the Boy Next Door (all YA), I’ve just been not wanting to read at all. May have to give the Shattering a try though since I really need a YA book to speak to me again.
I am in a reading funk right now. I have started several books, and not finished them. Right now, I am reading The Witch of Agnesi by Robert Spiller, it is quite good.
I maxed out on urban fantasy and paranormal quite some time ago, and it seems like that’s jut about all that’s being printed (or at least reviewed) these days. So I’m back to re-reading old favorites.
I did enjoy New York to Dallas, though.