What I've Been Reading Lately

Well, this week has brought quite a reversal in weather! Last week, as mentioned, I was enjoying a nice sangria and reading session on the couch to escape the heat. 

This week, there's a hurricane bringing torrents of rain. 

I think I'm going to just stay here on the couch. 

Luckily, I've been reading a few books that I can wholeheartedly endorse. It's so nice to discover new favorites! This week, there are two dystopian/sci-fi novels, MORE historical fiction (of the super historical sort), a fantasy novel, and a dark, dark thriller. Read on to get my thoughts, and enjoy!

1. Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff - 

Publisher's description:

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do. This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.

My Thoughts:

This book requires two things: a healthy degree of suspension of disbelief, and a hardcover copy. You do not want to read this on an e-reader! Even I, e-reader addict #1, read this in hardcover, and it was so worth it. This is because the authors use unconventional formatting to tell the story - there are email threads, illustrations from characters' journals, depictions of space battles with the thoughts of the pilots spiraling across a black sky. The list goes on. And somehow it works! I was completely engrossed - you're getting ALL sides of the story with this storytelling method, but it isn't overwhelming. It's an exciting puzzle. I loved it, and have already devoured the second in the trilogy (by the way, it's a trilogy). Highly recommend, if you feel like opening your mind to futuristic dystopian sci-fi told in a completely unique way. Loved the characters, cool story. All the thumbs!

2. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin - 

Publisher's description:

Yeine Darr is an outcast from the barbarian north. But when her mother dies under mysterious circumstances, she is summoned to the majestic city of Sky. There, to her shock, Yeine is named an heiress to the king. But the throne of the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is not easily won, and Yeine is thrust into a vicious power struggle.

My Thoughts:

Oh my gosh, I was obsessed with this book. This is also the first of a trilogy (the best kind of books - the ones that don't end). The characters are compelling because of how unapologetically flawed they are; you like them, you root for them, but sometimes they're bad and you like that too because it comes across as very real. I am a fan of these kinds of characters; I want feel like I'm living in the book's world when I'm reading it, and the protagonists are so much more believable when they not only make mistakes but are sometimes just not very nice. 

There's a lot missing from this publisher's description - namely, that there are gods involved, and magic in addition to the political intrigue. The author has built a captivating world. Loved this, please read!

3. The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter - 

Publisher's description:

Two girls are forced into the woods at gunpoint. One runs for her life. One is left behind…

Twenty-eight years ago, Charlotte and Samantha Quinn's happy small-town family life was torn apart by a terrifying attack on their family home. It left their mother dead. It left their father — Pikeville's notorious defense attorney — devastated. And it left the family fractured beyond repair, consumed by secrets from that terrible night.

Twenty-eight years later, and Charlie has followed in her father's footsteps to become a lawyer herself — the ideal good daughter. But when violence comes to Pikeville again — and a shocking tragedy leaves the whole town traumatized — Charlie is plunged into a nightmare. Not only is she the first witness on the scene, but it's a case that unleashes the terrible memories she's spent so long trying to suppress. Because the shocking truth about the crime that destroyed her family nearly thirty years ago won't stay buried forever…

My Thoughts:

Oof. Dark, dark, dark. Sunshine and rainbows will not be found here. You will not walk away from this book smiling thoughtfully and feeling deeply content. But I don't think that's what the author is aiming for here, so I'd still call this a success. (On a side note, I am very interested in whether this author's real last name is Slaughter or if this is a pen name. If it's real, I have to applaud the choice in career. Writer of dark thrillers indeed.)

The story was technically good. I was interested, I wanted to unravel the mysteries, I wanted the conclusion. But I didn't much care for the characters, and while I appreciate that the author tackles some tough subjects when crafting her characters' psyches I felt that overall I couldn't really connect with the story. If you don't mind very dark stories, if you like mysteries - this might tickle your fancy. It wasn't really up my alley. Also not something I'd really want to read on the beach . . . or even at home with a glass of wine. 

4. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline -

Publisher's description:

In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the  OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines, puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. When Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win—and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape.

My Thoughts:

So good, and also disturbing on an utterly real level. I will tell you all now - I am terrified of some of the changes advances in technology will bring. Not technology for the greater good, mind you. VIDEO GAME TECHNOLOGY. I have fearful flashes of my future children mindlessly clicking away in some virtual world, pale as my upper thigh from never venturing into the sun. I've seen this in action now! It's real! Take heed! Stepping off my soapbox now. 

So otherwise, this story was charming! The author wove in pop culture reference from the 80's, and played on the nostalgia of the readers. The protagonist is likable - you want him to 'win the game'. There is a good overall message (confronting the 'real world' in order to truly live). Overall, this was just so well written, and I really enjoyed reading this. Several thumbs up!

5. Nefertiti by Michelle Moran - 

Publisher's description:

Nefertiti and her younger sister, Mutnodjmet, have been raised in a powerful family that has provided wives to the rulers of Egypt for centuries. Ambitious, charismatic, and beautiful, Nefertiti is destined to marry Amunhotep, an unstable young pharaoh. It is hoped that her strong personality will temper the young ruler’s heretical desire to forsake Egypt’s ancient gods.

From the moment of her arrival in Thebes, Nefertiti is beloved by the people but fails to see that powerful priests are plotting against her husband’s rule. The only person brave enough to warn the queen is her younger sister, yet remaining loyal to Nefertiti will force Mutnodjmet into a dangerous political game; one that could cost her everything she holds dear.

My Thoughts:

Full disclosure, this book is years old. I started in reverse with some of Michelle Moran's more recent offerings, and enjoyed her writing style so much that I've been working my way back to her earlier works. So far, this is by far my favorite. I'm a sucker for anything dealing with ancient Egypt, and the first-person writing and lavish (also accurate) historical details take you right into that time in history. Love, scheming, war - all play a part in Moran's novel. I have a new favorite author. In the historical fiction genre, I like this more than anything I've read in a while. I would definitely suggest giving her work a try. 

This concludes this week's literary roundup - if you have any questions or recommendations, please let me know!

- Taylor