One major reason for my recent, unintended absence, was that the reading bug finally got me again. For all of 2023, I only read 10 books. Since the first of this year, I have read 11 and I’m currently working on two. One thicc boi for at home and one in my tote for lunch time at work.
Here’s a roundup of the few I’ve read recently:
For most of this novella, there wasn’t much that set it apart from other fantasy novels, but I was still enjoying myself. With the route it was taking, I didn’t expect the turn that it took towards the end. I thought it would follow a middle of the road path straight until the end and leave you wondering if the second book was worth the effort. But with that twist, I will read book two. I’m not running out to the store to get it anytime soon though, it wasn’t THAT good. Perfect size for work travel.
This book has some sentimental value. It is the last book in the last batch of books that my grandfather bought me before he passed away. That was 9 years ago. Somehow, subliminally, I saved one of the best for last. ZOMBIES. It’s been a minute since I last picked up a zombie novel. They are not all created the same. This one however, had enough twists to the world that my interest was piqued immediately. The zombie plague broke out 20 years ago and humanity has been dealing with it ever since. Not on the fringes barely being able to squeeze out an existence, but with cities and government still intact. The internet still exists, so communication is key. How have they not rid the undead pestilence yet when technology is so prevalent? Every human carries a virus payload within them, the virus can at times spontaneously overload your body and cause immediate transition. (Getting bit is still the main lethal spread.) We follow our main characters, journalists who run a blog (more trustworthy than the actual news, news failed to provide actual help as the outbreak happened) as they follow the presidential campaign across the country. It mixes adventure, flirting with death, politics and zombies into a deliciously morbid blend. I did not see the end coming.
Most of the time, I was burning through this series. It has taken me by surprise how much I have loved it. I was sketchy about trying the first book years ago, but a good friend convinced me, despite my reservations that it was worth it. She wasn’t wrong. Then, Moth bought me the second book and it sat on my shelf for about a year. Talking to the same friend who recommended it, she informed me that the second book was better than the first and she said, “Just do it.” I did. Before I was finished with it, I ran out and bought the third because there was so much detail that I knew I didn’t want to forget anything if I left off for a while. I got to the middle of the third book and Mr. C&M was ordering the last two for me so I wouldn’t have to fret. This series has unexpectedly launched into my top 10 series list. I still wouldn’t read Maas’ original assassin series as that does not appeal to me, but I will definitely keep up on her adult books. Now I anxiously await the next installment.
The blank says, “Beware of pit bulls. They will steal your heart.” And it is truth.
Mr. C&M also set up a new reading spot for me (and Ridley). This big recliner is right next to my bookshelf, the lamp is directly behind me, and I have a coaster for a drink. Ridley is my reading partner in crime, and we have sat together for many hours getting lost in different worlds. ❤
What are you reading right now?
cupcakesandmachetes 
Armoured Saint looks like it could be Warhammer any time of the day. Some cool covers you have here. Currently reading Mort by Terry Pratchett.
I could definitely see it being a Warhammer story!
I enjoy Pratchett’s Disc World series (I’ve only read two so far) but I have a hard time getting completely consumed by them, so I go pretty long between trying the next book in the series. I believe Mort is somewhere in that massive universe, correct?
Mort is book four in the series yeah. But the cool thing is that you can almost read every one as a stand alone, which is one of the other reasons I like the Disc.
This is true!
I hope you are enjoying Autumn Republic. McClellan was/is a disciple of Sanderson, BUT, I feel his books, while almost as big, are more tightly edited and thus make for a better story. It did take me two tries to get through Autumn Republic though 😀
Currently, I’m reading “Warriors of Spider” by W. Michael Gear. I read it back in highschool as a standalone and it was only recently I found out it was actually the start of a trilogy. So I’m seeing how the whole thing stands up to adult me.
I enjoyed the last book in the trilogy, although I felt it left a couple of character plots open, but I understand that there is another trilogy set in the same world. I’ll be adding that series to my TBR list as well. Despite being a hefty book, I felt like I flew through it. 🙂
I’ve never heard of that author or series. I will have to go read the synopsis!
— It sounds interesting. I look forward to your review. 🙂
Gear is the author who’s currently writing the Donovan series, about colonists on a super alpha predator planet and how rich company ceo’s from earth are trying to rule them.
Sounds like Earth alright. 😛
OMG, RIDLEY! 😭 Such a cute baby! Look at that pic!
I need to read the Feed series. Everything about it sounds appealing, especially the blog aspect, though it makes me nervous that society doesn’t trust the news, so they trust bloggers. That….that may not have aged well.
Okay, what makes Mass so great to read!? She’s everywhere, but I’m too timid to jump in a fantasy series that may be like every fantasy ever. I tried that Silver Naomi Novik book everyone lived and did not finish.
I think trusting blogs over news actually does hold up these days if you think about it. SO many people think the news is filled with misinformation (and it is depending to who you’re listening to) but in the FEED world, you have to be licensed to be a news blog and there are various degrees of said licensing. I highly recommend it and Grant is a female author. (She has other pen names as well if you’re not already aware.)
Maas has pretty great world building, although you must be interested in the Fae or it will hold no appeal to you (for this series). She is very good at characters and character redemption. Each book is a roller coaster ride of events. She also has no problem making it spicy. 😉
Ha, spicy, I love it. I think for now I better finish the S.M. Reine series I purchased several years ago. It’s not that I stopped reading her, it’s just there are so many, and also the current mini series I’m on is a little long (and more fun than emotionally wrenching).
Okay, definitely adding Grant to my list.
Wooo! Can’t wait to hear what you think once you get around to reading her. 🙂