WWW Wednesday

Hi all!

I hope everyone is doing well during these turbulent times. Today, I’ll be taking part in the WWW meme!

WWW Wednesday is a book meme hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. Basically, this tag involves answering the following questions:

1. What are you currently reading?
2. What did you recently finish reading?
3. What do you plan on reading next?

What are you currently reading?

Oh boy, this week I’m reading four books, which is a lot! This is unusual for me, I tend to only read one book at a time.

Every city has a soul. Some are as ancient as myths, and others are as new and destructive as children. New York City? She’s got five.

But every city also has a dark side. A roiling, ancient evil stirs beneath the earth, threatening to destroy the city and her five protectors unless they can come together and stop it once and for all.

I’ve only read 50 pages of The City We Became so far, but I’m enjoying it! It’s a bit confusing, but that’s typical Jemisin. As the book develops, I’m sure things will start coming together. I really like the character from the prologue (who is unnamed so far) but he has disappeared and I don’t know where he is! Keen to keep reading.

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With their countries on the brink of war, Damen and his new master Prince Laurent must exchange the intrigues of the palace for the sweeping might of the battlefield as they travel to the border to avert a lethal plot. Forced to hide his identity, Damen finds himself increasingly drawn to the dangerous, charismatic Laurent. But as the fledgling trust between the two men deepens, the truth of secrets from both their pasts is poised to deal them the crowning death blow . . .

This is the second book in the Captive Prince trilogy, which is my favourite series of all time. My friend Steffy and I are buddy reading the whole series together because we both miss this world. Of course I’m loving it so much! I’m about 70 pages into this so far.

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Vanessa Wye was fifteen years old when she first had sex with her English teacher.

She is now thirty-two and the teacher, Jacob Strane, has just been accused of sexual abuse by another former student of his. Vanessa is horrified by this news, because she is quite certain that the relationship she had with Strane wasn’t abuse. It was love. She’s sure of that. But now, in 2017, in the midst of allegations against powerful men, she is being asked to redefine the great love story of her life – her great sexual awakening – as rape.

Nuanced, uncomfortable, bold and powerful, and as riveting as it is disturbing, My Dark Vanessa goes straight to the heart of some of the most complex issues our age is grappling with.

My Dark Vanessa seems like it’s a book that is going to kill me, but it’s also something I really want to read. Obviously, this book features pedophilia, rape and assault, so please don’t read this if these topics are distressing! I’m up to page 50 so far and very interested so see where the book goes.

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In 1979, Daisy Jones and The Six split up. Together, they had redefined the 70’s music scene, creating an iconic sound that rocked the world. Apart, they baffled a world that had hung on their every verse.

This book is an attempt to piece together a clear portrait of the band’s rise to fame and their abrupt and infamous split. The following oral history is a compilation of interviews, emails, transcripts, and lyrics, all pertaining to the personal and professional lives of the members of the band The Six and singer Daisy Jones.

While I have aimed for a comprehensive and exhaustive approach, I must acknowledge that full and complete accounts from all parties involved has proved impossible. Some people were easier to track down than others, some were more willing to talk than others, and some, unfortunately, have passed on.

All of which is to say that while this is the first and only authorised account from all represented perspectives, it should be noted that, in matters both big and small, reasonable people disagree.

The truth often lies, unclaimed, in the middle.

I’m listening to this book as an audiobook because everyone says this is the best way to read the book. I’m only about 50 pages in and I’m a bit bored? I’m going to keep going but the narrators have no emotion in their voices, if that makes sense. Which is weird considering this is a full cast narrating the book. Will still read, as I need something to keep me entertained during my government ordered hour long walks haha.

What did you recently finish?

I finished Tian Guan Ci Fu and it was incredible! It took me almost 20 days to read this book because it’s over 2000 pages long, but it is worth it! This book has one of the best slow-burn romances I’ve ever read — and I do mean slow burn, it takes them almost 2000 pages to admit their feelings! — as well as an incredible adventure story.

You can read this book for free: the first 24 chapters can be found here. And the remaining chapters (from 21-244 plus the extras) are found here.

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I also finished reading Binti by Nnedi Okorafor which I rated four stars. This is an interesting novella, about a young Himba woman who becomes the first of her people to be accepted into a famed university. But as she’s travelling there, she becomes the unwitting negotiator between a race of aliens determined to storm the university and the university itself.

This was a short book that really could have benefitted from being longer, but I still quite enjoyed this! Which is rare as I’m not the biggest fan of sci-fi books.

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I also finished Captive Prince this past week as I am rereading the whole series. I adore this series so much, but damn this particular book gets harder and harder to read with every reread (I’m on my 7th reread). Poor Laurent goes through so much and I just want to give him a big hug 😭.

What do you plan on reading next?

Many years ago, Claire was named Head Librarian of the Unwritten Wing—a neutral space in Hell where all the stories unfinished by their authors reside. Her job consists mainly of repairing and organizing books, but also of keeping an eye on restless stories that risk materializing as characters and escaping the library. When a Hero escapes from his book and goes in search of his author, Claire must track and capture him with the help of former muse and current assistant Brevity and nervous demon courier Leto.

But what should have been a simple retrieval goes horrifyingly wrong when the terrifyingly angelic Ramiel attacks them, convinced that they hold the Devil’s Bible. The text of the Devil’s Bible is a powerful weapon in the power struggle between Heaven and Hell, so it falls to the librarians to find a book with the power to reshape the boundaries between Heaven, Hell … and Earth.

I’m planning one buddy reading this book with my friend Laura! Very excited to start it as I’ve heard nothing but good things.

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His identity now revealed, Damen must face his master Prince Laurent as Damianos of Akielos, the man Laurent has sworn to kill.

On the brink of a momentous battle, the future of both their countries hangs in the balance. In the south, Kastor’s forces are massing. In the north, the Regent’s armies are mobilising for war. Damen’s only hope of reclaiming his throne is to fight together with Laurent against their usurpers.

Forced into an uneasy alliance the two princes journey deep into Akielos, where they face their most dangerous opposition yet. But even if the fragile trust they have built survives the revelation of Damen’s identity—can it stand against the Regent’s final, deadly play for the throne?

And of course, I have the last book in the Captive Prince series to read as part of my reread. I’m especially looking forward to this one!

Have you read any of these books? What are you currently reading? What do you plan to read next? Let me know!