Currently Reading

Time for some book talk! Here’s a few reads I’m currently working my way through:

New Reads

half a kingHalf a King by Joe Abercrombie. Don’t let the fact that this is a YA epic fantasy series fool you. There’s a reason Abercrombie’s nickname is Lord Grimdark (also his Twitter handle and he’s pretty funny over there). I’m not very far into this one yet, but it’s living up to the grim and dark hype. That’s not to say it’s not good so far. This is my first dip into his work, so we’ll see how the rest of it goes (i.e. whether the grimdarkness exceeds my wanting to see what happens).
 

luxThe Lux Series by Jennifer Armentrout. This is a YA paranormal romance series. And no, it doesn’t feature vampires or werewolves, though that’s all I’m going to say about that. That fact is what made me curious to pick up book 1, Obsidian. I’m on book 3 out of 5 right now and the teenage drama between the two main characters is starting to annoy me (as it usually eventually does in any contemporary YA series). It’s entertaining enough to keep me going, but definitely my fluff read for breaks between other books.
 

altaicaAltaica by Tracy Joyce. This is a YA fantasy read that I picked up from Net Galley. I’m having trouble keeping going with this one. I like the idea of the story, but the writing is just painful. I’m hoping it gets better? But not holding my breath. There will eventually be a full review, as I was given a review copy. But don’t hold your breath, either.
 
 
 

Apparently I’m on a YA kick in the wake of my non-fiction kick. *shrug*

What are you reading lately? Any recommendations?

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Bits & Pieces

1. I started the Beginner Sewing Series at Stitch Lab on Friday. We went over the basics of our machines (which was useful as refresher since I hadn’t touched my machine in awhile), and learned how to make a drawstring bag. The also introduced me to an oh-so-handy little tool called a magnetic seam guide. To be honest, sewing in a straight line is not one of my natural skill sets. But no more! That thing is a game changer. They also let us take extra fabric scraps to practice making bags, and I think I’ve nailed it: That one […]

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Five Things Friday

  1. It’s amazing how productive a day can be when you get solid sleep at night. I’ve slept great all week, and I’ve gotten so much done! Quite an unusual state of affairs for this insomniac.   2. Part of my trip back home involved helping my mom go through a bunch of stuff she got from my grandma’s house. End result: I came back to Texas with a ton of new-to-me cooking and decorative stuff. This entailed a new blue speckled roaster, cast iron dutch oven, a make-your-own whip cream set, vases, a wooden picture frame my grandpa […]

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