This is my first day back in the U.S. after traveling around South Korea for 2.5 weeks. Because the weather during the first half of the trip was rainy, I read a lot more than I usually do during a vacation. So this WWW Wednesday covers my last three weeks’ worth of reading. Interestingly, I didn’t read a lot on my plane rides. I think this is mainly because I find long plane rides uncomfortable and I alternate between reading, watching movies, failing to sleep, and playing solitaire/sudoku/bejeweled on my phone.

WWW Wednesday was revived and hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words. The idea is to answer the three questions below and leave a link to your post in the comments for others to look at. No blog? No problem! Just leave a comment with your responses.

What are you currently reading?

What have you just finished reading?

What are you going to read next?

Currently Reading

THE LAND OF THE LIVING AND THE DEAD by Shauna Lawless: This is a long-overdue ARC (September 2024) and I decided to tackle it after doing a bunch of mood reading. It’s the third book in the main Gael Song trilogy, which has expanded to novellas and a new related series. I’m about 20% in so far. While it’s been well over a year since I read book 2, the author thankfully does a great job with character hints. And I love how her mind works weaving together all the political scheming.

POETS SQUARE by Courtney Gustafson: The cover initially drew me in and then I kept seeing it pop up periodically. Not to mention it’s a memoir in which a large chunk is about helping feral cats. This book is my focus the rest of this week since it’s due back to the library on Friday. I’m really liking this one so far. “An intimate memoir about the importance of community and care in a world that can feel impossibly broken—and a story about accidentally going viral while tending to a colony of feral cats.“

EVEN THOUGH I KNEW THE END by C.L. Polk: I started this audiobook during vacation, but now that I’m back I’ll obviously have some chores to do during which I can finish this up. I’m not too far into it, so no off the cuff thoughts just yet. “A magical detective dives into the affairs of Chicago’s divine monsters to secure a future with the love of her life. This sapphic period piece will dazzle anyone looking for mystery, intrigue, romance, magic, or all of the above.”

Just Finished

THE ASSASSIN’S BLADE by Sarah J. Maas: I finished this right before we left for South Korea. I enjoyed this set of novellas and it made me even sadder for Celaena’s loss prior to THRONE OF GLASS.

THE VEGETARIAN by Han Kang: I also finished this right before my vacation. I decided to read it (audiobook) because it was a bestseller in South Korea. To be honest I don’t know what I read. There are a number of content warnings (rape, eating disorder, forced institutionalization). I think this is maybe a psychological horror book? And I think it’s a commentary on bodily autonomy, in this case about meat, in a society that eats a lot of meat. I’m sure I missed even more commentary, maybe about marriages of convenience, etc.

THE FAIRY BARGAINS OF PROSPECT HILL by Rowenna Miller: This is another long overdue ARC, from 2023, I think? I was skeptical about reading it due to mixed reviews, but ended up liking it. I need to write a formal review for it, so keep an eye out for it if you want to know more. “In the early 1900s, two sisters must navigate the magic and the dangers of the Fae in this enchanting and cozy historical fantasy about sisterhood and self-discovery.“

HOW HIGH WE GO IN THE DARK by Sequoia Nagamatsu: I bought this several years ago and it’s been sitting on my Kindle since then. It was a speculative fiction with some intertwining stories about how people cope with a mysterious pandemic that basically changes internal organs into other organs, so the body can’t function properly. I haven’t decided whether to review it, but I liked it well enough. The speculative fiction part kind of dampened my enjoyment, but it’s still a good examination of how a society might respond to mass death.

THE ROOMMATE RISK by Talia Hibbert: This is another book I bought a while ago that I let sit on my Kindle. I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. I’m always hesitant to pick up a contemporary romance because most of the time I’m not into the premise. This one is borderline slice of life with respect to the timing. But it tackles some big themes like grief, parental abandonment, and loving yourself to be able to accept love. And the chemistry in this one is off the charts!

SHARK HEART: A LOVE STORY by Emily Habeck: My book club keeps gushing about this book, so I finally allowed my library hold to arrive. It’s definitely a unique story. The prose is lovely, if a little overly metaphorical at times. The formatting makes it a quicker read. I really felt for Wren, particularly when the reader learns about her mother’s backstory. It’s a “debut novel of marriage, motherhood, metamorphosis, and letting go, this intergenerational love story begins with newlyweds Wren and her husband, Lewis—a man who, over the course of nine months, transforms into a great white shark.“

THE THORNS REMAIN by JJA Harwood: This is yet another book I’ve had for a while, but this time in physical format. (However, I read the digital version since I wanted to read it while on vacation.) I buddy read this with Chris and I ended up liking it more than I thought I would considering the somewhat low Goodreads ratings. It’s a historical fantasy set in rural Scotland right after WWII that involves fae that are more sinister than a lot of SJM-style fae. I really liked that the author kept to that and that the ending isn’t a neat little bow. It’s not romantasy.

Reading Next

To be honest, I’m not quite sure what I want to pick up next. I have a couple of half-finished books that I might finally go back to and cross off my list before I start anything new. I know I want to spend November reading cozier and more positive things. So if I want to squeeze in anything dark, now is the time!