Friday Reads 11.3.23
It’s Friday, friends, and you know what that means… let’s talk about what we’re reading!
I’ve been looking forward to this weekend for months, because Tuesday, Rebecca Yarrow’s second book in the Empyreum series, IRON FLAME, releases. I was shocked by how much I loved FOURTH WING. Obviously, I wasn’t alone; the book continues to chart the bestseller lists. It feels like Rebecca took every trope I love from all of my favorite fantasy series, merged them into one story, created a truly wonderful main character and an anti-hero who’s drool-worthy, and threw the classic enemies-to-lovers tale into a war college…with dragons. Yeah, I was hooked from the first page. There is something really special about this series. Amazon Studios has already picked it up for a TV show (again, OMG.) I used my Audible credit this month to buy the audio, so that I can experience the story in a new way. I am taking Tuesday off to read the new book. Do you ever do that? Set aside a day for an author’s new book? Diana Gabaldon and J.K. Rowling have been the only ones I’ve done it for in the past, but this series is worth it.
I’m finishing up the divine Tess Gerritsen’s THE SPY COAST, too, and I’m super excited to see her talk about it in person at Poisoned Pen. A bunch of retired spies get into some serious trouble when their past comes back to haunt them, and with Tess’s trademark plotting and wit, it’s excellent.
I managed to get a copy of Laura Steven of new book, EVERY EXQUISITE THING, which seems to only be out in the UK right now, and it’s topping my TBR. Gothic girls schools for the win…
My pal Ariel Lawhon, , got an Indie Next pick for her amazing new novel, THE FROZEN RIVER. Congrats!
Finally, the incredibly talented Emily Ley sent me a surprise package with her two latest titles, NEAR IN THE NIGHT and SURE AS THE SUNRISE, and they are really lovely, meditative books. The little notebook in it is also perfect for my travel purse.
I popped in a Subscribe button here because starting next week, I’ll be doing some “on-the-ground reporting” for my paid subscribers, talking about my new book as I start building it, and a new short story I’m working on, too. I’ll discuss scene building, outlining, the differences in how I approach a short story versus a novel, where I am in the process, etc., and will do this as I write the book, probably on a bi-weekly basis. It will be my Book Journal come to life. I’ll probably also talk about the Jayne series as well, because building books is building books, regardless of genre. Since these are craft-specific posts, I will keep them behind the paywall. If you’re interested, consider joining up.
How about you? What’s on your reading plate this weekend?
