It’s time again to ask ourselves the three W’s:
Would you soul-pact with an animal?
What animal would you choose?
Would you commit the taboo?
Wait, no, that’s not right. We ask these three W’s:
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words.
Lies My Teacher Told Me (Young Readers’ Edition) by Rebecca Stefoff
★★★☆☆ || Goodreads
I read the full version of this many years ago, but this one just came out, and I decided to brush up on some little-known facts about history. I was surprised, both by how much I did remember and also that there were some interesting tidbits that I didn’t know. What I especially loved was that it didn’t just talk about the shortcomings of modern history textbooks (giving examples and quotes from those, as well), but it gave some great tips on how the subject could be broached or taught to provide a more well-rounded and honest version of history. I don’t remember that from the original, so I quite enjoyed that. In the end, though, it suffers from what most history textbooks do (for me at least): it was an awfully dry read. You have to really want to know it. Do I see any young readers actually getting through this thing? Probably not, unless they’re really history buffs and just desire the information. I had to read it in small chunks, otherwise my eyes glazed over and I stopped paying attention.
Reviews Posted This Week
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
Status: 29%
A world divided.
A queendom without an heir.
An ancient enemy awakens.
The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction—but assassins are getting closer to her door.
Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic.
Across the dark sea, Tané has trained all her life to be a dragonrider, but is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel.
Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are rising from their sleep.
I did warn that this one would be here for a while! I was so worried at the beginning of this that it was going to end up a DNF because nothing was really happening and there were so many people and chaos and I just was so lost and confused and bored. I sat there thinking to myself, what did Leelynn get me into?! Because it’s obviously all her fault.
Right around I want to say 15%, this book really took off for me. There’s lots of things happening now, and it’s crazy, but I love it. I have a few gripes (because of course I do). There are so many freaking characters. On my Kindle, the character list is 27 pages long, at size 3 font. No, that was not a typo. Yes, 27 pages long. Needless to say, I don’t remember these people. Very few of them. Mostly the POV ones and maybe a few royals and that’s it. There’s a glossary, too, and it’s something like 15 pages long, but I’ll be honest and I haven’t really needed it yet. The context has done just fine.
Also, there is a lot of backstory. Too much, in my opinion, which is something I don’t say often, but it’s so hard to follow, and I basically remember none of it. It’s very clear that Shannon took her worldbuilding seriously and has a massively complete and thorough world … but I just don’t care that much about it. It’s too much all at once, in info dump after info dump, and I end up retaining very little of it.
So those are my big gripes. But stuff is about to go dooooown, man! I’m so looking forward to it.
Steel Crow Saga by Paul Krueger
Status: 19%
Four destinies collide in a unique fantasy world of war and wonders, where empire is won with enchanted steel and magical animal companions fight alongside their masters in battle.
A soldier with a curse
Tala lost her family to the empress’s army and has spent her life avenging them in battle. But the empress’s crimes don’t haunt her half as much as the crimes Tala has committed against the laws of magic… and her own flesh and blood.
A prince with a debt
Jimuro has inherited the ashes of an empire. Now that the revolution has brought down his kingdom, he must depend on Tala to bring him home safe. But it was his army who murdered her family. Now Tala will be his redemption—or his downfall.
A detective with a grudge
Xiulan is an eccentric, pipe-smoking detective who can solve any mystery—but the biggest mystery of all is her true identity. She’s a princess in disguise, and she plans to secure her throne by presenting her father with the ultimate prize: the world’s most wanted prince.
A thief with a broken heart
Lee is a small-time criminal who lives by only one law: Leave them before they leave you. But when Princess Xiulan asks her to be her partner in crime—and offers her a magical animal companion as a reward—she can’t say no, and soon finds she doesn’t want to leave the princess behind.
This band of rogues and royals should all be enemies, but they unite for a common purpose: to defeat an unstoppable killer who defies the laws of magic. In this battle, they will forge unexpected bonds of friendship and love that will change their lives—and begin to change the world.
Guys … I didn’t love this one immediately, and I almost panicked, because I wanted to love it so much. BUT IT’S OKAY. I’ve come around. It took about a good 8% of confusion and just not feeling the book (but still liking the idea) for me to really get behind these characters and understand what was going on. And it’s so freaking good so far.
If you happen to be a child from somewhere around my generation, this is a book for you. So far, the comparison to Pokemon and Avatar: The Last Airbender has been pretty apropos … but I’d say it’s a version of those for adults. Which I happen to be, conveniently. It’s much darker and grittier than either of those and feels nicely geared towards a slightly older crowd, which makes it pretty much perfect for anyone who grew up with those.
I’m more than a little in love with Lee already. And I don’t know if this thing with her and Xiulan is going anywhere, but I already ship them and I need it to, because there’s nothing that I love more than two powerful females who clearly belong together. *grabs dolls that look like them and smooshes them together* Why won’t you love each other already?!
I didn’t get as much reading in as I’d hoped this week, and these are two pretty freaking hefty books (Priory is 850 pages, and Steel Crow Saga is 530 pages. So nothing has really changed on this front. Except that, you know, I’ve somehow got about five billion books out from the library, and I’m not sure exactly how it happened or how I’m going to manage to read them all in time, but I guess I’m just … not going to sleep for the next three weeks?
I did add Dead Voices, which is one of those aforementioned library books. Since it’s shorter, I figured I’d try to squeeze it in, but seeing as how The Bone Ships is also a long read (and what’s up with that lately?!), I’m not sure if I’ll actually have time this week. Crossing my fingers and hoping at this point!
I’m curious about Lies My Teacher Told Me. Enjoy your week, and here’s MY WWW POST
Definitely something I would recommend. It’s so eye-opening! If you can get through the 450-page full adult one, I’d recommend that, but the Young Readers’ Edition was nice for a more bearable chunk (history really isn’t my favorite).
I have copies of Steel Crow Saga and The Bone Ships. I really want to read both this month but who am I kidding? That probably won’t happen. The Bone Ships is a priority though. Good luck with Priory! Ugh 27 pages of characters? Nope😁
They’re both long! I didn’t realize Steel Crow Saga was so long when I started it with Priory. Oops. xD But that and The Bone Ships are both 500 – 550 pages. BUT … Steel Crow Saga is soooo worth it so far. I have a feeling that by the end, I’ll be mad it isn’t longer.
Yeah, I’ve just sort of just … stopped remembering character names unless they’re recurrent. Like a memory flush in order to be able to store all the information I NEED to know lol.
I had the same thoughts about Steel Crow Saga. And I felt the same way about Lee and Xiulan!!!
Yeeees, I’m so happy to hear I’m not the only one!!! Have you finished it already?
Yes, over the weekend. I can’t wait for book 2!!
Sounds like some great reads! Though I know what you mean about the too much backstory. Sometimes you just want the story to get on with the *now*.
I just finished reading Ashley Poston’s The Princess and the Fangirl (really enjoyed it) and am about to start Seanan McGuire’s A Red-Rose Chain.
Yes, so much so. And especially in high fantasy that reflects more medieval structure. It’s like if you were from another planet and you walked into modern-day England and everyone’s talking about the Saints and Jesus and the Virgin Mary, but then they’re also talking about The Wars of the Roses and Winston Churchill and you’re just like … no, mm-mm, you lost me. I’m just gonna stand in this corner now.
Oooh. I really enjoy Seanan McGuire’s work, but i haven’t picked up October Daye yet. I’m really looking forward to it, but I want a time when I can read them all fairly close together.
Yeah, one of the great things about fiction is supposed to be that we get the backstory that we need for the current plot — and more-or-less ONLY the backstory we need for the current plot.
I do think it’s best to be able to read all of the October Daye books at least semi-close-together. McGuire does a good job of refreshing your memory with events that happened in prior books, but there is still a lot of smaller stuff that you’ll miss if it’s been too long. (Speaking from personal experience here…)
I’m definitely curious to see what you will make of The Priory Of The Orange Tree! I still haven’t been able to find the courage to pick it up myself. xD Have a wonderful week and happy reading! Here’s my WWW.
I’m about halfway through now, and it’s really good! Everything’s happening all at once now! I’ll admit, the beginning is sort of slow and confusing … but when it gets going, it gets going, man!
Welp. I guess you went ahead and built that cabin then because we might as well have swapped WWWs
I did! It’s lovely. I’ve even installed a moat. I couldn’t get alligators, though. They refused to cooperate. And piranhas freak me out, so that’s a no-go. I’m not sure yet what will guard the moat. Hrm. The struggle is real.
Liam can guard the moat. He’s a little bitch. That’s why he’s the agent.
Yaaay! Moat guard, check! Hm. We need a dragon, though. I think that’s the one thing we’re missing.
I don’t have connections on dragons. Do you?
Ummmm … no. But surely there’s got to be someone.
Maybe we should ask RJ Barker
Omg Sammie, I know I’ve been moaning heaps about it on Twitter already but I’ve been so scared that I was gonna DNF Priory too coz holy hell, there’s so much happening EVERYWHERE. Even though it’s getting better now and I’m starting to remember the few “main characters” that have been mentioned a few times, I’m STILL pretty lost with keeping track of WTF is going on. Now I’ve finally reached chapters in the double digits (WOOHOO) the pace has definitely picked up, I’m just hoping that it keeps that way 😂 I’m still trying to not put it down and pick something else rn haha
I’m so late at reading these comments that now you’ve pretty much caught up to me (maybe even passed me now, since I didn’t do squat today?!). And I’m hoping you’re not thinking about DNFing it anymore, based on what’s been said on Twitter. xD