What Are You Reading Wednesday (April 7, 2021)

It’s time again to ask ourselves the three W’s:
What if you had cheated Death?
Would you continue to cheat it or give Death its due?
What if you didn’t really have a choice in the matter?

Wait, no, that’s not right. We ask these three W’s:
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
Which books will you read next?

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words.

           

A Wizard’s Guide To Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher

★★★★★ || Goodreads
THIS BOOK! *flails* I laughed. I cried. I feared for crusty, sweet little gingerbread men like I never imagined I would in my life. I’m still working on writing a review for this, because what do I even say? I absolutely and utterly loved this. I’ve seen other T. Kingfisher books around but never picked them up, but I will for sure be reading everything this author writes. Mona is an absolutely charming protagonist who’s brave, even though she shouldn’t have to be, and who’s witty and sarcastic and says all the things the reader is thinking. Like, you know, twelve-year-olds shouldn’t have to be the ones to save the day, and the adults all let them down majorly to even get to that point. It’s this almost self-aware narrative that I think works so freaking well in this book, because it doesn’t downplay Mona’s abilities and contributions, but it acknowledges the fact that kids shouldn’t have to save the day. Best of both worlds. Review to come. When I find real words and not just emotional grunts.

The Accidental Apprentice by Amanda Foody

★★★★★ || Goodreads
Same thing I said above goes for this, except that I actually managed to already write a review! Huzzah! You can go read that if you’d like. Or better yet, just go read this book. It’s absolutely charming in all the best ways. It reminded me a lot of Pokemon, which hit a really nice nostalgia feel for me. Except the goal here really isn’t to collect all the Beasts. There is, however, that sense of catching something and bonding with it to become partners, fighting with other Lore Masters and their Beasts, and everything have different power levels and elements and powers. It’s just a really neat idea, all wrapped into an interesting setting, with main characters that are easy to root for and journey with. I’m really looking forward to the library getting this one, because I plan on throwing it at many a kid. I think it’s going to be a big hit!

Penny Pinching Tips for the Morally Bankrupt by Libby Marshall

★★★★☆ || Goodreads
I’ve been having trouble sitting down and reading lately, so I picked up this book from Kindle Unlimited. The author approached me for a review request a while back, and I added it to my TBR without responding (because I’m a horrible person, and sometimes I get busy and forget), but when I saw it on my list I figured it would be perfect for my mood. And it was. Penny Pinching Tips for the Morally Bankrupt is a collection of short stories, jokes, and vignettes all packaged into one bundle sure to delight those of us with somewhat devious and questionable characters. The stories are pretty bite-sized, so I enjoyed the ability to pick it up, read something, and set it back down (even though I enjoyed it so much that I found I really didn’t want to set it down all that much). As with any sort of story collection, there were some that were more misses than hits for me, but overall, I just absolutely loved this! It made me crack up so hard, and I ended up sharing it with hubby, who even laughed out loud at some parts. If that’s not a rousing endorsement, I don’t know what is. Will definitely be writing a review for this one, too, because it was too good not to properly share!

Pawcasso by Remy Lai

★★★★★ || Goodreads
Minion and I read this yesterday for an upcoming blog tour next month that we’ll be doing a post for together. So there’s something to look forward to. 😉 Ooof, guys, this book hurt my heart. But in all the best ways. Going in, I thought it would be “just” a story about a dog. Which don’t get me wrong, we all love dog stories, right? This is so much more than that, though. It’s a story about the lies we tell, both others and ourselves. About learning how to handle people’s differences and understanding that people can have different opinions and still get along. About not making assumptions and listening to what other people think rather than immediately jumping to demonize them. This book was just so full of love and fluffy goodness. I can’t wait to share the review with you! Minion and I have already started thinking about what we want to do.

I haven’t made any progress on The Swimmers since my last update. I actually ended up picking up two buddy reads, so this got pushed back a little bit. I’m also having a horrible time focusing on reading lately, and this is the sort of book that requires my attention and engagement, and since I’m enjoying it, I want to make sure my brain is actually working enough to appreciate it!

Bridge of Souls by Victoria Schwab
Status: 75%

Where there are ghosts, Cassidy Blake follows … unless it’s the other way around?

Cass thinks she might have this ghost-hunting thing down. After all, she and her ghost best friend, Jacob, have survived two haunted cities while travelling for her parents’ TV show.

But nothing can prepare Cass for New Orleans, which wears all of its hauntings on its sleeve. In a city of ghost tours and tombs, raucous music and all kinds of magic, Cass could get lost in all the colourful, grisly local legends. And the city’s biggest surprise is a foe Cass never expected to face: a servant of Death itself.

Cass takes on her most dangerous challenge yet…

This one’s a buddy read with Mari @ Tirilu, which should be a given, since she’s basically my go-to for middle grade buddy reads. Also, I think she’s the one who really talked me into finally picking up this series in the first place, if I remember correctly? I mean, she’s added so many books to my TBR that it’s hard to remember exactly which at this point, which I suppose is a good problem to have.

I’ll probably finish this one either today or tomorrow, since I’m pretty close already and it’s been really good so far. I enjoyed the first two books in this series, but this book has really turned up both the stakes and the creep factor! I am all for this, obviously. There have been plenty of scenes that have given me the creeps, and I imagine it’d be perfectly spooky for kids in the target audience! Still enough to give adults some chills, too, though. It’s a nice sort of balance.

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Aurora Burning by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Status: pg. 120/495

First, the bad news: an ancient evil—you know, your standard consume-all-life-in-the-galaxy deal—is about to be unleashed. The good news? Squad 312 is standing by to save the day. They’ve just got to take care of a few small distractions first.

Like the clan of gremps who’d like to rearrange their favorite faces.

And the cadre of illegit GIA agents with creepy flowers where their eyes used to be, who’ll stop at nothing to get their hands on Auri.

Then there’s Kal’s long-lost sister, who’s not exactly happy to see her baby brother, and has a Syldrathi army at her back. With half the known galaxy on their tails, Squad 312 has never felt so wanted.

When they learn the Hadfield has been found, it’s time to come out of hiding. Two centuries ago, the colony ship vanished, leaving Auri as its sole survivor. Now, its black box might be what saves them. But time is short, and if Auri can’t learn to master her powers as a Trigger, the squad and all their admirers are going to be deader than the Great Ultrasaur of Abraaxis IV.

Shocking revelations, bank heists, mysterious gifts, inappropriately tight bodysuits, and an epic firefight will determine the fate of the Aurora Legion’s most unforgettable heroes—and maybe the rest of the galaxy as well.

After finishing the Aurora Rising buddy read with Dini @ DiniPandaReads, we dove into the second book, of course. Because why would you stop at book one of a series?! Except maybe to guard your feels because Kristoff and Kaufman are yikes on your feels. But we’re not that smart, so it’s okay. Onward!

Just when I think I can’t possibly love this band of misfits any more, they get into new mischief and make me do just that. I mean … how can you not? Scarlett talking about her boobage problem is *chef’s kiss*. It’s absolutely and utterly priceless to anyone who knows the struggle of dealing with them, particularly when you’re attempting to go undercover or, you know, do physical activities and stuff. Also, Fin is absolute perfection. If either of the authors touch a hair on his brilliant little head, I will rage. RAGE, YOU HEAR ME?! I’m also aware that this stance basically guarantees he’s doomed, but I just can’t help it.

   

I’m trying not to overbook myself (get it?!) because I have some books that I really need to work on finishing before moving on to something else. Especially since I actually never really know just how much reading time I’ll end up getting these days!

The Lore of Prometheus

I’ve got an upcoming blog tour for this! I read the beginning as part of BBNYA last year, but I never did get to read the rest of it. I’ve been super curious about how it turns out! Forbidden magic, unruly and annoying dead people, and a sarcastic protagonist all sound like the perfect combination for me right about now!

The Dragon in the Library

My hold came through on this one through the library. So I decided to go ahead and squeeze it in, since it’s so short. I’ve also got some darker fantasy reads coming up, so I figure it might be nice to read a little fluff book before diving headfirst into murder and mayhem for a while. Also, this has dragons and libraries, which are basically my two favorite things in the whole world. How could it possibly go wrong with a combination like that?

What are you reading this week? Share in the comments below!

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