Reading Recap: July

Another month done coming in at four.

Here's the line-up:

Game of Retribution ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ Fourth Wing ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ Threaded ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Red Rising ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My favorite book of the month was Red Rising. It was so fun to reread this book now when dystopian novels aren't so much the rage. I actually read my original review of this book from 2014 and it was ... amusing. I was very much not loving it, and referenced how similar it was to other dystopian books of the time. However, returning to it now, I think it was wonderful. The writing is superb, the world is unique, and the characters are delightful (and horrible)

Read my reviews below. There are no spoilers. And at the end I've listed a few of my favorite quotes from this month.

Hope you enjoy.

July Stats:

• 3,505 pages read

• 15.65 hours listened

• Average rating: 4.29⭐️

July Reads:

Game of Retribution by Scarlett St. Clair⁠

Hades, God of the Dead, has found his wife and Queen in the new Goddess Persephone. But when he declines to help Hera with her plan to overthrow Zeus, he realizes that Persephone is not just his lover, but his greatest weakness. As Hera forces Hades to complete a series of near-impossible labors, he finds his secrecy and difficulty with trust is causing its own issues in his relationships with Persephone.⁠

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Note: There may be SPOILERS for earlier books but NO SPOILERS in this review for this book.⁠

This book is the second book of Hades saga, which is told from Hades point of view but takes place concurrent to A Touch of Ruin from Persephone's point of view.⁠

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I liked seeing the behind-the-scenes from Hades POV because it does a great job of fleshing out more of the Greek myths and the divine world. However, I felt like the plot was just not moving at a fast enough pace for me. And the parts that overlap with Ruin felt a bit repetitive to me.⁠

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I think I'm questioning whether or not these books should just have been dual POV to begin with, which is something I often think when authors go for this style of writing "the same book from a different POV". However, to give St. Clair credit, this book DOES have a lot of new plot information that make it more than just a repeat book from a different POV.⁠

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⭐️ I gave this 3.5 stars⁠

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros ⁠

Born with a condition that makes her fragile and breakable, Violet was raised to be a scribe. But when her mother, the General, forces her to join the Rider quadrant, Violet knows every day might be her last. Violet is determined not to die and not to show weakness in front of her classmates, the dragons, and especially -- Xaden Riorson -- son of the rebellion leader. Welcome, to the Fourth Wing.⁠

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I'm not sure there is anyone on bookstagram right now that hasn't heard of Fourth Wing. I went into this with a little bit of FOMO and a health dose of skepticism for the hype. But as an avid fantasy reader and fantasy author, I struggled with this book. I thought the plot was predictable, the world-building was rather clunky, and the magic system had some holes.⁠

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However, as always, if you give me a shadow-wielding morally-grey dark-haired enemies-to-lovers MMC, I WILL like him.⁠

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What I liked:⁠

- Xaden.⁠

- The dragons were amazing. I loved the grumpy-sunshine dynamic they had. I just wish they had come sooner in the book.⁠

- I applaud Rebecca Yarros for her disability representation in this book. Violet is an FMC who truly was born with a disability, not just the typical "weaker, smaller girl". I loved seeing the ways she compensated for her disability amidst the war college⁠.

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As soon as I gave up on the hype and just settled in to enjoy this book for what it was, I started liking it a lot more. So, I encourage anyone else reading to do the same. Don't worry about the hype. And it doesn't have to be a 5 star read for everyone. ⁠

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⭐️ I gave this 3.75 stars⁠

Threaded by Tay Rose⁠

When Mariah is summoned to the capital on her twenty-first birthday, she thought it was just a slight detour from the freedom she'd been craving her whole life. Instead, she is chosen during the ceremony, thrown into a world of magic, politics, and danger. Surrounded by her own protectors, Mariah finds herself drawn to the only member of her team who seems to hate her. But as they grow closer, the danger only grows. ⁠

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Threaded has all the things I love about indie fantasy. Tay Rose is able to weave a slow-burn romance amid a vividly-rich world with powerful magic, strong female characters, and intricate politics. This book is thick, and sometimes slow, but it is an example of what fantasy can be when you aren't in a rush (or aren't trying to minimize pages for a profit).⁠

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A word of warning -- this book ends on a cliff hanger. I knew this going in, but it is not my favorite. If cliff hangers aren't for you, I'd wait until the second book is out so you can binge read instead!⁠

If you haven't followed @tayrosebooks on Instagram, go support her. Threaded was her indie debut and I can't wait to see what she has in store for us.

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⭐️ I gave this 4 stars⁠

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Red Rising by Pierce Brown⁠

Darrow is a Red, forced to work in the depths of Mars for the good of mankind. But after he discovers the truth and tragedy strikes, he is pushed into a revolution that makes him sacrifice everything -- his safety, his values, and his humanity itself. Because, in order to take down the Golds, he must prove himself at the Academy. And to do that, he must become one of them.

I read this book originally in 2014, during a time where dystopian YA was prevalent and popular. My review at that time was harsh -- I found it slow and too reminiscent of other books I had read (e.g., Hunger Games, Divergent). It was actually a bit strange to read my own review which seemed like it was written by a stranger.

Even though the characters start out as teens, this book is, really, NOT a YA dystopian sci-fi. In fact, the parts of this story that I disliked as a younger reader are exactly what makes this book so good.

Red Rising is a story of hardship, injustice, and betrayal. The politics are complex, the world is brilliant, and the characters are violent, unpredictable, and -- perhaps surprisingly -- likeable.

This story is only getting started, and I can't wait to see where it goes from here. From what I've heard (and the tears I've seen from readers), I'm in for quite a ride.

⭐️ I gave this 5 stars

Quotes of the Month:

There were so many good ones in Red Rising. But one of my favorites:

I am the Reaper and death is my shadow. - Red Rising

And one of my favorites from Threaded:

Love is a weakness. - Threaded