The Weekly Wrap: July 12th to July 18th

Weekly Review

1. What I’ve Read This Week
2. My Reading Progress
3. Want to Read Updates

Upcoming

4. TBR for the Upcoming Week
5. Looking Forward

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Last week was very stressful – as summer school winds down, my summative assignments pick up. However, when I get stressed, I cope by reading. And, I finally was in the mood to delve back into the high fantasy genre! I’ve stayed away from high fantasy novels for months, but I was keen to lose myself in a whole new world; pure escapism at its finest.

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna was one of my most anticipated reads of 2021. However, like most of my e-books, new purchases tend to disappear on my Kindle unless read immediately. So, while it’s taken me a few months to read it, I was not – at all – let down by the book.

One of my favourite aspects of The Gilded Ones was the friendship the main character, Deka, made with her fellow women-at-arms. Also, the world-building was incredibly compelling (and angering), especially how religion and culture had been weaponized to subjugate women and enforce colourism.

After finishing The Gilded Ones, I quickly started A River of Royal Blood by Amanda Joy. While I didn’t enjoy it as much as Foran’s book, A River of Royal Blood was still a 4-star read. The dynamic between the main character, Eva, and her sister, and the political intrigue and secrets made the book a great read. Also, I preferred Eva’s romantic interest. But nothing really beats good female friendship in my eyes.

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You will like Girlhood by Melissa Febos if you appreciate:
✨ Feminist nonfiction
✨ Queer memoir
✨ Blend of investigative reporting, memoir, and scholarship
✨ “Examines the narratives women are told about what it means to be female and what it takes to free oneself from them”

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You will like Everyday Legacy by Codi Shewan if you appreciate:
✨ Nonfiction
✨ Self-Help
✨ Asks the reader to shift their mindset to the idea of living―not leaving―a legacy
✨ “shares vital lessons for living, informed by Shewan’s experiences as a funeral director who developed a deep understanding of the reality of death.

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You will like Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse if you appreciate:
✨ Epic fantasy
✨ Inspired by the civilizations of the Pre-Columbian Americas
✨ “a tale of celestial prophecies, political intrigue, and forbidden magic”
✨ Bisexual female main character

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I’ve been putting off We Free the Stars by Hafsah Faizal for months! It’s the conclusion to the Sands of Arawiya duology and I don’t want it to end. First, I’m re-reading the first book, We Hunt the Flame to refresh my knowledge of the book and the details of the world-building. Read my review of We Hunt the Flame.

I’m excited to be immersed in the magic of Arawiya, again. Also, it helps that Faizal’s writing is so beautiful and that her characterizations are ones I adore: quite introspective.

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They’re here! Two highly anticipated books from my Anticipated Upcoming Release page released on Tuesday, July 20th:

• She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
• Curses by Lish McBride

Coincidentally, both are books have a Heroine that challenges gender roles. She Who Became the Sun has been described as Mulan meets The Song of Achilles and Game of Thrones; it’s dark, it’s powerful and challenges heternormativity! It’s a “queer…reimagining of the rise of the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty.”

Interestingly, I expected Curses to also explore dark themes, as it’s a Beauty and the Beast retelling where the Heroine turns into a beast and the Hero’s beauty is used as a weapon in his family’s cons. Yet, apparently, the story is more of a light-hearted magical romp with a cinnamon roll of a Hero and a friends-to-lovers romance.