Hello, hello and welcome back to another episode of WWW Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words, which means I’ll be answering these questions:
- What did you read last?
- What are you currently reading?
- What will you read next?
Since last week, I managed to finish 3.5 books. The .5 is because I decided to DNF one of the books since I lost interest in it, and my “experimental reading” didn’t go as planned. More on that below!
Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh ★★★★½
This was a buddy read with Chris, and it’s honestly the perfect book to read with someone, as there’s so much to discuss. We went on one heckuva emotional journey through this read, but we both ended up loving it! This sci-fi is so readable and well-paced, but it also has one of the best character arcs that I’ve read in a while—I didn’t think that I could go from so passionately loathing a character to end up rooting for and feeling emotionally connected to them. I can understand the critiques about the lack of nuanced exploration of the heavy topics raised, but I thought the way it was presented fit the story. Full RTC!
What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky by Lesley Nneka Arimah ★★★★½
This was a fantastic short story collection! I did not expect to be so immediately drawn to it, but this kicks off with a banger of a story, and it continues steadily from there. These stories explore relationships between mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, lovers, friends, and enemies, through a Nigerian diaspora and local lens. It’s rich in history, culture, and social norms, and the stories are a mix of hope, magic, heartbreak, and grief. This was so engrossing, and I have a feeling some of these stories will really stick with me—especially The Future Looks Good, Light and Windfalls!
Kings of Reina University Series by Jo Brenner Unrated, DNF
I don’t know how the first book ended up in my feed, but it sparked my curiosity about bully romances (again, because my curiosity always gets the best of me). I decided to give it a read since it was on KU, but I’m no closer to understanding the popularity of this sub-genre of dark romance. I know it’s dark, and I’m also not here to yuck on anyone’s yum. I get that people have certain sexual kinks, but I don’t get the appeal when that translates to actions beyond the bedroom. Some scenes in this really crossed the line, and even the characters in the book acknowledge that, which is where it kind of lost me. I thought the second book’s couple would be a bit different, but I was very wrong. 😅 I still don’t get the appeal, and maybe I never will, but knowing me, I will probably wonder every now and again: “Will this be the bully romance that I finally get?!” So far, no dice.
Always and Forever ⇢ 51%
It’s been a minute since I read a Bev Jenkins, so I decided to pick this up on a whim. As always, I’m enjoying the history lesson and the romance, which is sexy, sassy, and fun. I’m a bit surprised that the journey is only just about to kick off at the 50~% mark, but I’m still enjoying it lots!
I’m starting my next buddy read with Chris tomorrow, and we’ll be reading A Study in Drowning! Other than that, I hope to read more for (US) Black History Month.
What are you currently reading? I hope you’re enjoying whatever book you’ve picked up, friends!
dinipandareads 
I’m currently reading Ambush of Tigers by Eve Langlais
In the last week I read 🥁
1 Make it Out Alive by Allison Brennan
2 Black Widow by Julie Ann Walker
3 Sincerely Mr Braden by Melissa Foster
4 Hot Times in Heart Falls by Vivian Arend
Next up should be the new JD Robb. The bad news being I had to cancel the order from a non Amazon supplier as there was a delay. The good news is although I had to use Amazon, it was cheaper! Expecting it later today. 🤞
Gill
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