In today’s episode, I’m finally talking about one of my most anticipated new releases of 2023–and that is The Tyranny of Faith by Richard Swan! The Tyranny of Faith is the sequel to 2022’s The Justice of Kings, and it picks up right after the explosive events that occurred at the end of the first book. Sir Vonvalt, Helena, Bressinger, and Sir Radomir all head to the capital city of Sova to get to the bottom of the unrest and treason happening in the city. But before they can really sink their teeth into this endeavor, the emperor’s grandson goes missing, and Vonvalt and his retainers are charged with the task of finding him. Between trying to locate the missing prince, stopping Claver before he gets more powerful, and trying to cure Vonvalt of the mysterious illness that has befallen him, it’s a race against the clock to save the empire. If you love fantasy, and you loved the first book, then you do not want to miss this episode!
In this episode, I’m recommending five books that are fast and fun! These books are perfect to read in one sitting or if you need to get out of a reading slump. So grab your favorite cup of something and have a listen!
One of my most anticipated releases of early 2023, The Survivalists follows a down on her luck lawyer named Aretha as she struggles with the reality that she will never make partner and becomes more sympathetic to the survivalist lifestyle that her boyfriend’s quirky roommates are enraptured in.
I have a lot of thoughts about this novel–some good, some not so good–so please have a listen to see if I loved The Survivalists or if, sadly, I just survived it.
Also, please recommend any good satirical fiction in the comments below!
What a freeing thought it was to no longer believe I had to deserve something in order to get it.”
WE ARE BACK!
Season two of She Happily Reads is here, and I couldn’t be more excited! To start off the year right, I decided to select a highly anticipated novel belonging to one of my favorite genres–YA fantasy! The Stolen Heir is a great time, but was it a five star read? Listen to the latest episode below to find out!
Ladies and Gentlemen….Review of The Stolen Heir by Holly Black:
Once you have read a book you care about, some part of it is always with you.”
Louis L’amour
The season finale of She Happily Reads is finally here! I can hardly believe it! In the last episode of this season, I reflect over the past 12 months of reading and let you know what my favorite books of 2022 were. I also briefly discuss the books that didn’t work for me, and what my reading goals are for 2023. Over all, I’m grateful for 2022, but I’m looking forward to the brand new year of reading that’s ahead of me!
I’m also so very thankful to all of you that have tuned into She Happily Reads and have liked, commented, and/or shared the podcast over the past year. Grateful can’t even begin to describe what I feel for you!
What was your favorite book of the year? Sound off in the comments below and let me know!
It is rage, expanding so fast and so hot that it fuels itself beneath your skin. Grief so deep you are only an open wound, only pain. Pain so fresh that the world itself feels like it should be burning.
–Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn
My most anticipated release of 2022 is finally here, and I couldn’t be more excited to share my thoughts! Today’s episode is chokeful of spoilers, so if you haven’t read both of these books (and you care about spoilers), then I would wait to listen to this one! The Legendborn Cycle is definitely shaping up to be one of my favorite fantasy series, for sure…
Winter is fast approaching, (even though it may feel like it’s already arrived), and we all know cold weather is the perfect excuse to stay home, make some hot chocolate, and read a good book! Typically, I like to read shorter books in the summer, and longer books in the winter. There’s nothing like being able to spend a solid amount of time in the world of one story! So, if you’re anything like me, check out this episode as I recommend six novels on the chunkier side to pick up this winter!
It was strange, how easily and quickly protection could cause destruction. Sometimes, Vasher wondered if the two weren’t really the same thing. Protect a flower, destroy the pests who wanted to feed on it. Protect a building, destroy the plants that could have grown in the soil. Protect a man. Live with the destruction he creates.
Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson
Ladies and gentleman, we are out of the woods! The reading slump is over and we’re back in it with none other THE Brandon Sanderson. This is actually my first Sanderson read, and I was NOT disappointed. Warbreaker is a complex novel that is as funny as it is challenging, thoughtful, and rich. You get magic, and love, and commentary on ideals that we can easily apply to our lives and beliefs. Thought-provoking, indeed.
Most readers have gone through a period where they wanted to read, but couldn’t, or had no desire to read and didn’t. It can be disheartening and worrisome when the activity that typically brings us so much joy has lost its luster. “Will I ever read again?” you may think dramatically to yourself whilst standing in the rain, clutching your favorite novel and shaking a fist at the sky.
The short answer is yes, you will read again. But it may take some time and some changes on your part in order to make that happen. Today’s episode of She Happily Reads explores the different strategies I’ve used in the past to successfully get through a reading slump. Take a listen and try any of the tips discussed in this episode. When it comes to reading slumps, the only way over is through!
“Consumers are fickle—they crave something new, but not that kind of new. They want to be challenged but comforted at the same time. They desire fresh takes, but only in a form that’s familiar to them. That’s to say, audiences will accept something different as long as it feels the same.”
Elissa sussman, Funny You should ask
Towards the beginning of August, I found myself once again in the throes of contemporary romance, but I have to admit—I was excited to be there. Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman was a highly anticipated novel for me, one I was sure I would love because of the stellar reviews and the intriguing plot. And much like the above quote, and like my expectations for a lot of romance novels, I thought I was getting a story that felt familiar yet new.
This novel follows a writer/journalist named Chani Horowitz, who, by some stroke of luck, is given an assignment to interview an up-and-coming, insanely attractive actor named Gabe Parker. Gabe has just been cast as James Bond, and the world is abuzz with how this American HIMBO could be cast as the stylish, sophisticated, and very British spy. Chani spends three days with Gabe, and from their unconventional time together, she is able to produce an article that not only helps to sell Gabe as Bond, but also puts the question in everyone’s mind–did more happen between the two of them than either of them are letting on? Ten years later, however, Chani and Gabe are thrust back together to recreate the magic of that first interview and to breathe life back into Gabe’s career after a series of public blunders and a few stints in rehab. With Gabe now sober, and Chani now divorced, the two reconnect to face each other and the spark they’ve been running from for a decade.
Funny You Should Ask is a book for those who love the mythos behind celebrity and all things celebrity culture, those who wish they could peek behind the curtain, if you will. In the end, this book didn’t work for me completely, but I still recommend it for a fast, entertaining read. If you want to hear more of my thoughts on this novel, give the latest episode a listen:
She Happily Reads 