Oh man, that must have been such a pleasant surprise, I went in expecting it but I was still pleased. Keeping my fingers crossed for more in later books too.
And! Ravishing the Heiress is my FAVOURITE Sherry Thomas, I was so deeply disappointed when I read Tempting the Bride after because it was like, I know you can do better? You gave me Fitz and Millie? I swooned over Fitz and Millie? WHAT HAPPENED? In terms of other books, I think I've read almost everything she's done? Except for that new-ish duology (Goodreads claims it's called the Heart of Blade?) and her YA trilogy. Have you read her YA trilogy (starts with The Burning Sky)? It's theoretically on my to read list but idk, it isn't really calling to me so it'd be nice to know if it's worth the time.
Let me know how Vicious goes! It's also on my to read list but that thing is massive so unless I have a reason to prioritize I'm going to end up picking it up five years from now at earliest. xD But I'm glad to hear Broken's good! I have the faint recollection that I read a review somewhere for it that sounded good, not sure why I didn't jot it down to pick up at the time.
Also, high five, I'm diplomatic about Whedon because so many people love him but like. Nope. Nooooooope. He gave me some joy in Buffy but boy do we disagree strongly about many of his narrative choices. And you are a braver soul than me for trying Dollhouse because I heard the premise and immediately exited stage left, I had zero faith it'd draw out anything but the worst of Whedon. However! Volumes 1-6 are not by Whedon, they are by Brian K. Vaughan and he is SO GOOD, I have liked everything he's written. I haven't tried Silk yet, I tend to only pick up comics once they're collected into trade volumes, issue to issue is too hard on my wallet. Have you read it/heard good things?
I did read the third book! And I enjoyed it which was surprising because ngl, I went in as a hostile audience. (the summary implied a romance between Sieh and the heroine? and I was like NO, he's the god of childhood, I REFUSE. I was also coming in with some lingering bitterness over a romantic relationship in the second book that I was really digging as platonic so. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯). I also really liked her next book, The Killing Moon (which is technically part of a duology? But I haven't gotten about to reading the second book yet and as far as Killing Moon is concerned it stands alone great).
AND YES, OH MY GOD, CODE NAME VERITY, WHAAAAAAT, I WAS A *MESS*. WHAT A BRUTAL BOOK. WHAT AN *AMAZING* BRUTAL BOOK. I first got into Wein via her Arthuriana meets Africa! books (they probaaaaaably have an actual series name? but idk what it is off the top of my head and tbh I always remember them as the Arthuriana in Africa books) which in retrospect also got pretty brutal but somehow I was still wholly unprepared.
I am beginning to see that my to read list is going to grow exponentially the more I talk to you btw, Under the Painted Sky sounds great and is going to the list rn. Also I need to get back to reading Sara Farizan's debut! I started and liked it but it was due back at the library so I never finished. (This...happens with way more books then I really want to admit. u_u I have this problem where I always pick up way more books than any human could conceivably read before the end of loan period and end up with a lot of fines and half read books. Reasons to want a public library job: LESS FINES). Also we have the exact same YA priorities! And re: Aristotle and Dante, WHAT A GOOD BOOK. I'm so happy that Benjamin Alire Saenz has a fair sized back catalogue, it's like a list of guaranteed reads I can dip into whenever I'm in the mood for contemporary stories.
(side note: any chance you've read Sherman Alexie's Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian? I group him, Matt de la Pena, and Benjamin Alire Saenz in my mental readers advisory list of dudes doing good work writing POC boys in YA. Recently picked up Adam Silvera's More Happy than Not too which I have high hopes of adding to the list provided I get around to reading it some time soon)
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Date: 2015-11-09 02:35 am (UTC)And! Ravishing the Heiress is my FAVOURITE Sherry Thomas, I was so deeply disappointed when I read Tempting the Bride after because it was like, I know you can do better? You gave me Fitz and Millie? I swooned over Fitz and Millie? WHAT HAPPENED? In terms of other books, I think I've read almost everything she's done? Except for that new-ish duology (Goodreads claims it's called the Heart of Blade?) and her YA trilogy. Have you read her YA trilogy (starts with The Burning Sky)? It's theoretically on my to read list but idk, it isn't really calling to me so it'd be nice to know if it's worth the time.
Let me know how Vicious goes! It's also on my to read list but that thing is massive so unless I have a reason to prioritize I'm going to end up picking it up five years from now at earliest. xD But I'm glad to hear Broken's good! I have the faint recollection that I read a review somewhere for it that sounded good, not sure why I didn't jot it down to pick up at the time.
Also, high five, I'm diplomatic about Whedon because so many people love him but like. Nope. Nooooooope. He gave me some joy in Buffy but boy do we disagree strongly about many of his narrative choices. And you are a braver soul than me for trying Dollhouse because I heard the premise and immediately exited stage left, I had zero faith it'd draw out anything but the worst of Whedon. However! Volumes 1-6 are not by Whedon, they are by Brian K. Vaughan and he is SO GOOD, I have liked everything he's written. I haven't tried Silk yet, I tend to only pick up comics once they're collected into trade volumes, issue to issue is too hard on my wallet. Have you read it/heard good things?
I did read the third book! And I enjoyed it which was surprising because ngl, I went in as a hostile audience. (the summary implied a romance between Sieh and the heroine? and I was like NO, he's the god of childhood, I REFUSE. I was also coming in with some lingering bitterness over a romantic relationship in the second book that I was really digging as platonic so. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯). I also really liked her next book, The Killing Moon (which is technically part of a duology? But I haven't gotten about to reading the second book yet and as far as Killing Moon is concerned it stands alone great).
AND YES, OH MY GOD, CODE NAME VERITY, WHAAAAAAT, I WAS A *MESS*. WHAT A BRUTAL BOOK. WHAT AN *AMAZING* BRUTAL BOOK. I first got into Wein via her Arthuriana meets Africa! books (they probaaaaaably have an actual series name? but idk what it is off the top of my head and tbh I always remember them as the Arthuriana in Africa books) which in retrospect also got pretty brutal but somehow I was still wholly unprepared.
I am beginning to see that my to read list is going to grow exponentially the more I talk to you btw, Under the Painted Sky sounds great and is going to the list rn. Also I need to get back to reading Sara Farizan's debut! I started and liked it but it was due back at the library so I never finished. (This...happens with way more books then I really want to admit. u_u I have this problem where I always pick up way more books than any human could conceivably read before the end of loan period and end up with a lot of fines and half read books. Reasons to want a public library job: LESS FINES). Also we have the exact same YA priorities! And re: Aristotle and Dante, WHAT A GOOD BOOK. I'm so happy that Benjamin Alire Saenz has a fair sized back catalogue, it's like a list of guaranteed reads I can dip into whenever I'm in the mood for contemporary stories.
(side note: any chance you've read Sherman Alexie's Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian? I group him, Matt de la Pena, and Benjamin Alire Saenz in my mental readers advisory list of dudes doing good work writing POC boys in YA. Recently picked up Adam Silvera's More Happy than Not too which I have high hopes of adding to the list provided I get around to reading it some time soon)