WWW Wednesday: What Am I Reading? #amreading

On By Teri PolenIn WWW Wednesdays

WWW Wednesday is a meme from Sam at Taking On A World Of Words

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

I’m currently reading A Place For Wolves by Kosoko Jackson, which I literally just started.  Jackson is a new author for me, and with these comp titles, I’m excited.  It’s been a while since I’ve read a historical thriller.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe meets Code Name Verity in this heartbreaking and poignant historical thriller.

James Mills isn’t sure he can forgive his parents for dragging him away from his life, not to mention his best friend and sister, Anna. He’s never felt so alone.

Enter Tomas. Falling for Tomas is unexpected, but sometimes the best things in life are.

Then their world splits apart. A war that has been brewing finally bursts forward, filled with violence, pain, and cruelty. James and Tomas can only rely on each other as they decide how far they are willing to go―and who they are willing to become―in order to make it back to their families.

I just finished The Sandcastle Empire by Kayla Olson for my YA book club, only hours before book club started – but I made it!  This is an action-packed, blistering pace, sci-fi/dystopia/thriller that’s been optioned for a movie.  It missed the mark in some areas for me, but it’s one I’d pay to see in theaters.  I was reminded more than once of the island in Lost.

When all hope is gone, how do you survive?

Before the war, Eden’s life was easy—air conditioning, ice cream, long days at the beach. Then the revolution happened, and everything changed.

Now a powerful group called the Wolfpack controls the earth and its resources. Eden has lost everything to them. They killed her family and her friends, destroyed her home, and imprisoned her. But Eden refuses to die by their hands. She knows the coordinates to the only neutral ground left in the world, a place called Sanctuary Island, and she is desperate to escape to its shores.

Eden finally reaches the island and meets others resistant to the Wolves. But their solace is short-lived when one of Eden’s new friends goes missing. Braving the jungle in search of their lost ally, they quickly discover Sanctuary is filled with lethal traps and an enemy they never expected. 

This island might be deadlier than the world Eden left behind, but surviving it is the only thing that stands between her and freedom.

Next, I’ll read Girls With Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young.  If I hadn’t seen the author’s name, I would have passed this by, because that cover does nothing for me.  The blurb has kind of a Stepford Wives feel, but without the husbands, so I’m anxious to see what happens.

The Girls of Innovations Academy are beautiful and well-behaved—it says so on their report cards. Under the watchful gaze of their Guardians, the all-girl boarding school offers an array of studies and activities, from “Growing a Beautiful and Prosperous Garden” to “Art Appreciation” and “Interior Design.” The girls learn to be the best society has to offer. Absent is the difficult math coursework, or the unnecessary sciences or current events. They are obedient young ladies, free from arrogance or defiance. Until Mena starts to realize that their carefully controlled existence may not be quite as it appears.

As Mena and her friends begin to uncover the dark secrets of what’s actually happening there—and who they really are—the girls of Innovations will find out what they are truly capable of. Because some of the prettiest flowers have the sharpest thorns.

38 thoughts on “WWW Wednesday: What Am I Reading? #amreading”

    1. I saw Staci’s wonderful review for Jacquie’s book yesterday, Priscilla. I’m not a big romance reader either, but Jacquie’s have such consistently high praise, I also need to stray, lol.

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  2. I wasn’t crazy about any of these covers, Teri. Maybe the second one. Maybe. But I don’t think I’d pick up any of these based on the covers alone. I’m reading yet another psychological thriller. They’re starting to not stand out from one another, so I think I need to add other genres into the rotation more often than I have been.

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    1. I agree about the covers – I was on a roll for a while with some stunning ones, but this isn’t one of those weeks. I know what you mean about books not standing out – happens to be sometimes with sci-fi/fantasy, so I have to venture out of my box. It’s one of the reasons I’m reading a YA historical thriller.

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      1. You did have a run of awesome covers. This week… meh. I guess that’s a lesson to us that (1) covers do matter in attracting readers and (2) the content can far exceed the look of the book… if you can get people to read it.

        Thanks, Teri.

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    1. You should, Mae – I’ve gotten some great recs from other bloggers that participate.

      Been meaning to tell you – I think it’s my turn to select the next book club read, and I’m choosing End of Day. When it’s my turn, I always try to choose something from my TBR.

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      1. Oooh, thanks for the book club rec of End of Day! That has me doing a Snoopy Dance. 🙂

        Question about WWW: Wouldn’t the book you’re planning to read next, appear in the following week’s WWW as the book you’re currently reading or recently finished reading (assuming you read a book a week). I’m thinking the same book would appear multiple times??

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  13. Girls with sharp sticks sounds great, Teri. I am reading Cusp of NIght by Mae Clair and have recently finished Voyage of the Lanternfish by Craig Boyack and The Moon is Wearing a Tutu by Joy Lennick. I plan to read Twin Desires by Pamela Wright next and then Maledicius by Charles French.

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    1. Cusp of Night was sooo good – love this new series by Mae. I’m currently listening to Voyage of the Lanternfish – and I want a bushel of my own root monsters, Robbie. Love those little critters.

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