Reading Lately – New Books

We barely posted the last few weeks, but I completely missed this space – you know I couldn’t stay away for long, so here’s what I’ve been reading lately – some new (and upcoming) books.

✧ TANYA PATRICE ✧

There are quite a few advanced reader copies of ebooks and audiobooks still sitting on my Netgalley shelf but I finished off 2 of those last week – both of which I loved!

A Master of Djinn, P. Djeli Clark

I couldn’t wait until closer to the May 2021 release date to read this- nope! I needed to get lost in a book and I knew I could do it with A Master of Djinn, P. Djeli Clarke. This book is one of the New Releases on Our Radar – and it was oh so delicious!

We’re in Cairo, 1912. Cairo, 1912 with Fatma el-Sha’arawi who is the youngest woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities. The case she’s working on is the murder of a secret brotherhood dedicated to al-Jahiz who transformed the world 50 years ago when he opened up the veil between the magical and mundane realms, before vanishing into the unknown.

We first met Fatma in the novella, A Dead Djinn in Cairo, and I’m so glad the author brought her back with a full length novel! We really get a feel for what this World looks like as we follow Fatma all over the city trying to get a handle on this case – and some other “issues” … all the customs, the people, how they live and the societal norms and customs. It’s a very well thought out story and – let me not forget to mention how well we get to know the characters … yes, Fatma and her love of suits – but also the mysterious Siti! I only wished I could have listened to the audiobook, which is how I experienced all of the author’s previous books – but alas, this advanced reader copy was for an eBook – for which I’m ever so grateful to have gotten.

The Russian Cage (Gunnie Rose #3), Charlaine Harris

I went through this book quickly – it came at the right time when I had a few hours to kill while I got my hair braided and when the weather finally warmed up so I was going for lunch time walks outside. I didn’t read the first 2 books in this YA alternate history series, and there’s references to some of the things that happened in them, but I felt like this book stood well on it’s own.

This book follows Lizbeth Rose as she heads to San Diego from Texacoma to rescue her estranged partner, Prince Eli, from the Holy Russian Empire. Once in San Diego, Lizbeth relies on her sister Felicia, and her growing Grigori powers to navigate her way through this strange new world of royalty and deception in order to get Eli freed from jail where he’s being held for murder.

This was a quick, easy read. I liked the alternate history premise – where Russian royalty now reside in San Diego – no United States anymore, but maybe the author tried to do too much because some of it felt a little flat. The characters were great – but the choices were sometimes questionable – seeming to happen just to make the story flow. But I finished it in all of 24 hours – so I’d say read it, but don’t go in expecting too much.

… Next Up …

The Rose Code, Kate Quinn

This week I’m diving into the audiobook of The Rose Code, Kate Quinn. I’ve read quite a few books by Quinn – The Empress of Rome series, The Borgia Chronicles duology and The Huntress – ALL of those books are fantastic!

1940. As England prepares to fight the Nazis, three very different women answer the call to mysterious country estate Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes. Vivacious debutante Osla is the girl who has everything – beauty, wealth, and the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses. Imperious self-made Mab, product of east-end London poverty, works the legendary code breaking machines as she conceals old wounds and looks for a socially advantageous husband. And Beth, whose shyness conceals a brilliant facility with puzzles.

Have you read anything released this year yet? Linking up with The Book Date (IMWAYR)