Three Books I've Been Reading Recently

Hello, friend, and welcome back to Blonde Girl Writing, where I talk about writing, God, and reading! Today I wanted to share with you some books that I've been enjoying lately. There are only three but they're all really good, so I suggest checking them out if they seem up your alley.

All the images in this post were taken from Amazon. Emberling | A Time To Speak | The Way of Kings

1: Emberling by Kayti Phillips

Emberling is seriously such a great fantasy book! It has everything you want--rangers, dangerous beasts, a girl with special powers, slow-burn romance, and more! I love the main characters, Iya and Malcolm, and they feel like real people. They've both been through a lot of trauma, but they're so great together, and trust me, I am ROOTING for them to become a thing. I just love them so much!!

Here's the little blurb for you:

One never realizes how large their world is until they struggle to protect it. Her entire life, Iya has been pursued by the Rangers, who despise her people for the fire in their veins. She has lost everything to their hatred, and now the fate of Uriu hangs in the treacherous balance. The Emberlings are dwindling in numbers, causing unleashed chaos that threatens not only Englewood but the Meadows of Harvanth as well. Malcolm Cabe is fueled by hatred as he sets out to annihilate the fire-wielding Emberlings responsible for his father’s death. However, his mission takes an unexpected turn when he saves Iyana, a secretive girl haunted by a heartrending past. Iya must keep her identity hidden from Malcolm and the other Rangers because if they discover who she is…death awaits her. But if the truth is never told how can they find the strength to forgive and unite? Decisions need to be made, and the wrong ones could lead to the destruction of all of Uriu.

Plus that cover is just epic!!

2: A Time To Speak by Nadine Brandes

I love Nadine's Out of Time trilogy. It's the perfect mix of sci-fi and dystopian, with a compelling story, fantastic characters, and epic worldbuilding. Plus it's Christian fiction, and the main character, Parvin, is constantly seeking to do God's will even faced with terrible consequences by the stifling government. This is the second book in the trilogy, so I won't put the blurb here, but just know that the A Time To Die--the first book--is a great and strong start to the trilogy, even if it's a bit slow at first. I also really relate to Parvin, who is trying to find her purpose in life despite constantly feeling useless and like she's wasting her time. And when you live in a world where you're connected to a clock that counts down to the exact time of your death, that's not an option. Over the course of the trilogy--at least so far--Parvin is seeking to fix the broken Shalom of her world and shine God's love despite her circumstances.

So yeah. Out of Time is definitely worth the read if you want a Christian sci-fi dystopian story!

3: The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

I'm (a tad) late to the party considering the amount of time The Way of Kings has been published for, but I recently got into this book. And, well, it sucked me in. I haven't finished it yet, but what I have read is amazing.

The sheer amount of different plot threads and characters is mind-boggling. We mostly follow Kaladin, Dalinar, and Shallan--and so far in my read they haven't crossed paths--but there are interludes and other chapters that give us a look into the other goings-on in Roshar. There is also a ton of worldbuilding, what with the Knights Radiant, Shards, and crazy Highstorms that force every living thing into hiding. Roshar is huge and feels fresh and fantastical, as a fantasy story should.

The Way of Kings is easily a classic, at least Brandon Sanderson-wise, and though it is long, it's well worth the read!

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Well, I hope you liked this little peek into what I've been reading recently! Let me know down below: what have you been reading recently? Have you read any of these three books? If so, what did you think of them?

Have a great day, friend!

Best wishes,

~ Jonah