recent reads wrap-up || June & July ✨🫶🏼

[@endofsight9841]

I'm glad that you enjoyed Deadhouse Gates, it's definitely one of my favorites in the Malazan series. I think you will love Memories of Ice, another great book in the series.

[@GraceDionneReads]

I’m very excited to pick up Memories of Ice soon! My August timeline for it didn’t quite work out but hopefully I’ll still start it before the month ends

[@starlasell5698]

❤📚❤️ Great reviews, thank you. More books are added to my list! I enjoyed Small Things Like These last month, as well.😊

[@esmayrosalyne]

So encouraging to hear that Malazan is continuing to blow you away, I am getting more and more excited to add it to my 2025 priority list!! And I agree on the Finlay Donovan audiobooks, those are pure comfort listens. I need to get back to that series. Also, I hadn't heard much about the new Lucy Foley yet so nice to know that you enjoyed it! Hope you find some good 5-star faves again soon!! 🥰🥰

[@GraceDionneReads]

I have a feeling that I’m somewhat easy to please when it comes to thrillers because as a reader who doesn’t mind slow pacing in general, I’m always like - “well this was entertaining to me, 4 stars!” even though other reviews will be like “this was boring” 😂

[@esmayrosalyne]

@@GraceDionneReads I am the exact same way hahaha, and the same often goes for romance lol 🤣

[@Chance.Dillon]

Deadhouse gates crushed my heart-but so darn good. GGK is high on my priority list but one of those authors I think I’m gonna just need to pick up. Oathsworn has just entered my radar! Might have to be my intro to the monster hunter type sub genre

[@GraceDionneReads]

Oathsworn totally deserves more readers so I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you enjoying it ☺️

[@thatsci-firogue]

Glad to see you loved Deadhouse Gates and Lions of Al-Rassan, both are some of my favourite Fantasy books of all-time. I actually just recently started a re-read of Deadhouse Gates.

[@GraceDionneReads]

Are you rereading the whole Malazan series? 😱

[@thatsci-firogue]

@@GraceDionneReads It'll take a few years but I think I will, yeah.

[@readbykyle3082]

I missed your discussion on Lions, so glad you loved it!! Its my third favorite Guy Gavriel Kay book, but that means its still basically perfection 😂

[@GraceDionneReads]

Hahah just talking about the minute differences between perfection at that point right? 😂

[@angelaholmes8888]

I read 10 books in june Here's what I read in July Summer on the bluffs by sunny hostin Broken horses by brandi carlile memoir The royals next door by Katrina halle Truly madly deeply by Alexandria bellefleur The neighbor favor by Kristina forest Taming 7 by chloe Walsh Fourth wing by rebecca yarros The wolves of midwinter by Anne rice sequel to the wolf gift Wild love by elsie silver You've reached sam by Dustin thao

[@bentheoverlord]

So happy you liked Deadhouse Gates, I think for me its also a 4.5 rounded up. Especially now in the latter half of Malazan, I love the first 3 books but book 4-7 for me have been much more engaging to me and I finally know whats happening. I really liked Lions of Al-Rassan but I feel bad that I cant remember anything that happened in it. I know I liked it and I kinda remember the end and a few scenes but the rest has been yeeted to inifinity Really need to give Claire Keegan a go.

[@GraceDionneReads]

Hahah wait you’re telling me there’s a stage in Malazan where you know what’s happening? 😜

[@bentheoverlord]

@@GraceDionneReads not fully but kinda but maybe but no but yes haha

[@natasagajic1061]

I've heard some reviews that Guy Gavriel Kay has a pretty icky male gaze-y writing style where female characters are concerned (throughout his whole bibliography, but specifically in Under Heaven, if I am remembering correctly), so as a female reader, that has always turned me away from his books. How was your experience with this in The Lions of Al-Rassan? 🤔

[@GraceDionneReads]

I actually remember hearing that about Under Heaven as well, a while ago! I will say that if there was one thing he wasn’t always the most suave at it was writing the sexual stuff, but there’s only one scene that stood out to me as bordering on ridiculous when it came to the way a woman behaved, and it was framed as comedy in a way from her perspective. Overall I didn’t find it bad and I loved our main female character, but I’m sure mileage may vary as well! If you do end up giving Lions a try I hope you enjoy yourself ☺️