By Tessa Pulyer Posted on

WWW Wednesday | Check Out What I’m Reading This Week – June 24th

Welcome to WWW Wednesday! This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived on 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?

Currently Reading

Genre: Epic Feminist Fantasy

In the riveting sequel to the feminist fantasy epic The Women’s War, the ability to do magic has given women control over their own bodies. But as the patriarchy starts to fall, they must now learn to rule as women, not men.

Alys may be the acknowledged queen of Women’s Well—the fledgling colony where women hold equal status with men—but she cares little for politics in the wake of an appalling personal tragedy. It is grief that drives her now. But the world continues to turn.

In a distant realm unused to female rulers, Ellin struggles to maintain control. Meanwhile, the king of the island nation of Khalpar recruits an abbess who he thinks holds the key to reversing the spell that Alys’s mother gave her life to create. And back in Women’s Well, Alys’s own half brother is determined to bring her to heel. Unless these women can come together and embrace the true nature of female power, everything they have struggled to achieve may be at risk.

My Thoughts

I’m glad to finally read this ARC which was published mid-May. I went from Book 1, The Women’s War, directly into book 2 (this one), and I will do a combined review in July. I’m also glad to be back to an eBook again. I forget how heavy physical books can be to lug around. I’m not quite halfway through and find it just as compelling, so far, as book 1.

Just Finished

Genre: Epic Feminist Fantasy

In a feminist fantasy epic, a revolutionary spell gives women the ability to control their own fertility—with consequences that rock their patriarchal society to its core.

When a nobleman’s first duty is to produce a male heir, women are treated like possessions and bargaining chips. But as the aftereffects of a world-altering spell ripple out physically and culturally, women at last have a bargaining chip of their own. And two women in particular find themselves at the liberating crossroads of change.

Alys is the widowed mother of two adolescent children, and the disinherited daughter of a king. Her existence has been carefully regulated, but now she discovers a fierce talent not only for politics but also for magic—once deemed solely the domain of men. Meanwhile, in a neighboring kingdom, young Ellin finds herself unexpectedly on the throne after the sudden death of her grandfather the king and everyone else who stood ahead of her in the line of succession. Conventional wisdom holds that she will marry quickly, then quietly surrender the throne to her new husband. Only, Ellin has other ideas.

The tensions building in the two kingdoms grow abruptly worse when a caravan of exiled women and their escort of disgraced soldiers stumble upon a new source of magic in what was once uninhabitable desert. This new and revolutionary magic—which only women can wield—might well tear down what is left of the patriarchy. The men who currently hold power will do anything to retain it. But what force in the world can stand against the courage and resolution of generations of women who have tasted freedom for the very first time?

My Thoughts

Another wonderful epic fantasy story! Women are nothing more than objects to men, something they can use and discard at will. Until 3 generations of one family changes all that with a spell – one that changes the whole social system irrevocably. Learning to adjust and trying to reverse it is the main plot of this very character-driven fantasy story. It is very dark and brutal but also has many periods of light and rebirth.

Reading Next

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

There it is: fear. It’s crawling all over her face and in her eyes, like a swarm of insects, and it’s all because of him.

A serial killer has been terrorising Lancaster for decades, longer than should ever have been possible. The police are baffled, eluded at every turn by the killer whose victims span generations. Speculation is rife among the true crime forums; is someone passing on their gruesome trade?

Every local mother’s worst nightmare has become Helen Summerton‘s reality; he’s taken her daughter, Zoe. As the clock runs down so do her chances of survival. Can Helen unearth the secrets of the killer before it’s too late?
A gripping serial killer thriller that you won’t be able to put down. Perfect for fans of The Whisper Man, What You Did and Don’t Even Breathe.

My Thoughts

Another book from One More Chapter/ Harper Collins – doesn’t the title intrigue you? It does me! I can’t wait to switch gears and delve into this book later this week.

What are you reading this week?

14 Replies to “WWW Wednesday | Check Out What I’m Reading This Week – June 24th”

  3. Teri Polen says:

    Sounds like a tense, gripping thriller, Tessa – then I look at the beachy things surrounding the book and feel relaxed, lol.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Tessa Pulyer says:

      I am going to figure out why your posts don’t pop up in my WordPress feed – that’s been bothering me because they should.
      But yes, The Women’s War is very good!

      Like

  7. D. Wallace Peach says:

    The Women’s War sounds so interesting, Tessa, not only as a fantasy but as a social commentary and look at what might happen if… This one appealed to me. I’m working through my backlog and can’t wait to pick up some new ones. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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