Weekly Wrap-Up: July 31 – August 6, 2023

Happy Monday, Boozie Book Nerds!

Ginny’s Update

The Ash Garden by Dennis Bock: This book follows a German scientist who helped with the Manhattan project, his wife who escaped Germany before the concentration camps were created, and a girl who was disfigured when the bomb was dropped in Hiroshima. You know, I really enjoyed this book until the ending.
The Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros: I am reading the tiktok darling where Violet is forced by her mother, the general, to try out for the dangerous dragon rider training where everyone has it out for her. This book has never seen a cliche it didn’t like and then steal in the least subtle way. In understand the hype but I found it a bit trite.
Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed: Amal is an intelligent girl in Pakistan, and, while she loves school she stops to help out her mother who has PPD, and through a variety of circumstances ended up indentured to the cruel, rich money-lender. The story is frustrating in the way so many kids stories are (not in a bad way) where the feeling of helplessness is incredibly powerful. I ended up really enjoying it.
The Fated Sky by Mary Robinette Kowal: This book continue the plot of the Lady Astronaut series where Elma has gone to the moon and is now considering a trip to Mars. This book had awesome science, truly harrowing moments, and was just generally a blast to read.

Gravity by Tess Gerritsen: Somehow I’m reading another space book right after finishing a space book. Emma Watson (I know) is an astronaut/doctor who is dealing with a medical emergency in space. It’s fast-paced and an easy read (as long as, like me, you ignore half the names and just go with the flow – too many people with the last name Obie for me to care for).
Salt A World History by Mark Kulansky: This book talks about history of how salt was used and how it affected the civilizations. I’m listening to this which is nice because I think I’d struggle to read it.
The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberly and Austin Siegemund-broka: Two writers wrote books together before a mysterious event that caused her to retire and him to write poorly received books. This book is a bit too meta for my enjoyment. We’ll see how it goes.

Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo – this is the second to Ninth House and I can’t remember much except there are ghosts. Almost done but it’s not nearly as good as book 1.
The Obsidian Tower by Melissa Caruso – this is the first book in a new series in the same world as Tethered Mage. Our main character’s magic is flawed, she can’t touch anything without killing it (plants, animals, people, whatever). There’s a tower her family is protecting and when it’s accidentally opened and her grandma disappeared, she’s gotta figure out the mystery. Loving this so far for sure

Until next time, we remain forever drunkenly yours,

— Sam and Ginny