Where Is Your Bookmark? (A Peek Into Phoenix Unbound/Cloudy Covers/Polygamous Reading)

I am just over halfway through Lyndsay Faye's Jane Steele and enjoying it quite a bit. Unfortunately, I was in a position yesterday in which I didn't have my copy handy (it's a trade paperback), and so I started reading Grace Draven's Phoenix Unbound on my phone.  I am already hooked.

A woman with power over fire and illusion and an enslaved son of a chieftain battle a corrupt empire in this powerful and deeply emotional romantic fantasy from the USA Today bestselling author of Radiance.

Every year, each village is required to send a young woman to the Empire's capital--her fate to be burned alive for the entertainment of the masses. For the last five years, one small village's tithe has been the same woman. Gilene's sacrifice protects all the other young women of her village, and her secret to staying alive lies with the magic only she possesses.

But this year is different.

Azarion, the Empire's most famous gladiator, has somehow seen through her illusion--and is set on blackmailing Gilene into using her abilities to help him escape his life of slavery. And unknown to Gilene, he also wants to reclaim the birthright of his clan.

To protect her family and village, she will risk everything to return to the Empire--and burn once more.  [Goodreads Summary]

A weekly meme where readers share the first sentence of the book they are reading and say what they think. Hosted by the wonderful Gillion Dumas of Rose City Reader.

For Gilene, spring was the season neither of rain or planting, but of suffering. 

She waited beside her mother, sister, and brothers as the caravan of shackled women plodded down Beroe's market street toward the town square. The slavers of the Empire guided the line, shoving their cargo forward with harsh commands and the occasional warning crack of a whip. 

My thoughts: Already the oppressiveness of living under the Empire's rule can be felt in just those first two paragraphs.

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A weekly meme in which readers share a random sentence or two from page 56 or 56% of the book they are reading. Hosted by the wonderful Freda of Freda's Voice.

Summer had finally settled hard on the steppes, chasing away the rains that had lingered for weeks and turned the land into a vast quagmire. The relentless wet had left everyone and everything a soggy, miserable pile of foul-smelling wool. The people, the sheep, the qaras, They all reeked and were in desperate need of drying out. Only the horse herds and the wandering chickens escaped the stench. Today was the first dry day, and the wind galloping across the plains was finally dry instead of damp.  [56%]

My thoughts: I feel miserable just reading this scene. Wet and uncomfortable. It seems like they are in for some relief, at least weather wise.


What do you think? Does this sound like book you would be interested in reading? 

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Originally hosted by Books by Proxy, Friday Face Off is now hosted by the fabulous Lynn of  Lynn’s Book Blog. Participants are asked to feature two more more covers of the same book with the week's assigned theme, and pick a favorite. 

This week the theme is a book whose cover features clouds ~ I wandered lonely as a cloud.

I read She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb years ago. I remember being really moved by it.

I found quite a few covers for this one, not all of which I included believe it or not. My personal copy of the book matches the cover in the last row on the left, the head surrounded by water coming out of the water. My favorite of the covers is actually the top middle one with the blue dress. It's simple and yet detailed, and I just love the blue hues. 

Which cover do you prefer? 

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Every Friday Coffee Addicted Writer from Coffee Addicted Writer poses a question which participants respond on their own blogs within the week (Friday through Thursday). They then share their links at the main site and visit other participants blogs.

Do you like to finish one book before starting the next or do you read several at once? (submitted by Cathy @What Cathy Read Next)

I used to be a monogamous reader, preferring to finish one book before starting another. When I began listening to audiobooks, I realized that was not very realistic, especially given how long it takes me to get through just one audiobook. And then I began juggling more than one book at a time, depending on where I was at any given moment and how best to sneak in some reading time. A paper book, a book on my e-reader and another on my phone perhaps? Sometimes it's a matter of wanting something quick to read while in the middle of a longer book. Or something funny and light to take the edge of a more serious or depressing read.

I currently am taking part in two different year long read-alongs, one for Les Misérables and another for War and Peace. As a result, I have had at least three books going at once, sometimes more (four right now, in fact), since the beginning of the year. My fear of forgetting or not being able to keep a story straight hasn't been a problem, thankfully, even when the books are in similar genres. Sometimes I do struggle with which book to read when they all are good

What about you?

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