Top 5 Wednesday – Current Obsession

Hey booknerds! So I’ve been kind of absent on my blog lately but I want to start posting again so I thought I would start off with sharing my 2022 obsessions!

I have some absolutely incredible books this year and some of them have imprinted themselves onto my heart and soul. They truly live in my head rent free and I need you all to go read them!

1 The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah – This book has my whole heart and filled the void of no more Daevabad stories. I absolutely adore the characters and I am already dying for the sequel! You can read my full review here

2 My Mechanical Romance by Alexene Farol Follmuth – This book completely took me by surprise and I finally read a book with a character that has my name, a STEM girl at that! You can read my full review here

3 Little Thieves by Margaret Owen – I absolutely adore these chaotic characters, especially the dynamic between Emeric and Vanja and I cannot wait to read the sequel!

4 The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper – This book is incredible. Set in ancient Pompeii and follows the story of a group of women who have been sold into slavery and their fight for a better life. Truly heart breaking and I adore the women and how smart and resourceful they are. I loved seeing how each of them deal with their trauma so differently and how they fight for a better tomorrow.

5 The River of Silver by S.A. Chakraborty – Did you honestly think a Daevabad book wouldn’t make the list? I loved these stories so much and filled the void that nothing has been able to fill since the end of The Empire of Gold. The last story especially lives in my head rent free. You can read my full review here

So these are my 5! Share what books you’re currently obsessed with in the comments!

The River of Silver by S.A. Chakraborty – Audiobook Review

I have been dying for more Daevabad content ever since I finished The Empire of Gold and Shannon certainly delivered! This book was everything I wanted and more!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

A prospective new queen joins a court whose lethal history may overwhelm her own political savvy…

An imprisoned royal from a fallen dynasty and a young woman wrenched from her home cross paths in an enchanted garden…

A pair of scouts stumble upon a secret in a cursed winter wood that will turn over their world…

Now together in one place, these stories of Daevabad enrich a world already teeming with magic and wonder. From Manizheh’s first steps towards rebellion to adventures that take place after The Empire of Gold, this is a must-have collection for those who can’t get enough of Nahri, Ali, and Dara and all that unfolded around them.

TW: suicidal thoughts, attempted suicide, self harm, torture, attempted rape

I am completely enthralled by the Daevabad trilogy and so it was bittersweet when I finished The Empire of Gold but then Shannon blessed us with these stories. Stories of love and hope and even the darker parts were balanced with lighter elements. A perfect collection to see so much more of the world and characters in these stories.

So first about the audiobook itself, I love listening to the trilogy and was so glad that the same narrator was narrating this too. I love listening to her and how she brings the story to life. I think that even if you aren’t a huge fan of audiobooks this will be okay to listen to especially as we are already familiar with the story and characters.

Some stories Shannon had shared before on her website so I was familiar with some but some were brand new and I especially loved Duriya and Hatset’s stories. How these women carved a place for themselves in a world that barely made space for them. That they showed strength and bravery and fighting for something better. It was amazing to see these glimpses into the past, the younger versions of the characters we all know and see how they may have been different and what may have caused them to become the characters we see in the books.

My favourite stories were of course the ones of Alizayd, the scene we see set just before The Kingdom of Copper was so funny and we get more of a glimpse of him using his abilities and just more of him trying not to implode when girls throw themselves at him which is always hilarious to read.

But my favourite scene was of course that last story that Shannon had vaguely hinted at before and it was everything I wanted and more. It was such a beautiful story about love and taking that step to be vulnerable with someone you love even if it terrifies you. It’s about trust and respecting each others decisions and boundaries and it is about building something on a strong foundation of friendship and care.

It was the perfect story to end on especially as this is the last story we will be getting of these characters and we end on a note of hope and joy and love.

I have already listened to it multiple times especially that last story and I know that I will be coming back to these stories time and time again.

My reviews for the trilogy can be found here: The City of Brass, The Kingdom of Copper, The Empire of Gold