On the Reading Plate

It's late, Krispy and I watched Elementary, and I had cold mango green milk tea and Krispy had hot almond black milk tea with boba.  You know what that means!  We didn't have a post planned and now it's time to talk about what we're reading!

Krispy's reading Wonder by R.J. Palacio.

Goodreads blurb: "I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.

August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?"

I skimmed a bit of it before Krispy got into it and found it well-written, intriguing, and very realistic in its portrayal of the curiosity, kindness, carelessness, and cruelty of children.  And adults, come to that.

As for me, I've been reading Daughter of the Flames by Zoe Marriott.

Goodreads blurb: "In a world of clashing cultures, a girl fights for freedom — and finds a surpring romantic ally — after learning a startling truth about her identity.

Inside an ancient temple in the mountains, fi fteen-year-old Zira trains in the martial arts to become a warrior priestess who can defend the faith of the Ruan people. Bearing a scar on her face from the fire that killed her parents, the orphaned Zira is taught to distrust the occupying Sedornes. Terror strikes when the forces of the tyrannical Sedorne king destroy the only home she knows. To survive, Zira must unravel the secrets of her identity, decide her people’s fate — and accept her growing feelings for a man who should be her enemy."

I actually started reading this weeks ago.  I got about halfway through to a turning point, put it down, and somehow never got around to finishing it even though I liked it.  (Other books and shiny things and TV and such, as ever and always, distracted me.)  I've picked it back up though and hopefully will be able to secure the sequel before I finish so I can dive right in--

Gorgeous cover!

--or would dive right in if I didn't have to read The Raven Boys next.  Krispy read it and loved it so much I bumped it right up to the top of my to-read list.  It has a gorgeous cover and after how much we enjoyed The Scorpio Races, I have faith in Maggie Stiefvater.

And/or I may cheat on this resolution by reading the final book in Beth Revis's Across the Universe series, Shades of Earth (click with caution since the blurb is kind of spoilery for the previous book).  The ever-lovely Yahong graciously sent me an ARC (thank you!) and omg even writing this post is tempting me to crack it open.  Though I have mixed feelings on the previous two books, I'm still exceedingly curious to know what happens.

Seriously, the publisher needs to chill on changing the cover design with every release.
Now none of the hardcover books will match!

As for what Krispy's going to tackle next, I think it ought to be The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller:

If you look at it upside down, it looks like half an upside down man.
Do you see it?  DO YOU?

It's Greek mythology, not YA, interesting and beautifully-written from what I've perused, and Krispy's gotten this sucker from the library at least three times without ever actually reading it.  Do it, Krispy!  Read the book!

What are you currently reading?