Reading Writes {Chapter One} What have I been reading lately? // Reading

Hey every one and welcome to the very first instalment of Reading Writes, a new monthly link-up for book nerds and other readerly types. Reading Writes will be happening on the first Tuesday of every month and I would love it if you would join me and link-up your reading or book-related posts. You can read more about Reading Writes here.

For the very first Reading Writes I thought I'd give you a quick run-down on what I've been reading this year and what I have sitting on my shelf waiting to be read the rest of the year...

I mentioned in my introductory post that I've spent the first 7-8 months of this year reading the books in the A Song of Ice and Fire (or Game of Thrones) series. There are 5 books (6 when you consider that the third is actually split in to 2 books) in the series so far, with no release date for the next one, Winds of Winter, as of yet.

While hard-going and loooong (think 800-1000 pages each!) I really, really enjoyed the series. Despite the reputation the TV show has given them, it's not all sex, sex, violence and sex. Yes, there is a lot of sex and violence, without a doubt, but somehow it doesn't seem as in your face as the TV show makes it out to be.

If you're a fan of history at all then these books will appeal to you. It's an epic political story, full of twists and turns, intrigue, and more characters than you can poke a stick at. My favourite character is most definitely Tyrion Lannister. He's a dwarf, born in to one of Westeros' most powerful families and because he lacks certain physical attributes he has had to make up for this with wit and intelect.

I can sense that the myriad storylines and themes that George R. R. Martin is weaving will come together in an epic battle for the survival of mankind against the White Walkers. Yep, along with sex and violence, this series has what are essentially zombies. These are no The Walking Dead-style zombies however, and I find myself hanging to find out how the Black Brothers will defend the massive Ice Wall that separates Westeros from the frozen wastelands of the north, the only thing standing between mankind and the pale bringers of death.

Despite enjoying these books, I was kinda relieved to be finished with the series so far, as 7-8 months is a very long time to be reading about one place and the same characters.

Since finishing A Song of Ice and Fire I've started a new trilogy by Hugh Howey.

The first book in the series is called Wool, and it's set a couple of hundred years after an even that wipes out all but a small contingent of chosen survivors. The survivors live in a massive silo underground, so as to protect themselves from the ruined atmosphere above, bought about by the nuclear weapons that have wiped life from the earth.

The front cover has it billed as the next The Hunger Games, and while it's not as fast-paced and page-turningly action-packed as The Hunger Games was from the first page, it's been a great read so far. It's kinda easy to see from the very start that life is not what it seems in the silo and that there are many deadly secrets that the inhabitants are completely aware of.

I found myself reading as fast as I could from about halfway through, impatient to see if the hunches i was forming would be correct. I'm about a third of the way through the second book now, Shift, and I haven't been disappointed yet. Shift takes us back to before the nuclear holocaust, to the making of the Silo, and this is where it really starts to get interesting, as we learn about the events that led to the survivors living underground.

If you enjoy dystopian fiction skewed for what seems like a young adult audience, then you will definitely want to give these books a go.

I sincerely hope that the ending  of both A Song of Ice and Fire and the Wool trilogy live up to their first few books and resolve with a satisfying ending. There is nothing worse than investing your time in a series of books, only to be let down by a weak or poor ending.

But that my friends will be my topic for next month; disappointing endings.

So tell me, what have you been reading lately? Anything you think I should read next? Are you a fan of dystopian fiction, or do you prefer something a little more modern or current?

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Comments

Kylie Purtell said…
I'm not a huge fan of dystopian fiction, although I would love to read the Hugh Howey trilogy. I am more a mainstream reader but I do like to mix it up with genres. Crime, thriller rural, contemporary, women's fiction, young adult. I think reading wide is a great thing. Loving this linky too Kylie :)
Kylie Purtell said…
I'm so impressed that you have powered through the GoT books. I'm one of those people who always likes the book better than the movie/tv show.... but for the life of me, I could not get through the first book in the series! I had a poor friend who got through the first book, and realised afterwards, that there was a family tree in the back... the poor thing had spent the whole time trying to figure out all the family lines!

Thanks so much for this link party, Kylie! Happy Reading!
P.S Tyrion is the best!
Kylie Purtell said…
Yes! So glad this is up and running. This linky party is going to inspire me to get my read on, I just know it. I've needed it. Thanks x
Kylie Purtell said…
I added an old post because I want to support you I hope that's okay? And I will try and do another one JUST for your linky as I'm trying to read more books these days x
Kylie Purtell said…
Love this idea for a linky. I've also linked up a recently-written post, which isn't exclusively about books but I do post monthly about what I've been reading.
I was so taken by the Song of Ice and Fire series (as I have been with the TV series), but you're right, it's such a hard slog. I keep looking at them in our bookshelves and longing to re-read them, but I don't know if I can make that kind of commitment! Hahaha
Looking forward to checking out everyone else's posts!
Kylie Purtell said…
LOve this linky and I'm super impressed with how many books you've read to. I had to resort to linking up with a kids book because that's about as much as i've read lately. I got a signed copy of Mathew Michalewicz's Life in half a second at Problogger on the weekend and I will make sure its read so I can link up next month too. xx
Kylie Purtell said…
I loved the wool trilogy. Have you read the delirium trilogy - excellent series by Lauren Oliver. One of my favourites.
Kylie Purtell said…
Oooh I love a good trilogy and if it's billed as the next Hunger Games then I am in!
Kylie Purtell said…
What an awesome idea for a link-up. *hipster alert* I read the Song of Ice and Fire series years ago and you are right on the money about the sex and violence. I find the TV version excessively gratuitous in this department and I would have not bothered with it at all except for Jon Snow. LOL. The books seem to have diminishing returns, so I'm hoping that he rocks it for the finale. I found Dance With Dragons over-long and went on even more sprawling tangents I didn't need. Still bloody brilliant though.
Kylie Purtell said…
Oh yes, if it wasn't for Jon Snow I would not like the show much at all! My husband of course loves it, I can't figure out why ;)


Yeah I really struggled with Dance with Dragons too, they definitely get harder to read the further in to it you get. I am trying not to get my hopes up too high for the next one!
Kylie Purtell said…
It's pretty good so far Renee, it's not as action-packed or fast-moving as Hunger Games but I'm still enjoying it. Definitely one to add to your list.
Kylie Purtell said…
No, I haven't heard of that trilogy but I am looking it up and adding it to my list now!
Kylie Purtell said…
Oh I will be super keen to hear about that Robyn, from all accounts his preso was fabulous, spewing I missed it! And thank you for linking up, kids books are good, because I have already started a list of books to get for the girls!
Kylie Purtell said…
Thanks for linking up lovely!


I know what you mean, I said to Dave that I'm not sure if I will ever be able to re-read them, it's such a time investment. Maybe when I'm retired and the kids have moved out!
Kylie Purtell said…
That is more than ok, as I said, there are no rules. You are truly fab Emily xx
Kylie Purtell said…
No worries! Reading is my little time out form the world, the one time I can truly forget about all of the crap lying around my house!
Kylie Purtell said…
OMG, that family tree saved me so many times, especially by the last book, I was referring back to it almost every chapter, there's so many damn characters!
Kylie Purtell said…
Oh I like the sound of that trilogy! I'm currently re-reading book 7 (I think) of the overland chronicles because I forgot what happened, and I want to read book 8. I love the series, but I'm also impatient because there's other books I want to read, and they are so long!
Kylie Purtell said…
I agree, wide reading is most definitely a great thing. Before I started working in bookshops I mostly stuck to crime fiction, but I quickly started to branch out and now I read all kinds of things that I never would have dared before. It's liberating because it's opened up a whole wide world of books to read that I might never have found otherwise.
Kylie Purtell said…
I felt like that with A Song of Ice and Fire. I had other books just sitting there mocking me on the shelf, just begging me to read them, but I had to finish the series first.
Kylie Purtell said…
I've been reading quite a bit lately. No series, just books for book club. I'm interested in reading the Song of Ice and Fire books, but there are a few other non-series books I want to look at first. In the last few weeks I've read Pennies for Hitler by Jackie French, Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks and The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom :-)
Kylie Purtell said…
After reading this post I looked for you on www.goodreads.com and await "your approval" as "friend". I just started this year to track my books there with a short review of each. I love it. Not sure I know how to link myself to your blog from goodreads. Is it possible? Or I'll wait until I review one on my blog - www.azestylife.blogspot.com and then link. I just started blogging last month (BWP). GREAT idea here Kylie!!
Kylie Purtell said…
Disappointing endings next month? I'm there, baby! Have you read Big Brother by Lionel Shriver? FFS!
Sorry, getting ahead of myself. I've just read Big Little Lies (meh), Lost & Found (great), Monkey Grip (bouncing around my head still), Bitter Greens (great) and The Hypnotist's Love Story (less meh than BLL). Now have The White Tiger, a Gertrude Stein collection and another that escapes my mind sitting on the bedside table.
Kylie Purtell said…
Great initiative thanks Kylie! I'm a huge reader and have two posts already this month with recent reads - have been under the weather so what else could I do but make my way through the book piles on my bedside table?! Look forward to seeing what everyone shares.
Kylie Purtell said…
I had to come back and add My Salinger Year which I consider to be a must read for 2014 - absolutely loved it! Cheers, Lucy

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