The Happy Place 5: Books I Meant to Read Last Year…
The Happy Place 5 is a monthly series where a few friends and I post 5 of our favorites books for a certain topic or theme. The name is from a Discord group that I am a part of. We created the space to have a positive environment for a handful of close friends. All of us are bookworms, and many of us are bookstagrammers and bloggers. So we decided to start a blog post series together! I’ll link my friends blogs and posts for this month’s topic at the end of this post.
Today (well, today as I’m writing this) I saw the following tweet:
This is something that I KNOW we can all relate to haha. This is extremely relevant to our topic today, since we chose to talk about backlist books that we meant to read in 2021. I have 10000% said the above almost word for word about all of these books. So I feel personally attacked by this tweet lol. But anyway, read on to find out which books I STILL NEED TO READ. And then go berate me into reading them hehe.
The Priory of the Orange Tree
- Author: Samantha Shannon
- Target audience: Adult
- Series info: Standalone
- Genre: Fantasy
Look. I preordered this before it came out in FEBRUARY 2019. HOW IS THAT ALMOST THREE WHOLE YEARS AGO. I’m fine. It’s fine. Anyway I’ve literally be meaning to read it ever since it arrived at my apartment. I’m not sure why I haven’t picked it up yet. I guess it’s been a while since I felt like reading a big chunky fantasy. But everyone I know loves this, so I really need to get to it this year.
The Fifth Season
- Author: N.K. Jemisin
- Target audience: Adult
- Series info: First in a completed trilogy
- Genre: Fantasy
Know what’s funny? I definitely thought this would be my first N.K. Jemisin novel. But it wasn’t!! My first was The City We Became, which I loved. So I’m definitely excited to read more of her work, especially this trilogy which is so acclaimed. I’ve heard that the writing style is really unique, and I always love discovering new-to-me styles of storytelling.
Unconquerable Sun
- Author: Kate Elliott
- Target audience: Adult
- Series info: First in an ongoing series
- Genre: Science fiction
You know I’m a sucker for retellings. And I’m also a sucker for space operas. So why haven’t I read this one yet??? I have no idea. This one is a genderbent, sapphic retelling of Alexander the Great. IN SPACE. Sigh. It’s like everything I’ve ever wanted. I’ve also read a few of Kate Elliott’s other books and really enjoyed them, so I have a great feeling about this one.
The Worst of All Possible Worlds
- Author: Alex White
- Target audience: Adult
- Series info: Third in a completed trilogy
- Genre: Science fiction
Have you ever put off a book because you don’t want the series to end? Like, you just don’t want to leave those characters and that world? Yeah, I think that’s what I’m doing with this book. I absolutely completely loved the first two books and I’m sad that the trilogy is over!! I don’t want to let go. But I promise I’ll read it this year. And maybe do a reread of the previous two before I finish, so I can spend even longer in the world.
The First Sister
- Author: Linden A. Lewis
- Target audience: Adult
- Series info: First in a nearly complete trilogy
- Genre: Science fiction
Apparently this book is queer as hell and totally badass. I had preordered it and you know. Life happened. I even have the sequel already since the sequel actually came out last year (and the first in 2020). The final book in the trilogy hopefully comes out this year, so it’s the perfect year to catch up.
Do you have any books that are glaring at you from your shelf for not reading them yet? Have you read any of the ones here that I mentioned? If yes, and you liked them, then bug me about getting to them haha.
I still need to read the Priory! It’s been on my shelf for so long. I’m making a priority in 2022 for sure.
Ahaha I’m glad I’m not alone 😂
The Priory of the Orange Tree was really good, but I feel you on holding off, she thick! I hope you love it when you get to it!
She SOOOO thicc hahahah
i really wanna read The Priory of the Orange Tree and The Fifth Season but i always get intimated by their size haha. hope to pick them up this year!
Ahahaha yes that’s what keeps putting me off Priory 😂