The Books I'm Reading Now
I'm reading Inciting Joy, Ross Gay's newest collection of essays about finding and spreading happiness; I'm reading the third in Naomi Novik's dark, wonderful Scholomance series, the fantasy novel The Golden Enclaves; and I'm listening to Weyward, Emilia Hart's debut novel, about witchcraft and strong women linked across three timelines.
What are you reading these days, bookworms?
01 Inciting Joy: Essays by Ross Gay
In poet and essayist Ross Gay's Inciting Joy, he explores the joy in our interactions with each other, their importance, and how to cultivate more joy together.
Inciting Joy explores caring for each other and the human connections that make up a full, rich life. Gay turns his thoughtful eye and sensitive mind to inspiration and fulfillment in essays with topics ranging from skateboarding to masculinity to mortality.
Ross Gay's Book of Delights is a sunshiny set of thoughts and examinations that's not overly earnest and never corny. I just loved it. You can check out my Bossy review of that book here.
02 The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik
A Deadly Education was the first in Novik's Scholomance series, which is set at a magical school with two routes out: a grueling path to graduation and beyond or, just as likely, death. Danger and darkness lurk around every corner for grumpy, powerful El and her classmates.
The second book of the Scholomance was The Last Graduate, which builds on book one's dark humor, dangerous forces, and the irresistible attraction between El and Orion. I tried to slow down and savor it.
In The Golden Enclaves, the third installment of the series, the unlikely allied force of students faces the aftermath of their ambitious book two plan to save the world. With everything going wrong, El and her friends must do the unthinkable yet again: this time they must find their way back into the school they fought for years to escape.
Novik is also the author of many other wonderful fantasy novels featuring main protagonists I love.
03 Weyward by Emilia Hart
In Weyward, Emilia Hart's story of witchcraft and the natural world, she explores three timelines of women connected through the ages by power and by society's historical suspicion of strong women.
In 1619, Altha is awaiting her trial for the murder of a local farmer, and she'll need to use all of her powers to evade execution. In 1942, as World War II disrupts the world, Violet is stuck in her family's ramshackle estate when she discovers an intriguing link to the past. In 2019, Kate flees an abusive relationship in London for the safety of the crumbling cottage she's inherited from her aunt--and learns of her ancestors' persecution in the witch hunts of the 17th century.
I received an audiobook version of this book courtesy of Libro.fm (Libro.fm supports local bookstores!) and Macmillan Audio. The story is narrated by Aysha Kala, Helen Keeley, and Nell Barlow.
Weyward is Emilia Hart's debut novel.