The Deepest Blue: Tales of Renthia | 
pickI honestly love how this whole world ALWAYS seems to focus on the relationship of children with their parents and family as a whole. I really loved getting a new political structure and conflict while seeing a new type or structure of the spirits. This world just continued to get fleshed out and developed and BETTER with each book.
so-soThis is like a slightly (but only slightly) more adult version of the Hunger Games. In both the good and bad ways. It‘s exciting and interesting, with strong female characters who have more bravery and ingenuity than they originally thought they had. It also feels a little young in terms of the tone and language used. Overall, I enjoyed it, but I‘m not sprinting out to buy the next one.
“Death always lurks around _every_ corner,” Lady Garnah said, steel in her voice. “You can die for arbitrary, stupid reasons just as easily as you can die in a grand gesture. The key is how you live before that moment.”
pickThis stand alone novel takes place in the world of Renthia, the setting for Durst's Queens series. There were a few details that nagged at me early on, but I was ultimately lost in the world building and characters. I have not read the Queens series, but I don't feel it lessened my enjoyment. I will be adding that series to my TBR. I've included a pic of one of my fave reading spots--my front porch rustic bench. #fantasy #whereiread #onceuponabook
It has been such a lovely day. I can't get enough of being outside. I'm enjoying this gorgeous evening out on the porch with a new book. #onceuponabookclub #fantasy #frontporch #sunshine
So here are the gifts from Once Upon a Bookclub! And they totally go with the book. Two soaps, lavender essential oil, a paper mask, and a seashell wind chime. It was such a fun experience to read and open the items alongside. I look forward to the next box!
pickI don‘t read a whole lot of fantasy, but when I saw “Island of the Blue Dolphins meets The Hunger Games” as the description, I was in. And I enjoyed this book, finding the description fairly apt. And I really enjoyed the process of opening the gifts along with the book from Once Upon a Bookclub. I‘ll post a pic of the unwrapped gifts next under a spoiler tag.
Thanks to @Whimsical.Curiosity for posting about Once Upon a Bookclub. What a fun idea to include themed gifts with the book. This is my first one and I‘m looking forward to this reading experience!
It has been a glorious long weekend, filled with lots of reading. And time with family and planting and cleaning up my basement--not glamorous but wildly satisfying. ⠀
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What has given you joy or satisfaction this weekend?
Our April 2019 Adult selection was our first ever fantasy read! Our subscribers loved this powerhouse female-driven novel, and so did we!
And now it‘s time to start my April Once Upon a Book Club selection before @Shianmarie gets too far ahead of me. #onceuponabookclubbox #aprilbook #thedeepestblue #somemorereadingbeforebed
