Last Year I Was Reading is hosted by Maria @ ReadingMaria. Every Thursday (or whichever day you choose), take your current read and compare it to what you were reading this exact time last year.
- Which one do you like better?
- What is different about the books?
- Any special facts/things you want to make note of or bring attention to?
Last year, I did not read/review anything exactly on July 29 (today). I did read one after on July 30th, Amanda Wakes Up.
Today, I read and reviewed two novels, one is an ARC for a blog tour, Worn Out Wife Seeks New Life, and the other is a back-log title, The Queen Will Betray You (Kingdom of Sands and Sky #2).
The easiest comparison is the novel from last year was a back-log title as it was released in 2017. My two novels from this year are both new releases that were published in July 2021. The next easiest would be The Queen Will Betray You is the second novel in a series, Kingdom of Sands and Sky, while Amanda Wakes Up and Worn Out Wife Seeks New Life are both standalones.
All three novels contain a romance elements. Amanda Wakes Up contains love interests as the main character starts with one and potentially has another they are interested in. Worn Out Wife Seeks New Life starts with a married couple; however, things are not perfect in their marriage and they spend some time apart. The Queen Will Betray You contains a developing romance as the main characters from the first novel may love each other, but there is a lot that they are going through before they can have a happy ending.
Worn Out Wife and Amanda are both contemporary novels set (or partially set) in the United States whereas Queen is set in a fictional land in a fantasy genre setting. The first two novels are both also marketed as adult/women’s fiction type novels whereas Queen is young adult.
For choosing one novel as a favorite, I am on the fence between two of them. Since The Queen Will Betray You is part of a series, it is difficult to fully judge it as the third novel will be published in 2022. While I did enjoy Worn Out Wife Seeks New Life, I am not sure if I would re-read it again. Therefore, I think I would choose Amanda Wakes Up. There are a lot of elements that I still like about this story, even if it was not perfect. Out of the three novels, for me, it has the most re-read potential.
Have you read any of these books? What did you think? What book were you reading this time last year and how does it compare to your current read?
chonkybooksreview.com 