Tag: Kiersten White

Jan 7 – 13, 2024 | Little Sparks #36

TemidayoLeave a comment

Greetings!

Here’s my reading highlight:

Bright We Burn (The Conqueror’s Saga #3) by Kiersten White
4 stars

Completion of a series I began in 2023. I was worried that the ending would severely (and unfairly) criticise Lada, who I consider to be a strong (yet flawed) female character. However, it was a beautiful ending to the story and the characters’ connection.

Halal Sex: The Intimate Lives of Muslim Women in North America by Sheima Benembarek
5 stars

This was a healing read. A frank and powerful depiction of feminist contribution to the advancement of Muslim sexual education and pleasure through the experiences of real people – Azar, a non-binary trans Sufi; Bunmi, a Nigerian navigating shame and Tinder; Eman, a lesbian stand-up comic in an interfaith marriage; Taslim, a virgin in her forties struggling to erect healthy boundaries; and Khadijah, an exotic dancer and sex worker. Likewise, it was a strong reminder that Muslim patriarchy is not Islam.

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TemidayoLeave a comment

Hello!

This week has been pretty great in all aspects – food, exercise and reading.

P.S. Iron Flame’s hold on me and the desire to finally be able to read it is ridiculously strong. I’m patiently waiting for the audiobook version from my library and fingers crossed I won’t be disappointed.

Here’s my reading highlight for the week:

And I Darken (The Conqueror’s Saga #1) by Kiersten White
4 stars

I wonder why this book is categorised as fantasy alongside historical fiction. The book is focused on the Ottoman Empire and the Emperor’s pursuit to conquer Rome. I haven’t seen any ‘magic’ elements, so I’m unsure of this category.

While it was very engrossing, I waited so long for Lada ‘to come to her senses’ and for us to see her secure the Wallachian throne. It felt like Lada’s relationship with Mehmed and that romance distracted her from achieving her goals after she and her brother were abandoned in the Ottoman Empire by their father for power. I’m unsure if it was the author’s deliberate intention to present this or my reading of Lada’s struggle as a woman in a patriarchal world.

Furthermore, I don’t trust Mehmed at all. So, I’m excited about how Lada’s path goes in the next book of the series!