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Hello reader who is also a reader, and welcome back to Booked For The Week – our regular Sunday chat with a selection of cool industry folks about books! As both Ollie and this immaculately-crafted Green Stuff Slann butt have already foretold, Kiera Mills is leaving RPS for pastures more dog-like. As such, she’s joining me to talk about books! Cheers Kiera! Mind if we have a nose at your bookshelf?
What are you currently reading?
Wisteria by Adalyn Grace. It’s the third book in her series, the first being Belladonna. It’s a teen fic set in the Regency period and follows the story of Signa, an orphan sent to live with distant relatives. Whilst it might seem like another Charlotte Bronte clone, Signa can speak to ghosts and even Death himself – who happens to be rather dishy. Upon travelling to her new home, she is met by a household enshrouded in grief. The lady of the house has recently died under suspicious circumstances and the list of suspects is endless.
What did you last read?
Before Belladonna, I was reading Butter by Asako Yuzuki. It’s about a murderess who apparently used food to lure men under her spell. The main character is a reporter who is trying to interview the woman for her story and in doing so – starts to make her recipes. The thing is, whilst this sounds like an interesting premise, the book is more about food than it is about murder. I’m talking entire segments outlining the methodical process in which to cook these dishes…it just made me hungry. Of course, I’m not completely dense and I realised that the book was really providing a commentary on women’s role in society. Call me simple, but I just prefer my books a bit spicier.
What are you eyeing up next?
The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix. The book is about a support group of killing spree victims, who start to become a target when one member goes suspiciously missing. I’m a huge horror fan and I love genre tropes like this, so it sparked my interest immediately. I found it while looking for Halloween recommendations for my book club.
What quote or scene from a book sticks with you the most?
Look I’m just a girl – okay? I could try to pretend it’s something profound but it’s “Sassenach” from the Outlander series. It’s an old Scottish slang term for an Englishman and it’s also a pet name for the protagonist of the series. The books are about a woman from the 1940s who visits a set of standing stones whilst on her honeymoon. The stones transport her through time and she quickly finds herself embroiled in the political struggles of the English and the Scottish from the 18th century.
The series is all about romance but it also ties in Scottish history – which I love. I started reading them whilst I was studying in Edinburgh and I have a distinct memory of sitting on a park bench in the middle of autumn, reading a chapter with a coffee whilst I waited for my next class.
What book do you find yourself bothering friends to read?
I mostly keep my recommendations to myself, actually. I do remember badgering my friend to read Eragon years ago though. We would spend our lunch breaks at school reading matching copies of Eragon whilst everyone else dossed about. We were both suuuuuper cool.
What book would you like to see someone adapt to a game?
I’ve been burnt badly before with cross-over adaptations. One of the most egregious was ‘The Vampire’s Assistant’ (poached from my beloved series, the Saga of Darren Shan). However, the recent Percy Jackson TV Series on Disney Plus was rather good, so perhaps I should let go of my cynicism. Why not a wrestling game, where the roster is full of iconic book characters? We could finally solve the age-old question of who could win in a fight, Dumbledore or Gandalf? (The answer is Gandalf, obviously). It would be a licensing nightmare but a novelty for at least an hour or two.
I would point out that Kiera has failed to name all the books, but since she already wrote approximately 10 billion of the finest guides around, I’ll let it slide. Next week’s guest better deliver, though. Book for now!